Lost and Found

Chapter 2

She pulled her long hair back into a tight braid. She had stopped covering up her eye last year sometime, it didn't matter what she looked like anymore, and she liked scars anyway. She had improved her marksmanship to a dead shot better without the eye anyway, as she'd come to find out. Her hair had faded from it's bright red color and she never found or made more dye. She was more focused on her mission than anything else.

She kept a hold of her rifle, looking through scope silently to see anything roaming about. She usually went for rabbits or a few squirrels, never anything big, it took too long to clean and dry out and she never stayed long enough in one spot. She hummed softly to herself as she looked, thinking through all the old songs she could remember. After a while she shivered, the bitter cold biting into her jacket a little bit. It had been cold this year. Like really cold. Another thing to be thankful for that there were no Z's... A shot rang out, and then two more, and the redhead smiled to herself. There's food for the next few days, she got some squirrels. Good but tough meat. She climbed down from the first floor roof she had perched on and headed to go get her prizes.

She tossed them into her game bag and took a drink of black coffee from her thermos. She started heading back toward the library when she heard the crack of a branch breaking to her right. The small sound was as loud as a gunshot to her trained ears, and she ducked behind a tree, immediately crouching down. She took aimed her rifle, using the scope as a telescope, scanning the area.

She didn't see anything, and then suddenly there was a small glimmer maybe 50 feet to her right. She couldn't tell what it was so she fired a warning shot and she heard a Yelp. "What the hell?!" Someone tripped out from behind a tree and rubbed their side and she narrowed her eyes. She slowly slipped from tree to tree, putting her rifle behind her and hefting her Z-Whacker in her left hand. The person looked around and adjusted their jacket and Addie suddenly stopped short. "Roberta?" Warren looked up quickly. "Addison!" She rushed over to her, arms open. Addie met her in the middle and they just stood their for a while, crying happily.

Addie wiped tears off her good eye as she pulled back from her with a sharp intake of breath. "What the hell are you doing here?" She punched Warren in the arm. "You guys must be getting comfy over there in NewMerica, you're sloppy girl. I saw and heard you 50 feet out." Warren smiles and shrugged. "What can I say? We're doing our jobs and doing them well. We just decided to head over here to get some stuff for George's new oval office." Addison grimaced visibly. "She still IN office?" she mumbled something about responsibility and adjusted her scope back as the older woman raised her eyebrows. "I don't need drama today ok? Besides we need all the help you can get, it looks like someone has set up camp in the library. It's booby trapped." "Yeah that would be me..." Addie said, "I'll help you out. But first what do you mean, we?"

"Yeah the gang and I- Doc, 10k, Red, CZ, and George. She needed a vacay," she says and starts heading for the library. Addie doesn't move. "Just duck the trip wire, you'll be fine. I'm gonna wait until you all leave." She leans against a tree. "Come on, you're coming with me, are you crazy? It's been 3 years!" Warren's smile falters as Addie stayed put. "What's wrong, beautiful?" The young red head shrugs. "I have no reason to see her. I can't trust her so I don't want her around me..." she said stubbornly. Warren raises an eyebrow before a look of realization passed over her face.

She walks back over to her old friend. "Addison it wasn't her fault-" she cut off as Addie shook her head. "NO!" she says firmly. "I have done my best not to think about that for 2 years and yes, it was her fault! Because of her, Danté is dead. He was like a brother to me," she hissed through gritted teeth before stalking off.

Warren shook her head before following her and eventually the loner stopped and sighed. "I'm only going but it doesn't mean I'm going to be nice. I also have an SUV full of antiques, artifacts, books and history for you guys. Not her, but the people of NewMerica. Got it?" She nods and gestures for her to lead the way and Warren walks behind her, rolling her eyes and mentally preparing herself for the long night ahead of all of them. The library looks over them and she wipes her face, following Addison inside.