"Did you get them to talk?" Barry asked as Josh walked out of the theatre.
"They said that they would talk. I'm going to let Samuel talk to them though. It's not my place to handle this situation", Josh answered on their way up the stairs.
"I'm sure you would be able to help. Samuel trusts you. I'm sure he would let you help out."
"I let him handle it", Josh said as he opened the door to Samuel's office, "After all, he is the person who has to make the decision."
"Oh, Josh! Did they say anything to you?" Samuel asked as Josh and Barry entered the room.
"They said that they would talk. But I didn't give them the chance to talk. I thought that I would leave that up to you", Josh answered.
"Smart boy", Samuel said as he got up, "You know when you need to intervene and you know when you need to back down. I respect that in a person. Very well. Let's go and see what these people say."
So they walked to the theatre to see the prisoners. They walked into the room and Samuel said,
"Hello folks! This young man told me that you are ready to talk. So if you wouldn't mind, could you answer a few questions?"
"Depends on the question", Jane stated, glaring at Samuel.
"They aren't difficult questions, young lady", Samuel said when he noticed her glaring, "So I would appreciate if you didn't give me any attitude. I'm already losing my patience with you folks, so don't make matters worse."
"Please excuse her", Martin started, "She has a tendancy to defy her superiors. So if you could just ask the questions we will provide you with the answers."
"Very well then. I have a large group of people who I need to protect. When we meet other survivors, we have to take certain steps to ensure that we are not in danger. So I need to know who you are, where you came from, and what are you doing here?" Samuel asked.
"We are just a group of survivors", Ben stated, "We came from Whistler. We are planning on heading to Toronto, so we can get to the Quarantine Zone. The only reason that we are here us to get through the city."
"What were you searching for? My men said that they found you in the mall looking for supplies."
"Honestly, we were looking for diapers", Jessica answered, "My baby needed to have it's diaper changed and we had run out of them."
"Well then. What do you think of this Josh? Do you think we can trust them?" Samuel asked for reassurance.
"Ya, I think that they are trustworthy. I'm sure that they didn't mean any harm", Josh answered.
"Then it's settled", Samuel started, "We will give you something to eat and send you on your way. Then you must leave the city."
"Wait. They aren't allowed to stay?" Josh asked.
"No they can't. We don't have enough supplies to feed eight more people. They have to leave", Samuel answered.
"Please sir, we have kids that we need to take care of. If we could stay one more night..." Martin started before Samuel cut him off.
"You aren't staying. I have been grateful enough to give you a meal before you go. Do not ask for anymore", Samuel said as he walked away from the group, "Come with me Barry and Josh. We need to leave these people to themselves."
"Don't you think you are being a bit tough sir? They are only asking for one night", Barry asked as they walked out of the room.
"I am a leader, Barry. I have to think about the safety of my own people. It's what a leader needs to do. Josh, you understand where I'm coming from right? You know what a leader has to do", Samuel stated.
"Yes, I understand", Josh said. They walked out of the room and the group started to talk.
"I can't believe that Josh is working for them", Randi stated, "He finally caught up with his group and he is holding them captive."
"I'm sure he has some sort of plan. I bet that he will probably be coming with us as soon as we leave", Ray said, "It wouldn't be like him to give up on his friends."
"But did you see the way that he acted. He is that stupid old man's puppet. He does whatever the old man wants", Jane stated.
"He has definetly changed", Martin added, "But I'm not quite sure that it's for the best."
"I don't like it", Ben stated, "I'm sure that if he was told that he had to shoot us he probably would."
"Don't talk like that, Ben!" Jessica demanded, "He's our friend. He wouldn't do anything like that."
"I'm not so sure anymore", Ben doubted, "He is different. And I don't think he would stand up for us anymore."
"I don't care what you think, Ben", Jessica stated, "I believe that he will help us and that's that."
"I agree with Jessica", Tavis added, "He told us what we need to know to make it out of this. I think he wants to help."
"Okay, people!" some armed men shouted as they came into the theatre, "It's time to head out. We are going to get you some food and send you packing! Anybody who tries to escape or fight us will be shot! Do you understand?"
They started to untie everybody from there chairs. A group of them aim their guns at the prisoners, to make sure that they wouldn't escape. The men dragged their prisoners into the centre walkway of the theatre. Then they herded the group out of the theatre and into a small room near the lobby. There were bowls of soup waiting for them, and one slice of bread for each of them. The armed guards sat them down, then left. The group was eating in silence until Travis asked,
"So what's the plan after this?"
"Well we basically just leave the city. Keep going east, towards Toronto", Ben answered.
"What about Josh? Do you think that he will rejoin the group?" Martin questioned.
"Of course he will", Randi stated, "He is our friend. He will stay with us."
"I don't care about Josh!" Pablo stated, "I just hope that we don't have to walk the whole way!"
"I doubt we will get a ride", Ray chuckled, "Not with the way that they are treating us."
"We are lucky enough to even have been given a meal. They could've just sent us packing as soon as they could", Martin added.
"I bet that Josh is trying to convince the old man to let us stay for the night", Randi stated. It turns out Josh was having a conversation with Samuel at that very moment.
"Can't you let them stay for the night, Samuel?" Josh asked, "It's late, and I don't expect that they would make it out of the city alive."
