Snippet #2099422

Rita rolled her eyes. "Alright, Joe. Whatever: I'm sorry." Joe smiled and Rita turned away. Joe was one of the few people she trusted round here. They had an easy relationship: they respected each other, trusted each other and understood each other. Joe didn't know Rita's complete history, but he knew more than anyone else probably ever would. He'd been the one that had found her and taken her in. Back then, there were very few people at the base and it was a lot smaller than it was now. They didn't have the animals for a start. "You smell like chicken crap," Rita said and Joe chuckled.

"Lovely as always, Rita." He put a plate with a fried egg and bread down on the table. He took a mouthful. "I've got a friend on the edge of the city," he said and Rita folded her arms. She was Joe's spokesman and trader and general navigator of the streets. He knew her history and he knew she could survive out there and get things done. "He'd got a few bits that we could really do with here. Extras pillows, duct tape that kind of thing." Rita nodded and tucked her knife into her belt. She was about to respond, when the masked guy stalked over.

Rita stared at him and that creepy mask. She hadn't seen him approach anyone since he got here, let alone speak. She glanced at Matthew wondering if he had something to do with it, but he didn't seem to have an answer. "Hello." A voice came from behind the mask. Without another word he sat down beside Matthew. Under the table, Rita took out her knife.

Joe swallowed his food and, for a second, no one said a word. But then Joe swallowed his mouthful and held out his large, rough hands. "Nice to see you again. This is Rita and Ash." Rita clenched her jaw, noticing that Joe had called Matthew by another name, and narrowed her eyes. Before any more pleasantries could be exchanged, she cut in. They needed to get a few things out of the way before they could be civil; she didn't trust guys that felt the need to hide their identity.

"Why do you wear a mask?" She ignored Joe's eye rolling; she already knew he didn't always approve of her say it straight attitude.