Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

With a huff, Madeline leaned back in her office chair and stared at her computer screen. She was waiting for the latest batch of files to finish dropping so she could start working down her current client’s bills. The system she was using was old and this many documents could take a few minutes before they were ready. But there was no walking away from the computer, her supervisor was a hard-ass that spent his days watching all his employees’ statuses to make sure they didn’t go idle. He also enjoyed randomly calling with mundane questions just to be sure people weren’t rigging the system to show they were there when they weren’t. If the job market hadn’t been so bleak, especially with her lack of experience, Madeline would have left it by now. The gig was just a temporary contract job, an attempt to start saving up some cash on the side so she could spend money without feeling guilty for it.

Boston was where Madeline found herself calling home these days. She had grown up in the Northeast but the minute she had turned eighteen she fled the house determined to make her own way. She traveled all around the United States for much of her young adult life. Worked odd jobs, couch surfing, and at one point had even lived in a commune for a bit when her money ran out. It exasperated her parents who implored her to be more like her older sister, Josephine.

Josephine, Madeline’s older sister by twelve years, was the golden child. She had been the one that stayed close to home, attended college at an elite school, and graduated with honors. She quickly dominated her field after her residency and married a respectable man. Within a year of marriage, she had become pregnant and had a son, Everett. Somehow, Josephine managed to do all this while maintaining a career and helping her parents navigate through their golden years while dealing with terminal illnesses.

Then there was Madeline, the accidental but no less wanted, rebellious child. She had been born when her mother was in her early forties and her father almost fifty. They were a bit too old to be raising a rambunctious toddler and headstrong teenager, but they did their best. While Madeline was not horrible in school, it wasn’t her favorite thing and she was often in trouble for goofing off or skipping it all together. Marriage was something that terrified her, a lifelong commitment in her early twenties like her parents tried to push on her made her run even further away. And children? She could barely keep herself functioning, there was no way she could be a mother. Not yet.

Josephine had stepped in often to keep Madeline in line and help pick her back up when she fell flat on her face. Despite the age and personality differences, the sisters were close. They stayed in constant contact through Madeline’s journey around the country, each keeping one another up to date on current things happening in their lives. When both of their parents passed a few years apart from one another they leaned heavily on each other to get through it. The loss had been a hard hit, less than two years between each passing, and Madeline debated on moving closer to Josephine realizing that she wanted to be around her sister and her nephew more. She didn’t really care for her brother-in-law much. He was a bit too opinionated and she had no problem calling him out on his bullshit when she thought he was being too full of himself. But if putting up with him to be with the rest of what was left of her family she would do it.

So, when Madeline got the call that Josephine’s marriage fell apart, her husband having multiple mistresses, Madeline decided that was the universe’s sign it was time. Josephine had been the one who cared for their parents before they both passed and always helped Madeline. This time she needed someone to look out for her. Without second thought Madeline packed up her meager belongings and flew in from California almost nine months ago and had set up residency in the guest bedroom of Josephine’s rather spacious fifteenth floor apartment. Josephine didn’t ask much of her younger sister, just for her companionship and to help with her son instead of having to hire babysitters.

“This is hot chocolate weather,” Madeline muttered to herself as she peered out the window and saw the beginning of a few fat snowflakes falling. The news had called for another snowstorm that day, nothing like the nor’easter they had over the weekend, but it could be a few inches. She glanced down at her computer screen to see that the files were only thirty percent of the way loaded before clicking to see her supervisor’s status. He was on lunch. Pushing out of the chair she wandered to the kitchen and set about making herself said cup of hot chocolate.

Just as she was about to make her way back to her bedroom to take a seat her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. Digging it out of the fuzzy pants she was wearing, the perks of working from home, she spotted it was Josephine calling. Her sister was out of town, out of the country actually, on assignment with EIS. Her sister was an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, she was the one they sent out when outbreaks happened to see the cause of a sickness and how to contain it. During the West Nile outbreak, SARs in Asia, and Ebola scare in Africa her sister had been on the ground figuring out the spread. This time she was in the jungles of South America following the outbreak of some new disease.

