Gabby sighed deeply, their head leaning back against the wall as the tension visibly left their shoulders. The golden eyes, now no longer obscured by messy purple bangs, locked with Maarg's gaze. There was no fear in them—only a guarded calm.
"Look," Gabby said evenly, "I don't eat people. Not everyone here does."
Jack tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. Henry, crouching beside the two unconscious men, paused, turning slightly to listen.
Gabby continued, their tone casual but with an edge of truth. "There are people here who don't follow the boss's ways. His younger brother, Vick—he brings in people with skills. Fighters, scouts, mechanics. As long as you follow his orders, you don't have to… take part in the other shit."
Maarg raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet, arms crossed.
Gabby smirked faintly. "You wouldn't be the first to think I'm lying. But if I was with them, you'd be hanging from a hook by now, not tied up in a storage room."
Maarg leaned forward, his voice low and cold. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you're here for someone," Gabby replied, golden eyes flickering. "You're not the first group to break in. But you might be the first with enough guts to make a dent. I don't know who you're after, but if it's a woman…" Gabby tilted their head, eyes narrowing slightly, "...she's probably been taken where they keep the others. A locked section beneath the main compound. Sealed, heavily guarded. Not even most of the cannibals know how to get in."
Maarg's expression didn't change, but Jack stepped forward. "You know where it is?"
Gabby gave a subtle nod. "And I know who's in there. One of them is named Carla. Big deal around here. Some say she's the second-in-command of a rival group. The boss is keeping her alive—for now. As leverage."
Henry's jaw clenched at the mention of Carla. "She's more than just leverage," he said. "She's everything to the Vipers."
Gabby looked at him, unimpressed. "Then you better move fast."
Maarg sat back in the chair Gabby had once perched on, spinning a broken splinter from the smashed chair between his fingers.
"You help us find the prisoners," Maarg said. "And maybe you walk out of here."
Gabby shrugged. "That's the idea. I help you get in, you help me get out. Otherwise, you're fumbling around blind, wasting time you don't have."
Jack crossed his arms. "And why would you betray your people?"
"They're not my people," Gabby replied, their smile thin and bitter. "I'm just good at pretending."
Maarg exchanged a glance with Jack. Henry quietly stood up, moving to rouse the other two prisoners.
"Alright," Maarg finally said, standing up and cracking his neck. "Let's see if you're more than just talk."
He looked down at Gabby, who returned his gaze without blinking.
"If you screw us over, no second chances," Jack warned, voice calm but cold.
Gabby smiled. "Not planning to."
And for the first time, Maarg thought they just might be telling the truth.
***
Henry returned with the two newcomers. One was a short but powerfully built man with a tight jaw and arms that looked like they could bend steel—he scanned the room like he didn't trust a single face in it. "This is Andy," Henry said. "Electrician. Used to wire bunkers for military drills before the world went sideways."
Andy gave a grunt. "I'm not here to make friends. Just get me close to a circuit box and I'll make them see lightning."
The second man was more relaxed in posture, though his eyes were sharp. Slightly taller, leaner, grease-stained sleeves pushed up his forearms. "Johan," he introduced himself with a quick nod. "Mechanic. I kept refugee transport vehicles running. Good with doors, locks, engines... and improvised chaos."
Maarg nodded. "We'll need all of that."
Once introductions wrapped up, the group arranged themselves in a loose circle, sitting or crouching near the flickering bulb in the ceiling. Jack leaned against a metal crate, arms folded. Henry stood, pacing slightly, always half-alert. Maarg stayed seated in the chair Gabby had previously occupied, his eyes never leaving the bound figure nearby.
Gabby, now bound at the wrists and ankles, leaned forward slightly, calm despite the ropes. Their golden eyes flicked around the group. "Alright, listen close. You want your friend back, and maybe that Carla woman too? I can help. But you need to know what you're walking into."
Jack squinted. "You said something earlier. About the boss having women locked up?"
Gabby nodded. "Yeah. I don't know your friend's name, but if she's female and not dead already, she's likely in one of the inner buildings. The boss keeps his... 'collection' there. That's where they took Carla."
Henry clenched his fists. "Sick bastards."
Gabby's expression didn't change. "You have no idea."
Maarg leaned forward slightly. "Tell us everything."
Gabby's voice lowered. "This isn't some deep bunker fortress. The base is built across a cluster of abandoned buildings. Old warehouses, a half-collapsed school, a few houses that got reinforced. Each structure serves a different purpose—stock, living quarters, holding cells, and what they call the 'Gallery.' That's where they keep the prisoners they want to break."
Johan raised an eyebrow. "Gallery?"
Gabby didn't answer for a moment. Then: "Don't ask. Just know, that's where they likely have her."
Andy's fingers twitched. "How many are there?"
"Thirty to thirty-five," Gabby answered. "Only about a dozen know how to fight. The others are scavengers, workers, or psychos high on whatever they're cooking in their labs."
"Any weaknesses?" Jack asked.
Gabby nodded. "Power runs off a repurposed generator in one of the garages. Take that out, lights go dark. Chaos buys you minutes. Maybe more."
Andy grinned. "Generators are my thing."
Gabby went on. "There's a path through the side fence—partially hidden under some stacked debris. It's unguarded most days. I can get you through it."
Maarg studied Gabby's face. "So why risk that by helping us?"
Gabby smirked faintly. "Let's say I'm not too fond of how things are run. If you tear it down on your way out... I wouldn't cry about it."
Jack exhaled. "So, we sneak in through the fence, Andy sabotages the power, Johan rigs a getaway vehicle, we find Carla and Tara, then fight our way out?"
Gabby shrugged. "And burn the base to the ground Simple enough, right?"
Maarg's eyes narrowed, his voice steady. "Sure, we do this smart. No unnecessary risks. No one gets left behind."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The room felt tighter now—focused, determined.
Gabby tilted their head. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Just don't die before I get to say 'I told you so.'"
Maarg smirked.
"Deal."