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Disclaimer: Hope you all are doing very well! I'm sorry for the long wait, if anyone's been waiting. I have been busy with work and trying my hardest to make this a very good chapter.

THE LAST

OF US

PART III

(Music to go with certain scenes)

(transliteration/translations)

Written text

Chapter 9: The Best Is Yet To Come

Indian Point

Bear and Danila quickly dropped from their horse's saddles onto the shoveled homestead front lawn of Dina's home. Ellie moved her body to Blue's side, yet she held her ironclad arms around his waist. She noticed both Bear and Danila looked furious, and the fact they were armed made Ellie worry even more. No one said a word. They all stared at each other glaring, the tension in the air so thick and indescribably uncomfortable, Ellie could only hug Blue harder. Bear would have to pry her arms off Blue before she let go.

"You lovebirds sure caused a shitstorm! It stinks so bad we had to ride over here on official business!" Said Danila his accusations stinging harder in the cold November air.

"What are you even talking about? Why are you guys here?" Questioned Ellie, totally ignorant for why Zhukov's most trusted soldiers were here. Her emerald eyes danced between Blue's unrelenting sapphire orbs and Danila's hurt light blue eyes.

"You both are to pack your things, all your belongings, and you are to follow us back to Lake Village! This is a direct order by Zhukov, Communal Council leader of Yellowstone, and high General of the Jackson Republic." Said Bear, his deep voice echoing around the hills.

Ellie pulled her tight arms from Blue's hard torso. Blue was about to say something, but Ellie had already marched in front of Danila and Bear before he could say a word. Ellie venomously said, "Why does Zhukov want to see us? What's he going to do if we refuse?"

For a moment, Ellie thought Danila and Bear would back off. Both men had perplexed frowns, Danila specifically cocked his head back and said softly, "Ellie, I consider you a friend. I don't know how to break this news, but you and Blue are suspected of knowing who stole a shipment of two tons of charcoal heading into Lake Village yesterday!" Ellie turned her head back and saw Blue approaching right beside her.

"I know exactly who stole that shipment of charcoal. I'll go to Lake Village and explain everything to Zhukov myself. Ellie's done nothing wrong!" Said Blue while placing a reassuring hand on Ellie's shoulder. Blue gave her a quick and warm squeeze, but Ellie saw the worry and fear in Blue's eyes.

"Zhukov wants both of you, those are his direct orders and because he's a permanent member of the Communal Council. You both must come to Lake Village. Relax, I know you both wouldn't betray the Jackson Republic." Interrupted Bear as diplomatically and calmly as possible, but his tone didn't hide his frustration at having to do this.

Not even a second passed when Ellie saw six riders approaching Dina's home. They were all already armed with AK-47s, one of the riders wasn't holding his Kalashnikov in the air like the others. He was busy maneuvering two already saddled horses with no riders tied to the back of his horse. Eight horses in total whinnied on their way over to them. Ellie puffed a strand of auburn hair away from her eyes and placed the pressure from one heel to the next anxiously. Ellie turned her head and saw Dina, Cat, and JJ looking at them. Knowing she'd have to explain what was going on, she took in the sight of her friends and her godson for a few seconds longer. Her gaze then turned back to Blue and Danila who were talking a bunch of nonsense.

"Ever heard the difference between American Hell and Russian Hell?" Asked Danila, the young Russian mans eyes lighting up with excitement.

"No, never thought about Russian or American Hell. Didn't know they were different," replied Blue, his frown turning into a wide toothy smile.

"An American and a Russian are sentenced to hell. The devil summons them and says, guys, you have 2 options: an American or Russian Hell. In the American one you can do what you want, but you'll have to eat a bucket of shit every morning. The Russian one is the same, but it's 2 buckets. The Yankee quickly makes up his mind and goes to American Hell, while the Russian eventually chooses the Russian one." Said Danila, the young Russian man nearly released a laugh his rosy cheeks became beet red causing Bear and Blue to start laughing.

"Damn I know this is going to be good," Said Blue, before breaking into a loud laugh along with Bear. Ellie smiled feeling less on edge over the inevitable shitstorm she'd soon face.

"In a week or so they meet. The Russian asks: so, what's it like out there? The Yankee says: Exactly what the devil said, Hell itself is OK, but eating a bucket of shit is killing me. And you?" Danila held back another laugh before pressing on. "Ah, it feels just like home, either the shit doesn't get delivered or there aren't enough buckets for everyone."

Everyone around them laughed. Ellie's knees became weak, and she had to squat to not fall in the snow. Thirty minutes after Danila told his joke they were all packed and ready to leave. Ellie spent a few too many minutes hugging Dina and JJ. After saying all her goodbyes, Blue surprised her when he thought about giving JJ his Stetson hat. In the end, Dina gave Blue his hat back much to the displeasure of JJ.

Ellie gazed over at the southern man who was riding right in front of her. Danila was riding on Blue's left and Bear on Blue's right; Ellie didn't have the energy to pipe into their small talk. Not that there was much talking, they rode in near silence for the most part. Ellie's heart thumped faster, and her breathing became more labored. She only hoped that by the time they reached Zhukov, Blue's story involving the missing shipment of coal was airtight. He did mention briefly that Fedra was in Wyoming, but that was what confused Ellie the most. Wyoming as far as US states go was always sparsely populated even before the outbreak. Even today most people who ventured through the Jackson Republic left. Most usually left after having enough of the Rockies and enough of the cow shit. Ellie spent the better part of her life in Wyoming, but even though Yellowstone was part of the Jackson Republic. Yellowstone National Park was ruled by one man, Zhukov, the very same man who tried to takeover Jackson three years ago.

All the events of the last six days felt like a blur. Ellie didn't know what to think anymore. Just a few days ago she discovered a crashed C-5 Galaxy. On that exact same day Blue attempted to kill her and vice versa. Yellowstone National Park, being the frontlines of a shadow war between Fedra and the Fireflies, felt like aftershocks after a massive earthquake. Ellie didn't want to admit it, but with everything going on now, she wanted more than to be around Blue. He made her feel warm, safe, happy, and emotions she couldn't describe. It wasn't love, but whatever it was. Ellie didn't want it to go away.

