The Skylar Experiment : The "X" in Apex

Chapter Forty - The Wait

Down in the driveway, Luc gathered the scant stuff he needed. Something clinked at the bottom. I was curious, so I pulled down a flap from the black plastic bag, quickly dipping my arm to—

"Ow!" I yanked it back and cradled my burning hand. I'd had a few seconds to feel something of a stiff, circular shape. Cold at first, then it was like I touched live wire. "What is that?"

Luc hadn't moved an inch, his jaw slightly unhinged until he seemed to remember to slide the bag out of reach. "That'll teach you not to be so nosy."

I scowled, curling and uncurling my fingers. The pain went away almost as suddenly as it appeared, but I couldn't guess what kind of object did this on contact. I scratched my head and came up with no idea.

He didn't help, either. No matter how hard I badgered him for an explanation, he gave me the silent treatment on our walk.

At least the headlamp was coming in handy with the sneaky ankle traps beneath knee-level grass. Luc would fix it if I were to bust a joint, but he was supposed to stay in energy-saving mode.

All I'd accept was after a slash on my fingertip once I'd smeared blood on a new leaf. The first half hour amid the forest was alive with grinding, scuffing and clicking from invisible animals.

It was quite comforting, in fact, to have external noise fill my mind.

The crispy wind on my cheeks got me thankful for my fleece underlayer. I was so tightly bundled, nothing could possibly seep through.

When we arrived halfway to the meeting point with still no sign of monsters, Luc turned to me and smacked his palms on his sides. I creased my nose.

"Slower than a goddamn snail."

"I guess they're not hungry," I said.

He skipped over a hollow in the moss and blew past me.

"Well, we can't show up empty-handed, can we?"

Armed with the flashlight in his mouth, he started climbing a blurry, dense evergreen a couple of feet down. He kept a good pace, smartly choosing his holds to balance himself.

Up he sat, on top of the highest branch that could support his weight. He clipped the flashlight out of the way.

"What are you waiting for? Get in here."

I began to peel the strap off my shoulder.

"I know it's dead, but don't leave the backpack. Lost the bike in my backyard when I was sixteen and never saw it again, lock and all," he added.

"You're kidding me. Why would one be interested in a bike?"

Luc's silhouette shifted on the perch. "The fuck would I know? I bet it was a young one trying to figure out what works as a lure. Thieves, the whole bunch of them."

Shaking my head, I dug my fingers in and scaled up. "You're still sour over it two years later." Being smaller, I spiraled around the bark, rattling needles with each transfer, but I found a solid perch just over his.

"It was a cool bike," he sighed.

"Sure."

Tree-climbing was part of tonight's deal for several reasons, as it was likely I'd need to do it more than once. During lunch, they said that if I saw a flare from the waterfall, then I had to hide above ground.

It meant there was a loose horde running in my direction.

That lady and I would need to spend time concealed, too. Wanderers could close in from any part. If all else failed, there was her and the weapons on me.