PG- Randal sighed, as he looked at Tris. “I have a deal with them… had a deal with them.” He looked like there was more he wanted to say about it, but didn’t. “Either way, they are getting too close and they know the rules.” There was a definitely a story there.<br/><br/>“Did you just say that you had a deal with them?” Yeah, I was not about to let that one slide. I may be the youngest one here, but I was not stupid. I knew there was something off about this place, and now I knew. He was one of them, or at least a collaborator.<br/><br/>Randal looked to Britney now, “It is not that simple, kid. I mean, I will explain it all after we find out what they are doing. If they are doing what I think they are doing, we may have more trouble than we want.”<br/><br/>Yep, he was not going to tell me anything. I sighed and then went to grab my katana again and pistol. “I will be back in a few. This is not over.” I was pissed, as I ran up the steps again and armed myself. How much would we accept from these guys, before we left? I looked at the bathroom with that shower. “Okay, I will give them another chance.”<br/><br/>Randal looked back to see Mikhail run in. “I understand. Get back out there and go to the second tower. You will have a better shot there. But do not draw attention to yourself. If they are rounding them up, as long as they do not breach our fence, they can. We can deal with the why, soon enough.”<br/><br/>CN- I clenched my teeth. Was randall telling us we had been sold out.<br/><br/>“Are they coming for US?” I repeated my unanswered question much more sternly now, watching Brit run upstairs to arm herself. Fuck that, I wanted answers so I knew what I wasn’t up against. “Have you sold us to them?<br/><br/>DL- After Mikhail had informed Randal of what he had just witnessed, the man issued further instructions for him. Still clutching the rifle, Mikhail just nodded without a word and hurried back outside. Second tower, he thought, making his way there.<br/><br/>Once situated, he made sure to conceal himself from view, so no one below would be able to see him. There were excellent sight lines at the second tower, and he not only scanned the area below him, but also to the left and right. At the moment, there was no activity to be concerned about. Mikhail realized, however, that that could change at any time.<br/><br/>KL- I would shake my head and chase after Brit since Benji I had the interrogation part handled. I follow her and sigh. "So, do you wanna talk about what was up earlier now or later?" I ask her.<br/><br/>PG- Randal looked at Benji. He heard what he said the first time, but didn’t want to speak in front of the teenaged girl. With Britney gone now, he nodded. “In a way, yes. But also… no. I have a deal with the leader of the gang there, and part of it had something to do with Britney, not you.”<br/><br/>He expected them to argue, so he held up a hand. “Before you get all white knight here, you should know who she is.” He looked to see Tris chase after Britney, and then he continued speaking.<br/><br/>“She was meant to be married to Dexter; the son of the leader. She ran away though, and caused the death of over a dozen men.” He sighed. “I did not tell them she was here though, and that is the no part. When we spotted her, when you first arrived, I almost sent word to him. I could have made out like a bandit. More gasoline, food, and water then I would know what to do with. They would have given me it all, but then I saw how you three protected her. It was like you all had become a family.” He looked at Benji. “She sees you as her bother. I can tell by how you two fight. She sees Tris as more than a sister though, and well… that leaves Mikhail. I am not sure how she sees him, and I guess that story is still being written.”<br/><br/>He walked to the counter and poured himself a glass of bourbon. “Like a glass?” He asked Benji, while pouring him one too. “We have a lot to discuss.”<br/><br/>I made it up to my room, and was putting on my gun belt, when I heard Tris run up behind me. God, I want to hold her. She always drives me crazy, but in a good way. Am I jealous, or is she? I am sure she likes Mikhail, but also me. Does that mean I should like him too? I am so confused, but hearing her ask me if I wanted to speak? Well, that opened the box of Pandora, right?<br/><br/>“I want to talk to you about so many things, Tris. But uh… zombies and raiders might cause a disruption, right?” I smiled. God, I am such a dork. I hope she doesn’t think so, but I know I am. I am blushing and staring at her chest? Wow, I am horny. Fuck, I am about to battle the undead and I am thinking about sex with her right now? I am totally cray cray.<br/><br/>The zombies were still being corralled into the truck. Mikhail had a clear view of the men now. They all had on some kind of hockey and football “armor” with padding. It would not stop a bullet or sword, but would do great with zombie bites and scratches. They were obviously ready for that. The truck got close to the gate, but they still never touched it. In fact, when one zombie got to the gate, they ignored it. It was like they knew not to pass it.<br/><br/>KL- I sigh and shut the door. "I was outside, the guys got it for now... So talk, what's up with you?" I ask as I sit in front Of the door, keeping her from leaving.<br/><br/>CN- “But...”. I was lost for words, still politely declining “If they catch her... it won’t be a marriage. It’s not a fairy tale. There’s a reason she ran away. I... I think I belonged to the same camp..I just didn’t know it, is boys were seperated.... it’s not a nice place. All f the guards are out to make everybody’s lives as miserable as possible”<br/><br/>I turned to him with a flash of desperation in my eyes<br/><br/>“You have to help us. If they get us... there’s no telling what they’ll do”<br/><br/>DL- Frowning, Mikhail took note of the activity playing out before him. "What in the hell is this weird-ass shit all about?" he muttered under his breath. The makeshift body armor made sense to him, though he also had to admit that they looked pretty fucking ridiculous wearing it on the<i>outside. </i>Kinda reminded him, somewhat amusingly, of Madonna and her infamous undies.<br/><br/>Talk about a round-up at the OK Corral, Mikhail thought. Why aren't the zeds resisting, or fighting back, or something?! He continued his vigil, not sure if this was a matter of concern or not.<br/><br/>PG- She is right. I cannot hide what I feel forever. I am still putting on my blet and having trouble with the stupid clasp. "ughh, this belt was not made for me, I swear." I pull on it more and sigh, before dropping it and the gun to the floor. "I was a cheerleader, Tris. My life was drama, not zombie fighting and dodging raiders. When I saw you with Mikhail it reminded me of a life I once lived. I used to care about who a girl was gooey eyes with or who she wanted to sleep with. I used to care if a guy would smile back at me. It all feels so stupid now, but for an instant... for that split second, I cared. I cared that you two were connecting. I wanted to scream."<br/><br/>Way to lay it on her. Ugh, I am fucking it up... I just know it. "I mean. What I want to say is that I cared because it was how I used to be. I know now that we only have today and tomorrow is just a dream. If we live thru today, then it is a memory. But that does not guarantee us the next day. If you want to be with him, I totally understand. I want you to be happy, Tris. All I see is pain and suffering and to see you feel like that too... it is just horrible." I pick up the gun belt again, and try to put it back on again. "I need a new belt."<br/><br/>Randal sighed, "Were it so easy." He walked to the window and stared outside of it. "When I made the deal, it was to protect my family. As you can see, that family changes. What was once my wife and kids has turned into a few lost souls and that into a couple kids. Look, I don't have the answers and I do know that they do not mean marriage. I am not that naïve. But I am also not about to allow them to come in here and destroy all I made for my family. If I cannot keep the peace with them, than what good am I to anyone else? Is she worth it?" He stood, still not looking at Benji. "Tell me she is worth your life. Tell me that Britney means more than anyone else here. Tell me that, and I will listen to your words."<br/><br/>Outside, the truck was finished rounding up the last of the zombies, but one man walked up to the gate. He took a note out of his pocket and fastened it to the gate. He then smiled up at whomever was watching him, and... flicked them off. Mikhail could hear Killshot next to him now. "Easy. I want to shoot him too, but right now that is not going to end well for anyone, kid. I think we should get that note, after Randal says it is okay. Meet me back inside?"<br/><br/>CN- “I won’t say that... I can’t say that” I stood taller. I didn’t know whether to be angry or not “I wouldn’t value a life over another. But I’ll tell you. She’s family to me. I refuse to sell anyone out. Especially not for personal gains. I’ll protect her with my life if I have to.”