Chapter 10(Sam): Search and Rescue (Part 2/2)

"Sam! Run to AT1, we'll meet you there!" I heard Nicholai through the fire, the fire was beyond hot, I couldn't even get near it. I stood up and began to run. The hideout was near it, I hadn't even realized that. I guess I could stop by and rest there, from what I remember it had reinforced walls both inside and out, I should be safe there until Kenneth and Nicholai get there. I went into the tree line, my map would help lead the way, so visibility wasn't an issue. In the middle of my running, I began to notice beartraps and stopped myself from running into them.

"Damn it, they really want us dead huh?" They weren't normal beartraps, there was a wire attaching them to explosives so the second the jaws move, we blow up. The hell did Lee even do to warrant this? I wasn't Kenneth, I couldn't disarm them, the slightest touch would send this forest into a fireball. I had no choice but to change my direction, I turned to the left and ran further into the treeline, me getting hit by branches was the least of my worries, flashlights began to shine throughout the trees. I looked around and saw a tree that looked climbable. I grabbed onto one of the branches and began to climb, eventually setting my foot in front of me on a branch with one leg dangling off, regardless I was set up and safe for the time being. The flashlights came closer and I saw three silhouettes, it couldn't be them, could it? I studied the silhouettes, no, it wasn't them, their heights are too close together. I summoned my daggers and got ready, if they looked even close to where I was, I'd strike, I didn't have to worry about it being another decoy, unless, they have some sort of AI that can mimic human movement.

"Did you honestly lose them?" Another figure walked behind the three

"Sir, maybe it was an animal" The one in the middle spoke, with a shaky voice nonetheless

"An animal? Really? Cause a deer can shoot two bullets and an arrow, a damn animal? Are you braindead?" The guy walked past them "The footsteps end here" I left tracks? I don't recall doing so...I made sure to step where the snow wasn't, I looked back from where I came and saw tracks in places I never stood. The hell?

"Is she in the trees?" Damn it! I readied myself to attack, it was better to die trying than to just flat out die.

"Let's begin the search then!" They began to raise their flashlights to the trees, searching for people, when the light hit one of the trees however, someone other than me was there, there was someone else behind me! The other person leaped down, but it more looked like they teleported, the figure stabbed into the middle one's stomach and then used him as a shield while they began to shoot. I decided to help, turning my daggers into a sniper I shot the left one in the head then jumped down, rushing the last one, the last one aimed at me but before he could shoot the other person used the middle man's gun and fired at him. After that was done the figure turned the other guy around and stabbed him in the head, ensuring his death.

"God, you're really stupid huh?" I looked for the other person, but couldn't find him, then realized that the comment was directed at me

"Huh? How!?"

"Hiding in tree's? Then not striking when you had the chance? I had a reason not to, I wasn't being hunted!" The guy had a point, I kinda did ruin their spot "And you're alone nonetheless"

"Hey, I wasn't alone until just now! I got separated okay? Who are you even to speak?" The figure looked behind me, even from the treeline you can see the fire that was left behind. He took off his hood

"Your's truly Zach! Leader of Regiment 13" This punk?

"Weren't you the guy who stood in awe when he saw Kai and Neal?" I had found a way to tease someone else

"How do you know!?" Zach stood in surprise

"What're you tunnel-visioned? I was there!" Zach looked like he came to a realization

"Ahh, you're the homicidal maniac I've heard about" Excuse me?

"I must've heard you wrong, how the hell am I homicidal" Zach looked down at my comment and mumbled

"I'm more surprised you knew what the word meant" This punk, he was about to make me summon my inner Nicholai

"Hmm?"

"Well, I mean, you guys seem to be alright with killing, I haven't seen you once hesitate" How'd he know? Then it came to me, he was able to follow me, without me even noticing. I gave a face of disgust

"Damn stalker" I started walking away from him

"The hell are you on about! I was here before you!" He was dodging the point

"Regardless" I changed the subject, I could use it later as a way to mess with him, after all, I shouldn't bury him now "I'm not homicidal, I've just gotten used to it, I don't kill all nilly willy you know"

"Really? And how does someone who isn't homicidal get used to killing?" For someone who stalks he isn't very knowledgable

"Are you stupid? Of course by someone else, you know training and whatnot" I could've phrased that better, and i suffered the consequences with him talking more

"That just makes whoever did it homicidal! What the hell is with you kids!?" His expression, I wanted to mess with him so badly.

"Zombies? Ever heard of them?" I added in the final detail which made him realize what I meant

"Did you hunt them down? Or in self-defense?" What kinda question was that?

"Self-defense, we only hunted them down when Lee and Kyle taught me the importance of sparring and killing" Of course Kyle mainly taught me, the guy was a mercenary even as a human, hell, even before the apocalypse, hmm, I kinda wanna hear some of his mercenary stories now.

"O..ok?" He seemed to take that as an answer "Regardless, I, shall assist yo-

"I'd rather be alone" I stopped him, jeez, this guy delusional or something? Zach looked annoyed

"Why? It's better than being alone"

"I just don't feel like being alone with a stalker you know?" I brought back up the previous topic again

"What's your deal!? I'm not a stalker!" How did this guy become a regiment leader?

"Anyways, even if you weren't one, I'm not really in the mood for being with new people, I have enough to think about anyways" I continued walking to AT1, I haven't checked my watch in a while, nor did I know how far I was from it. I had no time to chat with this weirdo.