“If you’re calling to complain about how hot it is I’m going to hang up,” Madeline said into the phone as she took a hard seat back in her chair and checked the files. “We’re getting even more snow today, wind is rattling the windows like crazy,” she sighed and shook her mouse to get the screensaver to turn off. And of course, there was a message from her supervisor asking where she was.

“I need you to go get Everett,” Josephine said, completely ignoring everything Madeline had just said to her. She sounded a bit agitated and perhaps urgent.

“What? Is he sick? The school didn’t call me,” Madeline answered, pulling her phone away from her ear to make sure she hadn’t missed the call. Or text. Or Email. Schools were so different now than when she had been in them. They had twenty different ways to get ahold of you, including an app and Madeline wouldn’t be surprised if there were live camera feeds soon so parents could stare at their children all day. She never would survive school these days, she skipped way too often as a teen.

“No, they didn’t call, I just,” Josephine sighed and Madeline heard people talking to her in the background. “I can’t tell you much alright. Just, please go get Everett. Give them an excuse about a family emergency if they ask. Stop at the store and get some food to last a few days. Don’t interrupt,” she said as she heard Madeline open her mouth to argue. “It’s hopefully nothing, me just being paranoid but I don’t want to risk it.”

“Josie,” Madeline said, ignoring the call coming over the computer from her boss. “You’re scaring me. What is going on?”

“This is just, it’s out of hand down here,” Josephine answered. “And I don’t think their government is being truthful about the spread,” she continued. “I think it’s already much further along than what we’ve been told is all. It’s highly contagious and we all remember how SARs was,” she stated with a sarcastic laugh.

“SARs? Please tell me it’s not something like that again,” Madeline said instantly feeling her heartrate skyrocket. SARs had been a horrendous time for the whole family, Josephine had been gone for months on end and had been her shitty husband's excuse for finding the company of other women. “Should I assume you will not be coming home this Thursday?” Madeline asked as her supervisor called her yet again on the computer and she declined it.

“No, not SARs,” Josephine said, though it seemed a bit cryptic, maybe even ominous. “And safe assumption,” Josephine answered before someone yelled for her. “Pick up some shitty junk food and tell Everett it’s from me,” she laughed, “and get yourself some wine. You’re going to need it locked up in the house with him for a few days.”

“I’ll need a case,” Madeline joked, though the unease in her stomach as her sister hung up made it feel flat.

“Goddamn it, Keller,” one of the men said as he threw down his cards on the table in defeat. They had been playing poker outside in the setting sun. The desert heat was oppressive but being in the tents with no circulating air was ten times worse so they had set up the table in the shadow of one of the trucks.

“I warned you not to play with him,” came Farah’s voice and Alex turned around and grinned at her as she peered over the table. The spoils of the game were a mix of some coins, cigarettes, and a pack of gum. “He reads people too well,” she patted Alex’s shoulder as he scooped his winnings toward him before tossing a cigarette to the guy next to him.

“My poker face helps as well,” Alex answered as he flipped open the pack of gum and popped a piece into his mouth. He had been dominating the game with shit hands for the most part, but when it mattered for the biggest pot, he had actually made sure he had the winning one. “You need to just get better about your tells,” he mused as one of the guys rolled his eyes, shuffling the cards up.

“I see right through that poker face,” Farah answered she nudged his shoulder with her hip as she snatched up a smoke as well.

“That’s why I don’t play with you, you’d fleece me for everything I’ve got,” Alex responded before shaking his head at the offer to play another round. “I know when to walk away,” he taunted as he flipped a coin with his thumb before pocketing it. “Need to give you boys a chance anyway,” he glanced up at Farah who merely nodded her head back to indicate she wanted him to walk with her.

Pushing up from his seat Alex followed along behind Farah, always keeping himself a half-step behind and to the side when they were around others. She was the commander of the ULF, and he was her second, so Alex made sure to display that respect.