<br/><br/>J stepped forward<br/><br/>“ I’d give myself to them instead if If meant keeping Brit safe. I know no one else would do the same “<br/><br/>KL- "Brit... Are you jealous? Listen, he was staring at me, checking me out, so I flirted with him." I explain to her. "Mikhail is a nice looking guy and you're a nice looking gal, and you're right about the time stuff, that's why I confessed attraction to Mikhail, and why I am now doing to you. I'm not a whore... But life is too short now to be afraid." I finish explaining as I get out a knife put new notches in her belt so it actually fits her.<br/><br/>DL- Watching the lone man approach the gate, Mikhail was glad he wasn't the only one who witnessed it. Killshot's comment was a welcome reminder that he was no longer alone up here. I wonder what that note says, he pondered.<br/><br/>Prior to descending the stairs to return inside the house, thoughts of Tris flooded his mind. What the?! he thought. Why are you thinking of her?! Well, he casually reminded himself of those short-shorts she was wearing. As that particular image took front-and-center stage, he was still somewhat stung at being busted for staring at her. As he chuckled at that reminder, he was glad she didn't rip him a new one for admiring. And then he recalled what she said next, more or less. He knew within the depths of his heart that Isabella would hold no grudge against him if he were to be with another woman. Had the tables been turned, Mikhail would want, and expect, her to be with another man if she so desired.<br/><br/>And then there was Brit. It was obvious to him (and probably everyone else, for that matter) that there was some kinda vibe going on between her and Tris. That's when he saw it for what it was. He would back off and respectfully allow the Brit/Tris scenario to play out. With that decision being made, he continued his short journey to the warm confines of the house.<br/><br/>On his way down, the final piece of this misbegotten puzzle, namely Benji, came into play. Mikhail smiled at the thought of the man. He had to acknowledge his loyalty and protectiveness of Sandy and Brit was, at its minimum, admirable. He liked that in him, no matter how fragile he seemed to be. He would have no problem whatsoever in knowing that Benji had his back.<br/><br/>PG- Of course, she was right about life being too short. I knew that, and I knew that she was not interested in Mikhail like that. So, why was I so jealous? It was stupid, and I knew it, but still it bothered me. I shook my head and smiled at her.<br/><br/>“Yeah, life is too short. Sorry for freaking out.” I smiled more and hoped she couldn’t see through my smile to how I was really feeling. “I never said you were a whore, by the by. I was just a little worried, is all. The way you two talked it looked like you two wanted more, is all. Whether true or not, it is how I felt. I can’t help how I feel, right?” I grinned as she fixed my belt.<br/><br/>“Oh wow, thank you.” I put the belt back on, and this time it fit snuggly on my small hips. I took the smaller strap and wrapped it around my thigh, so I was ready for combat. I finally put the pistol in the holster, and grabbed my katana and slung it over my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go see what the others are doing about those explosions.” I ran past her, but stopped. “Thanks again.” I kissed her on the lips, and then ran past her, down the steps.<br/><br/>Randal was waiting for everyone to get down the steps, and when Tris and Britney made it down last, he looked at everyone. “There is something I need to tell you all.” Ha paused a moment. “I don’t know if you all noticed it or not, but we are missing someone.” It was then that they all might notice that Brenda was here, but not Mack. Where was he?<br/><br/>“Mack ran off last night. I am not sure where he is, but I can imagine a scenario that we may not like. Either he got stupid and got killed by zombies, which I doubt. As stupid as he is, he is not that dumb. The other scenario is he went back to the raider. Yes…. Back to the raiders. Mack was one of them, when I took him in.”<br/><br/>Brenda looked down, as if she knew this story already. Randal continued. “When I took him in, he and Brenda were running from them. I didn’t know, at the time that she was escaping a camp with a raider that helped her. This was a long time ago, and the raider were not organized like they are now. Killshot killed several raiders, and the rest fled. That is when I pulled Mack and Brenda into the fold. That is when things changed for us. I made a deal with the leader of the raiders, knowing that they would not stop coming for Brenda. I had to protect her, as much as I want to protect you kids. Deals are always made for the better of the group. That is how you survive today.”<br/><br/>I didn’t like where this was headed, and I leaned into Tris, as he spoke about the betrayal, I knew he would mention soon. I looked at Mikhail and Benji too, not sure how they would react. I knew this would be bad, if he said what I thought he was about to say.<br/><br/>CN- Of course, she was right about life being too short. I knew that, and I knew that she was not interested in Mikhail like that. So, why was I so jealous? It was stupid, and I knew it, but still it bothered me. I shook my head and smiled at her.<br/><br/>PG- “Yeah, life is too short. Sorry for freaking out.” I smiled more and hoped she couldn’t see through my smile to how I was really feeling. “I never said you were a whore, by the by. I was just a little worried, is all. The way you two talked it looked like you two wanted more, is all. Whether true or not, it is how I felt. I can’t help how I feel, right?” I grinned as she fixed my belt.<br/><br/>“Oh wow, thank you.” I put the belt back on, and this time it fit snuggly on my small hips. I took the smaller strap and wrapped it around my thigh, so I was ready for combat. I finally put the pistol in the holster, and grabbed my katana and slung it over my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go see what the others are doing about those explosions.” I ran past her, but stopped. “Thanks again.” I kissed her on the lips, and then ran past her, down the steps.<br/><br/>Randal was waiting for everyone to get down the steps, and when Tris and Britney made it down last, he looked at everyone. “There is something I need to tell you all.” Ha paused a moment. “I don’t know if you all noticed it or not, but we are missing someone.” It was then that they all might notice that Brenda was here, but not Mack. Where was he?<br/><br/>“Mack ran off last night. I am not sure where he is, but I can imagine a scenario that we may not like. Either he got stupid and got killed by zombies, which I doubt. As stupid as he is, he is not that dumb. The other scenario is he went back to the raider. Yes…. Back to the raiders. Mack was one of them, when I took him in.”<br/><br/>Brenda looked down, as if she knew this story already. Randal continued. “When I took him in, he and Brenda were running from them. I didn’t know, at the time that she was escaping a camp with a raider that helped her. This was a long time ago, and the raider were not organized like they are now. Killshot killed several raiders, and the rest fled. That is when I pulled Mack and Brenda into the fold. That is when things changed for us. I made a deal with the leader of the raiders, knowing that they would not stop coming for Brenda. I had to protect her, as much as I want to protect you kids. Deals are always made for the better of the group. That is how you survive today.”<br/><br/>I didn’t like where this was headed, and I leaned into Tris, as he spoke about the betrayal, I knew he would mention soon. I looked at Mikhail and Benji too, not sure how they would react. I knew this would be bad, if he said what I thought he was about to say.<br/>Click to expand...<br/><br/>“Mack’s Sold us out” I muttered breathlessly “THAT BASTARDS SOLD US OUT”<br/><br/>I had to sit down, but I stood up so quickly again in my restlessness, my legs knocking the chair backwards.<br/><br/>“Well, that’s it. We have to leave. They’re going to kill up all. They’re after Brit, aren’t they? They’re after me, maybe. But they’ll get everyone of us.”<br/><br/>My heart was beating so fast. I was trying to stay calm. I was trying to control myself. But I knew Mack will have told them our whereabouts.<br/><br/>KL- I gently push Brit off of me and get really close to Randal. "Listen, if anything happens to her. I will slaughter all of you. I am completely fine with that. You have your family, and we are our own family. 2 options, you save us or we make sure Mack never sees his family again..." I growled.<br/><br/>DL- And then the hammer dropped. Granted, Mikhail and his three newest friends hadn't been at this camp long, but for all of them to hear that Mack possibly returned to the raiders was pretty hard to stomach. With that knowledge, he eyed Brenda suspiciously. Who's to say she's not a narc for the raiders? he thought. Leave her behind so she can gain more intel on the camp and its occupants. Somehow relaying this info to Mack and his raider buddies. Boom! They'd be easy targets for an all-out assault.<br/><br/>Movement from Tris caught his attention. As she got near Randal, Mikhail had to yet again remind himself of focusing on her and her intentions, instead of how easy on the eyes she continued to be. Thankfully, he was close enough to overhear her promise of violence to Mack, if protection from Randal and his crew turned out to be somewhat lacking. Bet she's a tiger in bed, he mused. Soon after, thoughts of a cold shower filled his head.