12 A Small Cabin in the Woods (1/2)
Gabriel wanted to find how the mayor got information about him but the moment wasn't right. Once he drained the bag of blood from the fridge, he picked Alyssa up and flew up into the sky once he looked around to make sure people were not watching them. It wasn't that Gabriel didn't want to hear what happened, it's just that on the roof wasn't the place to do it. He didn't want the mayor to mosey his way back into the conversation, and this was a two stop trip so there was no point wasting time if they were going to have plenty of it the next day to discuss it further. The city they were traveling to was so far, that he needed to crash somewhere when the sun came up, which confused Alyssa greatly when they arrived at their first stop hours later. It was a small cabin near a batch of mountains, and there was even snow where they had landed. Alyssa was amazed by it but the wanted to go inside to get warm. Gabriel said nothing to her and started a fire. He didn't need the heat but understood that it was something he'd had to take care of for his guest. When he returned with some extra fire wood, Alyssa began to explain what had happened, that someone had recognized her from St. Louis, and that she had to do some quick thinking and talking to avoid her mayor from finding the full truth instead of that half truths she fed him. Gabriel paced the room as he heard Alyssa explain everything, especially the part about him being a love-sick scavenger rather than a vampire that fed on her blood.
”I think you did the right thing,” Gabriel finally replied, ”If you didn't tell him everything, he would have badgered you and nosed around a lot more until he figured things out for himself. By pretending to open up, at least you can control the narrative. It allowed you to leave out certain details while at the same time satisfying his curiosity.”
”I can't believe he came by like that,” Alyssa confessed.
”He doesn't know how I'm getting in and it concerned him.” Gabriel informed her, sighing. ”He's just worried, and with what's out there I can't blame him.”
”I get it, the undead are unforgiving.” Alyssa conceded, cuddling into her blanket on the couch. ”I wouldn't want his job, which basically is the protection of everyone in town.”
”I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy,” Gabriel agreed, ”But that doesn't change the fact that he sent you and other people he didn't like out to their deaths. I don't trust the guy, and I certainly don't trust the Lycans.”
”It was weird seeing them in my town,” Alyssa confessed, ”I don't know how they found my town, but now we're trading with them.”
”This is very peculiar,” Gabriel admitted, continuing to pace the room. ”I've never known them to reach out that far to trade.”
”It seemed legit,” Alyssa said, thinking about it. ”But I was lucky that I managed to talk my way out of it without our secret getting out.”
”That was smart thinking,” Gabriel said, smiling. ”I'll do my best to play my part. I think as long as we collect things for your mayor, he won't bug us as long as we continue to deliver.”
”I agree,” Alyssa said, shifting to make herself comfortable. ”He won't do something that would jeopardize something that benefits him, but that doesn't mean I trust him.”
”After what you've told me,” Gabriel added, ”There's no way I would either.”
”I also don't think he's ready to know what's out there,” Alyssa continued, ”If he knew what I knew, he'd freak out.”
”Most people would,” Gabriel agreed, ”The world is far scarier than it used to be, and even more than when Humans had the ability to end the world. Now some are wondering maybe that is what they should have done.”
”I'm not sure about that,” Alyssa replied, ”I don't think having radio-active zombies would be ideal, since we don't know what started their reign.”
”Fair point,” he conceded, ”But there's no saying that couldn't have prevented the apocalypse. We'd still have less humans, but no undead to run from.”
”I get your point,” Alyssa said, ”But not much we can do about it now.”
”Get some rest,” Gabriel said, pacing around the living room. ”You'll want your energy when we go into town tomorrow.”
”You never told me,” Alyssa reminded him, ”What city are we visiting?”
”Denver,” Gabriel answered, ”They decided to use the high altitude hoping the cold would fend off the undead. It doesn't affect them much but slows them down, which makes them much easier to kill. They used the winter to build some rather big walls, and it's now one of the better fortified cities. Unlike some of the bigger cities, Denver is aware of what's out there. The wolves, the Vamps and witches... everything. We'll have a better time finding what we need there. I've got contacts that can help too.”
”Fair enough,” Alyssa said, looking outside. ”Sun's coming up, so I'll get some rest. We'll take off at nightfall?”
”Yes,” Gabriel confirmed, ”When we get there, we'll stay a few nights, depending on how long it will take my friend to gather what we need. You'll have a chance to roam during the day, but I still want you to be careful.”
”I'll be fine,” Alyssa said, but still excited about the idea of being able to roam a human city all by herself. ”Would you be able to give me some money so I can buy some things during the day?”
”I can't see why not,” Gabriel said, grinning. ”You are help me a great deal so it's only fair I return the favor. Chances are you can go shopping with Dani and the kids when we get there.”
”I'm sorry, who?” Alyssa asked.
”I have a friend who lives there, his name is Sean.” Gabriel explained, ”If we land on his roof, we can enter the city undetected and not have to register. He's got a few guest rooms so I can pay him under the table, harder to track our movements. He owes me a few favors, but might call in a few chips when he sees I'm not alone. Dani is Sean's wife and she'll probably be happy to take you shopping so you won't have to roam about alone.”
”Sounds good,” Alyssa replied, ”It will save time to have a guide. Less time wandering around, looking for things.”
”We'll be in town a few days,” Gabriel informed her, ”So if you want to roam around on your own, you'll get a chance. I just prefer you do it during the day, when it's a little safer for everyone.”
”I get it,” Alyssa said, understanding his position. ”I'll try not to give you something else to worry about, but I can assure you I can handle myself out there.”
”Fair enough,” Gabriel said, walking to the door, ”I'm going to check the perimeter before sunrise, I suggest you try to sleep.”
When Gabriel took off, Alyssa decided not to wait up for him and went to sleep. She went into one of the guest rooms and checked it out before calling it a night. She didn't tell Gabriel, but she had brought a gun with her. It was a small 9mm handgun, nothing huge but enough to take out a zombie if one got too close when Gab wasn't around to help her. She kept the gun in the night table beside her bed before crawling into bed to sleep for the night. She locked the door but assumed Gab has a key. The point was to keep everything else out long enough for her to grab a gun and think of a strategy before all hell broke loose. She didn't need to apologize for being cautious and planned to take a similar approach in Denver as well. After what happened with the wolves in St. Louis, she wasn't willing to take chances during extended trips with Gabriel. She as determined to have back up plans, and that's what Alyssa was thinking of before she finally nodded off to sleep.
When she woke up hours later, she felt refreshed and grabbed the gun and stuffed it in the back side of her jeans and covered it up with a t-shirt. She went down the stairs and looked around to see there was no sign of Gabriel, so she went to the kitchen to make something to eat. The fridge was surprisingly full, so she grabbed some eggs, cheese and mushrooms, things she normally didn't have access to in her town for obvious reasons. She put on a pot of coffee unaware if Gab would even have any, but if he didn't that just meant more for her. She was plating her eggs, and the toast had just popped when she thought she saw someone moving out of the corner of her eye. Alyssa slowly put down her coffee mug as she pretending to react to the toast, but instead pulled her gun out it and pointed it at the other man in the room. The man also had a gun and he was pointing it at Alyssa.
”Holy crap,” the man, who clearly wasn't Gabriel said, impressed. He looked to be mid-forties, so around the Max's age. ”That is one hell of a draw you got there!”
”I've had lots of practice.” Alyssa replied.
”I believe you.” The man acknowledged, never taking his eyes or his gun off of her the entire time they talked. ”What are you doing here?”
”Just passing through,” Alyssa answered, ”I put coffee on.”