STAY (Completed)

Chapter 17

LANCE

"What empire?" Allura asked.

Adam leaned against the bar placing his lantern on the wooden surface.

"There are more dangerous things out there than just the dead." Adam adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Were you bitten?" Hunk asked taking in Adam's appearance. His left hand and leg were both missing. Burn marks marred his exposed skin and traveled up his neck to his face.

"I lost my leg to one of the dead. My hand and these burns are from them. The Empire. It's run by a madman. He worked for Garrison as a scientist when the outbreak first began.

I think, and this is just my opinion, but I think he's the reason we had the outbreak. He released the disease and wiped out more than half of our population, and now he's forging his own empire to rule whatever is left." Adam explained his theory.

"Would someone really go through all of that trouble and risk becoming diseased themself, to rule whatever the world had left over?" Hunk asked.

"Wait. I know of whom you speak. My father had an apprentice. He would always get into trouble for his untasteful experiments. He was fascinated with death and reanimation." Allura spoke up.

"Well that's one question answered the other is where is this guy and how do we stop him?" I scratched my chin.

"That's actually um two questions." Hunk held up his hand. I glared at him from my seat.

"We've been following his movements. A lot of survivors had joined his ranks. They outnumber us ten to one." Adam sighed.

"Who's we?" I asked.

"A group of us are holed up at Garrison. We're trying to get it back up and running. A lot of us were taken by the Empire, and were used. Only some of us managed to escape. Our lead scientist didn't make it." A sad look crossed his features.

"Where are the others now?" Allura asked.

"I was on patrol when I noticed your predicament. If you follow me we can meet my partner and together we can go back to the Garrison." Adam rose with a grunt.

"Lance?" Hunk raised a brow. Allura looked to me questioningly as well.

I'm no leader. I can't do this. I don't even have a leg anymore. I lost Keith, our group is split up.

Adam seemed to sense my unease and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"This burden is a lot to carry on your own. We can help." Adam smiled gently.

I looked to what was left of my team and the small amount of hope still lingering in their eyes.

"Okay. We will follow you." I inclined my chin as Adam helped me to my feet.

"Lance McClain. " I shook his hand.

"McClain eh?" He smirked.

"Yes. I was a cadet at the Garrison." I nodded.

"Hunk Garret." Hunk smiled.

"Allura Alfor." Allura shook Adam's hand.

"Let's go. My partner should be here any second." Adam raised the lantern and headed toward the back of the bar toward a wine cellar.

"Whoa is this some kind of secret passage way?" Hunk gasped.

"No it's where nerds play dungeons and dragons." I rolled my eyes.

"There is an underground tunnel system that Garrison created in case of emergencies. We've been using them to travel and gather supplies and intel." Adam explained.