Cub's Note

Mom,

I'm hoping you'll find this in the supplies I dropped off. This might be the last food I can drop off for awhile. Things have been getting intense at camp. They've been giving me more responsibilities, which is good - means more food - but they don't like it when I leave camp. We've had a lot of runners lately, so I get it. Not really, but like what am I going to do about it anyways?

I heard some rumors. Stuff that's scaring off the new guys. Scaring me too.

Ben, a good dude, heard he got hit skirmishing with some Feds out on Pearl St. It wasn't a bad hit or anything, just got grazed. Probably not even a gunshot, might of just been some shrapnel or a bad cut. We got lots of food, but we've been short on meds for months. Guys are dying from basic shit like cuts and infections - everyone's freaking out. 'Cos we don't even have clean bandages for his wound. We could tear up some clothes or something, but even those are far from sterilized. They decide to take him to "The Clinic."

I don't know where "The Clinic" is, but it's not here. It's at some other base, across downtown. Probably twice as dangerous just getting there. Gotta go through a lot of shifting territories, never know if Lion controlled space is gonna hold day to day, or even hour to hour. But they thought it was bad enough he had to go. They send Ben and a couple other hurt guys out with an escort. I don't hear anything for a couple days - which I get it, news travels slow in the Zone. Especially across the front lines.

But Ben was a good dude, so I keep asking after him. Apparently, I got on someone's nerves because they decide I need to talk to Chief. No one wants to talk to Chief. At best, he shouts you out for a couple hours, loud enough the whole base can hear. Worst case, I heard some dudes got locked up without meals for a week as punishment. I've heard when he catches runners, it's even worse.

But it's weird. Chief doesn't yell at me, he's almost so quiet I have to lean in to hear him across the desk. Tells me Ben is doing okay, but has a long road to recovery. And even when he's better, he might not come back here, might get sent to another base. Tells me that's "just the way war is." I think it's bullshit, but I nod my head and say yes sir, just to get out of there quick as I can.

I guess I didn't seem convincing, because next thing I hear I'm on lockdown. No more leaving base without an escort. I think they'll let up eventually, but like I said this might be my last drop for awhile. I don't really want any of the guys knowing I've been sneaking out food for you. I've seen them beat up others for less. Not trying to cause trouble.

But Ben came back yesterday. He's more bandaged up now than he was before. Last time I saw him, it was just his bicep that was grazed, but now his entire right arm is in a sling. I can't even see his hand, as it's been bundled up in cotton and cloth. His arm is scarred, like he's been burned - but the flesh is all light and pink like it's already healed. If he got hurt, I'm not sure how it healed so quickly...

I asked him what happened, thinking maybe he got stuck in the middle of something bad on his way to The Clinic. He gets this bad look on his face, and shakes his head. Tells me to lower my voice, or else they might hear. I assume he means the Chief, but he says Chief is small fish compared to the real guys leading the Lions. I can't imagine anyone being more of a hard ass than Chief.

I drop it. Couple days go by, and Ben won't even look at me. He's been getting sick a lot. Might have something to do with those burns. But last night, Ben wakes me up. Must be 2 or 3 am. It's late, and cold. He takes me outside, and we hide behind the trucks at the edge of camp. Ben tells me that the Lions stole something from Kurdizov. They've been using it to try and fix people. I ask, but he doesn't tell me how.

Ben tells me he wants to run away, and tells me I should too. I tell him I need to think about it.

Ben wasn't here when I woke up today. I don't know if he ran, or if he got caught. I wish I ran last night.

I'll deliver more food when I can.