Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Valve does. If I owned them, people wouldn't have to rely on subtext.
"You have GOT to be FUCKING KIDDING ME!" Rochelle screamed, throwing a can of peas at the EC. It smacked the glass of the hospital doors, leaving a spiderweb like crack, and the other's all visibly slumped their shoulders. Jacksonville was just like Savannah: a wasteland. The evacuation center had caution tape spread all across it, and it looked at if people hadn't entered in days. They were starting to see a pattern here: empty promises in every city they entered.
"I can't believe this," Coach said, voice dejected. "Guys…. I'm stumped. We could go down to Miami, but it looks like every single city in the South has fallen."
"Shee-yat," Ellis murmured, brushing sweat from his hairline. "This is bad."
"No kidding," Rochelle muttered, shaking her head. "So…. Now what?"
"….. I don't know," Coach said, shoulders slumping. "I really don't know." Ellis looked over at Nick, who was lighting up another cigarette as he shot at a long distanced Hunter with his Glock.
"I guess we have to find another safe house and map out a plan," Ellis said, rubbing his eyes. "Dammit…"
"We can't lose any more time, we have to keep going," Coach insisted.
"Where are we going, exactly?" Rochelle demanded. "We have all the time in the world, Coach, because there's nothing left!"
"I'd expect that from Nick over there, but not you, Rochelle!" Coach chided. "I guess someone had to replace his negative attitude since he went off the deep end."
"He hasn't-!" Ellis began, but Rochelle was too quick for him.
"It isn't negativity, it's facing the facts!" Rochelle snarled back. "We are alone! No one is coming to save us! We are going to die out here with these things tearing us apart, or WORSE we're going to become like them!"
"We would have already turned into them if it was gonna happen," Ellis replied, casing the perimeter. "Let's make a decision quick, y'all. Can't stay in one place forever, not exposed like this with the sun about to set."
"…. Okay, we'll head into the EC and see if there's any hint of where to go," Coach offered. "It's a hospital, they have to have medical supplies in there somewhere." Rochelle was outwardly perturbed, but having no other ideas to give just nodded curtly, and followed him towards the door.
"Hey Nick!" Ellis called, and Nick looked up from hacking a zombie with his ax. "We're goin' in!"
"Okay," Nick called, and trotted over. "So. I take it Jacksonville is another lost cause?"
"Appears to be," Ellis said, as they walked a few paces behind Coach and Rochelle. "But maybe the military will have said where to go if not here."
"Not likely," Nick groused. "You guys go on inside, I'll watch the door."
"That's crazy, Nick, we don't know how many are out there, in such a big city," Ellis said, adamantly. "They could come out of nowhere by the hundreds."
"Not a big deal," Nick said, loading his gun.
"Forget it, you're comin' inside," Ellis stated, voice stern, and Nick shrugged, following. That devastation had turned to numbness, and now the numbness was replaced by reckless anger. Nick had been killing the most infected on the trip down, it wasn't even a contest anymore. Even if the things were off to the side of the road, minding their own business, Nick was on them with his ax. It was always with a glint in his eye and an angry yell on his lips, to the point where it was more animal than human. They had spent most of the previous day travelling, and when they settled into their campsite (no safe house that night) Nick took the entire first half of the watch, giving his ax a work out. When he entered the encampment for bed he had blood all over his face, and didn't bother to clean it off until Ellis forced him to do so in a small stream. Even then Ellis had to do all the work.
Rochelle had tried to convince Ellis that he was working through the steps of grief, and while Ellis believed it and understood it, he sure as hell didn't have to like it. He hated to think that Coach was right about the grieving father going crazy.
"I'll come inside, but I got dibs on any Smokers," Nick continued. "I have a score to even out with those carpet munchers."
At least he'd started talking again. Ellis took any positive signs he could. He'd also let Ellis sleep next to him the previous evening, after two nights of distance. Another positive sign, even if the way Nick clung to him was much more possessive than previously, as if he were afraid that the younger man was going to be snatched away from him.
