The American Humvee halts next to Lola's quad bike.
"What's happening out there?" Lloyd calls from the rear of the Humvee.
"We found the quad. There's another container in the distance—same color," Cutter yells down.
"We should wait for Matt and the kid," Lloyd says.
Books surveys the European container in the distance. "Looks clear."
The Americans disembark and wander over to the quad.
"European." Jim spots the Euro flag on the side of the quad's fuel tank. "Whoever was riding it left it here, then ran to the container."
"In this heat, he must have been crazy," Sophia says.
Books studies Lola's shoeprints. "He's a girl."
"A girl?"
"Yeah—about five ten and a hundred and forty pounds. Looks like she saw something going down, then left the quad and ran in the rest of the way."
"Why would she do that?" Sophia asks.
Cutter scoots up to the gun turret, grabs a pair of binoculars, and looks out toward the container. "The container's European too. Their flag—twelve gold stars on a blue background—right?"
"Right. Anything else?" Jim asks.
"Yeah, a lot of dead bodies, and—"
"And what?"
"There's a woman." Cutter whistles. "She's a babe. Looks like she's—she's taking in some rays."
"Sunbathing!" Sophia exclaims.
"Strange as it may sound, yeah, she's doing what I'd call getting some serious overexpose. Right slap in the middle of all that shit and blood," Cutter says.
"Think it's a trap?" Jim asks.
"Well, if she's the bait, she sure ain't no hard piece of cheese." Cutter replies.
Books jumps up alongside Cutter, who hands the binoculars to him. He trains the field glasses on Lola. She still sits on top of the cases and enjoys the sun's heat. The bloody carnage of several dead bodies is scattered around her.
Books takes a sharp intake of breath. "There goes the neighborhood."
"I'd sure like me a piece of that candy action. If that's how they breed them in Euroland, I'm emigrating," Cutter says.
Sophia leaps up to the gun turret and grabs the binoculars from Books. "Just what are you guys looking at?" She surveys the European container and examines Lola. "Who and what in God's name is that?"
"Looks like you got some competition, sweet cheeks." Lloyd also watches Lola through a set of field glasses.
"She's a friend of yours?" Sophia asks Books.
"You could say that."
"Really? She seems to be the only one that's alive over there."
"That sounds about right." Books jumps down from the gun turret. "We'll go over. I'll take us in real slow and let me do the talking when we get there."
"I can't wait for this introduction," Sophia says.
"Neither did the last person she killed," Books replies.
The Americans look alarmed. They arm their weapons. Books drives forward toward the container and Lola.
***
