Page 61 of The General's Captive
“We need to get everyone to somewhere safe,” I told him, making him nod, his thoughts no doubt mirroring my own.
“What do you suggest?” he asked, folding his arms. The tears of his black shirt were stained with dried blood made me wonder whether he suffered any other injuries. But knowing that Jenkins would get to him soon, I focused back on the conversation at hand.
“I think we need to go back to the base.”
He released a concerned sigh and said my name.
“Alex…”
“Look, I know what you’re going to say, but I think there is a way to keep the Myths away, and that will give you all a chance to fix any of the defenses that were damaged.”
“I can’t help but notice you didn’t include yourself in this plan,” he pointed out, and I shook my head.
“Look, I can’t really explain, but just know that I discovered something, and I think it has the potential to tip the scales in our favor.”
The look he gave me was nothing short of skeptical before he relaxed his arms and let out a breath.
“You’re asking me to put a lot of trust in this.”
“I understand, but what other choice do we have? We can defend against one Myth, two, maybe three, but an army of them like before… there is no way,” I said, after flinging an arm out down the tracks in the direction we had just come from.
“Exactly, so what makes you think it won’t happen again?”
I paused, knowing this was another person I was going to have to trust.
“Alex?”
The sound of my name prompted me to take a chance, just like I had with Tiff.
“Because I can get us the protection we need, but I have to offer something in return, and I have something The General wants,” I admitted because like I said, I needed to give him something here and to say he was shocked was an understatement.
“The General? Alex, have you heard yourself? He is the enemy!”
I winced at this.
“Yes, but better the devil you know.”
“We don’t know, that’s my point,” he countered.
“Yes, but I do… Look, I can’t explain it all, you’re just going to have to trust me in this, we both know that these people will need more than sleeping on a train long term. They need a home, and it isn’t out there,” I said, pointing down the length of the train and to where we had been headed.
“Alex.”The sound of my name said in exasperation told me I was losing here.
“It’s the choice between a swift death that may never come or facing a slow death that will surely find them. After all, we both know, Commander, there is more than one way to die, and Myths have nothing to do with starvation or hyperthermia,” I pointed out, making his features harden.
“Look, I’m not suggesting us all going back there if it’s overrun, but at least wait for the scouts to come back. If it’s clear, we get these people back home,” I said, watching as he looked to where we had come from once more before his eyes slid back to mine.
“And if it’s not?”
“Then we take these people to the end of the tracks like Riley wanted. We find somewhere in Pocatello and start over,” I offered.
“But you don’t think it will come to that?” he asked, and I took this question as a good sign.
“No, I don’t. But we have a choice here, because if we go too far then there is no turning back,” I told him, and there must have been something in my eyes he trusted, as he looked back to the horrors we had just left behind and released a sigh.
“Then how do you suggest we play this?”
My relief was obvious as my tensed body finally relaxed.
