"EVERY BREATH IS VICTORY AS THE WORLD FALLS APART."
“ Well, it's been a long time since I caught someone sneaking out. People would be scared to go out, why won't you, Als?.”
The booming loud voice snapped me into reality. 
I looked into his curious green eyes, for a second there was shock on his face before it wiped off immediately as if never happened but I caught the name. Scratching my not-so-itchy head, I gave him another confused look. At this rate, I already used to be asked and called for the same name again and again. Whoever this also sounds pretty famous, am I his doppelganger or he is mine?. Or are we lost twins or something?.
“I am sorry but no Als.”
He looked at me for a second, probably confused before nodding. I can't tell what he thought of it. But, the more silent fills in the air, the more strange in his eyes. As if he is trying to figure out things, as if he is trying to find some words or maybe just a plain ‘he is weird’. Am I odd enough?. If there's an opinion I can voice out, I wasn't the one with cowboy taste fashion. And last time I checked my face in the real mirror, I have human eyes, eyebrows, nose and lips just like everyone else. I wouldn't put a comment any more than that because my ego is already scratched from my own perspective. Eh, I never have a muscle like Blythe, he built like he can carry the whole house on his shoulders when actually he screams when he sees zombies. Nor do I have a good look like Michael, as dainty as he can be.
“I swear you are. Man, I thought I've seen everything possible in this apocalypse world. Seems like I am not. Perhaps you're his twins just like the rumors?. Geez, now things getting scarier, two als walking on this earth doesn't mean good things. I mean it's good, but, two stubborn kids?. Eh, it benefits us as well as double the trouble too.”
The odd man as if talking to himself, as if forgetting that's I was in front of him. I heard good things from those guards and those who knew this als, but he gave him ‘stubborn’ enough to make trouble. I wasn't sure if this man is a close friend or doesn't know als at all. Somehow, I knew they're a good friend. This man have a lean body, he doesn't bulky like Blythe but I can see he has muscle under those cowboy shirt, if by guess, this man is perhaps somewhere between 5’8 to 6 feet (between 170 to 180cm). 
“Yeah, no kidding, I wouldn't be flattered to see there are two of me, duh.”
He turned faster than I could scoff. But, I did even a second later, for dramatic effect for the obvious reason. He tilted his head as if he finally clicked with his weird behavior, matched like twins in literary words. He put his hand on his hip as he leaned his upper body backward without moving from his spot an inch. I matched his position to provoke him, adding my most obvious twisted expression that I wish just as ugly for him to get that. 
“Huh… Now, it's starting to hit me, does your dad have an affair?. Or just drop you off from some mission and just literally forget that he has a twin son if so, he is a bastard?. Or did you just miraculously reincarnate when als dies, though I need to sit and think even more about things like that, it's not something easy to understand now is it?.”
“Huh…”
I scratched my chin which started to grow stubble this past few months. Now, the question is did I?. 
“The most obvious possibility must be, my father got tired of my shit, he just decided to throw one of the twins?.”
“Maybe?.” 
I shrugged at his stinging not-so-needed approval. However, What he said doesn't seem impossible at all. I don't know who my dad is, or I can't at least find any in my scrambled memory. He could be a jackass or maybe the whole good father figure. It's stings in weird way I don't even know my heart can the way I realised I may the kid he thrown if I really do have twin, I mean I was here, in redwood outpost, in an apocalypse and he's not here, nor my mother or the other siblings if i had one or maybe that possible twin part. Ouch, that's hurt, knowing I don't know, o don't remember but the possibilities is just limitless.
“Just kidding man. If anything I would know if als have twins, I am the one who change his diaper and play with him when his parents not around, If anything I would recognise him in a glance. I guess everyone just have high hopes and trust for him, waiting him to come back. We would be dead if we put our trusts on wrong people, and we kinda rely on him with our life, you know?.”
He patted my shoulder as if he never plant the idea in my head. Now, I can't get rid the possibility, and maybe the possibility of everyone in laketown residence still alive, kind of hopeful right now. 
“Err, sort of?.”
“Now, man. Where ya going?. Loaded and all?. It's dangerous out there. And got any name?.”
He straight up to the point. I never met this type of person but he do just honest and all. Not something easily find in this apocalypse world I guess. The notion hit me, but I don't remember or understand what kind of world put there truly except what was there in laketown residence and misty jungle. Before I can contemplating the thought, another conversation strike up. 
“ I thought we talked about this, Walter?.”
Blythe’s, no emotion tone came from behind this familiar cowboy person. He walked from the dark towards where the moonlight, the light shone his bulky body, his dark skin into our vision, his stare piercing as if threatening with torture and kill. He had his hand in his pocket but I can see his backpack behind. He walked closer and took a spot next to the odd person. The height giving me a funny feeling but his stare ate up the building tingling laughing feelings. He literally taller than this person, that he was only at his collarbone. His lean physique looked small compared to Blythe. 
