[ 67 ]
There was complete radio silence following what had happened a few hours prior. Although the team was filled with rough-around-the-edges individuals, who lacked mercy on more than one occasion, they still had a somber mood when it came to losing someone they classified as 'one of their own'.
Their reactions showcased how well Freya had done to have many of them wrapped around her finger. The only ones who weren't as effected were Jakob, who happily went back to sleep, Bjorn who was his normal emotionless self as he concentrated on driving, and Valentin who Hansel wouldn't even attempt to wonder what was thinking.
After sometime mulling it over, Hansel had come to realise that it then made sense why he never spotted Freya in the original's later memories. So even back then, he had outlived her, and that meant that even though Fahren had taken over, the chain of events hadn't altered too much. He wasn't quite sure, at present, whether or not that was a good thing.
What he did know, was that it was unsettling being sat beside the man who had tried to kill him on numerous occasions. Not Valentin himself, technically, but definitely his past incarnations. But each time he'd met with the yellow-eyed man, his lover had always been in the picture. He was his safety-net, but now Hansel had to deal with it alone.
Unless one of the men in the team was his lover? But he highly doubted that. Though the men were good looking, his lover was hardly the type to 'blend in'. Hansel just had to hope that he'd recognise him when the time eventually came- if that time ever came.
"You know why it had to be done." Valentin eventually spoke, and Hansel was very reluctant to talk with the man, so he just nodded his head silently.
"Perhaps it might change in the future, but right now, as soon as someone's bitten they lose their identity as human. And the less of them there are, the better chance of us surviving." The leader announced whilst taking apart his gun and cleaning it.
Hansel looked out of the window, at the abandoned vehicles and chaos-ridden buildings which were barely still standing. The odd stray Rotter was standing, alerted by the sound of the vehicles, but too slow to do anything. It was a depressing sight to behold, especially since it was a whole different world that was right in front of Hansel; one he wouldn't be able to explore.
"What about a cure?" Hansel turned to look at him and Valentin raised a brow, barely drawing his attention away from his gun.
"What about it?"
"Do you not have hope that those in the safe-zone are making one?"
Valentin actually scoffed, he sat up straight and finished off by slotting a new magazine into the weapon and putting it down. "You need to learn quickly that no one gives a fuck about anyone, Hansel. We are all survivors, and can only depend on our small teams for a shred of safety. In the safe-zone, its one large place filled with different small groups who only trust each other. So I doubt it's sunshine and rainbows inside with warm showers and an endless supply of food. I imagine we probably get a better meal now than what we will in there, because of logical rationing. I've also heard that there's different sections within this safe-zone, an area where we will be- and then an area where those who have paid quite a bit to be protected, will be." Valentin explained without a shred of doubt.
"Those people who are being protected the most, are probably fucking cowards. They don't have the balls to fight for themselves, and more than likely had security outside to protect them. So to trust that they're making a cure? Fuck that. There's been more than enough time since day zero, and there's no sign of a cure, so I can guarantee that those scientists who are probably treated like gold pieces, have long since given up on the world like everyone else."
Bjorn had no reaction to the squad leader's frank words, so it was obvious he thought the same. But Hansel was dumbfounded, "Then why are we going there?"
"It's still a fucking large wall between us and the Rotters, so we can hardly turn down an opportunity. But we're never going to be complacent- no, just patient." The way he spoke, was a lot like what Hansel sounded like when he had a solid and reliable plan.
And it sent shivers down his spine.
He didn't even attempt to pry the answers out of the man, because it was clear that Valentin already had a sound ideology when it came to who he could trust with the knowledge within the Scavenger team. And Hansel was still entirely expendable in his view.
For the umpteenth time since he took part in the world, he felt vulnerable. No medical knowledge could compare to the trigger-happy teammates of his. For the remainder of the time that it took for them to travel along before pulling over for rest, Hansel further planned what he could do to address his endless supply of weaknesses. And what he came up with was potential suicide-
They had done a solid fourteen hours travelling. The fuel which the men had gathered from other cars being of fundamental importance as they did. But to give the cars, as well as the team, a short rest before they continued on, Valentin instructed that Bjorn find a semi-enclosed space that they could spend a short while in, but somewhere they could also have a vantage point.
That came in the form of a church. A creepy, gothic one, which ticked all the boxes. Obviously before the world erupted, it was closed for some repairs, as there was some scaffolding around it, and there was also a metal gate surrounding the premises.
After a quick muttering down the radio from Valentin, someone from one of the other two vehicles jumped out. They glanced around before heading for the metal gate. He fiddled with a lock for a short while, before inevitably having to pick it. When it was opened, Bjorn was the first to drive through.
The weather had cleared up, as it would after many hours, but even still there was no sign of any lurking Rotters. The thrum of their three engines was enough of a target, but still the old streets were empty. But that didn't mean they weren't going to lock up behind them.
