Daylight came in through the tiny windows of the impromptu shelter, falling over Evan just enough to wake him. He deftly arose, careful to allow the other two a few minutes more rest underneath their heavy winter coats. Immediately inspecting their surroundings, Evan found the overturned table and folding chairs just as they had left them the night before. Outside appeared to be unchanged save for the morning daylight casting aside the memory of shadow.
He collected the holster and pistol discarded last night, then found the stairs and ascended. Brisk air greeted him on the rooftop. Although his breath was coming out in visible puffs, the feel of the sun on his skin and clear skies suggested the coming day would be warmer. Although their plan was to return, it couldn't hurt to look around and consider other options, if there were any worthwhile ones.
The surreal emptiness still enveloped their refuge like a sinister presence. Desolated streets, the occasional abandoned car or bit of debris on the roads. The unidentified white noise was still persistent and ongoing. Across the street lay a large office building with a modest parking lot. Flickering flags perched atop its considerable peak. Another parking structure on the other side from the one where they had come from. Another parking lot beside them serving the nearby collection of businesses. Not too far away lay the tracks for the city's trolley. The surroundings were liberally accompanied by a smattering of skeletal trees.
From this vantage point he could see the collection of buildings and bridges crossing the river, but not the river itself. The curved edges of the convention center and the pointed glass spires surmounting the indoor sports arena drew particular attention. Apartment buildings, office buildings and hotels of varying sizes dotted the mid-distance. Not too far away, the pavement of a highway lay inert like an empty vein. Although the brisk air was fresh, traces of a faint acrid odor wafted in with an occasional breeze.
Although Evan had visited this area of the city before, he only had a vague idea of the general layout before now. There didn't appear to be any defensible location nearby for them to consider. He remembered there was a coffee shop not too far away, along the path they had taken to arrive. Perhaps before starting their walk, they could break inside to see about acquiring a bit of food and water. Something for the hour's walk ahead of them.
By the time Evan had satisfied his own curiosity and descended, Minoko and Leon were up. They were in the process of collecting what little gear they had when Evan opened the door. He jerked back slightly as a rifle was quickly raised, then lowered to aim at the floor. "Sorry, just a bit jumpy." Leon said.
"Just seeing if we're clear." Evan replied as he flexed his arms and legs to limber up. "It looks okay. I think we can probably check out the shop nearby, see if there's something there we can take for our walk."
"Water, at least." Leon examined his rifle for a moment, then swung it over his shoulder. He hesitated before pulling the overturned table away from the door and listened. "That sound is still there..."
Minoko had a worried look on her face, but didn't speak.
"Well, the sooner we start." Evan could feel the lingering remnants of various minor aches from yesterday's activity. He could trace his finger slightly over the fading evidence of a scratch above his eye from the tumble he had taken on pavement two days earlier. But he was as ready for this as possible.
Confidently striding outside, Evan thoroughly inspected each direction from the intersection and suspiciously regarded the parked cars. Turning back the way they had arrived, he led them downhill just beyond the parking garage where they had been abandoned. Beside it there was an enclosed square with greenery placed in brick-sided planters. Capping the far end was a squat, almost overly glassy looking structure. Its architecture was accentuated with sharp lines of white metal and its second floor was on the ground level with the square they had bypassed.
"Hey, this place says it's a café." Evan walked into the intersection and took a good look in each direction as Leon approached the building at the corner.
"Looks good to me." Leon tested the handle, then hammered at the door with the butt of his rifle. A vicious cracking spread over the surface.
Minoko approached Evan, a look of distraction on her face. "Is- Is that a car dealership?" She pointed to a modestly sized fenced-in lot with a building at its center just across the street.
Evan turned to look at the building, stunned for a moment. "I... Uh, I think it's a... Car rental..."
The glass shattered, and Leon looked up. "Damn..." He broke into laughter. "How did nobody notice that? It was right by us this whole time."
Evan shook his head in disbelief. "I thought it was a bank." The gate for the fence had been left open. The cars inside were luxury, in good condition and varied in model and color.
"There's still a lot of cars in there." Minoko observed.
"Okay, new plan. We eat something, then go get ourselves a car." Leon chuckled.
"Yeah. Or three..." Evan was still rather shocked at the fortuitous nature of their discovery. Maybe there were enough cars there to move everyone at once. Even though their original plan was a work of clever ingenuity, the sheer happenstance of accidentally finding this relatively mundane place could prove to be of far greater benefit. Though drawn by the allure of hunger and thirst, they were compelled to check out the café first.
The glass had shattered into a slicing rim of daggers, but the opening was almost as big as the door's frame. After reaching inside to check on the lock, Leon instead pounded away the few larger remaining fragmented edges and cautiously ducked inside. He waved to the others. "It doesn't have a deadbolt." He moved up the stairs on the right, weapon in hand.
