Chapter 12

Harbinger's POV

Well, this is my life now! Dodging bullets, raiders, and zombies! This couldn't possibly get any worse, could it? It went from a simple search and rescue contract from Lincoln Loud to a crier leading me to a cabin where I nearly died, to an almost wild goose chase to finding Luna and Sabrina nearly beaten to all hell by a group of raiders, no less. Now here we are, two days later, getting shot, by the same group of raiders. I just want this damn contract to be over! Hell, I might retire after this! Fuck this. Fuck all of this. And fuck them too! N-not the people I'm protecting, t-the people we're fighting...you get what I'm saying dammit!

"Harbinger! Watch out!" I heard Mason shouting to me over the erratic gunfire. I quickly turned and saw two men running at me with what looked like spiked bats. Negan wannabes. I put them down swiftly hitting their center mass. To answer my earlier question, yes this can get worse. Because I'm also down to my last clip. This isn't a video game where you magically find ammo in a bush, or a trash can all hunky-dory like. You take what you find off of dead bodies and hope it's what you use.

"Mason, where are the girls?" I let my mind shift from that thought.

"Over there!" He pointed to a small defilade about fifty feet away. After quickly scanning the area, I find it's immediate surroundings to be satisfactory I return my attention to Mason.

"Hey, I'm down to my last clip, what's the game plan?" I'm hoping he has something ready.

"We lure them into a trap." Wait, what?

"Run that by me one more time." I glanced back and saw the two I killed earlier rise as undead. Once dead the body reanimates within a matter of minutes. I quickly put them down for the second time before hearing a response from Mason.

"I said we lure them into a trap. Simple as that."

"With what? We don't have much in the way of traps around us."

"We use the environment!" He stated matter of factly.

"This isn't Endor and we aren't murderous teddy bears. Besides we don't exactly have time on our side, look at the sky." What the hell is he smoking, use the environment? jesus.

"Then what do you suggest wise ass?" He asked in response.

"We leave, and find a place to bunker down for the night and pray they don't find us," I suggested, which let's be honest, my idea is way better and more practical. Again this isn't a video game where we throw sticks and leaves together to form a perfect working trap.

"Then let's grab the girls and go, you'll carry Sabrina this time and I'll watch our backs." He suggested. "But you better be careful with her or else!"

"Yes, sir!" Even though this is my op, he has the say about what happens with his daughters. Which I was forced to agree to. The man could kill me with just a look if he wanted too. We ran over to where they were, still dodging gunfire mind you. These assholes are worse than Stormtroopers.

"Come on girls lets go," Mason said helping Liz and Luna up. I pulled Sabrina onto my back and we took off towards an opening in the woods."DUCK!" It hasn't even been ten seconds before we heard Mason shout from behind us and as soon as we did bullets came flying overhead. But as quickly as they came they stopped. Soon all the gunfire stopped. I stood up slowly and saw that Mason had put the last of them down. For once the raiders were no longer following us. "Anybody hurt?" He asked turning back around to face us.

"Nope," Liz said patting herself down.

"I'm good," Luna replied doing the same as Liz.

"Same here dad," Sabrina said from behind me.

"Nope still only have the holes I was born with," I replied not bothering to check.

"Good, then let's go." We continued on for a few minutes before coming upon an interstate that looked as if it went on for miles.

"Where to now?" Luna asked keeping an eye out for possible danger. I'll admit it, I have no clue where the hell we are.

"Mason, any ideas?" I hope to god he knows this area well enough.

"Yeah, see those mountains over there?" He pointed to a small mountain range to the north of us. "That's where my cabin is. If we can make it there, you can backtrack and lead us to this so-called purgatory." Mason said keeping his sight targeted on the wooded area on the other side of the road.

"I'm guessing it'll be a while before we get back to those mountains though," I asked, knowing full well it would.

"Yeah, about two days, maybe two and half days. Two if we leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow." He replied.

"Guys we should probably get moving, Evee is picking some movement up in the trees," Liz suggested slowly backing towards us.

"I agree, also this isn't the most comfortable traveling arrangement," Sabrina said with a more than annoyed tone. I agree having someone ride piggyback isn't as pleasant as most think it would be.

