We had one more stop before the meeting with Nadia.
And I had one more goodbye to say.
Before heading out, I stopped by the far corner of the camp.
Eli was sitting upright now, still pale, still quiet, but more present than the night before. He watched people pass by without flinching, though his shoulders hunched slightly anytime someone walked too close.
I crouched in front of him. "How are you feeling?"
His lips parted, but it took a second before words came out. "Better. I mean… I'm not okay, but I'm not seeing things anymore."
"That's progress." I rested my arms on my knees. "I wanted to ask… Before, when that woman approached your group, do you remember where she came from?"
He frowned, brow furrowing in concentration. "I think… I think she came from the west side. There was this broken escalator and a mural of kids holding balloons. One of the stores there smelled like firewood. Candles maybe. She showed up right after we passed that place."
It wasn't much, but it narrowed things down.
"Thanks," I said. "That helps."
He gave a small nod, then glanced around. "Everyone's getting ready to move again?"
"Yeah. We've got a possible meeting coming up. We're trying to get ahead of whatever Nadia's planning."
His jaw tensed, but he didn't protest.
"If you ever feel ready to fight," I added, "you let me know. Until then, you're safe here."
He nodded again, slower this time.
I stood, heading back toward the staging area—and nearly collided with Sol.
He stood there, arms crossed, that bow now slung neatly over his back. His expression was all sharp angles and something just shy of concern.
"You're going now?" he asked.
"Soon."
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small, flat stone, smooth and black, with a single scratch across the middle.
"I found it on the third floor," he muttered. "Thought it looked cool, but… I want you to have it. Lucky charm or whatever."
I smiled faintly and took it. "Thanks. I'll keep it close."
"Don't get cocky just because you're sneaky."
"Don't get snarky just because you're smart."
He rolled his eyes but stepped forward and hugged me briefly, firmly, and uncharacteristically tight.
"I'll be fine," I said, resting my chin lightly on his curls. "You keep the camp safe while I'm gone."
"You always say that like I won't."
"Good. Keep proving me right."
He stepped back, and I turned to find Nicole waiting a few paces away, adjusting her gear.
Logan passed her on the way out, pausing just long enough to say, "Don't die."
Nicole gave him a crooked smile. "You wish."
"You still owe me that drink."
"Then I'll make sure I come back."
With that, we fell into step together, two shadows peeling off from the rest, one step closer to whatever trap or truth Nadia had waiting.
Logan Greene's POV
Logan moved through the empty corridor with measured steps, the echo of his boots dulled by scattered trash and blood-slicked tile. The mall was quieter now. No distant shrieks. No skittering claws. Just the kind of silence that made your thoughts louder.
He should've checked on them sooner.
Wei Shen's group had been steady, quiet. Self-sufficient enough to make it easy to forget they were still vulnerable. He hadn't forgotten them out of carelessness, just out of necessity. Too many fires to put out at once. Leveling up and making sure everyone on his team was staying alive was a handful.
Still forgetting Wei Shen didn't sit right. Everyone, except Jasmine, Viktor, and the task force, is a civilian, and it is their sworn duty to protect them.
He adjusted the strap on his backpack and exhaled slowly.
This wasn't about learning to lead. He already knew how. Nicole made sure of that long before the world fell apart. But leadership in war zones was one thing because we know who and what we are fighting. Now we have to fight little green rabies children who do everything in their power to kill you.
He passed a broken toy kiosk and paused. A child's shoe lay half-buried in dust. Logan stared at it for a beat longer than necessary, then kept walking.
He'd been trained to sweep, to check corners, to never leave gaps, but he did, and it won't happen again.
The hallway leading to the furniture store was quieter than it should've been.
Logan moved in a low, steady stride, hand never far from the hilt of his blade. His eyes tracked shadows, ears tuned for anything out of place. But it wasn't goblins that had his nerves tight; it was the people ahead. What if they were attacked? What if they had to move? If so, where would they have gone?
Logan shook his head, trying to push away those thoughts. He will find out what happened to them when he gets there.
As he rounded the last bend, the barricade came into view, a wall of overturned chairs and metal frames reinforced with wire and shelving. Two men stood at the entrance, both armed with makeshift spears and padded armor crafted from thick bedding and duct tape.
They tensed immediately.
"Hold it," one barked. "Name."
"Logan Greene," he said calmly, raising his hands slightly. "I visited here about a day or two ago. My team leader is Jasmine. Jasmine West."
The two exchanged a glance. "You're alone?"
"My team's holding the hall. Jasmine sent me to check in. We've got a proposal."
They hesitated. Logan could see the doubt and caution in their eyes.
"Give me a second, let me ask if anyone knows a Jasmine West." One of the guards said before pulling out a radio.
The guard walked away to get confirmation, and the other kept glaring at him. Logan sighed before taking a step back and trying not to look threatening.
It didn't take long for the guard to come back.
"Come through. Wei Shen's inside," he said, gesturing with his spear.