“You got a message from Laswell asking you to call her,” Farah explained as she led the way into a small canvas building, holding the flap up for Alex to grab before disappearing inside. When she saw the face Alex pulled, she smiled a bit, “a phone call won’t hurt.”

“I just don’t know what she could possibly want from me,” Alex said as he reached for the satellite phone that was resting on the table. The number was already programmed in the phone and he hit the button to dial, watching Farah.

“We need you back here Alex,” was Laswell’s form of hello, “shit is about to happen and we’re going to need all hands on deck back here.”

“What?” Alex asked, instantly curious despite the fact he had told himself he wouldn’t feed into whatever she wanted from him. “I can’t come home, you made sure of that,” he added with a hint of agitation as Farah raised her eyebrows.

“That’s done with,” Laswell said dismissively, “I cleared that shit up weeks ago once I was done holding my grudge.”

“Weeks? Shit, Laswell, you could have fucking said something sooner,” Alex snapped as he grabbed the back of the chair he was standing next to.

“You wouldn’t have come home anyway. Farah seems to be your home now,” she tacked on with a small sigh. “I’m not going to argue about it right now. We’re all about to be in some deep shit, Farah included, and I’ve got a mission for all of you. I’ve already called Price.”

“Price,” Alex asked aloud, flicking his eyes to Farah so she knew what they were discussing. John and Farah had been close for years and he knew if Price was in on it, she would follow suit. “Fine, let’s hear it,” he tacked on before taking the phone from his ear and sliding it onto the table hitting the speaker button.

“There’s a sickness spreading,” Laswell said, her voice tinny through the phone. “Started in South America, not sure the origin. The Venezuelan government covered it up as long as possible and by the time we were able to get our people down there, it spread.”

Farah pulled out a seat across from Alex and grabbed a notebook, while he continued to stand, leaning over the back of the chair listening.

“Spread where?” Alex inquired as Farah jotted down a few notes.

“Reports of it in Colombia and Panama already,” Laswell answered. “And found on shipping vessels docked in Cuba and Nigeria.”

“But what does this have to do with us? Hardly sounds like a military operation,” Alex said, drumming his fingers.

“The illness isn’t the flu,” Laswell replied. “It’s making people violent,” she stated and they heard her flipping through papers. “Infected people are attacking others, biting, ripping them apart,” she continued. “It seems to spread through bites. It’s in the blood, saliva. Killing them is next to impossible without a headshot, bullets don’t slow them down otherwise.”

“What, like a zombie?” Alex asked with a small laugh but when Laswell didn’t respond with a laugh, an ominous feeling settled over him. “You’re joking,” he added.

“Not joking Keller,” Laswell replied. “This is deadly and fast spreading. We need you to extract the scientists working on it down in Venezuela. They’re our best shot at a cure, they think they found patient zero,” she explained. “The 141 has already signed on and I want you with them. The research team we need extracted is being led by an American woman. It’s a joint effort with British and Canadian scientists. We need to get to them before the Konni do.”

“The Konni? What do they have to do with this?” Farah piped up, instantly narrowing her eyes.

“They’re also aware of the situation and they want the chance at a cure first. Whoever has the cure has the power in this situation and no matter what we do, it’s going to get out of control. Fast.” Laswell answered.

Alex glanced at Farah, a silent question and also requesting permission. She stared back at him for a second, her eyes darting between his before giving a curt nod.

“When?” He asked finally.

“I can have transport to you tomorrow morning at o-five hundred,” Laswell replied. “You’ll rendezvous with the 141 in England then you’re meeting up with Shadow company back here,” she continued. “All of you need to put your shit aside,” she tacked on knowing there was bad blood between all of them and Graves. “We don’t have time to fight amongst ourselves. This illness was first reported to us three days ago and it’s already in five countries that we are aware of…and I’m afraid there’s a lot more we aren’t aware of.”

“What do you want from me?” Farah asked.

