IV - Exterminated

The sunlight glowed through the clouds, making the entire city seem gray. Inside the cell, the lights in the ceiling signaled the daytime hours to Luna and Dr. White. Two empty plates were stacked on top of each other, along with two forks. Luna sipped on her cup of water and sighed, before Dr. White tapped her.

"Hey," he whispered. "I think it's my turn to ask questions."

"Shoot 'em," said Luna.

"Why do you want me alive? A stupid question, maybe, given your compassion, but why me?"

"You're the best hope humanity has for a cure. I mean… you and Lisa already came up with a prototype."

"That's worth sacrificing yourself for me? That monster holding us here… you already know what he wants."

"It's nothing compared to what a cure can do. You know, if you were to die… I wouldn't be able to live with myself. People really close to me- people I loved- they were taken from me by the things out there. You know about my sisters, Lola and Lucy."

"Yeah," said Dr. White. "Lori never told me how they passed."

"But you figured it out, right? Roamer saliva… why is it so strong? What's in there that took their lives? Just like with Tabby. It made her weak and suffer in her last minutes- I'm so sorry Lincoln was there to see it all."

"Did they ever turn?"

"Lola did. I wasn't there to see her act as a monster but my other siblings were there… y'know Ronnie Anne had to kill her in front of Lana? I can only imagine how horrible that must've been to her."

Luna sniffled.

"Then there was Lucy. She was never even afraid of death but that doesn't mean we had to have her taken away from us. Because there was nothing we could do to help her from becoming one of those things… she had to be… put down. By Carol."

Dr. White cleared his throat as he removed his glasses. But he couldn't say a word.

"You know, my siblings already moved on, even Lana. Not Lincoln. I could tell he hides his grief from us. Maybe he deals with it silently– I don't know. But it changed him. I know Lucy told us not to cry over her death, but Lincoln took that too literal, you know? But I find it very hard, man."

Luna placed her hands on her head and rubbed her palm over her hair.

"What if I have to put down one of my siblings one day?" whimpered Luna. "Or what if I became a roamer myself? Or if I had to be put down myself because there isn't a cure? I don't want the day to ever come. I don't want anyone else to feel loss like I did."

Dr. White sighed before Luna continued.

"I don't want to die either. I know this world is hell, but I want to grow old with my family and Sam. But you'd do anything for the cure, even if it means I have to die… not judging, by the way. If I have to die… let me die in the most useful way possible."

Dr. White held both of Luna's hands.

"I'm sorry for anything that happened to you," he said. "But you deserve to live. Don't worry about me. There's always Lisa."

"You would rather let me live and throw away any chances of a cure?"

Luna shook her head as she whispered.

"Why?"

The mesh fences to the X-Zone opened. As per Lori's orders, Antonio left the fences unlocked as he walked inside his community, his mask and clothing stained with blood. He took off his mask, revealing his bald head and goatee, as he looked around nervously.

"Everyone!" he exclaimed. "Gather 'round!"

The men and women stopped with their activities and all looked at their unmasked friend. They all began to approach him as Woodrow looked from the high school with his binoculars.

"What happened to the others?" asked one of the women.

"They… uh… they all got killed," said Antonio, "by this certain group. And uh…"

Sam looked into the scope of her rifle while she was in prone position as Jace scoped around with binoculars. Lori approached Sam and knelt down.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Seems like everything's going all good," said Sam. "They just got the shocking news that we killed their friends."

Antonio leaned close to the group before pointing at a certain building.

"They're over there," he said. "We need all of our people to attack that building, you hear?"

"Shit, we just got made," said Sam.

"Do it," said Lori as she grabbed her AK-47 rifle.

The unmasked X-Tribe members squinted at the building as Antonio insisted that the group was near.

"They're here. Tell Woodrow that a dozen or so people are hiding over there. I know you don't see anyone but I'm telling you guys, they are-"

A bullet struck his back as he yelled, falling to the ground. The men and women yelled as some of them placed their masks on. Some of those with masks pulled out their crude melee weapons and pistols out, while the others prepared to run away.

Suddenly, a hail of gunfire rained on the men and women that were gathered around Antonio. Bodies dropped like flies as more of them tried to escape. Woodrow dropped his binoculars and ran inside the high school, gone from sight.

Luna and Dr. White looked around from their cell as they heard gunfire from the distance. Then, they saw Woodrow running towards the cell.

