Author's Note: (New) There were many people who believed that the scene with young Emma Anderson was a bit too... much. I beg to differ, believing nothing to be a 'hollywood' scene in my stories, but I admit the three chapters I wasted with the plane crash were pointless, so I've decided to forgoe them in favor of more plot development! Yay.

Author's Note 2: (Super New) Yes. I have deleted the old version of Cry Witch. I still am in possession of it, and I may place it at the end of this new version for all the nostalgiacs here. I'm doing this mainly to get the word out to all you fans of the series that it's not dead! I am, indeed, fixing this - dare I say it? - masterpiece to a newer, updated version! I haven't forgotten you all.

Chapter Three: "Just When You Thought You Were Out"

"Emma, wait!" Jake stopped us before we could leave for the plane. He jogged towards me, something in his hand. "Sorry, forgot to give you this." He held out the object, a cell phone, and nudged it to me. "Here, this will help you five keep in contact with me. My plan expired last week, but with no one to shut off my service, it still works. One of the hidden pluses of a zombie apocalypse. My expired cellphone still works, and my World of Warcraft subscription expired yesterday, and no one's locked my account." He smiled broadly. "Player base seems to be a bit down anymore..." He shrugged. "Can't think of why."

"The world is at an end, and you're still playing video games?" I scolded, he responding by shrugging.

"Hey. Gotta keep sane somehow and if not with games, then with what?" He smiled and patted my shoulders. "You'll figure it out soon enough, Emma. Go on, get that plane." We turned from one another before a second thought from Jake stopped me again. "Oh, and Emma? Be careful out there. You're more important to me then you might think." I gave a half-hearted nod, not entirely able to grasp the full nature of his meaning, but decided it best not to dwell. I caught up with the others as Bill was going over the battle plan.

"...What do you mean we're not going to be bringing our guns?" Francis could be heard of the others, voicing his concerns very clearly.

"We'll be flying to the Quarantine Zone. We'll not even be low enough to see the ground most of the time, let alone travel on it. Guns will just weigh us down."

"I'm bringing a pistol. End of story." Zoey stated her end for everyone to hear.

"Although I do agree with Zoey, bring at least a pistol. Never can be too safe." The group nodded, with the exception of Francis, who scoffed and rolled his eyes. Bill turned to me with a touch of fatherly concern in his eyes. "Out of curiosity, Emma, are you any good with a gun?" Shaking my head, I disagreed.

"No, I can't be sure..." I responded, looking at my hands. "I don't think I'd be able to properly hold a gun, let alone fire one." Giving a sage nod and holding my hand to his eyes, he agreed, releasing my claw back to my side.

"That's alright. Don't worry too much about that. We'll be safe enough." He continued, giving myself and the rest of our group a nod.

"Yea, besides, I've seen a Witch tear a man in half. You should be fine." I couldn't tell if Francis' words were spoken in spite, or a genuine attempt to help, but they didn't make me feel much better. Louis slugged Francis in the shoulder. "Ow! What? It was a compliment."

"So hard to tell with you." The younger black man groaned as we pressed on for the plane. "Is there anything else, Bill?" The elderly veteran shook his head.

"No. That should about cover it. We'll figure out what we're going to do once we hit Quarantine Zone Theta. Maybe there we can all just settle down and live a somewhat normal life."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to live a normal life after this..." Zoey chimed in as we began to move towards the plane.

"At least you guys know what it's like to live a normal life. I don't even know who I am." I responded, the small tram system that lead to the gates allowing us entrance. I took the seat near the window so I could watch everything rush by us. Zoey sat next to me as Francis and Louis stood, hands firm on the hand holds. Bill wrapped his arm around one of the steel poles to support himself.

"Don't worry, Emma." Came Zoey's voice and her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure when this is all said and done, you'll be able to live with all of us. I don't plan on leaving you out in the cold."

"Hey Bill!" Francis shouted in a playful demeanor. "Do a dance for us!"

"Oh, come on, Francis. Do not want." Louis responded as the biker laughed. Bill rolled his eyes and groaned. These four people came from different walks of life, different social circles, yet here... they meshed almost perfectly. I suppose the end of the world can bring out the best, and worst in people. It just so happened here, it brought out the best. I gave Zoey a smile and a little hug.

"Thanks. I'm just glad I'm not dead weight." As the tram slowed into the station, I released her from my hug and stood smiling. "So, what do we have to do? Just hop a couple hour plane flight to another Quarantine Zone, then I get to go through all kinds of fun tests?" The doors opened as we exited, Bill giving a grim nod.

"Guess we do. I was looking forward to hunkering down here for a time. I'm getting too old for this shit." Francis chuckled.

"I know how you feel, man. I'm startin' to feel as old as you look." Bill gave a stifled laugh and rolled his eyes.

"Keep it up, Francis." We walked towards the only gate with a plane still on it, several other people in line for the trip to Quarantine Zone Theta. We were greeted by the same pilot who flew us in, she offered us a smile and a wave.

"Well, well, well. You guys headed to Quarantine Zone Theta as well? Business or pleasure?" Zoey was the first to respond.

"Business, I'm afraid. Seems the good doctor's got us running errands for him." She smiled and nodded, laughing at either our misfortune, or Zoey's choice of words.

