S2E13:
Third Person POV
"I don't trust him." Warren whispered to La Reina.
"One moment Doctor." La Reina said and all eyes from the group turned to them.
"He tried to cheat you once before right?" Warren whispered so only the queen would hear, "One way to make sure your food isn't being poisoned, is to have your chef taste it first." La Reina smirked at Warren before turning to Kurian.
"On second thought. It is such a monumental accomplishment that the honor of the first dose, should really go to you." La Reina said and Kurian turned to Warren knowing she'd been the cause of La Reina's sudden change of mind. Addy looked at Warren while 10K's eyes flashed back and forth between the queen, Kurian, Vasquez and Warren. Kurian's hesitation all but proved to La Reina and Bailey that the doctor had been up to something.
"I can't I . ." he saw the suspicious look Escorpion gave him, "wouldn't presume to take –"
"Oh, please." La Reina said pleasantly, "I insist."
"I'm not worthy my queen." Kurian said turning away from Vasquez who looked calmer once the syringe was away from his neck. "If anyone should have the honor of the first dose, it should be you." He said smiling. "Don't you think?"
"If that's what I thought doctor, I would have said it." La Reina said and Kurian's face fell, he turned to Murphy who was munching on his popcorn and Bailey's eyebrow raised at the fact he'd turned to Murphy like he'd get him out of this. "Well then doctor?"
"Do you need some help doctor?" Escorpion asked.
"No." he said rolling up his sleeve and Addy, Bailey, 10K, and Doc shared another look as Kurian injected himself. Then he moaned and fell against his rolling cart, he tried to steady himself but then he fell to the floor clutching his arm and his moans turned into groans as he twitched on the floor.
"Kill him." La Reina said when he fell silent.
"Wait!" he shouted raising a hand, "Wait, wait." He got up off the floor slowly, panting and catching his breath, "I'm good. I'm good. I mean. . . I'm fine. Good, good, good."
"Test him." La Reina ordered when he was back on his feet.
"What?" he asked as a Zero brought over a box that was. . . growling? "What's in that box?" Kurian demanded as Escorpion came over and took Kurian's arm - the one he'd injected, "No, I have my own test." He insisted, "I have my own. . . I have my own test! Please!" then he screamed as his hand was shoved in the box.
"That is enough." La Reina said a moment later. Kurian pulled out his hand which was now bloody from a zombie bite. They waited as Kurian panted again but nothing else happened.
"He should have turned by now." La Reina said in shock.
"I can't believe it. It actually worked." Kurian said amazed at himself.
Bailey POV
Then La Reina was next to get injected, Kurian did so with a smile and her guard in the white suit came to help steady her as she wobbled and swayed, together he and Warren helped the queen sit down on the steps to her throne.
"I can see a world where humans dominate again." La Reina said, "And it is all because of one person, who's strength. . . and courage. . . and loyalty. . . Lieutenant Warren." She said still catching her breath as she stood and Bailey saw both Kurian and Escorpion's faces drop as they'd both been expecting La Reina to praise them, "Because of you El Murfi is brought to us. Because of you there is hope. You gave us the future. And so you must be honored next. Hmm?"
"I . . .I uh. . . I don't know what to say." Warren stammered not wanting to offend the queen's offer but also clearly not wanting to take the vaccine.
"Oh, you don't have to say anything." La Reina said with a smile hugging her.
"My queen, uh, if I may." Murphy said finishing off his wine and rushing forward. "If you will allow me, Lieutenant Warren. . . you're right. I would have never gotten here without her. Would you please grant me the great honor of giving her the vaccine myself . . . and save her life . . . as she has saved mine, so many times?"
"Oh that is a beautiful idea. I love it!" La Reina said happily as Murphy smiled and took a syringe from Kurian and La Reina returned to her throne.
"Don't worry the sting will go away in just a second." Murphy said as he pressed down on the needle.
"Mi reina please." Escorpion said having had enough, "These people are outsiders. Gabachos. You cannot trust them. You cannot trust her." He said looking at Warren.
"Quiet Hector." La Reina sneered. "You be very careful with what you say next." She said slowly in warning.
