In an old, weather-beaten red RV adorned with faint white stripes, the engine sputtered to a halt. Andrew sprang from the driver's seat, surveying the neighborhood from a distance. Metal gates encircled the area, and small, dilapidated guard posts lay in ruins. "Well, here we are," Andrew remarked, the passenger door creaking open and slamming shut as Marcel emerged, swinging his mace casually. "We'll need to get closer for a better look," he grinned.
Dobby and Tommy emerged from the other door in the middle of the RV, followed swiftly by Tara, Zach, Maddy, and Zoe. Zoe cocked her pistol and approached Andrew. "We have to be strategic about this. We've already lost too many," she said softly, to which Andrew nodded in agreement. "I'm doing my best, aren't I?"
Zoe nodded, glancing momentarily at her belly before meeting Andrew's gaze. "Yeah... you are," she replied with a small smile. The group began their trek toward the old outpost, scanning their surroundings as they went. "Doesn't seem like too many biters outside, huh?" Maddy remarked, adjusting her hair. Zach surveyed the area cautiously. "I'm not keen on getting bit again," he sighed.
As they approached the gates, they took cover behind battered military vehicles, noting the bullet holes and bloodstains. "Looks like someone else had the same idea, back when they were still alive," Marcel observed, peering cautiously as growls emanated from within.
Marcel's eyes widened as he observed the throng of biters at the entrance, a mix of military and civilian alike, with a noticeable military majority. "Or perhaps they turned on their own," Maddy whispered back. "Do you think we can break through?" Andrew scanned the scene as well. "Unless you're craving a biter buffet, I'd advise against knocking on their front door," Marcel quipped before turning to the others.
"We'll need to find another way in. Perhaps a spot where the biters are fewer," Marcel suggested, just as Zach glanced behind them, spotting a group of biters hobbling their way. "I've got a better idea. Remember that crazy shooter dude?" Zach looked at Maddy. "How could I forget the guy who shot me?" she replied, tilting her head.
"Right, well, he used biter blood to slip past them. We could do the same," Zach proposed. Andrew raised an intrigued eyebrow, striding confidently toward the small cluster of biters, only three in number but enough to pose a threat to the group. Marcel, always quick to act, swung his weapon at one of the biters, sending a spray of black blood and an eyeball flying to the left.
With swift precision, Andrew drew his knife and plunged it into the forehead of another biter, while Marcel dispatched the remaining one. "Come closer, everyone. This is going to get messy," Zach called out, waving his arm to beckon the others over. He knelt beside the fallen biters, producing a sharper blade from his side. "My blade's the sharpest," he declared proudly, then proceeded to slit open the biter's stomach, grimacing at the putrid stench but pressing on nonetheless.
Zoe instinctively covered her mouth, stifling a gag. "Mads, make sure Zoe's okay," Zach instructed, prompting Maddy to lead Zoe aside. "I'll help you with this, alright?" Maddy offered with a gentle smile, to which Zoe nodded, her expression a mix of discomfort and resignation. "It's so disgusting," Zoe murmured between retches.
"You've been unwell lately. You didn't have to come with us," Maddy remarked softly, rubbing Zoe's back for comfort.
Zoe glanced at her belly briefly before meeting Maddy's gaze. "But we need people, right?" she replied with a weak smile. Maddy observed Zoe's belly and then gently guided her away from the group. "Zoe, are you okay?" she whispered.
Zoe nodded, her voice barely audible. "Yeah, I just want everyone to be safe," she confessed. Maddy placed her hands on Zoe's shoulders, her expression full of concern. "How long have you known you were pregnant?" she inquired gently.
"Since before the fall, about three days before," Zoe admitted quietly. Maddy's eyes widened in surprise. "Who's the father? Is he with us?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
"It's Andrew... he and I," Zoe confessed, her voice tinged with regret. Maddy's gaze shifted to Andrew, a mixture of understanding and sympathy in her eyes. "It was just a fling. I felt alone," Zoe sighed.
"Do you want the baby?" Maddy probed gently. Zoe nodded solemnly. "I do," she affirmed. Maddy glanced back at the group, her thoughts swirling. "Does he even know?" she asked, turning her attention back to Zoe.
Zoe shook her head. "No. He has no idea," she admitted. Maddy let out a heavy sigh, her brow furrowed with concern. "Honey, you need to tell him. And you must stop putting yourself in danger. After this mission, you're staying home until the baby is born, understood?" she insisted, her voice firm but compassionate.
Zoe hesitated, weighing her options, but ultimately capitulated with a nod. "Okay, after this mission, I'll stay back for the baby," she agreed, offering Maddy a grateful hug. "I had a feeling you were pregnant," Maddy confessed. "How? This is my first baby, and-" Zoe began, puzzled.
Maddy chuckled softly, interrupting her. "When my mom was pregnant with my little brother, she threw up a lot and couldn't stop gazing at her stomach," she explained. "I miss them so much," she added wistfully, prompting Zoe to pull her into a tight embrace. "We all miss the ones we love," Zoe murmured in agreement.
"You have Zach with you now," Zoe continued, her tone hopeful. The mention of Zach caused Maddy's cheeks to flush, and she glanced around nervously. "Zach and I?" she echoed, feigning innocence.
"I know you both like each other. I'm not blind," Zoe teased, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. Zach's voice suddenly broke through their conversation. "Are you two ready for the infamous zombie special sauce?" he called out with a grin. Zoe exchanged a glance with Zach before turning to Maddy.
"Why did you have to phrase it like that?" Maddy groaned as she walked over to Zach, who knelt beside a biter's corpse and began smearing blood on Maddy's back.
"I feel much better cracking jokes about having a dead person's guts all over me than staying silent," Zach quipped, his tone light-hearted. "Okay, turn around," he instructed Maddy, who complied, gazing up at him with a mixture of apprehension and trust. "Let's just proceed quietly and cautiously, okay?" Andrew interjected, his gun at the ready in case of any unforeseen danger.
