War Among Humanity

Infighting

...

..

.

The moon was high in the sky, the stars shimmering above the group as they drive down the road. Trees were on either side of them, some bare and some with a handful of leaves on the branches. Tripp drives after Javier in his van with Clement, (Y/N), and Conrad, Javier in the car ahead with Kate and Eleanor and Gabe, Eleanor driving.

"Are they following us?" Eleanor questions warily, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Javier's eyes shift to the mirror on the left side of the car, only seeing Tripp's van driving after them. "Just the other car," he says with relief. "Looks like we're okay."

Eleanor relaxes at this, Kate's teeth clenching with pain as she leans her head against the backseat's headrest.

Javier slows the car as he turns right, coming to a stop. Tripp notices, turning left and stopping adjacent to Javier. Eleanor was the first out of the car, followed by Javier and Gabe.

"Eleanor!" Tripp calls with joy and relief, stepping out of his van and walking towards her. "Thank God."

Eleanor's eyes fill with tears as the two share an embrace, "I can't believe it. All of our friends... All those people..."

They pull away, Eleanor silently looking towards Conrad. Conrad was standing a little ways away, looking the direction of Prescott with his fists clenched at his sides. (Y/N) and Clement slowly come out from Tripp's van, keeping their distance from the group and remaining near the opened van door.

"Oh, Conrad..." Eleanor breathes out sympathetically, frowning.

Javier looks down with anger and sadness, shaking his head. "She deserved better. They all deserved better."

Conrad was quiet before bitterly scoffing. "You barely knew her. What the hell do you care?"

Javier was taken aback by this, Conrad turning to him with a snarl on his face.

"You're the reason they came to Prescott in the first place!" he shouts furiously, marching towards Javier. "She's dead because of you!"

(Y/N) and Clement exchange a meaningful side glance, slowly making their way closer to the others as (Y/N) warily watches Conrad, her hand twitching at her side anxiously.

"Conrad," Tripp firmly cuts in, shaking his head with a frown as he moves to Javier's side. "Easy, buddy. This wasn't his fault."

"Bull. Shit." Conrad's eyes fill with tears of anger as he holds up his fingers, "Francine, Prescott, all because this washed up cheat walked through our gates. I should've known it the second I looked at you. You ain't gonna stand up for nobody but your own!"

Javier's brows furrow as he glares at Conrad. "We-- We just lost someone, too!"

Gabe looks down sadly at this, arms wrapped around himself in an attempt to comfort himself.

"So..." Javier's anger melts to despair as his shoulders fall. "Say what you have to say."

Conrad laughs angrily, getting in Javier's face. "What, is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Eleanor's face hardens, "Calm down, Conrad! Please."

"All I know, is if it wasn't for him--!"

As Conrad jabs his finger against Javier's chest, the sound of a gun cocking draws their attention. Conrad and Javier slowly look to the side to the noise, Gabe standing a few feet away with his gun raised at Conrad, his expression enraged.