Critical Strike by James P. Sumner

Author:James P. Sumner [Sumner, James P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-20T16:00:00+00:00

24

Roach

November 16, 2020

What remained of the afternoon had passed by quickly. Becky regaled the camp in Charlotte with one of her stories. Roach sat beside her quietly, uncomfortably eating a burger and trying to avoid eye contact with everyone who stared at him in awe. Instead, he observed the people gathered around the campfire with them. Friends and families gathered together, laughing and talking, connecting in a way that humans had all but forgotten how to do before T-Day.

Roach felt comforted by it. As much as he wanted to shut the world out, he wasn’t as detached from people as Becky made him out to be. When his journey was over, he hoped people would know that he fought back for moments like this.

Becky’s words faded into the background. Roach had heard all the stories before. He knew the importance of what she was doing. He knew this was as much for her as it was for everyone else. She impressed him. The strength she had developed over the last six months, compared to when she first broke down in the alley where Tristar took her, was staggering.

Roach was so distracted by his own musings that he almost didn’t see the black Jeep pull over at the side of the highway, next to the camp.

He heard it before he saw it. He looked over and saw five Tristar guards, dressed head-to-toe in black, carrying silenced SMGs. They bled into the surrounding night like deadly shadows.

Roach pulled his hood up over his head, then tapped Becky’s arm. She saw him, saw his hard expression, then saw the Tristar patrol. She pulled her hood up too. Everyone around the campfire scrambled to their feet. Most moved to meet the patrol. The ones who stayed ushered Roach and Becky off to the side, standing around them to hide them from sight.

From beneath his hood, Roach stared at the patrol, watching. His jaw was set. His gaze was unblinking and burned with rage.

Silence descended on the camp like a heavy blanket.

Billy made his way over to the patrol. “Can I help you, gentlemen?”

One of the guards stepped forward to meet him. He pointed at the food truck. “This mobile food outlet isn’t authorized. Only supplies provided by Orion are allowed in these… camps.”

The last word was said with a disdain which he made no effort to hide.

Another man stepped to Billy’s side. “All we’re doing is cooking the food you give us. What’s wrong with that?”

“Are you?” said the guard. “How do we know that? How do we know you’re not moving from camp to camp, feeding people more than they’re allowed? You people are rationed for a reason.”

“Look around,” said Billy. “We don’t have a vehicle. What do you think we’re doing? Pushing it?”

The guard pointed at him. “Watch yourself, old man. Are you in charge of this camp?”

Billy nodded.

“Then I’m ordering you to shut this operation down. Right now.”

“And what if we don’t?” asked the guy next to Billy. “You can’t get away with this.

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