"Come with me," said Woodrow. "We're leaving."

Luna and Dr. White stood up and looked at each other in surprise.

"Shit…" said Jace. "This is the change of plans?"

"There were no change of plans," said Becky as she moved away from the windows.

Lori, George, Becky, and Sam all removed the magazines in their guns and reached into a large backpack that Preston was carrying. He distributed magazines out to the fighters, including Vonda and Ronnie Anne, all of them putting their sources of ammo in their pockets.

"Promise me you'll be careful," said Lincoln.

"I will," said Ronnie Anne. "I'll be back before you know it, Lame-O."

Lori, George, Becky, Sam, Vonda, and Ronnie Anne dashed out of the building, leaving Jace, Preston, and Lincoln inside the building to give the group an overview of the X-Zone. The fighters ran to the mesh fences and pushed through, all sticking together as a group as they took cover behind a building.

"Got eyes on everything?" Lori spoke into her walkie-talkie.

"Yeah," Lincoln replied in his own walkie-talkie. "You got two targets on your left."

Becky, who stood leftward behind cover, aimed her rifle to her left. Right when the attackers arrived, she shot her rifle, shooting and killing the two armed attackers. She snuck into their pockets and took out their magazines and placed it inside her own pockets.

"Took care of 'em," said Becky.

"Two targets on your right," said Lincoln.

George pumped his shotgun and fired it onto the duo of attackers, hitting both of them with spraying pellets.

"Dozens of targets moving from building in the right," said Lincoln.

"Alright, let's go," said Lori.

Suddenly, Sam ran ahead, leaving the group behind as they moved to the back of a Hummer.

"Come back!" yelled Lori.

"Don't chase her," said Lincoln. "Five targets on the roof in the gray building got eyes on the Hummer. Take care of 'em."

"Dammit," muttered Lori. "Alright, you heard our overwatch. Targets on the roof!"

Gunfire continued.

Jace zoomed into his binoculars on the roof of a building and saw a teenage girl and a doctor held by their arms by a masked X-Tribe member. He stood up and tried to sneak away from the top floor of the building as Lincoln and Preston continued to watch the X-Zone.

"Where are you going?" asked Lincoln.

"I… I'm just gonna…" stammered Jace.

"You're going to look for Luna," said Preston. "Is that right?"

Jace sighed as he closed his eyes.

"Good luck," said Lincoln.

"Got a weapon?" asked Preston.

"Yeah," said Jace, Px4 in hand. "Hopefully, I won't have to use it."

Lincoln nodded before he turned on his walkie-talkie.

"Luna's on the rooftop of the building with the white pillars in front," said Jace. "So, is Dr. White."

Lincoln gasped as he grabbed the binoculars. He looked into the rooftop of the high school and found three people. He looked back at the room and found Jace gone.

Gunfire continued to rage across the X-Zone as the fighters were placed in different positions. Vonda fired her bow into one of the enemies in the rooftop, hitting and stiffening him as he fell three stories down to an abandoned military tank. Ronnie Anne found an enemy creeping out from a market, so she quickly turned her crossbow towards it and fired it, hitting the enemy's chest. As another enemy popped out from the entrance, she quickly took out her sidearm and shot at him three times, dropping him.

"Damn, how are we supposed to get to that building with all these pendejos shooting at us?" she exclaimed.

"Just keep fighting your way there!" exclaimed Lori.

Woodrow continued to walk Luna and Dr. White across the rooftop, taking them near the entrance to the last fire escape behind the school. He quickly turned around upon hearing the screeching of a metal door against concrete. He pulled out his butterfly knives and stood between Luna and Dr. White.

"A friend of her?" asked Woodrow.

Sam stared at Woodrow with her AR-15 in her hands.

"I'm the love of her life," said Sam as she aimed her rifle at the masked leader.

Woodrow quickly grabbed Luna and held one of his butterfly knives against her throat.

"You… you didn't tell me about her!" yelled Woodrow.

Luna remained silent. Woodrow then jammed his knife into Luna's left thigh, causing her to shriek in pain as he took out his other knife, holding it against her neck. Sam ran closer with an angry fire in her eyes.

"Get any closer and I'll cut her throat out!" shouted Woodrow as he grabbed his bloody knife back. "Drop your fucking gun! Do it or else!"

Sam tossed her gun to the ground as she sniffled upon seeing Luna hold one of her hands on her bleeding pants and her other hand against her neck. Woodrow cackled before screaming.

