Chapter 209: Discussion in the Camping Van

“How many times have they been arguing about this now?” Daisy asked from her spot on the U-shaped sofa in the camping van, her voice tinged with exhaustion and exasperation.

“Well, I lost count somewhere around since yesterday,” Cindy replied, sitting beside her with one leg crossed over the other. She’d adopted the posture of someone settling in for a long show, clearly resigned to watching the ongoing debate play out yet again.

“There’s absolutely no need for it, Rachel. I’m telling you,” Sydney called down from the elevated bed attached to the van’s roof, her voice muffled slightly by the pillow she’d buried half her face in.

“Why not?” Rachel stood below, arms crossed across her chest as she craned her neck to look up at Sydney’s sprawled form. “Give me one good reason.”

“I already told you—there’s no need,” Sydney repeated sighing.

“They might need our help,” Rachel insisted, her tone growing stronger. “Clara’s injured, and Ryan’s the only one there with her. They’re completely alone amongst strangers. We don’t even know if we can trust those people at the Boardwalk.”

“Since when did you become this distrustful, Rachel?” Sydney asked, rolling slightly to glance down at her with genuine surprise coloring her features. “This is really out of character for you.”

“Indeed, that’s quite strange coming from you.”

Everyone’s heads turned toward the entrance as a new voice joined the conversation. Mei stood in the doorway, her expression carefully neutral though her eyes betrayed an underlying irritation.

“I would have thought you’d be the first person to make friends with them immediately, regardless of their past actions or current circumstances,” Mei continued, stepping into the already-crowded space. “Wasn’t that always your thing? Seeing the best in people?”

“Are you angry, Mei?” Rachel asked with a deep sigh, immediately recognizing the edge in her seemingly casual words.

“Definitely angry,” Sydney said with an amused smile, propping herself up on one elbow to get a better view of the unfolding drama.

“Me? Why would I even be angry?” Mei asked, crossing her arms in a mirror of Rachel’s posture. A laugh escaped her lips, but it rang hollow and forced. “What possible reason could I have?”

“We just wanted to check out the city situation, Mei,” Rachel explained. “And we thought the sooner we did it, the better for everyone.”

“Oh, I see. So the sooner the better,” Mei repeated, her smile sharpening to something that didn’t reach her eyes. “And I suppose keeping certain people in complete ignorance was also ’for the better’? So what is this exactly—are Ivy and I being treated as outcasts of the group now? Maybe it’s because we’re the smartest ones here and that threatens people?”

“You’re not the only smart person around here, Mei,” Christopher interjected as he climbed into the camping van, squeezing past her into the limited space. “Cindy and I both from Lexington Charter too, remember? We’re not exactly intellectual lightweights.”

“I’m the smartest,” Mei said with an imperious snort, stepping aside to make room for Christopher while maintaining her dignified posture.

“As if this camping van wasn’t already suffocatingly crowded,” Sydney observed from her elevated perch, genuine exasperation creeping into her voice. “We should establish some kind of rotation system—you know, rules about how many people can be inside at once and when.”

“Shut up, Sydney,” Christopher said, settling himself into one of the remaining seats.

“Yeah, shut up,” Cindy also said.

“Come on, aren’t you all suffocating in here?” Sydney pressed on, gesturing at the cramped quarters. “How about everyone takes a nice breath of fresh air outside in the bright afternoon sun? Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

“What about you, Sydney?” Cindy shot back with raised eyebrows. “How about you go take a breath outside instead of telling everyone else to leave?”

“I’m performing an important duty,” Sydney replied with exaggerated seriousness. “I’m watching over Rachel to make sure she doesn’t overdramatize Ryan’s situation and go charging off on some unnecessary rescue mission. Someone has to be the voice of reason here.”

“I… I thought we were supposed to pick them up today anyway?” Rachel said. “And Sydney, you were literally the most worried person about leaving Ryan and Clara alone there. What changed?”

“Well, I might have been exaggerating my concerns a tiny bit,” Sydney said with a sheepish grin. “I was still annoyed that those Boardwalk people tried to shoot us when we first approached. So maybe I played up the danger factor to make a point.”

“Yes, exactly—that’s why I’m worried,” Rachel emphasized, seizing on Sydney’s admission. “They shot at us! How can we trust Ryan and Clara’s safety with people who opened fire without even trying to communicate first?”

