Mankind devoured - BOOK 1

Part 14: Confrontation.

"Me and Corey are good, Alfie's not taking it so well." Malik said sadly.

"So that's where Elise has been these last few days." Mark assumed.

"Making sure he's okay, yeah. It got real bad yesterday, proper depressed." Malik spoke solemnly.

"I see, I would imagine it screwed him up bad." Mark said.

Malik turned and saw Corey approaching, he turned and quickly whispered to Mark.

"Corey is a bit troubled also, he did see it after all." Malik whispered.

"We'll bear it in mind." The lad with dreads said, a thick British African accent.

"Thank you." Malik said.

"Alright." Alfie said groggily, coming out of the bedroom in board shorts, with messy hair and baggy eyes.

Elise followed next to him, in pretty much the same dress up.  Looking very messy from sleep. 

"So what's the job?" Corey asked.

Mark took a second to prepare himself before working it up to tell the boys what he was asking of them.

"We need to finally talk to those in the cathedral." Mark said.

This earned a visible negative response from the boys, Corey leaning back and biting his lip nervously.  Alfie and Malik didn't move but the newfound worry could be seen in their eyes, eating them up inside and filling their heads with all different sorts of images of the possible future, any possible outcomes of the situation. 

"When are we going?" Alfie asked. 

"Couple of days, give you lot some time to prepare." Mark said, no one responded.  "And to get to know each other."

He gestured at the two guys sat next to him, earning confused looks from the three boys. 

"Dad can I speak to you outside?" Elise asked.

"Uh... sure thing, sweet." Mark replied, getting up and opening the door for her. 

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Elise and Mark
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"What is it, Elise?" Mark asked nicely.

"I want to go with you guys on this one."  Elise said firmly.

This sent a short, hard pang of worry through Mark's chest, almost making him take a step back. 

"Elise, this isn't just a looting mission, these are dangerous people." Mark said, trying to convince her. 

"I know, I want to go."  Elise half repeated.

"Why do you want to do this?"

"I want to see, I'm fed up of not knowing what goes on out there anymore." Elise said, trying to break down Mark's walls. 

"I can't let you do this, I don't want you to get hurt." Mark begged.

"Just do what you do with the boys, how you make sure they don't get hurt." Elise fired back, almost a planned out argument.

"They boys have gotten hurt!" Mark snapped a little this time.  "One's dead and the other is probably in the same situation."

"Because you weren't there!" Elise retaliated.  "You can protect me, if not then you know I can protect myself!"

Mark glared at her as her breath calmed down again, allowing her to become more composed and in control of herself. 

"We will see." Mark said flatly.