Lake Village Hotel

The party arrived in Lake Village just an hour before sunset. Red Square was packed with hundreds of people bartering in Chinese, Russian, Shoshone, English, and even a few languages Ellie never once heard before. Ellie and Blue didn't have any time to take in the sights, sounds, and ambience of the city. They were guided into the yellow walled fortress once known as the Lake Yellowstone Hotel. It was the largest building in Lake Village, even though the Yellowstone General Hospital was only a quarter of the size of the hotel. A spiderweb of new and added structures surrounded the fortress with the original hotel serving as the main keep. The outer walls of the Yellowstone hotel were bright yellow, and the floor was made of hard wood polished mahogany.

Ellie stopped inside; she took in her surrounding completely baffled over how Zhukov's people pretty much refurbished the building better than new. Ellie wanted to soak every bit of the cozy warm inside, her breath was no longer foggy, and she was starting to feel hot. Close to a hundred people were down in the lobby, many were chatting by roaring fireplaces or grabbing beer and fresh baked breads by large festive tables. Every corner had at least one-armed Yellowstone guard, but many of the guards were keeping vigilante watch over the manned round poker tables that gambling addicts were playing at. Little children were playing games or talking shit to one another in Russian and Chinese. The occasional loud eek and laughter of little children made Ellie smirk. She used to teach second and third grade and all the little chubby cheeked babies made her remember her job.

Bear tugged at Ellie's parka collar, his dark brown eyes stared into her soul, but the hulking Shoshone man smiled and said, "Come along. Zhukov really wants to speak to you." Ellie wasn't sure how to take her comment, but she followed the massive Native American man like her heart depended on it, and in a sense it did.

Danila and Bear led Ellie and Blue down numerous corridors. Ellie and Blue passed by numerous naked Chinese men and women heading to the steam rooms. Ellie did her best not to look, but they were right there before her eyes. It wasn't until they went up four flights of stairs and walked down a refurbished ballroom that they arrived at their destination. Outside a normal door were the words, Hotel Overseer, Bear opened the door and gestured for Ellie and Blue to go in. Dozens of heavily armed guards holding AKM's, AK-47's, Winchester model 1912 shotguns, SKS and FAL 50.61 chambered at 7.62x51. Sweat rolled down Ellie's forehead, she began rubbing a strand of her auburn hair with her thumb and index finger. If Zhukov wanted them dead, he'd get it. More sweat rolled down her neck, Ellie noticed her partner. Blue had a blank face, he relayed his worry by twiddling his fingers on his Stetson hat with his left hand while his right hand hid below his poncho. Did he have his right hand on his holstered pistol?

"There's nothing to be nervous about Ellie," assured Bear triumphantly, his voice held a modicum of warmth and comfort to it.

Blue walked inside the room and Ellie followed behind him. To say what Ellie saw inside the room was shocking would have been an understatement. The room was massive with leather sofas along the walls. There was entire detailed map of Yellowstone National Park on the wall to Ellie's left, but around that very map were dozens of posters of American rock bands; Journey, Metallica, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, and even a few bands Joel would have been better familiar. There were many interesting paintings of the plains, but what surprised Ellie was a large TV behind her replaying Terminator 2 subtitled Cyrillic. There was even a McDonald's golden arc on the other wall with old 1873 Cattleman revolvers nailed around the arcs. Ellie was at a loss of words; she never expected an old Russian man like Zhukov to have such a fascination with American culture.

"Never seen this one," muttered Blue, he turned his head from the tv and walked over to the massive Cocobolo desk at the center of the room. "Didn't take you for an American film snob?"

Zhukov dressed in a normal t-shirt with khaki shorts leaned back in his leather-bound chair and gestured with his hands for both Ellie and Blue to sit down. With a very thick Siberian accent the old former Soviet General said, "Come sit down. There's much for us to discuss, but to answer your question my dear Blue. Shame you never saw Terminator, I saw it in 1989 ten times. It holds a special place in our people's heart similarly to how a cheeseburger holds a special place in an American's heart."

Ellie and Blue both quickly took their seats. Ellie noticed the Soviet flag on display on the right wall of Zhukov's office. On his desk were numerous ledgers of different important items and numbers all of them written in Cyrillic. Behind Zhukov were crystal-clear windows revealing the outside world. An awkward silence fell upon the room. Zhukov's brown eyes were digging into Ellie's soul so severely she huffed having had enough.

"Cheeseburgers? Never had one, but I know you didn't bring us here to talk about cheeseburgers. Exactly what is this all about? I've heard a shipment of charcoal went missing, but I don't see how that concerns us!" Said Ellie, her cheeks turned bright red in frustration. The uncertainty of what was to happen was destroying her.

"That shipment of coal concerns the entire Republic! There were two metric tons of North Antelope Rochelle charcoal that were supposed to arrive yesterday. This isn't a joking matter young lady, lives are on the line, and people will die! That charcoal is the lifeline for Lake Village, we use coal to generate electricity, to heat our homes, and to make life more tolerable. Without new reliable shipments of charcoal into Lake Village, the production and refinement of gunpowder, bullets, and guns cease to exist!" Explained Zhukov, his leathery and wrinkled right hand started grooming his long white beard.

"North Antelope Rochelle?" Repeated Ellie, she had heard Blue mention the name, but never questioned him over it.

"It's the world's largest coal mine located in Eastern Wyoming," Interrupted Blue, causing Zhukov to smirk at the much younger man in both respect and curiosity. "I want to know. Why is Yellowstone still using coal for electricity when you have access to the volcanoes? You told me the day I set off for Jackson that Yellowstone National Park is the most untapped power source on Earth! Was that just a lie?"

"My dear Blue, you are such a conniving bastard, but that's why I love you. Geothermal energy is the future, it always has been." Said Zhukov, much to Ellie's surprise for she never heard about such a thing before.

"What is geothermal energy? Are you talking about using the Yellowstone Caldera to power up Lake Village?" Asked Ellie.

