Noah and Levy helped raise the man into a nearby chair, though he thrashed against them the entire way. The moment Sage raised her bow, however, he went completely still with a muffled plea.
They positioned the chair in the middle of the room, well away from anything he could use to free himself. Even under his restraints, he continued to glare at them, refusing to show the slightest hint of fear. But the situation was hardly in his favor. It was one against three, and Sage had already proven he could be taken care of by her alone.
Noah glanced at Levy. With their enhanced stats and weapons in hand, there was little chance the man could overpower them. Judging by the way his eyes lingered on Noah's physique, he was beginning to realize just that.
Sage lowered her bow to her side.
"Alright. Let's talk."
She stepped closer, stopping a few feet in front of the man. He watched her carefully, his eyes darting between her and the two boys standing behind her. Sage reached down and pulled the black cloth from his mouth.
He immediately sucked in a deep breath.
"Fuck..."
He coughed a few times before lifting his head. "You crazy bitch."
Sage's expression didn't change.
"French, aren't we?"
The man scoffed, shifting against the restraints. "You jumped me."
"You broke into my apartment."
"I wasn't trying to—"
"What? Take my bow?" Sage finished.
He fell silent.
Sage tilted her head slightly. "Yeah. That's what I thought."
Noah remained quiet, watching the exchange unfold. The man didn't seem particularly frightened of Sage, but there was a noticeable tension in his posture now. His eyes kept moving around the room, searching for an opening that wasn't there.
"So," Sage continued, "let's start simple. Who are you?"
The man hesitated.
"Marcus."
"Marcus what?"
He frowned. "Why does my last name matter?"
Sage shrugged. "It doesn't."
She leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing her arms. "But I figured I'd see how cooperative you were."
Marcus stared at her in disbelief.
Levy quietly muttered, just enough for only Sage and Noah to hear, "That's actually pretty smart."
Sage glanced at him.
"Thanks."
Levy nodded.
"You're welcome."
Noah rubbed the bridge of his nose.
These two are going to be a problem.
"Can I go now?" Marcus asked.
"No," Sage said, bamboozled. "Why would you even ask me that?"
Marcus shrugged as much as the restraints allowed. "Worth a shot."
Levy snorted.
Sage silently questioned every decision that had led her to this moment. She pushed herself away from the desk and crouched in front of him.
"Let's try this again. Why were you here?"
Marcus's smirked.
"Why else? I needed a weapon, and you had one."
"There are plenty of weapons everywhere."
"Not like yours."
Sage's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"See, the thing is I've already tried looking for another weapon. Something that could be used from a distance. Unsurprisingly enough, I couldn't find any. At least not until I saw you. I figured, why not help myself? But who would've thought I'd get knocked out by a girl who looks like she's still in high school?"
He chuckled to himself, then it turned into full-on laughter.
Levy nudged Noah beneath the ribs. "Second day in and we already have third-rate villains."
The laughter died down after a few seconds.
"You haven't seen what's happening outside, have you?" Marcus asked. The humor in his voice disappeared.
Sage's expression changed slightly. "What are you talking about?"
Marcus looked between the three of them, his eyes settling on Noah.
"The walkers."
Noah found his grip tightening.
"What about them?"
Marcus hesitated, as if deciding whether telling them was worth it.
"They're not all the same."
Levy frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Some of them are faster. Stronger. Smarter." Marcus shifted in the chair, the restraints creaking against the wood. "I saw one tear through a group of people like they weren't even there."
Sage's expression hardened. "You're saying there are different types?"
"I'm saying you shouldn't assume every walker you see is going to act like the last one."
Noah smiled. "And how do you know this?"
Marcus looked toward him. His expression changed for only a moment.
"Because I watched it happen."
"You've seen a walker tear through a group of people? Is that what I'm hearing?"
"Yes, but it was unlike any walker y'all have probably seen—let alone fight."
Noah's gaze narrowed. "You're lying."
Marcus's eyebrows lifted.
"Am I?"
Noah didn't answer. Instead, he turned his attention toward Sage and Levy, his gaze moving between them as though silently considering something.
Marcus watched him closely, expecting some kind of response, only to notice the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of Noah's mouth. It was subtle, but something about it made him pause. He found himself reconsidering just how much control he actually had over the situation.
"Could you two do me a favor and open the history log? Just think about it, and it should appear."
They exchanged a glance and did as he said.
"Now, if you two could just scroll to the top."
The two scrolled to the top of their respective history logs, their eyes moving steadily across the entries as they worked their way through them. For several seconds, neither said a word. Then, almost simultaneously, they looked up at Marcus.
His confidence immediately faltered.
Noah watched him carefully. "You said you watched it happen."
Marcus swallowed.
"I did."
"That just can't be right. As far as I know, we're still in the one-week initial period." Noah smiled slightly. He remembered a scene from a TV show he watched in his free time.
"Says so right here," Sage added, pointing toward the top of her screen.
Marcus's eyes shifted between them.
"So?"
"So you're lying."
The words came calmly, without accusation or anger.
Marcus stared at him. "About what?"
Noah tilted his head slightly. "You said you watched a walker tear through a group of people."
Marcus remained silent.
"That couldn't have happened."