Chapter 7: Come On In

Okay here is where we go to many different characters' points of views. I was going to rewrite it but decided to just section the difference. I did distinguish better who's pov it was, so there is that. Nothing changes, just more defined.

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Jessi turned to Jenner, she could see the defeat in his eyes, and she was determined to make it go away. Sighing she said, "Show me where your generator is." She waved her hand to the door. She picked up the box Slam had left. The little elf had disappeared almost immediately. The box was lighter than it should be, but magic was an awesome thing. Especially when elves did it. They were so much more precise than wizards. Like they were more harmonized with magic.

She giggled to herself, thinking that the Force was with them. They did remind her of Yoda.

"Fine," the scientist sighed, getting out of his chair and moving to comply. "Vi, turn the lights off as we leave. Illuminate the halls as we travel," he said to the air.

"Who is Vi?" Jessi asked, looking around for anyone else. The room was empty.

"Vi, say hello," was his response.

"Hello," said a female voice.

"Um, you have an AI?" the witch said, excitedly.

"Yes, she mostly monitors power and is useful for calculations and conversation. I've been by myself for a month," he said, his voice tinged with sadness. "Most opted out, or went home. It's been just me for a while now."

"Who did you lose?" she asked kindly. His voice was just too depressed for a mere coworker. It had to be a loved one. They continued to walk down the empty halls. Their steps ringing off the walls. Lights would turn on as they entered a space and off when they passed.

"My wife. She got bit and let me study her. I've tried to finish our research, but like I said, it's airborne. When someone dies, unless they have a head trauma, they'll rise." He reached a door and started to put in his code. A few seconds later it opened.

"I am so sorry to hear that," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder as they walked into the room. "That must have been terrible for you."

"It was and it wasn't. I am a scientist; her sacrifice was not in vain. I do know more about this disease now; it just doesn't matter."

"Still…" she trailed off.

"The generator is in the basement," he said abruptly, leading them to an elevator. "There is already solar power at the top, but I disconnected it when I decided to end it all."

"Are you still wanting to die?" she wanted to know.

"Yes. I will help you keep the building, but once I finish incinerating what we have here, I'm going to walk away."

"Just so you know, I'm going to do my best to stop you," she said, getting in the now open elevator.

"Good luck," was all he said. "I'll go start my project. You should have no trouble getting to the generator.

She sighed as the door closed. She hit the B button and hoped that Slam had brought enough. This was a big building. As the lift moved down, she reflected on what she had learned and how it could be used to make Jenner stay. Maybe convince him that a vaccine could be developed. One to eradicate the disease in the body.

She was going to have to plead hard. They needed that man.

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Sirius and his group, the newcomers all landed outside the proximity ward.

"We're going to have to walk a bit," Sirius said, helping those who had fallen nearest him. Sam was doing the same for his group.

"That was fun," said Carl, who was laying on his mother's legs.

"I guess… magic is real," she said, lifting her child to stand and then getting up herself. She looked around and noted they were at the campgrounds she and her family had spent a few weekends at. Rick was doing and thinking the same.

"Told you," Harry grumbled, he too was tired of explaining it over and over. Though it wasn't like it was advertised. Still, there was tons of magic in books and on the telly, they should at least be desensitized. "Dobby," he called as soon as he stood.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby asked as he popped in.

"We need some breakfast bars and water," the teen requested kindly.

"I's be getting those right now," was the answer and with a pop he was gone, only to reappear a few seconds later.

"Here, you can eat and drink as we go," the teen said, handing the items to each person. "This once, you can throw the wrappers and bottle on the ground. One of the house elves will get them. If you pass the wards, then you are responsible for your own mess."

"That was a good idea, Harry," his godfather said, clapping him on the back.

"Thanks, Sirius. They look about done in," the teen said, smiling up at the man closest to a father as he could get.

"Come on," Sirius said, waving to the road. "Like Harry said, just drop your trash when you're done."

The group trudged up, T-Dog helping Jacqui, and Glenn helping Jim. The old man, Dale, was trying and failing to help Andrea. The parents were keeping the kids near, and Shane and Daryl brought up the rear, before Harry and Sue, who were eyeballing the group. Everyone looked better for eating, but still looked like they'd drop the minute a chair or bed was given.

The newcomers were all still tired and hungry. Harry felt bad for them, and wished they could just pop up there, but who knew what malice lied in the hearts of these people. It was SOP now, everyone walked this road, or one of the other points. It was the only way they could keep everyone safe.

They got to the bush line. The bushes had grown to around waist high, there was no gate just a gap. You could see the campgrounds from there. There were people bustling around and everyone looked fed and healthy. Well, what they could see from a half a mile away.