"Geothermal energy only existed in a few countries before the outbreak. Essentially it's green energy like the hydroelectric dam in Jackson, but the Yellowstone Caldera has the potential energy output to power up the entire United States, Canada, and Mexico combined. When I was a general in the USSR, I spoke to a geologist who studied here in the United States at Washington University. He never stopped talking about Yellowstone National Park. He had a wild dream, for when the USSR conquered America, he designed a geothermal plant that could one day tap into the endless energy beneath our feet." Explained Zhukov, his lips slowly transforming into a wide yellow-toothed grin. Ellie's widened at this revelation. She never once considered that Zhukov always intended on settling in Yellowstone National Park, but here he was telling her the truth. Blue was about to say something, but Zhukov raised a leathery hand and shook his head.

"America's dream was to one day make it to the moon not because it was easy, but because it was hard. I respect America; the truth is the only reason why we agreed to peace in forty-four was our shared values. The Communal Council believes it will take a thousand years before the Yellowstone Geothermal Plant goes fully operational. I believe it will only take a hundred years, until then this city, our neighboring comrades in Grant, and every fucking cunt in the Jackson Republic uses the coal we get for their guns! Blue, I know you and Ellie are hiding something… where were you yesterday?" Said Zhukov, his very eyes analyzing Ellie and Blue like they were lab specimens. Ellie's smile disappeared and she began to tap her left foot under Zhukov's gaze.

"I was with you." Replied Blue his sapphire eyes revealing nothing but stoic indifference.

"Don't play stupid with me boy! I nearly had to beat the truth out of Danila and Bear this morning! You fled Lake Village with our O'Leary friends." Said Zhukov, his yellow-toothed grin disappeared, replaced with a disgusting frown.

"The O'Leary Gang and the Gunners aren't our friends!" Countered Blue, Ellie raised a nervous eyebrow as she watched Blue rise out of his seat. Blue and Zhukov gazed at each other's eyes in a duel over dominance. "I was with them yesterday, Omar Nabi leader of the Gunners thought Jackson may one day join the Neo-Fireflies alliance against Fedra. Poor bastard never realized you only cared about business."

"When the USSR fell, Russia was a mess. Criminal groups like the Bratva ran rampant in the Nineties, poverty, NATO, and crony capitalist pigs ruined my country. Fuck the United States, fuck Fedra, fuck the O'Leary's, Gunners, and any Firefly bastard. I want to know the truth! Did you really help the Fireflies? Did you help them steal our coal?" Accused Zhukov, his voice echoed off the walls so loudly Ellie thought the old Soviet general would blow the hotel down like the wolf in the Three Little Pigs.

"It's complicated, I only joined them to see what they were up to, but I gained insight into the Fireflies' next moves. They plan on attacking North Antelope Rochelle in Wyoming. It's the largest coal mine in the world, it belongs to Fedra, and they hope the Jackson Republic does something stupid to drag itself into their senseless war. I know you Zhukov, you care about your people, you care about us, but let's think rationally. The Fireflies are our enemies just as much as Fedra. How are we going to stay neutral if were trading with both Fedra and the Fireflies? Yesterday the Fireflies engaged in a shootout against Fedra transporting their coal on the Yellowstone River. The war is here, right now, and you have the power to do something!" Explained Blue.

"I agree with Blue, the Fireflies shouldn't be here, and us trading with Fedra is no better. I don't want another war, Zhukov, you shouldn't punish Blue for the missing coal. He helped to bring justice last night against the very people who stole the coal," said Ellie, her words bringing a smile to Zhukov's face.

"You're an interesting pair. Hmm…" Said Zhukov while rubbing his beard again. "You both have a lot to answer for, but you both did find the downed Fedra plane. I plan on sending an entire platoon of eighty heavily armed soldiers to search for it. Until then, you both are my guests of honor tonight."

"Really?" Blurted out Ellie, surprised he was letting them off the hook. Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment at Blue and Zhukov's raised eyebrows.

"Danila and Bear sang the same tune. I believe our enemies are growing in number, they're listening to our radio communications, and Jackson needs to know about everything that is going on," said Zhukov with a half-smile. Ellie's foot stopped tapping on the floor and her mouth opened, but no words came out. "You both impress me. I believe you both are the future of our growing Republic. Yesterday, Blue gave me the location for flight 434. We agreed on the terms you both could restock on ammunition, you have access to two brand new guns, and brand-new cowboy boots. BEAR!" Ellie glanced at Blue, he nervously chuckled under her hardened gaze.

The door to the overseer's office opened. Bear walked inside his long straight black hair unmoving. With an unwavering salute, Bear stood still directly behind Ellie, waiting for Zhukov's command. Ellie felt like the weight of a mountain had just been lifted off her shoulders. "Before Bear takes you two away. My men plan on packing all your supplies on two dogsleds that are to leave Lake Village at dawn. You both are ordered to deliver a special letter directly to the Communal Council before Thanksgiving. It will be backed in the same saddle bags you delivered your letters in. Grab some guns, fill your bellies with beer, and enjoy Lake Village. You're both dismissed."

TuTxTuTxTuT

Bear led Ellie and Blue to the gun factory in Lake Village. Cartridge fillers slammed hard into 7.62x39 cartridges, which passed along a small conveyor belt into a large wooden box. There was a dozen other such machines slamming into empty cartridges of different shapes and sizes. Bear explained that it took years trading, transporting the machines parts from Mormon traders in Minnesota. However, the machines themselves were built by Chinese and Russian engineers stood over their party from the upper levels of the factory. The engineers were writing down numbers on clipboards too busy watching their hard work pay off. Ellie and Blue walked out of the bullet manufacturing room to a supply depot room.

"Holy fucking shit! You guys are fucking geniuses! You have everything I always dreamed of!" Screamed Ellie in complete joyous amazement. She bounced up and down off the new wooden floors of the storage room.

There were dozens of crates stacked on top of each other all around the supply room. If there was such a thing as a real modern day 2046 weapons factory. The results were before Ellie's eyes, there were guns of all shapes and sizes, long rectangular crates packed tightly together. One of the opened rectangular crates had brand new AKM's resting on top of dead soft grains. There were Marlin 1894 lever action rifles chambered at .44 caliber and .30-.30, FAL 50.61 and Mosin-Nagant 1891 battlefield rifles chambered at 7.62x51 NATO rounds, Makarov pistols, and Vityaz SMGs chambered at 9mm, refurbished AR-15s, and even several mortars made of simple metal tube platforms. Those were just a few weapons Ellie recognized off the top of her head, but there were so many more. Most looked to be found guns that were in the process of being repaired.

