graciously.
I avert my eyes from the sympathy of his kind gaze, and a movement on the other side of the track catches my attention. I shield my eyes and discern five grubby looking men crouched on the stands, watching us intently.
âWho are they?â I ask, and Michael swings around to look.
âThe Lakeside Five,â he answers. âThey were here when we arrived, put up a bit of a fuss when they realised we were staying. Adam and Kwan usually deal with them.â
âI canât see that they would pose much of a threat.â
âThey were armed when we arrived. I doubt they have much ammo â they were probably hoping to intimidate us into leaving.â
âWhat happened?â
âKwan took their guns off them before they even knew what was happening. He gave them back though, shortly afterwards. Once they had seen what the Legion was capable of they backed off, but they stick to themselves. Youâd think they would be grateful, considering how much food the town is supplying us now. Adamâs been explaining things to them â he seems to think heâs making progress, but I donât see it.â
I stare up at the five men thoughtfully. As far as I can tell they are unarmed. âDo they still carry their guns?â
âNah. I think they keep them down in the marksmanship centre.â
âIâd better go. Iâll see you later, Michael.â I jog back towards the dining hall, my muscles aching in protest. My father is engaged in conversation near the east wall, but I head straight for the serving centre. I am ravenous but as I reach for a plate I spot Jenna and Chase sitting a few tables away with their heads together. Dropping my plate with a loud clatter, I march over to my father. Surprisingly, he looks weary as he notices my approach.
âI want him out of here,â I point across at Chase.
âForget your manners, Tiny?â I turn to find Reed glaring at me, his eyes bright with annoyance. âWe were in the middle of a conversation,â he continues, gesturing between my father and himself.
âWhat? Oh, right, sorry. I want Chase locked up again.â
âBex,â my father sighs placatingly.
âNo,â Reed cuts across him, shaking his shaggy blond head. âThatâs quite enough, Jeffrey. Stop indulging her.â
âExcuse me,â I sneer, my lip curling. âStay out of this, Reed. I was speaking to my father.â
âCorrection,â he drawls. â I was speaking to your father until you so rudely interrupted. No,â he snaps, as my dad starts to step between us, trying to defuse the situation, âstop protecting her. You,â he points his finger in my face, so close that I take a step back, âyou stop behaving like some goddamned prima donna. Youâve been awake, what, not even forty-eight hours and youâve managed to piss off every person who has ever helped you. Stop behaving like a brat, Rebecca, and grow up.â
I open my mouth to lash out at him, to retaliate, but he turns his back on me and states in a loud voice, âNow, Jeffrey, where were we?â
Red-faced and humiliated, I become acutely aware that every eye in the room is fixed on us. Vowing that I will have it out with Reed later, that this conversation is not over, I beat a hasty retreat. It is only when I am back out in the open air that I realise I have nowhere to go. Without thinking, I smash my fist into the brick wall beside me. There is a sickening crunch as three of my knuckles break, and I give a howl of anguish.
âMom?â I turn to see Alex watching me apprehensively.
âThat was a silly thing to do,â another youthful voice pipes up and I catch sight of Brooke standing right behind my son, her green eyes narrowed reprovingly.
âIt was,â I agree, mortified. I bend down and ruffle Alexâs hair, grinning at Brooke over his shoulder. Brooke was in a very bad way when we