"Fireflies?"
"I met him back in Salt Lake City. You know the whole shit." Tommy scoffed.
"You didn't say anything about a boy."
"Must have slipped my mind."
They are currently inside the living room area of the ranch house, sharing the space with the horses. And just like predicted, rain started pouring down, making it impossible to return to Jackson just yet.
Tommy went over to sit by the couch.
"From the start. Tell me everything including the boy."
And so Joel did. But Tommy already knew the whole story. He's only interested in the mysterious kid that saved Joel's life just now.
"He killed Marlene. That's some heavy shit."
"Yeah. Marlene seems to know him before. I don't know why he did it. But it happened. The whole Fireflies seems to know him."
After some silence between the two, footsteps can be heard from above. With each step, the thuds get louder, until the person reaches the lower floor, joining them in the living room.
"Here." He gave Joel a can of beverage, then tossed another one at Tommy.
"Thanks." Joel muttered.
"Yeah. Wasn't that often you threatened to shoot someone only for them to treat you afterward isn't it." The three popped open the drink and took a sip.
"Ace was it. What do you wanna talk about?" Tommy asks the boy.
"Your community. Jackson. What are the conditions of joining them?" The boy straight up returned the question.
"There's ain't no conditions actually. Just as long as you're honest, a team player, you're good to go. But I doubt you're someone like that after setting us up in the woods right?"
"On my defense, I didn't know you were there. I planned on shambling the swarm, making sure it's safe for Ana and Jason to go through."
"He's got a point Tommy." Joel agreed with Ace.
"How did bombing scrambles any of em? You're only making it worst. Also we encountered a whole lot more of em while tracking you down." Tommy isn't convinced.
"You do realize that the direction is different right? I bombed them, all the infected would gather there, and I could sneak Ana and Jason from the other side by the river." Now Tommy is intrigued.
"How do you know there's a river?"
"Dude, you really think I came unprepared? I've been here for two weeks, scouting the area. Some travellers told me about this safe haven in Jackson, so here I am." Joel gives Tommy the 'he's right' look.
"Well, maybe after the rain stopped, we'll bring you folks back with us. I'm sure Maria wouldn't mind a few kids joining." Tommy finished his drink in one go.
"Good." Ace took another sip from his drink.
"Why Ace?" Joel asks him.
"Buddy, I killed shit tons of people. I'm not going around, introducing myself, letting them know who I am. I hope that you forget about me and my name too."
"It's (Y/N) right? Yeah. I remember what Marlene said before you put the bullet in her head."
"She deserves it. But, for my sake, and yours as well, call me Ace. At least, out here where it ain't safe."
"I understand. Nicknames and alibis. We could use that too." Joel said, finishing his drink.
"Yeah. Pretty smart for a teenager. How old are you?" (Y/N) finished his drink, went over and ran his hand across the horse's mane. It's addictively comfortable.
"Seventeen. Eighteen maybe? It's not my birthday yet."
"That's the same as Ellie."
"Oh yeah. How is she anyway?"
"Alive..." Joel replied nonchalantly.
"That so. Well," (Y/N) turned towards Tommy once again. "I need you to give me your word that the community will take Ana and Jason in."
"Of course. We're not savagers."
"Good." (Y/N) went to the bathroom, and return with an oversized duffle bag.
"Then to show my appreciation," He unzipped the bag, revealing the content within which surprises the both of them. "I'm donating this for the community."
It was a bunch of weapons. Pistols, a machete, an axe, two shotguns, one rifle, varieties of bullets, and grenades. Bunch of grenades.
"How did you get all these?" Tommy, walking over and picking up the rifle.
"Ex Fireflies, hunters, assholes, some were left behind at Fedra's base and shit. I know they could come in handy one day. But man, traveling around with these shits, are tiring as fuck. There used to be a riot gun in there. Boy was it good. But I tossed it away after I ran out of shells."
"That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard." Tommy joked, still checking out the rifle.
"Yeah. This would definitely come in handy. Imagine Jesse and Maria's faces when they see these." Joel is beyond satisfied. Thanking God that he didn't shoot him hours ago.
"Well, if that would be all. I'm gonna go back upstairs. Get some sleep waiting for the rain to go. And if you two disappears, I will light that walls of yours and burn them to ashes."
"Don't worry. We won't go anywhere. Even if we did, we'll still come back here." Tommy reassured him.
"That's more like it. And if you kill me in my sleep, at least take the two with you."
