Derek’s boots crunched on gravel as he and Marie approached the fortress of corrugated metal and cinder blocks. He squinted against the harsh sunlight reflecting off the warehouse’s exterior. This must be the stronghold of the Watchers.
Even from a distance, Derek could see the sentries positioned on the roof, rifles glinting ominously. The main entrance was reinforced with sandbags and barbed wire. A hand-painted sign on the door read: NO ENTRY WITHOUT PERMISSION.
As they got closer, Derek’s muscles tensed, sensing the thrum of power behind those walls, like a living current. They were abruptly stopped by guards, rifles raised.
“State your business,” one demanded.
The guards’ eyes were devoid of empathy, their aggressive stance making it clear they wouldn’t hesitate to neutralize a threat. Derek had to take a second to steady his nerves. His rage lurked right under the surface and was quick to rear its head when needed.
“We’re here to speak with your boss.”
The guards exchanged glances. One turned and disappeared inside while the other kept watch. Marie shifted on her feet; lips pressed thin. Her free hand rested on the slight swell of her belly. Protective. Wary.
After an agonizing wait, the gate screeched open. “Enter,” the guard ordered. “No weapons past this point. Hand over your storage items before entry.”
Derek grimaced, reluctantly pulling hidden weapons from his clothes and storing them in his device. He handed a small sack of storage items to Carson, who nodded in understanding. Marie followed suit, her movements careful and deliberate.
“Stay out here and stay alert.” Derek instructed Carson and the boys. “Trust no one. You know what to do.”
They swallowed and nodded in understanding. Derek eyed James with a knowing look, and James nodded with understanding. On their way here, Marie explained this group would not be welcoming and more hostile than accepting. She had been using her Oracle powers liberally, but shared very little of what she saw.
With that, Derek and Marie turned and headed toward the building. “Our people will keep our items.”
“And your armor.” The guard stated, with a cruel smile of power.
Derek growled, and Marie placed her hand on his shoulder. “We are here for a conversation. We have disarmed ourselves now you want us to strip?”
“That’s fine, Grey. Let them in.” Another said from behind the guard.
They stepped inside; the gate clanging shut behind them. Derek shot a murderous look at Grey before scanning the open yard. His eyes darted from the training areas to the makeshift barracks and the central building, likely housing the boss. Men and women stopped to stare, their expressions ranging from hopeful to curious to suspicion.
“Let’s get this over with,” Marie murmured.
Derek gave a terse nod. Hand in hand, they crossed the yard, Derek drawing calm from the warmth of Marie’s palm. They faced this together, as always. Two armed guards met them at the entrance of the main building, their cool gazes scrutinizing before they pulled the doors open. Derek steeled himself and stepped inside, Marie at his side. The doors closed with an ominous thud, sealing them in the lion’s den.
Once they were inside, they looked around, seeing several hundred people spaced about the space with cots that held the people. It looked like a homeless camp but was still better than Sarah’s setup. As they moved from one end of the warehouse to the other, the cots changed into small beds, then to larger beds, and even some spaces that were private. The people were clean but had the look of the destitute. They had the same look that those of Sarah’s camp, but they had looks of skepticism and wariness about them.
Marie tensed, her hand tightening on Derek’s. The interior was dimly lit, with high ceilings and concrete walls that echoed their footsteps. At the end of the hall stood a tall, powerfully built man. His arms were crossed, face unreadable as he watched their approach. Derek felt something within him react to the man, but didn’t understand what it was. When he met eyes with the man, he knew that the man felt it as well.
He had apparently been through the evolution as his skin had taken on a scale-like quality and tinted blue. His arms had the beginnings of fins. A thick beard had turned white like his long white mane of hair.
“Welcome,” he rumbled when they drew near. His voice was a low thunder. “I am Mauro.”
Derek nodded his head in greeting. “Derek. This is my wife, Marie.”
Mauro’s dark eyes flicked to Marie, lingering on her belly. Something unsettling flashed in their depths. “A pleasure. Come in.”
Mauro pushed open a side door, leading them into a spacious office lined with maps and documents. A large desk dominated the center of the room. He moved behind it, gesturing for them to sit.
