The three began their run. Their footsteps sounded heavy on the old but paved road. As if a doppler effect began, the sound of the yelling, screaming and groaning started to crescendo the closer they got to the trio. It was scarily alarming. The rate Mike, Bianca and Elise were going was simply not enough. Closer and closer the nasty but minuscule horde ran. They ran at an average pace yet it would still be considered fast. Therefore, the nasties caught up with the three runners. The trio now had an obligation to fight for their lives.

They began by firing shots from about five yards. Five where hit but, only two went down. Ten out of twelve left. Bianca, Elise and Mike started to sprint as fast as their bodies would allow them. It only did them very little good. Yet, it was better than nothing at all. When they finally got to their preferred distance, they walked backwards and fired shots. Four more went down. Six out of twelve left.

Elise finally reached for the shot gun slung to her back. The blonde loaded the shells and aimed at the general direction of the sickening group. A loud blast eluded from the double barrel. One could be able hear the spray of the pellets make impact with the humanoids and the ground. One remained standing. Unexpectedly, Mike took out the buck knife and threw it directly at its stomach. Thick, brown blood slowly seeped out of the gaping wound. It was revolting. The smell was even worse.

Almost nonchalantly, the creep pulled the knife out of itself and threw it back at Mike, he yelled quite. The knife punctured his left bicep. Elise quickly got to his side and pulled the knife out. Naturally as one would after getting stabbed, Mike cried out in extreme pain. Elise took the bandana off of Mikes head and wrapped it tightly around the wound. Bianca took Deborah out of the back of her pants and shot three rounds at the zombie. Bianca then put Deborah back where she was before but, she forgot the barrel was still hot. The tall woman yelped

"Hey! You okay there?" Elise said.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I forgot Deb would still be hot after a short ride," Bianca began to rub her lower back where the barrel lightly skimmed across. "Thank god she didn't go any further south."

Mike glanced at Bianca through his teary eyes, "What?" The boy was truly confused.

"The hand gun, Mike."

The young man nodded his head. Mike winced then sat down on the pavement. Elise walked over to Bianca. The shorter woman set her hands on her hips and looked up.

"Oh alright, time to open up the hood."

Bianca turned around and lifted up her jacket and shirt. Elise moved closer hand to one hold of the lifted clothes with one hand and ran her hand over the General region of the slight burn. This time Elise winced. Seeing her lady hurt was something she definitely did not like.

"It's not too bad but, I'd still get something cold on it." Elise let go of the clothes and put them back in place. "It will heal up quickly... just don't poke at it." She wrapped her arms around Bianca and leaned in closely.

"Mike gonna be alright?" Bianca asked, she was rightly concerned about him.

"As long as we take it slow from now until he gets better. He lost at least two cups of blood so, he's gonna be weak for a few hours." Elise was hesitant to bring up a certain thought she had.

"Do you think he can get infected or something? Like, do you think those things are contagious?"

Bianca processed the question for a second, "For the sake of the boy, I really hope not. He's gone through so much in the span of about twelve hours, and plus we know him so well. Mike's like family to us. I know for a fact, we cannot kill him."

"I know we can't. We won't. I believe we'll just have to wait and see." Elise held on to Bianca tighter and she did not want to let go.

Hours later when The Sun began its ascent, Mike was feeling better but, of course, his bicep still hurt like hell. Like it would. The boy's mood was better and he was much more talkative than usual. The two woman didn't think anything of it. Nothing wrong with that. Albeit, once they spotted a small brick building, Mike began to quite down. The building was at least five or six yards away. Hand in hand, Bianca and Elise were walking behind Mike.

Elise let out a sigh. Bianca turned to look at her, "What's on your mind?"

"You, a bed and a nap," said Elise. That got a raised eyebrow from Bianca's lovely face.

"A nap, or a nap?"

"A nap. Actual sleep hon," Elise chuckled.

"Sounds immaculate," she squeezed the blonde's hand a little, "As soon as we get some service in our phones we are most definitely hitching a ride."

Elise mumbled to herself, "Hitch, heh." She had a smirk on her face. An idea formed in her head but, she had no intention of saying anything, that is.

"Hey." No response. "HEY!" Three pairs of eyes squinted in confusion. "YOU THREE OVER THERE!"

The trio whipped their heads towards the voice. Who the hell could be out where they are? And be alive? Either this person had some mad skills or they were in a well closed off space. The voice sounded feminine. The figure looked familiar to Elise and Bianca. As the militia of three stopped in place, they waited for this person to catch up to them from the thicket.

Elise looked to Bianca, "Do we know her?" The response was a shrug of the shoulders.

The woman finally approached them. No, they did not know her, just looked like someone they knew. The woman got a little closer and put her hands in her pockets.

"May we help you ma'am?"

The woman pointed at them with her eyes, "Bianca, Elise, Mike?"

The three collectively said yes.

"I'm agent Berlieze Dobro."

Eyes widened and hearts raced out of paranoia. The next thing out of the woman's mouth was very relieving though.

"My car is a mile away."

Now that the group of four began the short walk that felt like an eternity but, finally, finally they got to the big Escalade.

Now, this big car belongs to this woman, Berlieze, she is kind of small. I will leave you to your own imaginations.

"You said you were an agent. What organization do you belong to?" Bianca asked the million dollar question.

Berlieze looked like she had been caught doing something very naughty, like a child. Berlieze wasn't from any known organizations like the FBI or CIA. Her job forbid lying so she told them.