"I'm just trying to protect what I ha –" he shouted then corrected himself but La Reina's eye's went wide at his words as he continued, "what we have built. She brought the assassin. She wants to do you harm Reina. And I can prove it. Just give me more time with him." he said turning to Vasquez.
La Reina took a deep breath, "Go." She said waving her hand, "Go!" and he had Vasquez dragged away again.
Kurian proceeded to inject the rest of the Zeros but La Reina didn't want to have their group injected until after Escorpion returned and he received his vaccination.
"What the hell guys?" Addy sighed.
"I'm getting a headache." Bailey muttered bringing a hand to her temple.
"Can't turn off the radar?" 10K asked.
"There's just a lot going on in this room." Bailey replied softly.
"Like what?" 10K questioned.
"Well," she said taking a deep breath and leaning into him, "Murphy is obviously in on something, Warren clearly doesn't know what which between that and all the looks Kurian has been giving Murphy I'd say they're working together."
"Why would Murphy team up with Kurian after everything in Colorado?" 10K asked, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion.
"I haven't gotten that far but we may have another problem." Her eyes shifted to where Escorpion had gone, "Escorpion is getting jealous and that can be dangerous." She finished as Warren and Murphy joined them.
"Do you feel okay Roberta?" Doc asked, "Is it working?"
"She didn't get injected, stupid." Murphy whispered in a hushed but pissed tone.
"What? Why not?" Doc asked.
"That's exactly what I intend to find out." Warren said, "What is really going on here?"
"Hey that is everybody!" La Reina cheered and they turned to see her crouched in her throne like a panther as she let out an animal like groan letting her mouth hang open before she moved to sit properly, "I feel strong, do you feel strong?" she asked clutching a fake skeletal hand. "We must give this strength to the rest of the world. Hey doctor! Murphy! You make more of this miracle vaccine huh. We will not rest until everybody is safe!" She said getting up and spreading her arms wide.
"I got Murphy, you guys find Vasquez." Warren said as Murphy left with Kurian further dividing up their group. 10K brought his arm around Bailey's exposed back and rested his hand on her waist but before they could leave La Reina called to them again.
"Hey Roberta! Mi Hermana! Come drink with me!" she waved Warren over with the skeleton hand, "And you chica!" she pointed at Bailey and her eyes went wide as she felt 10K's grip on her waist tighten, "You come too!" La Reina called smiling widely. Bailey turned to 10K with a reassuring nod as he reluctantly let go and she went with Warren and La Reina. She brought them to her personal chambers with lush and lavish couches and they were brought glasses and a bottle of alcohol.
"Oro Azteca." La Reina said grabbing the bottle, "Some Texan paid over two hundred thousand dollars for dis before the apocalypse can you imagine? My guys took it off of him at the border." She said opening it and started filling the glasses. "You know, immigrants, they have to pay their way. I have been saving it for a special occasion. I think this is it don't you?"
She passed them each a glass which they clinked before Warren spoke.
"Doesn't get more special than this." Warren said in agreement though Bailey could tell her heart wasn't in it.
La Reina laughed, "To the end of the apocalypse, and the return of humankind."
"Here, here." Warren said as they took a sip. It stung Bailey's throat but she did her best to conceal her disgust.
"Hmm!" La Reina hummed forgetting something, "And to mi amor. Because if he had not died during the apocalypse all of dis would not be mine." she said then saw the blank looks on Warren and Bailey's faces. "It's all part of the plan. It's part of the blessings of Santa Muerte. A blessing in death. Gonzalo. . . he only wanted the power." She said.
"What do you want?" Warren asked.
"A new world."
"Can't hate on that." Warren said as they all clinked glasses again and continued to drink.
«»
After several more drinks, which Bailey chose to only sip lightly not trusting her own body to handle the alcohol well, Warren left to check on Murphy and Kurian, with La Reina's blessing of course. Bailey was unsure about being alone with La Reina as the woman's sharp eyes took in her every move.
"Hector told me about you." La Reina said filling their glasses again and Bailey tensed worried about what Escorpion might have told the Queen of the Dead. Both Escorpion and La Reina were smart and Bailey knew she wouldn't be able to fool them as she had others, it made her feel small, it made her feel weak. "He said you showed up at one of our Z-weed greenhouses, then again in a town run by one of our associates Senior Burr. Escorpion thought you must be something special to make it so far in this world, but I know your secret." La Reina said before taking a sip but Bailey kept her glass in her lap still worried about where La Reina was going with this conversation hoping the Queen hadn't been able to pull the rug out from under her and use Bailey's own tricks against her.
