"What would make you think that?"
He laughed slightly, not answering my question, but he told me that there was a bathroom I could get changed in.
I strode over to the bathroom, but not before locking the door behind me. As Zane had said, the clothes were a little small, but I managed to pull them on. Besides, it was better than wearing old rags. I rolled the old blue jeans up and tossed them in the trash basket sitting by the toilet. A pity. I had spent some time working to get those dandelion leaves to look like pot. Finally, I slipped on my leather jacket and walked back out.
Zane had made some kind of hot drink and offered it to me before I sat down. "What is it?" I asked, sniffing at it carefully.
"Just tea, nothing poisonous."
"Thank God," I laughed and sat down, across from him.
Through the streaked windows, the sunlight was beginning to come in. It illuminated the room, yet created enough harsh shadows for monsters to lurk in. The house was plain enough, but it was obvious that it served Zane's needs. He was a lot better off than I was.
"So, how'd you get this house?" I asked him.
"Moved it and claimed it," he replied. "Simple as that. It used to be one of those vacation spots people had before the pulse. Now, it's just an abandoned shack."
"It's not bad."
"No, I had to find someplace to relocate after 'Deck found our locations."
"Sorry."
"No big deal. Didn't hurt me all that much. I'm just sorry I had to leave my dog behind."
"You left it behind?" I asked in disbelief. Zane's dog was no different than Max's motorcycle or Ben's Blue Lady. Extension to the soul.
"I had to. I mean, Zack, if I had brought it, 'Deck could've traced me more easily. Besides, it's still there, waiting patiently for me."
"When do you think you'll go back?"
"Back?" he echoed. "I don't know. I've lived here…for what?…A month or so. There's gonna be guards all around my place for probably at least half a year. Besides, LA's hectic enough as is without 'Deck and his men. "
"You can get past them if you wanted."
He shrugged. "I could, but what would be the point to that? More running. I'm fairly happy here. Alone, but happy."
"There's nobody else out here?" I asked. If this used to be a vacation cabin, I would've assumed that there were more around. And, having more around, meant more people. Zane could easily fit it with the regular human population. It had never been a problem for him. I mean, he had somehow gotten enough money to continue schooling. So, he went to school, fitting it with the rest of the people. Nobody ever suspected that he was a genetically engineered killing machine.
"Well…" Zane paused and looked away.
"What?"
"Ben."
"Ben? What's up with him?"
"You haven't heard, have you?"
"Zane, I've been away from everybody and everything for awhile now. You expect me to know what goes on with all the other X5s?" I bit harsher than intended.
"You usually do," he stated bluntly. "Anyhow, Ben, he was on these killing sprees of his-"
"I heard about that."
"He was Seattle and met up with Maxie. He was going to go kill somebody, but she got to him first."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I hissed, tired of his incessant babbling.
"She killed Ben."