"Yea... you gotta watch that doctor. He's a bit nutty, but a good guy all round." She turned in and gave us the over the shoulder wave as if saying 'come on'. "I'll show you to your seats."

"They're sending you out again? Didn't you just get here?" Louis questioned as he walked through the plane. Jennifer gave a laugh as he spoke, almost as if were the pot calling the kettle black.

"Could say the same about you." She answered, waving it away. "No, I'm actually going back home. My husband and daughter are in Quarantine Zone Theta. After that, I'm done, I'm not flying anymore. I'm tired of being always on call. I just want to live the rest of my life out with my man and little girl."

"Family woman. I can respect that." Louis chimed again, taking a seat in the allotted chair.

"What about you? Any family waiting for you?" With most of the population dead, it had become custom for survivors to bond with one another by seeing if anyone was left alive in their families.

"Just my dad." Zoey answered. "Paranoid son of a bitch built a bomb shelter and stocked it with enough water and food to last six years." She gave a little laugh. "Well, it was enough for a year and a half, but since I moved away, and my mother dying a year ago, it'll last one man longer." She sighed. "He's probably worried sick about me."

"You should probably call him sometime, Zoey." Francis spoke in a voice which was eerily sincere for Francis. "Just to let him know you're alright."

"He's right, for once." Bill continued. "Why don't you give him a call?" She reached into her pocket and stared at her phone with a longing gaze.

"Yea... maybe I will." Bill stood as Zoey answered, and looked to me.

"Hey, Emma, mind if I speak with you?" I nodded and stood, the elderly man leading me out of the plane. When we were back at the gates, he put a hand on my shoulder and spoke in a fatherly tone. "Listen, I know how you feel right now. You feel like no one wants you, you're just a fifth wheel." He spoke from a deep sense of understanding. "I felt the same when I was in 'Nam. I was just a kid then, didn't know what I was fighting for, and didn't much care. We were the invaders, and they hated us, called us babykillers, even back home." He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know what it is about you, Emma, but I feel like you're a lot like I was back then. Just a bit naive, not knowing what you're fighting for. Let me tell you what you're fighting for, Emma, because no one told me. You're fighting for us all, for humanity and the continuation of it. They don't have to like you, but they don't have to hate you either." He gave me a pat on the back and a comforting smile. "You take it easy." I watched him walk away, back into the plane as I thought before going in to follow. I had entered the plane just as the captain was giving her usual pre-flight speech to the passengers.

"Thank you for boarding flight 19 to Quarantine Zone Theta, with a short stop-over at Quarantine Zone Chi. Flight time will be around seven hours, not included the half-hour layover in Chi for fueling and resupply. The in-flight movie will be Dawn of the Dead - the irony is not lost on me – and lunch service will be about four hours in." She paused for a moment before smiling to me. "I would also like to tell you all we have a very special guest on the plane today, a Revenant will be flying with us today, so please be sure to say hello before you depart."

"Revenants are apparently hot shit around here..." Francis groaned, more out of generalized frustration then targeted anger. The man to Francis' left leaned forward to speak.

"Most of us owe our lives to Revenants. All us uninfected have to worry about fighting those things... one bite and it's all over. Revenants can just charge right in..." He paused. "My Patricia turned into a Revenant... saved my life twice. I'm happy she's what she is now... even if she'll never speak again."

"What's wrong, Francis?" Bill smiled, nudging the large biker. "Jealous you're not the big hero?" Francis gave a groan and grumbled something that sounded like 'maybe a little', prompting a laugh from Bill, Louis, Zoey, myself and the man we had spoken too.

"Is turning mute common among Revenants?" I asked quickly, not quite liking the thought of loosing my voice. The man thought for a moment before answering with a careful response.

"I can't say for sure. Doctor Ballenfield says it's about as common as Mundanes going mute... but it might also be a side effect of a specific mutation. He won't know for a while, until he can look into the F.E.V. more." It was Francis' turn to say something out of the ordinary.

"What do you think about Doctor Ballenfield... as a person?" He chimed in, the man looking a little shocked at the question. He thought for a moment before responding in a very ordered, almost calculated way.

"Jake is... interesting. Odd, perhaps, but a good guy all round."

"Why is he so interested in the F.E.V.?" Francis continued to probe. The man simply shrugged at this.

"Fuck if I know. All I care about is he's helping those poor people... not like those crazy Earth for Humans freaks... now THEY'RE the real monsters..."

"Earth for Humans?" I asked, eyebrow piqued. He nodded before elaborating.

"The Earth For Humans Movement started just after reports of Revenants started coming in from around the country. They're some... pro-human group dedicated to wiping out all traces of the F.E.V... including Revenants. For now, though, they're focus seems to be on those irreversibly affected by the F.E.V. Giests and Ghasts..."

"Too many names I've never heard before..." Francis muttered.

"If I were to guess, he's referring to the Common and Special Infected..."

"Yea... Jake calls the Common Infected Giests... and the Special Infected Ghasts."

"All these fancy words are making my head spin." Francis leaned back into his seat before closing his eyes and trying to taper out his headache. The talkative man seems to have run out of things to talk about, and leans back to catch some sleep. Zoey, Bill, Louis and I exchange some looks, thinking about what was said about the Earth for Humans, the Infected and everything else. Jake did seem to have some credibility to him... but there was just something about that man that seemed... off somehow.

