Doctor Zhirkov appeared at the cell door with a reassuring smile. Elena gently put the sleeping Sidra to the side and leapt to her feet.
"I've been hearing all these rumors from guards that they caught Michael," said Elena. "They have. He did not leave the Freelands."
Elena felt her heart leap at the statement.
He stayed for us?
"But why?" she asked.
"I don't know. He was caught after killing a businessman though he's been denying he did it. But he has struck a deal with Billy and now he has ordered them to protect you."
He stayed for us.
"I think you will be safe now, Elena. You could maybe even join me at my ward if Michael requests Billy too. It seems Michael is important to him and that could help you."
He's saved us yet again.
***
Billy the Kid smiled at the thought of the good fortune that had him hit. He had the very key in his hand that would lead to world domination. Killing the other respawners in the West was only the first step. It was only the beginning.
He looked down at the Freelands from the highest cliff. All of this would be his soon. He had done well considering all the complications he had had to face. His people had had a hard life at first but he had considerably bettered the living conditions in his zone. Letting in those educated people and businessmen in those fancy suits (God, how he hated those fuckers) had worked out very well. The Freelands was now an attractive place to be especially for people who were on the run from the Soviets and Nazis who dominated America. His people seemed happy too. Not that he cared about them, but they needed to be satisfied if he was going to want to be powerful.
The Nazis came to his mind when he thought of powerful. Yes, they had everything. They had resources such as electricity and all the other fancy modern stuff that Billy had not understood and so had rejected from his towns in the beginning. The Nazis had even tried to form an alliance with him in the beginning years but he had refused and had instead formed an alliance with the other respawners of the West to form the Freelands. Their thinking had been just as backward as him and he regretted forming the truce with them.
There was no way now that the Nazis would want to form an alliance with him now. He had raided so many of their trains in the past that it was unforgivable. But he needed their allegiance if he wanted power. He needed to learn the things they knew. He had a plan in mind and he would need Michael for that. Ruling over the West would be his first step.
There was a war going to happen in the West. Three armies fighting against his own. It was inevitable. They had not liked his mingling with other people in order to better his zone claiming that he was breaking their truce although technically, according to his lawyers, he wasn't. But that did not matter to them. They were jealous, they would attack soon enough regardless.
So he had to take the initiative and do the war on his own terms, when they would not be expecting it. His army was stronger than their individual armies but together they would be far superior. It was vital that Michael killed them as quickly as possible so that the opposition would have no choice but to acknowledge him. That was the only way he could win. But Michael was just a kid. Heck, I'd be surprised if he could even shoot a gun let alone swing a knife.
He looked over the Freelands once again. One day, all this would be nothing compared to the whole world he would rule over.