Dead Man Walking: Living By Day, Dead By Night
Chapter 187: Enemy of America

John stepped away for only five minutes before he returned with assurances that Malory could be let into the bunker. What exactly her fate would be when she did so, he did not clarify. But John made sure to inform her who exactly he was working for.

"I've just received clearance from my superior to allow you into the bunker. To put it simply, I worked for the United States government, or what's left of it, and I assure you are facilities are top of the line.

You will want for nothing, and so long as the information you provide me proves to be useful in our goals, then you will be granted a spot in our highly desired and self-sustaining subterranean settlement.

So, whether or not I allow you to come back with me to my home is up to the information you provide. So how about it? Is that good enough compensation for your troubles?"

Malory was stunned that the United States Federal Government had survived the apocalypse in some capacity. But if they truly did, then they would have the most fortified facilities, ones that the Undead could not possibly threaten.

Knowing the meager defenses of New Reno, and how the settlement essentially survived because of the sheer stupidity of the undead. Malory quickly decided to betray her fellow survivors, who she had worked alongside to build the community she now called home.

"His name is Zane. Don't ask for a surname because nobody knows it. In fact, very little is known about who he was before the apocalypse began. But I can personally confirm that the boy has become quite powerful, and rather quickly at that.

To New Reno, he is a valuable trading partner. He runs a small settlement within the ruins of Carson City, and is somehow capable of producing vast quantities of food, fresh water, and most recently weapons and armor that have been invaluable for regional defense.

In addition to this, the boy has several female companions who, while not as powerful as himself, are incredible in their own right. Nobody knows what their exact relationship is, but from the few interactions people have witnessed between them, they seem to get along with the boy.

One of these women is called the "Saintess of the Great Basin." She is a healer, and for a reasonable price, she will cure any wounds or ailments one might come across while surviving in the wasteland.

But she is not the only one whose abilities are incredible. If rumors were to be believed, then the recent restoration of electricity in New Reno was also due to the skill of another one of Zane's female companions. Apparently, a deal was brokered between the surviving members of the city council, and the boy that allows this woman to visit New Reno every so often to maintain the power grid.

Other than that, I really can't tell you about the others. Zane likes to work alone, or I should say he likes for his party to work alone. As for Zane, even less is known about him and his abilities. Nobody has ever really witnessed him out in the field, or at least lived to tell the tale about it.

There are a handful of witnesses who saw him eliminate those damned cultists with minimal effort, and if rumors are to be believed, the man appeared out of thin air when he launched his attacks. But nobody really knows how he pulled it off.

At the very least, he's more powerful than the city council combined, because they couldn't do much against those bastards from Elysium, yet the kid took them out in a single second. I wish I could be of more use to you, but that's really all I know…"

The agent, known by the alias of John, did not speak for some time. The information he received was quite minimal indeed. He didn't even have a full name of his target, and thus could not look through the archives to replace information about him.

Well, that was not entirely true. Zane was not exactly a name that was common, and in a city of just under 500,000 people, just how many high school boys could have such a name? As for Zane's location, the Remnant already knew he was holding out in the ruins of Carson City, specifically in the bunker that one belonged to Nevada's last governor.

The only bit of information that was of any use was the eye-witness reports that Zane had the ability to take out high level awakened in a single moment, while John had been on the scene to witness this in person, the corroboration of more witnesses helped him build a case around Zane personally being the one to take out the Remnant's Recon team which was sent to investigate Gravestone.

If that was the case, then their deaths could be directly pinned on Zane. Giving them a reason to dispatch a proper armed force to take over Frank's bunker and secure the critical piece of information that was left behind in Frank's study.

That is assuming this Zane had not already found it. Knowing this, Johnathan smiled and agreed to take Malory back with him to the bunker once he returned from New Reno.

"You have been a great help Malory, I promise you that when I am withdrawn back to the Bunker, I will take you with me. You have done a great service to your nation, and for that, you should be appropriately rewarded."

Malory smiled and thanked Joh for making such a generous offer to her.

But inwardly she was sneering at the idea of doing a "great service to her Nation." After all, the old world was gone, and though she had no problem playing the part of a patriot for a better life than the one she was living now, she knew that even if the United States Federal Government still existed in some capacity, they would never be able to reclaim the land they once ruled over.

"Thank you Johnathan, as much as I would like to continue this conversation of ours. I am sure your superiors are waiting for your report. Do keep in touch, will you?"

With this said, the Remnant would be able to identify who Zane was, and at the same time mark him as an "Enemy of America."