"Amazing isn't it? We have exceeded our Kalashnikov goal of one thousand AK-47s and five hundred AKMs. Our republic will soon have a standardized caliber of 7.62x39mm, but for now, have been focusing on other types of ammunition!" Exclaimed Bear, his right-hand hovering over dozens of stacked crates filled with bullets. "You both are allowed to grab as much ammunition as you desire."

They did just that. Blue was given a red chestnut stocked AKM with an automatic receiver. He was given four spare banana-shaped magazines along with eight cigarette cartons filled with 7.62x39 ammunition. Ellie grabbed one hundred rounds of .308 and 9mm ammunition. Ellie stared at a Winchester Model 70 at the corner of a wall full of sniper rifles. Picking up the rifle, she wiped off a layer of dust and smiled. It was the same gun Joel used thirteen years ago when they first set off from Boston. She thought about it long and hard but settled for a Springfield M1A chambered at .308 caliber ammunition. She grabbed two spare magazines, with each magazine having a capacity of ten rounds. Ellie ended up grabbing a Vityaz SMG along with a Makarov pistol to replace the one she lost by Colter's Hell.

Was she acting like a child on Christmas morning? Maybe, but no matter how long she shopped for ammunition and guns the more she wanted everything. Sadly, she had to give up her old Remington 700 which served her for almost a decade in exchange for her new Springfield M1A. Blue begrudgingly agreed to receive an AKM instead of an AK-47 after Bear explained it could hold more ammunition, had a better automatic receiver, and was more accurate while having the sturdiness of an AK-47. Blue ended up exchanging his 1879 Winchester lever action for a Marlin 1894 lever action rifle chambered at .44 magnum. He even exchanged his Mini-14 for both new rifles. After getting her hands on 200 9mm bullets, 120 .308mm bullets, while Blue hauled 150 .44 magnum bullets, 100 refilled .357 bullets, 100 12 Gauge slugs, and 360 7.62x33 bullets. They were about to leave to go shop at Red Square only for Bear to block the exit.

"Here, Blue take this," urged Bear, he gave Blue a Makarov pistol with two spare magazines filled with 9mm bullets. Bear then handed Ellie a small box containing five homemade grenades. "You both should take these. Can't be too safe out there. The horde might have gone around the Republic, but I fear there will be more hordes in the coming days."

"Thank you!" Said Blue, he hugged his native American friend who froze up.

Bear's shocked brown eyes turned warm, and the much larger man returned the hug. Ellie followed up by giving Bear a hug herself. Bear started blushing, which didn't go unnoticed by Blue, but the cowboy simply smiled at the Indian. Ellie released her arms, causing Bear to say, "Thank you both. Danila is packing and later tonight so am I."

"Where are you guys going?" Asked Ellie. They started heading back to the Lake Village Hotel strapped like Fedra officers.

"Jackson, we'll meet again soon. The Thanksgiving Festival is a week away, Zhukov wants to go, and I'm to be his bodyguard. Luckily the roads are clear of infected!" Answered Bear while opening the door to the frosty outside world.

"Let's hope it stays that way." Said Ellie.

"If not, at least we have some firepower now, Eighty." Said Blue.

"Follow me, I'm to show you your room." Answered Bear leading them to the Lake Village Hotel.

"Room?" Questioned Blue.

"As in just one room. Don't worry, there's two beds. We used to house the delivery riders in separate rooms, but with so many people moving into Lake Village its more practical to house people in one room." Explained Bear.

Bear turned out to be right. Ellie and Blue briefly looked into each other's eyes when Bear left them in room 247 at the Lake Village Hotel. Ellie bit her lip to keep from blushing, it was the same awkward stare they shared back at the South Entrance. Blue settled his brand-new firearms against the wall and Ellie followed suit. It didn't take long to finish packing. Their dogsleds were being housed in the kennels by Red Square, and Ellie made sure to grab the Fedra flight mission dossier and flight manifest she kept in her saddle bag. Ellie hadn't thought about the documents until now. Ellie made sure no one was looking and stuffed the documents into her sports bra. Making her way back to her room she wasn't the least bit surprised to find Blue missing.

Ellie wondered where he could have gone. She took out the Fedra documents from her bra and read the reports over again. She noticed a page in the back of the flight manifest. This page was new to her very eyes, and it made Ellie wonder just what Fedra was planning.

Classified

Project Prometheus: 155mm Artillery Shells have been prepared for weapons testing in (Redacted) and (Redacted). Testing has proven that Dimitri Peskova's theories concerning C.B.I eradication are (Redacted). Yayoi Tenshin, Thomas Ford, Chiharu Ishii, and Harumi Kitano descendants of (Redacted) have studied chemical engineering and physics at Fedra run schools their entire lives. Dimitri Peskova believes that a key ingredient for the new weapon is a combination of Sulfur and Uranium-234 to get a chemical (Redacted). Toxic levels of 90% sulfur have taken the place of cell membranes in Ophiocordyceps in every failed experiment.

This form has been Redacted by the CDC, the leader of the Federal Disaster Response Agency, Attorney General Jefferson Green. Any unauthorized access to this document will be tried for Sedition and Treason under the 2034 Firefly Eradication Act.

Ellie rolled her eyes. While the document seemed intriguing, the careless censorship ruined whatever good reading she could have gotten from it. Stuffing her documents back inside her bra, Ellie pondered for a minute, she then walked over to her desk and turned on the radio.

(Red Sun In The Sky by Mao Ze)

Ellie flopped onto her back on the bed closest to their room's balcony. Ellie gazed to the outside world, the red sun in the sky was settling over Wyoming. While she felt relieved that Zhukov didn't plan on killing or torturing her or Blue. With the Fireflies back and more people knowing her secret. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out. As much as she wanted to curl up underneath the warm comforters, there was no comfort to be found. There was no worse feeling in the world than loneliness.

No one knew that feeling more than Ellie. She didn't know why she felt this way at times, but here in the middle of Lake Village, alone in her hotel room, and completely overcome by fate. All Ellie wanted more in this very moment was Joel. To hug the old Texan, kiss his grizzly cheeks, and tell him she was sorry. Would he accept her forgiveness? Every hateful day and month leading up to Joel's death felt like poisoned memories. Angulimala often preached at the corners of the Jackson city square about remembering the past so there can be a future. Ellie may have lost her job as a teacher, but she hoped she wouldn't forget Joel.

