Page 36 of The Outsider
He laughed. “Well, let me know if you need a hand. In the meantime, I’ll keepwatch.”
He stepped back, his gaze intensifying as I slowly lifted my shirt up over my head, teasing him with what was to come.
Chapter 11
Claire
Our days were long and tiring. We covered as much ground on the bikes as we could, through forests and fields, stopping to scavenge for supplies and food when the opportunity arose. Keeping ourselves fed while trying to move quickly wasn’t easy, but so far, we’d managed. Our luck ran out, however, when Kimmy took stock of our ammunition supply.
“We’re almost out of ammo,” she said to John, whose brow furrowed with worry. “We can’t keep going without more. We’ll have to make a stop.”
“Where?” Asha asked.
“Little River’s closest,” Kimmy answered. “Last I remember, they were still open to trading with everyone…even if it was mostly gangs.”
John pulled a map and compass out of his pack. He examined the map, biting his lip in concentration.
“What’s Little River?” I asked.
“Wepassed through a few times while we searched the area for PNCs,” he replied. “Not a place I’m dying to revisit, to tell you the truth.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it’s a trash heap,” Asha cut in coldly. “And despite what a shithole it is, the people are still the worst part of the place.”
“So you’ve been there?” I asked, a little intimidated by her tone.
“Unfortunately,” she replied, glowering.
John folded up the map and stashed it away but kept his compass out.
“Sadly, unless you can magic more ammo out of thin air, this is what we’ve got,” he said, then turned to me and kissed my forehead. “Sorry, baby. Wouldn’t take you there if I had a choice, but…we need to trade. The area is totally picked clean, and we won’t find ammo for weeks otherwise.”
“Can’t Asha and I stay behind?” I asked, and to my surprise, John pulled me aside.
“I’m not leaving you alone with her,” he said in a low voice, so only I could hear. “I don’t trust her.”
I swallowed. “I’m sure I—”
“No,” he cut in firmly. “I told you; I won’t risk you for her sake. You’re coming with us.”
His stern expression told me he wasn’t going to budge. I nodded.
“It’ll be fine,” I said, sounding surer than I felt. “I can handle it.”
“I know you can. But stay close to me, alright? And try not to make eye contact with people.”
That didn’t exactly sound promising, but I nodded. “What do we have to trade?”
“Ironically, extra ammo,” John said wryly. “Just not for the guns we have.
They also always need food. We’ll stop to hunt on the way.”
He slung his pack over his shoulder and walked over to his bike.
“Do they not grow any food?” I asked as we set off on our bikes. Asha rode ahead of us, Kimmy on the handlebars, chatting away as had become usual for them.
John shrugged. “Sure, but how much is left after the gangs take their cut is debatable.”
