In the morning

As quietly as you can, you reach the underground lair and find a spot. Everyone’s living like rabbits here - even at your lowest point you couldn’t say you were hiding in a bunker that was tucked away from the world. On the bright side, you don’t think it could get any worse. Kenji seems to have returned, which probably means they’ll be some good news for you in the morning?

...Or that's what you hoped. You are woken up by the others stirring. Scarlet is half asleep against the wall, staring at you with a blank expression. She chews on the insides of her mouth and announces you’re awake. All the chatter that you didn’t notice at first flat lines. All of a sudden you feel about 8 eyes are on you. You clear your throat and shuffle. “Good morning, everyone.”

“Morning,” Flora says in a hopeful tune. Kenji looks at her for a few seconds before dragging his stare back at you.

“We are in a storm of a fuck, my friend.” his voice is low and his expression is deadly.

You straighten and stand. “What do you need me to do this time?”

“Nothing,” he replies. “I don’t need you to do anything yet.”

Yet. You shrug and look at the others, they all share a somewhat worried glance. Well, everyone besides Flora, who seems aware she won’t be involved in whatever fuckery is happening.

“It'll be lonely for most of you and Flora for a few days. I’m taking Scarlet and Alexandra up to a…”

“Settlement,” Scarlet fills the blank suddenly.

“Yeah, a settlement further out towards the Heights location.” Kenji continued. “Just a little bit of a wide patrol for a bit.”

“I hope you’re not planning on keeping me in the dark here.” You interject.

“It’s complicated,” Scarlet chased you. “I don’t think you’d really care anyway.”

“We’re all on the same boat, I deserve to know what’s happening.”

“It’s a little out of your way, and doesn’t involve your contract.” Kenji was quick to keep his spot in the conversation.

“It sounds like my contract is in danger of being prematurely terminated. What’s happening?”

“It’s Amari,” Scarlet sighed.

“Even I could have guessed that much. What about her?”

“She’s...She’s kinda roped into some kind of weird militia group, we have to break her out so we can continue our work.” Kenji explained. “And, unfortunately, they got their little settlement locked down tighter than a turtle's asshole.”

Flora groaned. “Kenji!”

He broke his stare and tilted his head at her slightly, giving a silent apology. “I’d love to play it slow, but with winter right around the corner, we can’t exactly pussyfoot around and make multiple trips back and forth between here and the Heights. Not in Montana.”

“So, where am I in all of this?”

“Right here,” Kenji pointed down. “You’re staying with Flora as I work with the others to get Amari out.”

“That’s shit.”

He shrugs. “I’m sure something will pop up during this exchange with our friends in the North, just don’t hurt yourself while we’re out, yeah? Alexandra is our runner, so you’ll see her often.”

You broke eye contact with him and stared at her. She smiled a little, training her hazel eyes on you. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on giving you novels.”