<br/><br/>PG- “We don’t know if he sold you out or not, Benji. All we know is that he left.” Randal said, as she looked at Tris, as she stepped up to him. “We need to relax though. No one is giving Britney to anyone. I just wanted to come clean about what is going on with me. This place is safe, because I made a deal with those raiders… remember that. I am not about to give them any of my girls though, and I don’t care if that means we have to move.”<br/><br/>Brenda smiled when he looked at her, and Britney, when he said, “my girls.” But Britney had an indifferent expression.<br/><br/>“I am not your girl. So we are clear.” Yeah, I had to say it, in case there was doubt. I then looked at Tris and bit my lip. I wanted to be her girl, instead, but of course Mikhail is giving her that look. Ugh… he wants her, I can tell. Sigh, this is going to get bad, if I say anything. So, I will just smile and look cute. I am good at that, right? And wow, she totally defended me. I smiled at Tris.<br/><br/>Randal smirked. “I don’t think anyone would claim you, without your permission Brit. I was just saying that you are protected, that is all.”<br/><br/>Killshot spoke up now, “This is all good and happy and stuff, but what if they are right? What if Mack did run to them and tell them about Brenda and Britney, and hell… Tris too. She is damn fucking hot, too.” He smiled at Tris.<br/><br/>Randal spoke again, “If that happens, we will deal with him. But till then, I want to get a couple volunteers to head to the fence. Once the raiders are gone, and see what is left out there. Did they clear out all the zombies? Did they leave mines or other traps? Be careful, but find out. We need intel.”<br/><br/>DL- As Randal explained the situation for all to hear, Mikhail took note of a strange expression creeping across Brit's face. Instantly, he understood. Ah, youth, he thought, as he smiled inwardly. One thing about Brit that he had come to learn was that she wore her heart right there for all to see on her sleeve. He knew she was sweet on Tris, and her look told him she viewed him as a possible threat to the other woman.<br/>No worries, Brit, he thought. Tris is all yours. You did, after all, know her first. He would never tell Brit any of this, well, unless she was so bold as to ask.<br/><br/>By volunteers, who exactly is Randal referring to? Mikhail thought. Did he mean us, or his own men? He decided to wait and see how things played out before offering up his services.<br/><br/>CN- “Count me right the fuck in.... if we’re going for protection I want to help. I also want to ensure it’s done... right. I’m not saying I don’t trust you guys.... but. Well.... how can I?”<br/><br/>I sat down again, once I’d fixed my chair back up. I was calming down, and I put my head in my hand, who’s elbow I rested on the table.<br/><br/>I looked at Mik. I kinda needed him to volunteer too, I didn’t want to be alone in that activity.<br/><br/>KL- I blush at Killshots comment. "I wasn't mentioned because I'll kill an army before a man touches me when I don't want him to." I smirk then turn back to Randal. "I don't mean to be a bitch with you asking for volunteers. But the sounds of it, you four men should be out there, if the raiders are still around and see any of us, we're gone." I said referring to us three girls. "Also, I don't trust Brenda out there..." I say as I stare at her. "No offense hun, you fucked with Brit and you were with Mack. You may have ran from those sickos just like Brit did, but I still don't trust you. I know how loyalty works, which is why I'll kill for my little family of 6." I look to the rest of them. "We haven't been together long, but you guys have shown me more heart than I ever thought of finding this far from home..." And I knew everyone was looking at me and my face would just light up. "Why, even fight... I got you guys and forgot my entire mission... I'm heading to my family home in Nebraska... My father was kind of crazy. Ya know, them doomsday preppers... Yup, that's my father. Why can't we just pack up and go? Your family too Randal..."<br/><br/>Well, that settles that, Mikhail thought. If Benji was going out to the fence, then so was he. As Benji glanced his way, he knew for sure he'd be out there with him, and whoever else might volunteer.<br/><br/>And then Tris spoke up. Everything she said, Mikhail had to agree with. So it seems I'm not the only one who mistrusts Brenda, he thought. Damn, that Tris was such a spark plug! He wondered if Brit could handle her. Shit, for that matter, he wondered if<i>he</i>could handle her. When she was done, Mikhail chimed in, "Yeah, I'll go out there with Benji. Someone's gotta keep him company." He looked Benji's way and winked at him.<br/><br/>PG- Great. The guys get to go and face danger, while I do what? Stay here and knit? This is not 1952, people! Then again, do I really want to fight zombies, when they will do it for me? Maybe Tris is right. We should stay here with, Brenda? Ugh. I still don’t trust her, but I can’t hate her either.<br/><br/>Randal nods, “Then we are in agreement. The girls will stay here with Tris in charge. Killshot, Mikhail, and Benji will go check things out, with me. We will not be long. I just want to get to the gate and check things out. But Tris. I need you to be ready to move, if this is a trap. Get your things in the pickup and be ready to get Brit and Brenda out of here. There is a back gate that you can go through, and past that, there is a road that will lead you to a lake. On the other side of the lake there is a cabin. There is a boat in a boathouse, not too far from the road. I have some supplies locked up there, and there is a generator. It is about 10 miles from here though, so you have a drive to the lake. It is just a windy road that goes one way.” He then looked at Brenda and then hugged her. “Let Tris take care of you. I will find out if Mack really did betray us or not.”<br/><br/>He then looked at the men. “Are you all ready? We will take the van. Leave the pickup for the girls, because it is in better shape.” He grabbed his rifle and a backpack. “If you hear explosions, drive. We will meet you when we can. Just take care of the kid.” He looked at Britney, who was playing with her hair now.<br/><br/>KL- "Well, we're not going to wait, girls, we're packing and leaving now, I be damned if you guys go back there." I go upstairs and start packing my bags back up with a sigh then search for Todd and Sandy so we can get a move on. Where did the two go? I look under the bed and they were both curled up together. I slowly pull them out. "Good thing you guys were able to sleep."<br/><br/>CN- “Come on!” I said , grabbing my backpack from where it lay behind the table from the night before.<br/><br/>I knew that these people wouldn’t leave if they saw there was no women. They’d take us men anyway. But I didn’t care. I wanted to make sure Brit and Tris were safe. At any cost.<br/><br/>DL- Armed with his original weapons and his pack secured on his back, Mikhail just nodded at the other three men. Seems they were in pretty good shape to handle any surprises thrown their way. Except for one thing. Numbers. They had it; we didn't.<br/><br/>PG- Wow, she is serious. I know that Tris is worried, by how quickly she had us pack. Didn’t Randal just tell us that it would be okay? She is acting like the boys are already dead, and raiders on their way here. I thought we would stay here, till the last minute? But apparently not.<br/><br/>“Um, Tris, are you sure about this? How will the boys find us?” I asked, as I stuffed clothes into my backpack. I never traveled with much, but I was hoping that this place would be more permanent, so I did have more clothes then normal. I sighed softly, as I left some cute skirts and a nice blouse behind. Those things were great here, but would be pointless on the run. I did make sure to pack an extra bra, remembering what happened to my favorite one, in what seemed like months ago. It was only weeks ago though. Damn, this place did not last long. But as I thought that, I looked up to see Tris.<br/><br/>She was so confident and I knew that she would make sure things were okay; that I was okay. Even Brenda did not complain, as she packed up, faster than me.<br/><br/>“Okay, Tris. We are ready.” Brenda looked at Britney, who was holding a pink bra and a black one. She looked as if she was deep in thought, so Brenda grabbed the black one. “Take the pink one, I will hold on to the black one… for you, since I still have room.”<br/><br/>“Uh… yeah, thanks.” I stammered, still remembering how I didn’t trust that woman. But it was not like we had much of a choice, who we trust around here. It was about survival, and not about the future. We had to worry about the “Now.” And right now, I had to trust her.<br/><br/>It was a blur now, as Tris grabbed the pets and then all of us got in the pickup truck. I sat up front, with her, while Brenda was in back. She was petting Sandy even. Wow, maybe she is not all bad? Todd was at my feet, being all cute, as he curled up and went to sleep. I couldn’t sleep though, as I thought about the guys. Would they be okay? The drive was rough, as the roads were not really maintained, even before the apocalypse. I even put on my seatbelt, after one pothole made me almost hit my head on the ceiling. It would be more than a day to get there, at this rate, and that meant we would be out at night. Ugh… I guess it is good we left early though. That way most of the drive was in the day.