Once Again

Chapter Five - Itvara

Itvara means traveler, by the way. 

Itvara

"So," Tristam said the next morning, "here's your briefing."

"My ... what?" Echo gave him a blank stare, completely confused.

Tristam sighed. "Your preparation. How you're going to get this done. You'll be with Puppet, because I figured it'd be best to keep the numbers low. Although he can be helpful, as soon as you get in, you'll be on your own."

"On my own?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Tristam sighed again, getting frustrated. "The cure is in the middle of the building, on the second floor. There are old air vents throughout the entire building that they don't monitor, and they're small, which is why we need you."

"Why not go in another way?"

"Why don't you leave your questions till the end of the briefing, alright?" the leader said through gritted teeth.

Echo shifted nervously and gently touched his burn. Even when he was awake, Tristam still scared him.

"Alright," he continued. "Once you get in, you're going to need to stay extra quiet. The room with my cure is heavily guarded - on the outside. If you do everything right, you should end up on the inside, without having to worry about them. Puppet's got a map for you, and also a radio Nitro powered up so that you can contact him in case of an emergency. Get in and out as fast as possible, understand?"

"Yes. I understand," Echo said, thinking about what Braken had said the night before, and Rogue and Puppet's conversation. He felt himself start to panic, his chest tightening up and his heart rate increasing.

Tristam noticed his fear and said, "Don't worry, kid. You'll be fine."

"I hope so," he mumbled, gently touching his locket.

"Puppet! Are you ready?" the leader called.

"Yeah. I've got enough water for four days. Sound good?" the other answered.

"Sounds good."

Echo watched as Tristam stood up and quietly exchanged a few words with Puppet, and then went back to his tent. Puppet came up to the young outsider and helped him stand.

"Ready for this?" he asked cheerfully.

"If only."

Together, the two carried their water, blankets, and what little food they could as they exited the camp and started their journey to the facility. Echo worried all day, especially since Puppet had gotten oddly quiet after they had left the city behind. They were traveling farther North on the abandoned interstate, away from the safety of their city. Once every so often, Echo caught sight of another person, in another pack, staring at them as they walked, their eyes seeming to pick him apart, making him feel exposed. Puppet didn't falter when he saw them. In fact, he rose up a little taller as if to prove that he was stronger and could take care of himself.

The landscape might've been beautiful, once, but as the drought had been ongoing for seven years, all plants were dried up and yellow, dead as can be. Some places were blackened and burnt from an accidental fire.

The heat  in the air was more than uncomfortable. Echo wondered how Puppet still wore his coat and didn't melt. He was already sticky and damp with just his tattered t-shirt and jeans.

Near the end of the first day of travel, they set up camp under an overpass and away from the main part of the new city. Echo hesitated, and then asked, "Why are you so quiet?"