End of the World? I'm the Boss novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 Old Grudges, New World

Finished

Micah scoffed. “Forget the poem. Shangri–La is a villa inside Klam Zoo. Yesterday, some guy showed up and told us all about it–perfect location, hidden, huge, and probably loaded with supplies.

“The zoo’s basically deserted. Might as well be our kingdom.”

Robin feigned hesitation. “But wouldn’t someone

“Heh.”

claimed a place that good?”

Micah’s expression turned ugly–the kind of ugly that came from someone who’d already decided the world belonged to whoever could take it. “Even if someone has–so what? I’ll take it right back. ‘First come, first served‘ died with civilization. Now it’s about who hits harder.

“If the people in there are smart enough to hand

enough to let them stay. But if they try to over willingly, then maybe–just maybe–I’ll be merciful

then they shouldn’t blame us for getting rough.”

His people tripped over each other to pile on. “That’s right! Who cares who got there first? When our vice- captain sets his sights on something, he gets it!

“You’re new, so you don’t know–our vice–captain can punch a zombie’s head clean off his shoulders. If anyone in that villa gives us trouble, they’ll wish they hadn’t.”

Micah didn’t say a word to deny any of it. His expression said everything.

Only Rocky was silent–sweating through every layer of clothing since the moment they’d walked in, lips moving in what appeared to be either a prayer or a last will and testament.

This was, quite literally, a group of people plotting to steal a house in front of the homeowner.

Then, a figure came flying out of the shadows at the back of the store.

The man was practically vibrating with malicious glee. “Robin! Robin Neel! I knew that name sounded familiar! Ha! You were so full of yourself before–look at you now! How the mighty have fallen!”

“You are…”

The light was too dim to make out a face. All Robin could see was the spectacular gleam of a bald scalp reflecting the candle’s dying light.

A few surviving strands of hair hung limp and long–clearly uncut for weeks–draped pathetically across the shining dome.

The voice, though. That rang a very specific bell.

When she didn’t respond, the man grew indignant. “Open your damn eyes! It’s me–Jim Patton!”

Jim Patton….

It took Robin half a second to place the name–then everything clicked.

So, Jim was still alive.

Chapter 55 Old Grudges, New World

71

Finished

Somehow, this timeline had granted him an extra month of existence. The man really did have the devil’s

luck.

This tiny convenience store was turning into a reunion from hell. First Freddy, now Jim. The hits just kept coming.

Robin’s lips curved into something slow and unmistakably dangerous.

Micah looked between the two. “You know each other?”

Robin said casually, “We went on a blind date. About a month ago.”

“Huh.”

Micah’s eyes bounced between them. “Small world.”

“Small world indeed.”

Jim bared his yellowed teeth in a leer, swaggering right up to Robin’s face.

bake a

“You thought you were too good for me? Look at you now! Still feeling superior? You rejected look at yourself! You’ve been reduced to begging people like us for shelter, and you’re still acting high and mighty? In your dreams!”

“You-!”

Dane’s expression went black. He stepped forward, but Tim’s hand clamped down on his arm just in time.

A clown. Nothing more. Don’t let this idiot derail Robin’s plan.

“Oh, so that’s how you stayed alive this long. You’ve got yourself a little bodyguard now.”

Jim swept Dane with a look of pure contempt. “Turned me down, and this is the upgrade? Gotta say, I’m not impressed. And here I thought you might actually have taste.”

The words were foul enough to make the air feel heavier. Micah stepped in with a peacemaker’s smile fixed firmly on his face. “Hey, let’s keep it civil. We’re in the middle of an apocalypse–let’s not sweat the small

stuff.

“Robin, right? If you’re going to stay with us, you follow our rules. I don’t know what went down between you two, but here’s my proposal–you apologize to Jim, and we let it go.”

“Let it go?!”

Jim was on his feet before the words finished echoing. “You don’t know what this woman did to me! She looks harmless, but that’s all an act! I turned down a five–million–dollar deal to go on that blind date, and what did she do? Beat me up and humiliated me in front of everyone! Made me a total laughingstock!”

Robin actually laughed out loud. “Still telling that story? Jim, the commitment to that fantasy is really something. A five–million–dollar deal? That’s still the number you’re going with? Even now, in the middle of the apocalypse, you’re still clinging to that fairy tale. Can you even afford a dream that expensive?”

23

2/3

O

<

11:33 Sat, May 23 M.

Chapter 55 Old Grudges, New World

2.6K

23