The entirety of the plane trip to Quarantine Zone Theta went off without so much as a bump of airborne turbulence, allowing us to land safely and soundly eight and a quarter hours later, due to an extended lay over at Quarantine Zone Chi for fuel, food and a few people's extended smoke breaks. From the air, Quarantine Zone Theta appeared to be a large domed bunker set into the earth, one large door at the south-east end, and several smaller doors around the dome. There was an airstrip hastily etched out of a stretch of highway fenced in and furnished with a make-shift hanger and runway lights connected to the north-north west end, the plane circling the Quarantine Zone as we awaited landing clearance. From below us came the metallic clank and hydraulic whine of the plane's landing gear bays opening, the massive wheels descending to meet the ground below with a friendly tap.

The highway which served as our runway was slightly run down, but on the whole it appeared as though they at least attempted to keep the road in some semblance of repair, patching up holes with asphalt and whatever else could be rounded up. After the annoying process of disembarking the plane, we were quickly shown across the tarmac and ushered into one of the smaller doors around the perimeter of the large dome. The room in which we were pushed into, six at a time, was what appeared to be an airlock, a large, heavy steel door on either side of the room and a glass window looking into a control booth, where two people sat, a man and a woman, judging us with looks.

"Welcome to Quarantine Zone Theta." The woman spoke first, her voice soft and inviting. "We are a mix Quarantine Zone, housing Revenants, Uninfected and Immune equally, so we must scan you all for traces of the F.E.V." The man we had spoken to on the plane was in our group when we went in.

"If you would, please stand on the red foot prints on the ground, and the scan can commence." The male ordered us in a commanding, but gentle tone. We all took a set of footprints as a metal scanner dropped around us, a blue mist surrounding us as some kind of scan took place. There came nothing from the control booth for a good long time, until the door opposite our entrance opened, the petite woman from the control booth greeting us.

"You're all clean!" She announced happily, waving us all in with a caring smile. Clutched in her left hand were six arm bands, one red, four white, and one blue. As we all exited the airlock-like chamber, she stopped us and held up the arm bands. "For easy identification at a later date, we have these armbands we'd like you to keep on at all times. A white armband indicates that you are immune to the F.E.V., and may be called in defense of the Quarantine Zone, if the need ever arises. Blue indicates you are Uninfected, but not immune; in the event of a catastrophic invasion of the Quarantine Zone, those with blue armbands are evacuated first. Finally, the red armband brands you a Revenant, and, like white armbands, you will be required to defend the Quarantine Zone if it should ever require defense. Revenants are required to check in with Research and Development on Floor 65 for registration and orientation." She handed the blue armband to the man, who quickly put it around his right wrist. Zoey, Bill, Louis and Francis got the white armbands and, despite Francis' complaining, all wore theirs as instructed. I was handed the red one.

"You'll excuse me if I don't put it on myself." I spoke, upturning my hands so my claws would be plain to the woman. She offered a little smile and put it around my wrist for me. As she did, I decided if I was to find Trinsha, I best ask her. "I don't suppose I could ask you for directions, could I?"

"I'm just a guard here, ma'am... I don't really know my way around the facility much past Floor 18, but I'll help you the best I can." Her answer was quick, concise and honest and it made me smile.

"It's okay, it's not a place I'm looking for, it's a person. A woman named Trinsha Ballenfield."

"Ah! Professor Ballenfield, yes I know her, but I don't know exactly where she is. She doesn't like staying in once place, so much like her brother in that regard. I take it you've met Doctor Ballenfield in Quarantine Zone Alpha?" I gave a nod and a confirmatory grunt. "Here, I'll page her for you." Walking to a phone mounted on the wall, she pressed a well-worn button on the left edge of the base, and held the receiver to her mouth, her next words echoing across the entire Quarantine Zone. "Trinsha Ballenfield, please come to Receiving Bay 5 for a meeting... Trinsha Ballenfiled to Recieving Bay 5 please." Hanging up she gave us a bow. "If you'd like to have a seat, be my guest, she'll be here shortly." I took an offered seat by the office, Zoey and Bill sitting next to me.

"If you guys don't mind, I think I'm gonna go find a bar, see if I can't get a drink." Francis chimed, probably thrilled at the thought of getting some alcohol in his system. Louis seemed a bit go for the idea himself, nodding.

"If you don't mind, man, I think I'll tag along." The larger biker nodded and ushered the younger man forward; and just like that, we were left alone just Zoey, Bill and I. Zoey was the next to speak, breaking the silence.

"This is all so surreal... until a day ago, I didn't even know these Quarantine Zones existed... I thought I was the last woman on earth, stuck with a brute, a geek and an old guy..." She looked to Bill and added quickly. "No offense." To which she found none. "...and here we are, surrounded by dozens, if not hundreds of people who have gathered together for survival. It's... amazing – overwhelming, almost."

"After what we've just been through, Zoey, you should be surprised you're not brain dead. Not many people could stare down a charging Tank like that and not bat an eyelash..." He patted her shoulder in a fatherly tone. "You're twice the man Francis is, let me tell you that." Zoey laughed a little at the sidelong complement.

