S A N C H A

I didn't ask to be Cured.

I know how ungrateful that sounds. I know I would have made the same choice Ala made. I wouldn't have hesitated.

That makes it worse, in a way. It's scary, how easy it is for us to kill each other if we have a good enough reason.

That's the hardest part about it. That it wasn't hard. I chose to kill the Carrier — Teddy— and I tried to follow through. The only thing that stopped me was the difference in power.

Basic law of nature: the weak get eaten.

My first mistake: choosing the wrong prey.

My second mistake: thinking of him as a him.

My third mistake: learning his name.

Those mistakes didn't apply to Mano. That stupid smug expression on his face was making me wish he was a Carrier. He was the rare kind of guy where the more you get to know him, the more you wanna kill him.

Ala's eyes squinted at me through the slit in her headscarf.

Her fingers twitched around Honey's barrel. The shotgun's gaping mouth lowered to the cold stone floor.

"Are you okay?"

"No. And neither are you." I raised my head, biting the inside of my lip. My breath was hot and rank inside the mask. "Just leave him. He's dying."

"And a dying man doesn't pose a threat?" Mano chuckled, then started to cough. "You... You have a lot to learn."

Honey flashed in the light of the mangled chandelier. "The Hell did I just say?"

"Leave him!"

My sister froze. My scream echoed in the church shell.

Mano's head lolled onto his shoulder. "Just tell me one thing. Sancha."

"Yeah?"

"Why do you need the Cure?"

I forced myself to look him in the eye. "Our dad's in the Quarantine Zone. We're going to find him and bring him back."

He opened his mouth, but I beat him to it.

"And don't tell me we don't even know if he's alive. Or that we only have a chance in a billion of finding him. Or that we won't last a day in there. I know, okay?"

He nodded, slowly. "Okay."

Ala watched him, glaring. "You're not laughing."

"It's not funny."

"You're not being a douche about it."

His laughter dissolved into coughs. Blood ran down the corner from his mouth, carving a crooked line into the layer of dust on his face. "Being a douche takes more effort than you'd think. You know, we're..."

"If you break out the 'we're not so different line'," Ala warned, "I'm going to finish what Rudy started."

Mano grinned, his teeth pink from the blood in his mouth. "I was going to say that we're the same. Close enough?"

She glanced at me. I scowled at her. She turned back to the dying man. "I'll let it slide this time."

"Damn, you really hate me," he chuckled. "Did you think I wanted Rudy dead because I didn't like him?"

"Something like that."

"I knew you couldn't beat him. But I knew he wouldn't kill you, so. It was a win-win either way. And what you just told me makes it even easier."

Ala slammed Honey's muzzle into the wall, a hair away from Mano's ear. "What the Hell are you talking about?"

"I'm going into the Quarantine Zone. Come with me."

The soles of my worn tennis shoes hit the ground. I whirled toward him, the edge of Dad's shirt swinging loosely. "You're dying."

"I've survived worse."

"Your head's bleeding."

"Flesh wound."

My hands curled into fists. "What's in it for you?"

His smile stretched wider. "Where else will I find someone crazy enough to follow me into Walker territory?"

The church doors groaned open. Rudy strode down the aisle, lost in Teddy's thick shadow.

Ala's eyes widened. They met mine.

Not a scratch on either of them.

They didn't fight.

We turned to the arrivals, our shared message clear: Two Carriers are more dangerous than one.

Rudy cleared his throat. "We've come to an understanding."

"Yep." Teddy plopped his broad palm on top of Rudy's head. "I'll be working with this little guy now."

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to be left alone with your cat farm?"

"He promised me a bigger one."

"Oh."

Rudy pushed up at Teddy's hand, scowling. "Can you not?"

"No, but I can tie one!" Teddy lifted his hand so he could grace us with both finger guns.

Silence in the pews.

"Yeah, okay," said Ala. "Can I rip your heart out now?"

"Tch." Teddy crossed his arms with a sigh. "Everyone's a comedian."

Rudy stalked up to Mano. He leaned back, taking in the state of the metal-armed, bleeding man. His mechanical eyes were still and silent, his mouth in a thin, firm line. "Any last requests?"

Mano stared directly at me. His mouth shaped the words, 'Your choice'. He smiled. "Make it quick."

"Ay." Rudy pulled back his fist. "I can do that."

Dust and debris exploded into the air. Teddy and Ala shielded their faces, bracing themselves against sharp stone shards.

When the dust cleared, I was staring directly into Rudy's silver eyes, his fist clasped in my hand, the ground beneath us obliterated.

Rudy blinked. His eyes narrowed. He bent his knees, coiling his muscles like a cat about to spring.

"Mano!" Rudy's hand crunched beneath my grip. "You're taking me to the Quarantine Zone!"