"Rise and shine!" Warren shouted cheerfully as she opened the door to Amber's room. Amber groaned as the woman opened her blinds allowing the bright sun to stream in. "Come on, get up, you are joining us for a meeting."
Amber cursed the woman out pulling her blanket over her face to block out the sun. "I'm gonna kill you. Go away..."
Warren made quick work of picking out Amber's clothes for the day, like the mother hen she was.
She picked a pair of black cargo pants, with a white tank top and throwing them onto the chair at the side of the bed.
Warren looked at the bed and chuckled before pulling the blanket off her to the ground "No more moping! Get up. Garnett is waiting for us at Bravo tent. There's some visitors wanting our help and Doc will be back soon."
Sighing Amber sat up, she loved Warren deeply but she was fully aware the woman wouldn't go away if she didnt move. She'd learnt the hard way with ice water being used to wake her... more than once.
"Get dressed and meet me there!" Warren said laughing at the girl before quickly heading out the door.
Amber grumbled under her breath and climbed out her once cosy bed. She'd get her revenge. Rubbing her eyes she pulled on the outfit Warren had laid out adding a pair of black boots with it.
Once dressed she yawned and looked in the mirror. Her hair hung in Irish curls around her face, she grabbed a bobble from the side and made quick work of tying it in a messy bun, leaving a few loose strands to complete the style. She hooked a knife into her boot and her gun into her waist band.
As she headed to leave the room she grabbed her pink faux jacket off the back of the door slamming it behind her.
Whatever reason Warren woke her up better be important. As she made her way over to the meeting she was greeted by numerous camp members. All with smiles carrying out their own delegated tasks.
As Amber slipped into the tent she received a short nod of acknowledgment from Garnett which she returned sitting down next to him, keeping quiet not to interrupt the already running meeting.
A small frown formed as she took in the two men sat opposite them. She had never seen them before. They must be new. But they didn't look right. Something was off about them.
"My orders are to take this man to a lab in California, and that what I intend to do." Hammond said grabbing Murphy by his shoulder from their seat in the tent. "Now... are you people going to help me or not?"
Ambers frown deepened and looked at the two new men. They were the reason she was woken up. She scanned over them, one was an army man the other... well she wasn't sure. She almost took him for a Z. He did not look right at all.
"Why is he so god damn important?" Garnett asked with his arms folded eyeing Murphy. Asking the exact question on her mind. In the apocalypse no one was important.
"He has information vital to the development of a vaccine for the zombie virus. And that's all I can tell you. How much more do you need to know?" Hammond asked looking around the group, his tone irritated.
Amber raised her brow at the scruffier as he looked at her. Really, this man had information to a vaccine? He looked homeless, and that was saying a lot of the apocalypse. He quickly looked away from Amber and she smirked. He was scared of them.
"Warren, Amber and I can take the pickup truck, bring you to the Tappan Zee. But you'd be on your own after that." Garnett replied. Curiosity taking the better of him.
"I'm not sure we risk the truck. Or you three." Their companion at the side said. Murphy shifted in his seat uncomfortably pulling his jacket tighter around him. Amber kept watching him carefully, as she did he looked back at her. She was certain he'd turn Z any second now.
"Maybe I haven't been clear. This is more important than your trucks. Or anyone's life. Including my own." Hammond stood up from his seat, his voice becoming slightly raised "I don't want to have to insist."
"What'd you two think?" Garnett sighed looking to the two beside him.
"I'll do what you thinks best." Warren nodded, showing her support to Garnett. The two then looked to Amber who shrugged.
"Eh, not like I've got anything better to be doing."While she didn't like the idea of leaving Camp Blue Skies for these two strangers, she'd followed her two companions in a heart beat.
"So how long has your camp been active?" Hammond asked as he sat in the back of the truck, Murphy in the middle with Amber on his other side.
"Just over two years." Garnett answered from the from of the truck. "We started small and have been building our way up."
"I have to admit it's impressive." Hammond nodded listening to Garnett talk.
Amber leaned her elbow on the truck window and she watched the passing scenery. It was nice to be out of the camp. Made a change. "Maybe when all this is over we'll find more camps of survivors."