While I was trying to justify my action, deep down I knew this was just plain wrong. I know what I witnessed and hoping they were alive were ridiculous but I don't believe it until I see it with my own eyes. And with the case with uncle Joe, I knew I had at least some responsibility when no one want to take the mission and save them. And as stupid as it's sound, I do hope I went and met Dylan and Sarah, alive. 
“Blythe?. I just come and take some air here, making friend?.”
His eyes darkened looking straight into my lies. Making my skin shiver slightly, scared of him. 
“You see by your own damn eyes, he fucking shot himself, and Sarah was gone, bleeding and skin tearing to incurable already. Wake the shit up, Walter!.”
He growled in his chest. A clear warning. Even my bone tingling, my legs shaking with his unusual behaviour, I still want to stand my choice, he can go and leave me to it if does refuse me that much. 
“I don't believe shit until I double check. And uncle Joe met me earlier.”
From my already alerted state, I heard the cowboy man curse under his breath along with something like ‘I swear this stubborn kid can't just see helpless people’. But, I entirely ignore him as I stand eye to eye with Blythe. His eyebrows dip deeper, he racks his head on this. I know the look, the same look when we were chased by the big guy with hard skin, I decided to call a ripper in a misty jungle many, many weeks ago, or at least the sense of time I had during the our time here. 
The looks of him hesitating for a second before he straight up agree with me. And I do hope this was the same, he would stand with me, I admit I can't do this shit alone. 
“ Last time I checked, you're under my care.”
He breathed, still contemplating his choices. 
“Then, that's that. We are going, that's it. I can't possibly let your inexperienced ass go head to head with this. I promised Sarah and I intend to fulfill them.”
He said as he lean back and crossed his hand to his chest. 
“Great man. Then, wait up for a sec, I think I forgot my things and possibly need a car key.”
The odd man said as he jumped on his feet ready to take a leap. Before he can leave, Blythe looks at him warily. 
“And who are you?.”
“Yeah I think of the same thing.”
I interfered. He looks to both of us with ‘are you serious?’ look. And I raised my right eyebrow, confirming his question. He dramatically sighed. 
“I am Caine, als’s buddy. If that does anything to reassure you. Um, I'm in charge of a raven shelter in his place?. Management I mean, the entire lead is put on karl.”
Blythe gave the man a curious look before he frowned and looked away. 
“Nah, I don't get anything from knowing your pants. But, if Walter says yes then you're welcome  to come with us cocaine.”
Caine looked at me, his eyes shone with anticipation. 
However that's not what concerning here. He ignored the cocaine part or did he just miss the word?. Blythe literally call him in not a proper name. But, hey, that's not my name he was talking about, if he did, I will straight up pulled Sarah's ladle hit. 
“Well, do you know this place well?. Like every crook and nook?.”
“Eh, not that good. But, I knew this place roughly.”
I shrugged to his answer.
“Well, that's good enough.”
I pulled my hands out, seemingly not my usual behavior. I don't know where this comes from but as if my body remembers things I don't or think by itself. Caine paused for a second, he stared at my pulled out hands, and from his reaction, the action must be something rude or something to him. Before I could pull back my hand to my side, he reached out and grabbed my right hand and pulled up to our chest height. Again as if something weird happened with my body, I just bumped my right shoulder to our connected hands and he did the same. He looked at me as if moved by my action. He let my hands go first, as he put his forefinger and middle finger to his head and threw it into the air, smiling widely. 
“Be right back.”
The cold air felt suffocating. The nibbling concern took a bite on every inch of my body, as I stood there, with no one but Blythe. He was calm, unusually quiet as he stood where he was ever since he came. I knew he was angry, the dead tone when talk was the only indicator I needed. He still stood there, bathing under the moonlight, crossing his arms on his buff chest. Now I take note, that chest was bigger than before. 
“Are you gonna hit my head or something?.”
I started. 
I mean if he wants to give me some lessons he better go for it rather than making me stand here, beside him, high on my own nerves. He took a glance before turned back to the path Caine went for.
Okay…
“ Who am I?. Sarah?.”
He spoke in a hoarse voice. Realizing this he cleared his throat. 
“What are you thinking, idiot?. Barging to a place where things are in chaos, death laying on every path, the dead walking around, do you think of yourself as some supernatural hero?. You are more than the word ‘stupid’ could ever describe.”
