Chương 24: Tensions

Lunch turned into a report, then a debate, then a list of problems none of them could solve yet. Enzo shared what he'd learned about the Library. It wasn't much, just that strange messages appeared each time his Guide touched it. He kept the rant about its usefulness brief. Brief enough, anyway. The others still nodded along with enough force to make him feel vindicated. Sumi and Val were both close to level ten in their first skills and abilities, so the process mattered to them too.

Sumi took one look at Enzo's upgraded design for Bolt, shook her head, and decided her own spell ideas looked much safer for the moment. Before they left, Enzo pulled Murph aside and explained, in detail, that she needed to stay and watch over his parents. She barked once. Enzo stared at her. She barked again. He was getting dangerously close to believing these conversations were working. The ride into town took fifteen minutes.

Enzo's knee appreciated the casual pace, and he let himself enjoy the strange normalcy of cycling through his hometown under a clear summer sky. Even if very little felt normal anymore. Kenzo jogged beside them without breaking a sweat. His long strides meant he easily kept up with their speed. He probably could have done it even before becoming a cultivator, and mana had only improved things. As they made their way down the main street toward the large Safeway, Enzo checked which stores had already been raided.

The doors of all the smaller food stores hung open. Pharmacies and liquor shops had their windows smashed in and their supplies cleared out. Hardware stores had been hit too, but not nearly as badly. Most of Mill Valley's expensive comforts had survived. Clothing shops and art galleries. Jewelry stores and real estate offices. Yoga studios and hair salons. A bookstore caught his eye, and he made a note to make sure they stopped by on the way back home. The jewelry stores, too. And the camping supply store.

He wanted to make sure they were prepared for what was to come. Food and water were the big ones today, but things like tools and wire and the ability to make fire would matter just as much soon enough. Enzo pointed out the bike store as they rode past.

"You should grab yourself some wheels before it's too late." Kenzo glanced at it, but didn't slow down.

"Eh. Doubt they have anything my size."

"Maybe we can bolt two together for you," Val called out.

"Good idea! Then we can attach a kiddie sidecar just for you."

"Giant chauffeur." Enzo tuned out their insults.

"Are they always like this?" Sumi asked, coming up alongside him.

"Always." He shook his head.

"And it's always Val starting it."

"I'm surprised it hasn't driven you crazy."

"I'm very good at ignoring them and finding something productive to do instead." Sumi laughed. The supermarket came into view ahead, and everyone fell silent. There were people stationed along the road, armed and already watching them approach.

"Don't worry," Kenzo called out, breathing only a little harder than when they had set out.

"They're part of the group that took over the supermarket." Enzo nodded, but slowed down enough that Kenzo and Val caught up to him and Sumi. He trusted Kenzo's read of the situation, but he wanted everyone close in case anything went wrong, regardless. The parking lot came into view as they rounded the end of the building. There were more people than he'd expected. At least a couple hundred. A line stretched from the supermarket entrance, snaking across the parking lot around shopping carts laid on their sides.

At the entrance to the store, they split into several smaller queues ending at tables where people took notes and called out orders over their shoulders to people inside the store. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Those people disappeared deeper inside, eventually returning with a few items. Around the perimeter of the parking lot, people stood watch, each of them armed. They weren't facing the crowd, though.

They faced outward, scanning the streets, rooftops, and parked cars. Probably watching for Eaters. Kenzo angled toward a large man standing near the parking lot entrance, legs apart, arms folded. Enzo slowed his bike and checked the perimeter guards again with fresh eyes. Leather vests. Patches on the backs, though he couldn't read them from this distance. Boots built for riding, not walking.

Most of the watchmen shared the same general look, with variations in size and age but a uniformity of style that spoke of belonging. A motorcycle club. Organizing a food distribution in the middle of an apocalypse. He glanced at Val, who had noticed the same thing. Her expression was carefully neutral. The four of them dismounted near the entrance, Enzo leaning his bike against one of the cart barricades. Val and Sumi did the same. Kenzo was already closing the distance, raising a hand in greeting.

