“Oh Ivan, this is going to be so fun”, those words played in Ivan’s head over and over again from the Vamgon. Who was this strange creature that was seemingly talking through the monsters of the world? His attention was on this as he was running over the videos of the cameras. He looked over his left shoulder and there was Vee laying down asleep finally. Ivan was wondering what he was doing, and why he was going to do this thing for a stranger. He looked back at his video feed and started to play through them again. They were already packed and ready to go. The UTV was loaded down and filled up ready for the journey ahead.
As Ivan was looking over the video feed he was also plotting a course to the fort that Vee was from. From what she thought the location was on the map that Ivan had, he was able to plot out a clear enough course and put in for resting areas. He was almost done with that, but the nagging question of the voice was there and he wanted answers. He wanted to look over the videos and see if there was anything there that would clarify anything. Vee stirred some and he looked at her again. The question about this woman was something else that was rolling around in his head, who was she really?
Ivan watched the videos but there was nothing there that caught his eyes. The Vamgon was there talking, but he saw nothing as it finished then flew away. He let out a deep breath of frustration, and shook his head. There was something big at play here and he wanted to be prepared, but for what, that was the question he couldn’t find. Looking back at Vee once more, he knew it was time to push it back and get this part done first. He shut down the video review and walked away from it. He went to another room and laid down on his bed. Looking up at the ceiling he pondered on the question as the voice rang through his head over, and over, and over.
The sun’s ray’s pierced the night sky as it graced the new day with its presences. Ivan slept longer than usual knowing that they were going to need the sleep. Usually he was up at frist light to get busy and stay busy. Vee was not moving, as she was asleep and hadn’t had this kind of time to sleep in piece in a long time. At around ten in the morning Ivan finally arose. He rolled out and started to make a breakfast. After making his coffee and waiting on the oven to heat up he walked over once more to the monitors to watch the video once more. Standing and watching them play, the smell of the coffee woke Vee. She sat up seeing that Ivan was standing watching the feed.
“How did you sleep”, asked Ivan? “I haven’t had that good of sleep in years”, she answered. “Good, because you’re going to need the rest for the next few days. I guarantee you want get that kind of sleep for a long time again”, said Ivan. “Thanks, again”, she said standing and stretching. “No thanks, needed”, he answered. “Um, restroom”, she asked? Ivan motioned to the right and out the door. She left and as she did Ivan watched her walk out. Something about this woman was puzzling to him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Most of the time he knew things and could figure them out, but now he was stuck with two things he had no control over. What was her motive, with him, and was there really a threat at her home. He was interested in her if only because someone knew of his location and he had to know who, and their intention. If this so called place did exist, and this mad man ran it, he needed to evaluate it and determine if it was a threat. Besides after what she said happened to the other village, what would stop him from coming after him? He took a sip of his coffee and reassured himself as to what he needed to do. The girl was just a tool to help him, nothing more.
The video was the same to Ivan as it was last night. He shook his head and left it as the oven was hot enough now. He left it running and started to make some eggs and pancakes. Vee came back in and was shocked to see the food that he was making. “It’s been a while hasn’t it for you”, asked Ivan? She shook her head in agreement. Ivan made a plate for her and packed it on, knowing she was going to devour it, and she did. “Not only a good meal, but eggs, and pancakes. Two things I thought I would never eat again”, she said. “Well, sorry to disappoint, but I’m limited on quantity, and the next course will not be a steak. I’m currently working on…”, he said stopping. Vee sat in a chair hat was next to the screen that Ivan had been watching. “What are you currently working on”, she asked? Ivan slightly looked her way irritated to be telling someone of his business, but mostly irritated that he said something. “I’m working on getting some animals found and rounded up and put to stables. It’s hard mainly because some need so much feed and of course you can’t just go around walking and such. So the logistics of it all is pulling at me pretty hard. I haven’t cracked it yet, but it would be nice to get a full assortment of food available to have. I have a garden on the roof, in fact on the roofs next to us. Makes it easy to work them from here”, said Ivan. “What if the roof collapse, or the building get over run or something”, she said. “I reinforce everything. Yes I have to maintenance them, check them, but it’s what keeps me going everyday out here alone. I keep busy and well I live. I farm and such, and on a roof just helps with the fact that I just can’t go walking around”, he said. “Wow, you’ve had some time to get something together”, she said. “Time is all we have now that we are here”, said Ivan drinking the rest of his coffee.
