Chapter 46: The Price of a Deal

Mara took a breath before explaining what she wanted.

"Our food supplies are running low. We’ve tried searching the surrounding area, but we haven’t found enough to keep everyone fed. If we continue like this, we’ll eventually run out completely."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"I believe there are survivors on the upper floors who might have food and other supplies. I want to approach them and negotiate a trade, but I don’t know what kind of people we’re dealing with or how they’ll react to us. I’d like you to accompany me. With you there, we would have a much better chance of getting through the negotiations safely."

Zarek listened until she finished, then leaned back.

"So, what do I get?"

She had already expected him to ask for something. After all, he had little reason to help her group, and she wasn’t foolish enough to believe he would agree out of goodwill. The problem was that she didn’t have much to offer him.

"We could give you a share of whatever we obtain," she offered. "Or perhaps we could arrange something else."

"How much food are you planning to give me?" Zarek asked. "And how much ammunition do you have left to offer?"

Mara fell silent.

She knew where this was going, and she couldn’t blame him for asking. Their supplies were already running low. Promising him a substantial share would only create more problems for the people she was trying to protect.

After struggling to find another answer, she finally said, "You could become a co-leader."

For a moment, Zarek simply stared at her.

Then he laughed.

Mara’s face warmed with embarrassment. "What’s so funny?"

"Nothing. I just didn’t expect that." He shook his head, still amused by the suggestion.

"I’m not interested in becoming a co-leader of your group."

"But—"

"I have no such ambitions, Mara. I don’t want to spend my days managing a bunch of survivors, listening to their complaints, and deciding how much food everyone gets." His smile widened slightly.

"You can keep that privilege."

Mara pressed her lips together.

She had thought the position might appeal to him, especially considering how much stronger he was than the other survivors. Apparently, she had misjudged him.

Zarek leaned back, studying her for a moment.

"Besides, you already know your group doesn’t have enough food or weapons to offer me anything substantial. So tell me, what exactly do you think you can give me?"

Mara struggled to answer. She had approached him because she needed his help, but she hadn’t considered how little leverage she actually possessed.

Zarek could refuse her and continue living as he pleased. He had weapons, supplies, and the ability to kill mutants on his own. From what she had seen, he was managing far better than most people in the building.

She, on the other hand, was running out of options.

"Forget your deal," Zarek said.

Mara’s stomach sank.

Before she could respond, however, he continued.

"Let’s make another one."

She looked at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"I’ll accompany you to the upper floors, and I’ll make sure you get the opportunity to negotiate properly." Zarek spoke casually, as though he were discussing something as ordinary as choosing what to eat.

"You won’t have to worry about the meeting falling apart because someone decides to threaten you or start a fight before you’ve even said what you came to say."

Mara studied him, trying to understand what he was offering.

"And what do you want in return?"

"Nothing from your group."

She frowned. "Nothing?"

"No food, no weapons, and certainly no leadership position." He paused, letting her absorb his answer before adding,

"I want you."

For several seconds, Mara wondered whether she had misunderstood him.

"What?"

"Your loyalty, for starters." Zarek’s expression remained relaxed. "And your body."

The words struck her with considerably more force than she had expected.

Mara stared at him, her mind struggling to catch up with the conversation. She had anticipated demands for resources, perhaps even an unreasonable share of whatever they obtained upstairs. She hadn’t expected him to make such a personal demand.

"You can’t be serious."

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"Because we’re talking about a deal!"

"We are." Zarek looked almost amused by her reaction. "You want my help, and I want something from you. I don’t see the problem."

Mara opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She had known Zarek was dangerous. His willingness to kill without hesitation had made that abundantly clear, and she had never mistaken him for a good man. Even so, hearing him state his desires so plainly was unsettling.

He wasn’t pretending to be interested in protecting her people. He wasn’t promising to become their leader or help rebuild their lives. He was offering his strength because he wanted something for himself.

And he had chosen her as the price.

Zarek watched her struggle with the proposal, finding the situation more interesting than he had expected.

He had already planned to explore the upper floors. He had barely explored the building, and there was no telling what he might find up there. Mara’s request gave him a convenient reason to go with someone who knew the survivors and understood their situation.

More importantly, he had begun to see some value in Mara herself.

She wasn’t particularly powerful, but she had managed to keep a group of frightened people functioning under increasingly difficult conditions.

She listened to their complaints, rationed supplies, and tried to find solutions instead of allowing everyone to panic. Her decisions weren’t always successful, but at least she was making them.

That made her useful.

He had no intention of bonding with her through the Investment System, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t bring her into his circle.

He wanted her loyalty, her abilities, and her body. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing contradictory about wanting all three.

Whether she would accept his terms remained to be seen.

"Why me?" Mara finally asked. "You could find plenty of women in this building. Why make this kind of demand when I’m asking you for help?"

"Because I want you."

"That’s your entire explanation?"

"Would you prefer a longer one?"

Mara gave him an incredulous look before looking away to organize her thoughts.

Her people needed food. They needed a way to contact the survivors upstairs without putting themselves at unnecessary risk, and Zarek was offering to help. His strength could make a real difference, especially if the negotiations turned hostile.

But accepting his offer meant agreeing to something far beyond the practical arrangement she had originally imagined.

"You’re asking for a lot," she said quietly.

"Am I?"

"You’re asking for my loyalty and my body in exchange for helping me negotiate with some survivors."

"That’s right."

"And you expect me to agree?"

"I expect you to decide whether you want the deal."

Mara looked back at him.

She still didn’t understand why he was willing to help without demanding anything from her group, but she suspected that his reasons had more to do with his own interests than hers.

That much, at least, made sense.

Zarek glanced toward the window then at her.

"So?" he asked, turning back to her. "What do you say?"

Mara remained silent. Her people needed his help, but she wasn’t sure she could accept the price he was asking.