Timothy sighs deeply in relief. When he overhears him using the words survivor and escort a large smile spreads over his face. Heâs being rescued! Thereâs that luck, finally! Another horrible death avoided. He wonders if thereâs a record on that. â Oh yes ! â He cheers aloud in barely contained excitement.
Heâs grateful to have the gun returned, itâs not a very good one, but just having some kind of weapon on him makes him feel at least somewhat competent. â Sure can , cupcake . â He replies, cringing at his own words as soon as they leave his mouth. â Uh . Sorry - I mean , uh . Yeah . â This guy is rescuing you, he tells himself, the least you can do is not be weird.
â I used to be an engineer at Hyperion - actually . â He tells him instead, understanding the doubt heâs casting at his capabilities he demonstrates his expertise by handling the gun, putting the safety off, taking out the ammo, cocking it, uncocking it, but as he goes to put the ammo back in, his right hand fumbles and malfunctions and the magazine clatters to the ground with a pained shout.Â
Embarassed, he bends down to pick up the ammo. â Sorry - er - Iâm fine . Ready to be rescued . This planet seems like a hell hole , can you help me get off ? â He asks, hits his right hand with his left to get it working again and then puts the gun back together.
Hyperion isnât a name heâs happy to hear, but Chris doesnât hold the manâs past against him. Itâs not nearly as concerning as the fact he dropped the magazine of his own weapon.
Maybe heâll be safer without it. (Maybe heâll throw a fit if Chris takes it.)
âYeah,â he finally settles on saying, âIâll get you out of here.â
And maybe find someone to get a look at that hand while theyâre at it.
âMy nameâs Chris,â he tells him, giving the room a quick sweep before his gaze returns to the other man. âIâm gonna keep you safe, but you have to stay close, all right? Donât wander off. Donât panic.â
He offers a quick, wry smile. âI got you.â
With that, Chris gets his rifle back in position, the weapon firm in both his hands, and tells his team heâs preparing to move back out of the building. The building itself still has power, but with the fluorescent bulbs above flicking on and off in periodic beats, Chris keeps the flashlight on his rifle on. He walks in easy, even steps down a hall heâs already cleared (dead bodies are scattered on the floor), and listens closely both for the footsteps of his companion and whatever else might be lurking.
Opening the door to the emergency stairwell brings with it the echoes of groaning undead, and Chris holds up a fist to tell the other man to wait. He points his rifle up, spotting a few zombies lumbering, then points it back down. Heâs fortunate in that theyâre spread out, but if the ones upstairs think of going down, theyâll be able to get to the civilian first...
âAll right,â Chris mutters, more to himself than anything.
Then he steps back, shutting the door to the stairwell once more to acknowledge his charge. âHereâs the plan. You and I are gonna go downstairs as quietly as possible, and then Iâm gonna take out the zombies on the first floor. Thereâre three more in the upper stairway, separate, but these things donât move fast, so we should be able to get out before they surround us.
âJust in case, though, I need you to be ready to shoot if I ask. Can you do that?â