Chapter 4

Weber: Please! Put that away!

Cola: Hands in the air! Now!

He obeys biting his bottom lip and looking away.

Cola: Who are you? How did you get here?

Weber: Don't do this... I can't keep him away much longer...

Cola: Answer me!

Weber: I told you the truth! Please, you have to believe me! If i get too scared, he's going to hurt you, and I can't... I can't let him..

Cola: There's no need to be afraid. I just want to know who you are.

Weber: I... I can't control it... P-please, put the gun down.

Cola: Alright. I'll put the gun down and we'll talk, okay? But you have to tell me the truth.

Weber: Okay. I know it's hard to believe, but.. Iam telling the truth, I promise...

I return my gun to the holsterand show my empty hands to Weber.

Cola: Here, look... I'm not going to hurt you.

Weber: T-thank you...

Vice-mayor: I didn't mean to cause this. Any survivor is welcom here, stranger. But we have protocols. We can't just let people walk into the community without being checked for bites.

Weber: I-I understand...

Cola: My reaction was too rash... I'm sorry.

Vice-mayor; Try not to hold it against her. The Lioness cares about protecting her people. That's all this was.

Not you, too, Vice-mayor..

Weber: I understand... C-Can I stay? I don't want to be out there again...

Vice-mayor: Of course. Why don't you come with me? I'll take you to your check-up.

Weber: T-thank you... I'm happy I can stay...

Cola: I'll be keeping an eye on you.

I don't know what I expected to happen when I saide that, but Weber smiles.

Weber: Great! That means we'll have a chance to talk again.

Cola: I... I suppose we will.

Weber: I'm glad. You seem nice. See you soon!

What a confusing man... He's kind of sweet, though.

Vice-mayor: Oh, I almost forgot.. I believe Jacob was looking for you.

Cola: Me? But I was just... Never mind, thank you for letting me know! I'll go see him right away.

Vice-mayor: Good, good. Have a great day, Lioness.

Am I imagining mocking tone in his voice...?

Cola: You too, Vice-mayor.

•••

Jacob: Come in.

Jacob's office is meticulously clean and organized, as always. He sits at his desk, frowning over a report.

Cola: The Vice-mayor said you wanted to see me?

Jacob: How did he know...? Hmm, doesn't matter. It's true. I did want to talk to you.

Cola: Is anything wrong?

Jacob: Yes and no.

Jacob rubs his temples.

He looks so tired...

Jacob: Why don't you sit down?

I take a seat across Jacob. He leans on his elbows and places his hands under his chin.

Jacob: What am I going to do with you?

Cola: With me...? I don't...

Jacob: Just because I said you won't be punished, it doesn't mean there won't be consquences for what you did.

My cheeks start burning with embarrassment, and my pulse thurnders in my ears.

Jacob: I will not allow this to happen again. This unit is built on discipline. It's the only reason we'ce stayed alive this long.

I can't believe this... His words make me feel so...

Cola: What happened to "we don't punish bravery"? Or dis you just say that just to make yourself look better in front of thise people on the streets?

Jacob: Cola..

Cola: No, Jacob. I understand that my actions have disappointed you, but yours have disappointed me too. I thought Raven was your friend, but you cared more about protocol than saving him.

Jacob: He wasn't supoosed to be there. he was supposed to retreat.

Cola: And leave thise people die?!

Jacob: People died either way!

I pause for a moment wincing at the anger in his voice. I need to be able to trust you. Can I trust you, Cola?

Cola: Of couse you can trust me, Jacob.

Jacob leans forward, our eyes locked for what seems like forever, but then he smiles.

Jacob: I need you help. But you can't say a word about it.

Cola: Anything you need.

Jacob: These reports... they're from our watch towers as well as our scouts. Nothing here indicates thata grouo of zombies could have got close to the barricades, much less into the town. I've been thinking a lot about what the new comer said. There might be a traitor in our midst.

I gasp, unable to contain my surprise.

Cola: But who... who could do something like that?

Jacob: That's what I need your help with. I need you be on look out for anyone new and suspicious. I also need you to keeo a close eyeon your new friend, Zero. I need to know what his motivations are. Anything you can dig up will be valuable.

Cola: Now that you mention it, there's soemthing you need to know.

I tell him about my encounter with Weber. he listens carefully, gis frown deeping as I speak.