"I thought you were the one for me!" screamed Woodrow. "Instead… you've been fucking a girl without tellin' me? A girl! You damn… LESBIAN! You'll burn for this!"

"Hey!" shouted Dr. White. "Look at yourself. Why in the world would you ever think what you're doing is okay? I mean, come on!"

"I told you… the mask unleashes the monster," panted Woodrow.

"You're fucking insane," said Luna. "Why would I ever want you?"

Woodrow took a deep breath as Dr. White approached him. The doctor then shoved his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" barked Woodrow. "You got some fucking nerve."

Dr. White wiped the sweat off his forehead and gulped as he removed his glasses.

"L-Let the girl go, please," he said.

Woodrow removed his knife away from Luna's throat and walked up to Dr. White. He then looked at Sam and removed his mask. And in one quick swing, he slashed his knife across the side of the doctor's neck before thrusting his other knife into his chest, piercing his heart.

"No!" yelled Luna.

The doctor dropped his glasses before falling to his side.

Sam ran towards Woodrow as he lunged towards Luna, who dug into her pockets and took out a shard of the broken plate she tossed earlier. She stabbed Woodrow in his shoulder before he was tackled by Sam.

Sam yelled as she took out Luna's crowbar from her backpack. She swung it at Woodrow, breaking his nose as he fell to the ground. She then held it high before Woodrow tossed his knife at her ankle. As she screamed, Woodrow quickly picked himself up and sliced her right arm, causing her to drop her crowbar. He then punched the bruise on Sam's cheek as she fell down.

Luna dragged herself close to a dying Dr. White.

"Why'd you do it?" groaned Luna.

"Can't save humanity... without first saving... your own."

Dr. White coughed out blood.

"Ask Lisa… if her sacrifice was… worth it. And lastly… please... set… my… family… free…"

Dr. White stiffened as his eyes stared up. Tears flowed out of Luna's eyes as she turned tomwards her girlfriend and her captor.

Sam quickly grabbed the knife from her ankle and picked herself up. She swung it around, trying to hit Woodrow as he kept dodging the sharp blade. He then elbowed her face and picked her up before tossing her back to the concrete rooftop.

"I'm gonna toss you out like fucking garbage," said Woodrow.

He grabbed her shirt and dragged her to the edge of the rooftop. She yelled and swung her knuckle on Woodrow's groin, causing him to yell in pain. He turned her around and sat on top of her. She tried to grab his neck, but he quickly jammed his knife through Sam's left hand into the concrete surface, getting an agonizing scream out of her. He then covered the girl's mouth with his left hand.

"Wanna know how hurt I feel?" hissed Woodrow.

He placed the blade against Sam's collarbone before rubbing it up and down, carving the surface of her bone. She closed her eyes as her muffled screams came accompanied by flailing legs.

"Sam!" cried out Luna.

Tears flowed out of Luna's eyes as she held out her hand for her. Luna struggled to stand up before Woodrow tossed a knife at Luna's left shoulder. She quickly fell to her knees as Woodrow stood up.

"Hey!" a male voice shouted.

Woodrow turned around and found a teenage boy aiming a pistol at him. It was Jace. Woodrow showed his bloody palms as blood ran through his smile. He then rubbed the blood on his palms over his mouth.

"I just took down three of your friends," he snickered. "You wanna be next?"

Jace exhaled softly as he placed his finger over the trigger, aiming for the enemy in his sight, who kept taunting him.

"Look at yourself… fingers are shaking, grip's getting sweaty, you're breathing like you just ran a damn marathon. I don't think you got the damn guts to do what it takes to survive… that's why I'm going to rip out their guts… then I'm gonna–"

Jace clenched his teeth as he pulled the trigger, causing Woodrow to flinch as he placed his hands over the hole in his chest.

"Oh," he murmured.

Jace then walked closer, firing off two shots at the unmasked leader, causing him to drop to his knees with two additional holes in his chest. With partially closed eyes and teeth grit, Jace pulled the trigger once more. Woodrow let out a raspy gasp as he fell down on his back, smoke flowing out of his gunshot wounds. Jace slackened his posture and sighed before turning towards his friend.

"Oh my god, Luna, you okay?" exclaimed Jace, jogging to her.

Luna stood up and limped towards a dying Woodrow. She grabbed her crowbar and sat on Woodrow's stomach as he groaned.

