Given the state Lillian was in, she wouldn't last more than a few hours before finally slipping away. That was fine. Natalie was happy to make every second hurt. She turned without a word and walked out, slamming the door shut behind her. No hesitation. Only the stench and the darkness remained. Once outside, she peeled off her gloves, then stripped off her bloodstained clothes and tossed them aside in disgust. Only after changing into a fresh outfit did she finally leave the labor camp building. Before she left, she didn't forget to stash the two massive reinforced doors into her storage space. The two of them—plus one dog—headed to the far side of the rooftop. From a distance, they could already hear Iris yelling and the sound of her kicking at a door. So, they let Lucky burn off some leftover energy and had her slam straight into the door of the livestock pens, busting it open like it was nothing. Iris rushed inside with a flood of gratitude, calling out for Emerson. Meanwhile, Natalie and Cassian did a final sweep of the building to confirm they'd cleared every floor. Once they were sure, they made their way back down to the ground level. Natalie returned to the grain depot first and dropped off some supplies. Then Cassian headed to the front lobby to inform the girls waiting there that they could now head to the grain depot and collect what they needed. Then, the two of them—plus Lucky—left together. This time, they didn't take the armored SUV home. Instead, they switched to one of the large freight trucks they'd seized from the Grayhound Sect, now loaded with salvaged supplies. After the battle at Greenhaven Mountain, Harold, Olivia, and Roderick had all pulled their weight. So it was only right to give them a share of the haul. That was how long-term alliances were built, and how future battles would be won.Cassian drove on the way back, as usual. Natalie rested in the passenger seat. Everything was smooth until they started winding up the mountain road. That's when they noticed a large vehicle behind them—following. Natalie sat up instantly, on high alert. The thick fog made it hard to tell what kind of vehicle it was. But from the headlights and the vague shape, she could tell one thing for sure that it was big. There weren't many residents left in hillside, and as far as Natalie knew, the only large truck parked in the neighborhood belonged to the Mervyns. She remembered seeing Theodore at Villa 1 right before she'd left, and he hadn't seemed like he had any plans to go anywhere. Besides, his truck was red. The one following them now? Looked white. Most likely an outsider. After everything that had happened with the Grayhound Sect, Natalie had learned to be extremely cautious with strangers. "Let's stop the truck at the entrance to the Hillside Villa District and block them off," she said. Cassian had already noticed the vehicle tailing them. He pressed a little harder on the gas. "Got it." When they reached the neighborhood gate, they pulled over and parked, completely blocking the road. All the guards at the gate had been killed by Grayhound Sect. Anyone trying to get in now would have to exit their vehicle and manually open the security booth. But Natalie and Cassian didn't step out. They disappeared—blinked—straight into their storage space. Inside, Lucky, who had been stretched out lazily in the grass outside the mansion, basking in the sun, jumped up with a start when they suddenly appeared. Natalie ignored the startled dog. She looked at Cassian and asked, "Should we flash to the side of the road or go straight into the truck?"Cassian shook his head. "Roadside. Safer. They'll probably get out to check." Natalie nodded, grabbed his hand, and they blinked out again. They reappeared in a patch of dirt beside the main road, hidden well by the thick fog. With the big supply truck parked directly ahead, their presence would be easy to miss. The moment they got into position, the vehicle behind them rolled up. Now Natalie could finally get a clear look. It was a water tank truck. And something about it ... looked familiar. The water tank truck came to a stop behind the freight truck Natalie and Cassian had parked across the road, completely blocking the way forward. Natalie raised her rifle and aimed steadily, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The people inside the truck didn't get out right away. It looked like they were talking it over, probably trying to decide what to do next. Natalie and Cassian didn't rush either. Both of them wore gas masks, so they simply stood there in silence, waiting. Eventually, the passenger-side door opened, and a man stepped out—moving slowly, cautiously, a pistol raised in his hands. He wore a thick mask that covered the lower half of his face as he approached the blocked truck. Natalie peered through her rifle's scope and focused on his eyes and brows. Even with most of his face hidden, she recognized him immediately. "Arnold?" Cassian glanced at her. "You know him?" Natalie gave a small nod and answered quietly, "Yeah. We've done a few trades. Familiar face." "Is he trustworthy?" Cassian asked. Natalie hesitated. "Hard to say."Sure, they'd met before. Their past deals had gone smoothly, no drama. But this was the apocalypse. Things changed—fast. For all she knew, Arnold could've lost everything since then. Maybe he was desperate. Maybe he was starving. Maybe he wasn't the same person anymore. Natalie shifted her aim slightly, lining up her scope with the driver's seat. She figured it had to be Dennis behind the wheel. Probably waiting it out, ready to hit the gas if something went wrong up front. Natalie didn't blink, didn't speak. She kept her eyes locked on Arnold, watching every step he took.