Peering through the windows of the old church, it seemed abandoned, so with a less than graceful kick of the front door, it flew open and they went inside. Everyone looked around, given the time of day the architecture was a little creepy. But when someone mentioned food- all was forgotten.
Valentin disappeared with Bjorn, no doubt to check on the view they could get from the spire. Meanwhile, Hansel looked over to Jakob. He was fiddling with his knives, and looked all-around menacing, but it didn't stop him from walking over.
They had one light that they had set up in the middle of the room, and it did a decent job of lighting their surroundings, but not enough so it could be seen from outside. But as Hansel got close to the man, his light source was halved and he looked up with a scowl. When he saw who it was, his expression shifted.
"Willingly approaching me, can we be considered best o' friends now?" Jakob enquired with a big grin on his face. An expression which could be considered 'cheeky' and 'handsome'. If you didn't actually know what Jakob was really like. Meanwhile, Hansel frowned. Although the older man in front of him could easily get rid of him with a slice of his knife, Jakob was the type that was overbearing and ultimately just needed to have his ear twisted. So he was blunt,
"I want you to teach me."
"Teach ya' what?" Jakob wiggled his eyebrows.
"How to throw knives, more specifically- at Rotters."
That got the man's attention, he swiped a tongue over his top teeth in a predatory manner as he dropped the leg he had rested on the other, and leant forward. "Thas' far more intimate than what I imagined, Gretel."
"Intimate?" Hansel deadpanned, suddenly reflecting on his decision to ask this particular madman. But he'd already signed his own death-warrant as when he stepped back; Jakob followed.
"What do I get in return?" The slightly taller man enquired, slinging an arm across Hansel's shoulder and cocking his head in wonder. Unlike the others, who cut their hair with any utensil they could find, Jakob was growing his out. And currently it was sloppily thrown into a bun at the back of his head, wisps of dark blond hair falling all around; ultimately tickling Hansel's cheek.
He tried to pull back, but Jakob kept a firm grip. So Hansel had no other option but to respond, "Company from someone who won't run away screaming?"
Jakob raised his brow, eyeing him curiously before laughing. "Fine, but ya better be good company or I'll be demandin' a return." Hansel tried not to shudder at the thought.
After a short while of resting, everyone piled back into the vans. This time there was an addition of Jakob, who plopped down right beside Hansel without any reservations. Bjorn looked in the mirror, a semblance of a confused expression on his face before he focused back on driving, whilst Valentin openly showed his.
"Gretel and I are close friends now." Jakob stated, and because the man was far from stupid, he knew he was indirectly snubbing Valentin who had, intentionally or not, been trying to get closer to Hansel since Freya was no longer in the picture.
Jakob was a pain in the ass, and one Valentin tended to give a lot of slack to because he couldn't be bothered to deal with the maniac, but it was more of an annoyance now that he was smiling. Although Hansel had joked about being good company, what the other man clearly needed was just an ear to natter to. Jakob talked about a variety of things, right down to his favourite foods before everything went to shit.
Valentin or Bjorn would chime in every now and then, or Hansel if he really had to. And because of this the journey felt relatively short. The next time they stopped, it was the next day and whilst Hansel was eating, Jakob yanked him away so they could begin the training. In the location they'd chosen to stop, there were a few Rotters roaming, but not enough for them to be concerned about.
Jakob looked around the second floor of the dilapidated building, and made a sound of revelation when he came across a boarded up balcony. He started yanking the wood off before looking over to Hansel expectantly. So he had no choice but to help. And once they were out of the way, Jakob nodded his head proudly as they stepped out. It was a small balcony, and not all that high, but it came them a clear view of their surroundings. And more importantly, the three or four Rotters that were sluggishly moving about.
"I only have a few specific throwing knives, the rest I use for close-combat or just lob in hopes that they hit." Jakob revealed, plucking out two black slim blades which were around a foot long, with loops on the hilt. He spun them both on his index finger before catching them between his thumb and forefinger.
"These are sharper than your average"
"How come?" Hansel asked as he was transfixed by the man's fluid movements with the blades. Jakob expressed a toothy grin, "Because I made them that way. Although normal ones are sharp, I needed ones that can pierce through a skull."
"Ah- right."
Jakob laughed at his reaction, ultimately drawing the attention of the nearest Rotters who groaned and stumbled closer. The asshole then flicked one of the knives towards Hansel, who fumbled to catch it. "Don't fear the knife, become one with it."
"Fuck off."
"D'aw, I thought that might work. Alright then! On with the demonstration, watch my hands and movements."
Even though the man was likely an expert, Hansel still backtracked a few steps. He watched as Jakob gripped the hilt and brought his arm back slightly. When he shot it forward, it made a sound of piercing through the air, and within seconds, it hit the target. Which in this case was the Rotter's head. And Hansel would have been amazed if it wasn't for that fact too.
But to see how precise it was, he hesitated. Whenever someone made something look so easy- it tended not to be the case. And then his delusional teacher turned to him, "Your turn."
"There isn't a chance that I'll hit a Rotter."
"You might be surprised."
