||Series Removed|| OTB

31 - The Puppet Princess

I was already surprised at how quickly I'd adapted to one-handed life, but somehow I'd outdone myself beyond that. Driving Tomás' stolen truck while wriggling into a combat-padded resistance uniform, I nearly swerved through a minefield of solar panels as I steered us onward with my knees.

The musician had come to our rescue, but we were the ones who immediately ended up saving him. Trying to act cool with his one-liners, his legs turned to jelly after meeting his future wife and Charlotte had to stuff him into the vehicle's cramped rear. His arms didn't leave Belle's waist for even a split second.

I kept stealing glances through the cargo slit, noting the tense silence that fell over my friends. Even if we weren't breaking into humanity's last stronghold, they would still be frozen in trepidation.

Tomás just stared blankly at Belle's pregnant stomach, and I didn't even know what could be said in that type of situation. They needed to talk about what they were going to do, but it had to be later rather than sooner.

"We... have two more minutes, until the next shift change," the Hispanic whispered under his breath. I assumed he was referring to the guards posted at the building up ahead, blocking the tall-gated entrance to the Vegas Strip.

My speed decreased by about half, trying to make ourselves discreet as we rolled past the empty outpost. It didn't matter that the Lost were slowly tailing us across the desert; by the time we infiltrated the compound, it would be someone else's problem.

"Holy shit," I breathed with an exhausted chuckle. It was clear that the resistance had plenty of generators around, hidden inside the darkened spires and casinos... All that came to mind was Christmas time: festive lights hung from the sidewalk's palm trees, bright-neon signs illuminated the abandoned streets from above with a lustrous glare.

Taking in the surrounding attractions and parked cars with my usual pre-outbreak nostalgia, I began to feel that dangerous emotion again. That desire to stay in a protected society, the same feeling that I'd made myself vulnerable to when Patch was razed to the ground.

Survivors were dangerous to be around, more so than the Lost. There only existed a handful of people I could trust with my life, and I was determined to get them back at any cost.

"Daniel, stop!!" I heard Blessing yell, and I slammed on the breaks without thinking twice. Only after I'd taken my eyes away from the spectrum of colours raining over our heads, I saw him. Blessing's kid brother ran out onto the road, waving his hand in welcome.

Both of us leapt out of the truck and I stood by as the blonde threw her arms around TB's thin body, a rare display of affection on both their parts.

"Brother, are you unharmed?! I'm sorry, for what I did..." She drew her guilty eyes to the side, recalling the way they left matters days ago.

"You were worried about me? That's not your style," TB's lips curved a little, and I was taken aback as he switched over to me for a tight hug. His hands were shaking, and I was concerned by the awkward strain behind his voice.

"Woah, easy there! Where's Beth, is she safe? What about Harry?" I asked, patting him lightly on the back.

"Run." His words filtered straight into my open ear, ensuring their secrecy. His agitated state became abruptly clear, and I pulled myself away with a hesitant nod. They must have gotten to him, after all.

Darting back to the truck, I barely made it ten paces before a red dot placed itself on the door handle, just before I could reach it. Recoiling in panic, my widened eyes flew up to the nearby casino. A series of glints in every other window told me just how many laser sights were aiming at my head. Only one of them had to pull the trigger, and my life would be over.