To Be A Killer

Chapter 5: Left To My Own Devices

"Raise the gates!" Sam commands. "C-Covering-"

The snipers above the township start firing as we run out, effectively taking out the few zoms before Sam can even finish the sentence. Tony snickers quietly.

"Looks like they know what to do without you, mate."

"Yeah, alright," He replies, and I can easily picture him rolling eyes in annoyance. "I just-it's the form of the thing, alright?"

Paula nods. "It makes you feel better to say it. I understand."

"I think it'd be a little weird if he didn't say it." I shrug. "I think I might miss it."

Amelia hums in response through my headset. "You know, there's probably someway this whole business could be automated. It's all rather repetitive, isn't it?"

"Automated?" Sam gasps. "This-this is a highly skilled job."

"Yes... just a thought. Leave it with me," She replies. "Now, Runners, I need you going cross country today. Quick time. I'll brief you as you go. Get moving."

'Get moving,' she says as if we're not already running.

I sigh and try not to think anymore sarcastic thoughts. I actually need to be a bit grateful since Amelia hasn't bothered me anymore on my whole name situation, although it's only been one day since that discussion.

But I guess that doesn't really matter at the moment. Right now I believe we're going to be going after one of Comansys's bases. Of course, we haven't been told that yet, but I doubt they'd send three people out on a entertainment run.

I hope this is it, because I want to help in finding Caleb. I want my children to know we're getting closer to finding him. Penelope asks me a lot if he's going to come back and if he's going to come back normal. She asks if he'll be like a robot forever, and I always have pause before I lie and tell her 'no', because it hurts that I don't truly know the answer.

Milo doesn't ask, because he's not like Penelope. He knows that I don't know the answers. He knows that we've got not much of anything in finding our people, except in what we found when meeting Tony, which hopefully will lead to another discovery.

I pray it will.

"Good. Good," Amelia praises. "You're making excellent time. Very important mission today. Let's see. We have Runner Five, Runner Twenty-three-that's you, Dr. Cohen."

She nods. "Present."

"Yes, very good. And Runner-oh, you don't have a number, Antony."

"Just Tony. Never needed any other names."

"Hmm, unlike some people," She mutters under her breath before clearing her throat. "Well, the Ministry of Recovery requested the three of you particularly. Because of your very useful information about the ongoings in London, Tony, and after what you discovered at the Comansys river base, the Ministry has devoted a good part of its resources to investigating local known Comansys offices, laboratories and other places."

"Haven't found anything though, have they?"

"No. That's what you're here for. We know Comansys was on the Scottish Islands, but the Ministry has set up a team out there. And whatever they were doing in the past, it's just sheep up there now. Comansys buildings have been found to be, for the most part, entirely clear, but we're hoping that perhaps one of you with your expert knowledge-"