“We’re not reapers, whatever they are,” said Nix angrily. “We’re travelers. We’re looking for something.”

“Looking for what? The darkness?” demanded Carter in a tone that was heavy with disgust. Riot gave a harsh laugh of agreement.

“Darkness?” echoed Benny, but Nix ignored him.

“We’re looking for an airplane,” she said. “A jet.”

Carter’s expression changed from open hostility to doubt. He shot a look at Sarah, who frowned.

“They saw it too,” she said. “Carter—they saw it too!”

“You saw it?” demanded Nix, her tone suddenly urgent. “When? Where?”

“Don’t say anything,” warned Riot, but Sarah ignored her.

“The last time we saw it, it was heading south.”

“Last time?” echoed Chong.

“You’ve seen it more than once?” Nix gasped.

“Sarah, hush,” said Carter. “This isn’t the time or place.”

“But, Carter—look at them. They don’t look like reapers. Look at their clothes. No wings. No tassels or anything. And they don’t have the mark.”

As Sarah said this, she touched her head, but Benny did not understand the reference. What mark?

“Enough!” growled Carter.

“Look, guys,” said Benny, “I think we should all chill out and talk about this. No one wants to hurt anyone here—”

“Speak for yourself,” said Riot with quiet menace.

“—and it sounds like we have a lot to talk about,” Benny concluded, pasting on his best “aw shucks, we’re all friends” smile. The kind that used to get him a bottle of pop at Lafferty’s General Store, even when he had no ration dollars.

Carter wasn’t impressed. “If you want to talk, then tell the young miss there to put her gun down.”

“The young miss says, ‘Bite me,’” replied Nix. “You put your gun down first and then we’ll see.”

“Not a chance,” said Carter, and Riot gave a snigger of agreement.

“Look, how about you both put your guns down at the same time,” suggested Chong. “On a count of three, okay? One, two, three . . .”

They ignored him.

“This is stupid,” Benny yelled. “Nobody here wants to hurt anyone else.”

“Don’t bet on it,” said Riot.

“Absolutely,” agreed Nix.

“They’re reapers, Carter,” said Riot. “Maybe they even have some quads hidden somewhere.”

“What’s a quad?” Chong asked, but no one heard him.

“They don’t look like reapers,” repeated Sarah.

“Then they’re new converts,” countered Riot. “They could have taken the vow but haven’t yet done the ceremony of purity. But it doesn’t matter. They had Eve!”

“Yeah, we were keeping her safe,” replied Nix. “What were you doing to protect her? Letting her run around in woods full of wild animals and zoms?”

“Yeah, nice try, Freckles,” snorted Riot. “C’mon, Carter, don’t let her scramble your grits. My mother’s people are gonna be here soon. These punks are scouts or something equally squirrelly. Let’s put ’em down before we get overrun.”