I sent the two young scavengers off with instructions to get them showered, clothed and fed, and stepped outside for a smoke. Eric was coming back from patrol. I waved him over to the old smoking chair and sat down.
“We’re taking more fire out there,” he said, waving off my tobacco and papers. He may have wanted to sound curt, but he just came off defensive.
“So I heard,” I said. “Time to put down the bows and break out the rifles. Operation Lago will have to go ahead of schedule.”
“Can I beg you one last time to reconsider?”
“Can you promise it will be the last time?”
“I’m not kidding, Pam,” he said. “The writing’s on the wall. Call the evacuation and let’s get out of here.”
I concentrated on rolling the cig. “Not gonna happen.”
“Please don’t tell me you want to stay because of the vault. Please don’t tell me you are risking – -”
“It’s the principle, Eric!” I didn’t want to shout but I’d had it. “This is where we are raising a new generation. This is where we are building a new society. Here!”
“Your principle is putting that new generation in harm’s way,” he said.
The plan comes with a price, yes. But I would rather every one of us die, than let the idea of the new society die.”
“Every one of us?” he said. His tone was pointed, but he was too weak and scared to make his point.
