To Be A Rebel

Chapter 45: Renegade Master

"Okay, guys, I haven't got access to cameras that far from Noah. You should be in sight of the Netrophil rendezvous now," Sam says. "Uh, yeah, do me a sitrep."

"We're definitely heading towards an airport," Louise answers with a laugh. "You don't get hotels that ugly anywhere else. The sort where they hold the International Telephone Sanitizers Conference, and the only place to eat for miles is Ye Old British Alehouse, built in 1976. You're sure this is where we're supposed to be?"

"I think so. The message from Netrophil was encrypted. Actually, it took us a couple of days to realize it was from Netrophil and not just someone who really wanted to share their chicken soup recipe. But Tom reckons he's figured it out."

"I have every confidence in my brother's abilities," Janine says. "In that area, at least."

"And it's a good idea to meet up with a group of possibly homicidal conspiracy nuts?"

"If they've heard the Ministry broadcasts, they're probably wondering the same thing," Louise says with a shrug.

"But those aren't true! Not even a little bit! I've never, ever had a goatee," Sam says, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "And don't make that face I know you're making, Five. That was one time, and it was drawn on with pen."

"Oh, so the happy couple are finally making up?" Louise asks, and my hidden smile drops. "I was wondering how long it would take you two to kiss and make up over whatever you two were fighting about. It's been, what? A week?"

I don't answer. I just let out a long breath and keep running.

After the fight, Sam and I didn't talk to each other for a whole two days. Everybody at the base noticed. Amelia even tried flirting with Sam to get me to say something to her, but Sam just snapped and told her to sod off before he threw a shoe at her head.

Even Nicole asked what the hell was going on, now that she's been released from her confinement and hasn't tried to kill me yet. I honestly don't think I'd mind if she did try again, seeing that, while me and Sam did start talking again after two days, all it has been is a bunch of short conversations that felt awkward and forced.

I've tried to apologize. I know not telling anyone about Moonchild is the right thing to do. I know it is... but the way I tried to get my way was very much out of line. I realized it soon after it had been done. And I've been trying to apologize ever since, but I just can't seem to get the words out, and I'm not sure he'd forgive me anyway. I mean, it's Sam, so there is a chance he will, but I doubt I deserve it. And if I do deserve it, I have to actually get my stupid self to apologize, which, for the last seven days, I have been unable to make myself do.

"The captive Netrophil agent used her dying breath to tell Runner Five how to contact her organization," Janine says, and I blink, wondering if I missed out on anything. "Sigrid has gone to extreme lengths to eradicate them. Whatever they want to say to us, we need to hear it."

Louise and I both huff when we hear moans coming from a big Marriott nearby.

"Oh, that sounds like zoms," Sam says worriedly.

"About a dozen," Louise replies. "Looks like there were having a comic convention. One of them looks like Iron Man, if Iron Man had half his jaw missing and regularly teamed up with decayed Superman and rotting Red Sonja."

"Well, there goes all the happy thoughts of the fictional characters crush," I murmur, and I hear Sam giggle over coms. I don't know if I should take that giggle as a good sign or a bad one.

"The terminal building's straight ahead of you. You've got quite a distance to cover," He says. "Now, run!"

The zombies growl and groan as we head onward, our steps loud against the pavement. I take in controlled breaths, or at least, I try to. It's kind of hard to keep you're breathing under control when your practically sprinting.