“What the…?” Wide-eyed and hidden behind a nearby dumpster, July and Thomas glanced at each other and then back at the woman who went from being a helpless victim to a dangerous killer in a matter of seconds. Biscuit whimpered at the sound of the Barret M82 being fired.
July had convinced his friend to drive down for a closer look and came close to rushing in to help the woman before she took matters into her own hands. Now they silently watched her stoop over one of the bodies and search through its pockets.
“She looks like she can handle herself,” Tom whispered, slowly backing away. “No, seriously, let’s uh… we should go…” His feet pointed towards the car.
From Tom’s perspective some madness overcame his companion. July stepped out from behind the dumpster and stepped towards the woman. When his foot nudged a can and it rattled, the woman whipped around, her pistol instantly aimed at July, who reflexively raised his 45-70, and Tom dashed forward and pointed his own sidearm at the woman. Biscuit constantly barked over various frantic cries of ‘put down the gun!’ and ‘I will shoot you!’ until finally they all calmed down.
“Okay stop!” July said. “Let’s just calm down, I didn’t mean to scare you, let’s just… at the same time.”
All three simultaneously lowered their weapons.
The woman took a deep breath. “Who the hell are you?”
“My name is July, this my friend Thomas, and this is Biscuit.” He pointed to the German Shephard who sat up and smiled with his tongue lolling out.
“Charlie,” she replied, reluctant to say more. They stared at each other for a while.
“Look, we were on the overpass heading north, saw you getting chased, but obviously you didn’t need our help.” He eyed her Barrette M82. “That’s no pipe-gun. We’re you get it?”
Charlie placed her hand to her chest and gripped the rifle strap. “That’s none of your concern. You said you were heading north, don’t suppose you’re going to Haven?”
“We might be,” said July, and Tom eyeballed him cautiously.
“I’m going to take something out of my pocket,” Charlie announced. She slowly reached into her jacket, produced a crumpled sheet of paper, and handed it to July. “Can you read?”
With a nod, July observed the contract stating that a reward will be offered to anyone who can offer military assistance to Haven’s local militia. His heart tightened as he folded the paper and returned it. “Raiders?”
“No.” Charlie tucked the contract back into her pocket. “Royalists – or at least that’s what the issuer told me. He said everything on the other side of the Pass is independent territory, and the Royalists need the locals to sign over the land so they can make it an outpost.”
“I guess it’s true what the transmissions said about them pushing west.” July scratched his stubble and considered the two dead bodies nearby. “We can always use an extra gun.” He pointed at her. “We take you there, you keep us safe, deal?”
Tom placed a nervous hand on July’s shoulder and whispered, “July, can I talk to you?” He led his companion back towards the dumpster and looked over his shoulder at Charlie, “Just a minute, if you don’t mind?” He huddled close to July, speaking in a hushed tone. “Are you insane?”
“What?” July shrugged.
“I’m not getting in a car with that psychopath.”
“She seems okay.”
“Okay? She just murdered three people.”
“That was self-defence.”
“One of them was running away. She shot him down like a dog.”
“She wanted revenge.”
“I don’t trust this woman.”
“I can see that,” July chuckled. “You don’t have to trust her, just trust me, hell trust Biscuit – he’s not freaking out.”
Tom shook his head. “I’m not freaking out.”
“You are a little. Going home was your idea, if enlisting the help of this lovely yet slightly intimidating woman is the only way to get there without dying then we have to take that chance. Besides you owe me.”
“For what?”
July flashed his eyes at his prosthetic leg.
Tom slouched. “You said we were all good.”
“I changed my mind.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I just did.” July stepped out of the private conversation and returned to Charlie. “You got yourself a deal.”
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