Ellie was taken out of these thoughts by the stinging pain in her left hand. The knub where her pinkie used to be had a small paper cut from handling all the boxes of ammunition from earlier. Releasing a weary sigh, blowing a strand of hair, and rubbing her mutilation one last time. Ellie got up and turned off the radio.

(End of Song)

When Abby bit off her fingers all those years ago. Ellie's last connection with Joel was severed. The old Texan taught her everything there was to know about playing the guitar. Losing her ability to play was torture enough, but to be reminded of it every waking second was absolute Hell. While she sang every now and then in the shower or led the off-tune Jackson Elementary choir at the yearly Thanksgiving and Christmas festivals. Singing just didn't compare to the guitar.

The doors to room 247 opened in a loud squeak. Ellie jumped off her bed and rushed to the Blue, he was carrying a guitar case strapped to his back and two plastic bags filled to the brim with various foods. Red came through the doorway, the dog's tail wagging in the air. Blue heaved his guitar case against the wall and smiled when Ellie helped grab the bags of food. Red jumped and woofed in excitement, causing Blue to say, "Calm down boy!"

"Where did you wonder off to this time? Was about to go on another search." Said Ellie meekly and spent. Blue shot his friend a worried glance before throwing Red a dog biscuit.

"Took a little while, was grabbing us dinner. When I spotted this here Gee-tar!" Said Blue proudly, he felt Ellie's tired eyes on his back when he flopped over to his guitar case.

"Har-Har-Har!" Said Ellie while making air quotations with her fingers. "I'm just happy you're back. I worry about you."

"I worry more about you, Ellie. The Fireflies are after you, Fedra wants us dead, and we barely dodged a bullet earlier with Zhukov. You're a tougher girl than most." Said Blue causing Ellie's rosy cheeks to flare up.

"Tsk, Blue, stop worrying about me! I'm not some chicken-shit fucktard!" Said Ellie, she had her hands on her hips and her lips formed an annoyed pout.

Blue threw off his Poncho, his red thermal North Face jacket, and his sweaters. Ellie's eyes were glued to Blue's body as he stripped down to his Under Armour shirt and Jeans. Blue took off his brand-new brown leather homemade cowboy boots and socks, before flopping onto his bed on his back. Blue met Ellie's gaze and said, "You a chicken-shit fucktard? This is coming from the girl who wanted to explore a crashed Fedra plane! Most wouldn't have bothered picking me up last night or saving my life."

"I did that even after you tried killing me." Ellie jumped onto Blue's bed right next to him. Ellie's right hand entwined with Blue's left, their feet on the ground next to each other's, and their laughter echoing against the walls. They laughed for almost a minute straight, up until Blue started yacking. His face turned dark purple, Ellie placed her hands on his shoulders and shook her head. "Still sick?"

Blue pulled himself up from the bed still coughing. He walked over Red, his body hovered over the plastic bags until he thrust out his arms and said, "I'm fine, the medicines been working wonders. I sometimes still cough, but I think that's part of getting healthy again. Ellie, I've been feeling awful these past few days."

"What's wrong?"

"I need a drink is all… but I'm still under doctors' orders."

"Glad you're following orders, but if you're in so much pain. You need to drink, even if Dina says you're going to die." Ellie pushed herself from the bed and walked over to her backpack. She tried searching for the bottle of Colter moonshine, only to realize she had already used the entire bottle trying to save Blue's life. "Sorry… we're all outta booze. Is the market still open?"

"Forget about it," said Blue, he bit his cheek drawing blood causing him to feel some relief from the pain. "I made a joint… ugh, and I bought us some food. They're selling pastries, pork dumplings, buffalo stir-fry, and I got us some snacks for the journey home."

"You made a joint? Perfect, we can eat dinner later," said Ellie, she gave her friend a slight hug more out of worry than out of comfort. "Red'll be fine, I haven't explored Lake Village much, and we could both use a drink. We should make the most of our last night in Yellowstone. Just you and me!"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Blue's eyes sparkled like the waters of Yellowstone Lake in the early morning. Ellie felt his chest heaving up and down more rapidly in tune with his heartbeat. It may have been a simple question that had a simple yes or no answer, but Ellie couldn't think of the right answer. Ellie should have known he'd be so blunt, she stood their hugging her friend, feeling like a fool. "What do you want it to be?"

Blue looked down at his scattered clothes, their steaming food, and his excited dog. Red wagged his tail high in the air and released a whine. Blue disentangled his arms from around Ellie's back and shrugged his shoulders. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and with a wink of his left eye, he said, "A date. I bet you all my weed, you won't last the night."

"A pound of weed and having to put up with you for an entire night. We've been together for almost a week now Blue; you don't have to bribe me to go away." Blue's warm breath and saliva lingered over her lips like a dense sulfuric gas. Ellie didn't want it to go away, her throat ached, and her heart felt heavy.

"Ellie," said Blue, noticing his friends' discomfort. "I shouldn't have said it like that… I want us to be together. This is our last night in Yellowstone, and I wouldn't wanna spend it with anyone else."

"I forgive you, I ugh, I guess… it's a date," said Ellie, with cheeks so flushed her freckles disappeared.

TuTxTuTxTuT

It had been three long years since Ellie's last relationship. After Ellie's failed marriage with Dina, the only woman in Jackson to catch her interest was Cheyenne Kimball. She was a former soldier of the largest and most organized religious group in the wastelands, the Banner of Heaven. The Banner of Heaven was in Ellie's eyes a harmless group of armed Mormons who traded peacefully with everyone who was willing to trade. Cheyenne didn't hate her religious upbringing, but she sure as hell left Mormonism to settle in Jackson when she grew of age. Cheyenne wasn't into men, she was a lesbian, and Ellie didn't mind her company. They both briefly discussed marriage back in 2043. Like all people that came into her life, Cheyenne died during the War of 43'. Ellie took up her job as a teacher in 2044, leaving little time for dating, not that Ellie wanted to be with anyone, until now. Here she was holding hands with a man instead of a woman.

