Humanity's Hope: Book 1 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 9

The city was oppressive. The tops of the buildings seemed to curve inward and block out the sun. The grayness settled over Caleb like a heavy blanket. His mind desired and yearned to be back in the desert. It was so bright, so open, so free. Sure, there was the bunker, but it wasn't as confining as the skyscrapers. It offered protection, but it didn't seal him in. He could walk a few feet away from it and see what was coming at him from miles away. There were too many hiding places in the city, too many blind spots. Still, he knew he had to be here to find answers. It was the only way.

He directed Samuel to his apartment building, and Samuel pulled up to the curb. Caleb was about to open the door when Samuel locked it. Caleb turned to him.

"Are you sure about this?" The concern in Samuel's voice was thick. "I can drive away. Right now. And no one would be the wiser."

The anger instantly drained out of Caleb. He couldn't be upset with Samuel because he cared. "I'm sure. But thanks."

Samuel sighed, and then unlocked the door. It was obvious he wasn't happy about the situation, but what could he do? It was Caleb's life, his decision.

"Go home, Samuel. Get some rest. Tell your friends about what happened." He smiled. Just because Caleb thought it was ridiculous to put his faith in eccentrics, Samuel had to do what made him happy. "If they have any valuable information, let me know." That at least wouldn't make Samuel feel completely worthless. Caleb pushed open the door and stepped onto the sidewalk.

Samuel pulled away from the curb and drove down the street. Caleb watched him disappear around the corner, and then his gaze drifted toward the alley. Memories of the video he had received ran through his mind. He saw Rachel's face twisted in pain and anguish as she was torn apart. Sadness and guilt tightened his chest. She shouldn't have died because of him. Not like that. Not without him being given the chance to help her. He had to force himself inside the apartment building. If he didn't, he was tempted to run down the street yelling and screaming for the person who wanted him to come get him, but that wasn't reasonable. That wouldn't help in the long run. It wouldn't accomplish much of anything. He'd be able to figure out who was after him, but he wouldn't have the power to control the situation—and that was the most important thing to have.

He stood in the hallway outside his apartment, staring at the door and wondering what he was doing. Was this really the best way? Whoever was after him knew where he lived, and he didn't doubt they knew he was back. He was a sitting duck here. There was no way to escape.

It had been three days; he could only imagine what had been happening while he was gone—if anyone was concerned about him. He doubted it. He didn't have many friends. He sighed. It was too much to worry about. All he really wanted was to take a shower and crawl into bed. Maybe things would seem clearer after that.

He opened the door and stepped inside. Familiarity greeted him, and a sense of relief washed through him. It wasn't home, but it was close. Footsteps sounded on his right, and he turned to see Dr. Bentley. His eyes widened, and he hurried across the room, wrapping Caleb in a tight embrace, surprising Caleb. If he hadn't grabbed a hold of the boy, the doctor would have knocked him over. He and the doctor weren't exactly close—Caleb didn't refer to him by his first name—so this amount of concern and emotion seemed almost out of place.

Dr. Bentley had been kind enough to take him in after Zomtech hired him. Caleb was still a minor and couldn't be on his own. Dr. Bentley was kind, but he kept to himself. He was often lost in thought, and Caleb assumed he was focused on finding the cure for the undead. But he never asked. He never felt it was his place.

The few conversations the two had focused on trivial matters—the weather and Caleb's friends, the latter being the shorter conversation. They may not have been the closest or the chattiest with one another, but there was an unspoken comfort between the two. Even though neither one admitted it, Caleb was glad he had someone to come home to, and he was sure Dr. Bentley felt the same. Caleb sensed it in the way Dr. Bentley's shoulders relaxed when he walked through the door.