Karla's Weapons. Serenity High School Graduation

The 21-year-old Karla was built like a perfect sexy model, lean and capable of lifting significant weight. Her biker-inspired outfit, which appeared cool rather than edgy or vulgar, disguised more than just a voluptuous frame, ample breasts, and a nice ass. She seemed to have good judgment, a level-headed demeanor, a positive attitude, and the ability to take things lightly and playfully.

We didn't go to her motel room after she'd finished her meal because we'd only recently met and were strangers. Instead, she was flirting and making innocent jokes with me, with no real intention of inviting me inside to look at her guns or engage in any romantic activity. She asked for my phone number, which brought us closer together and led to an exchange of numbers.

She sent me vids and pictures of the weapons she kept in a big bag over the phone. I wasn't offended that she hesitated to let me come over and let me in; instead, I got the impression that she was a woman with a head and the ability to use it - someone who was worth training to become a police officer. 

I had been traumatized and betrayed on missions several times, so this was personal to me and my beliefs, but I believed that good cops should have trust issues. Some… Good cops, the best cops couldn't just put 100% of their trust in people, especially strangers, and even with their closest friends, they had to maintain their vigilance and keep their personal distance on some issues.

Being a cop during and after the apocalypse was even worse and more difficult. You had to constantly keep an eye over your shoulder; Claire, Leon, Jill, and Rebecca were the only four people I trusted completely.

I was far from being what I imagined a person who desired to be a perfect cop should be and do… What I envisioned and what I did were different things. Fortunately, I could fully trust those four.

As I sat on my bed, my gaze was drawn to my cutting-edge Android 2024 phone, and I couldn't help but think about Karla's personal arsenal and her legal right to own and carry heat on her.

Lost in thought, I pondered... 'She said she has been able to legally use guns since she was 18 and comes from a family of people who use and own guns on a daily basis as if they were nothing special... She must be skilled at using them already. What she needs is some physical training to set herself apart from the weaker crowd of future police officers.'

'I think she's already in great shape and looks strong for a young woman her age, but I can help her take her body and its tools to a next stage of fitness if she's open to it... I wonder if she'd be interested in learning how to become a total beast... I can definitely arrange that for her, even without the plugin. She seems determined, which I admire and can work with.'

Karla had recently severed ties with her conservative family, the Dixons, who appeared to reject and disregard girls' dreams and aspirations. It wasn't bullying or something worth reporting to the police; it was simply a harsher upbringing for a girl.

However, still, it was obvious that they had given her a head start on some stuff... Stuff that they would normally consider to be reserved for men and that men would perform better at. It was not easy to decide whether Karla should be grateful for the life she had led thus far. 

She did not appear traumatized or regretful of the things she missed as a girl. She was well-treated and, according to her, was never bullied or beaten up; she simply dealt with more than girls usually would during her home education. She never received preferential treatment because she was a girl. She was scolded and disciplined like a boy raised in the country in a very conservative and very manly, macho family.

Her acutely talented details showed that she was built for a career in law enforcement and to become stronger and more skilled in law enforcement-related activities. 

Beyond that, her understanding of boys and men, which she had already shown, seemed to be strong – which was not a shocker at all. Given her upbringing and experiences, it was far from the biggest surprise of the year. She knew men well enough not to trust them to come into her room, even if the mood was good and flirty. I was wondering if she was a virgin. This was the case for me.

Now it was night. Early night. I was deep in thought, this time about other women from my past who I had romantically missed, when I heard a couple of soft thumps on the door. Someone knocked on it.

I assumed it was Karla, so I rose from the bed, where I was lying comfortably and lost in thought on top of the blankets, and went to answer the door. It was indeed her, and when she saw me, her smile lit up the room, just as it had thus far.

That infectious smile seemed to have an electric energy.

With her hands tucked into the pockets of her sleek black leather jacket, she asked, "So, what do you think of my guns? I've got quite a collection, huh?"

She sounded proud. I hadn't told her I was an expert on guns, despite my lack of genuine interest in them. I wouldn't either, and I didn't feel the need to. I knew how to use and make them, as well as make bullets from a variety of scrap materials and almost nothing. I was better at this than Leon. Now, I even had leveling gamer-like skills for that.

Leon was my benchmark and reference point for a variety of things. He only had a slight advantage over me as a long-range sniper, but it made a key difference during critical situations. He was always the official sniper for this reason.

"Yeah," I chuckled, slightly amused, "You have quite a collection there. I mean, magnums and disassembled rifles? That seems excessive for self-defense. What kind of guy are you trying to date and protect yourself from?"

The woman was funny. I saw a wide array of equipment in the pictures and videos. It went without saying that the death-giving man-made tools she referred to as babies were dangerous… I wasn't sure if she was preparing for war or something. 

Regardless, she was quite entertaining to watch as she placed all of those on her bed for me to marvel at. She was armed with handguns, rifles, and shotguns, as well as their respective ammunition.

She was well-versed, very knowledgeable about brands and everything else. Especially those produced in Missouri. I wasn't; I was more familiar with the different types. In my case, it was like being a super talented and skilled driver of any type of vehicle who didn't bother or couldn't remember brand names.

In any case, after years of engaging in law enforcement, both before and after the apocalypse, I was more accustomed to building my own custom guns from parts.

She laughed and said, asking for permission to enter my motel room, "Let's talk about that later; I need to talk to you about something else... Can I enter, or do you have another beautiful woman inside?"

She raised her feet and looked over my shoulder, attempting to see inside. I was growing to like this funny woman and her playful side more. 

She exuded confidence and boosted my own; I had a hard time fully believing that she was a year younger than me. Women, flirty friendships, and the world of dating were all fascinating and mysterious to me. I was getting to know it all.

Karla was more of a friend to me right now, so I didn't feel any pressure. We were slowly developing a friendship right now. I wasn't sure if there would be anything else one day. But given how things were between us, it was probably inevitable. The mood was upbeat, and we liked being around each other already.

My room was located at the end of a hallway on the first floor of the motel. Near the road. When she walked in, she sat down on a comfortable sofa designed for one person, in the corner of the room, near a couple of windows.

She crossed her legs casually and kept her hands in her jacket, saying, "I've been thinking about your offer, and I'll probably say yes."

I was pleased and cheered for her, taking a seat on one of the three beds in the room, "I didn't expect you to accept and so quickly at that... That sure is nice. You'll make a good cop, believe me! If you need lessons, I can teach you how to fight as well!"

Now that the fisherman had fallen in love with the fish and was about to catch it, I naturally cheered for her. I didn't ask why she accepted so quickly, but I was surprised as it had only been a few hours since, we joked about that career plan. 

It was good, however, I hadn't expected her to take me so seriously.

She smiled again and said, "Thank you, future partner. Hopefully things will go as planned at the academy and after." After a brief pause, she continued, "But before that, I need to ask you for a favor."

I listened intently and asked, "Do you need a favor from me? How can I help you?"

She nodded at me and said, "Yeah. I told you that the majority of my family works for the police, right? I even have a DEA uncle from my mother's side in New Mexico."

I nodded; she had told me this. We had spent an extra thirty minutes or so talking about this and her family at the diner after we finished eating.

She smiled and went on, "Actually, one side of my family didn't like how we did things. You know, not our superconservative but our cop-like ways… They fled and moved to South Carolina generations ago. I have an 18-year-old cousin on that side who I haven't seen in a long time, in a town called Serenity. It's her graduation from high school. I'd like to go there if you're not in a hurry to get to California… Are you?"