"Hey, Gus." The older man turned. Gray threaded through dark hair and a trimmed beard. His eyes were sharp, though, and they moved past Kenzo to take in the three of them. To his right, another man stepped forward. Leaner, with close-cropped hair and the kind of look that screamed ex-military. Enzo caught the small gesture Gus made without looking. A slight flick of two fingers, barely a motion at all. The lean man stopped mid-stride and settled back into his original stance, his expression unchanged.

"Kenzo, right?" Gus said.

"Matt's friend?" Kenzo nodded.

"That's right." He gestured behind him.

"This is Val, Sumi, and my boy Enzo." Gus nodded.

"Here for more supplies?" Kenzo shook his head.

"Not today. Just here to catch up with Matt. Val and Enzo are old friends of his, too." Gus smiled.

"Ah." A pause.

"Given any more thought to signing up with us?"

"Nah. Focused on taking care of my Ma." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at Enzo.

"And this guy." Gus's gaze shifted to Enzo. It traveled from his face to his cane, lingered there for a moment, then came back up.

"Alright. Head on in. Just follow the rules."

"Will do." Kenzo looked over his shoulder.

"Come on. I think I know where Matt will be." They fell in behind Kenzo and made their way past the entrance. As they passed, Enzo caught the other man moving to Gus's side, leaning in close. They'd made it maybe thirty feet into the parking lot when Gus's voice carried after them.

"Hold on." The group stopped. Turned back.

"What's up?" Kenzo asked. Gus was looking at Enzo. His eyes had narrowed slightly.

"My sergeant-at-arms here says you're a mage. One of our boys spotted you on the way in. Said you were closing car doors or something with magic as you rode through town." Enzo met his gaze.

"I am."

"That's great. We could use someone like you, too, you know." Gus held his arms out.

"There are already several other groups grabbing what they can for themselves, instead of sharing and working together. We've got a handful of mages ourselves, but we need as many as we can get. Before things turn ugly." Gus's smile was almost believable. But so was the calculation behind it. And then there was the way his sergeant remained close, looking ready for a fight.

"We're not interested," Val said.

"Thanks anyway." The sergeant scowled.

"Boss wasn't talking to you, girl." Enzo placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. Gus turned to the other man.

"That's enough, Danny. The young lady has every right to speak her mind." Danny looked at Gus. For half a second, his scowl slipped.

"Sorry, boss." Gus turned to them.

"Please don't mind Danny. He's just protective." He glanced toward the queues.

"We're all far from home. Got caught here when the blood rain began. Lost a few of our members to it. We're just trying to make things work around here until we figure out how to get back." Enzo nodded.

"Understandable. We came from San Francisco and saw how bad things got there. Had to fight our way through dozens of Eaters along the way." He paused.

"Our priority is our families. Not looking to get caught up in anything else." Gus's expression barely changed, but he'd heard the implication. He nodded.

"Not a problem. Just know that if you change your mind, you're welcome to join us. All of you."

"Thank you." Enzo leaned on his sister's shoulder and turned them both back toward the supermarket, cane tapping with every other step. She let him, and the others followed his lead. When they were out of earshot, Val glanced at him without turning.

"What the fuck was that about?"

"They're a motorcycle club. A gang. And they're stuck in our town because of the rain." Enzo shook his head.

"I don't know if he was exaggerating their numbers, but it sounds like they've been recruiting mages, too. We don't want to pick a fight." Val kept quiet as they approached the supermarket's main entrance, a pair of guards waving them through after receiving a nod from Gus. Kenzo led them toward the employee offices.

"I wasn't gonna start anything," Val said after they were inside.

"I just didn't like the way he smiled. Or the way he made it sound like he was doing us a favor by offering." Enzo patted her on the head.

"Well, in the same way you were looking out for me, I was looking out for you. That's all." Val smiled. Then bumped his shoulder with her head. Sumi glanced over her shoulder.

"This is going to be a problem, though. They have all this food, but it won't last forever. What happens when they realize it's running out faster than they expected?" Enzo nodded. The thought had already crossed his mind and joined the growing list of problems he could see but not solve yet. They'd come to check on the town and find an old friend. Now Matt needed to tell them how bad things really were.