"I don't know if that's an insult or not..." Her attention was drawn away by a figure coming up a ramp down the far end of the large dome we were now in, the ramp seeming to spiral downwards for miles. "Huh...who's this?" Coming up the ramp was a tall, purple haired woman wearing a similar lab coat to Jake, her's considerably more tattered and wrinkled, not like Jake's, who's had holes but where mended by a seemingly skilled hand. The thin-rimmed glasses on her face were fixated firmly on the crest of her nose, the shatter-proof glass lenses highlighting the green in her eyes. Covering her mouth as she approached, she let out a loud, hacking cough which set Bill on edge. She smelt of a mix of smoldering flesh and burnt dreams, small puffs of smoke leaving her nose with each exhaled breath. The sight was almost sickening.

"Agatha, you called?" She spoke with a dignified tone, pushing the previous cough to the reaches of her mind.

"Ah, Professor, yes." The female guard from before walked out of her station and towards up. "These three arrived from Quarantine Zone Alpha a few minutes ago, and they were looking for you. The new woman looked us over and released another cough, turning her head to belt out something that didn't sound healthy.

"Sounds like you're ready to hack up a lung there, doctor. You alright?" Recovering from her coughing fit, she waved Bill's concern away.

"Picture perfect." She answered quickly. "Am I to assume you are Bill, Zoey and Emma?" We all nodded. "I guess Mr. Caulter and Mr. Jones couldn't wait for a few moments, could they?" Bill shook his head as the woman sighed, a heavy smoke cloud leaving her mouth. "Very well, please, follow me if you will."

"How'd you know our names, if I might ask?" Zoey started as we stood to follow the woman down the ramp she had come from. There came a stifled laugh from our group leader as we continued.

"Jake called ahead and told me. Cute brunette in the red jacket is Zoey Mitchell, elderly gentlemen in the flak jacket is Bill Overbeck, the young pencil-pusher is Louis Jones, the arrogant loud-mouthed motherfucker is Francis Caulter, and the gorgeous pale princess in the black dress is Emma Windsor." She paused for a moment before continuing. "His words, I assure you. You'll find my tastes more... simplified." She cleared her throat, which sounded a bit like a large dog going through a meat grinder and we pressed on down the ramp. "Let me be the second person to welcome you to Quarantine Zone Theta, a safe haven for victims of the F.E.V. of every flavor. My name is Trinsha Marie Ballenfield, researcher and woman of science." Trinsha held herself considerably differently from her brother. Where Jake gave off the aura of childhood arrogance, Trinsha seemed much more mature, almost like a mother, or a big sister in a Japanese cartoon. She led us farther down the carpeted ramp, spiraling ever downwards. "Quarantine Zone Theta is of simple design. Think of it as a screw drilled into the earth, the head of the screw, above the surface, serves as arrival and departures of all survivors to and from the Quarantine Zone. Where we are, called The Descent, is two continuous ramps, leading to the floors of the Quarantine Zone, floors one through one hundred. As previously stated, there are two ramps, the one we're on is the odd floor, stopping at all the odd numbered floor. The other ramp stops on the even numbered floors. Floors one through sixty are designated as Immune and Revenant housings for all our defense force. As I'm sure Agatha told you when you came in, all Immune and Revenants will be required to fight, should the Giests ever get into the Quarantine Zone. Floors sixty through sixty five are designated for science equipment and personnel. Floor sixty six through sixty nine, and seventy one and on are for Uninfected housing. Floor one hundred, or what we like to call Bedrock, is our shopping and eating complex."

"What's floor seventy for?" Bill asked with a keen interest.

"Floor Seventy is the most important, Mister Overbeck. It's our armory. Should the worst ever happen, that's where you'll find our guns." I looked at the wall to my left, reading the tag. We had already descended thirty floors during the course of this conversation. Trinsha let out another hacking cough before clearing her throat again. "Excuse me..." She muttered.

"You're a Revenant yourself, aren't you? A Smoker Revenant." I spoke randomly, taking a shot in the dark with the present evidence. I watched her look over her shoulder slightly and grin sweetly. She only nodded now, waited a few seconds, and then spoke again.

"Yes. You're right. Keen eyes, girl, I like you. Yes, I'm a Smoker Revenant. When my brother and I were developing the F.E.V., he and I were the first to test the virus, on ourselves, of course. At first, nothing happened, but shortly after that well... I think you know the result."

"Trinsha..." Bill began, uncertain. "Can I call you Trinsha?" The doctor answered with a nod before Bill continued. "Trinsha, when we were at Quarantine Zone Alpha, Jake said he created three samples of the F.E.V. You've both already admitted to injecting yourselves with it, but where did that third sample go?" Trinsha looked down as she walked, and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you."

"Couldn't or won't?" Bill pressed on. The girl gave a smile and continued her walking as her head looked up.

"Couldn't... I'm afraid. Jake only told me he was going to give it to a girl... his girlfriend, I think. She didn't survive it. I'm pretty sure it killed her outright, tore Jake apart. I wouldn't be able to give you a name, I'm sorry."

"Does that satisfy you, Bill?" I asked quickly, trying not to sound mean. "You've got all three vials accounted for."

