Tris
Morning came to slow. The anticipation of going on a scavenger hunt was gnawing at Tris. She almost left during the middle of the night. Valentin was in out of conscious on the carpet brown floor. Sitting up on the couch, Tris was impressed with herself for being this kind to a man who wanted her dead not to long ago. Probably still wanted her dead. And here she was being civilized.
When the sun was out, Tris left, leaving a note for him to stay put as she went out to find out what happened to his sister. An hour of waiting near the location she'd find Valentin, Tris knew the guy known as Jared would be wondering where his two goons were.
A car came down the road and Tris hid between buildings as it stopped and Jared stepped out. He looked around, as if expected the men to run out and say, 'you found us.'
Three others exited the car and when Tris saw her brother, she nearly called out to him. Christian stood a distance from the others, uncomfortable but confident. Tris didn't have him go into the comfort of safety, only for them to pull him back out.
"You sure you left them here?" One of the men walked several feet from Jared and scrutinize his scenery.
Jared huffed, displeased in being questioned. "Like I said. They were supposed to go find some new supplies and come back." He pointed to the ground where Valentin's blood now stained. "Looks like something occurred here."
Frowning, Tris realized her was hiding his actions from yesterday to the new men around him. Pretending to know nothing of how that blood got there, it did comfort Tris a little to know there was a strong chance the leader of that base wasn't apart of his wrongful actions.
The man cupped his chin and then pinched it between his thumb and index. "Okay." He lifted his gaze to the rest and snapped his fingers. "You two. Search around. Maybe they hid for the night."
"Sounds good, Patrick."
This was Tris's chance. She noticed Christian and the other guy move toward one of the building on the other side of the street from her. They'd be searching around together.
The man, who seemed to be higher up then Jared, placed his hands on his hips. He seemed to study Jared. "Is there anything you're not telling me?"
"Like what, Patrick?" There was attitude in his scowl.
Shaking his head, Patrick turned his back and walked over to the arm that once belonged to Valentin. He bent down to pick it up. Using his other hand to cover his mouth and nose from the smell, Patrick studied it. He turned to Jared again.
A few zombies strolled their way and Patrick placed the arm back on the ground and stabbed both zombies in the head. Cleaning off his knife he put it away and frowned back down at the arm. He pointed to it and looked up at Jared at the same time. "That arm...does not belong to Chuck or Tim." His lips were pursed, staring accusative.
Jared shrugged. "So. They probably took out a zombie."
Huffing, Patrick stepped into Jared's personal space. "You forget. I was a cop once. I know when I see a murder scene." His eyes narrowed as he stared down at Jared, two inches taller.
Poking out his chest, Jared snorted. "Calm down. Don't go making rash assumptions."
"Why are there shell casings. Where is this bullet proof zombie. And why does the arm look fresh. There was a puddle around the arm. Blood seeped out of it. The moment one becomes a zombie...it just sits, coagulated."
Tris frowned, waiting for Jared to defend himself. Perhaps Jared's actions were being hidden by the leader of this base.
They had a stare off for several seconds and then Jared just laughed. He clapped his hands then turned, putting space between Patrick and him. Coward move. "Look," he grunted. "We ran into someone. He was...we thought he was a zombie. Chuck...dumb fat ass he was...shot the poor guy." Somehow, despite not being their for that part, Tris knew he was lying. "But...here's the thing. Chuck shot the man in the chest. Clean hole in his chest and he only looked down at himself as if being caught pissing on himself."
Patrick back straightened. "What do you mean?"
"I mean. The guy was a freak. He talked like us. Moved like us. Even cried out when shot. But, he did not fall and die. He simply got mad and charged at us." Jared was definitely forgetting to mention the sister, Jeana. "I protecting my men shot the guy arm clean off. So he detoured and ran off. I wanted to make sure we were safe from him so I told Chuck and Jim to find the guy.
And that's where Tris definitely knew he was lying again. The other man, Patrick stared off and walked around, counting the gun casings. Then he stared to the middle of the street and bent down running his fingers over the cement.
Christian and the other guy chose that moment to come back. "We found them," the other guy said. "A block up. Looks like Chuck was shot in the head and Toni, fucked up by a zombie. But...he also has a stab to the head, which makes no sense."
Patrick stood and looked to Jared in question.
Standing comfortable, Jared flung his arms out. "See. The guy was alive like us but not human by any means."
Christian frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You tell us," Patrick growled. "You and your family have been out here for months. What have you seen?"
Christian only froze. He took a breath and answered. "I've seen men hurt those who can't defend themselves. And other types of people who would risk their lives to save those in need."
