virago|c.g.|

xii

As they had made it around the middle mark, an Infected came at her to which she quickly struck down. Only two made the stupid mistake of getting in her way, her sword cutting into them and striking them down easily. As they made it to the daylight, leaving behinds the groans of walkers and perhaps screams she couldn't quite tell belonged to who, they made their way to the van. Sheathing her blade, Clary opened the doors to the back, helping Eugene gently place Tara inside before he grabbed the doors. "Clarissa—" Eugene began, only for him to go silent as she met his gaze. "Turn on the car and blast the music, wait here for a bit to see if the others come. If not head towards the front." Eugene nodded to her orders, shutting the doors before entering the drivers seat. As Eugene turned on the van, it's engine roaring to life, she heard his voice. "Do you have any medical experience to safely and accurately—" Clary's head snapped up to look towards him, chasing his mouth hastily shut. "Just turn on the music, Eugene! I know how to stop some bleeding." Eugene nodded softly before moving his hand to the radio and raising the volume to the music. Although it lead to the beginnings of a pounding headache, Clary pushed the thought of it aside as she opened the med kit to find sterile gauze and bandages. With Eugene beginning to drive, Clary removed the dirty fabric from Tara's head before placing the gauze pad against the wound, wrapping her head tight enough to hold the gauze in place. "Clarissa, I— I believed our acquaintances are in the front entrance to the warehouse—" Clary's gaze shot up, causing her to move away from Tara before leaning against the front seats to look towards the front. She couldn't be sure when she saw bodies in the entrance, unsure whether it was just Infected or the rest of the group.

Making sure she had her weapons, Clary turned to the man. "Crank up the music and drive away as many as you can." Eugene's eyes widened before he made eye contact with her. "And what will you do?" Eugene asked as she slid herself into the passenger seat, preparing herself for her plan. "I'm gonna help them out and pick off the stragglers. You just gotta make some noise and draw away as many as you can." Clary looked out of the front window as Eugene slowed down the van, allowing her to clarify that it was Glenn, Noah and Nicholas in the entrance. Clary was quick to open the door and jump out, Eugene going a bit faster before banging against the van and screaming at the walkers. As he did so, Clary approached the front entrance, striking down any Infected that came close. In time, she made her way towards the revolving doors that Glenn, Noah and Nicholas had been trapped inside. Making her way closer, she pressed her hand against the glass, which caused Glenn's gaze to fall upon her. "Clary!" Glenn called out, a quick look of relief passing between the two. The girl didn't hesitate to give a reassuring look to not only the man but the others within. "Just stay calm, alright? I'll see if I can go around and draw away the walkers from—" Glenn's eyes widened as his gaze went past her. "Clary, behind you!" With his warning, Clary turned around only to see an Infected a step away. As it grabbed her shoulder, she drew the blade up and stabbed it into his head. Pulling away from the Infected she had just sliced down, she heard more yells. "Nicholas don't!"

As Clary turned, she saw Nicholas slipping through, averting her eyes to look towards Glenn and Noah to see their section opening towards the walkers. Before she could stop Nicholas, a walker came near him. He didn't take a moment before grabbing the walker and shoving it towards her, causing her to fall under its weight. As it snapped its jaws at her, she brought her arm around and stabbed her sword into the side of its head, causing it to fall limp against her chest. Immediately she pushed the body of the Infected off of her, ready to go after Nicholas' departing figure until she heard shouts and cries from the revolving door. She looked towards it, seeing Glenn trying his hardest to hold onto Noah. Before she could make her way towards them, Noah was taken by the walkers and the door was shut.

Clary's eyes were wide as she looked to where Noah had disappeared, filled with shock. As she made her way to the door, about to get Glenn's attention, her shock heightened as Noah thrown against the glass by the walkers. Right in front of Clary and Glenn's eyes, Noah was ripped apart by the hands of the undead. His eyes met hers, trying to speak but his lips went unmoving as walkers grabbed at a hold inside his mouth and ripped through his cheek. It lasted for a few minutes, Clary never thinking that she would have to see another person die in front of her in such a gruesome way. Glenn sat there for a few moments, just staring at the spot where Noah's blood stained the floor, until Clary's voice brought him back. "Glenn—" The man shook his head, his voice shaky. "It's my fault. I— I could've held onto him or— or—" Clary shook her head, kneeling by the door once sure no Infected were close. "Glenn, look at me." Glenn shook his head again. "No, I—" Clary grew worried, hearing the loud snarls of the Infected, knowing Glenn had little time. "Look at me!"