"We won't. You can trust us." Joel told him.
"Back in the old world, gold is more valuable than money. Now, trust is worth way more than guns. I need to make sure."
"How do you know all that?" Kid being born in after the apocalypse doesn't really understand the worth of money.
"Books and shits. Good night."
~~
"Is it safe?" Ana isn't sure about this community.
The five of them are currently preparing to depart the place after the rain stopped. It was a new day, and Joel and Tommy need to report back otherwise Maria would lose her shit.
"It is sweetie. Jackson is unlike others. You could even find new friends your age."
Ana, with her personal bag over her shoulder, awaits by the horse. (Y/N), holding the sleepy Jason like a baby, exit the house with the his belongings.
"We're set."
"Why the mask?" Tommy, yanked himself on the horse, curious at (Y/N)'s getup.
"I don't trust you guys a hundred percent. I'm not gonna reveal myself to your community that easily."
"You got trust issues kid. But you're right."
"Ever rode a horse before?" Joel asks them, preparing his horse.
"Not a pleasant memory, but I did."
(Y/N) went over and Joel helped him and hopped on to Tommy's horse, wrapping Jason within his embrace. Joel then went over to Ana, lifted her up and placed her on his horse, before he himself got up.
"She's so smooth." Ana, said, running her hand through the horse's mane. Joel, Tommy, and even (Y/N) smiled at the innocence of Ana. The girl never got the chance to relax much ever since she started traveling with (Y/N) over a year ago.
"Alright. Off we go."
The journey was pretty smooth thanks to the bloodbath occurred yesterday. All the infected along the route back has been eliminated. Only corpses are left.
"Breathe Ana." (Y/N) noticed that Ana has been on edge riding across the corpses.
It wasn't a pleasant sight for anybody, let alone a little girl. Ana has her own fair share of past with the infected which makes it worst. Jason also avert his eyes, turning his face inwards against (Y/N)'s chest.
"Here we are."
The group reached their destination after some time. The Jackson community.
Jason is still a little kid, he didn't know what's the wall surrounding the place do. Ana, on the other hand, is baffled by the view. She saw several people outside the big gate, talking, laughing, but she's unsure who they are.
Meeting a lot of hunters and enemies, shifted her views on the non infected. She turned towards (Y/N), who nodded his head at her. (Y/N) and Jason are the only people she trusts.
They keep their horses going, arriving at the gate.
"Hey Tommy. Joel. Who you got there?" Chad, the guard on duty, is curious by the numbers that returned with them.
"Three survivors inside the woods. One teenager and two kids. They need help. Where's Maria?"
"She's probably having lunch."
"Alright. Get down. We're going on foot." Following Tommy's order, they got down from the horses and let one of the community members take the horses away.
Ana quickly went over to (Y/N)'s side, grabbing his hand tightly. Chad, who noticed this, turned towards them.
"Hey. Put that mask away. You're gonna creep the town." Big mistake.
"Fine. I guess, we'll find somewhere else then. Let's go."
(Y/N) turned, with Ana in hand, and Jason still within his embrace, ready to leave the place before Joel gets in front of them.
"Hey hey. Relax."
"Give em sometimes bud. I'll talk to Maria about this." Tommy told Chad before turning towards his brother.
"Joel. Bring em back to my place first alright? I'll bring Maria to them." He patted Chad on his shoulder before going.
"Come on. It's fine." Only because it's Joel that (Y/N) follows. Giving Chad the look of hostility, he knows that nothing last forever.
Walking through the place, it gives different vibes from the QZ. (Y/N) saw kids running around, playing with each other, adults having a conversation like everyday is Fridays.
But some look at their direction, or at least at (Y/N), are dumbfounded. Dude dressed up like a bandit after all. And the mask didn't do him any good impression.
Arriving at Tommy's house, they got inside. (Y/N) placed Jason on the couch, taking in the view of the place.
"It's clean." Ana exclaimed, surprised by the hygiene in the place.
"Yeah. Trust me, I was impressed at first too." Joel sat down on the couch beside Jason, shooting the boy's hair. He noticed that every time (Y/N) does this the boy smiled. Even now, he's smiling after Joel did him.
"Well, I don't think Tommy's is telling the truth until I see it."
A sudden voice from the door caught their attention. Tommy has returned to them with Maria, the leader of the place.
"Hi. I'm Maria Miller. The leader of Jackson."
__________________________________________________________
We've arrived at Jackson y'all.