Ellie and Blue were holding hands as they made their way through Red Square. Her right hand squeezed Blue's left hand tighter as they passed by various merchant stands still peddling food, guns, and everything Ellie could think of. The blood-red sun was settling below the horizon, the shouts and commotion from the citizens of Yellowstone became quieter, and the snow on the paved square became harder. Dressed in her parka, Ellie followed Blue's pull, he half dragged her across the square shouting, "Izvineetye! (Excuse Me!)"

"Ne bespokoysya! (No Worries!)." Shouted back the few people Blue and Ellie bumped into. There was a small crowd of people outside Sputnik smoking cigarettes and drinking spirits. Another crowd had formed by a tall Korean man who was shouting in Russian.

"Podoydi pryamo! Luchshaya vodka v Yyelloustone pryamo zdes'! (Come right up! The best vodka in Yellowstone, right here!)" Screamed the Korean man on top of a wooden platform. He had several workers below bartering in Russian. There was an entire half-stocked display of clear glass vodka distilled in recycled Smirnoff bottles and they even had mulled wine. Ellie and Blue looked at each other before turning back to the vodka salesman.

"You bought us dinner, I'll buy us a bottle of vodka… better make that two," offered Ellie, her emerald eyes glistening in concern for her friend and date. Blue couldn't see her dim eyes in the darkening city at the center of Yellowstone National Park.

"Grrrah, Ellie, you don't really have to," said Blue as he clutched his lower abdomen with both hands hovering over his liver. Ellie gazed in worry and astonishment at Blue's pain-stricken form, he twitched and quivered as if his bones were vibrating. "It's about time I quit drinking! AGH!"

"Not if you're going to die in the process, you thick-thick-THICK-headed cowboy!" Countered Ellie, she grabbed her date's left hand and brought him to the vodka salesman.

"I want two bottles of vodka and a bottle of mulled wine!" Shouted Ellie getting the attention of the Korean salesman. The man was dressed in heavy fur clothes and a torn beanie that had a red star stitched at the top.

"Chung-Khi, Kon, eti tupyye amerikantsy khotyat vypivki! (Chung-Hee, Kyong, these dumb Americans want some booze!)" Shouted the Korean salesman back to his employees.

Blue stopped grasping his chest in pain, his ears picked up what they said, he knew these salesmen were going to rip them off. Ellie stood back as she watched Blue approach the salesman. She couldn't decipher what they were saying in their five-minute bartering match. If Ellie had known Blue was so fluent in Russian, she would have made him speak to those Colter Brewery House Guards days back. Blue drew Ellie closer to his left shoulder, he gestured with his right hand, his palm extended to her face, Blue said in clear English, "Khorosho, Khorosho, Khorosho! (Good, good, good!) That's it? Deal!"

"I feel like I just got robbed!" Cried the merchant handing two bottles of vodka and a bottle of mulled wine to the pair of Jacksonites. Blue paid the man with two 12-gauge slugs and one gram of cannabis.

They giggled as they walked away from the traders in Red Square. They placed one of the bottles of vodka and mulled wine with their supplies at the kennel. The night was still young, they walked around the Yellowstone Hotels web of interconnected buildings passing their bottle of vodka back and forth. Blue was always a heavy drinker, maybe one of the heaviest drinkers in the world. Vodka slipped from his mouth in a light gulp causing him to cough his guts out right outside the hotel entrance. Ellie rushed to his fallen form, his butt was in the snow, and he looked up at her with pitiful, painful eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm a fucking disgrace of a man!"

Several drunks passing by laughed and pointed their fingers at Blue. Ellie pulled her friend back onto his feet, she then brushed off the snow from his butt and said, "Far from it. Come on Blue, let's not make a scene."

"You're right, I'm sorry for being like this. You still wanna do this date thing?"

Ellie raised a scarred eyebrow; she sighed a foggy stream of cold air, then said, "why not? I trust you, even if my uncle hates you. Blue, don't be ashamed, I'm the last woman on this planet who should judge anyone, especially you of all people. Let's find a good spot to smoke, then have dinner and relax."

TuTxTuT

Finding a good spot to smoke took a little longer than they expected. Ellie and Blue strolled inside the hotel past the saunas, up the fire escape, down winding hallways, and refurbished ballrooms. Until they eventually made their way onto the rooftop of the hotel. There were two dozen wooden lounge chairs covered in the snow, yet there was no one around. Blue brushed snow off one lounge chair, then plopped down, he gestured with his hand and said, "Wanna star gaze?" Ellie surprised him once again by cuddling on top of his body like they did on Dina's sofa early in the morning.

"You know I always dreamed that one day I'd go up there," said Ellie, her gloved finger high in the air pointing to the waning moon above. The moon was still massive and almost all the stars around it were blocked out by its bright milky white rays. There were still thousands of stars in the sky and Ellie made sure to point them out, while Blue pulled out their joint. "There's Ursa Major, you can barely see Ursa Minor, that super bright star in the sky isn't a star. It's just Jupiter playing tricks on us."

"When I was very little, I got to go to Space City."

"Space City?" Asked Ellie, she watched Blue take out a homemade lighter that was made from a used .50 caliber shell casing. Orange light glowed as he lit the joint and coughed, "damn this is some good shit! Space City is in Houston. Was once NASA's mission control headquarters."

"Houston, we have a problem!" Said Ellie, recalling Apollo 13 at the Jackson Movie Theater. She watched that movie over a dozen times with Joel. "What is Texas like? My dad used to live in Austin before the outbreak."

"Hot, humid, flat, but very rocky. There is oil, steel, and civilization restarting in Texas and Mexico. The more it snows, the more I miss Texas. It may sound weird cause Texas is so big, but if you were there, you'd either love it or hate it." Blue passed Ellie the joint and she took several puffs until her vision became infused with purple and light pink. Ellie released a few coughs and passed the joint back to Blue.

"I bet it's a vibe down there. I've always wanted to go down south, see where Joel and Tommy grew up, and just get away from the cold."

"Ellie, after our encounters with Fedra and the Fireflies, you still think the Jackson Republic is safe?" Said Blue, settling his chin on her left shoulder and wrapping his right arm around her body. His right hand rested on her thigh while his left held their joint. Ellie didn't feel his body vibrating or twitching anymore, meaning his alcohol withdrawals were subsiding.

