wouldn’t just send one person in. No, they’d bring an army. But there was always the possibility that they had scouts, people roaming the areas searching for them.
Still, maybe it was time to heighten security. Tighten the perimeters and make sure no one slipped through the trees. As much as she knew it was the smarter choice, she still didn’t want to do it. Doing so would mean less freedom for her. Aries still liked to sneak out at night and go for walks. Every time she did, she swore she wasn’t looking for Daniel, but she still couldn’t ignore the disappointment when he didn’t appear.
Months. He’d been gone for months. She didn’t know if he was dead or alive, Bagger or Human, and no matter how much she tried to push him out of her thoughts, he kept squirming back in.
She wanted him back. Not just because of what they shared, but because of his usefulness. Right now, she’d give anything for some of his advice, no matter how infuriating. Daniel might have been playing both sides, but he never toyed with her. One of the things she both liked and hated about him. Daniel told her what she needed to hear, even if he knew it wasn’t something she wanted. He’d been mostly truthful, except for the one thing that possibly mattered most.
Daniel was a Bagger.
No point in thinking about that now. Aries slipped onto the road, looking both ways to make sure the coast was clear. Aside from a few geese sunning themselves on the asphalt, nothing else moved. Turning left, Aries headed up the hill.
It took about fifteen minutes until she arrived at the house. They’d particularly chosen this one because of two things. It was far enough away from the camping spot that no one would likely come across it by accident. Second, it was hidden way back in the trees and on the top of a monster hill. They had a dozen or so people who spent their days salvaging buildings for anything of value. With the house being a major inconvenience to get to, Aries and Michael agreed that they probably wouldn’t bother searching it. Not when there were far easier pickings.
What went on in that house was only known between a select few of them. It was important that they kept it secret. Not everyone would approve, or worse, everyone might want to get involved.
It took her about five minutes to climb the hill. Thanks to all the walking she did these days, Aries was probably in the best shape of her life. But the slope was still hellish and she had to pause at the top to catch her breath. The view was breathtaking; she could see the ocean spread out before her. Through the tree line, she spent a few minutes looking at Stanley Park and beyond, all those empty condos and skyscrapers that made up the downtown core. The Lionsgate Bridge stood empty of traffic. Aries had been surprised to see it standing after the earthquakes.
The Baggers didn’t come to this side of the bridge very often. They hadn’t even bothered to come clear out the dead bodies like they had for most of Vancouver. Everyone had an opinion to why they left the north shore alone. Jack and Michael assumed it was because the Baggers only wanted downtown. Clementine figured it was only a matter of time before they showed up and they should be prepared for when the white vans would show.
But Aries thought differently. The Baggers didn’t like North and West Vancouver. There was something there; a sort of presence lurking in the shadows and the Baggers wanted nothing to do with it.
She could feel it.
With her heart rate stable and breathing back to normal, Aries cut around to the side of the house. From the garden, she moved aside a planter and picked up the key beneath it. Letting herself in, she locked the door behind her, just in case. Once inside, she went over to the kitchen and
Still, maybe it was time to heighten security. Tighten the perimeters and make sure no one slipped through the trees. As much as she knew it was the smarter choice, she still didn’t want to do it. Doing so would mean less freedom for her. Aries still liked to sneak out at night and go for walks. Every time she did, she swore she wasn’t looking for Daniel, but she still couldn’t ignore the disappointment when he didn’t appear.
Months. He’d been gone for months. She didn’t know if he was dead or alive, Bagger or Human, and no matter how much she tried to push him out of her thoughts, he kept squirming back in.
She wanted him back. Not just because of what they shared, but because of his usefulness. Right now, she’d give anything for some of his advice, no matter how infuriating. Daniel might have been playing both sides, but he never toyed with her. One of the things she both liked and hated about him. Daniel told her what she needed to hear, even if he knew it wasn’t something she wanted. He’d been mostly truthful, except for the one thing that possibly mattered most.
Daniel was a Bagger.
No point in thinking about that now. Aries slipped onto the road, looking both ways to make sure the coast was clear. Aside from a few geese sunning themselves on the asphalt, nothing else moved. Turning left, Aries headed up the hill.
It took about fifteen minutes until she arrived at the house. They’d particularly chosen this one because of two things. It was far enough away from the camping spot that no one would likely come across it by accident. Second, it was hidden way back in the trees and on the top of a monster hill. They had a dozen or so people who spent their days salvaging buildings for anything of value. With the house being a major inconvenience to get to, Aries and Michael agreed that they probably wouldn’t bother searching it. Not when there were far easier pickings.
What went on in that house was only known between a select few of them. It was important that they kept it secret. Not everyone would approve, or worse, everyone might want to get involved.
It took her about five minutes to climb the hill. Thanks to all the walking she did these days, Aries was probably in the best shape of her life. But the slope was still hellish and she had to pause at the top to catch her breath. The view was breathtaking; she could see the ocean spread out before her. Through the tree line, she spent a few minutes looking at Stanley Park and beyond, all those empty condos and skyscrapers that made up the downtown core. The Lionsgate Bridge stood empty of traffic. Aries had been surprised to see it standing after the earthquakes.
The Baggers didn’t come to this side of the bridge very often. They hadn’t even bothered to come clear out the dead bodies like they had for most of Vancouver. Everyone had an opinion to why they left the north shore alone. Jack and Michael assumed it was because the Baggers only wanted downtown. Clementine figured it was only a matter of time before they showed up and they should be prepared for when the white vans would show.
But Aries thought differently. The Baggers didn’t like North and West Vancouver. There was something there; a sort of presence lurking in the shadows and the Baggers wanted nothing to do with it.
She could feel it.
With her heart rate stable and breathing back to normal, Aries cut around to the side of the house. From the garden, she moved aside a planter and picked up the key beneath it. Letting herself in, she locked the door behind her, just in case. Once inside, she went over to the kitchen and
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