<br/><br/>******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>“Keep an eye out for raiders and zeds.” Randal said, as Mikhail drove the van. Killshot was in the back of the van, looking like he was ready for war. He had two rifles on his back, and two hand guns on his belt. He had several knives on him, and even carried a metal pipe that had metal spikes welded onto it. He looked like someone that lived for this.<br/><br/>Benji was in the back, also watching through the windows. If zombies attacked, they would be safe in the van, but if raiders did? Well, this van would be useless. It was not meant to last long though, as Randal only used it to drive from the house tot eh fence, most of the time.<br/><br/>“I hope the girls are smart.” Randal said, but didn’t go into if that meant “Stay or go?” That was something that all of the men had to wonder. Would the girls be there when they got back?<br/><br/>The drive to the fence was fine. It was not even a quarter mile, and when they got there, it looked like a lot of people died here. But it was only blood. There were no bodies. Randal stepped out of the van, and looked at Mikhail. “Stay in the van and keep it running. If we need to run, you are our only chance.” He looked at Benji now. “Come with me, kid. But be careful.”<br/><br/>Killshot opened the back doors and stepped out. “This place feels like a fucking trap.” He said to himself, as he walked next to the van, but did not step away from it yet. “I feel like we are being watched.”<br/><br/>KL- "So uh Brenda... Do know this cabin that we're looking for?" I ask as I look in the rearview mirror, not completely aware of where we were going justknewthe direction I was driving. I look down at Todd then Brit. "Are you okay?" I ask her then I look to both of them. "I'm sorry guys... It was just... This was the better call..."<br/><br/>CN- “Something weird is happening...” I , clutching into my weapon of choice, stepped around in a circle to take it all in “why are there no bodies? It’s like the apocalypse hasn’t reached here yet. But we know it has, there’s blood! Someone’s been expecting us.”<br/><br/>I was worried as my voice fell into a low husk. I looked around in every direction, fearing that someone was going to come and grab us. We were like sitting ducks in this open field.<br/><br/>I looked at Randall with a look that showed how obviously scared I was.<br/><br/>DL- As the three men exited the van, Randal had turned toward Mikhail with instructions. He nodded, indicating he understood what to do. So he sat there with the vehicle’s engine idling easily. Mikhail watched as Randal and Benji advanced on the gate, while Killshot remained, for now, standing next to the van.<br/><br/>Though he had both his shotgun and Magnum within easy reach, Mikhail hoped they wouldn’t run into any trouble. He prayed the women were progressing toward the cabin unimpeded, too.<br/><br/>PG- Randal stepped up to the fence and looked around. Killshot spoke up now, “There was a note left in the box over there.” He pointed to the one that Mikhail and him discovered earlier. Randal nodded, and walked up to it.<br/><br/>“It is where I told them to communicate with me, when we made our deal. I never wanted them to step foot on the grounds, and that was the best way to keep them away.” He said to Benji, not sure he trusted him still. “I know what it looks like, but trust me, it was the only way to keep my people safe.” He pulled out the note and read it.<br/><br/>Killshot looked to the left of the van and pointed. “Zeds. Only two, but it feel wrong. Something about it just not make sense. Why would they go to all the trouble to capture a horde and then just vanish? And why leave two?” He pulled out his pipe and walked towards them. “Cover me.” He said to Benji, as he walked up and swung the pipe. He crushed the skull of the zombie in one hit, and then he ducked down and took the legs out from the other one. He finished it off, by stomping on its skull.<br/><br/>Randal was reading the note, just as Killshot stomped. “Wait!”<br/><br/>But it was too late. As Killshot stomped on the skull, it exploded. There wasn’t even a scream, and Randal looked shocked.<br/><br/>The explosion though, sent a noise that echoed around the area. That is when Mikhail saw it. A tractor trailer was driving right at them, full speed. It had a trailer on it, and looked like the same one that he had seen the horde of zombies corralled into.<br/><br/>“It’s a trap!” Randal yelled, as he ran to the van. “We need to get out of here!” But Benji was not right next to the van, and would have to run to get in it.<br/><br/>************************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/><br/>The girls were too far to hear that explosion though, as the drove over the rough roads, headed for the cabin. Brenda nodded to Tris. “I do know the way. Been there a couple times, though its not as nice as the house, it will work.” She smiled and then poked Britney in the shoulder, “There is a bath there too, and running water.”<br/><br/>Gah, did she have to touch me? Oh well, not like I can turn around and slap her. I hope this was the right call. I feel like we should have gone with the guys still. It just felt wrong to be split like this, but I trust Tris with my life. I smile at her, as she asked me if I was okay.<br/><br/>“I am always okay, when you are around.” Wow, I sounded corny, but its true. She always looks out for me, even when I am being a brat. I put my hand on her thigh, to let her know I am there. I am not trying to be a perv though, just resting it there. She has to be as scared as me, but she never shows it. How can she do that?<br/><br/>We are going pretty fast, to make the time, when Brenda speaks up again.<br/><br/>“It is not as close as he said though. It is more like 2 days drive. Thought you should know. I think he told you it was closer, so you would go.” She shook her head, and then pet Sandy. “I don’t like this. Mack is out there and if he is telling them things; if he betrayed us… “ She let that thought ride, as the we drove.<br/><br/>As Tris drove, she had to slam on her breaks though, as a tree fell in front of the truck. She skidded and then the truck flipped and rolled over into a ditch. Britney had on her seatbelt, so she was left hanging in the truck, as it was upside down. Brenda didn’t have hers on, but she was still alive. Sandy was sent outside the truck, where she rolled on the ground, and didn’t move. They didn’t know if the dog was dead or alive. Todd was on the roof of the truck. It looked like Britney protected him, as the truck rolled. So, he was fine.<br/><br/>Tris though, would have an injured arm. The impact of flipping the truck, made the side window shatter and cut her arm some. It was not critical though, and she would be fine in time. But she was also still in her seatbelt, hanging upside-down.<br/><br/>CN- I jumped and crouched with the explosion. The sheer noise and brightness of the fire made my ears ring and my vision blur for a second. I knew someone was talking, but i couldn’t hear who, almost like I was underwater.<br/><br/>Then i saw it coming towards me. I stood agape until i snapped myself back to reality. But i might have lost precious seconds.<br/><br/>“Fuck!” I shouted, sprinting as fast as my wirey legs would take me. “Run!”<br/><br/>I was quite away from the van and I was trying to outrun a full speed tractor. I didn’t think I’d make it, but I knew I had to.<br/><br/>KL- "Fuck!!!" I yell as I slam on the breaks as we skid acoss the gravel. I look over to Brit, she's so beautiful.<i>Please... Just let her live... You can have me if you just let her live. </i>And with that last thought, I scream and gasp with the impact and we hit the tree. We're thrown just on the other side of the tree on the top then onto my side of it.<br/><br/>I wince and I'm crying, I can barely breathe because of my weight on the seatbelt. "Br-Brit..." I look over at her, thank God shes wearing her seat belt. I then look at my baby Todd, he's still in the truck, he's whimpering, I think he's hurt. "Bren-da..." I try to look back at her and it all hurts. I turn towards my pain, there's so much blood. I try to unbuckle myself and I can't. "W-where's Sandy..." I'm crying.<i>I need to get my shit together.</i><br/><br/>PG- The truck rolled. How did I not fall out? Oh right, thank god that my mom always insisted I wear seatbelts, no matter what. But fuck that hurt. “Nnggg… “ I can’t speak. My body aches, and the seatbelt makes it hard to breathe.<br/><br/>“Fuck… I think my breast was crushed.” I finally speak, as I release the seatbelt. “Ughhh.” I fall to the floor and then I crawl over to Tris. “I got you. It is okay.” Damn my breast hurts. I bet its totally bruised. Wait, why do I care? I lived!<br/><br/>I see she is crying, but she is alive. That is all that matters, so I lean over to her. “We will be okay.” I kiss her trembling lips, and smile at her. “We are both okay.” I then release her seatbelt so she falls. But I catch her, and we both fall. I then look back at Brenda. She looks okay, as she is crawling out of the truck.