“Keep your people safe,” Laswell answered. “And be prepared. If we can’t keep this contained it won’t be long before it’s over there.”

Farah couldn’t be part of the unit; Laswell may have been able to smooth things over with Alex but it was a bit harder for her to clear a non-American citizen for defying orders. The American government still classified ULF as a ‘terrorist force’, though they didn’t do anything to them, just refused to work with or aid them.

“We’ll get it done,” Alex answered after a second as he looked at Farah. He wasn’t leaving her behind forever but he wasn’t going to let this spread either. If he could help reign it in before it got to Urzikstan she wouldn’t have to deal with it at all.

“I’ll have more information on your mission when you get back on American soil,” Laswell said before hanging up.

Alex stared at the phone for a second, processing what Laswell had just told him before glancing at Farah across the way from him. She was staring at him, the pen in her hand tapping idly on the notes she had scribbled; it wasn’t much information.

“I don’t like leaving you like this,” Alex said after a second as he looked around the empty canvas room.

The tent they were in was Farah’s, the command center and living room rolled into one, her bedroom behind another flap in the far corner. They had set this small area up as a base about two weeks ago, they needed one out on the east side to keep a better eye on a few Russian sympathizer neighbors. It had been a nice break from the hustle of the city. They had only brought a small group of soldiers with them and the silence was peaceful, as well as the semblance of a bit of privacy.

It was known that Alex was Farah’s right hand and had been since her brother betrayed her. It was also whispered that he was more to her than that, though Alex truly wasn’t sure. Truth be told there wasn’t a title for what they were to one another, it was never actually discussed between them. They both had jobs to do, Farah’s country and duty came first. She had made that very clear and Alex understood implicitly. If he came in the way of that or clouded her judgment, she would end whatever it was between them. So, Alex was careful with the extent of his affections even if it burned him from the inside sometimes.

“I’ll be fine Alex,” Farah answered as she pushed up from her chair and shut the notebook. “I can survive without you for a few days,” she tacked on with a small smile, knowing this was going to be more than a few days, more likely weeks.

“I know you can,” Alex said as he walked around the table and stood in front of her, arms crossed over his chest as he looked down at her. He itched to grab her and pull her to him but he didn’t. “Doesn’t mean I want you to,” he replied, conceding to reaching out and brushing a stray strand of hair off the side of her face. “If this is spreading like Laswell said it is,” he paused, “we may be too late already. I’d be better served here, with you. Keep you and the others safe.”

“You need to go help them find those scientists and that potential cure,” Farah replied. “Laswell didn’t ask for your help without reason. She must need something from you that only you can provide.”

Alex took a deep breath through his nose, adjusting his stance a bit as Farah seemingly stared down at him despite him having multiple inches on her. Her gaze was hard and he knew a command was coming from her so closed his eyes in defeat and nodded. He knew Laswell had asked because of his background; CIA. He could move through different countries easily. He also had contacts all over the place and could provide intelligence from other agencies he had worked with in the past. Laswell may know powerful people but Alex knew the seedy underbelly ones that she couldn’t be associated with; the ones that actually ran things. And if they were going to the America’s he had more pull than John Price did there.

“One more night of peace here,” Farah said as she tilted her head and reached out to rub his upper arm with her hand, the only soft gesture she ever gave him freely. “Don’t brood,” she teased, “make it worthwhile.” She stepped around him to head back outside where someone had started up a fire. She didn’t glance back and he heard her call out to a friend and start commenting about what they were making for dinner.

Alex watched her go, watched her disappear out of the tent and he sighed a bit at the disappointment after getting his hopes at her last comment.  He knew his mind and emotions wanted more from her, ached for something else besides scant touches and sidelong glances. But Farah wouldn’t let that happen.

Farah had only let her guard down and dragged Alex to her bed a handful of times and after each time she fled from him and avoided him for days, weeks. Alex would pretend nothing had happened, let her get comfortable again, and they’d go back to this slightly awkward dance until she sought him out again. He’d always willingly given himself over to her, hoping this time it would be different but it never was. He had to deal with the painful aftermath, pack away his feelings, and tell himself not to let it happen again. He failed at that resolve every time.

