Overt Mission

You could hear the slow echoes of children's laughter in the nearby courtyard; the unhurried play of a late summer's night. Even in the apocalypse, John thought, kids are just kids. 

"You realize that's a trap, right?" Lily looked at him over the top of whatever her latest invention was. He'd caught her sneaking glances at the viewscreen in between bouts of tinkering. 

"They're real kids."

"Sure, but look at them. They were put there intentionally. They're practically on display, waiting for someone to..." She sighed. "You're going to save them anyway, aren't you."

John shrugged, smiling. "Kids are kids."