notebook while pretending to listen to Jason’s ramblings, he searches for the next number in the combination.

Multiple variations of words existed and each would give him a different outcome. Each one a decision on their fate. If he left them here they would maybe last a day, or maybe two if they were lucky. Thinking back to the woman and the young boy he slaughtered in the ambush the night before he looks at this mother and her son. That might be them another night. Thrown into the meat grinder, especially now that this new threat had emerged. He wouldn’t be able to avoid specific drones in an all-out war. It would be every drone for themselves.

But if they came with him… who knows, they could maybe avoid that grisly fate. And he could