Chapter 17: Lexington Charter
"She’s... sleeping?" Rebecca whispered, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.
"Apparently," Rachel replied, though her tone suggested she was equally baffled.
I tapped gently on the window, not wanting to startle her too badly. Sydney stirred slightly but didn’t wake. I tried again, a little louder this time.
"Hmm?" Sydney’s voice came out thick with sleep as her blue eyes fluttered open
When she recognized me standing outside she let out a long yawn.
She stretched languidly, her black-painted fingernails catching the dim light as she raised her arms above her head. The motion reminded me of a cat awakening from a deep slumber. Only then did she reach for the car’s door.
"I distinctly remember telling you to be quick," she said with a sharp glare. But then her gaze shifted past my shoulder, taking in the two women huddled behind me like confused birds. Her expression shifted to something between curiosity and mild annoyance. "I see you’ve also decided to bring company along for the ride."
"I couldn’t just leave them to die," I said, shrugging. "And there’s plenty of space in the car. It’s not like we’re short on room."
Sydney looked at the sisters for a long moment, her blue eyes seeming to catalog every detail. Finally, she let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Fine," she said. "But let me make something crystal clear—I’m not running a taxi service here. I’m not playing chauffeur and driving anyone anywhere they want to go until I take care of my own business first. We do this my way, or you can find another ride through this nightmare."
Despite her harsh words, I found myself oddly reassured. Sydney might be prickly and self-centered, but she was also surprisingly reliable when it came to following through on her promises. In a world that had gone completely insane, that kind of consistency was more valuable than gold I guess.
Rachel stepped forward at that time. "Thank you for accommodating us," she said, extending a hand that shook only slightly. "I’m Rachel, and this is my sister Rebecca."