Strongest Survivors

Return to Mercy Labs

Season 4- Episode 11

"Hey, Warren! We've been going south for two weeks now! Any idea where we're going yet?" Murphy shouted from the back, walking beside Doc.
"Not since you asked me an hour ago!" Warren responded, looking at me as I rolled my eyes. I turned, walking backwards, smiling at 10k and Sarge, before watching Doc and Murphy behind them. "What's that look for?" I asked as he glared at me, Doc smirking beside him.
"Nothing." I stuck a finger up at him, before turning back around.

"So, these canisters, you don't actually have the red one?" I asked Warren, getting a nod in return. "But I saw you holding it?"
"Yeah, I don't get it either." She admitted, and I sighed, thinking about the two I'd seen back at the green foam. We split off from the path, going up another hill as I looked around, this place looked so familiar. "Why am I not surprised?" Warren spoke up, and I turned to her in confusion. Then I saw it, Mercy Labs.

"Aw, crap. Not this place again!" Murphy complained, appearing over the hill too. I stared at it, my mind drawing me back to the lab, and the people we'd met inside. I also remembered Lucy, an innocent child who'd just sit in the cool box, and I'd sing her songs to keep her calm. "Jordan, you alright?" I jumped as Warren placed her hands on my shoulders, looking me in the eyes.
"Yeah, I'm good." I assured, she looked back at Murphy, both of them giving me the 'parent' look.
"I'll stay with her, you guys go on ahead." 10k offered, stepping in and taking my hand. As he did, I felt a distant link drawing me inside. I shook my head, "I'm going in. There's someone who needs me, I feel it." I objected, walking over and climbing up on the wall before anyone could object.

Murphy followed behind me, the others going by ground. "So, Warren, why the hell did you lead us back here?" Murphy called forwards as we went.
"I don't know. But I intend to find out." She replied, her eyes staying on the path ahead.
"I was afraid she was gonna say that." Doc sighed, following along as I turned, walking backwards to face Murphy as he stopped. "Look, I have one word for all of you: Kracken."
"Move it or lose it, dad." I smirked, jumping down as we entered the familiar place.

As we stopped to look around, my mind took me back to the battle that had taken place. My body shook as I remembered the brains bursting out of the undead's skulls, and then...silence. I saw myself, singing to Lucy as she fell asleep, and my unintended audience watching with hope. Then it faded and Sarge looked between us all. "What is the holy heck happened here?" She asked.
"We tried to help some people," 10k spoke up, looking over at her, "it didn't work out."
"Shhh, there's something here.." I held out my hand, quickly silencing the group.
"Big ass Z, three o' clock!" Sarge warned, aiming her gun.
"Kracken!" Murphy let out a shout, running towards me as Sarge desperately shot.
"Save your bullets! He's mercy-proofed!" Doc informed, as the Z crashed into a makeshift barricade we had used. "The damn thing's blind. He got his helmet on backwards. Hey, dumbass!" Doc laughed as he waved a red cloth, before spinning out of the way. "Olé."
"Hey!" 10k pulled a chain, watching as it tripped up.

"Stop playing with that Kracken!" Warren's order cut off their fun, and I walked forwards with a sigh.
"Come here, bud." I called, walking to the side as it followed. If only I could've done this all that time ago, maybe I could've saved more than just our group. "Stay here, alright? I'll be around." I continued to talk out loud, watching as he slowed and stood by the entrance.

When I returned to the others, they were all suiting up, all except for 10k, who wouldn't look away from the ground, his face full of sadness as Doc was talking to him. "Doc, a minute?" I asked, getting a nod as he entered the lab after the others. "Come here." Was the first thing I said, wrapping my arms around 10k tight, sighing as he rested his chin on my head. "You miss them, dont you? You miss her?" It hurt me to say the words, but this wasn't about me, it was about him.
"Yeah, I know I shouldn't have done what I did, but I thought I was never going to see you again, and I..."
"10k, shut up, I don't care what you did with Red, or why you did it. What matters is what you're going to do about it, when we find her, and I pray we do, you can make your choice. No matter what it is, staying with me, or leaving me, I'll always be your friend." I took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze.
"Thank you, Jordan, I promise I'll never leave you. Besides, you're too crazy to be left on your own." He teased, and I pulled away, folding my arms as I looked up at him.
"Oh, we're going back to this again? In that case do I need to bring up high-K again?"
"Doc's fault, and yours, you let him do it."
"You would've died, so fair enough." We both laughed, and I nudged him. "Come on, suit up and let's go."