"Yes, it does. Sorry for bringing it up." Trinsha waved his apology away.

"Nonsense. You were curious, and I'm sure Jake didn't offer any solutions. The great dork probably tried to tell you the name was unimportant. But you have to understand why..." She went quiet, her eyes drifting to some unknown location. "He loved her; more then you'd ever know, and he kills her. He's not been the same man since."

"He seemed pretty happy with himself when we arrived." Zoey answered as the walking tour of the Quarantine Zone seemed to grind to a halt. Trinsha let out a low, raspy laugh, almost as if Zoey didn't realize the hilarity of what she had just said.

"Oh sure... he looks fine on the outside. He jokes and he laughs and he smiles and he skips... but on the inside... on the inside he's tearing himself apart for what he did." Another rasped, eerie chuckle left her lips. "It's as he said. The F.E.V. turns everything it touches into monsters. Some are too angry to realize... or even care what they've become... and others are too ground in humanity to realize their potential for murder – But we're all monsters." Monster? What happened to the speech he gave glorifying the F.E.V. and what it did? Was that just like what Trinsha said? A ruse? Some mask he wore to hide his own pain and suffering? More questions and not an answer in sight. Shaking my head, I pushed the entire train of thought to a secluded part of my brain, a place I could investigate it at a later date... most likely one night I lie awake thinking too much.

"Don't get me wrong, though. Jake's a good guy... the best brother a girl could ask for and a wonderful friend, it's just -" She paused for a moment, the smile returning to her face as she gave a carefree wave of her hand. "No, I shouldn't be burdening you with all this doom and gloom; Jake sent you all here for a reason, I take it? Well, what can I do for you folks today?" I stepped up and decided to answer the question for Bill and Zoey.

"Jake sent us here for you to run a few experiments on me. I've got amnesia from the F.E.V., and that seemed to stump even him. He was thinking you could test for that." A sarcastic scoff this time from Trinsha as she crossed her arms.

"Typical Jake, still grounded in the Aperture way. You can't test for everything, he should know that by now. Amnesia is a mental condition, my dear Revenant. I can't stick a thermometer in your mouth and tell you how it happened. That kind of experimentation would require months – if not years of time neither you nor I have to dedicate to such a fruitless endeavor at the present time." She paused to catch her breath and cough some, more smoke puffing from her mouth. "Although, all is not lost." She continued as she cleared her throat again, another disgusting sound similar to the first proceeding it. "The F.E.V. was not designed to affect memory, that much I can tell you; and Micheal didn't mutate it as such, either. With present evidence, I can say within all certainty that whatever caused your amnesia, Emma, was either completely unrelated to the F.E.V. … or more likely it was a unique mutation in your particular strain of the F.E.V." She paused, seemingly to think for a moment. "Tell me, do you remember anything before becoming what you are now?" I thought for a moment, scratching the deepest reaches of my memories for anything that might help. All I came up with was sounds and shapes, none of which I could really identify. Grimly, I shook my head.

"No... I'm sorry, nothing concrete."

"No need to be sorry, dear, memory's a tricky thing. We can sometimes remember commercial jingles from decades past, but can't seem to remember what we had for breakfast in the morning."

"I know how you feel." Bill chimed in, rolling his eyes – the premise all to familiar to him. With a cute chuckle marred by another grotesque throat-clearing, we continued on our way, Trinsha motioning us on, running a hand through the right side of her hair, moving it over her ear.

"You've got... interesting colored hair, doctor..." Zoey started. "Is it dyed?" Trinsha laughed and put her right hand on her head.

"Oh, you think? You can thank my brother for this." She moved a bang forward so she could see.

"He dyed it in your sleep?"

"Hardly." She smiled. "First day we were at Black Mesa, he found a formula for genetically altering someone's basic genetic structure, more specifically hair and eye color, as well as muscle density... He thought it would be funny to genetically modify my hair purple..." She shook her head, her hair waving behind her. "God, was I so angry when I figured out what he did. Livid!" She paused for a moment and sighed. "But you know... I started getting attracted to it. He said 'C'mon, Trinny, you look better now then you did when you were blonde!"

"You're a natural blonde, then?" Zoey scrunched her nose up and chuckled. "Yea, I think I agree with him."

"Mother was pretty angry with him. Dad thought it was funny." She gave a little sigh as she faced a door. "Oh, are we here already? Come, step into my lab so we can talk more." Punching a few numbers onto the small number pad on her right, the door gave a click as the lock opened, allowing it to open. Twisting the handle, she allowed us all inside. The room beyond the door was abuzz with the electric hum of computers and servers computing and serving whatever they were computing and serving. "This is my lab, hewn out of scrap parts we found lying in the Quarantine Zone when we took it."

" 'Took it'?" Bill asked, raising an eyebrow. Trinsha sat at a console and wiggled the mouse to disperse the screen saver so she could continue working.

"Yes... when the first survivors of the F.E.V. came to this place, it was a nuclear fallout bunker, designed to protect against radiation, not infection. We cleaned it out of the Giests, and fixed some of the computers which were broken in the Infected's rage, then set up this lab."

"What do you use it for?" I asked, looking around and being impressed by the collection we had.

