MV: Retreating Further West

Andy wasn't sure where they ended up, only that it was still short of midnight when they arrived. "Nearest town's Lawton," was the best he'd been able to get out of any of his three guardians. Steve had taken the mattress that ran down the side of the van, and promptly passed out, leaving Veronica to do the driving; Rodney was pacing them on his motorcycle. 

Andy had never seen the appeal of motorcycles. They were too loud, too risky, too vulnerable. But sitting in the passenger seat of the converted van, he found he was starting to find the sound of Rodney moving around them reassuring. 

"Steve told me you asked for a gun," Veronica had said once they were on the highway. 

Andy had nodded. "I'd rather have it on record."

Veronica thought about that for a long moment. "The woman we report to is Margaret Hamilton. She's completely human, and very much by-the-book. The odds of her approving something like that officially are... not good."

Andy had considered that. "Is there any way I can contact her directly?"

Veronica had hesitated. "Maybe. If you want to convince her, it should be during daylight -- but you don't seem to pass out the way Rodney does, so that should be doable."

They'd fallen mostly silent after that, and when they pulled onto the small property in the brush-land just outside the Wichita Wildlife Refuge Andy had done his part to bring their things inside. He was strong, but strong wasn't enough to give him a life. Not outside of the current business of running, hiding, and hoping to ambush the monsters who'd killed him. 

This new place was a single-story farmhouse with an attached barn, mostly empty; Andy didn't get much chance to look around before Rodney bustled him inside. The interior was more of a surprise; the central section was built of thick concrete walls and ceiling, heavy doors, and carefully-isolated electronics. The outer areas -- kitchen, living room, study -- were ordinary enough. The small complex of bedrooms and bathrooms were a subtle fortress. 

"You still awake?" asked Steve, mid-morning. 

Andy nodded. "Nerves," he said simply. 

"Well, Veronica briefed me and I'm about to phone in to Margaret. You ready to make your case?"

Andy nodded. He was. 

Steve tapped his phone, and waited while it rang: once, twice... "Sign in," said a woman's voice. 

"Watch Team Barn Owl, reporting, verification Zero-One-Alpha."

There was a momentary pause. "Proceed." 

"At target's request, we've relocated to strike zone outside of Lawton. Our team is in place; Strike Team should be right behind us and digging in."

"Understood," said the woman's voice. "There have been developments. Volunteer Lorraine Duchamp is dead, and feeder John White is missing. We found their car just before noon."

Andy felt a surge of dread go through him. Titus, again. He knew next to nothing about the wight that had made him, but in that moment he was ready to kill him. 

"Understood," Steve returned. "Target has a request."

"Does he?" asked Margaret. "Put him on."

Andy leaned towards the phone, which was set on speaker. "I'd like a gun," he said simply. "I need to be able to defend myself. I know how to shoot, I will pass any readiness or safety check you want to give me, but I want to do this right. What do I need to do to make that possible?"

There was a long pause, and then the woman's voice said: "You've been cooperative, and you are in active danger. If your guardians judge that they can trust you with silver ammunition, I'll back their call."

Steve leaned forward. "Andrew, here, is the most reliable candidate I've seen in a decade. I'd trust him not to shoot me in the back."

"All right. I'll trust you on this one. Run him through basic safety. If he know it, give the kid a gun. And kid? Be responsible with it."

Andy nodded, even knowing that Margaret couldn't see him. "Only the three who destroyed my life," he said firmly. "And Steve gets the gun back as soon as they're down."

There was a momentary pause, and then Margaret said, "You have yourself a bargain, young man."