She could feel the movement of Murphy's knee against hers as he bounced to nervously. Looking to the two men beside her, she scrunched up her nose "So what exactly do you know about this cure or vaccine?"
"Amber-" Warren began to warn her. It wasn't any of their business. As much as she wanted to know herself, their only mission right now was to drop them at the bridge.
"That's on a need to know basis." Hammond answered bluntly looking to the brunette.
Amber snorted a dry laughed at the man "Need to know basis my ass."
"We need to do a radio check." Garnett said interrupting the conversation before it got any worse. He slowed the truck to a stop just before a bridge and turned the engine off "Amber stay with our guests."
Amber gave a salute and slumped back in her seat, rolling the window down. She watched as Warren and Garnett climbed out, followed but Hammond shortly after.
"Camp Blue Sky, this is mobile one. Blue Sky, this is mobile one. Over." Warren stood by the side of the truck. "Hey guys, I need you to get back to us. It's time for our 8 p.m. signal check."
Amber fidgeted with her necklace, a small D pendant held between her fingers, this wasnt normal. They always checked in. Even when they'd been on a four day supply run they checked in. On the exact hour as agreed.
"What are you wasting time for?" Murphy muttered from his seat. Amber glared at him from his side in the truck. Without thinking she kicked him in the side of his leg.
"That's our camp." Amber reminded him letting go of the necklace and sitting forward in the seat next to him, attempting to get a good look at their new companion.
"You said yourself they'd be fine." He shrugged back avoiding her gaze.
"Y'know you don't look well." She said lifting her hand to poke his face. He had a weird complexion and his skin was wrinkly, almost lizard like.
Murphy smacked her hand away turning to glare at her, "And you ain't no peach either."
Amber scoffed and rolled her eyes as she sat back in her seat. "Oh please, Im a doll."
If its the one thing she could count on it was her smart ass month. Sure it got her in trouble a lot but it got her as far as it had in this world.
"Look. I appreciate your loyalty to those folks. I do. But you don't know what I know about this man." Hammond said from outside the truck. Hearing the raised voices Amber frowned and climbed out and walked round the truck to see Warren and Garnett standing off with Hammond.
"Why should we believe a word you say?" Garnett questioned his fingers itching over his gun. Amber placed her hand on her weapon on her hip as she came to stand by her people.
"Get out of the car. Show them." Hammond said flinging the truck door open and grabbing Murphy by his shirt, pulling him out the truck, "Show them why you're so damn important."
"Hey! Easy man!" Amber said taking out her gun. She really didn't not like Hammond attitude. He was so aggressive for no reason.
It made her feel uneasy with the situation. She didn't see the need for the aggression, Murphy seemed to comply without it.
"Get your hands off me." Murphy spat pushing the man away adjusting his shirt. He kept his head hung low. Almost like he was ashamed.
"Show them why so many good men died getting you this far. Show them!" Hammond shouted at Murphy his patience wearing thin. Amber looked to Garnett who had taken his gun out and kept it by his side.
Murphy rolled his eyes and reluctantly lifted his shirt. Revealing his chest. The three stood in a row awe on their faces. The man had gruesome marks all over his chest. It turned Amber stomach.
"What happened?" Amber asked, curious at the state of Murphys chest, she took a step forward to get a better look. But as she did, she noticed how Murphy stepped back, causing her to stop in her tracks. He was a jumpy fellow. Seeing he was no threat she put her gun away.
"Zombie bites. Eight of them. He was given the only dose of an experimental vaccine right before he was bitten." Hammond said pointing at Murphy. It dawned on the three of them.
This is why he was so damn important. It seemed to click on all three of them at the same time. Warren and Garnett shared a look.
"Those undead bastards got two of my ribs right there." Muprhy said flinching as he touched one of the bites. Ambers brows furrowed together. That couldn't be true? Could it?
The proof was right in front of her, yet it still seemed to far fetched. Everyone she saw bitten by the Zs would turn instantly. It made no sense.
Before anyone could say anything else Warrens radio came to life with a familiar voice.
'Mayday. Mayday. Calling Camp Blue Sky.'
"This is Doc. With Thompson and Carver. What is your situation? Over."
"Hey, Doc. What's going on? What's going on?" Garnett said into the radio. Relief in his voice.