"I'm with the DUI."

"Driving under the influence?" The three in the back seat stared at the driver.

"No, no. Department of Unusual Investigations."

Elise raised an eyebrow, "Huh, I used to serve our nation and I've never heard any mentions of the DUI." She looked at Bianca, "May I see your badge, if that's possible?"

"Sure thing." The woman took her real badge out of her jacket pocket and handed it over to Elise in the back.

Bianca and Elise studied it carefully. "I think this is real hon."

"Of course it's real! And hell, where do you think I'm taking you?!"

A collective sigh came from the backseat.

"Just fucking perfect."

12:30 pm, I think

The two woman walked into their motel room.

Elise dropped herself onto the bed. "Walking for miles and then being interrogated for about four hours. Oh yes, what a glorious day."

"But hey hey, we're not covered in grime and blood anymore."

"Too true, babe." Elise lifted her head up to look at Bianca, "Do you think Mike will be okay?" A genuine concern of theirs.

"I don't know. I wish he could've stayed with us, but no says the damn government or whatever. That boy deserves more. That boy deserves a break from the world."

"I know hon. I know, I know we'll miss him. Such a good kid."

After their heart wrenching discussion, the couple decided on a well deserved nap. Holding onto each other as if they'd never see each other for a very long time. Of course they'd never let anything get in their way. They love each other too much to let that sort of thing happen. It almost happened once and after their make up they promised never to let it happen again.

T W O - THOUSAND - TWELVE

To friends and family, Elise and Bianca were still in their lingering "honeymoon phase" and it was kind of amazing that they still were. That's what everyone saw, what was presented to them. In actuality, it was a month from hell. A month of arguing and crying. They felt it wouldn't be fair to people around them to bicker and make a scene in front of them. So when they were out and about they'd play the coy and happy couple. But boy oh boy were they far from it.

On one those angsty days after pretending to be okay...

"Bianca, could you stop that tapping please?" Elise was irritated by Bianca's continuous tap tap tap on the steering wheel. To make things worse she was already at her edge for the day.

"Sure, I'll stop as soon as you stop finding things to argue about." Bianca immediately regretted the comment she just made but she refused to take it back.

Elise was flabbergasted. In a bad way, of course. "Excuse me? I only asked you to stop tapping. How is that starting conflict, Bianca? Do tell because that was very petty of you."

Bianca wanted to say sorry but her hard, stubborn head got the best of her. "Oh I'll tell you alright. For days you have been composing and mopping around and then you get angry when I try to help make things better for you, but it's still not enough. And to make it worse, you let me know by becoming angry that I did something the wrong way or if you lost something you'd immediately assume that I did something with it," Bianca took a deep breath, "I could go on and on. Those are just the little problems, I don't think you could handle the bigger ones. In fact, I think you already know those ones too."

Elise was silent, she even wiped a quiet tear away. Elise wanted to have the final word and she picked the wrong ones.

"Pull over."

"What? No."

"You shouldn't drive when you're angry. It makes it worse that we're both in the same mood. So please, pull over, Bianca."

"Fine."

Bianca pulled the car next to the curb on the city street. They say in silence. Then Elise got out of the car and made her way down the street. Elise didn't look back at all and it hurt Bianca greatly and she felt bad about it too. Bianca even considered going after Elise but knew that they both needed to cool off. That was a bad idea too.

Now, how was Bianca supposed to know that Elise would stir up some trouble? Well, Bianca knew that Elise could start trouble whenever need be, but spontaneously? Nope.

And what about Elise? How was she supposed to know that something would happen to her beloved, whom she disliked at the moment?

Elise walked her ass to a bar and stayed there for awhile, ordering more than enough shots, probably a little more than she could handle.

Bianca drove off far out of the city. Bianca eventually stopped for gas, although, she chose the worst place to stop. Unbeknownst to her it was a gas station well known to get robbed.

Bianca walked into the station to pay for gas. As she was waiting behind a man she began to think of Elise. Bianca was hoping she was thinking of her too. Then, right there, the man in front of Bianca pulled out a gun and yelled to the employee to give him all the money in the registers. Bianca was too shocked at first but then quickly got over herself. Bianca grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and tossed him to the ground. One thing though, she missed her opportunity to snatch the gun from his hands. He shot at her and grazed her shoulder.

That one hurt like a bitch. Bianca naturally reached up to cover her shoulder but that was a mistake too. The man got up quickly, grabbed her hand covering her injured shoulder and hooked her right in the face.

Thank god he missed her temple though.

The hit knocked Bianca down to the floor and the man ended up taking her hostage. First by taking her to the storage in the back of the station. He then forced everyone out and secured all the doors to the trashy building.

Bianca had a bandanna covering her mouth and her hands zip tied behind her back. She struggled at first but then soon enough she stopped. Bianca stopped to debate whether to get herself out of the situation and go find Elise or give up.

Ah yes, one of our character has finally made a good choice. Oh, the acts of love I'll make for that woman of mine. I will never give up on you.

Bianca began to survey the area. Looking for anything sharp so she could at least get out of the zip ties. Nothing. Not even a box cutter. Figures. Time to be brave and creative.

Bianca stood up and looked for the door leading into the whatever you call the place. She spotted the man unloading money from the registers into a backpack. Right where she could make a visual analysis on this dumb ass.

Somehow with her very amazing skills, Bianca managed to get the tightly knitted bandanna out of her mouth, but she still couldn't get her hands in front of herself.