It was clear there was no chance of Hansel getting out of it, so whilst grumbling he stepped forward and ran his thumb over the hilt of the throwing knife. It had some weight to it, which is probably another reason Jakob could apply so much force behind it. But as a complete novice, the object was completely foreign to Hansel.
He took a stance like how the maniac had, using his dominant hand to grip the right parts. When he brought his arm back, Jakob interrupted by moving it slightly. "You would have thrown the knife into your ear if you did it like that. Keep a clear distance." He barely instructed, doing absolutely nothing to help the nerves in Hansel's stomach.
Eventually he just had to throw, and he did. The knife left his fingertips and soared.. straight downwards. They both leant forwards and winced when the sharp edge lodged into the roof of one of the vans. And Jakob roared with laughter.
He held his stomach as he found it hilarious. "You did better than I expected, you at least got it off the balcony."
"You knew I'd do shit."
Jakob looked at him, grinning broadly, "Of course. It's taken years for me to get this good. For you, the first challenge will to be trying to shoot it straight instead of it spiralling to the ground."
"Asshole"
"I am indeed. But now ya' have the general framework, you can only get better." Jakob teased whilst Hansel scowled at the man.
"Perhaps if I had a better teacher."
"You wound me, but because I have such a huge heart, I'll let that slide. So as well as knife-throwing, you should learn some basic combat too. You're too twiggy."
"Twiggy?" Hansel guffawed, looking at himself. Though he was on the leaner side, he was definitely not as thin as he has been in his past lives.
"Dun' think the Rotters would have a very appetising meal, all bone."
"Then I'll happily offer you up as their main course, dickhead."
Jakob just laughed, he turned and threw an arm around Hansel cheerfully. He guided them off the balcony and back indoors. "I need ta' go and get my knife back, meanwhile you can explain to Bjorn why he's gotta knife in his roof."
Hansel squinted, "He goes out of his way to flatten Rotters with it, why would he be worried about a little dent?"
So in the end, it turned out to be more than a 'dent'. Jakob had grossly understated how sharp he'd made his knives, and as Hansel tried to remove it, it remained firmly wedged into the metal. As he was trying to take it out, everyone came out ready to leave. Bjorn spotted him immediately, and the closer he got, the more he showed off his ridiculous height.
So what could he say? "Jakob did it."
Whether or not Bjorn believed him, was another case entirely, but the menacing man yanked the blade out of the roof and tossed it towards Hansel. "Get in," he grumbled as the rest of the team walked out.
When Jakob jumped in as well, it was the first time the man was presented with a smile from Hansel, and he quickly suspected something was amiss. But before he could say anything, he was ushered inside and they were on the move. Whilst Valentin was muttering with Bjorn about various timings and routes, Hansel handed over the knife.
The other man paused, mulling something over, before shaking his head. His loosening blond hair moving when he did, "Keep it, then ya at least have something to protect yourself with."
For a moment, Jakob looked like a genuine person, and perhaps a tad thoughtful. "When you're not bein' protected like a princess that is."
Asshole.
Valentin put an end to the breaks for the time being, he was grouchy with the lack of progress they'd made even though they'd been travelling for nearly three days straight. When it came to changing drivers, Jakob jumped at the opportunity and took over for Bjorn. It left Hansel feeling quite uncomfortable being in the back with the two moodiest individuals within the team.
It was at the end of another gruelling fourteen hour drive when Jakob spoke up, startling Hansel awake from his barely-sleeping state. The side of his face ached from leaning against the door. "There's a military vehicle ahead."
Although that wasn't necessarily big news for the rest of the team, it was for Hansel who sat upright and looked in the direction that Jakob was pointing to. Just as it was in the original's memories, the particular vehicle was lying on its side. There was some fuel spillage around it, but not enough that it was drained. That was the exact same logic that Valentin went on-
"That sort of artillery vehicle needs a lot of juice, and it may have ammo. Pull up." He instructed and Bjorn relayed the same order to the two vehicles following.
Hansel, from where he sat silently, twisted around and looked in different directions. His attention drawn towards the surrounding buildings. It was another small town, but this was one of the bigger ones compared to its surroundings, which meant that there were more shops and crucially- a petrol station.
No doubt it had already been well and truly drained, but it was still worth an inspection. But whilst the others were quick to jump out, Hansel knew better. Valentin had eagerly joined his team members, making his way over, but before they could even get close enough, the familiar sound of a silencer-bullet hitting the body of the overturned vehicle, had them quickly ducking for cover.
From one of the windows, was a militant with a sniper, not that the team knew that yet. Which also meant that Hansel's original life was close to its end, and where Fahren as Hansel would be stepping into the unknown.
[ TBC ]
[ A/N: Is Jakob the new MianMian? Pfft ]
[ If you're interested in reading ahead~ then you'll be happy to hear that I have a Patreon with two chapter's ahead! I'm quickly running out of sales-pitches, so: 'ooo-ahh patreon~' ] [ All links are in my bio <3 ]