Chapter 26: Skeptic

"That was fast," Claire said as the brunette emerged into the southern courtyard. Chris and Angel looked up from their work to see what the redhead was taking about.

"We have a problem," Alice said as soon as she crossed the threshold of the garage.

The redhead questioned the brunette. "What is it?"

"You'll see," Alice kept her response ambiguous, and then spoke with urgency. "Angel, get the others and meet us at the shower-block."

"Yes mam," the soldier verified and set down his ratchet to leave.

Alice turned to depart as well, but Claire waited for her brother to walk around from the back of the UPV. The brunette took a few paces and noticed the younger woman's lag. A tiny prick of jealousy entered into her gut until she saw the familiar look that passed between the two. She chastised herself for wanting to monopolize all of Claire's affection, especially when it was only from the proverbial bond of siblings. Alice couldn't deny that the two had a connection, but she still wished she didn't have her back turned to the once prisoner.

The accent to the shower-block took them little time, and as the ex-project rounded the corner to the entrance she pulled out a Smith and Wesson. Behind her, the redhead placed a hand on her gun, but didn't draw it.

They walked into the sunlit room, and Alice was thankful to see that the place was empty of new threats. The rest of the survivors filled in the space behind her.

"I could not find Wendell," Angel orated to the pilot.

"You're not going to," she answered. No one questioned her, because they all knew what the statement implied.

Claire gave voice to the silent inquiry that surfaced in the minds of all when they saw the two cadavers sprawled out on the floor.

"What is that?"

"Some new kind of undead," Alice replied, "a mutation."

"How did they get in here?" Claire channeled the others again.

"That's what I wanted to show you," Alice said.

A few paces away was the chasm the undead had climbed out of. The group surrounded it, and Bennett immediately covered his nose as he complained.

"What is that smell?"

"They must have burrowed up from the sewers," Alice answered, and then was surprised to hear Luther offer up submissively.

"Wendell said he heard movement in the walls."

"Wait – so these things can just pop up anywhere?" Bennett supposed, and Kim Yong picked up on his fear.

"We have to get out of here!"

"But the UPV won't be ready for days," Angel argued.

Alice looked to Claire for approval as she spoke, "What you all do is your choice, but Claire and I are taking the tunnel." The redhead agreed with a nod, and Chris immediately spoke up protectively.

"Where Claire goes – I go."

Alice's esteem for the man grew tenfold.

Next, Angel said to the pilot, "I'm with you."

"You're fucking kidding me? There's no way in Hell I'm going down there," Bennett spat.

Alice began to explain, "No. Tunnels lead to the sewers, sewers lead to the storm drains-" but Claire finished her sentence for her.

"Storm drain leads to the sea."

Alice smiled lightly and then continued, "After that it's the Arcadia for us."

The actress became eager, "You're going to Arcadia?"

"Yes, but it's not the haven it advertised. You're better off going your own way when we hit the coast," Alice answered. Crystal's bright mood dissipated as Luther spoke again.

"We're gonna need more firepower," he surmised, and Alice nodded in agreement. Apparently Luther was the type of dog that could not be bribed only beaten into obedience, and Alice had done it, so it was her command he pledged to follow.

"I've got you covered," Chris said. "There's a small cache in the UPV, and an armory in the basement. It's got every weapon you can dream of." It put Alice on edge to hear the man devolve another ace he had kept up his sleeve. She would confront him about it the next time they were alone.

Alice took on her role as leader with confidence, and decided to knock out two birds with one stone. "Alright, here's the plan – Chris and I will go down to the armory; Luther, you stay here and make sure nothing else climbs outta that hole," the black man nodded as Alice continued. "Angel and Claire, I want you to empty the UPV. Meet back here as soon as you're done."

Everyone confirmed, and then went to complete their assigned tasks.

Alice followed Chris at a distance until they reached the staircase leading to the basement, and discovered that it was completely flooded.

"What is this?" Alice questioned the man as the orange flame of his torch reflected off the still water.

"They had pumps to keep the water out of the foundation. When the electricity failed some of the lower levels started filling up. There's another two floors down there."

"And how far down is the armory?" Alice questioned.

"All the way," Chris smiled.

"Of course it is," she replied cynically as she pulled out a revolver and turned on Chris. She left the gun at her side, but fiddled with the trigger as she looked directly into his eyes and spoke. "I need to know right now if I can trust you."

His eyes went to her pistol in disbelief, but he offered up, "Claire trusts me."

"I'm not Claire. Why were you locked up?"

"I was a member of S.T.A.R.S. When the outbreak happened we were stationed here. I got in a disagreement with a superior officer and he put me in that cell for insubordination. The city became overrun, and they left me behind."

Harsh, Alice thought, but his reason really didn't help his case. "Problem with authority figures, eh?"

"You could say that."

"How do you know your unit didn't clean out the armory when they left?" Alice questioned.

Chris looked down at his boots and answered solemnly. "Because by the end, there were a lot more guns than there were people to use them." It was that show of humanity that prompted his earlier comment to interrupt Alice's internal deliberation.

Claire trusts him, she thought. The brunette woman brought the sidearm up and aimed for Chris's chest. He staggered backwards, and she smirked as she flipped the gun around and offered it to him.

The man took an unsteady step and reached for it. As his hand clasped around the weapon he smiled, "So now you're going to trust me with a gun?"

She echoed his words, "Claire trusts you."

They turned back to the water filled stairway, and Alice pulled out a small flashlight from her pocket. Before she could turn it on Crystal descended the stairs behind them.

Chris confronted the intruder. "Where do you think you're going?"

The actress looked around to the water at their feet, and answered, "I was a swim-champ back in High School."

"Is that right?" Chris said amused.

Alice held out her other Smith and Wesson to the actress, "Here."

Crystal took the gun, and Alice turned on her flashlight. The brunette stepped to the edge of the water, captured a breath, and jumped in feet first.