(NOTE: In this part, there will be split POV's, just so you know)

Part 3

Sean stops short and yells, "WHAT? Are you crazy? We move out? How in the hell do you expect to do that when five thousand zombies are coming at us, head on?"

Zach…shrugs his shoulders…

I open my mouth in shock and walk up to him. Looking at him dead in the eye, I say in a seething tone, "Don't you dare shrug your shoulders at this. How could you! We're in a fucking crisis, and what do you do? Shrug your fucking shoulders at this? What kind of commander are you? At least I have enough sense on what's happening here! You, my friend, would have been dead if I didn't save you. You are NOTHING without me, I have proved it on many occasions since the shit hit the fan. If you don't start acting like you should, I'm pulling you out of first in command."

Angelo smirks, and walks up beside me. "I couldn't agree more. You need to start thinking straight, or let her do the job like it's supposed to be done. Sayiea's got what it takes, unlike you."

There is a few seconds of silence before I hear a timid voice behind me. "I have a suggestion if anyone wants to hear it." I turn around to see Sergeant Amy Perkins walk up. I smile and nod my head. "Yes Sergeant? What's your question?"

Amy comes up beside me and clears her throat. "What if we scouted out, looked for more survivors. Maybe there's an expert out there that could use our help? We need all the survivors we can get."

I nod my head in agreement. "Well Zach, are you gonna take care of this, or do you want me to do the work for you, and YOU can be second in command?"

Zach looks up at me. The look is all it takes. "Go ahead, knock yourself out."

I smirk and say, "Good, now let's get this done so we can save our asses. I need seven groups of 9 people, one sergeant in each group, and I need Angelo, Sean, and Sergeant Perkins to come with me. Zach, do you want to come along?"

He nods. "Sure, I'll help." I smile. "Okay everyone, let's get to business. GO!"

Sean, Angelo, Amy, Zach and I go into a room and sit at a table. "Sean, can you come with me for a minute please? I need to talk to you.

"Sure." he said, getting up and walking over.

I look over at the table and sigh. "Let's go into another room...I need to talk to you...privately."

"Ok."

I lead Sean to another room and sit on a chair. "Sean...how am I going to deal with this? Sometimes I think I second guess myself. I am surprised that people put their trust in me. You got any ideas on this zombie crisis?"

"How many people are in this city?" he asked, sitting down. He pulled out his knife and started to sharpen it. "If it's too many, a move would be more suicidal than staying here."

I think for a minute before responding. "There are about maybe 10,000 people in the city, but most of them flew the coop when the shit hit the fan. I know that there is maybe a fourth of the people there, but that's a rough estimate. It's not that big, but it's big enough." I say, sighing.

"Then we need to stay here. That, or do a random drawing of what's left."

"I say we need to do a random drawing, because what if there are people that could actually help us? Hell, what if someone we knew was in that city, and they had tactical skills like we do? I know it's risky, but I think it'll work."

"And now the real question." he said, getting up and walking towards a window. "Say we pack up, do a random drawing of how many seats we have in the helicopters, then where do we go?" he said, turning to me. "I'm taking a guess that's not what you thought I meant, but all roads lead to this question."

I smile and say, "I knew that's what you would say. I know this shit is bad, but for right now, all I'm worried about is cleaning out the city as much as we can and look for survivors. We have 2 weeks before the zombies get here at their current speed, and believe me, I am NOT going down without a fight. That's what we were trained to do. That's what I was anyways. I don't know what the hell they did to you, but you have gotten more tactical on your skills. It's very impressive how shit like this can change your life, huh?" I say, standing up.

"No shit." he said, looking at me. "Now where do we go? We can leave, I don't care. I can live anywhere, regardless of what kind of protection there is." he said, putting his knife back in it's sheath. "That's why I was of a high rank, and why I'm the only survivor from the valley. But keeping that amount of people safe is something different. You said, what, about 2500 are left?"

"Somewhere around there." I pause, then frown. "Wait a second...you...you're the ONLY survivor from the valley? What happened? What happened to the rest of the people?"

"I'll tell you tonight." he said, his voice low. He looked at the window and sighed, then looked back at me. "But for the crisis at hand. Where did the rest go?"

"Well, I knew a few people in this city before everything went to hell. I told them to leave before it was too late...I guess it spread around like wildfire. I saw most people get out, but some stayed...idiots. One of them, if I'm not mistaken...was Jacob." I said, lowering my head.

"One of the idiots who left, or one of the smart ones who stayed?"

"Jacob...you know...Jacob Garcia...the crazy nut who would hang out with you all the time? That Jacob. I don't know if he made it or not." I said, sitting down and putting my head on the desk.

"So he's one of the idiots who left huh." he said, walking over to me and putting his hand on my shoulder.

