Several hours north on foot from the retirement home, two people limp past a roving war band of goblins. They stuck to the shadows and kept as quiet as possible even though the woman still felt the pain of her dislocated shoulder. Their goal was in sight. The Newark Public Library was now the seat of power for Mason’s Humanities Saviors. Susan and Phil cleared the check point that had been set up two blocks from sprawling skyscrapers of downtown Newark.
“No luck on your scavenging run? Pathetic,” spat a guard dressed in army fatigues.
“I see Al isn’t with you. You two love birds lose him or something?” asked another.
“We need to see Mason. Send a runner, Susan is hurt,” said Phil shrugging off the guard’s indignation.
“Jimmy! Run and get the doc. As for Mason, you’ll have to go to the library if you want to see him. He’s been preaching all morning. We lost some people in a skirmish with a group claiming to be the federal government. They’re holed up at the airport. Won’t let anyone in.”
A young man barely in his teens ran off through the streets.
“We just came from that way. Didn’t see anyone but we traveled past it, not through it.”
“Lucky you, they shoot the first person to approach before warning off anyone else. Really harsh shit. Mason’s sure he can talk them down and have them join us but I’m on the fence.”
Shortly thereafter Jimmy returned with an older man in a white coat. He took Susan off to the side before asking her some questions. Then he waived his hands over her shoulder before a white and gold light sunk into her arm. She rolled her shoulder and gave the healer a thumbs up. Nodding to her from inside the blockade the two continued toward the library.
It seemed Mason had expanded ever further since they left. Clearing and claiming more of the surrounding buildings in an attempt to return folks back to normalcy. Phil knew normal wasn’t coming back but he wanted live, so he’ll join up until this new gang falls apart too.
“What are you going to say to him?”
“I don’t know Sue; we got our asses kicked by a rabbit and a stage magician who’s only back up was some reject from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That’ll go over really well. I’ll think of something.”
“I say you convince him to give us some more guys and march back down there. We’ll see how smug that card throwing street performer is when he’s drowning in bullets.”
“That’s just it. I shot him. I know I did. It was like it didn’t faze him. Never seen anything like it.”
Upon reaching the guards at the double doors to the library, they exchanged greetings and were let in. Painted mosaics and roman columns ringed the main hall. You could see clear up to the second floor. Walls were adorned with rows and rows of bookshelves. The center area that used to house front desk and check out, was now replaced with folding chairs in a horseshoe shape. At the center of the shoe was a simple stone bench someone brought in from outside. It wasn’t marble but more like poured concrete.
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Atop the bench, leaning forward with elbows on knees and hands clasped, sat Mason. He was a man in his late forties. Olive skin with salt and pepper hair. His eyes stood out the most. The pupils were orange. His style of dress could have been taken from any of the paintings in the alcoves around. He wore white toga, black socks, and Birkenstocks. There were three piles of ash on the floor in front of him and almost every seat was filled. Men, women, and children of all ages hanging on his every word as he proselytized.
Phil and Susan waited in the back for Mason to wrap up whatever lesson he was trying to impart. They knew better. As part of the scavengers, they’ve seen what has become of this world. No honeyed words from Mason will change what’s happening out there with the Mana Mutations. Finally, he wrapped up and people started to disperse. A woman wearing her hair in a bun and a pants suit strolled up to Mason with a clip board before he beckoned them over.
“This is Phil and Susan, they came in with the Crimson Knights and have been scavenging south of here,” she said to Mason before stepping back and to the side.
“I understand you wanted to see me. I trust you’re finding you place within the saviors?”
“Yes, we’re doing well. With the exception that we just lost one of our team.”
“Sit down. Tell me about it. Ranging south, correct? Was it the goblin warbands?”
“No sir. We were scavenging our old stomping grounds. Figuring we’d be more familiar with the area. We ran into some kind of ball of flesh. Bullets did nothing to it, so we opted to run. Al didn’t make it.”
“Tell him about the magician.”
“I’m getting to that Susan.”
“What magician?” asked Mason, finally standing up from bench.
Phil had always been in awe of how tall Mason was. He easily towered over him, standing at least six foot five inches.
“They came out of nowhere, stole our guns and dislocated her shoulder. I got in the guy’s face, and he decided to back down, but not before giving us a message for you.”
“Go on.”
“He said to tell Mason, that CJ Thompson sends his regards. I dunno, some kind of threat if you ask me. If you give me a crew a guys we can go back and… make an example of him if you want,” stuttered Phil.
“Did you just say CJ Thompson?” Mason asked pointedly before placing his hands on Phil’s shoulders.
“Yea, he said that was his name before… backing into a cloud of smoke,” stammered Phil.
“I know you’re lying about most of what you told me, while also sprinkling in some half-truths, and I’m willing to forgive you. But the one thing you haven’t lied about was his name. I want to hear everything. From the cross streets to how many cars were parked nearby. If you took a shit on your way there, I want to know how many times you had to wipe. Everything, you hear me!” Mason’s voice was becoming agitated now.
Gone was the composed reverend addressing his flock. Now the true face of this faction had shown up. His arms started glow a golden light and the meeting hall showed bright sunlight provided by Mason himself.
“Sir, you need to calm yourself. The light of truth is not needed. I’m sure these two will tell us everything. Right?” said Mason’s attaché.
The light in the chamber subsided as Mason drew it back into himself. Composing himself he sat back down on the bench. The woman with the clipboard handed him a bottle of water and two aspirin.
“You two can’t see the wah wah wah can you?”
“I’m sorry, your voice is doing that thing again.”
“No phones. That’s why they don’t know sir.”
“Right. Not a fan of that slang myself. CJ Thompson is the first person in the world to create an actual safe space. Safe from the monsters we need round the clock vigilance to protect two full city blocks. Now start at the beginning and leave no detail, no matter how small, out.”
An hour later Mason stood in front of his people outside of the library. Two empty military troop transports were lined up along either side of the road.
“That is why we need to find this CJ Thompson. He knows how to make our world safe again. Thanks to Phil and Susan here, we now have a lead on the fabled town of Leaf’s Bend. I need volunteers willing to brave the wilds of South Jersey in search of CJ Thompson. To find him and bring him back here so we can all be safe again.”