To Be A Leader

Chapter 38: Mother's Little Helper

"Alright, this is the mic feed." A loud squeal of equipment comes a second later. I wince at the sound as Phil hisses at his mistake. "Okay, so that's not the mic feed. So um... this is the mic feed?"

"I thought Sam took you through all the equipment earlier?" Zoe asks with a raised brow.

"He was giving Sarah her breakfast at the time," Paula replies with a shrug. "She sees vegetables as more of a missile than a food."

"It's okay. I think I've got-" He's cut off by gunshots from those at post, taking out the few zombies that are probably mulling around the gates. "Yeah. Covering fire. Well, that's exactly what I was going to tell them to do. Right. Right. Okay, so today you're going to Meerkat Manor, the animal sanctuary."

Zoe gasps. "Meerkat Manor? Oh my God. Oh my God! Phil, why didn't you tell me that's where we're going?"

"Because I knew that'd be how you reacted, and I was kind of hoping you'd concentrate on the mission rather than meerkats so you don't get eaten by zombies."

"And the mission is to collect psychiatric drugs-antidepressants and antipsychotics, mainly," Paula says. "There's an arrangment between all UK territories, even Sigrid's, to exchange them between a neutral point... in an animal santuary."

I nod. I guess those types of drugs would be needed. The zombie apocalypse hasn't exactly been great for anyone's mental health, especially the people of Abel Township. Not only do they have to deal with zombies but they also have to worry about their home constantly being on the verge of destruction.

"I am literally going to heaven," Zoe squeals.

"Um, not to say this isn't important, because I know it is, but why did you have me scheduled for this mission?" I ask, shifting uncomfortably. "I mean, I'm not saying I believe myself to be above supply runs or anything. I just... am usually sent on more dangerous missions than this."

"Well, yeah, this is a nice, light mission for everyone," Phil says. "Callista-er, Five, we just thought, you know, with your..."

"With my...?" I prompt, biting back the rising annoyance and discomfort.

"Your uh, Moonchild... problem, we thought it might be better for you to do more non-Sigrid missions for awhile."

I'm taken aback by that. "What? Why? I'm fine. Haven't heard her since I was on that ship, and I was just stressed a few days ago when I... snapped like I did. We can't-we can't just not do those missions."

"Not we, you," Paula corrects, and I wonder just who this 'we' was that decided I couldn't go on more important missions. "After you told us what Moonchild had done for you, without your consent, without any possibility you could even answer back... oh, it's awful. I can't imagine how you feel, Five."

"No, you can't. It sucks," I snap. "But I don't think it's a good enough reason to pull me off of Sigrid missions!"

"We're taking it one step at a time," She assures, but I have a hard time believing her. "We just want to see if we can find something that helps with your Moonchild susceptibility. Veronica thinks she might be able to put together an earpiece that could counter the voices, but until then, yes. A few less Sigrid missions."

"Which is not to say that this isn't an important and dangerous mission," Phil says before I can interject. "You need to be out of there by nightfall."

"Zoms?"

"Pumas. So get going."

We all stand there in silence for a moment, the three of us casting sideways glances to one another.