Roger pulled his sunglasses off and leaned across the triple-tree of the bike. “What’s up?”
“What’s up?” Mike seemed to grow larger as he spoke. “Tell me you didn’t just go by the camp and kill a man, then ask me What’s up? when I see you?”
Roger leaned back and tried not to show emotion. “What if I did?”
“Are you fucking nuts? You think Simon won’t put two and two together once he sobers up?” Mike stepped forward and Roger’s hand slipped to his jacket before he realized, he didn’t have his gun.
“I needed to know that you were with us.” He averted his eyes and shook his head. “I needed to know that you weren’t rallying the troops to come and overrun us.”
“So you killed a guy?”
“He spotted me.” Roger sat up straight and crossed his own arms. “I couldn’t risk him ratting me out to Simon.”
“So, you killed him. One of our own?” Mike marched slowly toward the smaller man. “What was all that crap about each of us having a place? Each of us making a new start?”
“I told you, I couldn’t risk him telling Simon that he’d seen me. I’m supposed to be dead, remember?”
Mike nodded slowly. “Yeah. I remember.” He cracked his knuckles as he reached the bike. “Give me one reason not to knock your god-damned head off.”
Roger sighed and shook his head. “I can’t, man.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, I was just leaving.” He leaned forward, his eyes suddenly hopeful. “Why don’t you come with me? Grab your gal, pack some shit, and we’ll just take off. We can make a run for the coast.”
Mike shook his head. “It was all bullshit, wasn’t it?”
Roger’s face couldn’t hide his confusion. “Huh?”
“It was all bullshit. The whole story. You’re like a used car salesman. ‘Rally the troops, get rid of Simon, move into Utopia, and we can rebuild humanity’…it was all just so much shit to you, wasn’t it?”
Roger shook his head. “No. I meant it.” He turned and pointed back toward the warehouse. “They’re right down there. With enough supplies to give you a hell of a start.” He leaned back again and shook his head. “I just can’t be a part of it.”
“Why not?” Mike asked.
“Because. I just can’t.” Roger reached out and twisted the key on the bike, turning on the ignition. His finger hovered over the starter button. “I ruined things for me there.”
Mike reached out and twisted the key to the OFF position. “Talk.”
Roger stared away and sighed heavily. “Because I killed the sentry.”
“His name was Scar.”
Roger snapped back to him. “Just like yours is Savage? Or my name is Squirrel?” He pushed away and slid off themotorcycle, facing Mike. “Simon gave us those names. I couldn’t tell you who the fuck Scar is. Do you even know his real name?”
Mike stiffened as he stared down at Roger. He shook his head slowly.
“No? Yeah, I didn’t think so.” He began to pace, his arms flailing wildly as he spoke. “We don’t know who anybody is because of Simon. Simon says do this and we fucking do this. Simon says do that and we all jump to do that.” He spun and pointed a finger in Mike’s face. “Who the hell is he, anyway? What gives him the right to change who we are just so he can remember the names he gives us?”
“He’s the leader.”
“The hell he is!” Roger was breathing hard, half-expecting the sledgehammer-like fist of Mike’s to cave his skull in at any moment. “The only reason he’s in charge is because we’ve let him. And you were supposed to remove him from the equation so the rest of the gang could finally settle down and try to make something…something…GOOD.”
Mike crossed his arms again and stared at him while he vented. “Are you done?”
“No!” Roger stepped back and pointed toward the camp. “That son of a bitch won’t rest until he’s plundered and pillaged his way across the state and eventually the whole country. Anybody who does try to establish some semblance of civility will be overrun by him. He won’t stop until he’s sucked every last resource from those who have managed to survive, and he’ll kill the souls of anybody who travels with him.”
“I don’t disagree.” Mike finally stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow. “You’re right.”
“I know I’m right. That’s why you were going to stop him.”
Mike nodded. “But I don’t want them looking to me to be the leader.” His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. “I’m not the leader type.”
“You don’t have to be.” Roger stepped forward and pointed toward the warehouse. “Candy’s there. She’s a leader. She’s holding the fort while this Danny guy is out saving the world. If she’s any indication, then he’s got to be one hell of a leader.”
Mike sighed heavily and rolled his head around, cracking his neck. “And you’re certain? This is a good thing they got going on?”
“Of course I am.” Roger placed a hand on the big man’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t have told you about them if I wasn’t”
Mike turned to him. “Then why are you leaving?”
Chapter 18
Hatcher sat in silence and tried not to glare at LaRue. He had entrusted those two civilians with her and the girl was dead. Drained like a half-empty wine bottle so that Dr. Frankenstein could finish her gory experiments.
The more Hatcher allowed the situation to strike home, the harder he ground his teeth. He nearly jumped when Buck placed a gentle hand on his own. He gave him a knowing look and Hatcher visibly relaxed. He shook his head at the young man slightly and nodded toward Dr. LaRue. He carefully mouthed the word “evil” and shook his head.
Buck gave him a knowing nod and Hatcher turned his hooded gaze toward the window of the chopper. He suddenly sat up and leaned closer to the glass. He tapped Buck and pointed.
