Days are Gone (Under Massive Editing - Republishing Chapters)

Chapter 17 - Navigators

Watching interrogation scenes in murder documentaries is my favorite part, but now that I'm the one doing the interrogating, it's not as enjoyable.

Seeing it on screen and experiencing it in person are two very different things, especially when you're the one torturing someone to uncover truths and lies.

- - -

"If you cooperate, I'll make sure you get a bullet to the head. Quick and clean," I said calmly.

He stared at me for a moment before speaking. "Are you sure you don't want to change your mind and spare my life? I might be useful-"

"No," I interrupted. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Fine," he sighed. "I guess I'd rather take a bullet than be eaten alive by that thing," he chuckled, glancing over at Rachelle and Zack, who were holding the infected.

I put my gun away and locked eyes with him. "Enough games. Let me ask again-who sent you?"

He hesitated, then shrugged. "Navigators... those people sent me."

Navigators? I've only heard of them from Zack. No one's ever given me the full story.

"I knew it," David muttered from the corner. "That explains the horde of infected outside."

"So, they already know where our camp is... but how?" Zack asked, frowning.

"Remember those two who attacked us at Zack's mask ceremony?" Miya chimed in. "They might be connected to that group and gave away our location."

That's possible.

"Do you know anyone named Shane or Ken?" Zack asked the prisoner.

"I don't know anyone by those names," the man replied.

We all watched him closely, searching for any sign of a lie.

"Look, I'm cooperating, all right? I swear, I don't know anyone called Shane or Ken."

"He's lying," Zack grumbled. "Let's just feed him to the infected."

"You people have serious trust issues! I'm telling the truth!"

"Blah, blah, blah," Zack mocked. "Cyra, just give us the word, and we'll let the infected have him."

"No," I said firmly. "He doesn't strike me as the type to lie in this situation."

The prisoner chuckled and smirked. "Listen to the lady. She's got good instincts. By the way, what's your name again? Cyra? I love the way you glare at me."

What a creep.

"Where are your friends?" David asked, cutting in.

"Oh, you mean the Navigators? I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know? You're clearly working with them."

He sighed deeply. "Look, I'm not one of them. I have my own group. You've probably heard of us. We're kind of famous around here, pulling off jobs and stirring up trouble. People call us bandits these days. It's got a nice ring to it."

Bandits.

The room fell silent. I glanced at Zack and saw the intensity in his stare.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" the man asked, oblivious.

Steve died because of the bandits. And this guy was one of them.

David cleared his throat to break the tension. "I don't get it. Why would the Navigators send a bandit to do their dirty work instead of handling it themselves? What's going on here?"