"Blue, when we get back to Jackson, we're going to have to meet the Communal Council. We're going to have to give them Zhukov's letter and explain everything that happened," said Ellie, her voice becoming gruff and quiet almost as if she was on the verge of tears. Blue snuffed out their joint, threw it in the snow, and started cuddling harder against her body.

"We lied to the Communal Council before, we can lie again. No one must know about your condition. I'll make sure of that!" Interrupted Blue, he felt Ellie twist her body on top of his body until she was looking down at him.

"They're going to ask us everything. The last time I faced them, they grilled me for three hours, calling me names, making me feel worthless, and then firing me! No matter what happens, people are going to look at us differently. People already think we've had sex…" Ellie paused. She didn't know how to explain this to Blue, but she had to try. "I'm scared… scared that eventually, everyone is going to find out about me and what I am. I didn't ask to be immune, but I am. Until now, every night I had the same nightmare. I dreamed that the sky would rain blood, the ground will be covered in bones, and I'd be the last one left."

"Ellie… what changed?" Asked Blue, he rubbed her artic cold cheek. Ellie shifted in his warm embrace, but Blue wasn't intending to let her go. Here she was revealing her pain, fears, and doubts.

"You."

No more words had to be said. Ellie wrapped her hands around Blue's neck. He instinctively placed a hand on her ass. They pressed their lips together, their noses rubbing each other's, and eyes closed. Ellie didn't give a damn! She only kissed her date harder; she pressed her tongue against Blue's teeth causing him to moan. He finally got the picture and allowed her entry. Their tongues wrestled in a vicious battle over dominance. Ellie didn't care who won, she only wanted this moment to last forever. Blue ran his hands up and down Ellie's back and she did the same with his chest. They were still wearing their heavy winter clothes but that was also part of the fun. Neither wanted the other to disengage as they were warming up in the arctic cold, together just the two of them.

Ellie felt something hard and thick press against her thighs. They had been making out for a good fifteen minutes, their sense of time slipping away at the moment. Ellie felt her pussy moisten at the vile and wicked thought. Blue was tasting her oral cavity and rubbing his tongue against hers. He had already won the tongue battle. Their moans echoed across the rooftop terrace, but Ellie felt cold. She pulled her mouth away from Blue's. Saliva coated her date's lips causing her to smile.

"I'm hungry, are you hungry?" Said Ellie, her three-fingered left hand on Blue's cheek and her five-fingered hand still rubbing up and down his chest.

"Very, let's go back to our room and make sure Red's alright. Then we're going to feast!"

They were both so hungry that they made it back to their room in what felt like ages but was only a minute. Ellie half stumbled over Blue, the weed was kicking her ass, her stomach rumbled, and her vision became hazier. Blue felt the same. They were greeted by a worried Red who barked at his master and mistress happily. Ellie started petting the adorable beast. Red seemed to calm down to her touch, allowing Blue to toss his hound another dog biscuit. They then spent the next half hour eating, drinking, and laughing obnoxiously.

Ellie awoke in the middle of the night, unsure as to when they passed out. They didn't have sex or experiment past groping each other's bodies. Ellie spent many minutes feeling the outline of Blue's cock through his underwear. Blue was a little bolder and made her orgasm into his shoulders when he groped, kneaded, and eventually licked the sweat from her tits. He licked and bit around her light pink areoles, Ellie screamed when Blue focused on her red nipples, causing her to shout, "Yes, yes, baby, yes!" The memory made Ellie wrap her arms tighter around her date's hard, scarred, and slightly sweaty chest. Her C cup porcelain breasts rubbed against Blue's back, and she sighed contently.

"Don't go." Whispered Ellie. She wasn't religious, but she hoped God, or something would answer her prayers just this once. Back in Boston, she had lost Sergeant Howl, Riley, and even Tess. Since then, the list grew longer. Marlene, Sam, Henry, Joel, Jesse, and Cheyenne, were just the names Ellie could recall at the top of her mind. Ellie had lost most of her classmates from Hunter raids and Marauder attacks. She drifted back to bed hoping this entire journey wasn't a dream, it felt like one, from the very beginning until now. Ellie could only pray that Blue would never go away, causing her to hold him tighter.

Old Faithful

Ellie made sure to wake Blue up at 5 am. They departed Lake Village by means of dogsled not long after. Instead of going south, they went West. When Ellie was a little girl, she always dreamed of one day going into space. When she left Boston at 13 and journeyed with Joel across the wastelands of North America. She begged the old Texan from Iowa to Wyoming to stop by various landmarks along the way, yet Joel had none of it. There were always infected near tourist destinations and densely packed cities. Regardless of Joel keeping them safe, they encountered infected roaming the wastelands of United States, from Pittsburg to Cody. Joel long ago warned her of his passing, while they went through the remnants of Cody, Wyoming.

"Never give into your fear, never give into your pain, and just remember. One day we'll go our separate way, and you'll have to find your own way in this fucked up world. Ellie, when we find Tommy and then the Fireflies, I just want you to know, you have a greater purpose than… just being a cure." Ellie walked hand in hand with Blue to Wyoming's most famous natural monument. Joel's words echoed through her head with every step. The snowy ground looked like it was moving. Large plumes of white smoke escaped from the top of the cone geyser. There were zero signs of infected around Old Faithful, a reoccurring theme throughout their Yellowstone adventure.

Red jumped past Ellie and Blue, his maroon furred tail high in the air wagging side to side. This caused Ellie to laugh and say, "I'm happy I'm not the only excited to see Old Faithful!" Red barked in agreement.

"I'm happy to see it too!"

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter! You were complaining when I woke you up this morning, and you complained about how that'll add twenty more miles on our journey home," said Ellie, slightly agitated by Blue's antics yet again.

(The Best Is Yet to Come by Aoife Ni Fhearraigh)

The smokestacks emanating from Old Faithful grew bigger. The ground shook more rapidly, even Red stopped barking and prancing around. All six eyes stood still, watching the inevitable eruption.

BOOM!