"Look out! Boomer!" Coach yelled, shooting at the fat abomination that was waddling down the hallway. As it exploded in a shower of blood and bile, Rochelle groaned. To think she'd let herself believe that this was going to come to an end any time soon. "Keep an eye out for supplies and any information you can find. And I'm NOT talking about signs set up by those idiots at CEDA."
"'Wash your hands' my left foot," Rochelle muttered, and spun around just in time to shoot an infected in the chest. "Yeah, screw you buddy, I'm NOT in the mood for this."
"Pills over here!" Ellis called, tossing a bottle to Coach, who caught it while barely batting an eye. "Keep an eye out for med packs."
Nick scanned the hallway, hoping to have any excuse to start whipping his ax through the air, but paused briefly. There was a noise coming from down the hallway, one he was unaccustomed to. If it wasn't the gagging of a Boomer or the screaming of a Hunter, or any noise the infected made, it stuck out. And this was a crackling, gritty whine. He tilted his head to the side, recognizing such a noise but having a hard time placing it.
"… That sounds like a radio," he said to himself, and followed the noise.
Ellis quickly reloaded his rifle just in time to spin around and see a Charger rushing down the hallway. "Charger!" He shot at it multiple times and it fell just before snatching him off the ground. He exhaled, and shook his head. "Shit. Kinda close."
"Hey guys!" he heard Nick call, and he trotted in the direction of his voice. "I found a ham radio over here!"
"Well hell, son, start talking!" Coach exclaimed, darting out from an examination room and huffing towards Nick as well. "See if anyone's out there and if they can help us!"
"What did you think I was gonna do?" Nick muttered to himself, and lifted up the transceiver. "Uh…. Hello? Is there anyone out there who can hear me?"
Ellis was the first to enter the room, and he stood behind Nick, biting his nail.
"This is Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, is there anyone out there who can hear me?" Nick repeated. Coach was the next to enter, then Rochelle. All they could hear was static, and all of them held their breath, hoping with all hope that someone, anyone, was out there. "Repeat, this is Memorial in Jacksonville, is there anybody out there?... Over…?"
Ellis exhaled, scratching his head and swallowing. The crackling static was loud and harsh, and it was echoing in his ears. He was about to just leave the room and keep searching for supplies, when the static suddenly broke for a moment. All of them leaned in, expectantly.
"…. This is Crawdad, hear you loud and clear Memorial, over," the thick accented voice said, and all four of them grinned. It wasn't news to cheer to yet, but a sudden sense of hope began to run through the companions.
"Hi, Crawdad, what is your location?... Over?" Nick asked.
"We're here offa New Orleans, Memorial, you say you were in Jacksonville?"
"Yeah, yeah, we're in Jacksonville," Nick nodded, leaning forward. "It's… It's a wasteland here, what is it like out there?"
"Well, it ain't great, but could be worse," Crawdad said. "The Evac Center here is still in tact, I assume that ain't the case out there if'n you're calling out to anyone who's listenin'."
"Yeah, that'd be right," Nick snorted. "Do you still see evacuations out there, or-?"
"Sure do! Don't know for how much longer, but after you cross the Bridge, you find the Evac Center," Crawdad said. "But last time I talked to the Military over the radio, they said they was goin' to abandon it. Start plannin' from sea."
"Planning from sea?" Rochelle asked, smacking Nick on the shoulder repeatedly. "What does he mean-?"
"Meaning what, exactly?" Nick asked, and held up a hand at her to make her stop.
"I don't rightly know," Crawdad stated. "I just man the radio over here off shore, listenin' for people like you. Carriers."
"Carriers?" Ellis muttered, but the others didn't notice, or perhaps didn't care.
"Crawdad, tell me something, how many more runs are you guys doing out there?" Nick asked.
"I think they said that they wanted to shut it down in four days, then close the bridge, somethin' like that," Crawdad said, and Nick put a hand to his head. "But if you and your companions can get here in that time, there should be plenty of room for you! Plenty of room!"