<br/><br/>“What happened?” I ask, as I help Tris out of the truck. Todd is limping now, and I feel horrible. I should have held him tighter. I tried, but we flipped and I couldn’t. “I am sorry about Todd.” I say to Tris and then kiss her again. “We are okay.” I was more saying it to myself then her though. I was in shock, I think. “Fuck, my boob hurts like hell.” Crap, I said that out loud? Ughhh… at least Mikhail didn’t hear that one. He already thinks I show my breasts too much as it is.<br/><br/>Brenda calls out to us. “Hey girls. Get out here. We need to get that truck back over or we are dead.” She was looking a little hurt, but nothing serious. She did have a cut on her cheek though, probably from slamming into the back of my seat.<br/><br/>She pointed to a field in the distance. There we could see a horde of zombies. But I still had to wonder… how did a tree fall? But then I saw Sandy was laying on her side. Was she dead? Wait… zombies? More of them? Fuck my life. "Come on! WE need to flip the truck!" Was I insane? Probably. Could three women knock a truck back on its wheels? I had read that women can do some amazing things when in danger. But that was more about mothers moving cars for children. I don't think either of us are pregos.<br/><br/>KL- I get out with Brit's help and look at my arm as her and Brenda talk. "Well... I'm useless in this matter..." I sniffle. "One arm isn't much help..." I say softly as I start tearing the tank top I was wearing to to try and wrap up the cuts. I pet poor little Todd then look to Sandy, then all of our stuff thrown about. "If you two can work on flipping I'll gather what I can." I say softly as I start trying to gather what supplies were thrown from the bed of the truck in a small pile before going to Sandy. She was still alive, but barely hanging on, this was going to be a rough journey. "Cmon ol girl... You're gonna be fine." I murmur as I attempt to pick her up, getting her closer to the truck.<br/><br/>DL- Mikhail realized it was probably a pipe dream to think that this recon job would go off without incident. The explosion emphatically confirmed this.<br/><br/>Thanking his lucky stars that the engine was still idling, he could see Benji was farther away from them, and the tractor bearing down on him didn't help. After Randal and Killshot had scrambled back into the van, Mikhail gunned the engine and headed for Benji. His intent was to power-slide the vehicle so it pointed in the opposite direction of the tractor, while also getting as close to Benji as possible.<br/><br/>CN- I could see the van starting to try and get me... but I knew the time it took to get into some decent position. I was still so far away, no matter how much I gunned my little legs.<br/><br/>Then I tripped... What an idiot I am.<br/><br/>I don’t know what I tripped on... a mole hill? My own foot? Someone’s severed arm? I couldn’t be sure but it sent me down like a sack of shit. I was stunned for a second... and hurt. I tried to pull myself up off the ground as quickly as I could. But the whole incident was waisting the time I simply didn’t have.<br/><br/>DL- Bearing down on his comrade, with the menacing tractor also closing in, Benji tripped, although it was unclear as to what exactly he tripped over. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" exclaimed Mikhail. "Sonuva," he muttered under his breath. The good news was that he now saw an opening to Benji's left. This was better than ideal as the van's side door was on the right. Watching Benji struggle to his feet made him concentrate even more on the task at hand. Hoping to have timed it just right, he violently twisted the steering wheel to the left while slamming on the brakes. The van spun and stopped six feet from where Benji stood.<br/><br/>Both Randal and Killshot leaned out of the vehicle while shouting, "C'mon! C'mon!" Mikhail gunned the engine, wishing to keep the revs up, until he heard word that Benji was safely aboard.<br/><br/>PG- I am not even thinking about zombies or whatever is out there, as I look at Tris. “Are you okay?” I want to help her wrap up her arm, but Brenda is being really pushy. She is pointing at the distance and I hear it too. There was a horde coming this way… fuck me.<br/><br/>“Come on, Britney! Help me with this truck, or we are fucked!” Brenda yells at me, and I look at the truck. It is on a slight incline, so if we were lucky, we could roll it back on its tires. But that was still a lot of weight. The noise was closer now. I look at our options and look at Tris again. Running is not an option, not yet at least.<br/><br/>“Nngggggggg!” We both strain as we put all we have into pushing the truck back over. But it is not budging. “Fuck!” I then see there is a fall tree, that I think we can drag to it. If we get it under it, we could jump on it and flip the truck. It was all about fulcrum and mass and all that shit in math that I thought would never be useful in real life. “Leverage. We need leverage!” I yell out and point to the tree.<br/><br/>Me and Brenda grab the tree and drag it over. Tris is wrapped up now, and resting with Todd and Sandy. “Gaaaaaaah!” I cry out, as we put our backs into sliding the tree under a rock and the truck. This has to work. “Okay, let’s do it!” I look at Tris. “Jump on this, with us. We need all the weight we can get.”<br/><br/>Once Tris and Brenda are helping, we manage to flip the truck. “Yes!” I cheer, even as my upper body hates me. I am totes going to feel this in the morning. But at least there will be a morning now.<br/><br/>“I will drive!” Brenda says, as me and Tris get in the back seat. I smile as the truck starts to drive and I hold Todd, while Sandy lays at our feet. “We made it.” I lean in to kiss Tris. “We made it. Think the boys are okay?”<br/><br/>**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>Randal was still stunned, but was fine still. “Fucking shit. This was a trap.” He said, as Killshot sat in the van, bleeding. The explosion didn’t kill him, which was amazing. Someone used shaped charges for some reason. That meant it was meant to scare, not kill. Still, his leg was bleeding all over the seat. He didn’t cry though, and just wrapped up his leg with his shirt. He made it tight, like a tourniquet. “Drive.” He said to Mikhail. But they were waiting for Benji, who was too far.<br/><br/>The zombies separated Benji and the van, while the guys watched helplessly. “He is fucked.” Killshot said, looking at Mikhail. “Sorry, I know you two were friends.” It was the most compassionate thing that Killshot had said to date. “Now, fucking drive!”<br/><br/>The van was forced to pull away, leaving Benji to fend for himself. It looks grim for the boy, but then he saw a HUMVEE drive up, with an assault cannon on it. It fired and cleared away a path for him to run to it. “Get in, this is your only chance!” It was Mack on the turret, while some woman was driving. They did not look like the raiders, but something… else?<br/><br/>DL- Benji knew he had no choice. It was risk it with Mack... the traiter... or be eaten alive by the Zombies.<br/><br/>They looked weird. Not like raiders. But more... Benji didn’t know.... he just ran to them and got in the humvee, his heart racing at a million miles an hour.<br/><br/>He wanted to thank them... but he was breathing too hard to speak. He held onto the seat in front of him. He was scared. And he was certain he was going to die.<br/><br/>KL- I get over to them to help flip the truck. Once it's flipped I toss as much shit into the back that I retrieved and got Todd and Sandy into the back seat before getting myself into the truck with Brit. I lean into her advancing kiss and kiss her softly. "I sure hope they are... Especially with how rough we're having it."<br/><br/>DL- Even with urgent cries from Randal and Killshot to drive, Mikhail hesitated, as he didn't want to leave Benji behind. But then everyone saw the hummer drive into view. No one seemed to know who was behind the wheel, or what faction it belonged to. Once the rearview mirror confirmed Benji had been safely picked up. Mikhail floored it, instantly leaving the shambling horde behind. Speeding away, he waited for further instructions from Randal as to where to go next.<br/><br/>PG- Mack looked at Benji, while the woman drove the HUMV. “I know you don’t trust me, kid. But you should know that I just saved your ass there. These raiders are in a gang war right now, and I don’t think you want to be in the middle of it.” He pointed back, where they could see some raiders fighting other raiders in a gunfight. They were planning to overrun our place and use it as a forward post, like a look out. So, you can’t go back there, sorry.”<br/><br/>He looked over Benji and noticed he looked lost in thought. “Forget about them, you are with me now… well, us.” He smirked and the woman smirked too. “Her name is Lisa. But that really doesn’t matter for what you will be doing.” Lisa smirked more, and Benji knew that something wasn’t right.<br/><br/>As they turned a corner, he could see it now. They were driving up to an old steel mill. It had been shut down for years before, but now, it was full of people. These were not typical raiders though. They looked like they had military grade equipment and even had a tank parked in the parking lot. There was a concertino wire fence that was 10 feet tall, with another smaller 8-foot fence behind that. This place was a fortress.<br/><br/>Mack looked at Benji. “Welcome to your new home. The boss will want to meet you.” He smirked and so did Lisa. Benji knew something was wrong, big time now.<br/><br/>When they parked, they all climbed out and Mack pushed Benji toward an office building. “Wait here, while I talk to the boss. Lisa, watch him.”<br/><br/>Benji finally got a better look at the woman. She looked to be in her early twenties, had long brown hair, that was in a messy ponytail, and green eyes. She wore dark eyeshadow that was more like racoon eyes than normal eye shadow. Whether she did it to keep out the sun or for fashion, was anyone’s guess. But when he saw her grab a 50-caliber sniper rife, he had to assume what it was for.<br/><br/>“Take off your shoes.” She commanded Benji, while she picked up the rifle and checked it over. “You will get new ones, if she says you can.”<br/><br/>It was starting to become clear that Benji was a prisoner here.<br/><br/>(( Lisa and Benji ))<br/><br/><div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRHpLKuo.jpg&amp;hash=2ae8c77706dd4999b74f962947103fe9" title="RHpLKuo.jpg">
