“Wait,” Wyatt said with unabashed confusion. “What the hell is the question?”
“How do we begin to save the world?”
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
“Go ahead and dump those prawns out,” Nate said.
Martin grinned. “With pleasure.” He hefted the wheel-barrel and the plastic bags slid onto the ground in a pile.
“See,” Nate said with a smile. “Hauling that crap all the way here paid off, but not how you expected.”
“Yup,” Martin said. “I gotta be honest, this day hasn’t shaped up the way I thought it would.”
Both of them laughed.
The fire inside the bar was in full force, with flames consuming everything inside. Thick smoke billowed out from the doors.
They backed up several paces then took a few minutes to watch the bar burn.
“So much for sticking it out here,” Martin said. He was still jacked up on adrenaline from the fight. Nate knew it could be hours before he came down from that wonderful high.
“That is a problem,” Nate said. “I know our friends here will have more coming at some point. Whether tonight or in the morning is anyone’s guess.”
“Orson had a big crew,” Martin said and coughed a little from the smoke. “At least thirty guys or so.”
Nate had never encountered Orson before tonight, much to Orson’s demise. He’d heard of the big bastard many times. Just as mean and cruel as his brother. But he was a part of the organization, too. At some point, they will come around to check in. The best thing to do is leave. Now.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough gun-play for one night.”
Martin laughed. “I dunno. I think I can take out a few more for you if you wanted.”
Nate smiled. Yeah, this one is a keeper, that’s for sure. “We best put some distance between us and this little mess we created. Grab all these guns and whatever else might be useful. I’ll go back and get Orson’s and the other weapons.”
After a few minutes they collected seven guns and four pistols along with lots of extra ammo. Nate made a point of taking the money out of all their wallets, too. You never know.
Martin looked down at all the weaponry in the wheel-barrel. “Think this will help with our empire?”
Our empire? Nate thought. He let it slide. “Not even close. Not without trusted hands that can hold them.” He nodded to a small satchel at Martin’s feet. “What’s that?”
“This here was under that first guy you blew away,” Martin said, opening it. It was full of torches.
“Nice,” Nate said. “These guys got their shit together fast. Made these torches when they realized there’s no other means of light.”
“And now they’re ours,” Martin said, placing the satchel into the wheel-barrel. Then he picked the wheel-barrel up by its handles. “Where to, boss?”
Nate picked up the lantern which Martin had refilled from a small canister. He had decided to carry the AK-47 Orson had tried to kill him with and slung the shotgun under his jacket. “We need to find a place to hang out for a while, until morning. Maybe longer. Do you know this area at all?”
“Nope, I just come here to make deliveries. Or I used to. No more of that crap.”
Nate let him revel in his perceived freedom. “Let’s walk and see what we can see. Maybe an opportunity will present itself.”
They crossed the parking lot and away from the burning bar.
“I saw a bicycle back there. That yours?” Martin asked as he huffed along.
“It was a gift from a stranger.”
“You could ride it,” Martin said. “I don’t mind.”
Nate nearly laughed out loud at that. Instead, he said, “Nah, no more bikes for me.” Soon, if I wanted to go somewhere I’ll have someone carry me, he thought with a smile.
They left Spectacular’s parking lot and moved into the street. On a whim, Nate turned them northward, and they kept walking. This led past the front of the burning apartment building. Some people were here, clustered on the opposite side of the road, staring mournfully at their burning homes. When they saw Nate and Martin coming most backed away or simply turned and fled.
“Our fireworks got them spooked,” Martin said.
As they walked by, Nate felt that invigorating surge return. Here he was walking down the street armed to the teeth and not giving a damn what anyone thought. What could they do about him?
Martin must have felt something too because he stuck out his chest and sneered at anyone they passed.
“This is definitely a new era we’re entering into, boss,” Martin said after several streets. There were stranded cars everywhere, but none with drivers. Everyone must have decided to trek home before it got too dark.
“Yup,” Nate said. “I’m liking how it’s starting out so far.”
They laughed.
“Hey, what’s that?” Martin said, nodding his head further down the street.
A strange light was bobbing along on the sidewalk in their direction.
“I have no idea,” Nate said. They stopped and waited to see what the deal was.
As the strange light got closer, they could see it was two young women walking toward them. In their hands they each clutched a large batch of glow-sticks which gave off just enough illumination to see where they were going.
The two girls noticed the weaponry in the wheel-barrel and the AK Nate carried. They stopped, stunned.
“Hello, ladies,” Nate said as he approached them. Martin put down his burden and followed.
“Hello,” one of the women said, a blonde.
“Whatcha got there?” Nate asked about the sticks.
“These are party sticks. We use them at clubs, but realized they’d do well at night since everything doesn’t work anymore.”
Nate chuckled. “Well, isn’t that clever,” he said, inspecting the sticks closely. There were several colors and gave off a dreamy neon glow. “Better than nothing, huh?”
The other girl, a brunette, giggled nervously. She was also carrying a paper bag full of groceries.
“Whatcha got there?”
The brunette giggled again, a sound Nate didn’t find very attractive, then she said, “We got these from the store up the street.”
“How the hell did you pay for them?”
“Cash.”
Nate laughed. “Of course, the good old-fashioned way.”
Encouraged by Nate’s demeanor the brunette said, “Yeah, the cashier had to add it up on a piece of paper and everything. Wasn’t too hard.”
“My friend and I are a little hungry. Got anything in there worth sharing?” Nate added just a hint of menace to his words.
The women stood paralyzed for a few moments, then the blonde said, “Sure. We got chips and coke.”
“I’m starving,” Martin said, but his eyes were not on the food.
The women looked at him fearfully.
“Care to share?” Nate said.
“Sure,” the blonde said. Hastily, the women empty the bag and handed over the food.
Martin cracked open a can and guzzled the contents down in several long swallows. Then he tossed the can onto the street where it clattered and rolled away.
“My friend here has worked up quite the thirst,” Nate said.
Martin burped loudly then ripped open a chip bag. He began devouring them in large handfuls.
Nate did the same, but with a more civil approach, sipping from his can and eating chips one at a time.
The women watched them, wide eyed and apprehensive. Eventually, the blonde worked up the courage to speak. “Well, we got to be going now. Our friends are waiting. Glad we could help you out.”
As they started to move away, Nate casually lifted up his AK. The girls stopped. “No need to go just yet,” he said around a mouthful chips. “Where are you two going, anyway?”