Chapter 34: Another Group (1)

Luke’s father knew how to fight and use firearms. He was a colonel, after all. As for his mother, she was just an ordinary journalist. She was smart, but Luke wondered if brains alone would be enough to overcome that ordeal… still, together, Luke knew that they would survive no matter what. While he was thinking about that, Luke decided to check the radio transmitter, and finally, Billy was on the other side again.

“Are you still fine, Luke?” Billy asked.

“Yes, I am…” Luke said. “Billy, we saw a secret operation taking place in Miami… the pilot was targeting humans, not monsters. He also told me some very interesting things.”

“… I noticed that things looked tense around the Colonel this morning,” Billy said. “Don’t tell me that you was the target and killed the pilot.”

“Yep, I was the target, and I also killed the pilot,” Luke said. “After he tried to hit me with a Gatling gun for quite a while, and after he tried to make me explode with a grenade.”

“… Shit, this is bad…” Billy said and then sighed. “I believe you did that in self-defense, but you will need to calm down. If something like this happens again, your father and I won’t be able to do anything. I will try to dig and see what I can find on my end here.”

“Please, don’t talk like I am enjoying this situation…” Luke said while forcing a smile. “Not entirely, at least now that some assholes can give orders to soldiers to kill civilians.”

“… You are as hot-headed as usual,” Billy said. “Anyway, I contacted your father again, and it seems that he is dealing with a situation in Rome, Italy. He won’t be able to leave for the time being.”

“Is that so… how is the situation in Miami airport?” Luke asked after he furrowed his eyebrows.

“It is no good. The whole place is almost completely destroyed… are you planning to fly to where your parents are?” Billy asked.

“That was my sole goal from the very beginning,” Luke replied. “Where is the nearest airport where I can find an airplane?”

“I don’t know… even if there are some airports still working, I doubt that anyone can use them,” Billy replied. “You will have to calm down and wait.”

“I can’t… the whole city will become a war zone in six days,” Luke said. “The monsters will evolve, and things will become worse… you need to act with that in mind.”

“… You have one of them, don’t you? Those weird creatures…” Billy said. “Are you sure you can trust them?”

“I don’t even trust myself,” Luke said and then laughed.

“What a difficult kid you are…” Billy said and then sighed. “I am dealing with some problems here, but as soon as I solve them, I will find an airplane that will take us to Italy.”

“Is there anything I can do to help and speed up things?” Luke asked.

“If you stay out of trouble, for real this time, it will be enough,” Billy said. “Stay close to the radio. I will contact you if something happens.”

Luke sighed when the transmission ended… the plan to find an airplane in the airport wouldn’t work… Still, the shortest route to leave Miami still was by following the path North. As if things weren’t troublesome enough, Luke noticed that Rina and Shalia were pouting.

“What? Indeed, I don’t trust you guys all that much, yet,” Luke said. “Besides, we met yesterday… it would be weird if you had obtained my absolute confidence.”

“I suppose so…” Rina said while avoiding eye contact.

“Those who have half of a brain need to be careful of others, after all,” Shalia said, also avoiding eye contact.

“Don’t feel too bad about it. Out of this whole group, you two are the ones who I suspect the least,” Luke said.

“I am not sure if that is a compliment,” Rina said.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to discuss our next goal since the plan to leave the city by using the airport is no longer available,” Amanda said.

“We can find another airport if we follow the same path up North,” Luke said. “Still, it won’t hurt if we check the airport of Miami.”

“But your friend said…” Amanda frowned.

“I have known him for a while, and I want to believe that he truly wants to help me, but after last night, I am not sure if I can,” Luke said. “In situations like these, it won’t surprise me if the army assumes a scorched earth policy… Billy might give up on his rank to help my father, but not me now that he knows that I killed a soldier. Besides, he also needs to consider his future and the future of his family. Staying on the good side of those in power would benefit his family more than actually helping me.”

“You… you really think that of a friend of your family?” Amanda asked, visibly worried after hearing that.

“I am not blaming him if that is the case. It makes perfect sense,” Luke shrugged. “I just don’t want to rely on unknown factors like the help of those I can’t see. A wise man once said that: People work together when it suits them. They’re loyal when it suits them.”

“No wise man said that… those are words from a TV show,” Amanda said.

“You can find wisdom whatever the hell you want, even among fools like me…” Luke said.