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</div><br/><br/>****************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/><br/>Randal shook his head, as Mikhail drove. “I am sorry about Benji. He was too far to grab and those zombies…” He let the thought die off. “We need to think about the future now. The girls should have left by now, and we need to grab some things at the house. I don’t think we can stay here anymore. The raiders are getting too close.”<br/><br/>He was speaking, as they noticed a parked van was up the hill, parked at their house already. Mikhail could see another truck pull up behind it and already, they were pulling things out of the house. If the girls were there, they were in trouble. But, he also noticed the pickup was gone. So, he had to assume that Tris got all the girls out of there.<br/><br/>Randal looked up at the scene too. “Shit. We are too late. It was a trick. This whole time, they wanted us to leave the place unguarded.” He looked at Killshot, who was silent. “We will… we will catch up with the girls. I know the way. Just keep on this road and try not to hit any parked cars.”<br/><br/>It was an obstacle course of broken down cars on the road, and zombies were always near. But there were no raiders to be seen, at least. They drove for a few hours, as Randal told him directions. It was obvious this place was not as close as he had made it seem before. Killshot was cleaning his guns, while they drove. The van was running okay, but Mikhail could tell the fan was loose and there was smoke coming out of the back. This van was on its last legs, for sure.<br/><br/><br/>**************************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/><br/>I lean into Tris, smiling, as Brenda drives. We made it, but what does that even mean? Will the guys meet up with us at the cabin, or are we on our own? I never expected this little group to last as long as it did, so I guess we were doing good. It was only a matter of time before it got torn apart, anyways. I lay my head on Tris’s lap and fall asleep. Or at least try to. My eyes are closed, so that means sleep… right? Except I can’t stop thinking about the others. We should go back and get them. Randal even said that the van would not make the drive and that is why he took it and gave us the pickup. Of course, by the smoke I can smell now, I am not sure the pickup will make it either.<br/><br/>“How far?” I said, breaking the illusion, I was asleep.<br/><br/>Brenda just drove though. She looked lost in thoughts of her own. So I curled up more, and held onto Tris. “Tell me it will be okay.” I smiled, as I started to drift to sleep, for real now.<br/><br/>KL- I just gently stroke Brits hair. "I-It will be okay... You'll see." I can't stop thinking about the guys. I hope they take their time and don't hit that tree. God I hate everything... We had to leave... There was no way we would have made there... I sigh as I adjust, my back to the door, Brit on my legs, my busted arm against the back window as I stare out it. Mikhail and Benji... Don't be stupid... God... Just let them make it out here okay...<br/><br/>CN- Benji went very small. He didn’t say a word as he hunched himself forward. He was scared and something was wrong. He wondered who he’d ever see again.<br/><br/>He took off his holey canvas shoes as he sighed, waiting nervously.<br/><br/>He eyes the woman and tried to think what to make of her. But he couldn’t make it out. He didn’t know what was going to happen. And he couldn’t pinpoint why.<br/><br/>DL- Still annoyed at not being allowed to attempt a last-ditch effort to rescue Benji, Mikhail had heard Randal's apology and whatever other bullshit he felt compelled to say. Regardless, he chose to hold his tongue. Randal and Killshot were his allies now and he would have to watch their back as fervently as he did with Benji, Brit, and Tris. Surely there was something they could do to extract Benji from the clutches of that camp, or whatever the hell it was that he was taken to. However, aware of who he shared the van's interior with, Mikhail doubted they'd come up with any kind of plan to save his relatively new friend.<br/><br/>His thoughts then shifted to the women. He hoped and prayed that they were safe in the cabin by now, or at the very least, close by. Brit was just a kid, after all. A resilient and determined kid, but still a kid nonetheless. Tris then flooded his mind's eye. Did he harbor feelings for her? As stubborn as he was, Mikhail would never admit that to anyone, and that included himself. He would just deny it anyway and come up with some handy excuse.<br/><br/>Focusing on Tris was soon replaced with seeing Randal's house being raided and emptied of some of its contents. Mikhail drove on as instructed but wondered about the viability of their mode of transport. The van had started to smoke alarmingly, and he could feel something was amiss whenever he feathered the gas pedal.<br/><br/>PG- “Fuck!” Randal lost his calm demeanor a moment. He didn’t seem to cuss much at all, and it was apparent he was beyond his normal levels of anxiety. “Mack fucked us all. You knew he would. Hell, all of you kids knew it and I didn’t agree. I should have packed up the moment he went missing. I should have taken you all to the cabin. Benji would not be gone and the girls wouldn’t… wouldn’t…” He couldn’t say what he was thinking, so Killshot said it for him.<br/><br/>“Dead? Look, I don’t know how good a shot Tris or Brit are, but Brenda can knock a flee off a horse’s ass, at 100 meters. She is not as good as me, but damn, she can shoot. I know that they all have something that is better than any amount of firepower though.” He paused, “The will to live. That pushes people to do the most impossible things. Even the girls have it in them. I saw it in the kid’s eyes… what was her name? Right, Britney. She had more of the will to live than Benji did. Hell, more than Tris. And right now… more than any of us.”<br/><br/>It was the longest Killshot had ever spoken, and Mikhail could tell that him and Randal went back much further than was alluded to. “We will get to them, if only to show those girls that we have the will to live too.” He smirked, and then laughed. He laughed, and that was not like Killshot at all.<br/><br/>Randal smiled and laughed too, just as the engine stalled and died. “Looks like the van is not as tough as the girls.” Randal said, and then started laughing with Killshot. Was it an inside joke or did they both go mad? All Mikhail knew is that they were stuck on a highway, with zombies all around, in a dead van, limited ammo, and little food, and hope looked lost. But even he had to admit, it was funny.<br/><br/>*****************************************************************************<br/><br/>Benji was taken to an office building, where he was told to stand there, while someone examined him. They had made him strip down to nothing, as they made sure he was clean. “No bites.” The old man said, as he examined Benji’s naked body. He then threw him his pants, and shirt. “Get dressed, boy. You are about to meet royalty.” He laughed at him, as he opened the door. “Hurry up then?”<br/><br/>When Benji got dressed, he was ushered into a room, that looked like it used to be used for preparing steel. There was lots of old equipment setup around it, and he could see the huge buckets that hung above. It had to be how they poured the hot metal into various places.<br/><br/>He could see a woman standing in the middle of the room, who stood out. All the people that surrounded her were dirty and wore torn clothing. It looked as if they hadn’t taken a bath in weeks. How things fell apart this fast, was hard to tell. The outbreak only happened about three months before, so these people lost it, fast. While everyone was dirty and grimy, she was wearing a white summer dress. Her pale skin, looked flawless, and her blonde locks were impeccable. She made Britney’s blonde hair look dirty, and he had seen her hair cleaned. The woman looked almost…. Ethereal.<br/><br/>“Welcome to your new home.” She spoke, as she turned to face Benji. “I notice you look lost. Do not worry about that though, you will learn to love it here.” He heard someone step up behind him. It was Lisa. “Do you have words for me, Sister Lisa?”