“You ready”, he said. Vee was watching the video of the Vamgon encounter, “Seems that thing was a little different than the other creatures about here.” “Well that the second one to well interact with me”, said Ivan gathering a few things and turning off the feed and shutting down some power stations. “What do you mean interact with you”, she asked excited and suddenly on his side waiting for an answer. He stopped what he was doing and slowly pushed her to the side. “Come on, you have to tell me what has happened”, she said. “And why is that”, he said. “I told you that I was looking for a connection between all of them, and here you are saying you had two encounters with monsters that seemed to be somehow ascendant”, she said. “I wouldn’t call them ascendant. They didn’t do a whole lot but just stand there”, he was saying but then she said, “Yes, but that Vamgon talked, and said your name.” “Look as much as you know, is as much as I know. Two monsters interacted with me in weird ways, but ascendant, no, they were more like controlled. They seemed to be possessed, is maybe the right phrase”, said Ivan moving on trying to get all his things turned off and then walk out of the office area. Vee was right on him, “This could explain a lot.” “And what exactly does that explain”, he said. “I’ll have to show you wants we are there. My research that is, it’s what I have been doing at the fort for Bradley. We found some interesting things in some zombies and other creatures. Things that were happening to them”, said Vee. “Okay, show me when we get there, but if we don’t leave now, we aren’t going to be leaving till next morning, and don’t know about you, I really like my home and hate leaving it. So, let’s go now so I can get you there and then get back, okay”, he said. She smiled and agreed, Ivan was a little concerned that she was so excited about this.
“I’ll have to start right away when we get there looking over my data. I mean to have one of these creatures interact with someone more than once. This is a break through no doubt”, she was saying to herself. Ivan was just a little more concerned, but not about her, but about the fact that this voice, and orange eyes thing was something happening not just here with him.
“Alright, look at this”, said Ivan as he laid out the map that had their traveling route mapped out. “We are here”, he said pointing at their location, “we going mostly across open and covered country”, sliding his finger along the path, “This is a good thing and bad. Good, because we will not be seeing much as zombies and other monsters out there, but bad, because there are monsters out there that live in woods and well, we are most likely to encounter them, just no telling when. Also bad, because there are not going to be many stopping points in which to get gas and restock. Luckily, I have scouted out pretty far, unfortunately I haven’t scouted out that far”, he said pointing to her fort. “I have no info on the area that surrounds the fort for about twenty miles. That means, we could be running into anything before we get there, and the wall of your fort, it could be covered in zombies.” “How are we going to get in there, we need to be able to get in there”, Vee asked? “Let’s just see what we have when we get there. Pray there is nothing and we can just get right in, but there lies another problem once there”, he said. “Bradley and what will he do”, she said. “Let’s go, will have plenty of time to discuss that on the trip. Its six days there. That’s a lot of time without walls to protect us”, he said.
Ivan had a UTV that was rigged out custom by him. He only used it in times that he had to travel greater distances than he was comfortable to go on by foot. Not too often he had to take it into the city. The front was covered by a bullet proof windshield, and the door reinforced with a metal with cut outs. It was a four seater, which allowed for more storage and passenger carrying capability. He carried four containers of gas and four water as well in the bed of it, and in the passenger section the packs of food clothes and camping, and the luggage that Ivan had loaded that was large and heavy. The UTV was souped up to take a lot of weight and yet still be agile and fast. He had two auto rifles affixed to the roof, along with two shotguns as well. The center counsel was converted into a ammo storage station, and then the dash with storage boxes to hold paper work and other useful tools. Ivan’s swords were also available to him in a quick grab in the center under the guns, but in the air out of the way.
Vee loaded up and then strapped in. Ivan walked over to the large bay door and then opened a lap top. Turning it on he looked at camera views that shown the outside. He said to himself, “All clear, here we go.” He closed the lap top and pushed a button on the wall. The bay door started to open to the now noon light and cool air flowing in. He stood there, putting on some shades and then heading back to the UTV he pulled it out. Stopping he walked back to the door and on the wall typed in a combination that caused the bay door to start to close. He went and sat in the UTV, and waited.
“What are we doing”, asked Vee. Ivan just sat there waiting. The bay door finally reached the bottom and Ivan turned to Vee. “If this all turns out to be a trap, or your bullshitting me, I promise you one thing”, said Ivan pushing his glasses up showing his eyes, “Your life won’t come to an end, oh it will die, but you’ll be alive to see the rest of your days rotting away.” Vee was wide eyed and scarred. “Do I have your attention now”, said Ivan. “I want your help and nothing more. I need your help, but I can’t guarantee your safety beyond this point”, she said. “Well then, as long as we have an understanding. Let us head on to hell then”, said Ivan. Vee sat in her seat quiet and clutching on to her seat belt. She realized that this man had her life in his hand and that he could do with it as he willed. She realized that they were about to head back to her home, a place that death had been living. Death was in the future, and she feared it was going to be coming for her.