Reviews:
superpeirce:
Actually, it was just a Darkness/Riddick crossover. No Star Wars involved. As for when, well, I've got a ton of stories planned. I literally have a list of notes for each story I thought up and the number of stories on there is currently 234, including the ones I'm currently writing or have already written. As for when it is, well, I haven't decided, but I do want to finish at least one of the stories I'm currently writing before I start a new one.
SpectorChris:
I appreciate your words and I am glad that you are enjoying this.
Ch4os4ever:
Glad you like it.
A/N: Please remember to review with any comments, question, concerns, or constructive criticism that you might have.
Chapter 7:
Home Sweet Home
The trio's car, despite being in a rather lackluster state, managed to get just to the edge of New York City, the group's destination. Just before they even attempted to enter the tunnel into the city, their car sputtered and died.
"Guess we're walking from here," Joel said, getting out and picking up his pack.
Ellie and Alan did the same and walked by his side, heading into the darkness of the tunnel. It was just as well that their car died because the entrance to the tunnel was choked with rusty, abandoned cars. They slowly made their way through the cramped tunnel, making certain to listen for the moans and groans of the infected. They luckily made it through without running into a single infected. Upon exiting the tunnel, Alan looked around to get a bearing on where they were.
"Okay, looks like we're in the northern part of Chelsea. My sister had a place on the Upper west Side, so we just need to head north from here," Alan explained.
"Will we get to see Times Square? I've only ever seen pictures! Pleeeeaaasssseeeee!?" Ellie begged, giving the two men her sad puppy-dog eyes.
"Well, it is on the way. Just a slight detour," Alan said, looking at Joel to see if he agreed.
"You think we should? There could be infected or hunters around," Joel said, uncertain.
"Eh, I think we'll be alright. I don't detect anyone nearby and I can't hear any infected close, so I think we're okay," Alan said.
The trio, with Alan leading the way, soon found themselves in the iconic Times Square, though it had changed quite extensively since Alan had been there last. Some of the buildings had plants growing over them and the signs were faded and rusted over.
"Woah, this place looks awesome. I can't even imagine what this place was like back before the infection," Ellie said in awe, looking at the old screens and filthy skyscrapers.
"It was amazing back then, baby sister," Alan said, "At night, the city would light up like stars on earth and Times Square was so bright, it'd be like an area of daylight in the middle of night."
"That sounds amazing!" Ellie said in awe, "Hey, Joel, have you ever been here back in the old days?"
"Nah, I was never able to travel much. Didn't have the money for it," Joel said, shrugging.
"It wasn't just the sights that made this place one of my favorites," Alan said before pointing to a nearby building, "The place over there had the best hot dogs in the city, no question. And over there," he said, pointing to another building, "Donuts so good I wouldn't be surprised if people killed each other over them. I swear to God, the people there had to be putting crack in them from how good they were."
"Kinda miss it, huh?" Ellie asked.
"Yeah, but maybe some day all this will come back. Ya gotta have faith, baby sister. Hope for the future, otherwise, what's the point?" Alan asked.
Ellie nodded in agreement. Joel, while he might not believe such things himself, did want Ellie to, so he instead changed the subject, "We should get going. Where's your sister's place?"
"This way," he said, gesturing to them to follow him. They headed north, passing through the empty streets. After twenty minutes of walking while Alan pointed places that he enjoyed going to the last time he was in the city. They eventually found their path blocked, forcing them to go through Central Park.
"Why's this place so much more overgrown?" Ellie asked.
"It's Central Park, baby sister. A little bit of green in this big concrete jungle," Alan explained.
"Why?" Ellie asked.
"Supposed to be relaxing," Alan said, shrugging, "Ended up being one of the most dangerous places in the city at night."
"So, it hasn't changed that much," Joel said, jokingly.
"Yeah, probably not," Alan laughed before suddenly getting serious, "Case in point," he said, pointing ahead of them.
"How many?" Joel asked.
"I'm seeing five runners and two clickers. Think you two can take out the clickers when I distract the runners?" Alan asked.
"Sounds like a plan," Joel said, quietly.
Alan nodded and moved around to their left while Joel and Ellie did the same, moving to the right.
The clickers were shambling around a picnic area while the runners were just standing in place waiting for a sound to awaken them.
Alan whistled to get the runners' attention, which he succeeded in doing as they charged him while the clickers shambled towards him, bringing up the rear. Joel and Ellie snuck up on the clickers and simultaneously grabbed the clickers from behind to stab them in the neck.
Alan, his claws ready, tore the runners apart with great ease. Once the last fell, they started moving west towards where Alan's sister's place was located. As they passed through the park and then the streets, Joel couldn't help but wonder why there were so few infected and so far no hunters. In a city this big, there should be one or the other, but there seemed to be few. When he voiced this thought to Alan, the Evolved shrugged.