Evan followed the taller man inside, his shoes crunching on shards of glass. He peeked through the door ahead just inside, quickly concluding it led to all the back room areas of the business. The stairs to the side led to the dining area and the front desk where orders were made. The upper level was ringed with glass-adorned walls, presenting a good view of their surroundings.
Just after Minoko cautiously navigated through the opening, Leon had brought a table to the hallway entrance to serve as a barricading obstacle. Together, they worked at establishing a barricade that satisfied all of them and quickly navigated through the whole place to ensure it was secure.
The interior of the café was cold due to the frigid temperatures of the past days. The pastries and prepackaged sandwiches were a bit stale but still readily edible. There was a nice selection of fruits to eat. A broad selection of bottled drinks complemented their available choices of foods.
After they gathered their meals and sat around the table, the trio again looked out across the street. They discussed how they might find keys in the abandoned building and just simply drive everyone out in one big convoy. Spirits were high as they recovered from the previous night's dour mood.
"Hey man, that friend of yours just might have accidentally saved everyone." Leon laughed between sips on an alcoholic beverage. "You know, if he can do that then maybe he's not really so bad."
Despite his feelings, Evan smiled. Betrayal or not, it was Lucas's ideas that had brought them out here and given them real hope for escape. That was something evidently at the forefront of all of their minds.
"Well, the sooner we start." Evan could feel the lingering remnants of various minor aches from yesterday's activity. He could trace his finger slightly over the fading evidence of a scratch above his eye from the tumble he had taken on pavement two days earlier. But he was as ready for this as possible.
Confidently striding outside, Evan thoroughly inspected each direction from the intersection and suspiciously regarded the parked cars. Turning back the way they had arrived, he led them downhill just beyond the parking garage where they had been abandoned. Beside it there was an enclosed square with greenery placed in brick-sided planters. Capping the far end was a squat, almost overly glassy looking structure. Its architecture was accentuated with sharp lines of white metal and its second floor was on the ground level with the square they had bypassed.
"Hey, this place says it's a café." Evan walked into the intersection and took a good look in each direction as Leon approached the building at the corner.
"Looks good to me." Leon tested the handle, then hammered at the door with the butt of his rifle. A vicious cracking spread over the surface.
Minoko approached Evan, a look of distraction on her face. "Is- Is that a car dealership?" She pointed to a modestly sized fenced-in lot with a building at its center just across the street.
Evan turned to look at the building, stunned for a moment. "I... Uh, I think it's a... Car rental..."
The glass shattered, and Leon looked up. "Damn..." He broke into laughter. "How did nobody notice that? It was right by us this whole time."
Evan shook his head in disbelief. "I thought it was a bank." The gate for the fence had been left open. The cars inside were luxury, in good condition and varied in model and color.
"There's still a lot of cars in there." Minoko observed.
"Okay, new plan. We eat something, then go get ourselves a car." Leon chuckled.
"Yeah. Or three..." Evan was still rather shocked at the fortuitous nature of their discovery. Maybe there were enough cars there to move everyone at once. Even though their original plan was a work of clever ingenuity, the sheer happenstance of accidentally finding this relatively mundane place could prove to be of far greater benefit. Though drawn by the allure of hunger and thirst, they were compelled to check out the café first.
The glass had shattered into a slicing rim of daggers, but the opening was almost as big as the door's frame. After reaching inside to check on the lock, Leon instead pounded away the few larger remaining fragmented edges and cautiously ducked inside. He waved to the others. "It doesn't have a deadbolt." He moved up the stairs on the right, weapon in hand.
Evan followed the taller man inside, his shoes crunching on shards of glass. He peeked through the door ahead just inside, quickly concluding it led to all the back room areas of the business. The stairs to the side led to the dining area and the front desk where orders were made. The upper level was ringed with glass-adorned walls, presenting a good view of their surroundings.
Just after Minoko cautiously navigated through the opening, Leon had brought a table to the hallway entrance to serve as a barricading obstacle. Together, they worked at establishing a barricade that satisfied all of them and quickly navigated through the whole place to ensure it was secure.
The interior of the café was cold due to the frigid temperatures of the past days. The pastries and prepackaged sandwiches were a bit stale but still readily edible. There was a nice selection of fruits to eat. A broad selection of bottled drinks complemented their available choices of foods.
After they gathered their meals and sat around the table, the trio again looked out across the street. They discussed how they might find keys in the abandoned building and just simply drive everyone out in one big convoy. Spirits were high as they recovered from the previous night's dour mood.
"Hey man, that friend of yours just might have accidentally saved everyone." Leon laughed between sips on an alcoholic beverage. "You know, if he can do that then maybe he's not really so bad."
Despite his feelings, Evan smiled. Betrayal or not, it was Lucas's ideas that had brought them out here and given them real hope for escape. That was something evidently at the forefront of all of their minds.
