End of Days

So, New Plan?

(20)

 "There is a hardware store and an electronics store in the town that coming up. I can peel off, get the rest of what I need to make the new radios, and catch up with you guys." Elijah offers, catching up to Nolan, James, and I.

"You shouldn't go alone. Take at least two more guys with you." Nolan says, looking past me to Elijah. He nods and slows down to let a couple others catch up. I can't hear what he says but they all nod and Elijah sends me a thumbs up before the four of them turn off from us and head into the woods.

I pull my attention from the men who are slowing disappearing into the woods and back to the road ahead of us. I definitely did not miss these long walks. It seems like that's all we've done since the...well since the world ended. Luckily they were able to fit most of the bags in the truck, so most of us were carrying empty bags and waiting to see a store we could stop at. Like when we walked to Arcton, Maya had quickly made friends with everyone and got them to carry her. She would tell them some odd story about some random kid in her class, then give them her famous puppy dog eyes and use the "my widdle feet hurt" line. No one had survived that yet.

"But what did he say?" Ever since I told James about Enzo's little 'I love you' speech he hasn't stopped bugging me and of course he told Nolan. The whole 'brotherly bond' and all. I just shake my head and keep walking. I can hear Nolan chuckle next to me, though he wasn't joining James in his questioning I could tell he wanted to know. "Oh come on, you can't just say a guy you've known for like two weeks said he loved you and not continue that up with what else he said. You had to know I'd ask questions." He nudges me smiling.

"I don't know James, I was..." I trail off thinking back to his confession. 'I'm prepared to fight all of them if it means keeping you safe. You're all I think about, all I care about and it scares the hell out of me.' "I was kinda surprised." James gives me that 'I know there's something you're not telling me, but since I'm your brother I'm not going to push too much' look. Yup I got all of that from a look.

We get close to another thirty feet before he brings it up once again, "okay I wont ask for details but what's with him now? He still has the lost puppy look when he looks at you but then again he also looks like he could kill someone with a glare. It's honestly a little confusing, and kinda hot." Nolan starts laughing but all I can do is shake my head.

"Well then maybe you should date him." I suggest over Nolans laughter. James pauses for a second and shrugs. I glance back at the others noticing the bags under their eyes and the pain and exhaustion written across their faces. It had gotten a little better when we cut training for everyone but the council down to just an hour of hand to hand combat training and then half an hour of shooting practice which ends after today. After tomorrow's walk we will be half a days walk from the republics camp and yet we still haven't gone through all the steps of the plan yet. Not to mention Elijah was still working on getting the walkie-talkies ready. I was surprised that most people weren't too upset about the change in plans, most were more mad that they had wasted time training so hard the first week or so. Though Cyrus and Alec and I's parents weren't ecstatic, with a little explaining they got onboard with it. Griffin was the hardest to convince, as always, and unlike Carla it wasn't because he was worried about Alec going. He wanted to be there as well.

"Hey Nolan," another member from Arcton says as he jogs a little to catch up to the three of us. "Some of those in the back are exhausted and falling behind. Can we take a minute to rest?"

"We are almost here, just about a mile or two, but uh yeah, sure." We stop and turn to the rest. "Hey guys, take bags off and rest for a minute." He calls out causing a few people to cheer and collapse to the floor. I slide my bag off my shoulders and open it up, revealing a couple boxes of protein bars. I open the first box and start passing them out to people, once I get back to the front I drop the last one into James's lap and drop into the space next to him.