“Worried about what, exactly?” Mei’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she leaned against the van’s interior wall. “As always, Ryan will handle everything himself. Mr. Almighty doesn’t need our help. He never does.”

The bitterness in her tone was impossible to miss, and an uncomfortable silence settled over the group.

“Mei… what’s really wrong here?” Cindy asked gently. “I told you where they went and why. So why are you still this upset?”

“I’m not upset at all,” Mei insisted, offering a smile very fake one.

“Indeed, she’s totally not upset,” Sydney said with a knowing look. “She’s just angry that her beloved Ryan didn’t tell her anything before leaving. Poor Mei—she just wanted a goodbye kiss before he went off on his adventure. You can understand that, right Cindy?”

“Please go straight to hell, Miss Sydney,” Mei said through gritted teeth before turning on her heel and stalking out of the camping van.

“And you’ve made another enemy,” Christopher observed with a snort. “You’re really great at that, aren’t you Sydney?”

“And definitely not the last one I’ll make, I’m sure,” Sydney sighed, though she didn’t sound particularly remorseful about the situation.

“W…wait, hold on,” Daisy stammered, her face flushing as she pushed her broken glasses further up her nose. “What did you mean about Mei wanting a goodbye kiss from Ryan? Are they… is that a thing?”

“Just ignore her,” Cindy said quickly, shooting Sydney a warning glare. “Sydney likes to stir up drama for her own amusement.”

“R…right,” Daisy agreed awkwardly, her fingers fidgeting with the tape holding her glasses together. “Of course. Obviously.”

But the flush on her cheeks suggested she wasn’t quite as convinced as she pretended to be.

Rebecca, sitting also, looked if anything even more annoyed than Mei had been.

“To begin with, why are you all even quarreling about him in the first place?” She asked. “He’s not worth wasting your breath over. Honestly, none of you should be surprised or upset by this—it’s hardly news that he prefers to handle everything alone. That’s just who he is.”

“Oh, here we go,” Sydney announced from her elevated perch, propping herself up on one elbow to get a better view of the drama unfolding below. “Mei number two has officially entered the conversation. Or wait—is Rebecca actually number one in the ’frustrated with Ryan’ club? Maybe Mei is Rebecca number two? The hierarchy is getting confusing.”

“What does that rubbish even mean?” Christopher asked. “Are you ranking people by how annoyed they are with Ryan? Is there a point system?”

“Well, you see, the way I figure it—” Sydney began, clearly warming up to explain her entire elaborate theory with a large smirk on her face.

“No, Sydney. Please,” Rachel interrupted desperately, turning to give Sydney the most pleading look she could muster. Her eyes were wide and imploring, silently begging her friend not to make the situation worse than it already was. “Just… don’t. Not right now.”

Rebecca’s eyes had been fixed on Sydney during this exchange, and comprehension slowly dawned across her features as she processed exactly what Sydney was implying with her numbered ranking system. The hint beneath the words—that both she and Mei shared similar feelings about Ryan, feelings that went beyond simple friendship or frustration—might have hit the bullseye.

She let out a sharp, disdainful harrumph and without another word, she stood abruptly and stalked toward the camping van’s exit.

“Wait, Rebecca!” Daisy called out, scrambling to her feet with considerably less grace. She nearly tripped over her own shoes in her haste to follow her friend, one hand reaching up to keep her broken glasses from sliding off her nose. “Hold on, please!”

The two girls disappeared out the door, leaving behind a wake of uncomfortable silence.

For several long moments, nobody spoke. Rachel, Cindy, Christopher, and Sydney remained in their respective positions, as if frozen in place by the awkwardness that had descended over the cramped interior.

The silence stretched until finally Sydney broke it.

“Well,” she said with exaggerated brightness. “Now that the weaklings have vacated the premises, how about we discuss the actual matters at hand?” She paused for effect before adding with emphasis, “I mean the true matters at hand. The ones that actually require our attention.”

“What absolutely awful words to use,” Cindy said immediately, rolling her eyes with exasperation. “Calling people weaklings? Really, Sydney? Have you been reading too many bad apocalypse novels?”

“What did you honestly expect from her?” Christopher scoffed. “Ever since she awakened her superpower and got her enhanced speed, she’s become completely insolent toward us ordinary, non-superhuman folks. The power’s gone straight to her head.”

