The Hollowing

Chapter 5

"Saw the strangest thing today, sir. One of the infected turned and ran away, almost like she still had a mind of her own."

"Don't let wishful thinking get in the way of shooting them all on sight. You heard the brass. There's nothing in there."

–Colonel Tom Murray. Reno, Nevada. 14 Days After.

* * *

Well, this day had taken a turn.

Leah had returned to her beach again, only to discover a crashed raft that'd never been there before, along with a set of footprints. A few hours later and she had tracked the prints to their owner, killed another crew of Hunters, and found a live human – the one she'd dreamed about. Who would have ever thought that such a day would come?

Liam Fenix. That's what the human called himself. Leah never quite understood why they had three names, but only ever used two. What was the point of the third, and what would happen if he ran into another "Liam Fenix"? At least there weren't enough rezzers in the world for Leah to worry about coming across another "Leah". Then again, she supposed that there were even less living, breathing humans around these days.

"Please," Liam Fenix said between steps, his throat heavy. "For Christ's sake, slow down."

Leah slackened her pace, but kept her eyes fixed forth. She needed to think. What the fuck had she done!? This wasn't like stealing a dreg or hacking off a limb during a turf war. Hell, this was worse than Hunting another Hunter. Leah had purged Spike's entire crew. Three full deaths at once, well within the boundaries of outer Pandemonium, all over a capture that wasn't even hers. This one wouldn't pass without reprisal.

But then again, what choice had she had? With the way they were talking, the human wouldn't have survived five minutes in their hands. Spike was a meathead who could barely contain himself, let alone his crew. Could she really have let him just waltz off with a find this significant? Hunters' honor only went so far when the stakes were this high.

Leah dug her nails into her palms. Shouldn't have let him get away. Spike was the real mistake. Limping his way back to Pandemonium would drain him hard, but there was no telling if it'd be enough, or if Hades wouldn't be able to put the pieces back together anyway. Whatever leverage Leah might have gained here would be lost the moment that knowledge of her attack trickled its way back to him.

There was no way out of it. For better or worse, Leah had made her decision. All she could do now was prepare for what came next.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Liam Fenix asked.

Leah looked to her shoulder and remembered that she'd been shot. Blood still leaked from the wound, staining her sheepskin jacket in a darker shade of black. She'd have to remember to get the jacket cleaned and stitched. It had been a bitch to come by.

"No," she said.

"You sure? That's a lot of, um... Whatever-that-is coming out."

Leah supposed that she should check. She gave her injured fist a squeeze. The movement was sluggish. Must've nicked a nerve ending. No wonder she'd missed the kill shot on Spike, though she could be thankful that her Rez wouldn't be touched by this one. Too little damage.

"Doesn't matter," Leah said. "It'll be fine."

He sighed. "If you insist."

What was it with the living and their voices? Liam Fenix sounded as though he'd inhaled a tank of helium. It was so soft and nasally. There was also his appearance. His skin had that even, beige sheen characteristic of his kind, and he had those dark chestnut eyes without a drop of red. His brown hair might have been long and unkempt, but it was still greasy and full. Add that to the flask thrown over his shoulder and torn bag filled with canned food, and he might have looked like a savage by human standards, but that still put him worlds apart from anyone they'd run into in Pandemonium. And all of this came before the smell. Leah's tongue salivated to the mere sense of his presence. It'd been ages since she'd experienced the Hunger like this, and she wouldn't be alone. Another problem. Another worry. How the hell was Leah going to keep this under wraps?