“Arrest us,” Nordica said, passing through the open gate with her rifle drawn.
“This must not have been much of a military base in its day,” Ran muttered from a few yards behind.
“It wasn’t really a base,” Nordica replied quickly. “In fact, there’s only one building here.”
Ran found cover behind a large dead oak tree and pulled out his binoculars to get a better look.
He scanned the building first; stopping on a large antenna that rested obliquely on the roof, pointing towards the gray skyline. Then he glassed the compound, finally stopping on a pair of metal doors in the middle of the lot.
“Doesn’t look like anyone’s home,” Tsui whispered from his six, startling him.
“What do you make of this?” Ran asked, handing the binoculars to Tsui.
“Looks like that’s the silo we’re searching for. Hasn’t been used in years, from the look of it.”
Ran stole another glance around the trunk of the tree, scanning the area to see if he missed anything.
“I think you’re right. If there are any survivors they’re already in the building, which seems unlikely, considering we haven’t seen any scouts at all.”
Satisfied the base was empty, Ran took off running and dove behind a concrete block where Nordica had taken up position.
“I’ll go first, you cover me,” she said, already in flight before Ran could raise his weapon.
Ran kept his rifle trained on the building as Nordica sprinted towards another fence, which was swinging awkwardly back and forth in the wind. Nearing the building, she crouched and rested her back against the concrete wall before motioning for the rest of the soldiers to follow.
As Ran sprinted towards the structure a wave of trepidation overtook him, one he felt only when he was sure something was going to go wrong. He had felt something like it the day the CRK attacked the headquarters.
“Halt, you sons of bitches! Get on the ground now!” a voice screamed from the roof.
Nordica jumped back from the wall, her gun raised, while Ran stopped dead in his tracks and pointed his rifle towards the roof.
Where are they, where are they? Ran thought, desperately trying to get a target, his cross hair scanning the roof of the building frantically.
“Drop your freaking weapons before I put one between your eyes!” the voice screamed again.
Ran continued to scan the roof top with his rifle, watching Nordica crouch-walk towards the front door of the building. If this had been a trap and there were Knights waiting, then they would already be dead. Whoever was on the roof was not part of the CRK.
“We’re looking for our squad.” Ran shouted back. “We aren’t here to harm you.”
“Like hell you’re not; you’re on my property!” the voice shouted again.
“We’re here to meet with the rest of the TDU!” Ran shot back quickly.
“I don’t know of any TDU!” the man screamed again. “You have ten seconds to tell me what you’re doing on my property before I start shooting. And five seconds are already gone!”
Ran looked back at Nordica, his rifle shaking, unsure what to do.
“We’re part of the TDU!” Ran repeated. “You must know of the TDU?” Ran asked, as he began to realize they may have stumbled upon a lonely straggler.
“Like hell I do!” he shouted back.
“Listen, I’m going to put my rifle down, and so will my friends, and we can talk this out. I promise we aren’t here to harm you or steal from you. We were supposed to…” Ran paused, deciding it wouldn’t be safe to tell the entire truth.
“We’re just looking for a place to rest and then we’ll be on our way.”
Ran caught Nordica staring at him and shaking her head.
Silence crept across the compound. Ran knew if Nordica had the chance, she would take the straggler out. With all the killing in the past week, Ran didn’t want to see anyone else die.
“Can we rest here for the night? We have some food and supplies we can trade with you.”
Ran stood completely still, his arms burning from holding his rifle pointed at the roof top. “See, I’m dropping my weapon. And my friends will too,” he said, as he slowly knelt and placed his rifle at his feet. He turned and motioned Tsui to as well.
Ran waited, his eyes darting back from Nordica to the roof. Well, this is it, he thought silently, desperately wishing he could tell his arrogant friend how much he actually cared about her.
“Stay where you are. I’m coming out,” the voice shouted back again.
Ran took a deep breath and motioned Nordica over to him.
“What the hell are you doing?” Nordica asked.
“I think we’ve stumbled across a straggler, not a trap set by the Tin Cans. If they were here, we would already be dead.”
“Where are the others, then?” Nordica snarled back.
Ran frowned. “I think we’re it.”
For a split second, Ran caught a glimpse of sadness in Nordica’s demeanor. It was a rare moment and was interrupted as the front door to the building swung open.
The two soldiers turned to watch an older man walk out into the wind, shielding his eyes from the dust and ash. He wore a tattered old flannel shirt tucked into a pair of denim jeans. It was something neither of them had seen in years. He gripped a shotgun in his right hand, with the barrel pointing at the ground. His face was thinly bearded, with specks of white hair clinging to his wind burnt cheeks. He wore a green cap with an image of a yellow tractor.
“I’m sorry; I don’t get many visitors out here. In fact, I haven’t gotten any in about a year now.”
Nordica and Ran looked at one another, realizing what they had feared was true. They were all that was left of the TDU.
The man propped his shotgun against the concrete wall of the building. “I’m the only one here,” he responded. “Looks like you three will be the first visitors to join me for a meal, in…” the man paused. “Well, in about four years. Since my wife died,” he said, looking down at the dirt.
“Four visitors,” Juliana yelled, approaching the building with her hands in the air. Nordica and Ran turned, while the man picked up his shotgun again.
“It’s okay, sir, she’s with us,” Nordica said calmly.
The man lowered his weapon and approached his new guests, offering his hand to Nordica, who was closest.
“The name’s John,” he said, shaking each of their hands one by one.
“Like I said, it’s been a few years since I saw anyone out here. In fact, the last person I saw I had to shoot because he tried to steal my stash of food. Y’all aren’t going to try and steal my food, are you?” he asked, raising his brow suspiciously.
Juliana looked at the man. “No sir, we’re not here to steal your food.”
The man chuckled, dropping his expression. “I’m just messing with you.”
The four TDU soldiers looked at one another quizzically. They weren’t sure whether to laugh or turn and run.
“Yeah I used to get that reaction a lot. I changed my name to my grandfather’s once I moved out here. I haven’t known anyone named John for a long time, so I thought it would be a good change.”
Ran laughed. “I knew a John a long time ago. He was deported because the Justice Committee thought he was an immigrant.”
“Well, I suppose I should invite you in for dinner,” John said, motioning his guests towards the door.
The four soldiers followed him cautiously into the building. The inside was a single dwelling with two beds against the north wall, a kitchen table against the east wall, and a couch in the center of the room. There was also a bathroom and supply pantry, both in horrid shape, but nonetheless appearing to be in working order.