Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV by Borthwick, Finlay (book recommendations website .TXT) 📗

“I popped in to visit her, and she asked me to tell you that she hopes you’ll be alright.”

“Oh, of course.” Alek nodded, looking suspiciously to Emile; for little did Cora know the real reason why Tia was so distressed.

“Gosh, you love that girl so much, don’t you?” Cora tried small talk. “I bet you can’t wait to be an uncle for a second time, can you?”

As Cora blurted this out, Emile’s eyes widened in fear as he stared straight down at the floor.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Alek was at a loss.

Foolishly, Cora explained, “I mean Adela’s pregnancy – It’s alright, I’m in the know. Well, I am now at least.”

Alek turned to Emile, “Did you know about this?” He mumbled to him.

Instantly, as Cora realised she had said too much, her face went bright red in embarrassment, “Oh God! She hasn’t told anybody, has she?”

Alek laughed, “It’s alright, Cora. I’m not going to say anything of it. Besides, she’s our best friend. She’ll tell us soon enough and then you won’t have to worry.”

Emile’s heart broke a little more as he watched Alek reassuringly smile at Cora; he really was clueless about just how much his fiancé had betrayed him.

Rajan had convinced Michelle to sit with him at one of the restaurant tables with Gwen and Annabelle.

As Michelle sat there silently, Rajan gestured with his eyes for her to apologise to Gwen and Annabelle.

Finally conceding, she sighed, “Alright fine, I’m sorry for earlier.” And that was the full extent of Michelle’s blunt apology.

“Apology accepted.” Gwen said reluctantly, only not wanting to cause any further conflict within the safe zone.

“So, just out of interest, what are you going to do?” Rajan asked, genuinely out of curiosity, and not judgement or intervention, for this conflict was nothing to do with him in his eyes.

As Gwen drew breath to answer, Annabelle stole her thunder, “We’re gonna kill them, no doubt about it.”

Although she did not like hearing her daughter talk so vindictively, Gwen had not changed her mind either, “What she said, basically.”

Rajan nodded idly, “Fair enough… So, when you’re all dead, is it alright if we stay here?” Just as it seemed like he was stepping down from his stubborn nature, Rajan just had to try and point out the ethical flaws in their plan.

Gwen shook her head and dismissed him, “They deserve it. They killed my husband.”

“Well, going by what your son said earlier,” Rajan remarked, “You’ve killed more of them than they of you, no?”

Annabelle butted in and laughed, “The score doesn’t matter. Revenge is what matters.”

Rajan sighed, “At risk of being offensive about your brother, an eye for an eye makes the whole world… You know, blind.” He flippantly remarked.

Gwen was disgusted by Rajan’s joke, “Another quip like that and you will be too.”

“That’s assuming you can get through me.” Michelle defended Rajan, folding her arms and leaning over the table with a daring look and glistening red lipstick as she did so.

Gwen laughed at her, “Oh honey, please. My friends and I wiped the Valerino family off the face of the Earth – You’re hardly even a starter.”

Before this rivalry could advance any further, Tina arrived at the table, having just come from completing Erica’s hearing exam.

“Everything alright, Tina?” Annabelle asked her with regards to the flushed expression on her face.

“I ran over here to tell you as fast as I could,” this was not the reason why Tina was flushed, “Alek’s awake.”

Gwen cheered lowly as this news was delivered.

“That man really does have nine lives.” Annabelle commented, in reference to how Alek had survived near death twice now.

“Is it true that he got shot?” Gwen asked, having heard certain whispers running amok around the safe zone.

Normally, Tina would have told Gwen and Annabelle the truth, though seeing as they had unfamiliar company with them, she opted to lie, partially believing that one of the outsiders may have had something to do with Alek’s injury, “Nope, absolutely not. That’s just a load of shit that Elliot came up with probably.”

“Fair enough.” Gwen believed the lie. “I’m glad he’s alright, tell him I’ll be swinging by later.”

“Will do.” Tina accepted her old friend’s request, as she looked up and down her new ones uneasily.

Mac and Dawn, having taken over from Elliot and Rylie, were now on duty at the main gate once again. They had become rather fond of each other’s company over the few days that they had known each other.

At present, they were playing one of Mac’s favourite games from when he was a student at college.

“Alright, never have I ever…” Mac thought hard to himself, “Been to Zimbabwe?”

Dawn gasped in disbelief, “You’ve been to Zimbabwe? Seriously?”

Mac nodded serenely, “Damn right I have! First year at university, studying for a degree in African Culture.”

She rolled her eyes and took a swig from the bottle anyway. Due to the rationing of alcohol, they had instead opted to use sparking water as their forfeit, for it was a taste that they both despised.

“We haven’t got your supplies Mac!” Kieran unexpectedly called out with a bloody face as he and the rest of the supply run group advanced up the tunnel.

“Holy shit!” Mac exclaimed, surprised to see both: the supply runners having returned so earlier, but also that Valorie was holding a hostage in her arms. “Get it open!” Mac instructed Dawn.

Without any questions spoken, though with plenty in her mind, Dawn ran over to the large rusty lever and pulled it down with all her strength; the gate slowly opening further the more she pushed it down.

“What the hell Kieran?!” Mac asked in fear and astonishment with regards to the unfamiliar woman in Valorie’s grip.

“She’s one of The Bandits.” Kieran bluntly answered.

“What?