I look up at him with a sad smile. "No, he's one of the idiots who stayed." I pause a minute and smile. "That crazy nut..." I murmured.

"They're not idiots. The ones who left are idiots." he said with a pause. "They would have tried to make it to Fiddler's Green, right?"

I nod my head. "Yeah, exactly...but I don't think they would have gotten far, ya know?"

"It doesn't matter." he said, standing up. "Fiddler's Green is dead. We stopped there with the cure first. After five minutes we evacuated, after ten were killed, including Jake and Ki..." he said, stopping. "Point is, the place is dead, and unless those idiots who left found an outpost or something, so are they." he said, looking out the window. "How far is it to the gulf?"

"About 100 miles." I stop short. "Wait a second...why did you stop short on saying that other name?" I look at him, curious. Then the light dings. "You had found someone else, hadn't you?" I look at him with his back turned. "Sean...I'm not going to be mad with you. I say that now. I figured one of us would move on if we didn't find each other. I almost did myself...but I didn't have the heart to do it...actually...there's something I haven't told you yet..." I say, looking away.

"How long did you try and find me..." he asked, walking up to me and turning my head to him. "How long before you moved you..."

"I never stopped looking...there wasn't one minute that I did not think about you, or wonder whether if you were alive or one of those...things." I pause again. "Sean...a few weeks after this shit had started...my heart...almost killed me...twice." I croaked. I felt a tear started to fall down my face. "I died the first time...they brought me back...I died the second time too...but I almost didn't come back.." I said, putting my hands on my face.

He put his arms around me and held me for a minute. "You said a hundred miles, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ok...you have transmitter booster here, right?" he said, taking out an old cell phone. "Or do you not have communications outside twenty miles?"

I nod my head. "Yeah, we do. Actually, we use the cell phones we have on us." I said, pulling out my flip phone. "We found a way to keep a tower up and running, and we're all on one service, so it's no problem." I said, smirking.

"Alright." he said, hitting a speed-dial number. "Ali, it's me. Listen, we need to run about 2500 people past you on choppers. Think you can lot us fuel?" he said, looking at a map on the wall. "About a hundred miles from you to the north." he said, rolling his eyes. "That old island about twenty five miles south-east." he said, looking at me while rolling his eyes again. "So what will it cost?" he said, putting his head back before snapping forward. "You what WHAT!" he yelled. "I'll ask for you. Ya, I'll call back in a few." he said, hanging up.

I look at him, cocking an eyebrow. "What the fuck was that all about!" I said, chuckling.

"A friend of mine, Ali. He has a large fueling depot on the cost. Probably the most secure place on the face of the earth, before and after those fuckers started to rise. He'll give us the fuel under one condition."

I look at him uncertainly. I say flatly, "What is it?"

"Well, he is strong in his belief system. When you die, you get seventy-two virgins. Well, he wants them...now."

"HUH? Now I'm totally fucking confused here..." I say, falling in the chair, putting a hand to my head. "What does he want!"

"He wants his seventy-two virgins now."

I hit my head on the desk. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck...well...this is going to be interesting..." I say, sighing. "He said he wants them NOW?"

"I can probably talk him down to ten. That will be the lowest I could get him, and that may not even work."

I flinch. "Well...let's see what he says. Call him back..."

"Alright." he said, hitting the button again. "Ali, I'm going to be frank with you, I don't know if we could get seventy-two virgins. What's the lowest I can talk you down to?" he said, looking at me, shaking his head. "Ok, I'll ask and call you back." he said, hanging up and looking me in the eye. "Thirty-one is the lowest he'll go.

I roll my eyes. "Done."

"I'm sorry Holly." he said before making the phone call one last time. "Ali...you will have them." he said, hanging up.

I give the 'this-is-insane' look while walking towards him. "Well...now I just gotta do this...ugh. Why me?" I say, putting my arms around his neck, putting my head on shoulder.

"These people will live, at the expense of thirty-one women losing their virginity to some man who has everything. And when's he's done, he'll give them back. The point is, we are going to live."

I chuckle slightly. "Yeah...I know." I look up at him and smile, arms still around his neck. "We can do this...I know we can."

"Yeah." I said, looking at her before walking towards the map. "I need four choppers with full loads. I need to make sure this island is still vacant."

"Alright." I walk towards the door and open it. "Zach, come here please?" Zach stands up and walks toward me. "Yes Ma'am?"

I look at Sean for a split second before turning my attention back to him again. "I'm going to need four choppers with full loads. Make sure it happens." He nods his head and walks out.

"Amy, make sure that those groups are ready." "Yes, Ma'am." Amy walks out.