"Science." She answered simply, laughing. "No, that's what Jake would say. The real purpose of these computers is... sadly... more for show. Only about half of them even work, the other half just look like they work. Plus, including myself, there are only three scientists in this Quarantine Zone. Not enough to get any actual work done on solving the F.E.V. That's where Jake and Quarantine Zone Alpha come in. They have a larger science staff, and more functioning computers, so he does most of the legwork."

"I don't understand, Trinsha... your brother says he's trying to 'undo' what was done to the F.E.V. Can't he just... do it? What's taking so long?"

"It's a bit like this..." She began, loading up a program which displayed a string of numbers unintelligible on the screen. "You take your old car to a junkyard. At that junkyard, they disassemble the car, and throw the parts everywhere. No rhyme, no reason... just wherever they'll go. You return to the junkyard days later, and attempt to find all the parts to your car. What are the odds you'll be able to do it?" Zoey nodded, seeming to understand her reference as much as I did.

"Oh... yea, I suppose that would make things complicated." She sighed. "Sorry, that was a very unintelligent thing to say..."

"Nonsense. You're not a scientist, Zoey. I would expect that kind of question out of any normal person – no offense." She started typing on the computer, more numbers and letters appearing on the screen as she typed, her fingers flying across the keyboard like greased lightning. Something came to me.

"Oh! Zoey, we still have that thing to give to her from Jake, remember?" She reacted, nodding.

"You're right!" Removing the small box Jake gave us, she handed it to Trinsha. "He says it's a combination birthday present and memento." Taking the box, Trinsha opened it, a small bullet attached to a chain contained inside. Trinsha gave a sigh and a smile, holding the box to her chest.

"Jake... you giant dork..." She too the necklace from the box and put it around her neck, looking like she was happy.

"What is that?" I asked, looking at the necklace closer.

"A while ago... Jake and I worked at a place called Black Mesa."

"Yea, he told us that."

"Well... something went wrong, and the military tried to silence the science staff. Jake and I managed to escape, but I wound up getting shot in the escape... he dug the bullet out and kept it... this is the same one. He joked when we got away that it was almost like it had my name on it... he engraved my name on the bullet and made it into a necklace..."

"He seems like a good brother."

"The best..." She gave a content sigh and pressed both hands to the necklace around her neck. "But you must be tired, the trip must have been long. We've got rooms available, but unfortunately, you'll have to share."

"Emma and I can share a room, if you'd like.. that is... if you're okay with that, Emma..." Zoey muttered, a slight blush crossing her cheek.

"I personally don't care either way." I responded, Trinsha nodding.

"Very well then." She gave a firm snap from her fingers, three male assistants attending to her. "Kyle, see to it that Mr. Overbeck finds his room." The first man nodded and lead Bill out of the lab. "Markus, Allen, locate Mr. Caulter and Mr. Jones, most likely depleting our alcohol supplies, and see them to their rooms as well."

"Yes, ma'am." The others responded, following Kyle out of the room, leaving us alone with Trinsha.

"Sorry about the sudden dispersal of your team, but some things must be done. I figured us ladies have an easier time sharing then the men do." She gave a little laugh as she held both her hands out. "Follow me, if you would." We took a hand each and followed the purple-haired doctor out of her lab, the door shutting and locking as we closed it, and she began leading us back up the corkscrew path. We walked up only about six floors before Trinsha stopped and turned to us, smiling through her glasses once more. "Here's your room. You'll find everything you'll need here. If you get hungry, don't be afraid to either pick up the phone, or head down to Bedrock to get something. If you need me, you can reach me at the lab by dialing Star sixty-five to get my lab or, if I don't pick up there, Star zero one to get my room; if that fails, you can just dial Star zero-zero to get reception, and just ask them to page me." She bowed at a ninety-degree angle at her waist, her hair flipping down around her head, whipping back into place as she righted herself. "Until the time arises where I am required, I bid you all good night, and we shall see each other in the morning."

"Good night, Trinsha. Thank you for everything." I answered to her as she smiled, walking back down the ramp, waving at us as we were left standing in the hallway. With a cautious grip, I opened the door, the cool air from inside washing past us.

"Oh, air conditioning!" Zoey mused, closing her eyes in joy. "I thought I'd never see it again!" Walking in, I fumbled about the wall at my left for a light switch, eventually hitting it with a slide, the lights clicking on inside. The interior was set up like a posh hotel room, carpeted floors, lavishly decorated walls, and even a window on the opposite end, with a painting of a beach at mid-day on the other side. Upon closer inspection, I realized it wasn't a painting; but a very sophisticated LED Television set with a picture of a beach at mid-day, the waves slowly rustling in the details, small birds flying by occasionally. I could see the sun just on the top of the picture as it slowly started to move towards the horizon. An interesting way to keep everyone's internal clocks set.

"Pretty picture... I wonder why they put it here...? Seems a bit superfluous." Zoey droned, looking at the television.

"It's probably more for keeping everyone's internal clocks set to the right time. Being able to look 'outside' and see where the 'sun' is probably helps with that."