"Roberta Warren." La Reina finally said and Bailey was able to relax a little, knowing Warren wasn't the deepest secret she had, "That woman is your savior as much as she is mine. So let us drink to her." She raised her glass and Bailey did the same as they both drank.
"Now I cannot help but notice. . . that boy." She said and Bailey stiffened again hating when people brought up 10K, she thought about Vasquez and what he must be going through, she'd hate for the Zeros to do something that terrible to 10K if they thought it could be leverage against her. "The two of you are close, j-yes? And strong. I saw you both fight the zombies in that pit, even in complete darkness you two fought in sync." She gave a small laugh, "You both were probably completely unaware of it. Strength like that I do not like to see wasted, that is why I offer your group a place in our soon to be zombie free community. Strength like your people have should not be so carelessly used, being out there fighting for survival, risking your lives so unnecessarily, not when you could be here behind safe walls." She took another sip.
"So as part of your community. . ." Bailey began careful of what words she chose, "do we become part of the Zero Cartel?"
"That displeases you?"
"No." Bailey denied not wanting to seem insulting of La Reina's people, "I just remember being out there. Seeing the Zeros pull up in their SUV's and. . . I wouldn't want that to be 10K. Going out there risking his life while I stay here with Warren and you."
La Reina's eyes softened a bit, "Oh I would never split up such a pair. The two of you are. . . a package deal, j-yes?" she asked and Bailey nodded, "Besides your. . . 10K?" she asked and Bailey nodded again, "I've seen his weapon, he is a sniper no? And mi scorpion has said he has never seen any man shoot as well as that boy. That kind of talent I would keep here to guard these walls. Bambina I can promise you, as long as you stay here you will never have to worry about leaving his side again."
«»
After La Reina had dismissed her, with a smile and a hug no less, she'd headed back to their suite where she found 10K, Addy and Doc. They looked more worried, clearly not yet figuring out how they were going to get to Vasquez and free him.
"Bailey." 10K said and wrapped his arms around her when she approached him.
"Can we talk?" she asked when she pulled away and she noticed a very concerned look cross 10K's face.
"Everything alright?" he asked and she nodded.
"Yeah, I just. . . think we should talk."
"Alright. . ." he said before turning to Doc.
"We'll be here." He said taking a seat at the table. Bailey pulled 10K outside and they walked along the stone balcony that overlooked La Reina's empire.
"What's wrong?" he asked as they walked hand in hand and she turned to look at him with playful suspicion.
"Why would you think something's wrong?" she asked.
"I can see it on your face." He replied still sounding concerned.
"Don't steal my talent Ten." She said noticing how he seemed to be getting better at reading her like how she read others.
He gave a small smile, "Well maybe you're rubbing off on me." He said giving her hand a squeeze, "But really, what did you want to talk about?"
She stopped at the end of the balcony and sat on the stone wall as 10K stood in front of her leaning forward against the stone resting his hands on either side of her so they were eye to eye. But she couldn't look him in the eye and instead looked down and started playing with the zipper of his hoodie.
"Can you picture us staying here?" she asked.
"Well Warren only took the offer so we'd live a little longer, but we're still planning on leaving." He said honestly and she nodded.
"I wish she had meant it." Bailey admitted and 10K looked surprised.
"You want to stay here?" he asked making sure he was understanding correctly.
"La Reina offered. . . a really great opportunity Ten." She said finally looking up at him, "She's going to build the first zombie free community and we have a chance to be part of it."
"As members of her cartel."
"No, it wouldn't be like that. She knows how good you are with that rifle, she'd keep you here, to guard this place. We'd never have to see another zombie again, we'd never have to fight for our lives or go hungry again."
"But at what cost?" he asked, "We've been tiptoeing around since we got here. They've shoved sacks over our heads because they don't trust us enough to let us even walk down the halls ourselves. At least out there we were comfortable with each other, we were ourselves and we had each other's backs and we survived."