"Could be the infected are in the subway tunnels or in the buildings. It is a big place after all, not to mention there are thousands of miles of tunnels under the city, a lot of it was not in use even before the Cordyceps hit," Alan said.
"Could be," Joel said, not completely buying that.
"So, are we getting close?" Ellie asked.
"Yep," Alan said, "Her place was just up ahead."
After another block passed and the trio arrived at a residential building, Alan said, "This is it. Her apartment was on the top floor." With that, the trio headed inside, using the stairs to reach the top floor. Once they did, Alan led them to one of the apartments and tried the door, but finding it locked. Rather than breaking it down, he made his fingers turn into tendrils. He sent the tendrils into the door's lock and began to pick it. After a few seconds, the lock clicked open and they walked inside.
Despite the years that had obviously passed since anyone had been there, judging by the layers of dust, the apartment was still in relatively good condition. It hadn't been ransacked, but someone had clearly taken some items as there were missing pictures off the wall and the drawers were open from where someone, likely Alan's sister, took clothes from them.
"Guess she's not here," Ellie said.
"Looks like," Alan said, nodding, "Let's look around. Maybe there's a clue around here."
The two humans nodded and the group began looking through the apartment, searching for clues.
Alan made his way to one of the walls that still had pictures on the wall, staring at one of them.
Joel stood next to him to look at the picture he was staring at to see it was a picture of Alan and a woman that looked roughly the same age. She had light reddish brown hair and Joel noticed a lot of similarities with Alan.
"That your sister?" he asked, looking at Alan.
The Evolved nodded, "Yeah, that's Anna," he said before laughing, "One of the most stubborn women you'll ever meet, but it was near impossible not to like her. Course I didn't have much choice. I'm her brother after all. Have to love and look out for my baby sister, even if I am older by only a few minutes."
"You always watch out for family," Joel said, agreeing with Alan's point.
Alan just nodded and walked off to continue looking for clues, while Joel continued to look at the picture.
'This woman looks familiar,' Joel thought, 'But I can't place her. Eh, it'll come to me if it's really important.'
"Hey, Alan, Joel, I think I found something!" Ellie said, calling them into the kitchen.
The two went to see what she found and she showed them an old piece of paper.
Alan took it, saying, "It's definitely Anna's handwriting."
"What's it say?" Ellie asked.
Alan looked down and started reading it out loud.
Dear Alan,
I don't know what happened to you or where you disappeared to. A number of people are saying all kinds of things, like how you ran off with some girl or got kidnapped or something like that. I know it's ridiculous. That's not you. The one that I am worried having happened is that you got infected. I hope that you're okay, but if you're reading this, you must be right?
Anyway, the military is evacuating the city and are taking us to some safe zone nearby. I don't know where they're sending us, but they said it was 'Safe Zone Gamma.' When you get back, find a soldier or someone to tell you where it is. I know you'll be okay. Just call it a sister's intuition! See you soon!
Sincerely,
Anna
Once he finished reading, Alan cursed, "Damn it! Another location to search, but this time I've got no clue where it is! I don't suppose either of you two know where this 'Safe Zone Gamma' is?"
Joel shook his head, "No idea. I've only heard them referred to by their cities. Ellie? What about you?"
"Nah, it's the same for me," she said.
"Shit," Alan cursed, "Then, we need to find some way to find out where this safe zone."
"Any idea where we can look?" Joel asked.
"Well, there's one place, but I don't think you two should go with me," Alan said.
"Where is it?" Ellie asked, not being deterred.
"Blackwatch had a base here in the city. If we want to find this sort of information, that would be the place to look," Alan said.
"Into the base of the military that is one of two groups currently hunting us. That doesn't sound like the best of ideas," Joel said.
Alan nodded in agreement, "Yeah, that's why I think it's best if I go alone. No telling if there will be military waiting for us or how many infected might be filling the place."
Joel looked at his surrogate daughter, who nodded at him, "We're coming with ya," Joel said, "We came this far together and we're gonna finish it together."
"You sure?" Alan asked looking between the man and girl.
"No fucking way we're running away now," Ellie said, her tone saying she won't listen to any arguments.
Alan sighed, "Alright. I remember where it was. I'll lead the way." Before they left, Alan took the picture he and Joel had been looking at off the wall and pulled the picture out of its frame before folding it and slipping it into his pants pocket.
The trio headed out of the building and Alan led the way deeper into the city.
As they walked, Ellie asked, "You really think we'll find the information there?"
Alan shrugged, "I don't know for certain, but since they were in charge of the evacuation, their mainframe might have the information."
Ellie nodded and the group continued on their way. None of them realized that, from the top of one of the nearby ruined, a dark figure watched them.
The figure touched their ear and said, "Heller to Athena, I have the targets in sight and I'm moving to engage."
With that, the figure stepped off the roof and fell, heading towards the trio below like a missile.
A/N: And there's chapter 7! Please remember to review with any comments, question, concerns, or constructive criticism that you might have.