Read Online The Last Revenant (Book 1): The Crash by J.S. Carter - Free Book Online Page A

belonged to the admin before they left. Now it belonged to a new asshole.
    “Took you long enough.” Ryan took a sip from his mug. It could have been coffee. I would have thought about killing him right then and there for it if one of his men hadn’t been sitting next to us. “I want you to do something for me.” He grabbed a map from his desk and handed it to Jeremy, surprising me with a pistol holstered to the side of his hip. I took him as someone that wouldn’t carry a gun. He saw me look at it and I made sure to return the favor.
    Jeremy checked the map for a moment, only to shake his head. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”
    “There’s a gas station I want you to check for supplies a few miles to the West of here. Get your guys together and I’ll have my men escort you out.”
    “The trucks aren’t back yet. What if we find something?”
    “Bring it back.”
    Scott tried reaching for the map, but Jeremy held it from him. “This is the same place I almost got to yesterday...” He seemed to wait for a response only to have Ryan take another drink. “What happened to the guy I brought back?”
    Ryan snatched the map back from his hands. “He's dead.”
    I couldn't see how that might have been surprising, especially considering the condition he had been in, but Jeremy wouldn't let it go.
    “How?”
    “Well, he either bled out or I took him outside and shot him in the back of the head for asking too many questions. Which one do you prefer?”
    Jeremy took a moment, obviously annoyed. “Look, even if there’s nothing there, it’ll still take us a whole day just to walk there and back. If we leave first thing tomorrow morning—”
    “Today.” Ryan walked back to his desk and put his mug down. “Right now.”
    “But if we wait for everyone else—”
    “Change of plans. They’re coming back tonight. Which means if you want a ride back into town, you better be here before we leave.”
    And with that, the plan that we had spent all night going over had been utterly decimated. The whole idea was to leave at night before the trucks got back, before we became increasingly outnumbered and risked the possibility of them tracking us down on wheels.
    I could see the clockwork behind Jeremy’s head spin into gear, his eyes darting back and forth across the ground, but there were too many things to consider, too many unknowns. I had to stall.
    “I'll go.”
    They all stared and I wasn't sure of what else to say, so I just kept at it.
    “I'll do it. I don't care. ”
    Ryan cocked an eyebrow at me. “If I can't get eight men to bring me back food, water, and gasoline, then what the hell are you supposed to do?”
    Eight?
    I had to remind myself to close my mouth. Jeremy, Scott, Nick, Mike, Murphy and Simon already made six. If Ryan was thinking about sending them so far outside with only a pair of armed guards, than he had to be stretched thin. Something must have been wrong on his end. Regardless, it would be Jeremy's best chance to get away. They'd easily be able to overpower any company and could take their guns, not to mention have a solid lead on food and water. It was too perfect not to pass up. 
    Jeremy took a step towards me. “We can still use an extra hand—”
    “No,” said Ryan. I could feel my life expectancy snap in half at the word as he fell into his seat. “She stays here.”
    Jeremy started at it again and I interrupted him. “It's fine.”
    We started to look at each other for too long, both of us daring ourselves to see how forward we could be before Ryan would start to notice just exactly what was going on, but Jeremy wouldn't budge. I kept my eyes frozen on him, now confused more than anything else. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose by trying to convince Ryan to bring me along.
    So why are you still trying to help me?
    He finally opened his mouth just as Nick walked in-between us and leaned in towards Ryan. “Listen, I've known this guy a while... and if anyone