"Barely." She muttered and the confusion returned to his face as she looked up at him. "The anthrax." She said and his confusion faded as understanding took its place, "The almost hanging, the shock collars and that man who wanted Murphy to bite you. Getting beaten and hung as bait by Red Hawk, that Z jumping on you in the hotel, Cassandra almost killing you." She listed and he looked away at the mention of Cassandra. She brought a hand to cup his face lifting his chin as they looked each other in the eye, "I don't know how much more I can take. I've already come so close to losing you so many times I feel like the next time something happens it will push me over the edge."
"Hey, you still have me okay?" he said bringing his hand to cover hers, "I'm still here, if you need to cry I'll be your shoulder, if you need to talk I'll listen, if you feel the burden's getting too heavy let me help you carry it okay? You have me." He said as she dropped her hand from his face and he raised his hands to cup hers, his thumbs moving back and forth soothingly along her skin. The words sounded so familiar to her and she realized it was a statement very similar to what she'd told him after Cassandra had been mercied and what she'd told Addy during the tornado. In all honesty, it felt good to be on the other side of those words, to know someone cared that much about her but it didn't completely erase what she felt.
"But for how long?" she whispered as if she might jinx it. "It only takes a second Tommy. One second, one wrong decision, one wrong move." She said thinking back to when Mack had died, "Going left down a hallway instead of right and by the time you realize you've made the wrong choice the Z's have already swarmed you and it's all over." She looked back down at her lap again as his hands dropped from her face and she held back tears feeling his hands take hers again, "I can't lose you the way Addy lost Mack. I can't watch you get ripped apart." She said, her sentence getting quieter as she said it but 10K still heard her. He leaned in closer and pulled her into a hug cradling her head.
"You're not going to lose me." He said.
"You can't promise that." She said sniffling and regaining her composure and he pulled back to look her in the eye.
"Can La Reina?" he asked and Bailey knew that deep down, no, not even La Reina could promise something like that. She shook her head and looked away again.
"But do we have any better chance than staying here?" she asked when she could look him in the eye again. 10K took a deep breath and leaned his hands on the wall on either side of her, his face now closer to hers, so close their noses were almost touching.
"This place doesn't feel safe to me Bailey." He said quietly, "And I can't stay here and build a life with you in a place like this."
She let his words sink in for a moment before she replied, "But what kind of life can we build out there?" she asked, "Even up north?"
"I don't know." He said sadly looking her in the eye, "I wish I did."
Murphy POV
"What are you doing?" He asked as Kurian fiddled about the lab.
"You don't think I'd be stupid enough to create that mess without also being able to make an antidote do you?"
"You mean the effects of the serum don't kick in right away?" He questioned.
"No. There's still time for me to reverse the effects." Kurian said as he rolled up his sleeve.
"How long is the delay?" Murphy went on wondering how long it would be before he had control of his army.
"Well, I can't say actually." Kurian said filling a needle, "Could be a gradual shift as different effects start to manifest. They won't become your slaves right away. They just –" then he froze and his right hand with the needle began to shake and he looked from his hand to Murphy as he grabbed it trying to stop the shaking but the needle still fell from his fingers. He looked to Murphy who just stared at him in concentration as Kurian's leg began to twitch. Finally his foot came up and stomped on the needle.
"Oops." Murphy said with a smirk before he imitated Steve Urkel, "Did I do that?" his question made Kurian glare at him and Murphy chuckled.
Warren POV
"What the hell is wrong with him?" She asked stepping in the lab to find Murphy watching Kurian who worked at a table with his back to her. But his movements were off she noticed, zombielike in a way, like he didn't have full control of his motor skills.
"Jesus, Warren, give a guy a heart attack." Murphy grumbled.
"Really? You could still have a heart attack?" she asked rhetorically with a hint of sarcasm which Murphy took seriously.
"Actually, that's a good point." he said and turned to Kurian, "Hey, Dr. Mengele. Can I still have a heart attack? Answer me!"
Kurian slammed down a flask of something and turned, his skin was greyer and he had red circles around his eyes. "Maybe. I. Don't. Know." He said stubbornly his mind still aware of what was happening.
"You see what I have to put up with?" Murphy asked her then turned back to Kurian, "Get back to work." He ordered and Kurian turned again and started mixing vials. "Faster."
