Radiation Point

Three

I stepped in front of Mia protectively as the figure emerged from the brush. He had a hood pulled tightly over his face, hiding his features. Pulling out my knife, I watched him with narrowed eyes. I had never killed a non-infected before. But he didn't know that.
"I suggest you go back where you came from," I said.
He laughed, a low sound with an underlying threat to it. He stepped closer to us, his hood slipping back and his features becoming clear. He was young and strong looking-with fair skin, dirty blonde hair, and glinted, dangerous eyes.
"That wouldn't be a threat, would it?" he whispered, a slow smirk spreading across his face.
I gave Mia's arm a firm squeeze, hoping she would understand, then I lunged towards the man. I swung my fist into his gut, and as he grabbed for my wrist, I lodged my elbow hard into his nose, sending him falling backwards. He clutched his face and let out an angry roar. I pulled my knife out, ready to stab him, when I heard a scream behind me that chilled me to my bones.
Mia.
I whipped around to see Mia held tight by another hooded man, his knife held up to her throat. Mia was shaking and whimpering. He pushed the knife deeper against her skin, "Keep quiet," he spat.
"Let her go," I screamed. Then I backed towards his comrade, "Or I'll kill him!"
"Go ahead," he said in a paced voice. "I don't care."
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice betraying my fear.
He didn't answer, he simply nodded behind me. I spun around just as a deafening blow hit the side of my ear. It was a weak mistake, I thought as the world began to dim. I had let myself become distracted. Then the darkness took me.

"Nessa," a voice said, breaking into my darkness.
"No names," I groaned, still not opening my eyes.
A chuckle, low and sweet, alerted my still foggy mind that Mia wasn't the one saying my name. In a moment of panic, my eyes flew open and I sat upright-only to have to lay back down because the room was spinning.
The few seconds I was upright was enough to see that it was not Mia, but a familiar face none the less-Tyler McGibbins.
My boyfriend.
At least he was before the world ended. Now he was just someone between my sister and I's safety.
"Where's my sister?"
"You mean, Shadow?" he snickered.
That's my girl, I thought. Instead I nodded, "Yes, where is she?"
"Around," he shrugged. "Why don't we talk about you first? Nessa, you look like death."

"You don't look so great yourself," I said, feeling self-conscious despite myself. It had been a long time since I felt like a girl. I was in survival mode, and painting my nails or styling my hair weren't on my list of priorities.
Tyler watched me for a long moment.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Nessa. I don't want to see you get hurt, but you shouldn't have attacked my men."
My mind raced. Tyler had changed more than just his looks, and I needed to keep my guard up around him. If they were, 'his men,' as Tyler said, then he was just as dangerous as the men in the woods-if not more so. Silently I glanced around for my knife.
"It's not here," Tyler said, sensing my thoughts. "It wouldn't be wise to get yourself into any more trouble."
"Then let Shadow and me go," I said, purposefully using Mia's code name. All emotional attachment to Tyler needed to be cut off. "We won't cause any more problems. I promise. Just let us go."
Tyler chucked and said, "Shadow. And what was your code name? You never did tell me." He scooted closer and stroked my cheek, ending on my chin, and gripping it tightly. His now cruel face looked at me hungrily; animal-like.
My heart pounded as fear shot through me, working like the catalyst I needed. I swung one arm up, pushed his hands off my face, and using all my strength, landed a hard punch to his nose, sending him stumbling backwards.
"They call me V," I said. "For vengeance. You would do well to remember that."
He groaned in response.
I started to make my way out of his tent, but paused, remembering I didn't have my knife. I turned back to Tyler, who lay dazed on the floor, and searched his pockets. No knife. Damn it, I groaned inwardly. It wouldn't be long before Tyler regained his senses and was looking for some vengeance of his own.
I hurried through his things: a small black duffel bag, and a rumpled sleeping bag. Digging through his bag, I felt my knife at the bottom. As I grabbed it, my hand brushed against something smooth and cold. A picture of Tyler and me before the bomb dropped. We had been young and happy; oblivious. I sat on my heels a moment staring at it, wishing we could go back.
But we couldn't.
That was one thing that would never change.
Instead, I focused my attention on finding Mia. I tentatively pushed back the flap of his tent. To my relief it was still dark, giving me some semblance of cover. His tent was off to the side of a clearing with a low burning fire. It felt secluded, but I knew better.
The camp wasn't made up of people trying to get out of the contaminated zone. These were the renegades. They wanted to change the way things worked-no matter the cost to human life. They were dangerous, cruel, and growing in number. The reason for so many guards at each refugee camp was to keep the renegades out, along with the contaminated. It was a losing battle.
I kept to the woods, walking the perimeter of their camp. Tents were sporadically placed around the clearing. Mia had to be in one of them. I gripped my knife tightly and focused on my surroundings.
Two men sat in the clearing talking in low voices, the fire crackling beside them. Holding my breath, I moved past them, towards one of the outlying tents.
Deep snoring met my ears, but it didn't sound like Mia. To be safe, I slowly pulled back the flap, only to see one of Tyler's men asleep in his sleeping bag. Tugging the flap down, I moved on to the next tent.
It was strangely quiet. I paused, listening hard for any hint of the occupants. I jumped when a light flicked on and the outline of two people came into view. One moved back and forth throughout the tent, and the other sat completely still.
After a moment, the light clicked out and the tent was submerged in darkness. I waited a few tense moments, holding my breath. How long would it take them to fall asleep? What if I opened the tent only to meet a waiting renegade? It was a risk I had to take.
I slowly pushed the flap of the tent and looked in.
My breath caught in my throat as I saw her tiny child frame. Mia was sitting forward on her knees with her arms behind her. Her mouth was gagged and her head bent downwards.
My eyes shifted to the other figure.
It was the blonde man from the woods. He lay asleep on the top of his sleeping bag. As I pushed the flap back, I moved quietly across the tent. Mia didn't look up. She just kept staring glassy eyed at the ground.
I had to rescue Mia.
I couldn't leave her with the renegades. They were ruthless. I shuttered to think what they had already done to my sister. We had to escape and we had to do it now.
And I couldn't let the blonde man alert the camp of our escape either. That left me with only one option.
The blonde man had to die.
I tip toed across the tent and in one fluid movement, I threw my weight on him, covering his mouth and slashing at his throat.
My blade hit the soft flesh of his arm, which he had thrown protectively up. His eyes flying open, he pushed me off like a rag doll.
I scrambled up, but he was ready; easily blocking my attack. In one swift movement, he grabbed his knife and made his way towards me. His eyes told me that this time he would kill me.