The Red Nights

They arrived in Natasha's house since a moment then without anyone had spoken a word, Jamal, Lina, Natasha, Carla and Matteo were sitting on the couches staring at the shy Dana who placed herself on a stool in front of them all, still silent.

Jamal didn't want to put pressure on her but it was too when he realized that he had failed as they made it looked like it was an interrogation, at that stade he deduced that there was nothing much to do but to wait for her to gather her guts and to say want she wanted to tell him.

After a moment she finally reacted. She slowly raised her head a little and landed timidly her sight on Jamal. "... uh... I wanted to say... I mean the reason I wanted to meet you... no, I shouldn't formulate it like this " she started mumbling with a voice which was difficult to hear clearly.

" Calm down, don't rush, take as much time as you need to gather your thoughts then you can talk when you feel it right, " Jamal told her before he took a glance at his friend to assure that they were sharing the same thoughts, one by one they nodded before trying their best to appease the atmosphere so that she would feel more comfortable.

The girl suddenly raised her head while spacing her legs a little bit and crossing her arms below her c.h.e.s.t, the sight she was landing on Jamal was no more inspiring the timidity and uncomfortableness but seriousness and strong will, Jamal felt as if it was completely another person sitting in front of them.

Earlier, on their way to come on the house, Matteo had already warned him about her changes of personality but he was not less surprised, he had also told him that the girl wasn't suffering from any mental illness and that from the few times they have spent with her Don provided the same judgment and that his conclusion was that it was more like a change of mood than of personality.

As expected that part of her was more bold and talkative than the other.

" The thing is that I need your help or I would rather say I want you to save me," Dana told him without blinking.

" Is your life in danger? " Lina inquired, being faster than the others to ask.

" No, but yes, the situation is quite complicated but the most important thing is that I'm being hunted " she articulated while shaking slightly her head.

There, people were reluctant to ask the question which should naturally come after such a revelation. " By who? " Jamal said, he paused, looked at the girl carefully and then added " or rather, by what? "

The attention turned briefly to Jamal after he added the second question before quickly refocusing on Dana as she rapidly gave the answer.

" By a shadow " she simply said.

There was a short moment of silence before Lina asked for more details, the girl who seemed somehow irritated clenched her fists before she said, " I can't... I can't say much but I need to hear your answer " she again stared at Jamal " will you save me? "

Natasha spoke, " how do you expect him or us to help if you refuse to reveal to us more about what we will be fighting against ".

Dana clenched her fists tighter without replying.

" I will do it, " Jamal said unexpectedly after a short moment of silence.

Lina grabbed his hand, the expression she was showing was severe, " we don't have enough information, it may be too dangerous even for you ", as her usual in those kinds of situations she would never tell him clearly to back up neither she would specify him to accept, she would expose him truthfully the risks and wait for his decision, after all, she too had requested him to many things dangerous and it was always about saving lives so she had no right there to tell him what to do.

" I know, but don't worry it will be alright, as always " he replied while holding back her hand, he looked at Natasha and nodded as to tell her that he had already taken his decision.

" In this case, I will fight with you, " Lina and Natasha said simultaneously.

Jamal didn't get the time to make any protestations as Carla spoke up to say the same thing as the two women and even Matteo who normally gave the impression of not caring about anything expressed his will to help to fight.

Jamal sighed as he already gave up the idea of stopping them, " well as everybody has already taken a decision I won't try to hold you back " he paused, he pointed himself, Lina, Natasha and Matteo " the four of us have already an idea of what is about to happen but let us tell it to you then we will discuss ", he patted Matteo's shoulder before he told him " tell them about the dream you have made ".

" Are you sure? " the boy hesitate a little bit.

" Yeah, we are in the same boat now after all " Jamal cheerfully replied.

The boy nodded before he obeyed and started to tell the story without, of course, telling how he came to make such a dream.

After he finished talking Jamal looked at the girl and was surprised, he thought that hearing that her timid side of her personality would manifest some anxiety or even fear, but rather she seemed somehow more intrigued than anything else, even Carla who was of the bravest people he knew, looked a little worried.

" What are we supposed to infer since the attack of the undead already passed as we have dealt with it successfully? " she asked as no one seemed to comment. She looked at the people there glancing tacitly without getting it as if they were having a silent conversation when she took a look at the confused expression of the girl sitting alone on the stool she immediately felt relieved to notice that she was not the only one who was lost.

" If we have decided to reveal that to you it's because we suspect that there would be another attack " Lina finally decided to talk.

" Wait what! " Carla almost jumped from her seat, " how? "

" Long ago, I have made my estimation about how many people were living on the other side of the barrier while even considering that they may have been some of them who killed each other " Jamal paused, " you already know how the undead are made, don't you? "

Carla nodded while starting to slowly get what was his point. " You see the number of enemies we have confronted, " Jamal told her, " there shouldn't have been so many of them ".

For a short moment, the woman was speechless, she then articulated " how is it possible? "

" At the beginning, after I passed Short-river I had a doubt but nothing sure but the more I visited the next cities the bigger my suspicions became, enough to share them with Lina. You might have not noticed it since you were fighting for a too long time but I did and the conclusion was that the number of outlaws was far lesser than we have calculated " Jamal waited for both of them to assimilate to information before he carried on " when we heard that Short-river's army was outnumbered we thought I had to deal with a quite a big army when you said that the antagonist armies of Montclay were of equal force I expected a bigger number than I have found and same with the other cities ".