<br/><br/>“I do, highness. I wish to take this one as my own… pet.” Lisa pulled Benji close. “I found him, and I am sure I can train him to do great things for you.”<br/><br/>The woman in white looked at Benji. “Do you agree to this, or do you want to help build things… for me.” HE could see in the distance, people were working with their hands, or tools, or whatever they could find to make something. It was various things they made. They were melting down steel. Now, he knew why they were so dirty. But Lisa was not like them, she was clean. There was no sign of Mack though, since they got here. But he did notice that even he was cleaner than them.<br/><br/>*******************************************************************************<br/><br/><br/>Brenda drove into the night. She didn’t want to risk stopping anywhere, till they got to the cabin. The truck held out, barely, even with the squeaky belt and smoke coming from the back… it made it. Tris and Brit were asleep, when the truck stopped.<br/><br/>“We are here.” Brenda said.<br/><br/>I woke up, not sure if I was dreaming or if I was awake. I gently shook Tris, who was leaned against the window. “Hey, we are here.” I smiled and kissed her lips. Todd was jumping around too. I am pretty sure he had to pee, and so did I, to be honest. “In a minute Todd.” I giggled and opened the door. The cabin was in such a remote area, I don’t know how we found it. There were overgrown trees all around it, save for the lake. This cabin sat at the edge of a lake, and there was even a pier that extended out into the water. He was right about it being remote, that was for sure. But the best thing about it… I couldn’t hear one moan of a zombie. That was the sound I had heard no matter where I stayed.<br/><br/>“Do you hear that” I say, smiling. “Nothing.” I hug Tris, as I help her out of the pickup. I then hug Brenda, who looks surprised to get a hug. “Thank you, Brenda, for driving us.” The cool air felt refreshing and I could make out the mountains in the distance. Was this home? Or should I say, was it home… for now?<br/><br/>CN- “I..I” Benji looked around. He was so scared... and frankly weirded out by the whole thing. “I’m..... who are you? What do you want with me. Take me back to my friends! Please!”<br/><br/>He felt cold... these new clothes were thin. What did she mean by pet? He wasn’t a dog?<br/><br/>Sandy! Shit. Where was she?!<br/><br/>DL- Well, Mikhail figured that was about as close as Randal would come to an all-out apology about Mack. Though in reality, he didn’t believe there was anything he needed to apologize for. In desperate times like these, who really knew anybody? More lucrative offers were always right around the next corner. It was the currency that varied. How did that old saying go?<i>Money talks, bullshit walks. </i>Or something like that.<br/><br/>Money was no longer the all-powerful bargaining chip it used to be. After all, if you wanted something from a store, you just took it. No one was there to stop you or demand the item be paid for. Other commodities such as food, weapons, ammunition, and clothing held more sway than the once-almighty bank note. Mack had obviously met an offer he just couldn’t refuse. Understandably, Randal took Mack’s betrayal much worse than Mikhail ever would. The pair had a history, though right now, that counted for jack-shit.<br/><br/>And then Killshot spoke up. And kept on speaking. Granted, Mikhail didn’t know the man as well as Randal did. However, he’d been around him enough to know that Killshot’s sentences, if that, were usually short and sweet if not entirely complete.<br/><br/>The accomplished sniper then did something Mikhail had never heard before: he started laughing. It must have been infectious, as soon after Randal joined in the merriment. The van itself had a sick and untimely sense of humor, as it chose to die right there and then, stranding them. Perhaps it was due to the van’s bad timing, perhaps not, but the two friends’ laughter only increased. Eventually, Mikhail saw the dark humor in all of it, and joined in with chuckles of his own.<br/><br/>KL- I jolt a little startled as Brit shakes me before she gets up and kisses me. I smile sleepily and try to return the kiss before looking around, Sandy was in the front seat now, she must have moved which means she's somewhat fine and Todd looks like he's gonna piss all over the truck. Brit helps me out of the truck and we all look around. She asks if I hear something which spiked my anxiety as I listened, then she said, nothing, she was right. It was so quiet here, what was going on.<br/><br/>PG- Lisa smirked when she saw how Benji was begging to be taken back to the others. “Why would I take you there, when you are safe with me?” She pulled him by his hair, and up to her face. “You are mine now, and you will do what you are told. Or… well you could stay here and get to help build things. The choice is simple. I just hope you decide to be with me. I am sure we can have…” She licked his cheek, “a lot of fun.” She glanced back at the woman in white, to which made her glare.<br/><br/>But Benji didn’t seem to have a choice, as he was pulled away from the room. Lisa took him to a back room, where he saw Mack was leaning on a wall.<br/><br/>“Hey kid.” Mack said, while he was sharpening a blade. “Lisa thinks you have what it takes to please her, but I think there is more to you than a pretty face and a hard cock. Am I right, or do I walk away and leave you to Lisa?”<br/><br/>Lisa snapped back at Mack, “Fuck you, Mack. You know you want this too.” She pulled Benji by his hair again, as a sign of ownership, and saw how Mack looked at them both. Maybe he was into both of them?<br/><br/>*********************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>Randal stopped laughing and then pulled on his backpack and took out his rifle. “Come on. I am not planning on being zombie food. Mick, you and Killshot take the rear. I am taking point.” He put his rifle on his back, and then grabbed an axe. “It is play time.” He kicked open the door and knocked a zombie down. He then split its head open, as he ducked and swung at another.<br/><br/>Killshot chuckled. “Well, he is right. I don’t plan on being food for anyone.” He kicked open the back door and started smashing zombie heads with his mace. “Come on!” He yelled at Mikhail, as he bashed in another one. They were making their way towards a dirt road, it looked like. There were around a dozen or so zombies in the way, but it looked like they could handle it.<br/><br/>( Feel free to embellish a few kills. There is only 12 zombies, and Mick can handle 3 or 4 I am sure)<br/><br/>*************************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>“So, this is home.” I said, knowing that this place, like every other one was… temporary. But at least it was better than a pickup truck. Had to look at the bright side, otherwise it was all dark.<br/><br/>Brenda had already made it to the house, and was opening the door. I could tell the place was abandoned, by how all the windows were still boarded up. I guess Randal really did want this as a backup plan. That guy must have been a survivalist, end of days, kinda guy or something. Funny how his paranoid planning was going to save all our lives, in the end.<br/><br/>“Come on Tris.” I walked with her toward the house. “I think we need to open it up some, smells stale.” I knew we shouldn’t open all the windows, but maybe the ones upstairs would be okay? “I mean, only upstairs. I did not see a fence this time, so I am thinking our only defense is that house itself. Not a great place, if you ask me.”<br/><br/>Brenda pointed to the lake. “Randal said that the lake deters them too, and the face we only have one way in here, that is pretty good cover. The forest is thick with brambles and bushes. The zeds cannot get through it that easy. At least, not with a machete. And if we see one wielding one, I am going to name his Jason, just before I throw Brits tiny ass in front of it.” She laughed.<br/><br/>I cringed at her joke, but I think I got it. “So, like… this place is safer than the house with the fences? Then why did he even stay there?” it was a good question.<br/><br/>“For you, and Tris and well… me. He wanted to stay and help those he could. Randal is a good guy… was a good guy.” Brenda looked down.<br/><br/>“Hey, we don’t know. If he is good as you say, I am sure he got away. Besides, I trust Mikhail and Benji to not just lay down and die. And Killshot? Sheesh, that guy probably gives the zombies nightmares.” I laughed and smiled. Maybe this place was not so bad?<br/><br/>CN- “Fuck off” I pulled away. Id gone into fight or flight, and, as wrong as it seemed, my body had chosen fight. I turned to Mack.<br/><br/>“You didn’t care about us, did you?” I practically spat out at him. My blue eyes were burning with a look of anger. “What did you think when you saw us, huh?! Fresh meat? I was right about you....”<br/><br/>I didn’t care he had a knife. I didn’t care about anything. I just wanted to be as far away from there as possible. As stupid as it might be, I would have rathered to die trying.<br/><br/>“Why won’t anyone tell me who the hell you are!!”