"Gab, can you bring them in?" Maarg asked, his voice low.
The unexpected nickname was a simple, soft sound. Gabby's cheeks turned a faint shade of crimson at the unexpected familiarity, a crack in her usually unreadable composure. She simply nodded, avoiding eye contact, and turned to head back to the truck.
While Gabby walked away, Maarg turned back to Gustavo, the awkward silence between them still lingering. Trying to lighten the mood, he took a breath. "So, who were those people, Mr. Cappuccino?" Maarg asked, trying to sound casual, but his eyes kept darting to the bodies. "Man eaters, or someone else?"
Gustavo's expression remained somber. He looked at the bodies with a tired finality. "They were just some bandits, my boy," he said, his voice quiet. "They wanted to take everything. The cafe, the food, the shelter... a man can't have a place to himself anymore without attracting wolves." He didn't elaborate further, but the simple statement spoke volumes about the brutal reality of this world. It confirmed that the threat was not from the undead, but from the living.
Maarg pulled out a small liquor flask and slid the bottle across the floor toward Gustavo. "Found it on one of the places I visited," he said, his voice still a little strained. "I know this is not enough for all the help you've given, but please, I insist you keep it."
Gustavo smiled weakly, receiving the bottle. He unscrewed the cap and held it to his nose, a flicker of genuine appreciation in his tired eyes. "You are one sharp kid, boy," he said. "Do you know what's even more rare than liquor in times like these?"
"Drugs?" Maarg replied bluntly, his gaze still on the bodies.
"No, no, that's true," Gustavo chuckled softly. "But there's something else too. People are addicted to one thing or another, but there's something most people ignore." Gustavo took a pause, his voice becoming more serious. "Tea and coffee. Sure, you can grow it, but it takes time. Unlike alcohol that can be made in days and made anywhere, tea and coffee require special conditions to grow. And the thing is, most people are addicted to these to some extent."
He looked at Maarg, a shrewd glint in his eye. "What I'm saying is that if you find tea or coffee anywhere, you come to me. I can give you a good price for it." He held up the flask, a silent bargain sealed between them.
A New Transaction
Gustavo's proposition hung in the air, a business deal forged in the shadow of a massacre. He wasn't just offering sanctuary for free; he was making a strategic investment in their future.
Just then, the front door of the cafe creaked open, and Gabby returned with Henry, Johan, and Andy in tow. Their faces were grim, their weapons ready, as they took in the gruesome scene for the first time. The shock was clear on their faces as they saw the bodies and the blood-stained cane sword leaning against the counter.
The front door of the cafe creaked open, and Henry, Johan, and Andy stepped inside. Their faces, already grim from the journey through the city, contorted with shock as they saw the bodies on the floor and the blood-stained cane sword leaning against the counter.
Maarg gave them a reassuring nod, his smile a little forced. "It's alright. He's a friend."
Gustavo, wiping his hands on a rag, turned to face the trio. His composure was unnerving in the face of the carnage.
"Good day, young men," Gustavo said, his voice calm and polite. "Maarg told me about your predicament." He paused, a flicker of a smile on his lips. "How rude of myself for not introducing myself. My name is Gustavo Cappuccino, but you can just call me Gus or Mr. Gus if you want to be formal."
Henry, his hand still on his rifle, looked at the man. A flicker of recognition passed through his eyes, and the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease. "Looks like we meet again, sir," he said, a sense of relief in his voice.
Johan and Andy, still wide-eyed at the scene, lowered their weapons slightly. "Johan," the truck driver murmured, his eyes on the dead men. Andy simply nodded, murmuring his own name.
Maarg placed a hand on both Andy and Johan's shoulders, his expression serious. "Hey, look at me," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "Don't be so down. Mr. Cappuccino is a trustworthy and powerful ally. You'll be safe here."
He then looked at Henry, a solemn, unspoken understanding passing between them. "I guess I can trust you to get both of them up to pace about how things are here and who Cobra is?"
Henry's face was grim, but he gave a curt nod. He understood the gravity of the request. The group was splitting, and he was being given the mantle of protecting the others and explaining the mission.
Gustavo, who had been listening silently, simply nodded as well. "They will be safe with me," he said, his voice a quiet promise.
Maarg clapped Henry on the shoulder once more. He then looked at Gabby, who had been silently watching the entire exchange. "Ready?" he asked her. Gabby nodded. Without another word, the two of them turned and headed back to the front of the cafe, leaving the remaining three in the uneasy quiet of Gustavo's cafe.
Maarg and Gabby walked in silence, the truck's engine a low hum behind them as they left Gustavo's cafe. The desolate streets of Toronto stretched out before them, a stark contrast to the small pocket of normalcy they had just left. Maarg moved closer to Gabby, his voice dropping to a low tone so only she could hear.
"I know that you're tired too because of your sleeping schedule," he said, his voice showing a genuine concern. He didn't wait for a reply, simply continued. "But you will have to join us for the exchange with Cobra."
Gabby didn't break her stride. She kept her eyes forward, her expression impassive, but there was a subtle tension in her shoulders. She didn't argue. She knew her role in this team, and she knew exactly how dangerous a person named Cobra would be.
"I know," she said, her voice quiet but firm, a simple acknowledgment of the difficult duty ahead.
Maarg didn't need a longer answer. He knew Gabby's silence was a promise of her unwavering loyalty and skill. In this new, two-person mission, she wasn't just a teammate; she was his insurance. He was the strategist and the face of the operation; she was the quiet, lethal force that would ensure they made it out alive if things didn't work out.
Maarg and Gabby walked back to the truck, the stillness of the cafe giving way to the oppressive quiet of the abandoned city street. They found Jack and Carla waiting for them by the vehicle, their expressions a mixture of relief and apprehension.
Maarg glanced at Carla, then at the empty driver's seat. The truck had been their home and their fortress, but now it felt like just a vehicle. He looked at the two of them, a slight frown on his face.
"Uhh, so who's driving?" he asked, the question hanging in the air.