"Four days?" Rochelle hissed, slight panic to her voice. "We couldn't possibly-!"
"Crawdad," Coach said, snatching the radio transceiver from Nick. "You hold them as long as you can, we're going to be there."
"Alright," Crawdad said, though he didn't sound too convinced. "I guess I'll see you then. God's speed, Memorial."
"Hold on!" Nick hissed, grabbing it back from Coach. "Crawdad? Crawdad, are you still there?"
"Sure am, Memorial."
"Great. Tell me, have you possibly seen a teenage girl in the groups of survivors that have come through?" Nick asked. "Brown hair, green eyes, height about five six or seven, goes by the name of Daisy? Probably on her own-."
"Sorry, Memorial, can't say I have," Crawdad replied, regretfully. "I'd say that I've seen too many teenage girls to count, but honestly, I haven't seen many people these past few days. Think I'd remember a teenage girl travelin' on her own." Nick slammed the transceiver down, and stood up from the chair, leaving the room..
"Thanks anyway, Crawdad, see you in four days," Coach said, and turned back to his companions. "You heard the man. We're headed to New Orleans."
"How are we supposed to get to New Orleans in four days on foot?" Rochelle demanded. "There's no way."
"So we find another means of transportation," Coach said, leaving the room after Nick.
"You say that like it's easy," Rochelle griped as she and Ellis followed them. "We couldn't find wheels in Savannah, what makes you think we'll find them here?"
"I have faith," Coach answered, and she groaned, angrily. "You may have given up, sister, but I'm going to get to New Orleans before they stop evacuating people."
While Coach and Rochelle argued about odds, Nick and Ellis just leaned against the walls, exhausted and thoughtful, though both for different reasons. Ellis looked over at Nick, who was staring up at the ceiling of the hospital. "Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"You ever been to New Orleans?"
"A few times. You?"
"Once, with Keith. He got a voodoo curse put on him when we went…. I think it's pretty cool we get to go there," Ellis admitted, and grinned a little bit, though it wasn't the grin that Nick had gotten used to.
"It'll be a regular Mardi Gras," he said, sarcastically, and popped some pain pills in his mouth. The wounds on his torso was healing slowly, but it was still a constant dull ache when he wasn't on the meds. Just one more thing Cherie was able to do before dying. It wouldn't be a very attractive scar, but what could he do? At least he had Ellis to help him with the bandages every night.
Coach and Rochelle called the two of them over to look at a car that had minimal damage to it. Not only minimal damage, but it was positioned in such a way that they would probably get it out of it's spot. "It was unlocked, which was a pretty good sign. No keys though. What do you think? Think it's feasible if we can get it started?" Rochelle asked, and Ellis looked it over.
"Externally it looks fine," he replied, pensively. "If it starts I can take a look at the engine, just to give it a once over. But it's the best vehicle we've seen since Savannah."
"Well, that's the first problem," Coach said, scratching the back of his head. "Like I said, no keys. So unless either of you know how to hotwire a car-."
Both Ellis and Nick raised their hands.
"Okay, Ellis is a mechanic so that makes sense," Rochelle said, and turned to Nick, questioningly. "What's YOUR excuse?"
Nick shrugged. "Ever see 'Gone in Sixty Seconds'?"
"Yeah….?"
"It's kinda like that."
"Man, I love that movie, that's freakin' sweet!" Ellis exclaimed, and Coach rolled his eyes, not surprised but still judgmental.
"But please, Ellis, by all means, you do it," Nick continued, and Ellis nodded as he threw the car door open.
"You got it. I'll get this thing goin' lickety split."
"While he works on that, the three of us should go looking for supplies," Coach said. "Gotta stock up if we're road tripping to New Orleans."
After a few minutes of searching, Rochelle found a couple red containers, the shape familiar and tell tale. She lifted one up, and smiled. It was practically full, and when she took a sniff the harsh and known scent of petrol rose into her nostrils.