“Are you a demon?” Mauro asked, inquiring about Derek’s racial evolution.
“Are you a fish-man?” Derek asked in return, keeping his expression neutral.
After a moment of silence, as both realized they weren’t going to have a conversation about their own race, Derek spoke. “Impressive setup you have here,”
Mauro smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “We make do. Unity and strength have allowed us to thrive.”
He launched into stories of the monsters and how they have survived this long. Throughout, he emphasized their strength. Marie fidgeted in her seat.
“An alliance could benefit us both,” Derek proposed. “There are growing threats in this city.”
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Mauro tapped his fingers on the desk, contemplative. “Perhaps. If we were to unite, there would need to be… conditions.”
Derek’s jaw tightened. Marie jumped in. “Of course. We’re happy to discuss-“
A knock interrupted her. Mauro’s expression darkened. “One moment.”
He crossed the room, speaking in hushed tones to someone outside. Marie met Derek’s eyes, her unease growing with the power dynamics at play. But they needed the city united.
“Well, then.” Mauro turned back. “Let us speak more about this alliance.”
Mauro settled back into his seat, steepling his fingers. “You speak of threats. Yet you seem… lacking in resources.” His gaze swept over them. “How do you manage supply runs?”
Derek grinned. “I slaughter everything.”
“Admirable.” Mauro’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “For us, information is key. We have contacts, informants. They ensure we stay one step ahead.”
“Useful contacts to have,” Derek said evenly.
Mauro waved a hand. “When one has leverage, doors open.”
The implied threat hung in the air. Marie’s unease grew, but they needed to secure this alliance.
She shifted forward. “The monsters are growing stronger and we need to unite so that Anchorage can grow stronger.”
“Unity…” Mauro mused. After a moment, he met her eyes. “I am open to discussing this further. We will see if our ideals align.”
Derek wasn’t convinced, but at least he was willing to engage with them. “That’s promising. This could benefit us all.”
“Perhaps.” Mauro stood, signaling the meeting’s end. “I will have one of my men escort you out. Wait outside while we decide.”
As they left the compound, Derek squeezed Marie’s hand. Though Mauro’s motives remained unclear, they’d made progress. Carson was equally wary as they returned. He sighed in relief, as they appeared unharmed. The Watchers took their time deciding, obviously a power play by Mauro. An hour later, they were escorted back into the compound.
“We have come to a decision,” Mauro announced, standing alone before them, his people gathered off to the side. Derek believed that despite claims of their involvement in the decision-making, it was clear to him that this decision had been made uniformly. He was certain that it was a dictatorship, with no doubt in his mind.
“We accept your offer of Alliance, but there is a condition. Nothing extreme, simply join us for a supply run. Then we can see how each other operates.”
“Fair enough.” Derek said, struggling to keep his emotions in check.
“We are heading to the grocery supply warehouse, a bit to the south of here.”
The mission seemed straightforward, but Derek’s senses screamed that this was a test. A way for Mauro to gain information on their competence and abilities. He exchanged a glance with Marie, her eyes reflecting the same suspicion.
They navigated the streets swiftly, avoiding obstacles and eliminating goblins and orcs with precise rifle fire. Upon arrival, The Watchers fanned out in perfect formation, weapons ready. Derek noted their precision with grim approval.
The building was much like it was pre-apocalypse. Mauro’s group performed a thorough sweep, loading supplies efficiently into the backs of their trucks. Derek wondered why they didn’t use the storage devices, but he suspected Mauro didn’t trust his own people.
Just as they were about to leave, a ragged group emerged from behind another building, weapons raised. About two dozen of them, each wielding some kind of weapon, approached menacingly.
“Hand it over!” their leader growled.
In a blur, Mauro’s men dropped into combat stances, causing the scavengers to falter.
“How would you handle this?” Mauro asked Derek.
Derek wasn’t sure he should answer with the truth, so he glanced at Marie, who nodded. “Tell them to leave or we kill them all if they don’t.”
Mauro snorted with a grin and spoke loudly, “Leave now or die.”
