shrugged. “It will have to be something that gets us closer to them so we can kill them. It’s not like we have a surplus of guns and ammunition. Everyone who goes to the meeting gets a vote and people still aren’t very happy about Runners going out and possibly coming back infected like Tanner was.”
“Everyone will probably try to vote the Runner program out of existence just because of that,” Audrey crossed her arms and put them over her eyes.
“I know a lot of them will try. Mr. Ruther’s will probably be heading that platform,” Dean sighed. “It’s not like it’s the worst thing that could happen though.”
“Might as well just take away everyone’s freedom to do anything,” Audrey countered angrily. “There’s no point in keeping the gates closed or only letting people out to continue working in the orchards and farms.”
“I know it’s not ideal, but it would keep people safe until we can be sure there are no more dregs,” Peter reasoned. “Besides, you can’t keep going to Carlsbad. It’s dangerous for you.”
Tears stung Audrey’s eyes at the thought of never having the time to go down to Carlsbad and be away from Roswell again.
She sat up and rested her forehead on her knees and tried to breathe slowly and deeply, “It’s not up to you guys to make my decisions.”
“Roswell is one of the best organized settlements right now with the lowest mortality rate in New Mexico, Audrey. We have the rules for a reason,” Dean chided her, he rubbed his face and looked back at her. “I’ll see if I can make a good argument for you before the meeting.”
“You know I’ll help however I can too,” Peter looked at her in the mirror with a smile.
Audrey looked up at them and rubbed the tears off of her cheeks, “Thanks guys.”
They drove quietly into Roswell through the south gate and parked the car by the wall. Audrey looked around at the small town and wondered how long she would be able to justify staying.
CHAPTER THREE
“We can’t keep letting our people out there with those things. There is a possibility of bringing back the virus that could kill the last of us. The Runners are risking the safety of the entire community,” Pat Ruthers angrily addressed the room full of people who had gathered in the hotel conference room for the meeting.
Mr. Ruthers was a silver haired middle-aged man who held a position on the Roswell Council and had a passion for trying to limit what the people of the town could do. According to him it was for the safety of the community, but Audrey wasn’t sure he cared much about the welfare of Roswell’s residents.
“I agree we need to do all we can to be safe, but the fact of the matter is that it is unreasonable to cut off the rest of the world outside our gates,” said Grant Davies.
Mr. Davies often disagreed with restrictions Mr. Ruthers tried to force on the citizens of Roswell and because he was the Head Councilman he had a little more sway when it came to passing new laws for the town.
“The sole reason we’ve built the wall and cut ourselves off is to protect everyone from further threats,” Mr. Ruthers argued vehemently, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. “There shouldn’t be exceptions for people that would have the potential of getting us all killed!”
Audrey snorted and put her ankle on her knee. She wiggled her foot impatiently and shifted in her seat. She looked at the other nine Runners and was surprised to see that no one else seemed as irritated by the murmurs of agreement that were being whispered throughout the crowd as she was—except maybe Peter. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his jaw was clenched so hard the muscle in his cheek ticked.
“We need to keep lines of communication with other towns and cities open, Pat,” Mr. Davies tried reasoning with the older man. “We need to know how the rest of the world is recovering and adapting. We need to know how things are
“Everyone will probably try to vote the Runner program out of existence just because of that,” Audrey crossed her arms and put them over her eyes.
“I know a lot of them will try. Mr. Ruther’s will probably be heading that platform,” Dean sighed. “It’s not like it’s the worst thing that could happen though.”
“Might as well just take away everyone’s freedom to do anything,” Audrey countered angrily. “There’s no point in keeping the gates closed or only letting people out to continue working in the orchards and farms.”
“I know it’s not ideal, but it would keep people safe until we can be sure there are no more dregs,” Peter reasoned. “Besides, you can’t keep going to Carlsbad. It’s dangerous for you.”
Tears stung Audrey’s eyes at the thought of never having the time to go down to Carlsbad and be away from Roswell again.
She sat up and rested her forehead on her knees and tried to breathe slowly and deeply, “It’s not up to you guys to make my decisions.”
“Roswell is one of the best organized settlements right now with the lowest mortality rate in New Mexico, Audrey. We have the rules for a reason,” Dean chided her, he rubbed his face and looked back at her. “I’ll see if I can make a good argument for you before the meeting.”
“You know I’ll help however I can too,” Peter looked at her in the mirror with a smile.
Audrey looked up at them and rubbed the tears off of her cheeks, “Thanks guys.”
They drove quietly into Roswell through the south gate and parked the car by the wall. Audrey looked around at the small town and wondered how long she would be able to justify staying.
CHAPTER THREE
“We can’t keep letting our people out there with those things. There is a possibility of bringing back the virus that could kill the last of us. The Runners are risking the safety of the entire community,” Pat Ruthers angrily addressed the room full of people who had gathered in the hotel conference room for the meeting.
Mr. Ruthers was a silver haired middle-aged man who held a position on the Roswell Council and had a passion for trying to limit what the people of the town could do. According to him it was for the safety of the community, but Audrey wasn’t sure he cared much about the welfare of Roswell’s residents.
“I agree we need to do all we can to be safe, but the fact of the matter is that it is unreasonable to cut off the rest of the world outside our gates,” said Grant Davies.
Mr. Davies often disagreed with restrictions Mr. Ruthers tried to force on the citizens of Roswell and because he was the Head Councilman he had a little more sway when it came to passing new laws for the town.
“The sole reason we’ve built the wall and cut ourselves off is to protect everyone from further threats,” Mr. Ruthers argued vehemently, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. “There shouldn’t be exceptions for people that would have the potential of getting us all killed!”
Audrey snorted and put her ankle on her knee. She wiggled her foot impatiently and shifted in her seat. She looked at the other nine Runners and was surprised to see that no one else seemed as irritated by the murmurs of agreement that were being whispered throughout the crowd as she was—except maybe Peter. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his jaw was clenched so hard the muscle in his cheek ticked.
“We need to keep lines of communication with other towns and cities open, Pat,” Mr. Davies tried reasoning with the older man. “We need to know how the rest of the world is recovering and adapting. We need to know how things are
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