Alex busied himself in his own tent for a bit, despite the sweltering heat. It was right next to Farah’s private quarters, close enough that if a threat happened upon them, he could get to her in seconds. He packed up all his things, tossing the meager items he had brought with him on this trip before someone popped their head in to ask if he was coming to eat. He joined them with a smile, careful to sit across the fire from Farah as they all ate and talked. He caught Farah looking at him, the calculated gaze he knew too well, but Alex adverted his eyes. He had already let his hopes get too high today; he wasn’t going to do it again. Maybe this time away would help him clear his head a bit, her too.

As the group started to disperse Alex helped with the clean up before heading to his own tent. He kept his gaze fixed purposely forward to avoid Farah whose eyes he could feel burning into his back. The tent was still warm despite the cool air that had settled over the desert but it didn’t deter him; he was used to the heat by now. Alex’s rest was fitful, most of it spent staring at the dying glow of the fire through the dark brown tent canvas. He gave up trying to sleep at four and disassembled his tent quietly, folding everything up and tucking it to the side so the group didn’t need to bother with it when they left.

Farah met him where he had sat next to the dead firepit fifteen minutes before his transport was due to be there. He had been flipping through his pack to make sure he had all his documentation before glancing up as she handed him a coffee. He smiled and thanked her before they sat in silence, shoulders pressed against one another. It wasn't long before the whir of a helicopter could be heard approaching.

“I guess that’s me,” Alex stated with a small grin as the helicopter landed fifty yards away, kicking the sand up into a giant dust cloud. He set his cup down on the log next to him before saying, “I’ll be back soon. Stay safe.” Farah reached up a hand to squeeze his upper arm, a forced smile gracing her features.

“I’ll see you in a few days,” she agreed with a small nod before dropping her hand and tilting her head toward the helicopter indicating he needed to go. She opened her mouth as if to say something else but didn’t, and Alex didn’t try to get it out of her. Some space was definitely warranted between them.

Pulling up his shemagh, Alex gave Farah one last look before jogging toward the waiting helicopter. By the time he was situated inside and they lifted off again she was already gone. Back inside the tent to get back to work.

“Just because you get to stay home does not mean you get to miss out on doing work,” Madeline said to Everett as he flopped over dramatically on the couch. She had picked him up early from school two days ago and he had been trying to get out of the homework packet his teacher had sent home with him since. Madeline had laid down a false lie about a family emergency and that he would be out the rest of the week. She would wait to hear back from her sister before she kept him out any longer, hoping that Josephine was just being extra cautious and would give the all clear in her next phone call.

“But it’s a snow day!” Everett argued as he pointed outside at the fresh layer of snow that hadn’t all been cleared away yet. “I want to go sledding,” he whined as he pressed his nose to the glass to watch other kids outside in the park across the way throwing snowballs and sliding down the very small hill.

“Do your work and we can talk about going out to play,” Madeline bargained. She knew Josephine would have her head if she let Everett outside after explicitly pulling him from school. But it was cruel to make a six-year-old stay inside all day when there was perfectly good snow to play in. “Ah ah, I said talk,” she reiterated as Everett’s eyes lit up and he dove for the file of papers to get started.

Madeline had kept a close eye on the news about this sickness her sister had mentioned. Josephine hadn’t given her much details so any mention of illness caught her ears and she watched the news carefully. Nothing truly stuck out as devastating or worrisome, just typical flu, so the fear that had been gnawing at her abated as each hour passed. No news was good news after all.

Madeline sat in the living room with Everett as he worked, mostly jiggling her mouse so her status didn’t go idle. She had finished her actual work hours before Everett even woke up, knowing she would have her hands full with a kid to actually get work done. Her boss didn’t need to know that though. After three hours of watching Everett, or E as she liked to call him because his full name was too stuffy for a child, Madeline was over it. The snow was still lightly falling and even from this high up she and Everett could hear the children outside laughing and carrying about.