"You're right, but where are we gonna go dudes and dudettes?" Luna asked again.

"There should be a service station roughly a mile to the west if we're where I think we are," Mason said.

"Let's get a move on then." I so much didn't mind the walking, but with Sabrina on my back, the added weight was not welcome. Thankfully we didn't have to walk far. Whether it was a mile or not we made it to the service station within 30 minutes, and just in time too. The sunlight was nearly gone. The station looked like a typical gas station you'd stop at for fuel and nothing else. Maybe a high priced souvenir but that's it. The sign and marquee had fallen into the parking lot, the cars that were here looked abandoned since day one. The pumps were in shit shape or completely gone, the only promising thing about this place was that the windows were boarded up with painted signs saying "Survivors welcome!" and "We have Supplies!" Obviously a trap, and on the extreme off chance it isn't, these fucks are stupid. Advertising to all the worthless scum practically saying "FREE STUFF!" Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of taking our time, we need to get in there now. Mason and I looked at each other with understanding looks before moving in.

"Okay girls, stay close, stay quiet. Harbinger will take the lead and I'll cover the rear. "Understood?" Mason asked while instructing Liz and Luna.

"Understood, daddy!"

"You got it, pops!" We came upon what looked like the entrance, a fortified entrance to be specific.

At first sight, it didn't look very promising. Along with a reinforced metal door, bent, full of holes, and completely unhinged, the wooden gates off to the side were splintering. Some were even straight up broken. Bullet casings and a few blood spatters, implying that a someone or multiple people have been shot here. There's multiple blood trails, and some visible footprints leading into the place, and we had to pick this place of all places. The people here looked to have made it inside. Let's just hope they ended up dying. With that in mind, I cautiously approach the door in hopes of removing it. Once I grab on I find it to be lighter than most metal doors, I quietly lay it down on the left side of the entrance as to not alerting any potential threats... I return to the front of the group and move inside to the next door. Or doors I should say. A set of reinforced glass doors rested shut before me. Even being automatic they have to be manually opened, seems that the backup generator died. I wonder if it's possible to restart it. I look back to the rest of the group and silently nod as to affirm my next action. With their guns at the ready, I slowly open the doors to find a gruesome sight. Mutilated bodies, severed limbs, rotting organs with dried blood spatters painted all over the walls, floor, and even ceiling. It was a gruesome sight, an all-out massacre if I'm being honest. I don't think anyone made it out alive, and what's worse is that most of them are zombies.

This almost looked like a feeding grounds now, fresh blood on top of the darker, almost caked layer of blood. The ones who weren't zombies had their chests ripped open with their intestines laying on the open floor. Shredded arms and legs are strewn in every which direction, having been ripped off of their bodies. The mere stench made me vomit, which didn't bode well for Sabrina, who ended throwing up as well, having it fly right past my face, and Liz, who was behind Luna. Between the blood and the body parts, I never once saw a gun or ammo for that matter, which also concerned me, considering we could use some. Raiders could've also looted the weapons, which may also mean fewer zombies, even still, I'm wary.

Luna's POV

This was a terrible idea, yeah let's go into a building which looked fucked up, to begin with, to surprise! Finding dead bodies everywhere and still go through. It just has to be close to night, doesn't it? And then we split up? Genius idea. Yeah, sorry I know I'm usually more laid back, and almost never use foul language but I'm tired, grouchy and sore. I haven't slept for two days, my girlfriend still has trouble walking and I've been constantly shot at. Ugh! I just wanna rest! Not to mention, I haven't been able to properly jam since we left that one stronghold a year ago. Well by left I mean they kicked us out for that reason. Assholes. Can't understand good music.

Harbinger and I are walking down the first "aisle" so to speak, to our left were small shelves with magazines and candy, to our right larger shelves with chips and trail mix. Sabrina would look back at me every few seconds to make sure I was fine. Have I ever mentioned how beautiful and gorgeous and amazing she is? I hate to see her like this, for four years we, her sister, and Evee survived out here. And now she has to be carried and is being carried by Harbinger of all people. I'm not sure how I feel about him though, I'm grateful that he saved my loves life and protected us. Not to mention he's on a contract from my family. Which is where I'm concerned, is he just going to up and leave when we get back or will he stay? I guess if he were to leave I wouldn't be bothered by it at all, I'll be happy to be with my family again. Me, Sabrina, Liz, Mason, and Evee reunited with my long lost family. The mere thought of it excites me. I wonder how Lily has grown since then, how they've all grown. I quickly come back to reality after smacking into Sabrina. Harbinger was turning the corner when my face met the back of my girlfriends head.