"Yea... you're probably right." Zoey sighed, taking her shoes off – the red converse sneakers coated in a generous layer of dirt and grime – most likely from their trek across the country – and then followed with her once-white socks. "Uuugh..." She groaned, rubbing the bottom of her feet. "So glad to get my shoes off... I don't think I've had 'em off for a week." She kneaded the soft bottoms of her feet with the heel of her palm, massaging her weary feet. She took the bed closest to the wall, letting me have the closer of the two. It was nice to be in the air conditioning and away from all the danger, I had to admit.

"Hey Zoey...? Can I ask a slightly personal question? You don't have to answer it if you don't want." I watched her smile in response.

"Of course, Emma. What's on your mind?" I thought long and hard about the best way to ask this, finally resorting to just blurting it out.

"Don't take this the wrong way but... how exactly have you survived so long? Bill, I understand, being a grizzled war veteran... and Francis is that kind of 'badass' and I use the term lightly, who would probably revel in the eternal conflict of the end of the world. Louis... seems like at least someone who could buckle down and do what needs to be done... but you? I don't really see it. I mean, don't get me wrong, from what I've seen you've probably got your head tighter on your shoulders then anyone else in the group -"

"- Save Bill." Zoey interjected, forcing me to agree.

"Yeah, maybe save Bill. So... how?"

"Well... suffice to say that I loved Zombie movies when I was younger. I'm not proud of it... but I did flunk out of collage because of them." She laughed at her own history.

"Heh..." I couldn't help but offer her a chuckle of my own. "Yeah, I suppose that is making a bad situation good."

"But... honestly? What it came down to was I didn't want to be the damsel in distress. I didn't want anyone to take me just because I've - for a lack of better terms – got a pair of breasts, you know?" I nodded to this. "I wanted to actually contribute."

"I can respect that... and... I guess I'm in a similar position? I really want to be there to help you guys but... I just feel like dead weight most of the time... I mean... what if that plane went down? What if we were cast back into the wild?"

"Hey, don't think that." Zoey smiled back to me, my concerns still very much in the forefront of my mind. "You're a big help to the team. Everyone likes you, believe it or not."

"Except Francis..." I grumbled, causing Zoey to laugh.

"Sweetie... don't take it personally. Francis doesn't like anything. See, check it out..." She began to pat herself down, opening a pocket on the front of her jacket. "Where did I... Ah!" She pulled a little notepad from her back pocket and opened it, handing it to me. It was a standard notepad, the kind with the little ring binding at the top that looked like a plastic spring, with the words 'Things Francis Hates' scrawled on the top. Across the page was a literal gambit of things the biker – apparently – hated. I began to read some.

"Canada, the Army, boats, lawyers, thinking differently, Ayn - " I paused, looking up at her. "Ayn Rand? As in 'Atlas Shrugged' Ayn Rand?" She nodded and gave me the 'keep reading' My gaze dipped back to the page. "Turnpikes, vampires, Tanks, Riverside -" I paused. "As in the town?"

"Yeah, Francis thought it was in Canada which – as you can see – he also hates." I couldn't stop myself from laughing – both at the sheer insane number of things the man dislikes with gusto, and also that Zoey stops and writes each new one down in a little book she keeps in her pocket. This group was just too much to bear.

"You guys are nuts..." She took the notepad with a gentile smile, stuffing it back into her pocket.

"Yeah. He's a laugh. But see, I wouldn't take it too personally, hell, you could consider it a place of honor. He hasn't shot you yet, so he doesn't hate you that much." I took a seat on the other bed, facing her. "Here, lemme help you get your shoes off, your feet must be dying in those mary janes."

"Oh, no, you're okay, you don't-"

"Don't make me, Emma. C'mon." She motioned me to put my foot up for her, and after a liberal application of eye-rolling, I did just that. She put my foot on her knee and peeled the shoe off my foot. I'll admit, it felt amazing, that 'long day on your feet' kind of gratification you get after removing your shoes. She dropped the black, now slightly scuffed shoe to the carpet and peeled the sock off along with it, her neatly trimmed nails scratching my pale skin just enough to send a chill up my spine. I shivered.

"I'm sorry..."

"No! No... no need to be sorry." I answered back instantly. "...none at all..." I muttered as an after-thought. She rubbed the bottom of my foot once the sock was off.

"Mm..." She tilted her head a little bit to the right. "Strange... aside from your claws, you're more human then any other Witch we've ever seen... you're not all skin-and-bones, threatening to wither away at the slightest gust of wind, your skin's pale, but in a 'never been in the sun' manner instead of the damn-near leprosy other Witches are... and your face isn't as gaunt and angry as the others... actually..." She giggled. "You're kind of cute." I could feel the blush splash itself all over my face, my eyes going dinner plate-sized before I could look away.

"...m'not cute..." I muttered back, which only seemed to set Zoey off as I put my second foot up.

"Oh-ho-ho yes you are. Have you looked in a mirror, darling? You're freakin' adorable." She grinned knowingly to me, which only caused my blush to deepen. "You're the kind of girl my mother warned me about. Cute, sweet, innocent... and probably as fun as hell to be around." I hid my blush behind both hands, silently commanding it to go away and leave me alone. It didn't, of course, just kept sitting there, taunting me like a bastard.

"Emma... is there anyone special in your life? Anyone you pray is still alive when this is all done." Zoey asked, absently rubbing the other foot, which she had previously removed of shoe and sock while mercilessly teasing me.