He grumbled. He was breathing heavily as if he was restraining himself from taking me down, hit my head to the floor, threw me to the nearest solid pillar, stomp on me, and bash my head. I keep my voice to myself, I even keep breathing so slow to prevent him from even know I was breathing, alive. At that moment, I was not regret for taking a choice to go and went for laketown residence but I was regretting the choice to not wake him up, I was thinking how he would say no, but I forgot how close we were in laketown residence that I would sneak out just to go hunting with him or just a plain wiping up the hordes with him. 
Suddenly, a heavy hit was felt behind my head, making me almost stumble to the ground.
“What was that for?.”
I complained loudly, ignoring the fact that we were not supposed to be here and we indeed should keep quiet so no one knows. I rubbed my head silently cursing him.
“I said I don't want you to go alone like that again or I will chop your hand and your leg myself and strap you to my backpack, alive or dead!. Do you hear me, dumb stick!.”
He went to slap my head again. 
“Okay!. Okay!. Chill!. I hear it!. You don't have to knock my head like you did to your door, brainless!.”
“Who do you call brainless!. Learn some manners, jackass!. I am your guardian now!.”
“Guardian my ass!. I am already an adult, you puny head!.”
“A fucking idiot, hard damn head, headless-chicken-like, child-like adult, the fact that you are planning to go alone fucking proof that!.”
I suck my breath as I want to counter his words. However, our argument was interrupted. My chest burning with unsatisfied taste, lingering more than ever. 
“Are you guys always this loud or just when this type of argument happens?.”
The goatee man strutted closer with the odd guy on his right. He has that Cheshire's smile again that scream ‘ I can kill you and be happy with it, I can choke you while laughing, I can find your death funny and if you cross the line, I would be happiest man in this world to sacrifice you and offer your blood to the devil itself, no, I would wipe your blood to the devil's arse and laugh about it.’ type of smile.
As he blurted the words, the odd cowboy man chuckled but tried to stifle it with a cough. The goatee man looked over to him who has his head turned to the other direction, trying so hard to keep that laugh. 
“Already experienced it before?.”
I asked, jokingly.
“Yeah, I'm used to it already.”
The man turned, crackling at the thought alone.
_______________________________
Raven shelter
4.03 a.m
Underground meeting station.
The dim lit room shone by the large screen, displaying different places, taking all the wall at the end. There were a meeting table for roughly twenty people, and rows and rows of seat facing the opposite of the screen and there was a large white board taking up half the wall, and a small rounded clock above it. On the right of the room, there's a map of the whole country, and the others were specifically the map of states with some writing on it. Just below the map, there were tables occupied by drawers and neatly stacked files. 
The room was filled with tension, since the underground station for selected few people, the entrance of the room lacks a door or anything to cover at all. Everyone was on edge, they were all being pushed to their limit ever since the apocalypse happened. Their eyes heavy with eye bag, their skin dry, their lips cracked, only showing how much they lack of self care now. 
“Any abnormal changes?.”
A man with silver hair, with deep blue eyes set, taking notes on every stiff body sitting across from him. The man who just finished high school right before the apocalypse hit, now has to take a seat his brother used to take over and handle the death or alive matters. Karl winters @ yevgeny, could not be more life less than ever. 
“The eagles and Lockheed start to make a move, their motive still unclear. But, there's a site where Lockheed relocates her army, it's unclear if she wants to relocate entirely or if she decides to have another base for her mission.”
On his right, a man with brown skin, notorious with car madman nickname, who was a car racer, taking the first place in the country for five years straight, before the apocalypse he was appointed to fight internationally but the dream now crash into nothing, now, he taking a responsibility of any raven shelter’s transportation’s well being, and being in charge to every transportation since he knew how to drive all of them, from the car, truck, ambulance, boat, ship, even helicopter, if one day he piloting the plane, no one would be surprise. But, he also, responsible as one of the spies for the Raven squad. Roman, who is an expert driver, auto mechanic, and helicopter pilot
“Thank you Roman. How about you Catherine, how's the situation in the lost city?. Found any settlement?.”
Karl questions the lady with sandy blonde hair, her complexity shown how strict she is in her work. Catherine, she was once a member of the navy, so she has expertise in shooting and using firearms. She also has a high survival ability, making her a reliable sniper. She used to be on frequent missions with Als during his time in the navy elite academy, making her one of the most trusted members. 
“That's the problem. The high crime criminals led by white brothers has formed a faction called ‘the clown’, but, since the golden desert is under ‘the eagles’ control, they move to the lost city, by the look of it, they have quite a great stuff. And… Many survivors decide to join them, mostly because of their resources. I can't get further without getting caught. It's hard without him.”
Catherine mumbles the last words. Making sure it wasn't loud enough. 
“ How about other factions and our allies?.”
