Clementine looked at the people outside the community from the small platform just above the gates. She clenched her eyes and put her hands on her gun as she saw the marked vehicles.

Two trucks, one slightly larger than the other, plus it had been reinforced. Beside them, a few cars... many cars, in fact.

Some people approached with guns in hand, and looked up, talking something to Tripp and Javi.

- The point is, you stole from us, you killed some of us. You need to come with us, face justice, receive your punishment. Men must have laws, otherwise we are no better than animals.

Clementine focused her eyes on the man with the cap. He had an AK-47 in his hands and seemed to be leading this small group of heavily armed people.

- Fuck no! Justice?! Don't make me fucking laugh! What about my friends, huh?! Your people showed up and killed some people from my community, where's the justice in that, you son of a bitch?!

Tripp shouted angrily, pointing his rifle toward the man, who arched an eyebrow, apparently confused.

- What about the woman they kidnapped earlier? The little girl they wounded, does that sound like justice to you, asshole?!

Javi shouted, equally angry, putting his finger on the trigger and raising the rifle he was holding.

The man turned to another man behind him, and Clementine, as well as Sarah, grumbled in irritation as they recognized Lonnie, who was walking to the front of the trucks.

- What does he mean, Lonnie? Did you attack him? And what's this about you kidnapping a woman? Why didn't I hear about it?

the man asked, loud enough for everyone to hear. Tripp gave a light, mocking laugh at this question.

- I have no idea what they're talking about, Max. We haven't met before.

Lonnie answered, causing Tripp's laughter to grow louder. Clementine noticed that the man named Max didn't seem to believe Lonnie, but he didn't bother to continue with the subject.

- I think we'd better start shooting. We're on high ground, we can get the trucks to ourselves.

Clementine said, taking her rifle from her back and pointing it at Lonnie, leaning on the metal part that surrounded the platform.

- There's no need for violence. Just hand over who we want, and we'll be on our way.

Max shouted again, taking a few steps away when he saw more guns being pointed in his direction.

- That's bullshit, Tripp. Even if they leave now, they're sure to come back later.

Clementine said, glancing at the man next to her, who sighed slightly.

- I don't think you and your friends are going anywhere! Do you really think you can come here, kill our people and just leave? No fucking way!

Tripp shouted, shooting a woman ahead of him, hitting her precisely in the head. The others started shooting soon after.

Clementine fired toward Lonnie, but Max, who was right next to him, pushed him aside and pulled him behind the truck, saving his life.

"Fuck!"

She mentally cursed, shooting at the few people who had not yet found cover.

At one point, she saw one of the men start the truck and speed up against the gate. Clementine cursed softly and ran to the side, down the stairs as fast as she could.

The impact on the gate made a huge noise. Both the platform and the stairs shook violently.

The truck continued to accelerate until it crashed into an establishment up ahead, and Clementine's golden eyes stared at the zombies that came down as soon as the cage they were in was opened.

She mentally cursed as she saw one of the zombies bite a guy distracted by the gunfire.

Clementine tried to stand up, but crouched again as she was targeted by a few more shots from the people entering the compound.

Footsteps echoed behind the girl, and she turned to Javi and Tripp, who were shooting at the people as they came down the stairs, narrowly avoiding the bullets that flew in their direction.

- I'll get the van! Conrad, go to Eleanor and Francine! Javi, Clem and Sarah, hold them off!

Tripp shouted, running towards the cars farthest away from the main gates as he fired at the zombies, who began to spread out more and more.

- I need to get to Gabe and Mariana!

Javi shouted, looking around the chaos with nervous eyes.

- We've got your back!

Sarah shouted, shooting one of the men coming through the compound, hitting him directly in the head.

Javi nodded to the two and started walking as fast as he could through the gunfire. He cursed angrily as he saw tear gas being thrown amidst all the chaos.

Clementine walked around the side of the wrecked gates, glancing at one of the trucks pulling away from there.

A car came speeding towards her, and the girl was forced to run to the side, jumping over a small concrete wall as she heard the car stop further ahead. She gets up and shoots at the woman who had tried to run her down.

Clementine turned and walked toward the center of the community. She took her machete and stabbed it into the skull of one of the zombies that had grabbed a man who was trying to escape. Withdrawing her blade, she picks up her rifle again and shoots at some people who were simply executing some members of the community, shooting in cold blood at small establishments, and at people who were just trying to find a safe place in the midst of it all.

She kills one of them, but is forced to seek cover as she is once again the target of some gunfire.

Clementine looked over and saw Conrad getting into a van, just after Francine. She stood up and fired until her rifle ran out of ammo, giving her enough time to get to the vehicle.

- Get in, Clementine!

Tripp said in a hurried tone, but Clementine just ignored him. Her eyes searched everywhere for Sarah, mentally cursing herself for not finding her anywhere.

Her eyes focused on Javi. He was holding Mari on his shoulder as he shot toward some people who were preventing him from moving. Gabe was right next to him, doing the same thing, but a little more desperate than Javi.

Clementine grabbed her pistol and helped him, hitting one of the men.

- Javi, come on!

Clementine shouted, still shooting. Javi looked in her direction and ran as fast as he could, followed by Gabe.

They got into the van, and Clementine looked around one last time before getting into the vehicle as well, watching as the car that had almost run over her sped away through the destroyed gates.

