To Be A Hero

Chapter 4: Post War Blues

"How's the fence looking?"

"It's solid, Sam," Jody answers. "No holes. Are we done here? Veronica said she wanted a bit of help at Abel. She started her experiments on the semi-sentient zoms the Minister found for her, and Nadia asked if we could help lift some of the heavier equipment."

"Semi-sentient zoms?" Nicole asks. "I've never heard of any zombies like that in America."

Jody shrugs. Nicole's good at seeming like a descent person. Over the course of a few days she's gotten half of the Abel and New Canton runners to warm up to her. I just know it's a tactic to get them to tell her my secrets. She may have everyone else fooled, but I know how devious Katelyn-no, Nicole is.

Katelyn died a long time ago.

"I can't say whether you're the lucky one or not, but Veronica said something about um, separating their stomach contents out into different fractions. She says there are some fascinating similarities in their intestinal flora."

Sam shudders. "It's all glamour, this scientific research, isn't it? But I think-Yeah. You're finally done. That's all of New Canton sectioned off into one thousand person or less camps. No more mass contamination of supplies."

"It's pretty interesting how big New Canton was before that woman, Moonchild, took over," Nicole says. "The risk of having an outbreak with that many people in one place was insanely large. I'm surprised no one said anything."

"Their size is one of the reasons Abel didn't want to join up with them," Jody says. "But does this mean we can come home? I know they let Five come back to Abel a few months ago, but I want to be there for Yang's memorial service."

Nicole sends me a raised brow, but I shake my head, not willing to tell her right now about the effects Moonchild had on people.

A lot of Abel runners had to come stay at New Canton to help rebuild, and to help the people with how they're feeling now that they were free from Moonchild. I only stayed in New Canton for about two months-which was actually how long everyone was supposed to stay-before it was decided that I would be little help considering how broken I was over Simon's death.

Things have taken longer than expected. There are multiple runners, including Jody, who've only come to visit Abel for a short amount of time, a few days at most, before having to return to New Canton.

"We were just supposed to help start the rebuilding."

"Yeah. They keep saying they're going to elect a new leadership, but I think they've lost confidence in themselves."

The blonde's face scrunches up with determination. "We have to come home, Sam. No more delays. With Veronica's research, and this Moonchild stuff, we're needed. Every Abel runner is needed."

Again, Nicole gives me a look, but I ignore her. She's learned some things about Veronica's research, and the semi-sentient zoms, but she doesn't know that we might have a chance for a cure. We have no idea what she tells her bosses, and the last thing we need right now is for people's hopes to get too high in something we're not sure of.

"Yeah, you are coming home. Today. It's just... you're a bit of a thing, you know? Especially Five, because well, who doesn't love a hero who can kick your arse and look great doing it? That's literally what I heard someone in New Canton say about her. Anyway, you've just got one more supply run before you can sign off, Four. Bernard wants you to..." He trails off when Jody sighs dramatically. "What?"

"You know Bernard gives me the wiggins. They all do. It's all the smiling. You noticed it when you were here, didn't you, Five? The way they followed us around-followed you around, smiling at the backs of our necks with all the teeth."