Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Jack
“I’m going to win you over, Jack,” Dante said. “I’ve made it my mission.”
“Don’t you have other shit to do?” I grunted.
“So much shit, Jack, but me and you. We could be friends.”
I cut my eye at him. “You don’t seem like the type who has friends.”
He chuckled. “That’s where you’re wrong. I have lots of friends.” He shrugged. “Fair share of enemies too, but most people decide it’s easier to love me than hate me.”
“Good for them. I don’t give a fuck about you; shut up and keep working.”
Dante laughed and started to dig.
He’d been here for a week and, as far as I could see, was in perfect health. Lourdes still said he needed time to heal, but I wasn’t sure if that was true or if she just liked having him around.
“Seriously, how’d you find this place?” I asked.
His words from before nagged me.
“I told you,” Dante said.
I studied him, and decided I believed him.
“How far have you been?” I asked.
I was genuinely interested.
Between Nebraska and back, I ran into virtually nothing. A blessing, I suppose, but also a curse. Some naive, microscopic part of me thought maybe something, somewhere, made it.
But I didn’t see any evidence of it.
“All the way to Wyoming. Was headed back to Atlanta when I spotted you,” Dante said.
“Wyoming, huh. Pass through Nebraska?”
Dante looked up at me. Most people wouldn’t see it, but I could tell he weighed his words.
“Yeah, I have. First pass through, I saw a whole lot of nothing. But…” Dante said.
“But what?” I asked.
“I don’t think that’s going to last. World’s fucked, that’s for sure. But there are people out there, and there’s a void in leadership. Somebody’s going to step into it,” he said.
“Someone like your boss?” I asked.
“If someone like Rubin was in charge, this bullshit wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t have let it,” Dante said. He studied me. “You seem like the kind of guy who could fill some pretty big shoes yourself.”
“You mean enforce my will on a bunch of people I’m then responsible for? I’ll pass,” I said.
“Most folks wouldn’t be responsible. But you could definitely be in charge,” he said.
“I’m good where I am,” I said.
“Yeah. I don’t blame you. Nice setup. Excellent eye candy,” Dante said.
He looked towards where Asia and Lourdes were.
“She’s off limits,” I said.
“Not trying to move in on your territory. But Lourdes is something,” he said.
“They’re all off limits,” I said.
“If you say so, Jack.”
I let a moment pass, the sound of the shovel hitting the dirt threatening to lull me. I didn’t let it. “What did you see in Nebraska?”
Dante tilted his head. “Whole lot of nothing. Truth be told…it’s dead,” he said.
He was right.
Still, I couldn’t shake it, that hope that Evan was somewhere.
“Keep digging. I’ll be back,” I said.
“Not gonna cuff me to a post or something?” Dante asked.
I laughed, remembering how pissed he was when I’d cuffed him yesterday. “That hurt your feelings?”
“I’m just saying, I thought we had trust.”
I huffed. “Trust you, huh? Let’s just say I don’t need to trust you because you know if you run, I’ll chase you down and put a bullet in your brain.”
Dante’s laughter followed me as I walked towards the familiar truck that was rapidly approaching.