" Maybe your calculation was wrong and that too many people died, " Carla said, trying her best to stay positive.

" My calculations are never incorrect " Lina immediately refuted her, " the possibility that they would contain some few errors? Maybe, but wrong? Never " as she didn't want to sound arrogant she continued " the thing is that there were people missing, not among the refugees we have welcomed here since a recession of the population has been provided but surely among the outlaws, we were principally fighting against gangs so it totally plausible we miss a part of them who were not involved in those groups ".

After reconsidering those arguments Carla had no other choices but to admit that the threat was real. " Alright, so what's your idea? "

" My intuition is that thing which is chasing you, Dana, may have something to do with that upcoming attack, " Jamal said at the intention of the girl, she didn't reply but just kept the intrigued expression, " however, contrary to our previous situation, here we have no way to know when they will attack moreover we don't have the means to afford another battle, considering that they may be as the first wave and- ".

Jamal stopped when Carla raised her hand, seemed like she had something to ask when he allowed her to talk she said " it has caught my attention for a moment, how did you know the exact day of that fearful clash? I can understand that you were prudent enough to even consider a boy dream as a serious danger where many others may have ignored, but how did you get to know about the date? "

Jamal looked at his friends as if he was for one them to whisper an answer to say as he didn't want to betray Matteo and reveal his secret power.

Lina flew to his rescue hopefully before things became more awkward, " I told you didn't I? my calculations may contain slight errors but they're never be wrong " she shouted.

" So why can't you do your calculation once again to determine when should they come? " Carla asked, unable to hold her curiosity.

" You know... I can't, I do not have enough information and data to make any assumption " Lina shrugged.

Seeing that the young woman's curiosity had been satisfied as she was nodding comprehensively Jamal continued with his next announcement, " so we had the time to discuss and we have agreed to begin ourselves the hostility instead of waiting for them to attack us, what do you think? "

" I think that it will be very difficult for you to convince Volga to step again on the battlefield " she tried to joke but Jamal kept his serious face without even showing a slight smile.

" that mission will be carried away without those guys, only the people here will be concerned. As I said those people have seen too many horrors and have lived too many awful experiences they would give everything to forget, now they just want to feel relaxed and secure with the ones they love and there is no way I would let myself taking away that happiness or let anyone do so " as he was talking, Jamal clenched his fists while staring at the floor, " we won't blame you if you too decide to quit so that to enjoy your life- ".

" I'm in " Carla declared before he could finish, she could get a grasp of the number of sacrifices those 3 people have made to ensure that the city was totally well and suddenly felt inspired, [ those who have the power should give of their time and effort to protect those who are unable, there is no way and I would ignore my role ]. " I will come along and whatever their number is Natasha and I will finish them all and there will be my chance to have a rematch against you," she said directly to the young woman.

" Don't drop your guard this time it won't be that easy, I suspect that the undead will not be exactly the same as those we have met " then he started to tell her about their battle against the undead who could come up with tactics of fighting, " those ones can be the real biggest threat ".

Carla was not impressed at all on the opposite, she seemed surprisingly motivated, " I don't care whether they are smart or not as long as we can kill them we will definitely get rid of them all ".

" I was hoping that answer, " Jamal said with a smile " for now, that's what we wanted to tell you, we will discuss about the details of the operation in the coming days, I shall go have some rest and we shall begin your training by tomorrow morning," he said while standing up, " do you have anywhere to sleep by the way, even though we are still far from the night? "

" Yes, let's do like this. And concerning my residence... Natasha has agreed to let me stay here with her " Carla respond, she took a glance at Natasha to check if she was still OK and the latter nodded at her.

" Uh... what about me? " Dana asked shyly with a voice just audible.

" After what you told us the safer place for you to stay is here " after repeating herself more than two times Jamal heard her and turned to respond to her, " you have to understand that it is too much risk for you to be left alone, until we finish with that problem the things will remain like this ".

" I thought the house can take only two people? " Matteo asked while glaring a little at Lina.

" Carla will sleep with me in my room, my bed can take 2 people " Nat' responded.

With one step Lina got closer to her and Carla, she looked at them with a smirk " you are preparing something interesting, do you mind if I join you? Carla seems to be a little inexperienced but I can be very gentle ".

" Please get out of my house " Natasha replied after stepping backwards.

" Well, in that case ", Matteo plunged his hand in his pocket he took out a folded paper and in the other pocket a pen, he walked towards Jamal and handed them both to him. " In case you would ask what is this, it's a certificate saying that you authorise me to live in my proper apartment or house ". While Jamal was signing without not understanding the situation Matteo was staring at Lina with a smirk, symbol of his victory. " I already found my ideal apartment so don't worry too much ".

" Well, do whatever you want, my man and I have to go " Lina declared while pulling Jamal to the exit door, as they were walking Lina tried unsuccessfully to whisper Jamal " what is that story of wanting to have a rest? I have been missing you for almost one entire week, honey, don't try to avoid your responsibilities, when we get back you will undress me and you will do me good until tomorrow morning. You will prove that you still love me ".

Jamal had difficulty to not burst out laughing, he turned his head one last time to say goodbye before they go off.

" Hopefully she didn't tell me to go with her to watch " Matteo commented, " well, see you, girls," he said before he left.

Natasha grabbed Carla's wrist and pulled her towards the stairs, " come with me " she told her " we have so many things to discuss about, you too Dana come ".