“I am merely speaking the objective truth!” Sydney protested, swinging her legs over the edge of the elevated bed. With fluid motion then she dropped down to the main level of the van, landing lightly on her feet without so much as a stumble. She immediately settled herself onto the U-shaped sofa next to Cindy, tucking one leg beneath her. “Facts don’t care about your feelings, as they say.”

“And what exactly are these mysterious ’true matters’ you’re so eager to discuss?” Cindy asked. “Enlighten us, oh wise one.”

“I mean the actual true matters,” Sydney replied, and all trace of her earlier playfulness evaporated like morning mist. Her expression turned serious. “The Starakians. The fact that Wanda is actually a Starakian—well, half-Starakian technically, but still fundamentally one of them on a genetic level—and for reasons we don’t fully understand, they desperately want her back in their custody.”

She leaned forward slightly.

“I am absolutely, one hundred percent certain that just because the Screamer’s mission failed spectacularly, the Starakians haven’t simply abandoned their objective and moved on to other concerns. If anything, I’d wager they’re even more determined now, more focused on retrieving Wanda precisely because we managed to completely destroy their operation and send them running home with their tails between their legs. We humiliated them. Entities like that don’t forget humiliation—they obsess over it.”

“That’s quite an optimistic interpretation of events, Sydney,” Rachel said softly, her lips twitching. “Considering what actually happened to Jackson Township and everyone who lived there…”

“Yeah, and besides that rather important point,” Christopher added, his tone more cautious now, “we haven’t even actually encountered a real Starakian yet, have we? Not face to face. We’ve only fought their Enhanced Infected, dealt with their technology, battled their proxy forces. We have no idea what they’re actually capable of when they show up in person.”

“’Nearly died’ would be a more accurate description of our encounters with those proxy forces,” Cindy said, her expression darkening as she recalled their various close calls. “We didn’t just ’deal with’ their technology—we barely survived it. Multiple times.”

“Well, regardless of our past near-death experiences and close calls,” Sydney continued, her voice taking on a rallying quality, “we absolutely need to be prepared to face them again. And more importantly, we cannot rely on Ryan swooping in to save our asses every single time we get into trouble. He’s not always going to be there at the critical moment, which means we need to get stronger—all of us girls need to push ourselves to the next level of capability!”

She raise her clenched fists exaggeratedly as she said that.

“When you say ’girls’ in that inspirational way,” Christopher asked, pointing at himself, “am I included in that demographic? Should I be feeling inspired right now?”

“Well, I already mentally categorize you as part of Ryan’s harem, Chris,” Sydney replied with a wicked grin that stretched across her entire face. “So yes, you absolutely count as one of the girls in my assessment.”

“Fuck off,” Christopher muttered making Cindy giggle.

Rachel sighed deeply. “I… yes, I do agree with your underlying point, Sydney. I absolutely don’t want Wanda to be forced to go with the Starakians if that’s not what she wants. She deserves choice over her own future, regardless of her um, heritage.”

She paused, running a hand through her hair a bit frustrated. “But how exactly do you expect us to become more capable than we already are? I train every single day without fail, pushing myself to better control and expand my ability. I practice as much as I can. I can’t physically or mentally push myself any harder than I already am without risking serious harm.”

“She’s not talking about training our existing abilities,” Cindy said quietly, her eyes sliding sideways to meet Sydney’s gaze with dawning understanding. “Are you, Sydney?”

“Exactly correct, Cindy,” Sydney confirmed, nodding approvingly at Cindy. “I’m talking about that massive alien cubic box we’ve been hauling around in our trunk like some kind of oversized piece of luggage. The one that’s been taking up valuable storage space for months now. We have possession of three stones that can supposedly activate and power that device.”

“But we have absolutely no idea what will actually happen if we activate it,” Christopher pointed out with obvious caution, his brow furrowing with concern. “The technology is completely alien to us, literally and figuratively. If Ryan thought it was safe or useful to activate, he would have done it already, don’t you think? The fact that he’s kept it dormant proves there are serious risks involved.”

“Yes, Christopher’s right about that,” Rachel agreed, worry etched on her face. “And after witnessing what happened to Jackson Township—the complete and total destruction that Starakian technology can cause—is it really wise for us to start experimenting with devices we don’t understand? We could accidentally trigger something catastrophic. We might destroy ourselves or everyone around us.”

