# Chapter 27 “I think we all need a break,” Jack said, pushing sweaty unkempt hair from his eyes. He wiped his hand off on his bloodied shirt, and gestured to a doctor’s office. “We can take our time,” Raven said, turning towards the office. She’d refused to become a mule, a clever but stupid suggestion from Hunter. “It isn't like we can contact the others.” She didn’t intend the comment to sting, but it sure did. It was his fault they were in the mess they were in. Sore, aching, and out of energy, and not a truck to their name. The building was old, mostly brick, with some newer additions nearby. It wasn’t only a doctors office, it housed physical therapists, mental health facilities, and even a dentist. *Probably cheaper than separate buildings.* It looked like pre secession, untouched by the yankees. Probably around the second world war era. Nova was the first to enter, breaking in through the unlocked front doors. She hasn’t lost as much energy as the others, having used her powers for the two days they’d been walking. It made her personality go quite dull, but she was still the same ridiculously powerful young eternal. After clearing the first two floors, Jack pulled two mattresses against the wall. They hadn’t come up with any resources, not very surprising. Most everything important had been raided since the winter began. But they still hadn’t seen many survivors at all. Jack sat with his back to the wall, Raven joined him there, her black dyed hair beginning to grow out, revealing red roots. She usually had they covered in a red bandana, Jack figured it was both a way to honor Charlie’s red hair, and hide her own. The three had grown up for almost all their lives together. Jack hadn’t seen the darker twin in anything but her dyed black hair. It reminded him so much of Charlie, it hurt to look at Raven. Jack hopped onto the mattress first, which was horizontal across the wall. Raven had the wherewithal and decency to take off her socks and shoes first. Since the fall, one of the few things they’d all pillaged was shoes. Raven fell asleep first, leaning unconsciously on Jack’s shoulder. She was warm, familiar, and such a long friend. Jack fell next, arm around Raven, comfortable, and tired. ---- Jack awoke with Raven’s green eye-daggers gazing into his soul. She had a flicker of relief in them, when she saw Jack open his. Raven was crouched at the end of the mattress, in dark, almost black jeans, and leather boots, with a slight heel. *New?* She had her hair up, with her standard red bandana. Her black hair was tied in grenades, and sat in front of her shoulders as she crouched. “Thank the deep you are alive.” *The deep? That’s a new one.* “We went shopping while you were out.” Raven proffered her hand, and Jack took it, helping him stand. He stretched for a moment, and checked his watch. “Gods, 4pm?” “You slept for 18 hours you idiot.” Raven grinned. “I almost stole your clean jeans to wear, but they didn’t fit.” Jack raised an eyebrow, which drew a laugh from Raven. *Almost stole, and didn’t fit, aren’t compatible.* Jack followed Raven down the hall, toward the stairs down to the first level. They hadn’t the energy the day before to clear the entire building, so instead they blocked off the higher levels and only cleared the bottom two. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” Jack asked, brow furrowed. “You deserve natural, uninterrupted sleep as much as the rest of us,” Raven said, not looking back for a couple steps, as Jack frozze in his tracks. *Why the hell would I? I got us into this shit. I lost our trucks, I failed to get the others to Athens, I have failed my people.* Raven didn’t turn around, rather taking several steps backward, lining up with Jack. “Jay, you can’t control everything. We aren’t gods.” Jay, a name Jack hadn’t heard for a very long time. It stemmed from their childhood, where Jack spent too much time trying to be a spy. He made ciphers, codes, and called himself, agent J. The twins started to call him that, but Jack felt it blew his cover, so begged for them to stop. Hearing it now made everything worse, as much as Raven tried to help. She put her arm around his shoulder, the couple inches of height difference making it a bit awkward, pulling her side into his, but nonetheless she was successful in getting Jack moving, even if he felt numb and didn’t know what he was going to do. Jack found himself looking at Raven alot in the short trip down the stairs, but felt pain every time. She was Charlie’s identical twin, her red roots were growing in, she’d given up on makeup, and now wore boots with a simple heel. *Gods help me.* She was so much different, but still a twin. The others sat in chairs in the lobby, duffle bags strewn half open before them. Jack sat opposite them, gazing out what little spots remained without boards. He felt a hard thump, and looked down at his chest. Raven had thrown boots and jeans at him, then strode over and sat beside him. She had a grin on her face, something not often displayed by anyone in recent times. “We went shopping. I got these for you.” She crossed her legs on the chair, studying his face, chin resting in her palm. Jack peeled off his shoes, which stunk, or should have. Nothing bad seemed to reek like it once had. Possibly due to the corruption inside them all, or due to constant exposure. The new boots were black, similar to Raven’s, but obviously a men's cut. They were very comfortable, and didn’t require an insole like so many shoes jack had tried in the last couple years. “Thank you.” “Course.” Raven said, “We plan to leave tomorrow morning for Athens, does that work?” *Two nights of sleep, new shoes, and a couple meals.