After a few moments, Glenn finally turned his body to face her. He was surprised to see the fear in her eyes, the sadness from losing someone she had barely known. But it was just as she had told Eugene, she was terrified of losing anyone by her side, no matter how little she knew them. Clary shook her head, disgust in her voice. "The only one to blame is Nicholas. And that coward is on his way out of here but we won't let him get away with it. I swear to you Glenn, I will fight like hell to make sure Nicholas doesn't get the chance to hurt anyone again. But you need to let him go." Glenn let out a shaky breath. "But—" Clary brought her hand to the glass, a pleading look in her eyes. "Let him go, Glenn. Let him go, because I'm here to hold onto you. I will help you, okay? But you gotta let Noah go." Glenn looked to her, surprised by the softness in her voice before he nodded softly. They both stood up from their spots on the ground on opposite sides of the glass, readying themselves for the justice they would bestow on the man. With one last look, Clary pushed against the panel on the opposite side of the doors, allowing for Glenn to slip through. As he breathed deeply, he looked to her and she nodded. "Let's go find that son of a bitch," Clary declared, Glenn nodding before they started running, ready to find and punish the very man that had not only tried to hurt them but had now taken an innocent life to protect his own.

Anger fueled the girl as they ran, pushing away all soreness from the blast or even her healing wounds, wanting nothing more than to rip Nicholas apart. As Clary and Glenn rounded the corner, they were quick to see the van that they had been trying to find. In the distance they could see Nicholas holding onto Eugene before throwing him onto the floor. She saw Glenn speed up, causing her to do the same. Glenn didn't hesitate to pull Nicholas out of the van, Clary going over to Eugene to help him up. The man thanked her before looking past her and Glenn. "Where's Noah?" Clenching her jaw, Clary faced Nicholas. "Ask him," she spat as her eyes laid upon the man to see he was already looking at her. She saw Glenn move towards him before holding out her hand, stopping the man in his tracks. "Give me a moment." Glenn nodded, watching as she moved towards the cowardly man and gripped his shirt before forcing him to his feet. She shoved him against the walls of the large trailer, his eyes wide as he looked at her. "What is it with you? First you try to kill me, then you kill Noah?" Nicholas didn't respond, the fury in her eyes causing his mind to blank. "He was innocent! He died because you are a coward and you—" she jabbed a finger in his chest. "—you deserve to die the way he did. Ripped apart— that should've been you." She pulled away only to send a punch straight into his jaw, her training causing her smaller hands to be as effective as a man's with true military experience. Gasping for air as he was sent to the floor, Clary looked at him with disgust written all over her features. Such a look faded as her eyes met Glenn's. "Eugene and I will get him in the van. Just get it started." Glenn nodded before making his way to the drivers side, his eyes glazed over.

Eugene grabbed at Nicholas' upper body while she grabbed his legs, Eugene opening the doors before they tossed him in. Setting him down, Clary looked towards Eugene. "Stay in the back with Tara and him—" Eugene looked to the back and shook his head, unsure. "I believe that may not be—" He went silent as the girl sent him a dark look. "Eugene, if I end up in the back, I will not hesitate to kill Nicholas. And I'd rather have no more blood spilled today, as much as he deserves it." Eugene nodded solemnly, hearing the maturity in her voice towards her latter statement. He knew very well she could and would kill Nicholas, but she knew the repercussions would be even worse. Getting into the back, she shut the van doors before going into the passenger seat. She took a quick glance towards Glenn, whose eyes never moved from right in front of him. As her heart hammered with the realization they had lost two of their men on the run, Clary allowed the seat to consume her as silence did the same.