"Damn it, Murphy. I'm doing it. Leave me alone."
"Hey. Check this out. Thirsty?" Murphy asked her, this time he didn't even have to say anything he just turned to Kurian's back and raised an eyebrow, the doctor paused all movement before setting down his things and stiffly walked away from the counter to get her a drink all while Murphy grinned from ear to ear. When Kurian returned she took the glass he gave her.
"Good dog." Murphy said as Kurian turned and got back to work.
"So when he injected himself and La Reina and all those other Zeros in there, that wasn't the vaccine?" she said stepping toward Murphy.
"Nope." He shook his head proudly.
"Then what was it?"
"Haha, the good doctor here is building me an army."
"What?" Warren snapped.
"Yeah."
She looked back and forth between them, "So I guess this means you're not going to California."
"Maybe. Maybe not." He shrugged, "But if I do. . . it'll be with an army." He kicked his feet up and relaxed.
"A zombie army?"
He held up a finger "Correction, a blend army. One that I control."
"Hmm." She leaned in, "Because you controlled Cassandra so well?" she asked and saw him pause.
"Okay." He said getting up, "Look on the bright side. You didn't get injected. I didn't let you." He said leaning an elbow on the back of the chair he'd been sitting in.
"Yeah. Why didn't you?" she asked.
"Cause I like you just the way you are." He said before giving her a light friendly punch to her shoulder.
"I'm gonna go find the others. You stay put." She said and he gave a two fingered salute as she left.
"This is a good thing Warren!" he called after her.
Bailey POV
When they returned they found Warren in the room with Doc and Addy. She was standing by a window looking troubled.
"Murphy?" Addy asked.
"Yeah, Murphy." Warren replied moving from the window and pacing.
"What did he do now?" Doc asked like they were talking about a five year old who'd started a food fight at lunch.
"Conspired with Kurian to make a fake vaccine that turns people into zombie blends that he controls." Warren explained.
"Kinda like a zombie slave army?" 10K asked.
"Exactly, like a zombie slave army." Warren said taking a seat.
"Damn." Doc muttered.
"So, zombie slave strippers weren't enough. That's the dark side of ambition." Addy said crossing her arms.
"So all those Zeros he controls them?" 10K asked clarifying.
"Yep." Warren answered.
"So no California?" 10K questioned and Bailey saw his eyes shift to her and she could see the questions in them. Would he reconsider staying if there was no mission anymore? Would she even want to stay if La Reina and all the Zeros were now under Murphy's control?
"No, we're still going to California." Warren said with certainty, "All of us. Absolutely. Even if we gotta take Murphy by force –again."
"What about the zombie slave army?" Doc asked.
"Yeah, well it seems like there's an incubation period before he has total control." Warren said already laying out a plan, "We gotta get outta here before then."
"And then there's Vasquez." Addy reminded them.
"Got to get him too." Warren said adding to their list.
"Are you sure about that chief?" Doc asked, "He damn near got us killed."
"He let emotion get the better of him. But he'd come for any of us." Warren said, "We can get him."
"My brains." Addy said, "Bailey's manipulation."
"I'd call it craftiness or good instincts but sure manipulation works." Bailey said now crossing her arms and seeing a small amused smirk turn up the corner of 10K's mouth.
"10K's guns." Addy kept listing, "Doc's. . . "
"Dumb luck? Good karma? Funky mojo?" Doc suggested.
"We can get him." Addy nodded.
"Good let's do it." Warren said.
Warren POV
There was a knock on the door and La Reina's guard in the white suit walked in. He stood silently letting his presence speak for itself.
"I think he wants you to go with him." Addy said.
"Ya think?" she replied and he turned and left intending for her to follow, "All right, you go. I'll meet you guys at the entrance of the tunnels in one hour." She whispered to Addy who nodded and she left the room following the guard to La Reina who was still in her throne, her hair was messier now, and around her lips looked pink and irritated.
"Ah there you are Roberta." She said when she walked in, "Now, Hector." She turned to Escorpion, "Would you like to tell us what you find out about our assassin?"
"They were all part of it." He said, "A United States military plot to assassinate you mi reina. And take over our operation. She was the head of it."
