Chapter 436 The Road’s Not Hers
Heidi and Reece’s words wouldn’t leave Barrett’s head.
<b>+5 </b>Free Coins
<i>If </i><i>she’s </i><i>telling </i><i>the </i><i>truth </i>and <i>there’s </i><i>really </i><i>some </i><i>big </i><i>alliance </i><i>out </i><i>there</i><i>, </i><i>that’s </i><i>where </i><i>we </i><i>need </i><i>to </i><i>head</i>. <i>If </i><i>she’s </i><i>bluffing</i><i>… </i><i>doesn’t </i><i>matter</i><i>. </i><i>People </i><i>like </i><i>her </i><i>don’t </i><ie </i><i>from </i><i>dumps </i><i>like </i><i>ours</i>.
<i>That </i><i>look </i><i>in her </i><i>eyes</i><i>–</i><i>sharp</i>, <i>steady</i><i>–</i><i>you </i><i>can’t </i><i>fake </i><i>that </i><i>kind </i><i>of </i><i>presence</i>. <i>She’s </i><i>got </i><i>color </i><i>in </i><i>her </i><i>cheeks</i>, <i>walks </i><i>like </i><i>someone </i><i>who </i><i>hasn’t </i><i>gone </i><i>hungry </i><i>in </i><i>years</i>. <i>Her </i><i>gear’s </i><i>top</i><i>–</i><i>tier</i><i>, </i><i>not </i><i>scavenged </i><i>junk</i><i>, </i><i>and </i><i>the </i><i>food </i><i>she </i><i>gave </i><i>those </i><i>kids</i><i>? </i><i>Miles </i><i>better </i><i>than </i><i>the </i><i>watered</i><i>–</i>down slop we’ve <i>been </i><i>choking </i><i>down</i>.
Even <i>if </i><i>this </i><i>“</i><i>big </i><i>alliance</i><i>” </i><i>is </i><i>just </i><i>smoke </i><i>and </i><i>mirrors</i><i>, </i><i>her </i><i>camp’s </i><i>doing </i><i>something </i><i>right</i><i>. </i><i>Tha </i><i>worth </i><i>the </i><i>gamble</i>.
He’d told himself a dozen times already–follow her. Then her voice cut in, low andzy. “Why should I take you?”
Barrett reflected, <i>Right</i>. <i>Like </i><i>I </i><i>get </i><i>to </i><i>decide </i><i>that</i>. <i>She </i><i>still </i><i>has </i><i>to </i><i>say </i><i>yes</i>.
“Miss!” Heidi and Reece jumped in together.
“You said you’d take us,” Reece reminded her.
“Taking two’s the same as taking all of us, right?” Heidi tried, forcing a smile.
Theresa shut her down cold. “I only take my people. If you want toe, walk over here, swear you’re mine, and I’ll keep you alive. The rest? Not my problem.”
The two traded a nce. Heidi stepped forward, all wide eyes and sweetness. “Miss, you’re the nicest person I know. Please take us.”
Theresa’s smirk was sharp enough to cut ss. “If you’re not joining, get lost.”
That was her way. No sugarcoating, no favors. If you wanted her protection, you earned it. Being on her good side was a once–in–a–lifetime stroke of luck. If you didn’t hold onto it, you didn’t get a second chance,
Heidi’s hopeful expression froze in ce.
Barrett stepped in. “Miss, what if we just… follow behind? You don’t have to watch
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Chapter 436 The Road’s Not Hers
out for us. We just want to head out the same way as you.”
s
She looked at him like the answer should have been obvious. “The road’s not
mine.”
That was all she said before hooking Quentin by the arm and heading for the stairs.
Heidi and Reece stood there disappointingly, while Barrett quickly directed the others. “You heard her. We can follow. Move<i>.</i><i>” </i>
The kids blinked. “She didn’t actually-”
Barrett rified, “She said the road’s not hers. Means anyone can walk it. Now keep up. Stay behind me, hold hands, and watch where you step.”
“Oh!” They immediately scrambled after him.
By the time they caught up, Theresa was already in the ssroom wing, sweeping the corridor and checking ssrooms. The senior block, once crawling with infected students, was almost empty–just a few stragglers.
A sharp snarl echoed from a half–closed door.
A schoolgirl zombie lunged out, mouth stretched wide. Braces hooked onto tangled dark brown hair with a patch of dried scalp. Only God knew which poor kid had let her get that close.
She swiped at Theresa with long, yellowed ws.
Ching!
The de came down in one clean arc, sinking an inch into her Level 1 hardness skull. Flesh and bone gave way like overripe fruit.
Theresa pulled the knife <i>free</i>. A gleamstone ttered to the floor as the body crumpled.
Quentin bent, scooped it up, and slipped back into step beside her. She killed, he gathered, Smooth as clockwork.
Barrett’s group followed, watching the easy rhythm between the two,
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Chapter 436 The Road’s Not Hers
“Miss is incredible!” someone whispered.
“She’s unreal,” another breathed.
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Barrett didn’t say a word. He just kept his eyes locked on Theresa. If there’d been any doubt before, it was gone now. He was betting everything on this.
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