Alice woke early the next morning just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. She didn't waste any time before she was running in the direction she had come, using the remainder of her tracks from the day before to guide her.

She hadn't been running long when she could begin to make out the hotel where the camp had once been. Her emotional pain yesterday had apparently not inhibited her physical abilities. But as she approached, her throat once more clogged, this time with fear.

She entered the former camp site at a jog, slowing to a leisurely pace as she examined the area where the vehicles once stood. There were clear tracks; however they didn't look brand new, meaning they must have left the night before.

Alice shaded her eyes and looked in the direction the tracks were leading before peering toward the sun. She estimated it must be around 9, giving her ample time to follow the tracks before looking for shelter from the satellites at 12:34.

Once again she took off at a brisk run, following the tracks that would lead her to Carlos.

After a brief stop to change drivers and give the kids a snack, the convoy was once again heading for Vegas. Carlos was driving now, but between him and a sleeping LJ was Kmart, who was wide awake and curious.

"So, how did you and Alice meet?" The question caught Carlos off guard, who had been driving in silence picturing the woman in question for close to two hours.

"We met in Raccoon city, after the infection had spread. Alice was the one who got me out."

"Yeah but there has to be more to the story than that. Come on. We've got at least another hour of driving still and no one knows. Believe me, I've asked."

"Oh I have no doubt." Silence once again dominated the van and Kmart sighed and threw herself back against the seat, defeated.

"We were both sent to find a man's daughter; the daughter of the scientist who invented the T Virus."

"And you decided it was a good idea to help that bastard?!"

"We didn't know who he was at the time. All we knew was that he wanted his daughter, and that he was our only way out of the city. And as it turns out, he wasn't a bad guy." Kmart let out a snort. "I'm serious. But that's a different story. Anyway, a comrade, Nicholai, and myself were the only two left from my platoon, who had been sent into the city to help control the infection. I had been bitten by another of my comrades, who had been turned when will we were trying to evacuate the city."

"You've been bitten!" Carlos glanced over to see Kmart's eyebrows nearly in her hairline. He chuckled.

"Yes, but once again, we'll get there. Anyway, Dr. Ashford called us at a payphone, and told us that his daughter was hiding out at her Elementary school. When we got there, we found another group who had also been sent to search for her. LJ was the first one I met." He glanced over at his sleeping friend. "With him was Jill Valentine, a suspended S.T.A.R.s member, who I had high respect for." Carlos's voice gained a tone of loss. "Even then, Alice knew how to make an entrance. We met staring each other down over gun barrels."

"Why am I not surprised." Carlos glanced over to see Kmart smirking in his direction. He couldn't control his own lips quirking up at the memory.

"I remember coughing up blood, one of the signs that the virus is spreading through your system. Alice knew. She was so sure of herself, so confident. When she looked me in the eye, I felt like she knew me, everything about me, from the time I had scrapped my knee falling from a tree when I was a boy, to my first day at training camp to join the military. I still get that sense when I look into her eyes; like she is ancient, has seen centuries pass before her, but her spirit and willingness to get up and fight remain timeless, eternal." Carlos lapsed into a reflective silence.

"… So you loved her the moment you laid eyes on her. Aw! Carlos, you big softy!" Kmart let out a throaty giggle, enjoying the rare opportunity to tease her father figure.

Carlos sent her a glare but was unable to wipe the smirk from his own face.

"Shit!" Carlos slammed on his breaks, barely avoiding crashing into the Jeep in front of them. "What the hell Claire?!" On cue, Carlos's walkie cracked at his side.

"Look sharp everybody! We've hit an obstacle." Carlos heaved a sigh before wrenching open his door and hoping out. "Wake him up. We may need him." He tried to give what would pass as a reassuring smile to Kmart who was attempting to follow him. "Then head to the camper. Stay with the children, make sure they stay safe." He turned to walk away.

"But- Carlos!" He paused but didn't turn. "I can help." The tone of her voice, so often that of a petulant teen, no matter how grown up she had become with the end of the world, was fierce and steady. She was ready.

Carlos turned, pulling a gun from his belt.

"I know you can." He held out the gun, which she had already begun reaching for. "But this is what we need you to do. Those children are our future Kmart. You are our future."

He met her eyes one last time before continuing his trek toward Claire's truck and the source of their newest obstacle.

"What is it?"

"Yeah, and what the hell are we doin' about it. Woke me up from mah nap." Carlos glanced over at LJ, who was a few paces behind him, and was startled by how exhausted he looked. LJ had always been one to take every opportunity to prop his feet up and let the others handle hard labor, but for once he looked like he needed the rest.

"Can we move it?" All attention was again directed to Claire, who was studying what appeared to be an old box car, blocking their path to the nearest gas pumps.

"Well I guess we'll just have to give it a shot." Chase grabbed the hook from the front of Claire's hummer and began hauling slack, walking backwards toward the obstruction.

"Wait!" Claire, who was walking over to help Chase, froze and whipped back to look at Carlos, who had his ear pressed close to the box car, a frown marring his face. "It sounds like…" A thump reverberated through the metal, sending Carlos stumbling back. "Get back! Undead!" He glanced to his right to see that he was not the only one who had already pulled a weapon and trained it on the box car. Another loud thud and the door crashed to the ground in a cloud of sand.

Claire fired the first shot as the waves began pouring out. Another battle for survival had begun.