"This is where the intent 'shield' is. You just passed two shields, so we know none of you are Walkers," Sirius said, keeping his eye on the gun toter and the crossbow man. The latter looked like he hated the world, but the first looked like he was hiding something behind that good-old-boy exterior.

"What?" was the collective question, like they didn't get what was being told to them. To be fair they were all tired and scared.

"Let me explain, if you have ill intentions, you will not pass," Harry explained, watching the same people Sirius was. His Spidey sense was tingling. Seven years on the streets let you read people well. While Daryl didn't make him want to shoot, Shane did. Daryl was just someone he didn't want to piss off.

Sam and Sue were watching everyone just as carefully as their friends. Sam had his wand, and Sue had her hand near her gun. Harry figured their Spidey senses were tingling too. He knew from experience that Sue was a 'shoot first, ask later' type girl. He didn't know Sam well, but he was glad of the extra wand.

"Who decides that?" the cowboy/sheriff asked, looking over his wife and child. "What qualifies as ill intent?" his face was haunted, like he was still trying to come to grips with zombies. Harry felt bad for him, now he had to deal with people with magic. It looked like the poor guy was at the end of his rope.

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"Anything that causes harm to those beyond this ward," Sirius said, as if it was obvious, since Harry had just explained it. "The wards define it. Think of it like an empathy shield. It will feel your emotions and judge them." He had gotten that from one of the people in the camp. She was a Wiccan, whatever that was. However, she seemed far more accepting than most.

"And if we don't 'pass'?" Shane asked, not a hint of worry in his voice.

"You leave, whether those here go with you is up to them," the dogman said. He marched through the gap, along with his group. He motioned for them to stop next to him and be alert, like they already weren't.

"Let's just go," T-Dog said, looking at Daryl like he wasn't worthy of passing the 'shield'.

"Fine," Daryl snarled as if he knew what the black man was thinking.

Sirius could hear him grumbling about not being as bad and someone named Merle. He wondered who that was and why they weren't with the group. Something to ask about later.

Daryl stepped forward and passed the bushes just fine. There was a tingling like it was warning him, but he got through. He turned and smirked at the larger black man.

T-Dog looked flabbergasted. Sirius figured that the man was certain that there would be no way Daryl would have gotten through. He hoped that didn't cause him to doubt the validity of these 'wards'. Oh well, they would learn.

"He can hate, as long as he doesn't act on it, he can pass. However," the dogman said, turning to Daryl, "if you do act on it, you will be expelled from the grounds. Magic will do it, no matter what. You get violent you're gone. We've lost three people to their prejudice. Understand this, all of you, if you're prejudice you can keep your feelings, we don't care what you think, but the second you act, your gone and you will not be let back in. You will forget about this place and be alone out there," he warned, making sure they understood.

"Got it," the redneck grumbled, adjusting his crossbow. The rest of the CDC group grumbled.

"Sirius, you have to go back and get those survivors we told to head this way," Harry said in earnest, like he had just remembered, which he had. Something about Daryl's stance seemed to have reminded him.

"Sam, you want to go and lead them here?" Sirius asked, not wanting to leave with tensions tight.

"Yeah, be careful, I don't trust a few of these guys." And with that the man whipped out his broom and took off.

"What about my RV?" Dale asked, not really wanting to lose the only thing he owned.

"We'll get it tomorrow, you can have a tent tonight," was the answer.

Everyone tiredly walked up the road, the only one the wards gave pause to was Shane. Like Daryl he got his warning.

Sirius explained the fertility wards, Lori protested a bit but conceded the point. That was until she passed the health line and the wards flared.

"Shite," Sirius swore. He looked to the road and knew a healer would be here in a moment.

"What? What does that mean?" Rick asked, looking worried about his wife.

"She's already pregnant," the wizard said sighing heavily. This was the last thing they needed.

"How? I just got back a few days ago and we didn't…," the poor confused man uttered, then looked at the smug look on his friend's face. "Shane?"

"You should have remained dead," Shane said, advancing to his 'friends' personal zone. "You never treated her right," he added poking the man in the chest. He got his first warning.

Rick was angry, beyond angry. He had trusted this man like a brother. He was supposed to take care of his wife and child. Not sleep with her.

"Stop," Lori cried, grabbing Rick's arm, cling to him as if he'd disappear again. She didn't look like she wanted that to happen. "Please, don't," she pleaded, tears running down her face in worry and guilt. "I'm sorry. He was just so supportive, that it just happened."

"Hey, now, don't be laying this at my feet," Shane said, taking a threatening step towards her. "You were there too, you bitch."

Rick went to advance again, but Lori clung tight. "No, please," she begged again.