Jacob: Suspicuous. I'd like to speakwith this "Weber" myself. For now, I'll trust you to watch him for me.

Cola: Understood. Was there anything else you needed?

Jacob: That will be all. I'll see you tomorrow morning.

Cola: Right.

I get up and walk towards the door, my mind filled with worry.

Cola: Don't burn yourself out, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this.

Jacob: I appreciate your concerm, Cola. Try not to point your gun at civilians anymore.

He says it with a smile, but I can't help feeling reproached.

Cola: Yeah. I'll try.

The next morning, we gather for our first training session.

Jacob's relentless new program proves to be too difficult to some of us, and even those as stubborn as me reach the end struggling to breath.

Jacob: Good work, everyone! Get some rest, you've earned it!

I should ask him if he's got any leads...

I make my way towards Jacob.

Before I can reach him, one of the Mayor's assistants drags him into the building, pushing a heavy folder into his hands.

I guess he's busy right now...

Raven: ...Hey.

His sudden appearance startle me.

Cola: Raven! Hi!

Raven: You seemed surprised to see me.

Cola: Huh..? Sorry, I was just lost in thoughts.

Raven: I see.

He lifts his hand, showing two lunch bags.

Raven: I wanted to properly thank you for saving me. Wanna have a linch together?

Only when he say that do I realize how hungry the excercise has made me.

Cola: Lunch sounds perfect.

Raven: Cool. I also wanted to talk to you. Shall we stay here or go somewhere more... private?

Cola: I would be more comfortable if we stayed here.

Raven: No problem.

We sit at one of the benches surrounding the training area and chat about the attack while eating.

I wonder if I should tell him about yesterday... Then again, Jacob asked me not to talk to anyone about it.

Raven: Let's check out the attack site. We might have missed something yesterday.

Cola: Sure. Lead the way, Raven.

Raven: Look around. Does anything seems strange to you?

I do as he asks. Still, the entrance to our community looks the same as always, our watchtowers a comforting sight.

Cola: I can't say that it does.

Raven: Me neither. Everything lools the same as the day I first saw it.

His words sparks my curiosity.

Cola: How did you get here, Raven?

He sighs, as if he was evaluating how much to tell me.

Raven: After my brother died, I wanted revenge. I stayed in my neighborhood and fought for as long as I could.

Cola: You were alone? In the streets filled with zombies?

Raven nods.

Raven: That's where Jacob found me. I thought he was a zombie at first, so I attacked him. He assumed I was one too, so he fought back. Beat the hell out of me.

He says it with a smile, his eyes glazed over with memories.

Someone else might have been ashamed of their failure, but not Raven...

Raven: By the time we realized both of us are alive, we caught the eyes of a group of Z's. Jacob told me to follow him if I wanted to live. I told him to go to hell.

Cola: So how come you're here?

Raven: He saved my life in the fight that followed. And then he said something that made me changed my mind. He promised me more chances to fight.

That's why he's been feeling frustrated lately...

Cola: Do you feel like Jacob hasn't fulfilled his promise? Is that why you didn't retreat the other day?

Raven pauses, looking away.

Raven: Regardless how I feel about being stuck in here, unable to take my revenge... I genuinely thought there would be so many more dead if I hadn't stayed. I'm not as selfish as some people believe me to be.

Cola: I never thought you were selfish, Raven. Quite the opposite. I think your mission is noble.

Raven stares at me, narrowing his eyes a little.

Raven: ...Huh.

Cola: What?

Raven: Nothing. It just seems like I learn something new about you everyday.

For some reason, his words makes me blush.

Cola: W-What do you mean?

Raven: Only that it seems like this tendencyto see more in people than what they're trying to show is not limited to that Zero guy.

Cola: Why would you think it was in the first place?

Raven: I assumed you like him.

I wave my hand in a nonchalant way.

Raven: Well, whether I get what I want or not, there's one thing I'm grateful for.

Cole: Oh? And what is that?

Raven: Having been able to meet you.

I lift my eyes to meet his, my heart thundering in my chest.

Cola: Wow.. That's.. If I didn't know you any better, I would think you have feelings for me.

Raven takes a step towards me, but he doesn't reply.

Cola: You don't have feelings for me... do you?

A determined look on his face, he takes another small step forward, his hand lifting to cup my chin.

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