The hats were free swag they got for the pig farm for some convention that never happened. Auggie started handing them out as they grew so they’d be able to identify their own.
They’re not fighters. No drills, no frills, just people with guns, following orders.
I let her talk for a while, describing the town they’ve built a wall around, not dissimilar to Thornewood. The waste lagoons they’re using for their own refuse, their struggle to grow crops and reliance on pork as chief foodstuff.
“What about the bullets?” I ask, when she’s done. “They’re flush, yeah?”
“Yeah. They hand them out in pillow cases and grocery bags, buckets, bins, Tupperware, shoeboxes. The bullets keep on coming.” She shifts her weight around again to root around in her pant pocket, then slaps one in my palm.
I flip it ass up, shine my penlight on it since it’s dark in the room.
E&H 9MM 2036.
Clear as day.
I hand it over to Shane who takes my light and reads it too.
We run through everything else she knows, everything she saw, every access point they drove.
When we’re done, I say, “I’m sorry to ask you to go back.”
She shrugs. “I knew what I signed up for.”
“Just long enough for you to get a beat on how they take the loss of the factory, what they’re planning if anything.”
She presses her lips together looking shy for a second. “Can I talk to you alone for a second?”
“Yeah.” I tip my head to the door to dismiss Shane and Rey.
Rey sends Kelly a long, curious look, but doesn’t ask questions, and she and Shane step out into the night.
“What’s up?” I say, when the door’s shut and we’re alone.
She tugs a small silver band off her middle finger, and holds it out to me.
She drops it into my palm. “Give that to Rey for me? On our anniversary. It’s January eighth? I won’t be back.”
“Oh.” Realization dons, the comfort between them as they sat shoulder-to-shoulder, the trading of lingering glances. More than just friends.
January eighth is …
It’s three days away?
Tomorrow is White Winter.
The day after we’ll attack the factory.
I’ll leave the day after that.
I’ll have time in the morning to find Rey and give her the ring from her lover.
“Why me?” I ask.
She tugs at the edge of her jacket with uncertainty. “We tend to stick to ourselves. We’re close to Jacquetta, I guess, but she’s our superior. And after you got shot that night, we decided you weren’t so bad. Not like everyone says. You don’t have to.”
“It’s fine.”
“You don’t have to say much. She’ll get what it means. Just …” Her eyes roam my face. “Tell her I love her. Tell her I’m coming home. Yeah?”