La Reina ground her teeth together at Escorpion's information and Warren gave him a long stare, she knew Vasquez would never say that, Escorpion was jealous and was making up lies to return to his place as La Reina's right hand. Warren scoffed, a reaction that seemed to confuse both La Reina and Escorpion.
"You know he's lying right?" she asked and La Reina looked serious but still willing to listen to whatever she had to say. "Yeah I was a part of the military. But you know that. I was a Lieutenant in the National Guard before the apocalypse and yeah, Murphy? I guess you can call him a military plot." She said with a shrug as Murphy himself entered the room and stood behind her leaning against the wall, "But all I ever wanted to do was get him to a doctor who could make a vaccine. And Vasquez? He wasn't trying to kill you. All he wanted was revenge on a man who killed his wife and his little girl." La Reina's eyes went from Warren to Escorpion, "And that was you Hector." Warren said stepping forward and pointing a finger at him and he pulled his golden gun on her.
"Enough ah!" he demanded but she didn't flinch, then Escorpion turned to La Reina, "This El Murfi, Kurian, this woman. If we don't stop them they will destroy us. Give me the word and I will end this threat."
There was a pause, La Reina said nothing and when she did speak Warren heard her voice and barely heard Murphy whispering behind her, both voices saying the same thing – she seemed to be the only one who could hear both.
"I will not tolerate this treatment of an honored guest. This disloyalty to me."
"Mi reina, no, mi reina." Escorpion begged as more Zeros moved to restrain him and La Reina and Murphy shared a smirk, "Mi reina please. I beg you. You don't know what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing." Both La Reina and Murphy said only La Reina's eye twitched and Escorpion turned to Warren.
"You bruja! You're messing with La Reina's mind. I will kill you. You hear me? I will kill you!" he struggled but couldn't get out of the Zeros grasp.
"Warren." La Reina said only now all Murphy had to do was mouth the words, "Kill him. Finish him. Kill him Warren. Kill him!"
Murphy laughed and Warren turned to him shaking her head, "I won't, it's done. It's over."
"Are you loyal to me or not?" La Reina asked as Murphy mouthed it.
"It's done." Warren said sternly, "Say it." She stared down Murphy until he gave in.
"Fine." Murphy said.
"It's done." La Reina finished, "Do with him what you will."
"They're all teed up. Ready to take control." Murphy whispered to her.
"I don't want any part of this." Warren told him.
"It's too late. If you're not part of the solution. You're part of the problem." Murphy said and she scoffed before turning to Escorpion.
"Take me to Vasquez. If you wanna live." She said then snapped her fingers and the Zeros ushered him away with her.
Murphy POV
He clapped his hands after Warren left, "Well that was exciting. We're going to have a lot of fun." Then he saw movement in the corner of his eye and saw Kurian entered breathing deeply and snarling. He marched slowly into the room and toward Murphy.
"Doing okay there doctor?" Murphy asked him as La Reina stood up and stared at him in the same unsettling way. "Dr. Kurian? What's wrong with you? You don't look so good." Then the other Zeros all turned to look at him too. "What's wrong with you?" he asked as Kurian grabbed him, "Stop!" Murphy ordered but Kurian didn't follow his command. Then he was pushed away by La Reina only for her to turn and growl at him herself. He raised his hand shouting, "No!" and she hesitated but the other Zeros where after him now too. "No!" he spread his arms but could feel his control wavering, "Back! Back!"
Then he got an idea and took a serving knife off the nearby table and sliced his palm, drops of his blood hit the floor and the Zeros dove for it like candy from a piñata. He grabbed Kurian holding him in a headlock as the others scrambled for his blood on the floor.
"You're with me doc. Looks like everybody needs a booster shot." He said as they left the room and headed for the lab.
Warren POV
Escorpion led her to the basement which looked like a dungeon. There were three Zeros by a metal box tugging at the door trying to get it open.
"Kill them." she ordered the Zeros beside her and the three at the box turned.
"No! It's us!"
"Hey, hey, hey."
They shouted turning around and pulling down their hoods and bandana's revealing 10K, Addy and Bailey. The girls had found Zero hoodies to cover themselves and Warren turned to see Doc not much farther away also in new Zero attire as he tried to crank a wheel.