"So you're still alive," Luna whispered.

Woodrow clenched his eyes as he struggled to lift his hands up.

The group members finally arrived at the rooftop as Luna lifted her crowbar up. Lori looked upon Sam and Dr. White in shock as her eyes finally saw what Luna was going to do.

Luna swung down her crowbar on Woodrow's face, before lifting it up. Then she swung down again, each swing cracking into the leader's skull. She continued bludgeoning the leader as the group approached her. With one final swing, she yelled at the top of her lungs, smushing her enemy's brains apart.

'Muddy Waters' by LP plays in her head.

Luna looked ahead in the skyline of the city. She stared at the buildings bombed by napalm before being picked up Jace.

She groaned as she wrapped her arms around Jace's shoulders.

"Thank you so much," she said.

Jace nodded as he approached Sam. He let go of Luna and grabbed Sam's hand, helping her up. Her body was filled with spots of blood and bruises everywhere. Jace took a rag from his pocket and wiped it across Sam's lips before he backed away.

"Thank you, Jace," groaned Sam.

Jace nodded as he joined the rest of the group. Sam moved her hair away as she struggled to open her bruised eyes.

"Do I still look pretty?" asked Sam.

Luna smiled as she wrapped her arms around Sam's shoulder before kissing her. She then back away slightly and looked at Sam's baby blue eyes.

"Does that answer your question?" whispered Luna.

Both girls giggled softly before closing their eyes and pressing their lips against each other's as tears dropped down their cheeks. They each tilted their heads, their arms wrapped in embrace, as their kiss caused them to ignore their pain. They continued to release each other's lip before locking them back in.

Jace smiled as he placed his pistol back into his back pocket. Lori walked over to Dr. White's corpse, hovering her hands over his eyes.

Luna released her embrace from Sam and began to let her tears fall. She turned towards Dr. White and panted as continued to hold onto Sam.

"He's… he's…" stammered Luna as she wept.

"We know..." said Lori as she picked up the doctor's cracked glasses, "...damn it. So close."

The group surrounded the doctor's corpse as the cloudy skies began to darken the city. Lori looked around the city and found roamers swarming the streets. She then knelt down, closed the doctor's eyes before grabbing his arms and lifting his upper body up. George walked to the other side and lifted his legs up as Jace and Becky helped Luna and Sam walk back to the doors that led to the stairway, with Lynn and Vonda serving as their protection. They all took careful steps as they navigated their way down and out the school. The group navigated through the cafeteria, where they found the cell that Luna and the doctor were placed at. They also found the clothes of the X-Tribe's first victim of the group, much to their shock and anger. Luna looked away, never wanting to turn her eyes back on that place ever again. They left.

-One Day Later-

The overcast clouds hovered above the capital of a nation that once stood strong. Lori looked ahead and saw the Washington Monument standing in the distance as she kept her hands on the wheels, driving Vanzilla closer and closer to the capital.

The vehicles stopped in the border of the capital, in the middle of the highway above Anacostia River. The group stepped out getting prepared to discuss how to deal with the soldiers, the politicians, the government officials that they might be expecting. But no one was able to say a word as Lori walked past them.

She saw her fiancé, Bobby, looking into his own engagement ring, and remembered how overjoyed she was when she reunited with him. The best parts about him– his humanity and compassion– have not changed.

Next to him was Ronnie Anne, looking into her crossbow, and Lori remembered her being so glad to find Lincoln in the hallways of her former elementary school. She has definitely hardened over time.

Next, she saw Clyde, looking at his bat, and remembered him being nervous to approach her in his school. His crush for her faded, though a new kind of love grew for her, one that was more familial.

She saw Sam next, who fiddled with her girlfriend's guitar pick, and remembered seeing her so excited to see Luna in Detroit. Her love for Luna only caused her to grow stronger and more bold.

She saw Benny holding his katana and remembered seeing him so excited to see Luan in Detroit. His love for Luan was only strengthened along with his loyalty to the group.

She saw Carol looking into the sky and remembered getting angry at her for her past betrayals. She was insecure, desperate, and unreliable, but became a stronger woman with the gift of nursing, though she was left without her daughter.

She saw David looking into the river, and remembered being held at gunpoint by him in front of her home. He was stubborn and courageous with leadership skills, but was left a soldier without a wife and without a best friend.

