Chapter 23 - Drive

"So, we good to go?" Oliver asked the officer while showing the insignia to him.

The guard nodded in response, "Yeah. Let them through." The officer signaled the guards that were responsible for opening the barricade.

The guards shifted in response and opened the barricade, clearing the way for the group to leave. Oliver put back the insignia in his pocket, wary that the guards would make the guards be aware that they're so-called "evolvers."

Rynold and Oliver then went back inside the car and started it. The group tried to finally leave the city but Elle's boyfriend suddenly knocked on the window of the passenger seat which Rynold was currently sitting in.

"Hey, thanks again for letting my Elle get back to me," the statement that the boyfriend said was somewhat sincere but what came next could only be understood as sarcastic. "Good luck out there." He let out a subtle smirk that made him think superior.

But, in truth, Rynold only saw of it that this guy's a massive idiot that deserves a swift punch to the face. It's funny, Rynold thought, that Elle and this idiot deserved each other.

"Thanks," Rynold responded. He pulled the window back up and nodded to Oliver for him to leave. Oliver drove the car out of the barricade and left the city. They finally managed to leave after what felt like a long period of time in the city.

The daylight was starting to dim as the sky turned to dusk. The drive just to reach the exit took a long time and it didn't help that they spent some time convincing Oliver's parents and the barricade guards.

Regardless, Rynold was satisfied. They finally were able to leave the city! But what's bothering him now is what he should do on the way to the countryside where his family was. The group could constantly drive out there but the problem was that their growth in strength would stagnate.

"There's a rest stop a few miles down that we could stay for the night," Jack said as he noticed the sign that they passed through.

"Sounds like a plan," Rynold agreed. "What do you know about that guy that talked to us just before we left?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow that made Rynold ask, "What's with the look? I'm just curious."

"Sure, sure," Oliver nodded sarcastically.

"Pfft," Jack stifled a laugh before responding to the question that Rynold asked. "The guy's a superstar, apparently. He was actually some rich bureaucrat that came from a rich family that has ties with the Ark City government. Basically, the guy skipped all formal training and got to be captain in just a few days."

"So, long story short, he's just some guy that got the lottery in terms of family and inheritance," Rynold just nodded at what Jack said. This confirmed his earlier assumption and it was as if they were made for each other.

"Why the hell did you guys date in the first place?" Jack suddenly asked. He couldn't help but be curious.

Skye interjected, saying, "that's a story for another time. I still remember the day you told us that you started dating her." Oliver also nodded in agreement. Their friendship dated back a few years even before Rynold dated Elle but they still remembered the day that Rynold told them.

"Yeah, another time," Rynold sighed at the memory and they drove silently for a few moments until they reached the rest stop that they were supposed to stop at. It was just a simple motel that was just a short exit from the highway.

Oliver parked the truck at the relatively empty parking space that the motel had and the group got out of the car. The lights of the motel were flickering on and off. It seemed that the power was starting to go out from the dawn of the New World.

'Eh, that should be fine,' Rynold thought nothing of the creepy flickering lights that looked like something that came out of a horror movie.

The group went into the office and approached the check-in guest and rang the bell. The place was a bit off-putting since there didn't seem to be anybody there. Rynold kept ringing the bell but the thing was, there really wasn't anybody inside the office. Or literally anywhere in and around the motel area.

Well, that was until a rustle came from outside the office.

It was a ghoul. The ghoul was relatively low leveled and has casual clothes on that looked like the ghoul was the manager of the motel.

Rynold sighed at the ghoul and went outside the office. He didn't even bother to run up to it and casually approached the desk manager ghoul. Without even thinking it, Rynold activated Charging Fist and smashed his gauntlets onto the ghoul's head.

Instant death. The ghoul turned to dust so easily, it was like punching a pillow. The ghoul dropped another copper gear, thankfully. Rynold swiftly picked up the loot and went back to where his friends were.

"Alright, looks like this place is abandoned. Everybody choose what you guys want to do," Rynold raised his finger like he was going to raise a point. "I," he paused for suspense, "will go get some sleep."

Rynold went to the office and grabbed one of the keys for the first floor. As much as abandoned and creepy the motel is, the room seemed adequate enough for them to rest in. He threw a key to Oliver and a key to Jack.

"You're going to sleep with her, right?" Rynold asked Oliver. Before even waiting for him to reply, "just don't make too much noise. Some of us are going to try to get some sleep." Rynold sent out a cheeky smile before leaving the happy couple alone and went into one of the first-floor rooms of the motel.

Rynold opened the bathroom and tried to freshen up. He pulled some freshwater from his inventory and soaked a towel.

Meanwhile, Oliver and Skye were staying in a room together, the details of which are something that is not meant to be discussed. Jack, on the other hand, was trying to break open a vending machine now that money doesn't mean anything.

Out of everything that Jack could've done, he decided to pull his Mana Rifle from his inventory and physically broke the glass of the vending machine. It was easy when he used blunt force and decidedly grabbed a bunch of snacks. He ate some chips while he was walking toward his room.

There really wasn't anything worth noting during the night as the group slept away. The night was quiet and the group had plenty of rest.

The next day, the group boarded the pickup truck once more and left towards the rural area where Rynold grew up in.

Gradually, the city faded in the background when the group finally exited the highway and took the road less traveled. Weirdly enough, the shrubbery and forest that surrounded the road looked overgrown. It was messy and looked like it grew wildly.

The last time he took this road, Rynold remembered that the entire field that surrounded the road was actually more like a plain where farmers worked but this time it looked different. Way too different. 'The Red Rain must've mutated some of the flora and fauna,' Rynold thought.

He told Oliver to speed up. Rynold was worried about what happened to the town he grew up in. It didn't help that they were a fishing town. He most definitely didn't want to get back home only to realize his home was bitten by some giant fish.

Oliver sped up the car without a care in the world. The roads were clear after all, making him push the accelerator to the limit without stopping. Along the way, Rynold and the rest slept for a while until it reached dusk. instead of camping out this time, Rynold decided to just split the drive, so that they could get home faster.

As much as he wanted to get home as soon as possible, Rynold stepped out of the truck to relieve himself. He approached a nearby tree, pulled down his zipper, and went.

Halfway through comforting himself, he heard a howl coming from deep in the woods.

'That's weird,' Rynold thought. 'There shouldn't be any sort of wildlife here for miles, especially not what sounds like a wolf."

Oliver was resting his head against the door and jolted awake when Rynold knocked on the window, signaling him to get down from the car to talk. Jack noticed and followed Oliver down.

"Did you hear that?" Rynold asked the annoyed Oliver.

He shook his head no while Jack apparently heard the loud howl from the car. Rynold then explained what he heard and asked if they wanted to check it out or not. It wouldn't make sense for Rynold to go in alone, especially since it was night when Oliver had the obvious advantage.

"I guess we should," Oliver replied. "Beats sitting around in a car all day. Besides, I'm aching for some action now."