Clip 1 – Tempting Fate
As I walked briskly over to the gates, I could hear the sound of klaxons and the metal rumbling and squealing as it lifted. It was depressing how familiar it seemed. Runner Seven was already there, obviously waiting on me, but I resisted the compulsion to increase my pace in the least. It wasn't like I was late or anything.
We settled into a steady jog as Sam made the introductions official, though I'd technically been introduced to all the other runners the day after I'd first arrived. I'd found myself wishing he had a different name, or a different number. Evan/Seven was probably going to act as a mnemonic, making it harder to think of him only by his runner designation.
He might have more experience than the other runners, but I figured that was nothing more than an excuse. Seven looked rather like a human fortress, naturally tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick layer of muscle that added to the image. His relentlessly even temper made his size seem reassuring more so than intimidating, and people naturally gravitated to him.
Guess we all wanted a bit of reassuring these days.
It hadn't escaped my notice that when we headed out of the gate and turned, Seven stayed to the outside, so that I was running between him and the wall. I found myself wondering if he was trying to protect me or keep me from running off. Wasn't like I really had anywhere I could go, anyway.
He explained that he'd just be taking me for a jog around Abel and pointing out the main ways to get into the city without attracting more attention from the undead than was absolutely necessary. "Should be a quick, easy run."
We're not even a hundred yards out and I'm ducking my head so he won't see me roll my eyes. Sam apparently agrees – I hear him groan over our comms, and I bite back a smile. "You know what happens when you say that," he grumbles.
But Seven doesn't seemed worried in the least. I suppose that's the real reason he's the unofficial head of runners. "Whatever happens," he replies smoothly to Sam, "we'll handle it. We ALWAYS handle it."
[Clip 2 coming soon! Please review. :) ]