A great white plume of boiling water flew over one hundred feet into the air. Water gushed out from the top of the geyser like the world's most powerful water gun. White smoke drifted around Old Faithful as the erupting geyser seemed to only release more and more water. The water sprout grew as high as one-hundred and twenty feet high. It reached above every tree surrounding it. Ellie and Blue held each other's hands their eyes glued to the spectacle before their eyes. Old Faithful continued to erupt for several minutes until the water sprout slowly abated.

Ellie's mouth was wide open in complete amazement, she turned her face to Blue's and was happy to see he was just as amazed. They kissed one final time. It was a long-drawn-out passionate kiss, no words had to be spoken. Ellie drew her lips away from Blue's, her eyes watery, and her lips quivering. Blue noticed Ellie seemed upset, he said softly, "Did I upset you?"

"No, it is just… I'm going to miss Yellowstone and… I'm going to miss us being together here in the wastelands," explained Ellie, her voice growing weaker. "Blue, people in Jackson haven't ever approved of my past relationships and I doubt people are going to approve of us being together, especially the Communal Council and my uncle!"

"Ellie, if we need to hide being together, then we can. Before I met you, I had trouble remembering the little things that made me happy and sad. I'm tired of fighting the wind, I want to become sober, and a better man. If you still want me in your life or want to forget about me… I understand." Said Blue, his eyes sparkled full of life and concern. Ellie hugged her best friend; no, they were already past being friends, they were something more.

"We've kept so many secrets from the world… we can keep one more," said Ellie before pecking Blue lightly on the lips. "Blue, I want you in my life. I just want to know why you are so hopeful about everything?"

"We shouldn't worry about the future. The best has yet to come!" They both smiled and headed back to their dogsleds.

TuTxTuT (Cody, Wyoming) TuTxTuT

Kyle stood in the darkness of his room. He and Mohammed were both placed in charge of leading the survivors of the Mud Volcano Massacre to Gillette. Kyle held his Fedra phone in his palms, unsure if he wanted to make the call, but he had to. Luckily, Connor O'Leary picked up the phone.

"We buried him with full honors. Mohammed is still upset, but he'll live." Said Kyle into his phone.

"You have a new order! I'm bringing four hundred riders to Wyoming, and I need someone to secure Alpine, Wyoming. There's been a lot of snowfall between Idaho and Wyoming, but we should arrive in two weeks or less." Crackled Connor O'Leary from the other end of the phone. Kyle shifted in his cold dark room, drawn into his boss' voice.

"Alpine, Wyoming? But sir, Abby told us to meet her near Gillette?" Replied Kyle.

"I'm coming to clean up Abby's mess. The Jackson Republic is going to pay tenfold for what they did to Omar Nabi! Just keep calm and remember. When you are lost in the darkness, look for the light!" Kyle stood silent in his rundown hotel room. He wasn't sure how he was going to break the news, but he had to.

TuTxTuT (Lake Village) TuTxTuT

Danila was with Bear, both men were watching the rising sun go over the mountains in the east. Danila already missed the Jacksonites. He finished preparing his grey Appalachian horse full of supplies. Bear kept staring at Danila's back. Danila continued to ignore his best friend. He knew Bear wasn't happy about the news.

"You really plan on leaving?"

"Bear, I'm not leaving the Republic. I'm coming back, you're my best friend in Lake Village. I can't turn my back on Zhukov, Blue, and our people." Danila slumped his head into his horse's saddle. To say he was annoyed at Bear would have been an understatement.

"Zhukov says you are going through a quarter-life crisis. Why now? With everything going on in the coming weeks, why leave?" Questioned Bear, his hulking body towering over Danila's.

"Because there's more to life than standing around on an active volcano. I traveled across Asia, and I crossed the Pacific Ocean to search for this American Dream."

"It's the apocalypse, there is no American Dream left! Why search for something that's never existed? My people never experienced this dream, it's a fantasy!" Screamed Bear, hoping Danila would be reasonable.

"Because I'm in America!" Bear left Danila's presence with a flick of his wrist.

Jackson-Hole, Wyoming

November 17th, 2046

The waning moon acted as a light source for Ellie and Blue. It was close to midnight, and they had been traveling nonstop for the past couple of days. Ellie made sure they only stopped to take a shit and eat. Their horses slowly trotted towards the humming gates of the Squatters Quarter. The bright lights of Jackson-Hole, Wyoming a beacon of the power and greatness of the Jackson Republic. Red tagged behind their horses, his paws covered in socks, and his tongue out exhausted.

As they approached the outer walls of Jackson the nightguards at the parapets didn't even question them. Ellie and Blue trotted their horses over to the Ranch House Inn. They were both so exhausted they decided to unpack all their new gear, old supplies, and their one remaining tent. Ellie smiled as she picked up the one remaining tent. She'd miss sleeping beside Blue, who never once made her feel uncomfortable. It took a good ten minutes to fully unpack and transport all their supplies to the third floor of the Inn to their rooms. Blue had his right hand on the doorknob to his door ready to call it a night only to feel light tapping on his right shoulder. He wasn't surprised to find Ellie looking up at him with an odd look in her eyes.

"Is something wrong, Eighty?"

"No, nothing's wrong at all Blue. I just wanted to say uh, you ah, you did well with the delivery job," said Ellie, she shifted her balance awkwardly from one heel to the other. She had slept beside Blue, she had seen him naked, and most wonderfully she got to know him. With all those memories at the front of her mind, she didn't know how to ask him to spend one more night together.

"We did well on the delivery job. You were with me every step of the way. Do you wanna come in?" Offered Blue, opening his door to a happy Red.

"Bring Red and come to my room. Not to be mean, but your home's dirty." They both laughed on the balcony of their home.

(End of Song)

Unknown to either of them. A tall man watched them from across the street. He had two large scars that went up from his lips to his ears. Ellie and Blue were so exhausted, they didn't notice the man was making mental notes of their room numbers, their appearances, and the weapons they had in their possession. He was dressed in heavy dark black clothes, a dark black scarf around his neck, and had dozens of arrows inside of a quiver on his back. All Lev could think was how beautiful Ellie still was since he last saw her in Seattle.

He left in the shadows to find refuge in one of the squatter camps inside of Jackson. Lev smiled and said to himself, "Jackson sure is an interesting place. Just how Abby described it."