"Garnett? Thank God you're alive. We thought everyone was dead! Is she with you?" Doc replied through the radio.
"She's with me and Warren. We're not at Camp Blue Sky. What's happening?" Garnett question, confusion filled his tone. They'd only been gone a few hours, what could have gone wrong in that time frame.
Unintelligible noise came from the radio, they were only able to make out small parts of what Doc was saying "Batteries... dying."
"Wait. Say. Again." Garnett tried to keep communication going. Amber moved back close to his side. Doc was her person. She was glad he was alive. She needed to know where he was. They had to go get him.
A large explosion came from behind them. They all turned to look. Amber swallowed the lump in her throat "That was camp blue skies..."
"Blue Sky has been overrun. The whole place is... on fire." Doc's voice came over the radio.
"Survivors?" Warren asked taking the radio from Garnett.
"Well there was a ton of gunfire a while ago, but nothing since." Doc replied. That was the last bit of communication they got from their remaining people. Warren sighed and threw the radio into the truck.
"We have to keep going. I'm sorry about your people." Hammond said motioning for Murphy to get into the truck.
"We have to go back." Warren said looking to Garnett who nodded in agreement.
"We don't have time for that." Hammond said looking at the group, he placed his hand on his gun.
Amber stepped forward coming face to face with the man "Like hell we don't!"
After a brief argument between Amber and Hammond they were finally making their way back to the camp. They weren't leaving their people behind after a distress call.
But sadly they were too late. It had gone down. Everything they had. Everyone they knew was gone. Just like that.
Fire and smoke took over the camp. As well as the Zs that had invaded.
Thankfully they'd ran into the three survivors from the radio. Doc, Addy and Mack. They had taken refuge in the truck bed as they were being chased by Zs when they found them.
"I don't know what we brought them along for." Murphy said gesturing behind him in a sulk. Although his comment was aimed for Hammond, Amber couldn't help but answer.
"Good thing no one asked you." Amber reply next to him giving him a dirty look. She was really not becoming a fan of Murphy. She was relieved that Mack, Addy and Doc had made it out of the camp. She wouldn't know what to do without them.
"Hey... how much further to this rendezvous?" Garnett asked over his shoulder. Hammond has been providing directions to what he believed was his rendezvous.
"Just a few more clicks. Got some vehicles and a team of killers waiting." Hammond confirmed as he looked up front. Amber shifted uncomfortably in the back seat feeling squashed. But it was all the stress of loosing Camp Blue Skies starting to get to her.
"Wish I had ten times that." Garnett sighed as he continued to drive.
Hammond looked to Murphy "Should be up ahead on the left. An old high school with a civil defense shelter in the basement. Supposedly there's still some rations left there."
"Uh- When exactly did you speak to these people last? How do you know they are still there?" Amber questioned as she sat forward to look out the front window.
"About a month ago."
"A month ago?" Warren scoffed turning to look back at the men "That's like two years Apocalypse time."
Amber rolled her eyes and sat back. Just great.
Pulling up to the rendezvous they looked around to see bodies scattered across the floor. Hammond didn't wait and climbed straight out the truck. He started to slowly look around.
"Hammond. Is that them? Hammond?" Murphy shouted out the window. Not caring if he attracted any Zs. Amber hushed him but he ignored her.
"Yeah." Hammond replied pulling out his gun to mercy the Z on the floor.
"Great. I gotta pee." Murphy said climbing out the car. Unbothered by the situation. Amber shook her head at him. She was struggling to get a read on the man. He was rude and an ass. All that she had learnt from spending a few hours with the man.
"Don't go far." Garnett warned Murphy as she assessed the situation. But Murphy shrugged him off.
"Don't worry." Murphy replied doing his fly and going against the back of the car.
"This guy." Garnett said under his breath, he hadn't believed in anything more annoying than the z's but he proved himself wrong.
"Hey, you're the one who agreed to this." Amber laughed nudging his shoulder as she passed her.
The area seemed deserted. Garnett and Warren took Murphy inside with Hammond and surprisingly a baby. Amber quickly backed out of that responsibility and agreed to search the area with the others.
As they did they came across a cage. Inside was a girl. Roughly around her age. They gathered around the cage, after taking out the Z's crowding it.