"I think it's best you leave, Shane," Sirius said, not wanting this kind of drama. "I don't see you as a team player," he added, stepping up as if to get in the middle of the two men.

"Who the hell are you to tell me to go? I passed your 'wards'," the man sneered, as if not believing for one moment these shields existed.

"It's my land. I say who comes or goes. Leave," Sirius stated firmly. This time he raised his wand threateningly.

"Alright, but first," Shane said and then he rounded on his 'friend' and went to hit him.

The punch landed and Shane disappeared. The new group all twirled around as if to spot him. And they did, at the bottom of the road. He was looking around dazed and confused. He was turning around in circles trying to find his group. They could hear him call their names one by one.

"I warned him," Harry said.

Sue nodded her head in agreement. Harry smiled at her. She was such a good friend. She always had his back on the streets. Sure, she was a little standoffish, but she was good people.

"It's up to you if you want to go with him," Sirius said, waving to the circling man. "You see what happens when you are violent. This is your only warning," he said, throwing at look to Daryl and T-Dog.

"I think I'll sleep on that," Rick said, not looking at his wife once, but hugging his son, who had come to him as soon as Shane had disappeared. If Sirius didn't know better, he'd say they were the picture of a perfect family. It was kinda heart-wrenching to see that was not true. The vacant lost look in Rick's eyes was enough to belay that portrait.

Jim suddenly sat down.

"Jim?" T-Dog asked, kneeling down next to the man.

"This health ward," the man whispered, "it's doing something to me."

"You've confused it," Sirius said, reading what the ward's magic was telling him. "You're healthy, but you're not."

"He's suicidal," Carol whispered, remembering the digging of the holes.

"Ah, okay. We can treat that. There should be a healer here…" he was cut off by the sound of a cracking noise. "Nevermind, she's here. Everyone, this is Rachel, she's going to treat you. I'm sure you will all need, at least, a nutrition potion."

The healer handed out vials of green liquid to all the newcomers explaining it was indeed a nutrition potion. Everyone had to take one as they were all malnourished. Jim got a purple vial that was a cheering potion. It wouldn't change his mental dynamic, but it would help him stay calmer and happier.

"Sirius, was it?" Rick said, looking at the leader.

"Yeah," was the reply, as Sirius tilted his head.

"I ran into a group of people who could use your help. Glenn knows more, he was with them. But from what he told me; they are trying to keep their elders alive. They're in an old nursing home. The problem is, I don't think they'd pass your shields," the tired man explained, as if wanting something good to come out of this day.

"We'll look into it," Sirius promised.

"Good."

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Sam flew down the road to where they had left the cars. He found ten people coming that way. They weren't all together and seemed to not trust one another. There were four different groups. Such is the life in Armageddon. He stayed afloat, and he waved them all his way. Making sure to stay quiet since Walkers were alerted to noise.

They all saw him and ran to him, also remaining quiet. They had already seen the group earlier on brooms, so didn't seem to be shocked to see it now. Sam was glad of that; if they were wary then he'd had to talk them down. But since they were accepting, then it would be easier.

"Who can drive?" he asked softly, the car they left earlier and many more just sitting around abandoned. The cars weren't piled up, just left on the side of the road. It was one of the jobs of the magicals, to collect the cars off the highway. Right now, they were far down said highway, so Sam figured they hadn't gotten this far yet. Good thing, he needed the cars.

"I can," six people said, a few raising their hands.

"Okay, who wants to drive?" was the next question.

"I do," four of the six said.

Sam waved his hand and ten cars started up. "Pick a car and follow me." He went to the camp's car and sat in the driver's seat and waited.

The four cautiously approached the bewitched cars. Three noted that gas was in theirs, so they got in. If they had someone with them, they got in as well. The fourth noted that the gas tank was empty, so he went to the next car. The next car had a half a tank, so he decided to get into that one.

Sam, seeing that everybody now had a car, headed down the highway. The reason he had picked out cars for these people is he didn't want them in the car with him. He noted that Shane was walking along the side of the highway, and he hoped no one picked him up.

They didn't.

When they got to the campsite, he would shrink the cars down and put them in storage. They drove for a good half an hour. When they finally made it to the campsite, he decided to walk them from the road up, so he pulled over.

"We're gonna walk from here," he said.

"Where are we?" somebody asked.

"We're someplace safe," was the answer. He went through the same steps everyone followed to the campground. Everyone passed the intent line. Same thing happened at the health line. The healer showed up with potions, and everyone went to the camp.

It took the better part of the day to sort everyone, but they got it done. The campgrounds were getting full, and the main group hoped that Jessi could save the building.