Page 20 of The Last of Love

“And what’s the fun in that?”

“Fair enough. Shall we take cover in here and wait for them to pass?” Fleur pointed over to a broken shop window.

“It’s too risky. We need to create a distraction and sneak past. I think these buildings are likely full of them.” Lena started to look around the floor as she spoke. She picked up some old bottles and passed one to Fleur. “When I count to three, throw one of these over to the left. Let them investigate it and we’ll sneak past down the right track.”

“Okay. Ready when you are.”

Lena took aim with her bottle, gripping the neck firmly in her hand.

“One… two… three,” she whispered the numbers before launching the glass bottles over towards the dead, who immediately stumbled over.

“Now we have to run, as quietly as possible,” Lena ordered and pointed over to the right alleyway.

The pair sneaked past the threatening creatures, who were searching around the broken glass, unaware of the two women.

Until Fleur sneezed.

The group turned around and started to head in their direction.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” Fleur mumbled as she saw them heading their way.

“Just fucking run, NOW,” Lena replied.

They ran as quickly as possible down the narrow alley. Luckily, it was clear. The zombies seemed to trail off and had lost track of their scent and sound.

That’s when they spotted a man walking toward them from the far end of the street. His presence immediately raised alarm bells. His clothes were too clean, his posture too relaxed for someone living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Lena tensed immediately, her muscles coiling with readiness as her hand instinctively gripped her weapon. She had limited bullets, but this might be the time they were needed the most.

Every fiber of her being screamed that this could be another trap, another person with intentions far darker than they let on. “Fleur, stay close,” she muttered, her voice low and sharp. There was no room for complacency, not after what they had survived.

Fleur didn’t need to be told twice. She shifted slightly behind Lena, her own instincts flaring. Their near-death experience still haunted her, making her cautious of every potential threat. The man's calm demeanor and clean clothes screamed deception.

The man raised his hands in a gesture of peace as he approached. “I’m not here to cause trouble,” he called out, his voice calm and measured. “I’m from the lab.”

Both Fleur and Lena exchanged skeptical glances, but they didn’t lower their guard.

“I can prove it,” the man added, pulling out a laminated badge from his coat. The logo of the lab they were heading to was emblazoned on it, and his name, Dr. Ryan Walt, was printed beneath.

Lena scrutinized the badge, then the man. “Why are you out here?” she asked, her voice hard. “And how did you know we were coming?”

Dr. Walt smiled, an easy, almost rehearsed expression. “We’ve been monitoring the area. We knew someone with valuable research was on the way, and I’ve been sent to make sure you get to the lab safely. The path you’re on is dangerous. There are traps, the undead, and who knows what else. You wouldn’t make it without me.”

Fleur hesitated, feeling a strange mix of relief and suspicion. Lena, however, wasn’t convinced so easily. “And why should we trust you?”

Walt spread his arms, his demeanor confident but non-threatening. “Because I’m your only way in. The people after you… they’ve made it hard to get close to the lab. But I can navigate the traps, and I know the safe routes. Trust me, if you don’t come with me, you will die.”

Lena and Fleur exchanged glances, the weight of uncertainty hanging heavily between them. They stepped back slightly, keeping their weapons at the ready as they debated their next move.

“What if he’s lying?” Fleur whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. “What if he’s just a pawn for the lab, sent to lead us into a trap?”

Lena nodded, her brow furrowed in thought. “We can’t risk it. We’ve come too far to let someone put us in danger again. We could always knock him out and take his badge. That way, we’d have some leverage.”

Fleur considered this, her eyes narrowing as she weighed the option. “But what if he really is telling the truth? If we knock him out, we lose any chance of getting to the lab safely. And we need his knowledge.”

Lena sighed, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “I know. But how can we be sure? We can’t afford to make the wrong choice again.”

Fleur's gaze shifted to Dr. Walt, who was watching them patiently, though a hint of anxiety flickered across his face. “We should ask him more questions. See if he knows things only someone from the lab would know. If he slips up, we’ll know what to do.”

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