"Daydreaming again, babe?" she teased, her laugh muffled.

"Haha, yeah.." I let out an embarrassed laugh, rubbing the back of my neck."

"Hey, lovebirds, quiet down, please." Harbinger shushed us. We turned at the back wall which was where all the refrigerated items were. Harbinger looks at me and directs me forward, he slowly walks forward keeping his gun at the ready. I take a step and immediately feel a sharp burning pain shoot up from my right ankle all the way to my hip, I quietly yelp before I look down to see my worst nightmare. I saw my worst nightmare of a zombie biting me become a reality. I No, no, no! Not this! Why me?! Why now?! This isn't fair! I thought to myself, tears welling in my eyes as I look back up, "Help me!" I croaked.

Harbinger's POV

Oh no, don't tell me… I looked back and saw an undead fuck biting Luna.

"LUNA!" Sabrina cried out, jumping off of my back. She quickly made her way to Luna and shoved her knife straight into the zombies head. Unfortunately, Luna's plea for help and Sabrina's "war cry" woke the rest of the undead, about sevenish more rose and began their way over. Mason quickly charged through, Liz in one hand and his knife in the other killing the fuckers. Once they were all dispatched he came over and saw what had happened.

"How could you let this happen?!" He accused me, a resting rage simmering in his eyes.

"I- look, I didn't know it was still alive, had I known I would've killed it." I quickly replied in self-defense.

"Well, a lot of good that'll do. My daughters been bitten, I outta fuckin' kill you!" He shouted in pure rage, knife poised and pointed straight at me with full intent to kill.

"Dad please, I'm just as mad as you are but let's not blame Harbinger," Sabrina spoke out trying to quell the flames her dad was spewing.

"But-" He tried to say.

"No buts, that's enough, we don't need this group fighting right now. I need you to fortify the entrance, Harbinger, you, Liz and Evee make sure everything else is dead. Got it?" She asked with a tone similar to my mother.

"Yes, ma'am!" I said and quickly took Liz's hand and began checking the bodies.

Sabrina's POV

"Luna?" I worriedly looked at her, "How bad does it hurt?"

Her face said it all, "Bad love," She manages through clenched teeth. "It burns really bad." It's only going to get worse from here, and we both know it. Nowadays, it'll only take about 3 hours for someone to turn. Over the three hours, the pain only gets worse. Way worse, and the body seems to deteriorate faster in that time too: skin becomes gray and flaky, whites of eyes turn a yellowish tint, and teeth begin to rot and fall out. Fingernails either fall out or turn brown and chip, appendages turn black and will somewhat wither. T- that won't happen to Luna though, she won't turn. She can't turn, I need her here, with me...

"Love... What are you thinking?" She piped up, pain written in her eyes and voice. God, I hate seeing her like this, it breaks my heart. "That you won't turn, that you'll be fine..."

Harbinger's POV

10 Minutes Later

Liz and I continued to check the bodies, making sure to be careful so we aren't bitten as well. My head is racing though. What am I going to tell her family now that she's been bitten? She'll turn within the next three hours... No. I can't let that happen. I have to try and convince Mason and Sabrina to let me kill her. I don't want to, but I doubt anyone wants to see her as a zombie.

"Another one," Liz stated, ramming her knife into its head.

"I think that's the last one. Come on, let's get back to Luna," I said vacantly.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" She was worried. I couldn't bring myself to answer, so the short walk back was quiet. When we got there, Mason was already kneeling next to Luna. I had better make the suggestion now and get it out of the way, "Luna needs to die.

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the small wait. I took a break over the holiday. Had a seasonal job that needed me and just wanted to spend time with my family. An, way as some may have known I was working on something special. It was going to be a Loud House Christmas special. But both my editor and I weren't happy with how it was coming out. In the future, I may write another one but for now, its being put off. I'm going to resume regular updates for this story though. Enjoy!