"Found some gas here!" she called, rushing over and heaving the two of them in the back of the car. "There might be more in that area!"
"More gasoline would be good!" Nick called as he looked at a group of infected. He frowned, and choked up on his ax, rushing for them. They weren't much of a challenge, really. Catching them off guard ensured that. After he cut them down he exhaled, wondering if there were any more hiding in the area. He liked the sound that they made when they died, it satisfied him more than cigarettes would now. Whenever their blood splashed on his clothing, on his hands, or face, he felt powerful. Strong. In complete control of whether or not they were going to continue shambling around. It was like he was killing those that killed his daughter.
He noticed a car with it's lights on, and wondered if it was alarmed. That would bring more infected, more things for him to rage against. Without even thinking about it, he raised his ax and brought it down on the windshield of the vehicle.
Ellis had holed up underneath the dashboard of the car, trying to get it to jump, when the noise of a car alarm startled him so badly he smacked his head on the hard plastic. He swore, and forced himself out of the car just in time to see Nick rushing back with his ax up high, a horde of the zombies chasing after him. "Nick, what the hell?"
"Stupid fucking car alarms!" Nick shouted, as Coach and Rochelle tried to cover him. Nick spun around, ready to face the creatures, and began hacking at them with all his might, shouting with each swing of the ax. "DIE YOU SHIT EATING MOTHERFUCKERS!" Ellis was going to offer assistance, when he saw the car with the broken window. The hole the ax left was right in the middle of the windshield, a very deliberate blow. As if Nick had purposely smashed it. He shook his head, pursing his lips in fury, and went back to working on the wires. Think about that later. Get the car going now.
The engine roared to life, and Ellis cheered and immediately checked the gas tank. It was almost full. It probably wouldn't get them all the way to New Orleans, but if they could find some gas on the way-.
"Ellis!" Coach exclaimed, and Ellis hopped out of the car. "Look good?"
"It's gonna hafta do!" he replied, and Coach, Rochelle, and Nick all ran over. "Coach, you drive, just follow signs to 10 and drive!"
"We don't have enough supplies-!" Rochelle protested, and Ellis pointed violently at the swarm of infected coming.
"No fucking time!" Nick shouted, throwing himself in the back seat, Ellis right behind him. "Ro, get in!" Rochelle swore in exasperation, and got in the car too. As soon as she shut the door, Coach floored it. Ellis rolled down his window and shot at the infecteds that were trying to stop the car, and Nick followed suit. Coach, being an aggressive driver even before The Infection spread across Savannah, didn't slow down even as he ran zombies over, or as they bumped up onto the hood, blood splashing the windshield. All he did was turn on the wipers, and Rochelle shook her head.
"Two cans of gas," she lamented. "Two."
"Better than nothing, sister," Coach said.
As soon as the road had cleared up a bit, they all breathed long sighs. Ellis rested his head against the back of his seat, and Nick did the same with his window.
"It's almost over, y'all," Coach stated, trying to be reassuring. "New Orleans is eight hours away. If this car can hold out that long, we're home free."
"I'm not getting my hopes up," Rochelle stated coldly, and rested her forehead in her hand. "How the hell did that alarm get tripped anyway?"
Ellis looked over at Nick, who just continued to stare out the window, and didn't know how to react when the older man said "Who knows? One of those things probably ran into it."
Ellis shook his head, knowing damn well that was a lie. He'd seen the hole in the windshield, he'd seen Nick pursue unnecessary kill after unnecessary kill, and he knew that this time it had backfired. For Nick to put all of them in danger was unconscionable, and to not own up to it was low. But Ellis knew that Nick would not learn from this, because he no longer cared.
Nick looked over at Ellis, who was staring at the ceiling of the car. The older man ventured to place a hand on Ellis' knee, but the mechanic pulled it away, defiantly. Nick snorted a bit, and went back to looking out the window. Fine. Be that way.