<br/><br/>DL- Following both men's leads, Mikhail armed himself with his aluminum bat and proceeded to join in on the fun. A female zombie ambled toward him, and once upon a time, she was most definitely attractive. But this was not that time. "Left-center gap," he stated, as her head exploded upon contact with solid aluminum. In an obviously twisted sort of way, he so loved calling out areas on an imagined baseball field where the heads would land. All for base hits, at the very least. Homers were hard to come by, but anyway.<br/><br/>A shuffler who had to be all of eight-years-old when he was turned, reached for him. Now swinging lefty, he announced, "Over the centerfielder's head!" as the child's gore cascaded onto his arms and shirt. He dropped like a sunken stone. Mikhail took note of Randal and Killshot plowing through the horde themselves. There appeared to be four left standing, rather shakily at best. His last target would turn out to be an "elderly" zed, though in its present condition, he couldn't tell if it was male or female. Still "batting" lefty, he put all his weight into it, and stated, "Right field corner. Extra bases, baby!"<br/><br/>Now holding the stained bat at his side, he looked at the other men. All of them were panting heavily. All of them were also smiling widely.<br/><br/>KL- I listen to both Brit and Brenda before looking for Todd, he had run off into a bush where I could see his tail. They both just kept talking as I got into the truck to help Sandy out. "Cmer old girl, shake it off." I smile as she wobbles to the cabin. I make a clicking noise and Todd runs towards me. "Brit has a point, if we're gonna open windows, they should be upstairs, even if this place is super safe."<br/><br/>PG- Mack smirked when Benji spat out his words. He shook his head, “I thought about fucking that little blonde, if you want to be serious. But I think Brenda wanted her more.<br/><br/>Lisa smiled, as she let Benji go. “Well, I think he wants to kick your ass, Mack. How about it? Think you can handle his skinny ass?” she shoved Benji towards the toned man, who was sharpening the blade. Mack smiled, as he pulled off his tank top and Benji saw his six pack abs and toned body.<br/><br/>“Is this what you want… kid?” He smiled at Benji, as he put down the knife. “Come at me.”<br/><br/>Lisa leaned back on the wall, ready to watch this slaughter.<br/><br/>********************************************************************<br/><br/>One zombie tried to grab Mikhail, but was decapitated by Killshot. “Watch your six.” He said, as he tore into the last two. Randal walked up to Mikhail and smirked. “Killshot likes killing zeds a little too much, if you ask me.” He then pulled out some water and took a few gulps, and then offered the bottle to him. “We still have a ways to go, better drink up.”<br/><br/>Killshot walked back over and took out his own water and took a few gulps, before putting it back. He was bleeding some in his chest, where the explosion had knocked him down. But he didn’t seem to care much about it.<br/><br/>“He would tell us if he was dying, right?” Randal said, as he took back his water and started walking into the woods. “There is a shortcut here.”<br/><br/>*********************************************************************<br/><br/>I opened up the house some and smiled. If this was home, I may as well make it nice. I am so sick of everything looking gloomy. It was bad enough that the undead walked the earth, I didn’t need to also feel like that. Brenda watched me open the windows up, like she was testing me? I am not sure why she stared at me. Wait, was she staring at my ass? No way, not going to think of her like that.<br/><br/>I jump down off the step stool and go into the living room to help clean it up. It is mostly cluttered boxes full of dry food, that didn’t fit in the pantry. This place was fully stocked. Damn, Randal was totally a survivalist… end of days kinda guy. Lucky us.<br/><br/>“Hey Tris.” I smiled at her, as I moved some boxes. “Can you help me move these into the kitchen? Brenda made some room.” This place was going to be great, even if it was just us three girls, for all I knew. “We can make this work… right?” Crap, that was supposed to be in my head.<br/><br/>CN- I stood stock still. There wasn’t a chance i was going to attempt fighting. Mack was big, toned, and could use his little finger on me. I was thin, small, fragile and you could knock me down with a feather. But I was still in a mad rage.<br/><br/>“This is all you can do isn’t it?” I said, not raising my hands past my waist, I didn’t want him to get any sort of idea that I was accepting his twisted little game. “Fuck and fight. Fuck and fight. It’s disgusting.”<br/><br/>I turned and walked away from both of them. I couldn’t go far. I was in a small room with them, but, hey, there are four corners. And three people, somewhere had to be free. My back pressed against my chosen corner as I eyed them both up.<br/><br/>Stupid boy, most likely. I knew I was going the right way to be knocked the fuck out. But, honestly, I was so scared of them, so terrified of death, that I couldn’t think of the right thing to say. I had to rest on my laurels and hope they’d just leave me alone. I knew it was unlikely, but what was I supposed to do.<br/><br/>DL- Nodding his thanks for the water, Mikhail indulged with a few chugs of his own. Thirst now satiated, he handed the water bottle back to Randal. At his question about Killshot, he merely shrugged, and then answered, “I’d like to think so, but you know him better than me. Besides, blood and all, he don’t look like he’s in all that much discomfort.”<br/><br/>Randal nodded in agreement, then headed into the woods. “There is a shortcut here,” he informed Mikhail and Killshot. As they dutifully followed, Mikhail couldn’t help but wonder what they were gonna do about Benji.<br/><br/>KL- I looked around inside as Todd and Sandy both followed me inside. I watch Brit open the windows and smile at her, she's so full of life and cute and sexy, the, I turn to see Brenda staring at her. I wanna hit her but Brit calls me to help her. I run to join her and help out. I grab a box to attempt helping,<br/><br/>PG- Mack simply, grinned. “Is that what you think?” He noted how Benji flinched, whilst hiding in the corner; back against the wall. “You think that I want to fuck and fight? I am testing you, kid. Seeing if you can be a man and do what is needed. Are you saying that you would rather hide behind a cunt?” He said, as he pointed to Lisa, who glared back at him. “I mean, I get it, they are nice and warm and moist, but they don’t stop zombies.” He chuckled at Lisa who glared more and spoke.<br/><br/>“Reminds me. I saw a zombie chewing on a man’s penis… detached penis.” She said to Mack, while smirking at Benji. “Come on boy. It is time we go. Leave this testosterone filled windbag to himself. This… cunt… does not want him right now.” She went to grab Benji by his arm and pull him with her.<br/><br/>*********************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>With Killshot on point, the three men didn’t see many zombies. They walked down the path in the woods, and only a few times heard the sound of groaning. He was good at tracking and keeping them safe, but he was not able to do it for long. He held his abs, and at one-point Randal spoke up.<br/><br/>“I think he cracked his ribs in that explosion. Man is too stubborn to admit it, but we need to camp. Maybe you can talk him into stopping?” He said to Mikhail, as he sipped some water.<br/><br/>***********************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/>I love it when she stares at me. I wonder. Does she like my tight little ass, or my firm little boobs? Maybe she likes my tight pussy? I grin at her, as she helps me move boxes.<br/><br/>“This will work. Did you see how much food we have?” I smiled more. “And it is not just MREs! I saw mac n cheese, and spaghetti too. I saw baked beans, chili, corn, green beans and oh my god, so many things. Best of all, I have not heard a moan one time, since we got here. I think this place is zombie free.” I smiled at her, as we both moved another box.<br/><br/>I kissed her and smiled even more. “I hope you like it here… too.” I bit my lip and then went to grab the last box. Would she stop me? Would she pull me in for another kiss? What am I thinking? She is probably as tired as me. I bet she just wants to sleep… like me. And where the hell is Brenda?<br/><br/>CN- Still fuming , I shot a glare at Mack as I was pulled away.<br/><br/>“What happened back there!” I shouted at the woman who was tugging me by my arm. I was getting a bit pissed at the ambiguity of the situation. I mean. Was I in safe hands. Or a prisoner to these people?<br/><br/>Whilst trying to remain quiet through the woods, Mikhail armed himself with his aluminum bat. It was an effective melee weapon and more importantly, it was silent. Until it crunched a skull or three, that is.<br/><br/>Nodding at Randal, he caught up to Killshot and walked beside him. Mikhail took note of how with almost every other step, the man winced in obvious pain. "Yo, man. We should stop and camp. Check on those ribs of yours," Mikhail said to Killshot.<br/><br/>KL- I smile as I listen to her chatter about the food, I was excited, but she was way more cute at being excited. I continue to listen until she kissed me. "I do like it here." I stop her from picking up the other box and kiss her deeply.