Neumen Theory

Six

Over the next few days, Eve and Dillon spent a great deal of time away from the safety of the Blue Crab. They roamed the city popping in to Kai's house, then Trent's and then Alex's grabbing personal items and clothes that the men desperately wanted to have back if at all possible considering it was a zombie apocalypse.

As they scoured the city for supplies and checked on their friends, Eve and Dillon encountered more than just the undead. They stumbled upon a group of survivors holed up in an abandoned warehouse, led by a grizzled man named Marcus. He eyed them warily as they approached, but after hearing their story, he welcomed them into their makeshift community.

Marcus explained that they were low on food and ammunition, constantly under threat from both zombies and rival survivor groups.

"Do you guys have a CB radio?" Eve asked

Marcus nodded, pointing towards a corner of the warehouse where a dusty old CB radio was set up. "It's not in the best condition, but it gets the job done," he grunted, his eyes filled with a mixture of exhaustion and determination.

"You can reach us on this frequency" Eve said giving him the channel to use. "We're building a fort out of the Blue Crab down on Venice Beach. Currently we're preparing to bring in a big group of my friends from up in Beverly Hills. We're hoping to push our controlled territory out from just the parking lot and adjoining rooftops but we've started growing vegetables and fruit in the space we've managed to secure. We'd be willing to trade food stuffs for other materials that can help us expand our safe zone. And once it's big enough we can try to bring you all there as well if you'd like." She offered.

Marcus listened intently, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated Eve's offer. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a gruff voice, "We appreciate the offer, but we've been burned before by promises of safe havens. We'll need to discuss this as a group and come to a decision together."

Eve nodded understandingly, knowing all too well the importance of trust in such dire circumstances. "Take your time. We're still pretty small at the moment and the offer for trading food for some of the resources you have a lot of is still on the table," she said with a reassuring smile

The next day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Eve and Dillon sat on the rooftop of the Blue Crab, keeping watch over the deserted streets below. The air was thick with tension as they waited for a response from Marcus and his group.

Suddenly, the crackle of the CB radio broke the silence. Eve reached for the device as Marcus's voice came through, rough but determined. ::We've discussed your offer,:: he said. ::We're willing to trade with you for now, but we're not prepared for a move. With how small you say your fort currently is we'll wait to see if you're able to expand out as much as you think you can to accommodate our group size.::

Eve listened intently to Marcus's words, feeling a surge of relief that they had at least agreed to trade for now. She knew that gaining the trust of Marcus and his group would take time, but it was a step in the right direction. With a determined look in her eyes, she responded over the CB radio, "Thank you, Marcus. We understand your caution and we will do our best to prove ourselves. Let's start with a small trade to show our goodwill. Our garden is just sprouts right now so all we have to offer is canned foods and some other non perishables"

::Understood,:: Marcus replied, his voice gruffer than before. ::We'll send a small group to meet you at the agreed location tomorrow at dawn. Be prepared to trade then. And remember, no funny business. We'll be watching. Over and out.:: The radio fell silent, leaving Eve and Dillon to ponder the fragile alliance they had just formed.

The next morning, Dillon kept watch as Eve packed the canned goods and supplies they were willing to part with for the trade in a wagon as Kai and Alex handed the stuff over the fence. When the task was done Kai, Trent and Alex wished Eve and Dillon luck.