The journey west with the two hunters was silent.
The group maintained a tense silence which resembled the stealthy movement of predators who kept their eyes on each other while waiting for someone to make the first attack.
Reid revealed his identity to Ethan while keeping his rifle at the ready position and frequently checking behind him to show he was observing Ethan. It was not a pleasant experience, but he could live with it.
The woman, Kara, walked light and fast, her spear casually resting on her shoulder while her eyes flicked constantly to the treeline.
They weren’t nervous. They were hunting, even now. Ethan just didn’t know if he was prey or partner.
The group navigated areas which Ethan would have avoided on his own; through low marsh where acid mist clung to the ground, stretches of deadfall where trees had toppled like dominos, a ridge of black stone that crumbled underfoot if you stepped wrong.
Each time, Reid and Kara moved with the confidence of people who’d been this way many times before.
The group stopped twice to reveal hidden snare lines and trapwires that lay near the ground between rocks which would have caused fatal injuries to any unsuspecting animal that encountered them.
By the time the mist thinned and the dark shapes of crude barricades appeared ahead, Ethan’s guard had sharpened to a razor edge.
The camp existed as a fortified scar which had been carved into the wilderness rather than a settlement.
A ring wall was formed by broken cars and scavenged steel plates and concrete slabs. Inside, the ground was trampled flat, the air heavy with the smell of smoke, sweat, and something cooking over a central fire.
Four other figures stood as they approached, weapons in hand.
Reid raised a hand. "He’s with us".
The others didn’t lower their weapons immediately. A tall man with a shaved head and a jagged scar running from brow to jaw looked Ethan over with a slow, assessing glare.
"Another stray?" he said.
Kara smirked. "Not just a stray, he’s Awakened".
That got a reaction. A murmur ran through the group. The scarred man’s lips curled into something between amusement and challenge.
Ethan’s jaw tightened. "What, now?"
"Now," the scarred man said. "Everyone who stays here pulls their weight, and everyone with powers proves they’re worth the food they eat".
Ethan had his doubts about whether his special ability would ever work at all.
But before he could overthink, the wheel in his mind suddenly started to spin rapidly as if the system itself grasped the social implications.
[Improvisation Draw Activated: Controlled Environment Detected]
[Improvised Gear: Shock Fang Gauntlet!] Follow current novels on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
>Electrified striking gauntlet. Contact delivers high-voltage discharge capable of stunning targets for 5 seconds. Limited charge – 3 uses.
A crude metal glove appeared above his right forearm while blue electrical sparks danced across its metallic ridges. Ethan stepped forward into the open.
"Pick someone," he said flatly.
He didn’t wait, immediately lunging forward with a speed that told Ethan exactly what kind of Awakened he was.
Ethan ducked under the blow, jammed the gauntlet into the man’s ribs, and ruthlessly fired.
The air crackled, blue light flashing as Scar’s body locked in place. He stumbled back, teeth gritted against the shock.
A ripple of approval, low whistles and muttered comments ran through the camp. Some smiled his way.
Reid chuckled. "Guess you pass".
Kara tilted her head, watching him with a new king of interest. "Not bad for someone walking alone out here".
Ethan deactivated the gauntlet which returned to its non-existent state. The others viewed him differently after that because they saw him as a valuable addition to their group and as a possible danger to their group.
As night fell, Ethan learned more.
There were seven people in the camp, him included, all Awakened except one scavenger who acted as their cook and medic.
Reid was a Marksman. His Special Ability could slow his perception of time in short bursts, letting him place impossibly precise shots.
Kara was a close-combat specialist. Her special ability’s effects of enhanced agility and bone density made her frighteningly hard to pin down.
Scar, whose real name was Jonas was a brute force Awakened. His special ability gave him muscle density and regeneration pushed far beyond human limits.
There was Mira, an Elemental Awakened. Her special ability enabled her to control localized bursts of wind strong enough to deflect arrows or stagger charging beasts.
Then there was Holt, a Tracker. He could read environmental signs with uncanny precision, almost like the land itself whispered to him.
They worked as a unit. Efficient. Deadly.
Ethan kept his answers short when they asked about his power, giving just enough to seem capable without revealing exactly how his improvisation worked.
Some of them might have respected him for surviving along. Others looked at him the way Kara had earlier; like she was already thinking about the easiest way to kill him if she had to.
Later, Reid sat with him by the fire, the rest of the group scattered around the camp perimeter.
"You’ve got skill. Not many survive long enough to find us, let alone alone". Reid’s eyes gleamed in the firelight. "You stay with us, we keep you alive, you keep us alive. Simple".
Ethan studied him. "And if I say no?"
Reid shrugged. "Then you walk out tomorrow morning with what you came in with. But the road west is worse than anything you’ve seen yet. Quarantine zone’s a long way, and no one makes it there alone".
At that moment, the system interface flared again.
[Decision Point: Potential Alignment with Survivor Faction]
Ethan’s eyes flickered toward the wheel, then back to Reid. "I’ll think about it".
Reid smiled like a man who already knew the answer. "Do that. But if you’re staying, tomorrow we hunt together. And then we’ll see what you’re really worth".
As the fire crackled and the mist thickened outside the barricades, Ethan lay awake, rope harness at his side out of habit.
He wasn’t sure if he’d found allies or walked straight into the wolves’ den.
Either way, tomorrow would tell him.