She got into the van and closed the door, taking a seat in the back. She leaned her head back as she sighed heavily, placing a hand on her forehead in frustration.

Her eyes then focused on the blood dripping from Francine's chest, where Conrad was doing his best to stop the bleeding.

Conrad was standing right next to the woman, saying some things that Clementine didn't make a point of hearing, but she guessed they were words of comfort to Francine, though they didn't seem to be having much effect.

Further ahead, Javi was saying something to Mari, with a slight relieved smile on his face. Apparently, the girl was better than she had been a few hours ago, although you could still see her tired expression.

She looked away and looked out the next window, trying to remember which way Sarah could have gone. She was sure that the older girl was right behind her, and in a moment, they were separated.

"... The car... maybe it could have been her" - Clementine thought, feeling a faint spark of hope rise in her chest.

She didn't like Sarah very much, but that didn't mean she wanted to see her dead, despite the numerous death threats she had already made to the girl.

Events like that just reminded her how quickly a situation can get out of control. In just a few days, everyone in her group was kidnapped. Perhaps, some may even have been killed. And this all happened in the blink of an eye.

-We have to stop, Tripp. She doesn't have much time.

Conrad's heavy voice brought Clementine out of her thoughts, and she looked at Francine, who had a tired, pale expression on her face. Conrad was crying softly right in front of her, holding her bloody hand.

Tripp looked back in the rearview mirror and sighed heavily, stopping on the side shoulder some time later, making sure that they were far enough away from the now destroyed community.

He parked and turned off the car. Gabe quickly got up and opened the sliding door of the van, getting out soon after.

Clementine waited until everyone was out of the car, and got out as well, looking at Francine who was lying on the ground. Blood was dripping from her mouth, and she looked paler by the second.

Clementine turned and leaned on the van, thinking about everything that had happened in such a short time.

Max and Lonnie had probably escaped with the truck that ran away as soon as the gates were destroyed, meaning they were probably heading back to Richmond at that very moment.

She sighed and put her hand on her forehead, the fact that they sacrificed a reinforced truck just to destroy a community meant that they were pretty good on supplies, vehicles, gasoline, weapons... damn, they even had tear gas.

Some people had been left there, she doubted it was to kill the remaining people, they had to have some purpose... they wouldn't destroy an entire community and leave the supplies dumped there, would they?

" So, they attack communities and take the supplies?... It makes sense... it would explain them having so many vehicles" - She thought, crossing her arms and looking at a fixed point on the ground, as she saw, glancing, Conrad stick a knife in Francine's temple.

-Hey, ahm... Clementine, right?

Gabe's voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked at the boy next to her.

- Yes?

she asked, looking slightly curious. She hadn't talked to him yet.

- Well... Javi and I wanted to thank you for everything you did for us, you know? Covering our backs.

He said, slightly embarrassed, looking a little uneasy at Clementine.

- You're welcome. No big deal.

She answered simply, bowing her head and running her hand down the back of her neck.

- No, he's right, Clem. Thanks again.

Javi said, right behind Gabe, looking at Mari through the window, who was lying inside the van.

- As long as you help me rescue my friends, it was no big deal.

She said, and Javi sent her a slight smile, nodding in her direction, just before turning to Francine and paying his respects.

-What happened to the other girl? Sarah, right?

Gabe asked, a little awkwardly. He was looking at Clementine with a mixture of regret and something else she couldn't make out.

- I don't know. We got separated in the middle of the chaos.

She answered a short time later, looking straight ahead again as she propped her head on the cold metal of the van.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

The boy said ruefully, bowing his head slightly and having a slightly colder aura around him.

- Don't be. We hated each other... but I have to admit that she can take care of herself. She's a smart girl, she must have gotten out of there as soon as she had the chance.

She explained, hoping internally that that was the case.

- Why do you hate each other?

he asked a few moments later, causing Clementine to look at him with an arched eyebrow.

- Long story... really long.

She said simply, stepping slightly away from the car and watching Tripp approach with an annoyed face.

- Those sons of bitches took Eleanor! They destroyed my house! They killed my people!

he said angrily, pissed off. Tripp gasped slightly and ran his trembling hands through his hair with some force, trying to calm himself down, but not being very successful in the attempt.

- We have to go after them! We have to rescue Eleanor, the other people... Damn it!

he exclaimed angrily, starting to walk back and forth with heavy steps.

- They should be heading back to Richmond by now. They must be long gone by this point. We have to go now.

Clementine said, looking at Tripp sympathetically, understanding his anger.

- Conrad, partner. I know this is not the best time, but we have to go now.

Tripp said, trying to sound as calm and gentle as possible to his grieving friend.

Conrad ran his hand over his eyes, and was silent for a while, until he let out a tired sigh.

- Fuck it. Let's go. Those sons of bitches killed Francine.

He said, his voice still shaky. He stood up and got into the van, without saying another word, taking the passenger seat right next to Tripp.

Javi looked at Gabe ruefully and sighed, getting into the van shortly after.

Clementine followed him and sat in a seat further back, arching her eyebrow slightly when she saw Gabe sitting next to her, but remained quiet.

She stared out the window at the road for a while, trapped in her thoughts, wondering how her friends were in a place that seemed so ambiguous, and hoping internally that Sarah was okay.