agent rogers returns • j.thompson

out of the woods.

but the monsters turned out to be just trees
when the sun came up you were looking at me

C A L I F O R N I A
—
C H A R L O T T E

"They're gonna come back for us, right? I mean, they have our truck, our radios, our water..." Samberly groaned.

"Something's happened. It's been over an hour," Jack stated, dropping the binoculars from his eyes.

"Question is, do we head toward the blast area or toward civilisation?" Daniel asked.

"Strolling through a cloud of radiation isn't my first choice," Jack answered, looking back at Daniel and I.

"You're supposed to drink your urine," Samberly said.

The three of us looked back at him, disgusted and confused.

"When you're dehydrated! I'm problem-solving!"

"Yeah, not happening!" I dismissed.

"Nearest town is at least a day's walk."

"Longer if we have to drag that thing with us!" Jack complained.

"Look! We're saved!" Samberly exclaimed, pointing to a car driving toward us.

"SSR car," Jack affirmed after viewing it through his binoculars. "Vega and Blackwell."

"Vernon's guys," Daniel muttered. He took the binoculars from Jack to see for himself.

"How do you know?" Jack asked.

"He sent them to kick the crap out of me. Blackwell gargles Aqua Velva."

"But, they're just gonna take us back to the SSR, right?"

I looked back at Samberly and shook my head.

"I don't think that's what they have in mind," Jack muttered.

"Don't worry boys!" I called. I cracked my knuckles and stretched my limbs.

"Let's think this through. Jack, what's the play?" Daniel asked.

"What the hell?" I grumbled.

"Do you trust me?" He asked Daniel.

"Not at all."

Jack shrugged at that.

"Good enough."

.

When the boys pulled up, I stood behind Daniel and Samberly who had their guns pointed at the surrendered Jack Thompson.

"Vega, thank God you found us. Put Chief Thompson in the back of the vehicle. He's under arrest."

"You heard the man! Sometime this week," Samberly said.

I rolled my eyes, still annoyed that they gave him the gun to point at Jack and not me.

The two men hesitated, before pointing their guns at Daniel and Samberly as expected.

"Drop the gun, Chief!" One called to Daniel.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Vernon sent them to kill whoever pulled the trigger on that thing!" Jack called. "That sound about right boys?"

"Doc, put that gun down before you hurt yourself."

"Yeah, hand it over the lady why don't you?"

Daniel and Samberly dropped their guns while Jack stood up.

"Now let's get these men back to the SSR. Vernon's gonna want to hear what they have to say," Jack said.