* “Works for me. We can’t go through Washington though. I’m not sure where the others went from elberton, but we have to go far west then north.” “Madison, or Union point?” Nova asked, voice toneless and droning. “Union point I’d say. Let’s see how the interstate looks.” Jack said, the others nodded. That night came and went by very fast. Jack couldn’t really complain, however, once he was home he’d have all the time in the world to regain his energy. --- Arden watched the two trucks pull into the lot. *Where are the others?* Two trucks for Rhett’s group, two for Jack’s. *Well, that ain’t good.* Corinne stood next to her, red, purple, and orange hair blowing in the crisp breeze. Luckily, the snow had stopped the night before, and only little piles of it remained. “*Should be four of them.*” Arden signed, gesturing at the trucks as they came to a stop. Corinne nodded, “*We’ll figure it out.*” She left down the ladder, and Arden followed. Alaina was the first to enter the building, looking around wildly. “Where is Hunter?” Arden could tell what was said even before using her Nythrana spike. She didn’t like the spike, it felt unnatural to her, but it did help immensely in these sorts of situations. “I’m sorry, Alaina, they have yet to return.” The rest of the group walked in, Arden met Rhett’s eyes. She mentally said what she said to Alaina, and though he couldn’t have heard it, he nodded. Much could be told from looks, people’s moods, state of mind, and even words. Rose crouched beside Alaina, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Damn. I assume you didn’t see the others then?” Corinne said, clearing her throat. She wasn’t comfortable with large groups watching, even with all the crazy shit she’d pulled in the nightly meetings. “We had very brief radio contact. Both of us were headed north. We had to continue past where we were going to be, due to the bridge being overrun. We were not able to get into contact after that.” Rhett said, helping the two girls to their feet. “We should probably discuss this privately.” Corinne smiled, glancing at Arden. “We have just the place in the back.” Rhett’s brow furrowed slightly, which got a tiny laugh from Corinne. The room in question was once a storage room, rather small, but still sat the small group comfortably. The place reeked of drain cleaner and mold, but to would do. Corinne had set it up while everyone else was away. “Alrighty, so Hunter, Jack, Raven, and Nova left a couple days ago, trying to find you guys, clearly they didn’t return. You guys got into brief radio contact but lost it. Up to speed?” Corinne asked, clearly more comfortable, putting her boots up on the table. “Right. We continued past the bridge in Lincolnton, to Elberton. Well, we were across the river from those two cities. We raided some homes in Elberton, and laid low for a few hours, then came here.” Rhett was leaned back in his chair, holding Rose’s hand. “I don’t know where they would have gone.” Darwin said, gesturing to Holly’s map. She was doodling in the corner, as any sane human would, but she had made some other markings and two paragraphs of ideas, each crossed out. “Okay well…” Arden was interrupted by a deep voice, with scratchy words, “Did Karthas get a chance to speak, before her business on Terradine?” The dark creature asked. His skin was scaled, not unlike a reptile, but he had very human features. He was across the table from Arden. Like the last time, everyone scattered backward and drew a gun. “What the fuck are you?” Rose asked, scrambling forward and standing. “I am Kal, an Umbrir. Karthas explained this to one of you, did she not?” “She did.” Corinne stood, followed shortly by Arden. “I wanted to be sure before I also left for Terradine. Tensions between Vaeden, and Wynark are getting bad. Battles between Aecara and Wynark, and the likes. The demigods march south, be prepared.” Kal, the strange Umbrir, disappeared. “What in hell was that?” Hunter said, lowering his gun. “That was another thing I intended on talking about.” Corinne chuckled. --- “This one actually has gas in it,” Hunter said, cranking up the small truck. It sounded like diesel, which was just odd because of the size of the truck. It looked like the ones you’d see in museums, from the 1980s. “Sweet!” Jack tossed his backpack into the truck bed, then helped Raven with the first aid kit. He hopped in himself, and offered a hand to Raven as she scrambled in. Hunter shifted the truck into gear as Nova took passenger. There was a small window in the back pane, which Jack opened. “Greensboro or Union point? We got 86 miles.” Hunter said, heading toward the interstate. “Either is fine. We’re like 80 miles away. We’ll just barely get there, but lets go for Union point up to Crawford.” “Sure thing.” Hunter replied, giving a thumbs up out the window. Jack stretched out, boots touching the far side wall. Raven tried the same, but was several inches short. Both got a chuckle out of that. The roads were starkly empty, bar the occasional abandoned car. Snow was melting, but aside from leaves, there were no obstructions. [[28i Interlude untouched]]