"Well, I’ll be damned.” Reck whistled. Cole was half-prepared for the version of Reck that the end of the world might have produced but Reck stood the same way with his arms crossed, his head tilted and a lopsided grin on his face. “The universe has a genuine sense of humor.” He lowered the gun. "Of all the grocery stores in the city." “You probably prayed for this day to come.” Cole made an attempt to tease him. "I did, actually." Reck spread his arms wide open. "Come here." He crossed over in three steps and grabbed Cole by the back of the neck, pulling him into an embrace. Cole put his arm around him and they hugged each other for a long moment without saying anything. Reck pulled back and held Cole at arm's length to observe him properly—P.A.X uniform, dried blood, the weight he'd lost and the expression on his face that said everything since the last time they spoke. "You look terrible," Reck said warmly. "The P.A.X uniform helps but underneath it you look like dun

Cole and Reck left the others inside and sat on the kerb outside the grocery store. “Man, this weather is crazy hot.” Reck sighed and shrugged off his jacket off, cracking open a can of soda. The street was empty in every direction. The Grey zone was quiet but Cole knew further down would be lurking with bloodthirsty Greys. Those creatures didn’t attack mindlessly anymore, they now hunted as a pack. It was almost as though they were evolving. "I can’t believe I’m staring at the end of the world." Reck said. “I can’t believe people can actually lose their minds and become monsters.” “People have always been monsters.” Cole snapped his knuckles. “The Plague only created a different kind.” Reck turned to him and smirked. "And you're the cure for these monsters…Did you know? Before all this." "No, I didn’t." How could he have known? It’s not like he signed up to be the last immune in an apocalypse. "Really? Not even a feeling?" "No." Reck nodded slowly. "Alright, I