Part 3: Help from an Allie
Johnny was walking through Jackson drinking from a bottle of water. It had been a good while since Ellie's birthday. He had continued his gun practice along with teaching others to fight.
Flashback:
"Cmon Tommy you cant be serious," one of the men on watch said. There was a group gathered near the gate where Johnny was standing in front of the man.
"Now cmon it doesn't hurt to learn how to defend yourself," Tommy said smiling.
"We need to save ammo when we can," Joel said looking serious.
"Yeah but shouldn't I be facing someone older," he said while Johnny sighed.
"What afraid to get your ass kicked," Ellie said smiling.
"No I rather not hurt your boyfriend," he said.
"Hey are you gonna throw a punch because I rather go for a run," Johnny said.
"Fine don't forget I didn't warn you," the man said going to throw a punch but Johnny easily dodged and kicked his leg. The man yelled falling to the ground and Johnny stood in front of him.
"Need a hand," said Johnny holding out his hand.
The man smiled before grabbing it, "Guess I could learn a few things," he said.
Flashback end
Ellie had also wanted to learn how to fight. But when it came to practice he just had her practice the moves. He was then brought out of his thoughts when he heard voices coming from Tommy and Marias house. He walked to the door as he heard a male voice speak out.
"But there could be others out there," he said.
"I told you we don't have enough people for this," said Tommy.
"We cant leave this place undefended," said Maria sounding serious.
"But we cant just sit back and do nothing," a female voice said as Johnny opened the door and walked into the living room. Johnny noticed a couple sitting on the couch with Tommy and Maria standing in front of them.
"If you wont listen to us then were leaving," said the male before standing up and noticing Johnny.
"Sorry I was passing by and overheard you," said Johnny.
"Wait he can understand," the woman said. "I'm Rachel and this is my boyfriend Steve," she said pointing at him.
"Yeah Ive seen you at the target practice," said Johnny.
"No your not getting him involved in your mission," Tommy said looking angry.
"Hey," said Johnny getting their attention. "Will someone please tell me what's going on," he said.
"We want to go out and help people," said Steve calmly.
"But they could get themselves killed going out there," said Maria. "We also need people here to defend," she said looking serious.
"I see your point," Johnny said calmly.
"Great now," Tommy said before Johnny spoke up. "But I also see their point," he said making him look surprised.
Johnny then looked at the couple, "Are there other people interested in this," he said.
"Wait hold on," Maria said before Rachel spoke up. "Yes but they're scared to go back out there," she said.
"Can't blame them though, but maybe they would feel better if your there," Steve said.
"Alright, tell them meet me in the community hall tomorrow, Maria Ill talk with you later about this," Johnny said before walking out of the house with Steven and Rachel following him.
"He just cant be serious with this," said Maria that night in Joels living room.
"Trust me hes serious," Tommy said with a finger under his chin. He then looked at Joel and Ellie who were sitting on the couch.
"I say go ahead," said Ellie.
"Ellie you know what's out there," Joel said looking serious.
"Yeah that's why I want to go with him," Ellie said before sighing. "Not like we can stop him anyway," she said.
"Can't either of you say anything to stop him," Maria said.
"No," Tommy said speaking up. "Ever since he was a kid he always wanted to use his power to help people," he said.
"Well lets just see what we happens in tomorrows meeting," said Maria.
The next day the people who wanted to go out were gathered. Johnny suggested he leave some of the people behind and they'd only be gone for two days. They agreed and so Johnny's team left the next day. Two days later they came back with medical supplies and more people wanting to join them.
Then one day when the team was to head out Ellie had gotten sick. "The weather is suppose to be bad in the next few days," Steve said to Johnny in his and Ellies home. The rest of the team was also there. After already a good few trips out they were all close friends.
"I know," Johnny said looking at Ellie when the doctor walked in.
"Good thing you all came back with these supplies last time," he said before placing the medicine down.
"Good now I can head out," said Ellie trying to sit up.
"Absolutely not," the doctor said having her take the medicine. "Go out there you'll only feel worse," he said.
"Damnit," Ellie said looking annoyed.
"Are there others coming down with this?" a male member of the team asked.
"A few, but luckily we can treat all of them," the doctor said before sighing and leaving.
"You guys need to go," said Ellie making the rest of team look at her.
"Ellie," Johnny said looking worried before she held his hand.
"Don't worry I wont be worried," said Ellie smiling, "Besides I know you'll make it back," she said.
"Hey don't forget he gots the rest of us looking out for him," said Rachel making the others nod their heads.
"Alright," Johnny said before giving Ellie a quick kiss. "Ill see you in a few days," he said before getting up to leave.
After two days had passed. The day after Ellie got better she was out with Joel and Tommy clearing an area. "I'm sure he will be back any day now," Tommy said getting her attention.
"Yeah I know," said Ellie calmly.
"You two are doing alright?" Tommy asked.
"What yeah of course we are," Ellie said. "Just annoyed I'm not out there with him," she said.
"Well he wasn't happy about leaving a few days ago either," said Tommy. "I was there at the gate when they took off," he said remembering Johnnys face.
"He really cares about you, you know that right," said Tommy.
"Yeah I know," said Ellie.
Far away from Jackson in a forest not far from a town. "Everyone fall back," a man said as they ran from bandits.
"Ahh," one man said after his leg got hit with an arrow. He tried to get up when a man with large coat stood in front of him. He pointed his bow at him when someone punched him across the face.
"What the," he said before seeing a young man flying in front of him.
Johnny landed on the ground and shot him in the head. "Guys over here," he said getting his teams attention as they took down the rest of the bandits.
"Are you hurt," Johnny said looking at the man.
"You can fly," he said before groaning in pain from the arrow.
"Hey get away from him," a man said pointing a shotgun at Johnny.
"Hey easy," Steve said aiming an assault rifle at him.
"Jim don't he saved my life," the man on the ground said.
"Shit this doesn't look good," the man with the shotgun said crouching next to his friend.
"Do you have a camp nearby?" Johnny asked.
"Yes a town, not far from here," Jim said as they both picked up the injured man and headed to the town. When they got there Johnny noticed it was surrounded by a large wall.
"Open up we got injured," Jim said as they quickly opened the gate. "Who's the leader of your group?" He asked looking at Johnny.
"I'm the leader of this team, you can call me Johnny," said Johnny making the man look a little surprised.
"Wow," Jim said.
"What," Johnny said.
"Nothing I just didn't expect for you to be so young," said Jim.
"Ive seen him fly so hes telling the truth," the injured man said. Jim lead him and his team to made up medical area. There were medical tents set up with hospital beds and Johnny helped put the man on one.
"Thank you," he said looking at Johnny.
"If you need some extras medical supplies, we have some," Johnny said.
"No it's alright, ill let the man in charge know you're here," Jim said before walking away. While Johnny walked outside he didn't notice a man staring at him completely shocked.
"It cant be," he thought.
When it was getting dark out Johnny and his team were sitting outside a restaurant. They were given water by the people there.
"Nice place running here," Darren one of the team members said.
"You think they were the same bandits we ran into last time?" Lily asked Johnny.
"Not sure, but whoevers leading them will now know not to go near this place," he said about to take a drink from his water when someone spoke up.
"Johnny Grayson," he said. Johnny looked surprised as he looked at a man with short brown hair. "It is you isn't it," he said.
"Who are you," Steve said standing up.
"Before I came here I was a firefly," he said. "First place I was stationed at was a bunker," he said.
"But I left," he said.
Johnny then stood up. "When did you leave," he said looking serious.
"When I realized that the doctor would end up killing you," he said. "I wanted to stop him but the others had me outnumbered," he said looking down.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I wound up meeting the fireflies in Salt Lake City where I met my wife," he said.
"When we learned what they were going to do that girl I couldn't stand it anymore," he said looking angry. "But Marlene threw us out before we could do anything," he said.
"The girl survived," Johnny said making the man look surprised.
"You were there," he said.
"Can someone tell me whats going on," Steve said looking at the man then at Johnny. "How do you know Johnny," he said.
"My name is Dave, I knew him when he was a kid," he said making the team look surprised.
"Why were you at Salt Lake City?" Rachel asked.
"You stopped them from using her to take a cure," Dave said and Johnny nodded as he took off his jacket. Then moved his sleeves up, revealing to his team his scarred arms.
"There's something you all deserve to know," he said looking at their surprised faces. He then revealed his immunity and what he and Joel did at Salt Lake City.
"That's a lot to take in," Darren said sitting down.
"But it would have killed Ellie," said Rachel looking at everyone.
"Your right," said Steve looking serious. "I couldn't do it if it meant losing someone I care about," he said holding his girlfriends hand.
"Hey are we all forgetting the reason were all out here is to find stuff to help make a cure," said Lilly looking serious.
"What do you mean your making a cure?" Dave asked looking confused.
"A while after I got back to Jackson I went to the bunker and took the doctors journal," Johnny said. "Figured it was the only way to make a safe cure," he said.
"Really Id like to hear more about this," a tall man said walking over with Jim. The man introduced himself as the leader of the town.
"Listen I need to go to Jackson," Dave said looking at the leader. "I remember the stuff that was used in that serum," he said.
The leader looked serious before looking at Johnny. "Can you keep Dave and his family safe," he said.
"Definitely," said Johnny. The man then took out a radio.
"We found these from an abandoned military convoy," he said before handing Johnny the radio. "Will send more once I talk with the person in charge of your group," he said.
"Right," Johnny said. Later the team was surprised to find out they would be taking a truck home. Turns out the town had a good few mechanics. Dave introduced his wife and daughter to them before they headed back to Jackson.
"I wont lie but its nice not to have to walk for a change," said Darren from the back.
He along with most of the team were sitting in the back. Johnny was sitting with Dave and his family at the front.
"Is Jackson nice?" Daves daughter asked.
"Yeah we have a nice lake nearby," said Johnny. "Plus we have power," he said.
"That's good to hear," Daves wife said smiling before Johnny looked back out the window.
When they reached the entrance the gate opened. "Well I didn't expect for you to bring this back," Tommy said looking at Johnny as he got out.
"Well we have some others staying with us," he said making Tommy look confused.
"What do you," he said before he noticed Dave climbing out with his family.
"Tommy," Dave said looking surprised as the man walked over to him. "Didn't expect you," he said before Tommy grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
"Did you see what happened to his arms," he said pointing at Johnny. "Did you," he said.
"Yes I did but I couldn't do anything," Dave said.
"Tommy back off," Johnny said looking serious.
"You remember what he was involved with," Tommy said.
"Yeah I do and he wanted to help me but couldn't," Johnny said. "We need him to help make the cure," he said.
"Alright then," Tommy said looking at Dave before walking away.
"Tommy," Dave said.
"If you want to help make sure that cure gets made," said Tommy before Johnny handed him a radio.
"Leader of his group wants to talk," he said.
"Alright ill give it to Maria, come by tomorrow morning," Tommy said before walking in.
"Alright everyone rest up for the next few days," Johnny said looking at his team.
"Say hi to Ellie for us," Rachel said and Johnny nodded before heading home. When he walked in he saw Ellie sitting on their bed playing guitar.
"You've gotten really good," he said closing the door. She smiled before kissing him on the lips and he kissed her back.
"How'd it go," said Ellie.
"Alright brought some help back," Johnny said putting his backpack down and sat down on the bed.
"Why do I feel like theres more to it," Ellie said.
"He was once in the bunker," Raymond said making her look surprised. "He left long before I did," he said.
"Can we trust him?" She asked.
Johnny then remembered the sad look on Daves face. "Yeah we can," he said.
"Do you ever wonder where the other immunes are?" Ellie asked.
Johnny looked surprised remembering what Joel said to her after what happened at Salt Lake City. "No not really," he said.
"Can't blame you with everything going on," Ellie said looking down.
Johnny held her hand. "Just remember that we are working on a cure now," he said. "As long as we keep on fighting we have hope," he said.
Ellie then hugged him. "Thanks I needed that," she said.
"No problem," he said. But he knew Ellie would eventually need to know the truth about what happened in Salt lake city.