"Guys." Warren said in relief, then the two Zeros near her started to twitch and snarl, Escorpion asked them something in Spanish and stepped away from them, his tied hands not ideal to fight zombies. Addy stepped forward and took one out with her Z Whacker while 10K, who must have looted the machine filled dungeon for gears used his sling to end the second.
"Let me guess. Murphy's zombie army plan went horribly wrong?" Addy asked as Bailey brought her knife to Escorpion's neck as he tried to get away, her free hand going to the handle of her hatchet in case she needed the backup.
"Yeah." Warren said.
"Could be worse." Doc added, "Could've gone right."
"Is he in there?" Warren asked going over to 10K who had gotten the door to the metal box open an inch.
"Yeah, but careful. He's not alone." He said and they could hear a snarling Z.
"There ya go." Doc said cranking the wheel some more as 10K got the door completely open revealing Vasquez.
"Are you bitten?" Warren asked Vasquez who looked bloody and beaten.
"No." he answered weakly as 10K helped Warren get Vasquez out avoiding the snarling Z. Vasquez saw Escorpion and lunged for him but was too injured and Warren and 10K held him restraining him and helping him stay on his feet at the same time.
"No, no, no, no, no, hey, hey." Warren said, "We're gonna let that thing take care of him. We got to go." Warren told him as 10K moved to help Addy and Bailey put Escorpion inside the box.
"This will be a slow and excruciating death for you." Vasquez told him, "Nothing like you deserve. One little turn of the wheel." Then he stumbled obviously very hurt.
"Whoa, you think you can make it outta here?" Warren asked as 10K came back and put Vasquez's arm over his shoulders.
"Yeah. Slowly." He replied.
"Aim for the border, let's get Murphy." Warren said taking Addy and Bailey with her. Bailey gave 10K a peck on the cheek before they left the boys.
Bailey POV
"You zombie quack!" they heard Murphy shout as they reentered the lab from the floor below, "I should have known you couldn't pull this off."
Warren and Bailey reached the top of the stairs while Addy guarded their exit. They saw Kurian closest to them with his back turned and Warren didn't hesitate for a second as she sliced his head off and watched his body fall.
"Now you ready to go to California?" she asked Murphy as she flicked the blood off her machete.
"Yes. Fine. California. Whatever. Just get me outta here." Murphy agreed rolling his eyes as Warren and Bailey looked over the rail.
"Addy?" Bailey called as her friend appeared.
"Puppy and kitten free." She said giving them a thumbs up.
They turned to see Murphy coming out of an adjoining room in a new outfit. It was nearly as hideous as his gold suit from Cheyenne, Wyoming only this one was dark maroon, but still complete with an equally awful fedora.
"What?" Murphy asked straightening his tie, "It's my traveling outfit. You should see the rest of the closet. Let's go." Then they took off hearing Kurian's severed head shouting after them.
"Murphy! Murphy!"
10K POV
They heard a weird battle cry echoing down the halls as they made their way to the ladder with Vasquez.
"Where is she?" Vasquez asked referring to Warren and 10K was worrying the same way about Bailey.
"She'll be here." Doc said reassuring them both.
"Before those. . . what are we calling them now?" 10K asked as Vasquez leaned on him.
"Yeah. We're gonna need something to slow them down." Doc said looking around as they stopped walking. They were by the zombie compost machines and Doc let go of Vasquez leaving 10K to give him full support but damn this guy was heavy. Doc inspected some leavers as he got an idea.
"What better way to fight half zombies, than with full zombies?" he said.
"I can think of lots of better ways. But I guess if this is all we got." Vasquez groaned.
"It's a multidoor release just like in prisons." Doc said turning to them and 10K looked at him questioningly, "Another story for another time grasshopper."
Doc tried the levers but they didn't budge, 10K had Vasquez lean on some pipes that ran along the wall as he tried to help Doc but it was no use none of the levers would move. They heard the echoing call again and he took his rifle off his back and aimed down the tunnel.
"It's getting closer." Doc said pulling out a joint and taking a puff of Z-weed, "Where are they?"
Then from another tunnel the girls ran out and 10K could finally breathe easy again, well easier, they still had quite a fight ahead of them, but at least he knew Bailey was okay.
