Salvage Station 23

Chapter 3, Part 9

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An hour had passed since they'd fled the hospital, the rumble of the bus the only sound breaking the silence. Tension hung heavy in the air, thick and oppressive, each person lost in their own thoughts.

The bus bumped along the cracked and broken road, the dull glow of flashlights dancing through the windows, casting eerie shadows in the darkness. Olivia stood near the front, her eyes scanning the surroundings, vigilant, every muscle coiled tight like a spring. She hadn't said much since they'd left, her mind still processing Rosie's revelation.

Rosie sat nearby, sharpening her double-ended katana with steady hands, the sound of metal scraping against stone oddly calming in the otherwise still bus. Eli was beside her, nervously fidgeting with his knife, his eyes flickering between Olivia and Rosie, as if looking for reassurance. Zoe, sitting opposite him, was unusually quiet, her face set in an expression of deep concentration.

Max and Aiden, seated further back, shared a glance. They both sensed it-the unease, the subtle shift in the air. Aiden's hand hovered near his spear, while Max adjusted his seat, trying to find comfort in the uncomfortable silence.

Liam, gripping the wheel tightly, kept his eyes on the road, hyper-aware of every small movement in the distance. His younger brother, Mia, was curled up beside David, both quietly keeping to themselves. Every so often, Liam's eyes darted toward the rearview mirror, watching the others, sensing the weight of everything they had just learned.

"We're not out of this yet," Olivia murmured, more to herself than anyone else, her voice barely audible over the low hum of the engine.

Rosie glanced up at her, eyes narrowing slightly. "You feel it too?"

Olivia nodded, her fingers gripping the barbed-wire-wrapped bat a little tighter. There was a heaviness in the air, an impending sense of danger that had her on edge. "Something's coming."

Aiden leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "You think they're following us?"

"Not the Jacks," Rosie replied quietly, her voice low and even. "But someone else."

Olivia's eyes swept over the bus again, meeting Rosie's gaze. She trusted her instincts, knew Rosie was right. The Jacks were unlikely to follow them this far, but out here in the wasteland, danger came in many forms. Raiders, scavengers-people who had lost everything and were desperate enough to take from anyone they crossed paths with.

"We need to be ready," Olivia said, her voice sharp now. The others tensed at her words.

Max straightened, gripping his spear, while Aiden silently checked the Glock 22s strapped to his side. Zoe exchanged a look with Eli, both of them immediately alert, their hands tightening around their knives.

The darkness outside felt even more oppressive now, the glow of their flashlights barely penetrating the surrounding gloom.

Suddenly, Liam's voice broke through the quiet. "I think we've got company."

Everyone's attention snapped to the front as the bus slowed. Olivia moved up to stand behind Liam, her eyes narrowing as she peered into the distance.

Headlights flickered far up ahead, blocking the narrow road in front of them. Olivia felt her pulse quicken.

"We've been spotted," Liam muttered, his grip tightening on the wheel.

Rosie stood, her katana glinting faintly in the sunlight's beam. "Raiders."

It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

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