1:15 AM-Unknown position

Damn it, the map wasn't working, the only thing I had going was where I was heading before. I looked at the footprints, ignoring whatever Zach was saying, I positioned myself to where the footprints stopped faced the way they were facing and continued my sprint, running past Zach

"Hold on! Where are you going!" Zach called out, but I ignored him, the hideout wasn't that far away, so I could just sit out there and wait for them.

1:20 AM-12.50 Miles to AT1

My legs felt like they were getting frostbite, the snow was terrible to trudge through with how much there was, and it only got harder as I continued to walk. It took awhile but then I saw it, the hideout. I walked up to it and leaned against the door, this would be safe at the very least. I pressed my hand against the keypad, soon the door opened, showing our unfinished humble abode, although, it was dark. I took a step inside, turning on a flashlight. I looked at all angles and soon stepped on a puddle, I looked down and saw a dark red

"What the..." It was obviously blood but, I doubt the others came here. The lights came on and a voice began to speak

"Welcome back to hideout 1, Sam" The hell was this? "It appears as though I missed a spot in cleaning, my mistake, if you could please move" I did as it said and moved, the floor that I was standing on a moment ago went under and came back up spotless

"Hey...what are you?" It was blunt, but I was curious

"Rather rude, I'm Dave" What? "Kenneth Broker made me, and Alice decided that uploading me into the AI of all bunkers was a good idea, I even have a voice now" It was cool! That little drone now was part of a complex system of hideouts...at least I think it's complex "If you're curious as to why there was blood, some New Min guards came in, blowing up the door, as you can see though, I have handled it, well, mostly handled it, I can only see into the living room and kitchen, I can not however, check the other rooms, so keep an eye out regardless" I summoned my dual daggers and began looking around, every room was clear for the most part, so while there was no one, it still cleared my mind knowing no one was around, even though I just did a quick check.

"It's fine, no one is around" I walked back into the main room, I should've noticed, I didn't remember what color it was before, but the color of our watches' interface and the AI were orange now, heh, Kenneth made his drone's color the same as his, watch that get confusing. "By the way, how'd you deal with them?"

"This place is fitted with more weapons than you can imagine!" Dave seemed more upbeat then he did a moment ago, then I remembered, Kenneth tried building Dave like he was an actual living being, so Dave has a growing personality until it molds into a true one...Why didn't Kenneth join that engineering contest again?

"I see...Oh! By any chance, have you seen Lee, Matt, or Kyle?" I leaned against one of the couches and listened

"No, why do you ask?" Right, Dave may be an AI but he isn't told everything

"We..." How do I phrase it so we don't seem like we left them to die? "We had to retreat, and they couldn't get in on time" Half truth, half lie, it would be enough for now, I'm not tech savvy but I know that Dave is still new, so telling him so much info about New Min and what not might just fry his circuits...if he has any

"I see, how are you by the way?" Hmm...

"Why do you ask?"...

"Oh nothing, it's just that you don't seem like your upbeat self like when you were human" For an AI he can read humans amazingly

"It's nothing you need to worry about, just been in a bad mood" I stood up, no longer leaning on the couch "The storm is jamming the map and comms, how can magic even be jammed?"

"That's because it is a mix of tech and magic" I never heard this before "Besides for Lee, you all agreed to take a shot right?"

"Yeah, when we were recovering" I don't like where this is going

"From what I can gather, that shot helps to increase magical capability, although, I can not find a reason as to why Lee didn't get one" Back to Lee again, both Raymond and Lee keep getting sketchier by the day, what were they hiding, I mean, I know Lee has that whole time thing, or whatever that place was, but still...

"I see, hey Dave, by any chance can you locate Kenneth and Nicholai? We got separated earlier" My watch began to buffe...hold on buffer?

"I've set their location on your watch, your map will be pointless to find them due to the whether, unless you use it for the terrain of course, but you should be fine" Dave's attitude changed again, he would probably be doing that a lot.

"Thanks, we'll be back!" I guess I waved at him, I didn't know where the camera that he was looking through was though, so I guess I just waved in his general direction.

"See you then, Sam" I walked out the door as it closed behind me, if they knew where the safe house was, then it wasn't safe anymore, so looking for Kenneth and Nicholai myself would be a better option

2:15 AM-13.32 Miles to AT1

My legs felt like they were burning, but I had gotten close enough to them for me to be able to see a fire in the distance, that must be where they are. I slowly walked towards the fire, eventually running, again and again, took its toll and I had to lean against the trees for support. I limped towards the fire and saw them, they were sleeping? Really!?

"Hey!" Kenneth jolted up from my shouting and looked at me

"Sam? How'd you get here?" He was still half asleep

"Dave helped" Kenneth looked surprised, right, Alice was the one who uploaded Dave to our hideouts, not Ken.

"Ok...Let's get going then" Kenneth walked over to Nicholai and woke her up.

"She's here?" I heard Nicholai say, being drowsy.

"Yep, let's go" As Kenneth woke Nicholai up I walked towards the fire and stomped it out, was it the best idea? No. Did it hurt a bit? Yes, but I did it nonetheless.

"Now! Let's get going! That fire was bad enough, we're down to 4 hours now, and not even that" I began to walk in the direction I was beforehand, using the map as a reference.

"We'll follow you I guess" Nicholai begrudgingly spoke, and I soon heard leaves and snow crunching behind me.

"Onward! To find the rest of the misfit brigade!" I shouted, probably giving our position away, but was a way to cheer on our adventure.