Mack was volunteered to go inside and see the girl. Determine if she was alive or a Z.
"You all right?" Mack asked carefully approaching the girl. He crouched to her level.
"Careful. She might be dead." Amber said from the outside of the cage. A smile forming at the annoyed look Mack shot her.
He placed a hand on the girls shoulder but as he did she jumped up, pushing him against the cage, holding a knife to his throat.
"Whoa. Whoa." Addy said lifting her Z whacker at the sight. Amber took out her gun but didn't raise it. Any sudden movement and this girl could slice Mack's throat.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey." Mack said holding his hands up, trying to show he was not a threat.
Doc laughed at the two in the cage, amused by the situation. "Well she ain't dead."
"Hey. It's okay. We're good people." Mack said to the girl holding his hands up to show he wasn't armed "We just saved you."
"Okay, don't hurt him." Addy said gripping tight on her Z wacker. Amber slowly lifted her gun, aiming it at the girl.
Seeing all the people around her, the girl slowly stepped back and lowered her knife "Sorry. I didn't know where I was. I must have fallen asleep."
"Asleep? How long you in this cage for?" Amber asked feeling bad for the girl. It was such an odd scenario. She had a million questions to ask the girl. How did she get in there? Why was she locked in? Was she alone?
"Two days." The girl replied giving her a sad smile.
"Come on. Our people are inside." Amber said holding the cage door open for her and Mack to come out. Amber walked the girl inside the building keeping a close eye on her. Seemed lol they were picking up all kinds of misfits today.
Pushing the door open to the school, Amber frowned at the sound of baby cries. She couldn't imagine anything worse right now.
"Somebody better shut that kid up before he attracts Z's like flies." Murphy said covering his ears as the baby wailed. Amber agreed with him. Not that she'd say it out loud. There were certain thoughts she knew were best kept to herself.
"Hey. It's a baby. He makes noise, okay?" Garnett snapped at Murphy. It was clear those two were not going to get along.
"He's right about the Z's though." Amber sighed leaning against a table and folding her arms.
"Shut up. And you, do what you can." Hammond snapped and Murphy before turning to Garnett.
"Here." Addy said handing the new girl, who she learned was called Cassandra, a bottle of water. Cassandra thanked her and took a big drink.
"Why would somebody lock you in a cage and leave you to die?" Hammond demanded snatching the bottle off Cassandra and shoving it back to Addy.
Amber unfolded her arms and looked to Garnett who shook his head for her to stay put. Her jaw ticked in annoyance with the way Hammond was treating Cassandra.
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything. I locked myself in the cage for protection." Cassandra tried to defend herself against the man. She had shrunk into her seat, fear in her eyes.
"You have the keys?" Garnett asked bouncing the baby gently.
"I lost them." Cassandra said avoiding eye contact. Amber wanted to believe the best in everyone still. But Cassandra needed to start being honest. She could tell she was lying.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Murphy asked from his corner. Amber gave him a dirty look.
"I don't have to justify myself." Cassandra hissed at Murphy.
"Maybe you do!" Hammond snapped coming into Cassandra's face "We were supposed to meet the men in those vehicles. What happened here?"
"Take it easy!" Amber said standing up straight.
"Those men showed up about a week ago. They cleared out the school and set up some kind of camp." Cassandra started to explain. "But word got out that there was food. Lots of it from the bomb shelter. Yeah, it didn't take long. There was too many people. The soldiers shot some of the locals, and that brought the Z's. You can guess the rest."
"What are we wasting time talking to her for? Give her the baby, and let's go." Murphy demanded. Amber turned to look at him.
"You can't give this girl a baby and leave."
"Well they can't come with us." Murphy snapped back at her.
"And who the hell do you-" before Amber could finish speaking Garnett cut her off.
"Listen. No way am I leaving the baby and her behind. It's not gonna happen. It's just a baby."
"It's not like he's gonna grow up and be a fine young man someday." Murphy mumbled sulking back into the corner
"Ok, you need to stop." Amber warned Murphy stepping towards him.
"We'll take them to the next safe outpost." Garnett announced giving no one space to argue.
"What's next chief?" Murphy asked sarcastically, although he was talking to Garnett he continued to glare at Amber. "You wanna start a college fund for him?"