"What are you guys doing?" Warren asked seeing them standing around "We got to go!" but then more calling happened and Warren understood that the other Zeros must be coming for Murphy, and all of them.
"No way to outrun those things." Vasquez said.
"So you chose to stay here and wait for them to come get you?" Bailey asked trying to figure out what their plan had been.
"We had a plan. Except we couldn't get the doors open." Doc told them.
"Open the doors. . . and let them loose?" Warren clarified.
"Yeah." Doc replied as Murphy flinched resting his hand on the metal of the composter.
"Murphy, let your people go." Warren said knowing it was the only chance they had of getting away from the Zeros. He closed his eyes and concentrated then raised his hands.
"Murphy!" they heard La Reina call.
"Run." Warren shouted, "Run. Come on get him and run." He and Doc took Vasquez as Addy and Bailey covered their back. They heard the clang as metal burst open then the growling of the Z's which made them run faster.
"We're close go, go, go!" Warren shouted as they got nearer to the ladder.
They kept running down the hall until they reached the ladder, they helped Vasquez out first, followed by Doc, then him, Bailey and Addy then Warren and Murphy. The whole place was still smoking from when the Zeros had come blasting and shooting at the zombies but before they could decide on their next plan another person joined them. They heard the footsteps and turned to see a bloodied Escorpion appear.
"Yo soy Escorpion." He said glaring at Vasquez, "I don't die. I kill. No one disrespects me and lives! Who wants to die first huh?"
Warren pulled her gun but Vasquez pushed it down giving her a look that said 'this is my fight'.
"Who wants to die!" Escorpion shouted as Vasquez stepped forward, "Come on, cabron. Come on!"
The two didn't use guns or knives, they fought with their bare fists. Bailey couldn't watch for long and turned away from the brawl.
"I got a shot." 10K said with a gear in hand readying his sling.
"No." Warren stopped him grabbing his wrist as he lowered his arm.
Then he turned and saw Bailey. He reached out and pulled her into his chest where she tried to block out the sounds of fists on skin.
Bailey POV
"He's gonna kill him." She heard Addy say. It wasn't the violence that bothered her, the apocalypse had cured her aversion to that. It was just standing there doing nothing but watching, that was what she couldn't take and 10K rubbed up and down her back trying to comfort and distract her.
"No, he's gotta do this." Warren said, "We've got to let him."
Not much later she heard Escorpion scream and looked over her shoulder to see Vasquez pushing him into the hatch where they could hear the zombies Murphy had let loose.
"Get off me!" she heard him shout as Vasquez stood over the hatch. Warren then took Vasquez's arm over her shoulder, now he was even more injured than before, but he'd survived, he'd pushed through. They left Escorpion in the hatch and made their way across the pavement. 10K had his rifle in hand as he climbed over some debris as they walked. They had to put space between them and the Zeros compound but with Vasquez as hurt as he was that was going to be difficult, until 10K stopped and smiled.
"El Camino." He said raising his voice a higher octave as Doc made his way over, the two shared a look and Bailey rolled her eyes, boys and cars, it never gets old.
There were five vehicles so they had to split up, Murphy went with Warren while Bailey went with Addy since 10K was still a new-ish driver and she wasn't sure she wanted to be alone with him in a car that went over one hundred miles per hour. Addy took the driver's seat and Bailey took shotgun as they hotwired the car and all took off. 10K was in the lead in the red El Camino followed by Addy and Warren as Doc and Vasquez took up the back. Bailey watched 10K through the back window as his head turned. She looked out the rearview mirror and saw a drone in the air. Next second she saw 10K's silhouette reach before taking his pike from the passenger seat and jamming it into the steering wheel.
"What the hell is he –" but she never finished the question as the door opened and 10K leaned out only leaving his legs in the car. His goggles were over his eyes as he pulled back his slingshot and aimed a gear. He let go and a second later the drone was shot out of the sky. Even from where she sat Bailey could see his smirk before he pulled himself back into the car and shut the door.
"He's got good core strength." Addy said smirking and turning to her, "That must come in handy." She said suggestively wiggling her eyebrows and Bailey blushed and looked out her window now thinking maybe she should have just risked her life going in 10K's El Camino.
AN: So what do you guys think of Bailey and La Reina's relationship?