She saw Becky looking at her gun, and remembered holding her at gunpoint briefly in Ann Arbor. She was sultry with a grudge against Carol. Now, she is more hardened with a willingness to do the dirty work, though now left without her friends Dana, Tad, and Leni, and her former boyfriend, Derrick.

She saw George looking at the trees, and remembered chasing his car down in the roads of New York. He kept his code of honor in keeping prisoners alive, and though he lost his wife and daughter, now gained an adoptive daughter of his own.

She saw Preston looking at a waving flag in the capital, and remembered listening to his pleads for help in Portsmouth. He remained resourceful and kindhearted.

She saw Jeffrey holding his Bible, and remembered following him to his church. He remained religious and a beacon of hope for her.

She saw Kotaro holding his rifle, and remembered meeting him in the Units in Houlton. He was frightened and weak, though he became more confident and tough.

She saw Hana feeding her dog, and remembered seeing her on top of the platform in the Wasteland. She remained serious and aloof, though she proved her loyalty to the group.

She saw Jace holding his backpack, and remembered him flashing a smile upon returning to Houlton. He was a friendly animal lover, though he lost his friend, Leni, and his pets, Izzy and Lizzy.

Then, she saw all siblings walking away from the vehicles. Luna kissed Sam, Luan hugged Benny, Lynn lightly punched Clyde's arm, Lana tapped Jace's leg, and Lisa and Lily both grabbed Bobby's attention.

She smiled softly before finding Lincoln alone behind Vanzilla, staring into the river. Her mouth stiffened to a frown as she closed her eyes halfway. She walked over to him, placing her arms on the guardrail over the edge of the highway.

"We're finally here, aren't we?" said Lori.

"Yeah," said Lincoln. "Was it worth it? I mean, was it really worth it? Everyone changed… everyone lost their innocence."

"You know… what I did back there…"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Lori. I know. You did it to protect us. And I love you for that. But I'm talking about the others."

"By others… you also mean Lily and Lana?"

"Yeah. I mean… not that anything happened to them– they didn't do anything either! Nothing happened, I'm just talking in general–!"

"Lincoln. I know. I know Lana shot Weber."

"How'd you know?" asked Lincoln.

"I heard a gunshot from where you, Lana, and Lily came from. You guys come back with no Weber. Then, I saw how traumatized Lana seemed. I know you guys. I can tell when something is off."

Lori sighed.

"But I wasn't there for you guys enough. I tried to protect you guys from the external problems… and I never really put too much thought on the internal problems. I'm not your mother, but you, Lana, Lily, Lisa, Lynn, Luan, Luna, are all my responsibilities. I wanna be a better guardian."

Lori turned to Lincoln, who nodded. He then closed his eyes and gave Lori a tight hug. After, he released the hug and looked up at Lori, who gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll keep the thing under wraps for now," said Lori. "Gotta find the best way to talk it out with Lana without having the others antagonize her. You know… you haven't really changed. Sure, you became tough and all… but you're still the same caring, compassionate, humane brother I know. I really appreciate that. I need that."

Lincoln smiled.

"One more thing," said Lori. "When you returned Carol's gun, that reminded me of something– you don't have your own pistol. Something you can hide. You can always show off that gun you have there, but sometimes…"

Lori removed a Colt M1911 from her belt, handing it to Lincoln.

"...it's best to leave some things concealed. It may literally save your life… or someone else's life."

Lincoln grabbed the pistol and placed it in a holster of his own. He then looked back at Lori.

"Just remember," said Lori, "if D.C. seems safe, the people there seem safe, even if everything seems safe… you are never safe. Understand?"

"I do," said Lincoln. "Now what do we do?"

"Let's find our new home."

.

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End Credit Song

Through the Valley - Ashley Johnson

Hey, Mr. Potassium here. Twenty-five chapters. Wow, what a milestone! With the way things are going, I can safely say that this story is a 1/4 done! Yup, three-quarters left! It's crazy how much has changed after nearly reaching half a million words! Reading and editing Chapter 1 really showed me these changes. Not only the changes in the story, but the changes in the way I am as an author. I look forward to seeing more improvement from myself 25 chapters later.

One thing that hasn't changed is the fact that I want the best for you guys as the readers! You guys are cool! Keep on enjoying the story, leaving reviews, share your thoughts, keep on being yourselves!

Sounds too cheesy? Maybe. Doesn't make it any less true. 'Till the next time! :)