"Angelo, come here for a sec, I need to ask a favor from you." Angelo gets up and sees the nervousness in me. "What's up?" I need you to make an announcement that we need 31 virgins. We made a deal with this guy down at the fuel company that is still there and he wants that as his price." Angelo shakes her head. "Alright." I smile. "Thanks girl." Angelo walks out. I turn around and walk towards Sean. "So..."

"So..."

I smile and walk towards him. "Ya know, you still haven't changed from the guy who I fell in love with those years ago. It amazes me how you keep it up." I say, looking out the window.

"Like I told you a long time ago...it's all an act." he said, still looking out the window. "I'm no longer the person you fell in love with. He's still in here, but not as much." he said. "You are to stay here. Make sure that Zach guy stays here as well, last thing I want is someone who probably can't fight for shit with me on this mission in case it goes bad. Ok?" he said, looking at me.

"Yeah, but I still do love you...even if you have changed from who you were. And like I told you...nothing will change that, just as you told me. And if you seriously think that I'm keeping my ass in this fort, you've got another thing coming." I said, chuckling. "I already told Angelo to keep an eye on Zach. She knows him better than I do, and I sure as hell ain't putting up with him for more than I have to. Besides, I've been on missions like this all the time." I say, still looking out the window. "I just hope we can find help." I say, turning around staring at the floor.

He looks at me before he slowly brings his head closer to mine till his nose touches mine. "Seeing as I outrank you, since my original title was head of command...I am ordering you to stay."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Don't you dare pull rank on me." I say, folding my arms, our noses still touching.

He steps back a few feet and looks at me. "Ok, then don't go because I asked you not to go."

I sigh and lower my head. I whisper, "I just want to be there in case something happens."

He puts his hand under my chin and raises my head up. "And I don't want you there in case something does go wrong."

I close my eyes and sigh. I think to myself...'There is never any way to win'

He turns around and looks back out the window. "Since it will take a few minutes to get that stuff together...I guess you want to know about that name...right?"

I open my eyes. "No...not unless you want to tell me." I say, going back to the chair. I sit down, putting my head on the desk slowly.

"If you want to know, I'll tell you."

"Fine...tell me."

"After five years of no reply e-mails, instant messages and my calling you in some rare hope that you might have your old phone, I decided you either moved on and met someone else, or you had died." he said, lowering his head. "Only four others made it out of the valley. Jake, Patrick, Juan...and Kim."

I look up with a sad smile. "My old phone got trashed...we didn't get any communication for over six years, so yeah...I understand...Kim huh?"

"Yeah..." he said with a sigh. "About two years after I gave up trying, we got married in a small wedding." he said. "I found out two months ago that she was pre...it doesn't matter." he said, raising his head. "Point is she's dead, and there's not a damn thing that can be done to fix it." he said, starting to walk out of the room.

"Sean?" I said, looking up.

"What?" he said, his voice uncomfortably cold, sending a chill down my spine.

I start to say something...but I stop short and put a hand to my heart. I whisper. "Oh god no...not now."

"Holl...?"

I look up at him, frightened. "Something's wrong...I can't..." I get dizzy and fall down. Darkness slowly starts to consume me. I manage to say, "Get Angelo, now..." before passing out.

---

I raised up her phone and searched for the number. "Damn it…where the hell is it!" I yelled before finding it. "Good." I said, hitting the number.

"Holly?" Angelo asked. "Need someth-"

"Angelo, get medics or something down here, NOW!" I yelled.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Holl's not breathing, and she doesn't have a pulse. Get someone down here right now damn it!" I yelled, hanging up. "Come on Holl, don't give up now." I said, starting to give her CPR. A couple minutes later, medics ran into the room and took over. They carried her out and Angelo walked in. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Are the choppers ready?"

"Ya, but-"

"I'm going. Make sure she's ok." I said, walking off.

---

I slowly started to wake up, hearing noises around me. I open my eyes and look around seeing people running all over, and Sean sitting next to me, a bandage wrapped around his hand. "Sean, what happened?"

He looks at me, his eyes almost vacant. "We're screwed. That island is covered in those fucking things. Killed half the people and bit up most of the other half. Lost a chopper, which killed two and wounded five."

I look at him in horror. "What? Oh no." I close my eyes and open them again slowly. "Sean...about earlier...before my heart stopped...I wanted to tell you that I don't have anything against you for what you did. You did what you thought was right." I said, looking at him with a sad smile. "Do you know how long I was...dead for?"

"I don't know. All I know is that we were gone for four and here for three till you woke up, that's all I know." he said as a nurse came by with suture equipment. Sean raised his shirt and along his chest was a cut that ran down to naval. It wasn't deep, but it looked bad. She continued to suture him from about half way and continued to move down.

"Jesus...what the hell happened out there?"

"It doesn't matter. They are dead. They're dead and we lived. After that, it doesn't matter. All that matters now is getting the women out and make sure those damn zombies have a nice welcome party."