New Friends

'New home my ass, this place is sketchy,' I think as I can finally fully absorb the lobby.

The large crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the room tells me that this was one of the high-class buildings that had been built in our area. But, the destroyed lobby indicated everything but that.

In one corner of the room there, all the decorative pieces that weren't nailed down were piled until they were nothing more than debris. The extravagant plants that once provided the area with a sense of tranquility now peek out from beneath an assortment of couches, TVs, and a wooden desk. There even appears to be a pool table hidden in the cluttered mess.

This leaves nothing in the lobby except the essentials.

A ladder leans against the exterior wall, right under a window sill on the second floor of the tall room. I could make out the feet of someone hanging off the large ledge, probably the sniper. The faint mark of where the furniture had imprinted into the luxurious carpet would likely be lost with time, leaving nothing but an empty room.

"Bruce, Mike, Garret, get down here!" Jackie's sudden shout causes me to jump.

It seems that I'll be meeting this small group immediately.

Three men eventually gathered at her request. With how uncaring they seem when responding, I throw out the idea of them having any official training. Seeing them up close, I notice that they all look in their early to mid-30s, surprising me.

The first person to approach me is the taller man I had met outside. His figure seems much less intimidating now that he has changed into more casual clothing. 'Perhaps his shift is over?'

"Bruce Williamson, Nice to meet'cha!" He approaches as if he's going to hug me while I take a step back.

"We met outside. Forgive me if I don't feel like a hug right now," I immediately state my stance and glare at the stranger.

"Aww, you can't hold that against us, can'ya?" He didn't push the request for a hug but didn't ignore the cold response he received, "You can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same?"

"Bruce, cut it out and give him some slack. The jackass almost killed him with that warning shot, and we roughed him up. He's allowed to be pissed," The short man from outside interjected, killing the subject.

'He definitely holds weight,' I thought, inspecting the new man closely.

He was noticeably smaller than his counterpart and didn't look intimidating in the slightest, wearing loose anime sweatpants, definitely not suiting a man of his age. But, there was something in the way that he carried himself. He didn't have an aura of defeat that his partner did, standing straight and moving with purpose in every step.

"Garret or Mike?" My initiative in the conversation makes the middle-aged man smile.

"Mike's the name, Mike Swanson." He raises his hand to greet me with a wave but maintains his distance, "I'd be pissed if I were in your shoes, too."

Seemingly the understanding one of the bunch, Mike continues to explain that they are in charge of internal security. He gave a quick tour by pointing out the essential sites in the lobby—the bathrooms, the restricted hallways, and Jackie's office.

"She's got the good stuff in there, but we don't mess with it. Don't piss her off, or you'll end up back there." He motions to the windowless, empty room I had just exited, "That's where we hold people for safety reasons."

"Stop trying to scare him. He's joining our team," Jackie asserted from the side. "Look, no one is going to be locking you up. It's more like a containment room until we figure out what is happening. I'll have these guys prepare your apartment for you soon."

"My apartment?" I ask, tilting my head in confusion.

"Yeah, dumbass, did you think we'd fill the whole building with just us?" The final man didn't pull any punches as he joined the conversation, still gripping his rifle.

I catch a glimpse of Jackie's stern glare aimed at him.

"You're the sniper, Garret, right?" I calmly question the man in an attempt to introduce myself.

"Oh shit, keen observation!" His eyes glance at the large scope attached to his rifle, "How'd you guess?"

'Band of idiots… I think I understand.' I sigh internally as I make a mental note to avoid pissing off these old men. They may be unstable.

"Jackie, we don't need to be wasting ammunition on warning shots!" He raises his voice as he approaches the self-proclaimed leader, "We have to do things differently!"

"Garret, enough!" Not being flustered by his raised voice, she responds in a cold but firm manner while slapping him across the face.

"If you wish to discuss things with me, you can wait until we're in my office." Jackie made her stance on the subject known and immediately shut down any attempt at a counterargument. "Return to your spot. Bruce, find a nice apartment for our newest family member. Until then, I need to talk to Alex."

The men disperse without any hesitation and slowly get to work.

'They don't seem to be ignoring her leadership. They just lack discipline.' My previous thoughts that her leadership was at risk is shaking up to be wrong. 'As it is, the only things at risk are their lives.'

"Please, come with me." The beautiful woman grabs me by the hand and leads me to her office.

It's a simple room with a couch, desk, and chair, there's a faux potted fern sitting in the corner, and the overall atmosphere is rather drab. It likely belonged to the apartment management before the outbreak.

She motions for me to sit on the couch as she closes the door. I sink into the plush leather furniture and appreciate the luxurious feeling. My eyes drift to the lovely figure at the door as I watch her stride to the desk.

Sitting on top of the desk and leaning forward slightly, she begins her explanation,

I gulp as I take in her new position. Her arms are behind her on the desk, but her torso is bent slightly forward, greatly accentuating her breasts, even through the camouflaged blouse.

"So, as I said, we'll consider you part of the family, but we can't do it so easily." She unzips her top, allowing it to fall open, exposing a simple white tank top and slight cleavage beneath.

Unsure of the direction the conversation is going, I remain silent.

"The truth is, we'll have to test you. Like I said, we need people that can survive outside…" Her eyes glance away from mine before returning, "I can't give you a firearm, but we need to do a supply run."

"You're sending me out immediately? Am I just being thrown away?" I couldn't help but scoff at the change of events.

Speaking about family right before asking the newest member to be a sacrifice. Seriously?

"No, no, no! You wouldn't be going alone." Her face reddened slightly, perhaps because of the stuffy nature of the small office, as she added, "I'll come with you."

She explains that because there is no relationship between the group and me, I can't be given a firearm at this point, but she will bring one for herself. The danger of the run will be reduced significantly, and it will go a long way to proving myself to the others.

Still, there was no need for the run to be immediate.

We agreed that, before taking the risk, we both could use a good meal and a night of sleep. Waiting for the sun to be at its peak is our only option for exploring the area anyway.

After agreeing to give me a better quality knife that is functional, rather than decorative, we return to the lobby. The sun is beginning to set, and this building has already lost power, so Mike approaches with two flashlights in hand. He also offers an invitation to eat a communal meal in the abandoned lobby.

The awkwardness seems to lessen as dinner passes.

The guys weren't bad people; they just had a different mindset. Integrating with the older men was as simple as opening up a little more. Eventually, they asked me questions about the outside as if they hadn't spent much time beyond the walls of this fortress.

Eventually, dinner is cold, and everyone is full. We have another long day ahead of ourselves in tomorrow's apocalypse, so we decide to head to bed. Unsure of where I'm supposed to go, I ask the kinder of the three, Mike, for guidance.

He escorts me to a hallway on the second floor before we arrive in front of a generic wooden door. 'They must have had great security in this building. Nobody even upgraded their doors.'

"Don't mind the doorknob. We have to remove them for everyone. Things would be much more convenient if we had keys, but we make due." Mike chuckles as he sees me staring blankly at the destroyed latch. "The only one with a locking door is Jackie, and she deserves the privacy."

'That must be why she sent Bruce…' I thought as images of the smaller Mike struggling with a doorknob entered my mind.

"If you have any questions, I advise you to wait until morning. There isn't a risk here, but it can be like a maze at night." He motioned at the upper floors where the rest of the team would be staying.

I bid him farewell and thanked him for his time before entering my new apartment. As soon as I'm alone, questions begin to fill my mind. 'Where are the original occupants? Why didn't the scout team come to dinner? Will she really be there to protect me tomorrow?'

Afraid of answering any of the questions, I shine my hand-held torch deep into the dwelling and seek a bed.