Fletcher grabbed her hand. “Likewise. I’ve stood in battle with my share of warriors, but none braver.”
“Or more stubborn,” Dice added, his face under the control of a full grin.
Krista laughed, though it was forced with the anguish of the day still smothering her heart. The professor. Her men. So much loss. Yet, Summer needed a role model to follow, one that wouldn’t show weakness, despite all the death. Otherwise, Nirvana had zero chance to succeed now that Edison was dead. “We are who we are. Those that can, step up.”
“Roger that,” Fletcher said.
Krista let go of Fletcher’s hand and shook Dice’s as well, then looked around before she brought her eyes back to the rugged black man. “We’ve got a long road ahead of us. Hopefully, we can continue to work together, like today.”
“Leave everything in the past,” he replied, his tone confident.
“A new beginning,” Dice added.
Fletcher nodded. “First up, we’ll need to figure out a replacement for the Trading Post.”
“What’s left of it,” Dice added with a sneer on his mug.
Krista agreed with Dice’s terse assessment. “We’ve both got a lot of dead to bury.”
“And notify everyone back home about what happened,” Summer said, wiping the tears from her face, her tone no longer filled with grief. At least, not entirely.
Krista was impressed with the new leader’s sudden shift, though the girl had no idea how difficult the task would be. “You need to prepare yourself, Summer. There will be a lot of questions. Some of them won’t be easy.”
“You’ll help walk me through it, right?”
“Sure,” Krista answered, knowing what was coming. Casualty notifications are never easy. More so, when it’s about the leader of a team.
“Need to start thinking about a complete rebuild, too,” Dice said. “Probably fortify a few things while we’re at it.”
Fletcher scanned the area with his eyes for a few seconds. “Agreed.”
“I’ll bring a team back to collect our men as soon as I can,” Krista said. “I’m sure we can spare a few to help with the cleanup efforts, too.”
Fletcher nodded.
“Hey, wait a minute,” Summer snapped. “I should be the one making these decisions. Edison put me in charge, Krista. Not you.”
“You’re right. My mistake,” Krista said after a pause. It wasn’t going to be easy keeping her take-charge self in check. Or taking orders from this grubby-faced youngster.
The tense look on Summer’s face vanished. “We should ask for volunteers to help guard the Trading Post. Once it’s cleaned up and all.”
Fletcher looked at Krista, then back at Summer. “Some from each camp?”
“That’s what I was thinking. Seems fair.” Summer changed her focus to Krista. “Anything else?”
Krista looked at Fletcher. “Maybe next month you can bring some more of that Scab Repellent. I know we could use it.”
“I’m sure we can work something out.”
“Speaking of fair,” Summer said to Krista, “we should probably replace the supplies that the Nomad stole. You know, live up to our end of the deal. The professor would have wanted it that way.” She looked at Fletcher. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare needs list, would you?”
“No. Frost took care of that personally. But I’m sure I can work up a new one. How’s a week from today sound? Give me a chance to settle in first. See what’s what?”
“High noon?”
“That’ll work,” Fletcher said in that deep voice of his.
A subtle grin took over Summer’s face. “I’ll make sure Krista is here with bells on. Right Krista?”
Krista nodded, but didn’t appreciate Summer’s showboating—apparently at her expense. She’d just earned Fletcher’s respect and now this snot-nosed girl was rubbing it in. It was all she could do to stop the eruption of harshness lining up in her throat.
It took every ounce of her self-control, but she managed to flush the anger, then replace the words with a response more fitting to her new role as Summer’s bitch. “You ready to head back, boss?”
“Yeah, just take it easy,” Summer said, leaning forward to give the dog a gentle hug. “I don’t want anything to happen to our new friend.”
Or anyone else, Krista thought to herself, thinking of all the possible threats still ahead of them. There were so many unknowns. So many possible outcomes.
She’d studied the Nirvana Code of Conduct well, but wasn’t sure what the Rules of Succession would be if a newly-minted leader didn’t have time to appoint someone new before her sudden and unexpected demise on the way back to the silo.
In truth, there were a million ways to die in a world like this. More so while traveling across an unsecured area with minimal firepower or backup.
Or witnesses.
Everyone knew that losses could occur on any mission and at any time. Some couldn’t be helped, even if they happened to a popular young girl who was just anointed as the chosen one and entrusted with the lives of many.
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