"Seriously, it was Nicole's voice, alright? I'm not lying, I swear!" Maverick pleaded, handing the old, dusty radio over to Waylen, sitting at the front.
"From that bloody thing?" Eli questioned, giving Maverick an unconvinced look.
"I'm so freaking serious!" Maverick exclaimed, getting impatient when no one believed him.
Axelle sighed. "Alright, say it was Nicole's voice. What did you hear?"
"Something about Ruby being 'off goddamn limits', or something." Rexine put a hand in front of her, gesturing for her brother to stop talking.
"Ruby? He's defending Ruby while willingly being in their presence and choosing them over her?"
Dave sighed, but said nothing. Ruby listened, eyes slightly widened, "Are you.. like, one-hundred percent sure he said that about me?"
"Unless my ears are deaf, yeah, I'm sure." Maverick replied, watching Waylen play with the radio.
"Maverick, what other part of your body would be deaf ?" Darren spoke up. He was sure it was a stupid question, but couldn't help but to ask anyway.
"Uh, my eyes?"
"Maverick, dude, that's called being blind. Not deaf." Waylen replied with a sigh. Maverick sure was a funny dude, that was for sure. In addition to being dumb, of course.
Perry sighed. Perry thought there wasn't much they could do in this case, they had a whole organization, after all. "Where do we head next?"
Silence, followed by the soft hum of the van. "…Let's.. head to a mall or place? We could—" Rexine's voice rang through, only to get cut off.
"Actually.." Darren hesitantly interrupted. "Dave and I are.. going." Darren explained, avoiding Perry's eyes.
"Going? Wh— are you insane?" Perry repeated, not mad, but quite surprised.
"Look.. there's someone that.. It's complicated. But.. trust us, alright? We're capable of handling ourselves. We'll keep in touch, how about it?"
Perry stared at Darren, hoping that he was just joking. But it was silent.
"…Is it.. mom and dad?" Perry quietly asked.
"How'd you—"
"They're my parents too."
"I'm sorry, but it's different. You're.. not.."
"I know I'm not blood related, Darren. Does that make them or you guys less my family?" Perry was upset. She felt.. betrayed. More than when Nicole left. Darren glanced at her and frowned a bit. Dave didn't say anything. The rest of the group didn't interfere either.
"…No." Dave replied to Perry's question.
"They're.. dead." Perry quietly muttered.
"..What?" Darren said, finally his eyes trailing up to Perry's eyes.
"..I searched for them. They sent me a message, so I went. But.. they're.. gone, guys." The atmosphere was solemn and heavy. Dave abruptly turned around, facing the window instead now.
Darren stared at Perry— as if he'd seen a ghost. The only difference being; he wouldn't be that upset to see one.
"You're joking, right?" Darren said, trying to convince himself, refusing to believe Perry's words.
"…There's still someone I want to find." Dave interrupted the conversation again. This time, he was serious. His tone was different.
Suddenly, Dave opened the car door. He exited, slamming the door shut.
Oh boy. He was upset as hell.
Perry said nothing. She glanced out the window, only to see Dave leaving. He wasn't turning back, or pacing back and forth. Only forth.
"Is.. is he leaving?" she mumbled, turning to face the window.
"Let him be if he wants. He'll return if he feels like it." Darren slumped a bit in his seat, also glancing at Dave.
"…What about we drive around to see if we can get service for the radio?" Waylen suggested.
"…Can I dri—"
"No!" Shouted Axelle, Waylen and Rexine all in unison. By that reaction, anyone who's experienced his driving would know that it was Eli.
"Bloody hell.." he muttered, then went quiet.
Waylen, still being seated on the driver's seat, started driving without any further explanation.
The time passed in a haze, as the group tried their very best to get in contact with Nicole—or whoever was on the other end of the radio. Although, unfortunately that was to no avail. The radio wouldn't pick up anything, no matter where they went.
"We tried bloody everything!" Eli exclaimed with an exasperated sigh.
"Come on, don't let your hopes down so easily. Darren is, like, tech savvy. He can track it down, right, Darren?" Maverick called him out, far too cheerfully.
"No, I mean I don't know what I'd do without ya, Mave.." Darren added, "seriously." he mumbled dryly and sarcastically.
"Let's just drive somewhere else for now. I think I know a place." Waylen said, before turning back ahead.
Without any further information, Waylen started driving as if he owned the place, making sharp turns and speeding.
"Waylen, what's wrong with you??" Axelle shouted from the back.
"I'm just driving, what's wrong with that?" Waylen replied, continuing to drive like a maniac.
"Yeah like a drunkard!" she complained, holding onto whatever she could.
Waylen finally stepped on the breaks.
"We're here." he stated proudly.
"This is the place?" Christian asked, trying not to sound rude.
Ruby nudged him with her elbow, side-eyeing him.
"What? I asked nicely." Christian mumbled to Ruby.
"Is that the bloody movie theatre, lad?" Eli raised an eyebrow as Waylen parked nearby.
"Yeah, what about it?" Waylen replied, getting out of the vehicle.
When Waylen got out, Eli rolled his eyes and mocked Waylen. " 'Yeah, what about it?'." he mumbled in a mocking tone, making Axelle snicker.
The group got out of the car, following Waylen's lead.
"Dude, do you even know where you're leading us?" Maverick asked, walking beside Rexine.
"Don't worry, we used to come here all the time before, we're familiar with the place." Axelle answered.
When the group got inside, they quickly realized it was a big place. Obviously there were some zombies around, but nothing they couldn't handle easily.
"This place is massive!"¹ Ruby exclaimed, looking around.
Waylen lunged at a zombie, taking it down.. quite impulsively. Axelle sighed, walking past him.
"Let's go inside." Axelle said, mainly to Waylen, assuming the rest would follow.
"Lady gaga would rock this place.."
"Now.. Maverick— what is that supposed to mean?" Darren raised an eyebrow, sighing.
¹ you know what else is massive..