Across the Wildlands (Book One: The Wildlands)

Episode Twenty-Five - The Scavengers

 "Drop your weapons!"

  "Drop your weapons!"

"You're outnumbered five to one. Do the math, dumbass."

 Guns were aimed and ready on both sides, drifting between targets.

Alex couldn't tell who to keep her weapon on. Their faces all blurred into a mass, like a giant monster taking a single form.

Rollo and Cicero placed themselves between the two groups. Alex's eyes flitted over her shoulder, and she saw Ace with a steady hand, intently staring ahead without a single word. How she wished she could have such a calm demeanor.

 "Didn't you hear me? You're outnumbered. Drop your weapons before we decide this is a waste of our time." A woman, who appeared to be the group's leader, stepped forward. 

Her completely shaved head had a tattoo of a snake that wound around her scalp and down past her left ear. The red ink stood out stark against her pale, white skin.

There was a look on the stranger's face that made Alex want to surrender immediately.

"Maybe we should, uh, listen to her," Alex whispered.

Everyone ignored her suggestion, and an intense standoff ensued. No one lowered their guns, but no one fired, either.

Alex wondered why the strangers didn't just shoot them. They could easily do so. Manpower was definitely on their side, and they were all heavily armed.

"There isn't any food left in this city. We've taken everything that's been perma-preserved. All that's left is dust. You should drop your weapons and take your leave." Her tone was confident and cool.

  "The thing is, we're not alone. And our friends really want us to get out of here with some food," Cicero said.

A look of confusion crossed the woman's face. Her eyes dragged across each of them, lingering on their arms. She appeared to be searching for something and apparently didn't find whatever it was. A slew of curse words left her lips.

"Ah, hell." The woman lowered her gun. "Tell me you didn't bring that idiotic, gunslinging cowboy into this city."

Weapons all around dropped to their wielders' side. The static in the air disappeared. At least these strangers didn't want to kill them anymore.

Though, Alex couldn't figure out if Edric played a bad or good role in the scenario they found themselves in.

 "That's the fastest, gunslinging cowboy to you." Edric's voice rang out.

They all turned to see Edric, Daniel and Greg walking down the adjoining street toward them.

Edric shook his head after he spoke. "Nope. No, I heard it as soon as I said it. Doesn't sound that cool to me. Maybe just 'the fastest gunslinger'?"

 "Cut it out," the woman interrupted. "Just tell me what you're doing here. You know this part of the Wildlands is ours."

Alex glanced out of the corner of her eye to Cicero, watching closely for a reaction at the mention of the Wildlands. Barely a twitch distracted him from the interaction in front of them. Surely he had to have noticed what this strange woman said. The only other time anyone had mentioned the Wildlands to Cicero had been when she told him of her dreams.

It didn't seem like he noticed. Or, at least, he didn't show any sign of noticing. Cicero was more concerned about the new arrivals in front of them. Understandable, but Alex was hoping for at least a little reaction.