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“Let me guess? Let the grunts do the work while you hide behind them shouting orders? A real fucking leader fights alongside them, and you don’t tell your people to do anything you wouldn’t be willing to do!

I would face an army for my people, what would you do for yours?

” I say it loudly, hearing the shuffling of his men as they realise I’m right.

“If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this situation. No one knew where we were! You led them here. Who’s to say you aren’t behind this attack and then killed your own people to try and get on our good side?” he questions.

I hear them murmur then, obviously thinking through his logic and he steps back, sweeping his arm across the dead Berserkers. “They bear the same marks as you and your army, so tell me, savage, why we shouldn’t kill you here and now?”

At that, the guards point their weapons at us.

This whole situation is so ridiculous, I start laughing, I can’t help it.

They shift nervously, looking at their captain for direction.

I wheeze, I’m laughing that hard, before I manage to get some words out.

“You think I would kill my own people? To what? Make friends with you? Bitch, please, I don’t need you.

You need us . We rule the fucking Wastelands.

You might have guns and a bunker, but we have the whole fucking north and our armies to back it up.

So, I suggest you reconsider aiming those guns before I get annoyed and decide to go to war with you. ”

I take a step forward, forcing Evan to let go of my arm.

“Think carefully about your next move. Do you really want a war? You’ve seen what us so called savages can do.

Do you think you can survive that?” I look around at the groups of people huddling in the corner, and the dead guards and Berserkers.

“Because I don’t think you can, without us here, you would have died, and your people know it.

So, go on, insult us one more time and you’ll be the reason why your people are wiped from existence. ”

I’m done playing. I refuse to cater to this man. I’ve bowed and scraped as a slave until I won my freedom, and I won’t go back to that. No man, captain or not, owns me, and it’s about time he realises that because I’m smarter, stronger, and hell of a lot more likely to survive.

That’s what I always do—survive.

My father steps between us then, holding his arms out to either side, but I don’t take my eyes away from the captain. He looks like he’s trying to think of a way to frame us, make us appear as if we’re the bad guys, so he can shoot us.

“I was a witness,” my father starts, meeting the captain’s incensed stare and holding it before scanning his gaze across the crowd.

“Without these people, without Worth and her savages, we would have been slaughtered.” He returns his gaze to the captain with a fire in his eyes.

“After all, you made no move to come and save us! We need to work together, not separately. I’m taking back leadership.

You no longer run this bunker, Captain. You and your guards might think you protect us, but it is clear you can’t do that well enough.

Our people deserve better, you will not sully that by destroying the bonds with the people who just saved us from certain death.

” He tilts his head back and I hear the dwellers we saved mumble before they stand one by one, and step next to my father, blocking us from the guns.

“We would have died.”

“Where were you?”

“They might be savages, but they saved us.”

One after another they throw in their support. I know it’s not for us, but more so for my father, which doesn’t matter.

“Stand down,” the captain calls, and the guns instantly drop.

He looks at me then, realising he’s not going to get what he wants.

“We owe you thanks,” he says stiffly, his face red and his jaw clenching, “but do not overstay your welcome. I will escort you outside.” He flashes me his white teeth.

“After all, out there you rule, down here you do not.”

As the last word leaves his lips an explosion rocks the ground and I stumble, but Dray catches my arm, keeping me upright.

“What the hell was that?” the captain shouts, looking at his men. “Report!”

“Sir, it looks like the barbarians got into the armoury and set charges around Paradise!”

The captain swears and my father steps forward.

“We need to evacuate. Until you can search the bunker to ensure there are no more surprise charges, we will not be losing any more lives today.” He looks at me then.

“Lead the way, Worth, let our people be safe in your Wasteland until we can ensure it is safe down here to come back home.”

Well, fuck.

Anxiety tightens my chest knowing I can’t leave all these civilians alone outside while their guards sweep the place for bombs. That means more time away from my men, but how can I abandon these people and go to my men with more innocent blood on my hands?

The answer is I can’t. Looks like we’re setting up camp outside of Paradise until we know it’s safe.

Sands below, this is going to suck.