Cynthia

Butchers The big man was not the first to mention these animals in human form. I first heard about this gang at a military base from an Asian doctor. He tried to find out who had wounded me, and when I said that I myself didn’t know who it was, he told me about the Butchers and their atrocities. After my condition had stabilized, the head of the base wanted to talk to me. If you do not take into account rigor and impulsiveness, then Colonel Ferris was quite a good man and officer. Unlike Dr. Wong, the colonel did not receive a short answer, and tried to find out as much as possible about what preceded my injury. In particular, he was interested in a town called Cloaca, as well as a freelance supplier who was supposed to deliver some mysterious briefcase to the city. When the colonel described the signs of a supplier to me, I easily recognized Ben in him, but I did not dare to talk about our acquaintance. When the returning scouts reported that they had seen nearby the Butchers, Colonel Ferris personally went on a raid on the Wastes, taking with him almost half of the base personnel.

It was then that I decided to steal a car, which I did not regret afterwards. Covered with a tarpaulin jeep, I found in a valley near a drying lake. As for the contents of the car, the homely one practically did not lie - most of the supplies lay in the backseat. Slamming the door behind me, I leaned back in the driver's seat and closed my eyes. If the “Queen of the Seas” was captured by the Butchers, then you cannot approach the ship by any means. Emma didn’t know that and couldn’t know. My heart almost jumped out of my chest from fear, as soon as I imagined what these damn monsters would do to my daughter. Remembering Ben, I was very sorry that I left him to be devoured by ghouls. With all his unpleasant qualities, he could still be useful. Why should I have a little bargain, find out which side my daughter would come to the ship, and only then give him death? Nothing. I understood that Ben deliberately provokes me, but still she was stupid and lost the only clue. Now I could only watch the damned ship day and night, hoping to notice Emma before the Butchers did.

With this in mind, I started the car and drove back to the road. Having driven some 300 meters, I sharply pressed the brake, remembering the army walkie-talkie lying in the glove compartment. I discovered the radio completely by accident, barely leaving the base, and almost immediately forgot about it. After what I did, the army team would hardly react to my words with understanding, but it was still worth trying to reach out to stubborn people in uniform. Having got a walkie-talkie, I got out of the car, and tried to contact the base. Some young fighter answered me. Judging by the tired voice, the guy has not slept for a long time.

“I need to speak with Colonel Ferris,” I demanded, without unnecessary prefaces.

- Who is it? Call yourself! The guy demanded.

- It doesn't matter who I am. The important thing is that I have useful information for Colonel Ferris.

- What information? - My companion alert.

- It concerns the Butchers. Your commander sleeps and sees how to lime this gang. I can facilitate this task.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. Hearing the interlocutor's breath, I realized that he was not in too much of a rush to call the bosses.

- Do not delay the time. Either call the colonel, or good night, - I set the interlocutor an ultimatum.

“Colonel Ferris (the boy hesitated) ... he can't come now.”

- Why? Is he injured? Or is it not at the base?

- You can tell everything to me. When I have the opportunity, I will convey your words to Colonel Ferris.

The conspirator my interlocutor was useless. After his clumsy attempt to get away from the answer, I realized that the colonel was no longer at the base, and my interlocutor simply could not contact him.

- Not. I will speak only with Colonel Ferris. I know where to look for Butchers. The sooner you hand it over to your commander, the better, ”I said goodbye, and turned off the radio.

Chris

With difficulty, I walked to the grotto, I leaned my back against the cold stone wall, and sat down on the ground. I understood very well that if I stayed in one place for a long time, the Butchers will definitely find me, but I could not leave the cave right now. I needed to rest at least a couple of minutes, and recuperate a little before a long journey. I tried not to think about where I should go at night looking without a weapon and food. The main thing was to get out of the ship as far as possible, and knock Alice's thugs off the trail, and only then think about how to help prisoners languishing in the hold. After a rest, I got to my feet and was about to go out, but I realized that I was late. Seeing someone walking toward the cave, I hurried to hide behind the wall. Trying to get out of the grotto unnoticed was not possible. Coming out of the cave, I will not have time to pass a couple of meters before they notice me. Holding my breath and leaning my back against the wall, I waited for the thug to come closer. When he entered the cave, putting a gun in front of me, I abruptly leaned forward and tried to snatch the weapon from the enemy. However, the enemy was not so simple. Slaughtering my knee in the stomach, the thug pulled the weapon at himself and then pushed me away and aimed at the sight. Crouching in pain, I looked up at the armed enemy, and was dumbfounded when I saw Emma in front of me. Emma’s confused and distrustful glance suggested that she was surprised no less, and maybe even more than me.

“Not so I imagined our meeting,” I broke the awkward silence, and then straightened up.

Emma lowered the weapon, but the alertness from her gaze did not disappear anywhere.

- What are you doing here? She asked.

- Hiding.

- From whom?

- From the most ruthless scum on the whole continent. They captured the ship, but I managed to escape.

Fear screamed in Emma's gaze.

- Did you see my mom? Was she there? She asked immediately.

- She was not there and could not be. “Cynthia is in a completely different place now,” I hurried to calm Emma down.

- In which?

- At a military base. She was brought to us in a serious condition, but thanks to Dr. Wong, your mother's condition has stabilized. Nothing threatens her life.

Instead of rejoicing, Emma frowned.

- When did you manage to make friends with the military? - in Emma's voice was clearly disliked.

- While looking for you! I left my house and went after you. These people helped me settle in a new place. - I sighed wearily, and rubbed my temples. - Let's discuss everything elsewhere. Butchers can descend here at any time.

Emma nodded shortly, not becoming a meaningless argument. Having mentioned about another place, I did not mean anything concrete, but just wanted to leave the grotto as soon as possible. Only moving away from the cave for an insignificant distance, I remembered the secret caches. The former inhabitants of the Queen of the Seas preferred to call themselves honest merchants, while in reality they differed little from suppliers or marauders, with the only difference that they did not use force against the weak and helpless. At least I really wanted to believe it. When the group sent in search of things of at least some value for some reason could not deliver the cargo found on the ship during the raid, it was left in the cache until better times.After one unsuccessful raid, when our group, which cleared an abandoned army depot, was attacked by gangsters, my father and I had to flee, abandoning almost all the items obtained during the raid, including food items, weapons, medicines, spare parts for cars, and also several cans of gasoline. During that fight, only we managed to survive together. We managed to hide the little that we managed to carry in that caches. I used to go there only once, but ...