Karl took note of a man who was just as stealthy as he can get. No one noticed him ever since he came ten minutes ago. They all looked over to Tang who was leaning against the wall beside the meeting table, already used to it. He would appear and disappear whenever he wanted and no one would notice, he chose to stay in the corner where everyone never realizes he was even there. Tang, who works as a Scavenger and also a Hunter. Tang is a survivalist with skills in finding supplies and hunting may it come to enemies or information or just some supplies. He has incredible tracking and sneaking abilities to aid silent combat and enemy tracking, or maybe just escape teb meeting whenever he want. 
“Other than Lockheed and the eagles, I didn't find any abnormal move where our allies are. However, there's a quite stubborn small gang in the redwood forest, they decided to raid every house and now they decide to close the only safe route from redwood forest to seinz hills. The Redwood outpost was still standing but they asked for some more resources, mainly food traded with logs and woods and they have new survivors from laketown residence after the place gets invaded by zombies. And in the central plains, There's still survivors in hope orphanage  house. They didn't relocate since there are more kids than adults there, I suggest an alliance and bring them here where it is safer. And a small faction, ‘synct’ led by a man called kaze or k has caused quite big trouble and make ollo dam as their faction. There's a report where they killed the hostage and threw them into the dam.”
Tang took a deep breath before continuing, again. 
“And, for our allies in central plains, western outpost, it's been quite normal, they've been bringing more survivors here, but the back entrance always gets attacked by zombies so they ask for aid in ammunition and weapons.”
“ In the golden desert, other than the eagles. The Mojave prison has been freed by zombies and built as an outpost, they seek alliance with the specter, they seem like a good faction for now. It's a bit complicated in the golden desert, ixis research center and helia airbase, both were filled with two different factions that's up to no good but, mojave prison and specter keep them in check. While fentar, filled with harmless survivors but they have opposite meanings of survival, and sand heart RV park still filled with survivors, mostly elderly. I can't get my hands on another town or city or any outskirts, this is my limit I am afraid. Unless… nevermind.”
“ Before I forget, So far, the reivers didn't initiate any chaos, they lay low ever since they negotiated with… Als.”
He breathes slowly as his eyes move to Amelia who is now rigid like a stone after the name. The name was now a taboo, no one dared to mention his name without getting into serious complicated feelings. He connected with all of them in the meeting room and he mean so much to every single one of them. But, Tang has to mention his name, it was apart from the report, he spent the whole day thinking about how he should word the report so as to not mention his name but he can't, not without them already has an idea as to who it was about. 
“Thank you tang. Amelia, any update on antidote or anything about the virus?.”
Karl noticed the tension getting thicker and their eyes, subtly landed on Amelia, who now has her eyes widens, her breath shallow at the name. Knowing the girl who is a fiancée to his brother, he has a rough idea to what she may felt so he tried to take everyone's mind to the task rather than the man, it's a silent agreement that in their every mission, they tried to gain any information about Als but to no avail, it's useless after almost a year, they almost have the notion he already become one of the victim to those zombies. 
Amelia cleared her throat, taking a few deep breaths before turning to the current leader with a slight smile. However the more she give her report she can deny the knowledge that they were trying to not admitting that they can't work without him. 
“Um, no update yet, there's something missing but I don't know what. I am so sorry, but I have to admit, this is hard without Als, he has more knowledge and experiences about biochemistry than I do. All I could do for now is get a vaccine for the virus polluted in the air, that also does not last for long. You know how he is, and you know these missions seem impossible without him. And now the camp has been thoroughly cleared by those zombies, we don't know where to go. Karl, you're his brother, can't you understand me?.”
Her eyes watered. She doesn't want them to give up yet. 
“Amelia. I know it's hard, ever since I took his place I've been lost, until now I have no idea what am I doing but to continue what he was doing. I know he is a great man with many talents and skills, but now we are all clueless without him. Trust me, I know what you're going through, we all are. But, if anything, I don't want to destroy what he has built and his hope for civilization. He is my brother after all, even though I am only adopted he make me feel like we are indeed blood related. Now, after almost a year he has gone, my hope for him to stay alive is barely there, we have searched for him everywhere. We kept our eyes to all this faction so we could at least have some idea about him. But, no. We have to spread our eyes but we don't have many people.”
He sighed, now the high thick wall has crumbled, he rubbed his head in pain. He almost give up, he can say that, he tried to stand tall, and be a leader they need, he can't blame Amelia, he also crumbles at the mention of his name, and now to admit is to let down the wall. 
A few minutes passed as they tried to collect themselves. Karl, sighed again before he addressed the idea he has for some time now. 
“You're right, Amelia. Tang, bring black ace and juanne, and I need you to trace all the raven academy's elite graduates, I need them, we need them, if we want to find my brother, we have to do this.”
Tang nodded.
Karl knew whatever the trick the Reivers were trying to pull, Tang could surpass them. 
“I will contact them right after the meeting. Give me a few days at the most.”