A New World [7] Takedown by John O'Brien Read Free Book Online

change back? He knows they don’t have a lab or any physicist to look at that but, as far as he knows, they haven’t even talked about it. It’s not like he wants to use his mom as a guinea pig, but surely an answer lies there somewhere. He thinks that they should explore the research labs in the University of Washington. Seattle isn’t the best place to go with their limited numbers, but perhaps they could find something there that would be helpful.
    He’s thought about that a lot and pondered long into the night about how the night runners were changed – running scenario after scenario through his mind as to the specifics of how that could come about. And, how to change it back. It’s obvious that it can happen. His mom and that other guy they found at the gate prove that. He’s thought of finding the cure and then using dart guns at the zoos and other places like the Department of Natural Resources to administer it. Even aerial spraying has come to mind. Everyone just seems to accept that the night runners are what they are and that’s it.
    And maybe that’s so , he thinks.
    He also knows that, even if they can change the night runners back, the world would not be what it once was. No, it won’t be the same but it will at least eliminate a certain threat. The thought of actually conducting such a research project is overwhelming but that doesn’t stop him from pondering it from time to time. He’ll bring it up with his dad at some point.
    Leaving those thoughts behind, he looks over at his dad standing with Greg by the open cupola. They have a map spread between them and are conversing with a lot of pointing. Of course, when those two get together, there is a lot of smiling as they constantly seem to be poking at one another. All in good fun of course. Robert is still amazed that his dad has been able to bring the group together and lead them. Then again, maybe he’s not. He knows his dad doesn’t really want to be the overall leader – that his dad would rather just take a team and be content with that.
    “Too much headache,” his dad would say. “It’s easier just being the leader of your own little part of the situation.” Of course, he also knows his dad feels responsible for the survivors and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
    Here they are about to head into an unknown and the both of them, Greg and his dad, are standing near the front with a map in hand, laughing. He wishes he could develop that kind of casual attitude. For him, although he feels confident, there is also a nervous tension inside. He just wants to perform well and not let anyone down. His worst fear is that he will mess up and endanger the team. He wants to learn and gain experience so he’ll know instinctively what to do at the right moment. That’s one of the things that has caused the few arguments between him and Michelle – his going out with the teams constantly. She wants him to stay at the base with her and not, as she so delicately put it, “go gallivanting off with your dad all the time.”
    He wrestles with that to a certain extent. He wants to stay with her but feels the need to be able to protect her. The only way he is going to be able to do that is to gain experience. Plus, he feels a bond with Red Team as well and feels he would be letting them down if he didn’t go with them. After all, someone has to go out and why should someone take his place. If he stayed at the compound, someone else would be put in danger because of his decision and he doesn’t want that.
    He and Michelle have talked about raising a family. They were just boyfriend and girlfriend before all of this went down, but that has grown into something much more. They share quarters and are, for all intents and purposes, living together. He’s only seventeen, but that number seems meaningless to him now. The events of the last few months have aged him beyond his short number of years. Although, the thought of raising a family scares him