"I don't remember... remember? I don't remember anything from before I woke up yesterday morning... All I do remember is just... pain..."

"Oh..." She mused, clearly having forgotten. "I forgot you had the whole amnesia thing... I'm sorry..."

"No need to be sorry." Now that I thought about it, I put a concentrated effort into remembering something, anything, from my past. Then... a face – flashing by too quickly for my mind to register – blinked into my memory, then back out... like a phantom reminding me it's there... but giving me no other clues. "Though... now that I really think about it... I do remember a... person. I don't have details, I don't even have a face or name but... I remember..." Images flashed into my mind, forming a loose story as each image – quicker then the last – fought over my attention. "An airport... not... not the one I woke up in, a different airport. There was a... figure... I think a man's figure. He... gave me something and... then hugged me. After that... nothing." Zoey nodded as I spoke, taking my words in stride.

"Well, that's an improvement. Even if you can't remember details, the fact you remembered that much is a plus!" She smiled. "I'm happy, you may get your memory back sooner then we think!" I nodded slightly, not wholly convinced of this.

"Yeah..." I looked down at my lap for a moment, before I sprung back up, deciding to turn Zoey's little pry into my personal life around on her. "What about you? Is there a special someone you're fighting for? Or fighting to get back to?" Her expression soured, and I instantly regretted ever asking. I knew the face, what it meant when someone's lips twisted down and their eyes turned away like that. I knew it all too well, I had struck a nerve she didn't want to dig up again.

"There... was someone... yes. They... were my everything. The most beautiful thing in the world. They were always there for me, to hug me when I was down, to dust me off when I stood back up. The reason I fight today, you might say, is to do their memory justice." I could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. They died so... so I could live." She wiped the back of her hand against her eyes, banishing her tears. She took a deep breath and put on her strongest face. "But that's all in the past now. I'll fight to do right by their memory, and I'll fight for tomorrow... just like I promised."

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have brought it up." My eyes fell downwards as she finished.

"No, no there's no need. Some days they're all I can think about, their face and voice stuck in my mind... unable or perhaps unwilling to leave no matter what I do... but other times? Other time I can't remember a damn thing about them. Some times, I find myself questioning if they were ever real to begin with. You..." She gave a dry chuckle and shook her head. "...no... not yet. All you have to know is... no. There's no one 'special' in my life." Despite her words, I still felt terrible for bringing it all up. I sat in silence for a moment before I finally swallowed the lump in my throat.

"We should get some sleep. It's been a long day." Zoey nodded.

"Yes, yes of course." We both stood, Zoey unzipping her jacket and leaving it over the back of a nearby chair, and unzipped her pants, leaving her in a white t-shirt and a pair of plain, black panties. I managed to wiggle out of my dress without damaging it and set it on the back of a second chair. I turned the light down low – just enough for us to see outlines of objects in the room, and went to my bed. Under the comfortable, sheer blankets, I let out a low, long sigh. It had been a hell of a day, and I was sure glad that I had a nice, comfortable bed to sleep on. I stared up at the ceiling and cleared my head of everything, trying to convince my brain to shut down and go to sleep – lord knows I was tired enough.

"...hey emma?" Zoey's voice came, almost inaudible, what felt like hours later.

"Mm?" I grunted in response, my eyes never leaving the stucco ceiling. There came a long pause, no response from Zoey in regards to my primordial acknowledgement... it went on for a few moments before I eventually thought she had passed out.

"...can I sleep with you...?" Her words returned in the same diminutive tone from before, her question circling my head like a hungry vulture. "...i can't sleep and it's so cold over here..." For how much she praised the air conditioning when we came in, you'd think that wouldn't be a problem. Mentally, I shook my head, but outwardly, I only smiled. We weren't playing that game tonight. All she had to do was clear her mind, and she'd be able to fall asleep, no matter how cold she was.

"Sure." I answered despite myself. Uh... Earth to Emma, dafuq are you doing? We're not playing the scared little girl game with her tonight, it's late and you're fucking exhausted. I heard her shuffle out of bed, her bare feet pattering gently agianst the carpet, muffling most of her movement. The right side of the bed dipped a little as the covers were peeled back, a gust of cold air rushing across my skin... christ just get in, it's flippin' cold. I didn't voice any of my complaints, obviously. They were irrational and born of a fatigue and a frustration of not being able to sleep despite said fatigue. I didn't really mean any of them. The covers came back down, along with them the sensation of a second body in the bed to my right. She shuffled around for a moment before finally settling down, the gentle sound of her breathing informed me she was on her side, probably staring at me.

"Emma...?" She asked once more.

"Mm?" I grunted again.

"Back at the airport... you scared me when you rescued me from that dressing room... I never properly thanked you. We were so rushed."

"It's no big deal."

"It is." There came more shuffling from beside me, the mattress fluctuating like she was moving. I felt a pair of damp lips press against my cheek, just below my ear. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come around." I cracked a smile at her words, and closed my eyes.

"You're welcome." I answered back, meaning every word.

"You know, Emma... if I had everything my way... you and I..." Whatever Zoey had ended that sentence with was lost to me, as I lost consciousness right there.