"Puppies and kittens. 200 yards away." Warren called out from her spot by the window.
"Zombies." Amber said taking out her gun, seeing the confused look on Murphy's face.
"All right, everybody. Time to go." Hammond called out "You five, I want you to grab all the food and weapons you can find. Load them in that truck. The keys are still inside."
"Hey! We haven't talked about this." Mack argued not wanting to take orders from this man.
"We can talk about it later. Right now you do what I tell you."
"Garnett!" Mack argued. Garnett sighed and nodded at them. Reluctantly they followed orders and headed outside.
Sadly the area had no further supplies.
On their way back to the trucks a Z grabbed a hold on Docs leg. "Hey!"
As Amber turned around she saw the Z pulling itself to stand using Doc. Doc tried to push the Z off but it had a good grip on him. He cried out for them to help get it off.
Amber raised her gun but with Doc moving around so much she wasn't able to get a clear aim "Hold still!"
"I can't! Get it off me!" Doc shouted as she struggled against the Z.
Before anyone else could do anything a gun shot rang out and the Z clinging onto Doc fell limp. They all looked around confused.
"Who-?" Addy began to ask as the spun in circle to see how took down the Z.
Amber quickly checked Doc was ok and gave him a hug. "You've got someone watching over you."
Doc nodded his head towards the top of the building "I most certainly do."
Although they didn't find any gas they did find a second car which would be helpful.
But as per usual it didn't take long for all hell to break loose.
"You know, none of this would have happened, if you'd just left that damn baby." Murphy said running his hand through his hair in distress.
Amber and the other ran over to the commotion. Warren and Garnett looked annoyed as Murphy paced in his spot.
"Seriously?" Amber asked looking between the three. She moved to go inside the building but Warren stopped her shaking her head "Shit..."
"I didn't tell Hammond to go get eaten by a baby." Garnett replied standing his ground.
"Never mind that now. We need a plan." Warren said stepping between the pair before it became a bigger pissing contest.
"My plan is I'm taking this truck and I am forgetting about vaccines and labs and all of you. I wanted off this train from day one, and now's my chance." Murphy walked towards the truck.
"Wait... wait... wait. You can't just go. What about California? What about the vaccine, What if it's real? What if there's a chance? And what if it's you?" Addy said her voice sounded desperate. Amber knew how badly her red headed friend wanted a normal life.
Amber stood with Doc to the side and they both shared a look before Amber shrugged. She had no clue what had happened. They'd gone to scout the area as instructed when they'd come back Hammond was dead. A zombie baby apparently. Who'd of thought.
Garnett had taken Hammonds radio and was speaking to someone on the other side. A Citizen Z he called himself. Claimed he was working with the government.
"It looks like we're taking Mr. Congeniality here to California." Garnett said pointing towards Murphy.
"Says who?" Murphy said stepping back. Amber and Doc both stood behind him to stop him running off. Murphy flinched when his back collided with them.
"Says me." Garnett said as he pushed Murphy towards the truck to get in. As everyone climbed into the two trucks. Doc, Addy, Mack and Cassandra in the first truck. Warren, Garnett, Amber and Murphy in the second truck.
Doc slowed down in the truck ahead for a kid walking along the road. He looked no older than sixteen.
They couldn't hear the exchange from the car in front but they watched as the kid climbed onto the back of the truck. Guess they found a new stray.
As Amber watched she put two and two together and figured this must have been the guy from the roof tops. The one who saved Doc. If so, she was more than welcome as far as she cared.
Murphy sat staring out the window not saying a word, biting his nails. Amber glanced over a few times trying to get a read on the man.
"Why don't you take a picture, it'd last longer." The man snarled at her "Oh wait, you can't."
"I'm sorry about your friend, Hammond." Amber said still looking at him, she didnt seem fazed by his behaviour. As rude as he was she knew it sucked to lose someone in this world. She felt bad for the way she had reacted and spoke to him earlier.
"He wasn't my friend... But thank you." Murphy replied looking down into his lap.
He pulled his jacket around himself tighter, almost like he was cold. He resembled a kid who had just been scolded by his parents. She almost felt bad for him.
But she didn't have time to care, they had a mission now. That was their priority.