Dakota woke up suddenly when Howie, who had been sitting on his haunches nearby, jumped up, growling.
Dakota and Chip sprang to their feet and pulled on their clothes, as the sound of voices became audible in the distance. Dakota pointed his weapon in their direction as did Chip, bringing his plasma rifle to his shoulder. Two men and a woman came into view above the bank where Dakota and Chip took refuge the night before.
The trio saw them and responded immediately, bringing their own firearms to bear on them.
“Who are you?” one of them, a large black man, demanded.
They certainly weren’t scavengers or zombies, since they carried weapons and spoke clearly. And it was three against two. They had plasma rifles like Chip and seemed more interested in talking and asking questions.
Dakota
