Life Inside the Dead Zone

Chapter 7: Debate

Chapter 7

Debate

The following day, at around noon, my spine is strong enough for me to be moved from VI's sickbay. I can even feel my new legs. VI helps me put on a new pair of pants before he helps me out into the living room.

"Rot and ruination!" Meagan swears at the sight of me. "I never should have taken that bet, Vincent!"

Vincent just grins. "That's a week's pay, Meag." Meagan starts grumbling incoherently and Vincent grins at me. "We had a bet to see how fast you would be back on your feet."

"I wouldn't say you won just yet," I say. "I can't even stand unassisted." To V, who sits in the corner playing chess with Ice. "She's picked up our language."

"Yup," he says. "Good to see you're not dead. Sorry about not warning you about the Darkhunters."

"You couldn't have known," I say. VI helps me to a chair and I sit down, sighing in relief as some of the strain is taken off my back. Sev walks in with some venison and gives it to me. I nod, grateful. Assimilating a new pair of legs is hungry work.

"Vincent," VI says. "You ready for your checkup?"

Vincent stands, brushing himself off. Unlike the other humans, he's not wearing his armor. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"That's the spirit," VI says. "Meagan, want to help me?"

"Sure," she says, jumping out of her chair. "Just let me go get my painkillers. X might not need them, but I'm sure Vince will."

The three of them leave the room. I start to eat, each bite helping me to clear the mind-fog away. Unfortunately, I can still smell the humans and their blood. I crave it. Best to not let them know that, however. "Where's Lily?" I ask.

"She's sleeping," Todd says. "The last few days really took it out of her. Though, I think she's just avoiding the rest of you. I don't think she really knows how to cope with what is happening."

"Did something happen?" I ask.

"No, no," Carter says. "Just... She's our leader and so she feels responsible for what happens to us. During the war..."

"War?" Ice asks, looking up from the chess game that he's losing. "What war?"

Todd and Carter look at each other. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you," Carter finally says. "I mean, it's not classified and who are you going to tell?"

"Dead men tell no tales," V mutters, snapping his fingers at Ice, annoyed at the interruption to their game.

"So, what happened?" I ask, pretending not to notice when Boomer steals what is left of my venison.

Todd sighs. "A few decades after the Plague, the political tensions in the United States reached a breaking point, only, instead of conservatives versus liberals, it was East versus West. It was because of a number of reasons, but none were more divisive than the disagreement about whether carriers should have human rights. The West thought we should, the East didn't. A civil war broke out and the United States broke apart, becoming the United States of Astria in the West and the rather pretentiously named Empire of Askea in the East. We've been at odds ever since."

Carter picks up the story. "A few years ago, another war started between Askea and Astria. We joined the military, knowing that if Askea won, they would track down anyone with the carrier gene and cull us from the population. We were all put into the same platoon, which was nicknamed Platoon Zero, with Lily in charge. There were almost forty of us at first. Now, after three years of fighting, we're at half strength and only ten of our original number are still alive. Now, Jax is gone and Vincent could be next. She's not responsible. We have our orders and we had some bad luck. Still, she takes it hard."