“Then why in the world are we still lugging that ridiculously heavy box around in the camping van’s trunk?” Sydney asked, shrugging her shoulders as she leaned back against the sofa cushions. “If we have no intention of ever using it, if we’re too afraid to even try to understand what it does, then we might as well throw the entire thing away. Toss it in a river or bury it somewhere remote. All it’s doing right now is making this van more cramped than it already is, and lord knows we don’t need any help in that department.”

“I don’t know if disposing of it is the right move either,” Cindy said thoughtfully. “That box and those stones might represent the only real advantage we could possibly have against the Starakians when they inevitably come for Wanda again. It’s alien technology—their own creation. There has to be something we can leverage from that, some way to turn their own weapons against them.”

“Right? See, Cindy gets it!” Sydney said triumphantly, sitting up straighter. “If Elena was here with us right now, she would definitely agree with my assessment. She’d be the first one advocating for figuring out how to use that box, consequences be damned.”

“And Alisha would have been equally adamant about throwing that alien junk in the nearest garbage bin or dumpster we could find,” Christopher added with a scoff. “She’d probably want to set it on fire just to be safe.”

Rachel actually laughed at their exchange.

But almost immediately, her expression dimmed considerably, the laughter fading as quickly as it had come. Her smile collapsed into something sadder, more wistful.

“I really miss them,” she said quietly.

Cindy’s expression transformed to match Rachel’s gloom, her own features settling into lines of sorrow and resignation.

The truth was that they’d barely had any opportunity to properly process—let alone openly discuss—what had happened with Alisha and Elena. The girls’ father had essentially kidnapped them, though he would undoubtedly characterize it differently, whisking his daughters away to Russia while the rest of the group remained stranded in America. There had been no time for goodbyes, no chance to make plans or promises to reunite. One day they’d been together, and the next, two important members of their group was simply gone.

“Well, try not to worry about it too much,” Sydney said. “Our dear Hero Ryan is apparently planning to cross the Atlantic Ocean in the not-too-distant future specifically to search for Elena and bring her back. How perfectly romantic and movie-worthy is that scenario? I can almost hear the swelling orchestral soundtrack.”

“Right, except for the part of that movie where our heroic protagonist leaves the rest of us behind,” Cindy scoffed, her tone turning bitter as she crossed her arms tightly across her chest. “He wants to face the danger alone specifically to keep us out of harm’s way. Very noble. Very frustrating. Very typical Ryan.”

She was clearly sulking now, her lower lip pushed out slightly in an expression of displeasure.

“Christopher,” Sydney said suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she focused her attention entirely on him. “You have something you’d like to contribute to this conversation, don’t you? Some relevant information you’ve been sitting on?”

“Absolutely do not drag me into this particular mess,” Christopher said quickly, raising both hands in a defensive gesture.

A heavy silence descended over the group as all three women simultaneously turned their full attention toward Christopher. Their gazes locked onto him with varying degrees of suspicion, intensity, and accusation.

Christopher felt the weight of those stares and slowly, almost involuntarily, averted his gaze. His eyes drifted away from their faces, focusing instead on the van’s worn interior, the scuffed floor, anywhere but the three pairs of eyes boring into him.

“Christopher?” Rachel called his name, her voice deceptively sweet and gentle in a way that somehow made it more threatening.

“Yes?” He replied, still steadfastly refusing to make eye contact with any of them.

“Don’t you dare ’yes’ us like nothing’s wrong!” Sydney snapped, and in a blur of motion she vanished from her seat on the sofa and reappeared directly in front of Christopher, her body crackling blue. “Ryan told you about his plans, didn’t he? He shared details with you that he didn’t share with the rest of us!”

“Nope,” Christopher said, shaking his head with perhaps a bit too much vigor to be truly convincing. “He definitely didn’t tell me anything.”

“He’s lying through his teeth,” Cindy said. “Remember his tell? Christopher always, without fail, turns his head away and avoids eye contact when he’s lying. He literally cannot help himself.”

“That’s such a pathetic yet somehow adorable trait, Chris,” Sydney said, and her smile transformed into something fiercer, like a cat that had cornered a particularly interesting mouse. “You really need to work on your deception skills if you’re going to try hiding things from us.”

“Hey guys!”

At precisely that moment, Daisy’s head popped back through the camping van’s entrance.

“Ryan’s back!” She said. “He just arrived with Clara! They’re here right now!”

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