“Grady,” George said, “you’re one of the best we have here. I know we don’t know each other too well, but I’d trust you with my life.”
My eyes widened. That was quite a compliment. The decision, in reality, wasn’t difficult. Being a firefighter in my past life had prepared me for at least some danger. Maybe not this much danger, but danger nonetheless. And I knew that without fuel, everyone I cared about, everything we had worked for to get here, all the pain, the suffering, the loss—it would be for nothing. So if it was up to me, I would’ve said yes on the spot. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. My decisions were no longer solely my own. Ell and I were in love. It wouldn’t be fair to her if I up and left without discussion.
“I know,” Nick said, “you’re gonna have to talk about it with your lady. I get it. But this is important, Grady. Make sure she understands.”
What he didn’t say was how our lives and our future depended on the success of this supply run. His eyes, however, conveyed that notion.
I nodded. “I’ll talk with her.”
“Talk with who?” a voice said from behind. All three of us turned toward the newest arrival. Standing there was Ell. She had a thermos, my thermos. I’d forgotten it, and she knew I was lost without my nightly coffee.
“Speak of the devil,” George mumbled. He slouched a bit, stepping behind Nick.
“No,” Eleanor said.
“No?” I repeated, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I know what you three are doing, colluding in the shadows.”
I arched an eyebrow. How she knew, I had no idea.
“You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes,” she said.
“It’s not what you think,” Nick replied.
“And what is it that I think?”
Nick opened his mouth, about to speak, and then thought better about it.
Good choice, I thought.
“You want Grady to join the Scavengers or whatever you call it. Am I right?”
George nodded. “We do.”
“We need fuel,” Nick said. “We need it bad, Eleanor.”
“A man with Grady’s gumption can help us so much,” George added.
Ell pursed her lips and folded her arms over her chest. The thermos was still in her hands. Hesitantly, I took it and sipped, wishing it was spiked with something strong.
“And we’re not going anywhere foreign,” George continued. “We’re heading toward a little place only about fifteen miles away.”
“Another City?” I asked, intrigued.
“Not quite,” Nick answered. “It’s just a group of fellas we’ve been in contact with since we got the radios working again. We’ve already arranged it with them. They’re good people, Eleanor. We can trust them.”
“It’s not them I’m worried about,” Ell said.
Nick nodded. “I know, I know. Will it help persuade you if I say there’s safety in numbers, even out there?” My eyes ping-ponged between them. “No, didn’t think so,” he said.
“Well, you’re right,” Ell said, “there is safety in numbers…” She looked my way; there was an odd sort of determination on her face. “Which is why you aren’t going without me.”
“What?” I said. “Ell, don’t be—”
“Crazy? I’m not. You are, for wanting to go on this ridiculous suicide mission. But if you’re gonna be crazy, I’ll be crazy with you.”
George leaned against the wall. He let out a deep breath and flashed a half-smile. “Hey, you know what they say. The more, the merrier.”
“Ell, is that really a good idea?” Nick asked.
“No, probably not, but I can hold my own.” I opened my mouth; Ell shushed me. “Zip it, Grady.”
I clamped my lips together, ran a finger along them, and made the sound of a zipper closing.
“It’s settled, then. We’ll head out in one week,” George said. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “Whew, that went smoother than anticipated, didn’t it, Nicky?”
“I guess it did. I don’t know how I feel about putting you both in danger, but George runs a tight ship. We’ve had more incidents here than out there. Last time I tagged along with them, it was almost like a little vacation.”
“You enjoyed negative thousand-degree weather and complete darkness?” George asked, frowning. “You’re crazier than I thought, old man.”
“Wow, you’re really making it sound like we made a good choice here, George,” I said.
George shrugged. “No need to sugarcoat it. It’s most definitely not a vacation.” He looked at Ell. “You sure you want to come along?”
“If Grady goes, I go.”
“All right,” George said. He stuck out his hand, and Ell shook it. I was unable to speak. I didn’t want her to come, but I knew she would never let me go on my own. And I did want to go, as crazy as it sounded. The City saved not only my life, but the lives of my friends. Without it, without the kind people here (save for a few), who knows what might’ve happened to us?
I owed the City of Light for this. I owed Nick. I owed the citizens.
I talked to Ell when I got back from my shift in the early morning. She had time to sleep on it, and I thought maybe she had changed her mind. Perhaps a full night’s rest had lent her some sense.
Nope.
“I want to go,” she said before I could even broach the subject. She was in a fuzzy purple robe, sitting in the dimly lit kitchenette we shared and sipping a glass of orange juice. “The more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s the least I can do.”
I nodded. I understood.
“Ell, it’s dangerous. More dangerous than—”
“Than our journey here?” She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I seriously doubt it. How much time did we spend outside the snowmobiles? A lot. How many weapons did we have? Our go-to was Off! and little Bic lighters. The Scavs probably have freaking flame throwers!”
“You’re right, you’re right,” I said. “But it’s safer here. And warm.”
“I