"That's there problem, not mine", Samuel stated.
"But they have children. They are people too. What if they were your family? Would you send them packing as well?"
"Of course I wouldn't tell them to leave."
"Then why are you being so difficult on these people?"
"Because I need to ensure that my people stay alive. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you know these people. For whatever reason you really want these people alive, and it confuses me. Why do you care so much about people you don't even know?"
"Because I think about what it would be like if I were in there position. If I had nowhere to go and I finally found some place safe. I would want to stay there."
"Well then you should consider yourself lucky, Josh. You do get to stay. And those people who you tried so hard to protect won't care about you. You will probably never talk to them again. So I wouldn't concern yourself with these people."
"Wait. You are letting me stay?"
"Of course. We could use somebody like you in the group. You are smart and resourceful. You would probably be the new leader of this facility when I get old. Unless you decide that you want to leave here with those people. Then we might have a bit of a problem. See I think that you are playing both sides, and that's no good. See, you are either my friend. Or your my foe. And if you aren't here working for me, you sure as hell ain't my friend. So I suggest you figure out what your plan is, before I figure it out for you. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir. I understand."
"Good. Now I know that you are a smart boy. So I know that you will make the right decision. Now get of my office. I'm done with you for tonight."
"Yes sir", Josh said as he left the room. He walked towards the dinner room, because he too, had not eaten yet. When he walked in he saw his friends sitting at the table. They looked at him, but nobody said anything. So he sat down at an empty seat across from Pablo. Pablo stared at Josh for a few moments, then asked,
"Is it true that you don't want to come with us anymore?"
"I never said anything like that", Josh answered, "Where did you get an idea like that?"
"There was talk about you staying. Some of us think that you are staying with the old man. And some of us think that you are gonna come with us", Pablo replied.
Josh sat silent there for a moment, then asked, "You guys really doubt my loyalty to the group?"
"Well of course not", Jessica answered, "We just aren't so sure anymore. You seem to be spending lots of time with the guys that are keeping us hostage."
"Do you know why I've been spending so much time with those guys", Josh questioned, "It's because I'm trying to save your asses every damn second. And it's not really working. These people are stubborn. They will not change there plans for some people that they hardly know."
"Well they seem to be changing their plans for you", Jane added.
"It's because they trust me."
"But why do they trust you?" Martin asked, "I doubt that you've done some valiant deed to gain the trust of these men. I think that they are just using you my friend. And I think you need to be very careful around these people."
"You never did tell us what you plan on doing Josh. Are you staying, or are you coming with us?" Randi asked.
"I haven't decided yet..." Josh said as he hung his head down, "I haven't decided."
"What is there to decide? We are your friends Josh. We have been with you for a long time. Why would you throw that all away?" Jessica asked.
"I don't want to talk about it", Josh said as he stood up from the table. He walked out of the room without saying a word to anybody. The room fell silent as well, until two armed men came in.
"Okay! Time to hit the road! Let's move!" the men ordered the group. They showed them to the trucks outside and they stopped. Samuel walked out in front of the men. Josh and Barry were with him as well. Samuel looked at the two armed men and said,
"You will drive them to the outskirts of the city. Near the eastern border. There you will drop them off. Then you will come straight back. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir!" the men said. Then they herded the group into the trucks. Before Jessica and Noah got put in the truck, Jessica looked at Josh and asked,
"Are you coming with us?
"I'm curious to know that answer to this question as well. Are you staying with us or leaving with you're friends?"
"I... have decided... that I'm going to stay here", Josh answered as he looked at the ground.
"Good choice, young man", Samuel complimented.
"What? You're kidding right? There is now way that you are leaving us, after all that we've been through! Please don't do this to me!" Jessica plead, on the verge of crying.
"I'm sorry, Jessica. I just thought that this was my best option."
"Well it's decided now! Put the girl and her child into the truck. Let's go inside, Josh", Samuel said as they walked inside the theatre. The men put Jessica into the back of the truck and start driving away. The whole group sat silently in the back of the truck during the whole ride. They were all shocked at what had just happened. Nobody thought that this would happen.
After about an hour of driving, they finally made it to the outskirts of the city. The men took them out of the truck, then drove away, leaving them on the side of the road. They walked down the highway in silence. Nobody was in the mood to talk. But that wasn't long lived, for Pablo quickly broke the silence. He started singing songs, then complaining, then he started talking to himself. He was driving everybody crazy. It went on for a few hours until he said,
"Look! There is a truck back there!"
Everybody looked behind them and there was a truck driving down the road. They watched it drive all the way towards them, then finally stopping. The person in the truck unrolled the window then said,
"Get in! We are heading to Toronto!"
"Josh! What are you doing here?" Jessica asked as she ran up to the window.
"I'm obviously going to Toronto with my friends. Now get in! Unless you want to walk."
"I definetly am not walking!" Pablo stated as he hopped into the back of the truck.
"What made you change your mind?" Ray asked, "And how did you get the truck?"
"Those are both really great stories that I would love to share sometime. But how about we just get out of here? I don't want to be anywhere near Edmonton when they figure out that I stole one of their trucks", Josh explained as he started driving east, towards the quarantine zone in Toronto.