After telling the group about Eric's past everyone seemed to be pretty understanding, even Aiden. I don't get how they can just be so calm about it. He lied to us to infiltrate our group, and possibly steal the cure. This is no time to be calm.
After the announcement we headed back to the lab to finish up working on the cure.
"It's nearly complete." Dr. Johnson says as we walk into the lab. "Only a couple more tests and we're all set to test it."
"We're that close?" I question in disbelief. This all happened really fast. I can't believe we're so close.
"Mhm." He replies nonchalantly as he puts on his goggles.
"We're not gonna test her though right?" Angel asks, pointing over to Rebecca. I turn to look at Dr. Johnson. He takes his goggles off, looking over at his granddaughter.
"We probably shouldn't." I shake my head. "Not first anyway."
"We're gonna need to get a test subject then." Eric speaks up.
"I'll do it." I tell them, standing up from the chair I'd just sat in.
"No, I can-"
"I got it, Eric." I cut him off, rolling my eyes.
"This isn't a pissing match guys." Angel says, shaking her head. "Ashley just take him with you." She shrugs. "What harm could it be?"
"Ugh fine." I groan and practically stomp out of the lab.
"What's wrong with you?" Spencer chuckles at my face when I look up at her. Clearly I'm being a kid right now.
"Angels making me take Eric on a zombie run." I tell her with a pout.
"Why are you going on this said zombie run exactly?" She questions with a raised brow.
"We need one." I say simply. She smiles and waits for me to finish. "Oh! To test the cure on." I add.
She nods in understanding. "What's so wrong with taking-"
"Ugh!" I groan, cutting her off. I stomp down the hall and I hear her giggle as she chases after me.
"You really don't like him do you?" She asks when she reaches me.
"Not really." I pout, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Don't be cute." She kisses away my pout. "But he's not that bad, Ash. He's just here too-"
"Help, I know." I cut her off, rolling my eyes.
"Look, just give him a chance. You're a great judge of character Ashley. You knew something was up with him and now that you know what that something is, you just need to move past the distrust phase."
"Hey!" Hannah bangs on the glass across from us. Not this again. I shake my head, and sigh. I let out a grunt as I turn abruptly and head towards the door.
"Ashley no no no." Spencer chases after me.
"Look!" I burst into the room and say. "We're trying to create a cure... a vaccine, something that could save your asses and probably save the whole freaking word. So can you just sit your ass down, eat your food, drink your water and calm the fuck down." I snap. Her eyes get wide as she backs up into the wall and takes a seat next to her male counterpart. Who has been a model hostage might I add. "When we're done we're gonna give you two the vaccine and send you on your way, okay?!" I shout. She nods with wide eyes and I turn and walk away. I hear Spencer shut the door as she follows me out.
"You know you scared that poor girl right?" Spencer chuckles.
"Good."
"Are we ready?" Eric asks, walking down the hall.
"Ready for what?" Aiden asks as him and Glen appear from the other direction.
"Oh, Eric and Ash are going zombie hunting." Spencer speaks up for me. I turn and look at her. She gives me a 'what?' face.
"Oooo. We wanna go. We're bore of sitting here. Can we come? Can we?" Glen and Aiden both plead like two little girls.
"You're both idiots." I shake my head and walk away, electing to not even answer them.
"I guess we're coming then!" Glen shouts to my retreating figure.
–
"Why can't we find a damn zombie when we need one?" Aiden asks as we walk the streets of L.A. We decided to not even try to go get a zombie from the basement. Too Risky. We didn't want to have to kill anyone in the process.
"It's because they're all scared of you Aiden I'm sure." I roll my eyes as we continue to walk.
"Ooo burn." Spencer chuckles, interlocking our fingers. I glance down at our hands and then at her. She beams a smile at me.
"That wasn't a burn stupid, shut up!" Glen tells his little sister and we all chuckle. And by all, I really mean all. Everyone decided to come. We came out to get one freaking zombie and everyone under the age of twenty, except for Francisco and Jessica, decided to come.
"Are we letting Eric handle this one or-"
"Really?" I snap at Kyla.
"I was just asking." She says, holding up her hands in defense. Eric chuckles but doesn't say anything.
"Can we please just find a zombie so we can head back." I tell the group, wishing they all would have just stayed back at camp. Well everyone except Spencer.
"Oh! There's one, there's no." Glen points and practically jumps up and down. We all turn to look at him.
Seriously though?
He shrugs and ducks his head.
"I got it." I tell them, untangling my fingers from Spencers and grabbing my bow off my back.
"We wanna see what Eric can do." Kyla says and her head immediately shoots to the ground when I turn around to look at her. Why the fuck is everyone so fascinated with Eric right now?
"Whatever." I shrug it off, rolling my eyes. Eric glances at the group, everyone sporting a smile, urging him to go on. He nods, taking his knife from the holster on his belt, grabbing the zip-ties and gag from my hands before heading towards the walker.
Everyone stands back and watches as he approaches the zombie.
"This is gonna be so awesome." Glen practically squeals.
"Zip it blondie." I snap. He smacks his lips and rolls his eyes.
Well if that wasn't the gayest thing he's ever done...
Spencer snickers and leans closer to me.
"You're not jealous of all the attention Eric's getting, are you baby?" She whispers in my ear.
Huh?
I'm sorry, I couldn't hear anything over the sound of my heart beating out of my chest.
You heard her call me baby too right?
Kay.
Just checking.
"Yeah." I pout and she kisses it away. It's so nice to be like this again. "You know what will make me feel better?" I question, turning to her with a raised brow.
"What?" She asks, smirking. I'm sure she already knows the answer.
"If you'd totally be my girlfriend again. Right here and now."
"Yes." She says and it catches me off guard.
"Wait, what?" I turn to her and ask with wide eyes.
"Oooh!" The entire group shouts and I turn around to see that Eric has taken down the zombie and is now zip-tying it.
"What'd I miss?" Spencer asks looking around me.
"Hey!" I shriek, there are more important things happening here.
"I'm sorry." She turns back to me and smiles. "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend again."
"But I thought you said that we were gonna wait until-"
"Are you trying to talk me out of it?" She asks with a raised brow.
"No." I shake my head quickly.
"Ashley you missed it, he totally just whopped that zombies ass." Aiden says enthusiastically.
"Yeah, yeah." I reply nonchalantly, waving him off as I smile down at my girlfriend. I lean forward and kiss her, somehow this kiss feeling different than our past few kisses. I guess the title really does mean something. "Glad to have you back." I say when we pull back.
"Uh, can we go guys?" Eric asks as he walks back toward us with the zombie. I look up and see a herd of zombies headed this way. I guess they decided to come out and play.
"Put that thing in the back, Eric ride in the back. Aiden drive that car." I toss him the keys to the car I was driving and Glen hands me the keys to the SUV I'd now be driving. We all pile into the cars quickly as the herd gets closer.
–
"One Zombie, nice and fresh." Aiden says as he sits the zombie in a chair. Dr. Johnson chuckles and shakes his head at him as Glen ties the zombie down.
"Is it all ready?" I ask Dr. Johnson.
"Yeah." He nods. "It's ready to be tested."
"What do we do if this doesn't work? We only have a few days left on the generator."
"We pray it works." He gives me a tight lipped smile, handing me a dosage of what we hope is the cure.
I stare at the vile... realizing how much hope we're placing behind it. That's a lot of pressure for one little vile of liquid.
Here goes nothing...