“Leave the supplies and you can keep your lives.” The leader shouted back.
With a wave to his men, Mauro’s team attacked with brutal efficiency. Derek moved to join them, but Marie grabbed his arm, shaking her head slightly. They watched as Mauro’s men cut down the scavengers without mercy.
It was over in moments. Derek stared at the bodies and shook his head in disappointment. “What a waste.”
“Truly.” Mauro said in agreement. “Instead of trying to negotiate or split the loot, they chose death.”
The Watchers’ cold ruthlessness set them apart from his own band, but Derek understood. It was a difference in leadership. Mauro, like Derek, was cold, calculating, and a force of will. Marie, in contrast, was warm and charitable. Derek wondered if this was what they would be like under his sole leadership. He didn’t dare look at Marie as he thought this, but she placed a reassuring hand on his and squeezed before releasing it.
Then he wondered how long they could truly be allies with the vast differences in leadership. Either they would split because of their differences or Mauro would suggest a merger where he stayed in charge. For now, they needed each other.
Back at the warehouse, Mauro clasped Derek’s shoulder. “You’ve proven yourselves capable.” His smile lacked warmth. “I believe this is the start of something…” His eyes glinted. “… mutually beneficial.
Derek met his gaze. “We look forward to our partnership. Now that our alliance is settled, have you received any information about the horde in the Spenard area?”
Noticing several of his people paying attention to their conversation, Mauro said, “Let’s take this to my office.” Once there, he continued, “No, we have several reported deaths in that area, along with high monster activity, but nothing so much as what you say.”
Derek nodded. “There is a horde that is building their forces, its estimated to be somewhere between fifteen hundred and three thousand monsters. We are building alliances with other group to make a play against them. We are planning on using the horde as a way to level the low-level people.”
“You want to use a horde to power level newbies?” Mauro asked, displeasure clear. “Instead of focusing and leveling our higher-level people.”
“We have allied with the military and Sarah’s group, both of which have low levels. If Anchorage is to survive, we must raise the average level of the entire community.” Marie explained.
“Not a chance,” Mauro disagreed. “Our people above level ten need that experience to evolve. Those at level zero don’t deserve to be handed that kind of strength. They are better off taking crafting classes to gain experience.”
“I’m not here to dictate who you bring,” Derek said. “Bring whoever you want; it’s your crew and your decision.”
“Damn right.”
Derek gave him a look of irritation. “The military has promised fifty men with guns and ammo. We have eight. Sarah’s group probably has…”
“Five.” Mauro stated. “Her group is weak and nearly helpless. If it wasn’t for her husband, they’d all be dead. He’s the only one with any strength. I’ll contribute twenty to the raid, including myself. But we want the leader.”
Derek started to argue, but stopped when Marie nudged him. “Fine. We can agree to that.”
“What are the loot rights?” Mauro asked.
“Each team gets an equal portion.“ Derek replied instantly.
“We want first pick.”
“No.” Derek replied.
“Fine, I’ll agree to that since you are giving us the leader.”
“We’ll let you know when we’re attacking. I’m guessing three days from now,” Derek stated. “The others need time to prepare.
“Sounds good.”
As they left, Marie slipped her hand into Derek’s, gripping tightly. He squeezed back. They walked in tense silence back to their truck, where the others waited. Despite the mission’s success, they felt uneasy.
Marie broke the quiet first. “That was…”
“A pain in the ass,” Derek finished grimly.
Marie nodded; brow furrowed. She had seen the satisfaction in Mauro’s eyes during the slaughter. It unsettled her.
“An alliance with The Watchers could be dangerous,” Derek said. “Mauro is cunning and ruthless. We’ll have to be cautious.”
Marie sighed, raking a hand through her hair. “I know. But we need people to level to face what’s coming. Mauro provides that… For now,” Marie replied darkly, gazing up at the steel-gray sky “A storm is brewing. I feel it.”
Derek followed her eyes. Ominous clouds were gathering, reflecting the tension that gripped Anchorage.
He pulled Marie close. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”
She leaned into him, drawing comfort from his solid strength. But as the first raindrops fell, she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding.