Knowing they had to escape before they were caught by soldiers, Marlene and the smugglers ran. Soldiers were right behind them so they had to get away fast. The group made their way to a gate but a truck passed by. Thankfully all four of them managed to hide before it could spot any of them. They had to keep moving soldiers were right behind them and none of them wanted to be caught. Getting caught wasn't something any of them wanted not when they had to get their guns back.
"Through here," Marlene ordered, since they couldn't go that way they cut through an alleyway. "I know a way around this. C'mon."
In front of them was a ladder leading up to an old fire escape, Marlene climbed up to it as best as she could and pulled it down. The group then headed up to the roof. When they made it to the roof they all saw an explosion coming from a couple of buildings across from them. "Holy shit. Is that your people?" Tess asked.
"What's left of them," Marlene said, sorrowfully. "Why do you think I'm turning to you guys?"
"This way." She ordered.
They followed Marlene over the rooftops, as they did Joel asked. "So why now?"
"We've been quiet. Been planning on leaving the city but they needed a scapegoat. They've been trying to rile us up." Marlene explained.
"Looks like they did," Joel commented.
The group then entered the building through a broken window, as soon as they entered Jack had a question that he needed to ask. "Umm...Marlene?"
Marlene stopped and turned to Jack, "Yeah?"
"My mom...Catherine, is she with your people?" Jack asked.
Marlene stared at the kid for a moment then glanced at Joel who had a look that showed that he kinda wanted to know the answer too.
"Yeah," Marlene nodded. "But I don't think the soldiers got her, that woman is surprisingly very resourceful for a nurse."
Joel chuckled for a bit. "Yeah, she is,"
Catherine was a medic in the Army before the outbreak started so that woman had a few tricks up her sleeve.
Marlene walked over to the sliding door and tried to push it open but her gunshot wound made that challenging. "Can one of you give me a hand with this?"
"Yeah, let me help," Jack went over to Marlene and helped her push the door open then they continued on.
They didn't get far until Marlene told them all to stop. The three of them took cover behind a big crate. "Hold up. Soldiers."
The route that led to the door was swarming with troops, well-trained troops. If they were spotted then they would be massacred. Suddenly it seemed like their odds of surviving this has decreased greatly. Marlene looked from their cover and saw the door they needed to take. "That's the way out. The door under the bridge." Marlene informed.
"Ain't a big fan of these odds," Joel commented.
"We can sneak by them, even though I know that's not your style," Marlene suggested.
"I for one don't want to get stuck in a gunfight against trained military soldiers unless there's no choice," Jack spoke up.
"Come on, let's go," Joel ordered.
With that, the group moved forward.
Sneaking past the soldiers was very hard, Jack accidentally knocked over something and a soldier came over to investigate it. Luckily Joel managed to quickly grab and strangle the soldier before he spotted Jack. The soldier tried to get free but Joel didn't let go, the soldier then stopped and died of suffocation.
Jack let out a breath of relief. "Thanks,"
"Just come on," Joel quality spat.
They had to take out a few more soldiers before they could get to the door, if the other soldiers found those bodies then they would be alerted. Thankfully they managed to get to the door, on the bridge they saw them executing fireflies. Marlene wanted to do something to save them but she couldn't, the only thing she could do was continue the mission.
After they made it past the door Tess and Marlene grabbed a locker and pushed it in front of the door to protect themselves from the soldiers. After they barricaded the door Tess asked. "Where are we going, Marlene?"
Marlene took a couple of breaths then said. "It's not far now,"
The group walked out of the building and when they did they heard a broadcast. "Attention. Curfew is in full effect. Anyone caught outside without proper authorization will be arrested and prosecuted."
That wasn't good if they were caught by FEDRA then they may be killed given that they were helping a firefly.
"Oh no," Jack muttered.
"We need to hurry," Joel said.
The group then entered the next building then Jack asked. "Marlene, what are we smuggling?"
"I'll show you," Marlene said as they walked up some stairs.
They then arrived at a door, Marlene went over to open it but her wound made it hard to open it. "Can one of you give me a hand with this?"
Joel went over and helped her open the door. As soon as Joel and Marlene got the door open, the woman collapsed onto her knees.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Come on now, get on up," Joel said then tried to help Marlene up.
"Get the fuck away from her!" A young feminine voice suddenly yelled.
Jack quickly turned around and saw a girl that appeared to be sound his age running at him with a switchblade. "Shit!" Jack exclaimed.
Jack quickly grabbed her hand before she could stab him, she tried to get free from his grip, but his grip was strong. "Relax kid, we're helping her," Jack said.
"Let her go," Marlene ordered.
Jack complied with her request and let go of her hand.
"You're recruitin' kind of young, aren't ya?" Joel questioned.
Marlene scoffed and said as she got up. "You're one to talk, and she's not one of mine."
The girl looked at Marlene and saw the bullet wound in her side. She quickly put away her switchblade and went over to her. "Oh shit. What happened?" She asked, worried as she helped Marlene lean against a table.
"Don't worry. This is fixable." Marlene reassured her then said. "I got us help,"
The girl looked at the smugglers for a second then Marlene said. "But I can't come with you."
She quickly turned back to Marlene with her eyes widened in surprise. "Well, then I'm staying."
"Ellie, we won't get another shot at this," Marlene said.
The smugglers exchanged surprised glances with each other, of all the things they've smuggled a kid is a first.
Joel took a few steps over to them. "We're smuggling her?"
Marlene nodded and said. "There's a crew of fireflies that'll meet you at the Capitol building."
"That's not exactly close," Tess interjected.
"And getting there won't be easy with the soldiers and the infected," Jack added.
"You're capable," Marlene said. "You hand her off, come back, the weapons are yours. Double what Robert sold me."
"Speaking of which - where are they?" Tess asked.
"Back in our camp," Marlene said.
"We're not smuggling shit until I see them," Tess stated.
Seeing as how they weren't gonna do this unless they had proof of the merchandise Marlene agreed with her request. "You'll follow me. You can verify the weapons. I can get patched up."
"But she's not crossing that part of town," Marlene added then looked at Joel and Jack. "I want Joel and Jack to watch over her."
"What!?" Jack exclaimed.
"Whoa, whoa. I don't think that's the best idea." Joel opposed.
"Bullshit! I'm not going with them." Ellie argued at the same time as Joel.
"Ellie…" Marlene spoke up.
"How do you know them?" Ellie asked.
"I was close with his brother Tommy and his lover Catherine. Said if I was ever in a jam I could rely on him." Marlene explained.
"Was that before or after Tommy left your little militia group or when Catherine left me to raise this?" Joel asked sarcastically.
"Fuck you too," Jack spat.
"They left you too, and your son," Marlene said. "But they were good people."
Tess decided to step in. "Look, just take her to the north tunnel and wait for me there."
"Jesus Christ," Joel muttered.
"She's just cargo Joel," Tess said.
"Marlene…" Ellie started but Marlene cut her off.
"No more talking," she said, sitting up on the dust-coated bar. "Just go with them. You'll be fine."
Joel sighed and turned to look at his partner. "Don't take long." he turned to Jack and Ellie and said, "You two. Stay close."
The trio then walked out of the bar. When they were outside the three of them immediately took notice of the dead bodies laying on the street from the soldiers taking them out left and right.
"Whoa. I heard all of the shooting but… what happened?" Ellie asked, seeing the bloody corpses on the street.
"Looks like these fireflies were massacred by FEDRA," Jack guessed, kneeling down to inspect one of the corpses and also try to find anything useful.
"And if we don't get off the street, the same thing is going to happen to us." Joel scowled, going down a flight of stairs that would lead down to another pathway.
"You're the pro. I'm just following you and buddy boy over here." Ellie remarked, following the middle-aged man.
The three of them had to sneak past some patrolling FEDRA vehicles before they could get to their destination. When they all passed the three of them continued to the abandoned apartment buildings. Suddenly the P.A. system came on again. "Attention. Harboring or aiding wanted criminals is punishable by death. Do not place yourself at risk. Report any suspicious activity."
"Where are we going?" Ellie asked.
Joel pointed to the stairway up. "Up there, that'll get us to the north tunnel."
"There's no way we're getting up there without something to help us," Jack pointed out.
The three searched for something to help them get up the stairs up to the apartment building and found an old dumpster. "This will do," Joel said.
Joel pushed the dumpster to the stairway then the three of them climbed up and made it into the building.
"This tunnel. You use it to smuggle things?" Ellie asked.
"Yep," Joel said.
"Like illegal things?" Ellie asked.
"Sometimes," Jack answered.
"You ever smuggle a kid before?" Ellie asked.
Joel shook his head. "No this is a first."
As they were walking Jack had a question he really needed to ask. "So...umm...what's your deal with Marlene?"
"I don't know. She's my friend. I guess." Ellie supposed.
"Your friend huh?" Joel questioned then said. "You're friends with the leader of the Fireflies. What're you, like twelve?"
"She knew my mom, and she's been looking after me," Ellie explained and added. "And I'm fourteen, not that that has to do with anything."
"So where are your parents?" Jack asked.
"Where are anyone's parents? They've been gone a long, long time." Ellie said.
"Hm. So instead of staying in school, you just decided to run off and join the Fireflies, is that it?" Joel questioned.
Ellie sighed and said. "Look. I'm not supposed to tell either of you why you're smuggling me if that's what you're getting at."
"You wanna know the best thing about my job? I don't gotta know why. Be honest with you, I could give two shits what you're up to." Joel spat, not caring. All he wanted to do was get this job done and get his weapons.
"Well great," Ellie said.
"Good," Joel replied.
The trio then arrived at the apartment. Joel opened the door and entered the abandoned apartment that they were told to wait in, Ellie came in behind him and Jack entered the room last and closed the door behind him. The teens both looked around the apartment while Joel adjusted the pillow on the end of the couch and laid down on it. Tess probably wouldn't be here for a while so resting for the journey ahead up would be wise.
"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.
"Killin' time," Joel answered as he laid down on the couch.
"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do?" Jack asked, stretching his arms out.
"I'm sure you both will figure that out," Joel muttered, closing his eyes.
Jack lowered his arms, he looked around the apartment, it was rather small with not much in it to pass the time. "Asshole," Jack mumbled, going into the other room.
Ellie looked at Joel and noticed the watch on his wrist that had a broken screen. "Your watch is broken," Ellie pointed out.
As soon as Joel closed his eyes, nothing around him seemed to exist anymore. Ellie rolled her eyes and walked past him after he ignored her comment. She went into the same room Jack went into and found him taking a seat in a chair. Ellie took a seat in the chair next to him.
Knowing that they were gonna be here for a while, Jack decided to just pass the time by reading a comic book from his backpack. He removed his backpack from his back, placing it right in front of him. Then he unzipped it, reaching into it and pulling out an assortment of old comic books.
"Whoa, you have comics?" Ellie asked seeing the comic books in Jack's hand.
"Yeah, they're a good way to pass the time when you have nothing to do," Jack said.
Ellie walked over to Jack and took a look at some of his comics. "Wow, these are cool,"
"I know, right?" Jack chuckled lightly.
Jack had collected many of his comics over the years, most were from scavenging when he was little and others he found while smuggling. The Comics consisted mainly of MARVEL and Star Wars, the few others consisted of DC Universe. Jack preferably liked Star Wars because they had such cool Sci-fi stories. MARVEL was just as cool to him and they had great Superhero stories, the DC ones weren't as good in his opinion but still enjoyed reading them too. It was good to have something to pass the time between smuggling jobs.
"Can I read one of them?" Ellie asked then offered. "I'll let you read some of mine."
"Sure," Jack nodded then handed her one of his comics.
"Thanks," Ellie said then pulled out some of her comics from her backpack and handed one to Jack.
The two of them spent the past few minutes reading each other's comic books, Jack had already read all of his so he knew what happened in all of them. Ellie seemed to enjoy reading them. It was good to read something new than what he usually read.
"So...how old are you?" Ellie asked, curiously.
"I'm fifteen, my birthday was a couple of days ago," Jack said.
"Really?" Ellie questioned.
Jack nodded, but he didn't really care about his birthday. To him, every birthday was just another year spent surviving in this fucked up world. He didn't like celebrating it, Tommy, Catherine, heck even Joel did something for him every year like an activity or something else but they were really boring. There weren't many things fun to do in this world.
"So…" Ellie began. "What's you and his story?"
"We're smugglers and we're smuggling you," Jack said.
"No, I mean it seems like you have a story to tell, got any stories? Like what about that gun of yours?" Ellie asked, pointing at Jack's gun resting in his holster.
Since they were gonna be here awhile Jack might as well get to know Ellie a little and she should get to know him but Jack wasn't gonna tell her much. "Look I honestly don't talk with many people my age," Jack admitted.
"Really why?" She asked.
"Because I never really get to, and the way I live doesn't make it easy to make friends," Jack said.
"OK so are you gonna tell me about that pistol of yours?" Ellie asked.
Jack sighed then said. "Fine, but that's all I'm gonna tell you. I'm not in the mood for chit-chat."
Ellie nodded.
Jack pulled out his pistol and showed it to her. "It was my mom's, she gave it to me when I was little. She used to be a medic in the Army before the outbreak. She's a part of your Firefly group,"
"Really?" Ellie questioned.
"Yeah." Jack nodded. "That's all I'm telling you."
"Fine," Ellie complied then said. "You know maybe you'll get a chance to meet her."
"Yeah, maybe," Jack muttered.
With that, the two laid back in their chairs and went back to reading each other's comics. Tess wouldn't be here for a while so they might as well get comfortable. When she gets here they can get going. As soon as they deliver this girl to the Fireflies they get their guns but Jack couldn't care less about the guns. What he really hoped for was a chance to see his Mom.
Another chapter of the Last of Us - The Journey Ahead completed. I tried the best I could for this chapter, I hope you all like it. I had a hard time completing some parts, if anyone has any ideas on how to improve this chapter please tell me.
Also, quick question what do you think of Jack not knowing about Joel's daughter Sarah until they get to Tommy's Dam?