"What the fuck does that even men, boy?" Jared dismissed Tris brother statement.
"It means, old guy," Christian shot back, "there is all types of danger out here now. None we don't understand but shouldn't judge because they are different. And whatever happened here last night, I say, those friends of yours had it coming."
Jared rushed to Tris's little brother and she was about to pop out when Patrick blocked his path. He held his hand up. "Back off." Patrick looked to Christian with heavy eyes. "I am curious as to why you would say that."
Grimacing, Christian waved his hand down at the arm. "I noticed that arm right away. I know who it belongs to because of the tattoo on his wrist. Now, the guy that once had that arm was a prick and probably needed to die, but, I know, he wouldn't act without his sister."
Christian looked so much older than what he really was at this moment. Tris, watching her little brother stand up to this guy, she was proud.
Looking from Christian to Jared, there was a long pause before Patrick spoke again. "A sister. Was she with him yesterday?" he asked, Jared with warning eyes. The kind of warning that said if he lied, Jared could possibly die.
Holding his head up high, Jared did just that. Lied. "No."
"That asshole you took an arm off to, wouldn't still be breathing without that sister of his. No little brother could be without a big sister." Tris felt as if somehow, Christian knew she was near and listening. He was speaking to her. "And other than her twisted logic, she had a good sense and wouldn't confront a group of men. She wouldn't also leave her brother alone."
For only a second, Jared twitched. It was very brief but Tris saw the look in his eyes. He would try to silence Tris brother the moment he got the chance. She couldn't let Christian go back at the risk of him being hurt. She needed to go in there. Sneak in somehow.
When she paid attention again, Tris noticed Jared's hand closer to his side where his gun resided. Instinct rushed her as she darted out and shouted.
Jared pulled out his gun to aim at Christian when Patrick realized and slapped it out of Jared's hand. Pulling his hand back, Jared tried to reach for something else when Patrick had a gun aimed at him. "Try it. I dare you." Patrick looked from Jared to Tris approaching slowly. She had her arms high, appearing non threatening.
Christian's eyes widen and she gave him a look he understood. She didn't want them knowing who she was to him.
"Who the fuck are you?" Patrick asked, through gritted teeth.
"I'm the one who killed those two guys," Tris admitted. Well, technically, she killed no one. Not this round. "Yesterday, I found those men and him, discussing finishing the guy I found nearly dead. I hid him. When he drove off," Tris pointed to Jared, "the two men came and I made myself known hoping they would not attack me. Quite opposite. They needed to kill the guy and then I was a witness."
"She's lying. I've never met this-"
Patrick cut Jared off. "Then why you try to shoot some kid?"
Jared had no answer for that.
"They dragged a woman off. He told them, he'd take her back to some camp. One of the men wanted to tell some guy named, Justice about this but the other didn't want to go against your orders. You attacked them for sport and when you realized something different about them, you took the sister and wanted to kill the brother."
This time Jared tried to come at Tris. She didn't move, pulling out her katana. "I'll even let you try and shoot me down like you did him."
"If this is true, where is this guy?"
"I hid him. A couple blocks away."
"Let's go see," Patrick said.
Tris shook her head. "To finish him off. I don't think so."
"If you thought me capable of killing an innocent man, why tell me anything? Why help us?"
Tris shrugged. "Because, he's a kid and I don't believe in seeing innocent people get hurt."
Patrick nodded. "I swear. I have no intention of killing the guy."
*
Tris took them to see Valentin, walking into the place. Still unconscious, Valentin lay unmoving but still alive. She'd bandaged him the best she could. Patrick peaked in and nodded. "You know, Jared. I don't believe you had good intentions yesterday. How about I take you to Justice to be judged?"
"And what about her?" Jared sneered. "She killed our people."
"In self defense." Christian said.
Patrick studied Tris. "If his sister was taken inside our base, there are only a few places he can hide her. I want to find her. And if we do, then I will know we can trust you. Till then, I have to bring you in, restrained."
Tris narrowed her eyes. "I don't operate under your ruling." Tris needed to let go of her pride. If going got her into the base and she developed a trust based on what she told them and what they could find, this could be her in. "But...I will corporate."
"We need your weapons," Patrick said, bluntly.
"I'll take them," Christian said, knowing she didn't like giving her weapons to anyone she didn't trust. She was thankful to have her brother.
Patrick restrained her from the front end and guided her to the car where Tris sat in the front passenger seat and Jared in the middle between her brother and this other face.
Taking a breath, Tris reminded herself that this was what she wanted. To enter the base. It was a week early but, this was better. She had a plan and a better way of gaining their trust. And a good way for them to prove themselves worthy too.