“Promise to not tell mom?” Madeline asked as she fought with the zipper of Everett’s puffed-up jacket. He was bouncing on his feet with excitement, glancing toward the front door where his sled rested.

“I won’t Aunt Mads,” Everete said exasperated as Madeline had already told him twice not to mention anything to Josephine. His mom had pulled him from school because she didn’t want him around anyone, and taking him to the park was a direct violation of that action. “It’s going to get dark soon,” he whined as Madeline tugged on her own hat.

“You’ll be a frozen popsicle and asking to come inside long before it gets dark,” Madeline answered with a laugh before yanking the door open and following Everett out the door as he bolted for the elevator. She had tucked a few face masks in her pocket, and effort to show some semblance of caution. If they were around too many people she’d just slip one on each of them under their scarves. “Hold on,” she called as Everett waved her forward having left her to lug the sled.

The park was mostly empty, the kids that had been out all day finally calling it quits either because they were soaked to the skin or their parents came to get them. Madeline cleared off a bench and perched on the edge to watch Everett as he trucked up and down the small hill laughing the whole way. He asked her to ride down with him a few times which she refused, but willingly watched him every time he shrieked for her to watch this slightly different sitting position as he went down the hill. She had pulled out her phone and was scrolling through her news feed again, carefully looking for anything new when she noticed Everett had fallen a bit quiet.

Snapping her eyes up she saw him talking to a little girl, maybe a year or two younger, and they were moving to ride down the hill together on Everett’s sled as her father looked on. The man looked over at Madeline and gave her a small smile, which she returned feeling slightly guilty at betraying Josephine’s trust. Everett at least had his scarf around his mouth and the little girl was bundled up as well. One ride wouldn’t hurt.

Pocketing the phone, she watched them go down the hill before noticing someone down at the bottom that hadn’t been there before. It was an older man, he was walking a bit awkwardly, coughing and he stumbled falling down to one knee as the sled came to a stop. Everett, ever the one to be helpful, hopped up and went to offer to help when Madeline shrieked for him.

“E! We have to get going,” she called quickly and she saw the confused look her nephew gave her as he glanced between her and the man. The guy was coughing still and his body seemed to be almost twitching as he didn’t even attempt to stand up. Madeline felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold running down her spine. The little girl’s father had also picked up on the oddity and called his daughter over to him as well. Madeline and the father exchanged glances, and a small nod before he turned tailed to leave the park.

“What if he needed help?” Everett asked as he dragged his sled over to Madeline, glancing over his shoulder at the man who hadn’t gotten up yet. “We shouldn’t leave him,” he said apprehensively as Madeline took the sled from his hands.

“I’ll call someone to come help him,” Madeline offered as she stared concerned at the man over Everett’s head. He had fallen back on his butt and he was visibly choking as he coughed, and there was bright red blood on the snow around him. Not wanting Everett to see she quickly placed a hand on the back of his head to steer him out of the park with a forced smile.

“How about spaghetti for dinner?” She asked knowing it was his favorite. She glanced over her shoulder again as she moved to get her phone out of her jacket. She wasn’t heartless, she had planned on calling someone but it seemed another good samaritan had seen and walked over to help the guy. Good. If she didn’t have Everett with her she would have gone over herself, even if she had no idea how she could help.

As they crossed the street to the apartment building her phone buzzed in her pocket. Digging out her phone she saw it was Josephine and she cursed under her breath. Everett looked at her with a mix of scandalization and amusement, knowing his aunt now owed him another dollar for the swear jar his mom and she contributed to. Hustling into the building Madeline put a finger to her lips with a grin as she answered the call, pausing at the mailboxes to grab the mail from the past few days.

“Madeline,” Josephine said as soon as the call connected. She sounded concerned, her voice an octave higher than normal. The background noise was loud and chaotic and Madeline had to put a finger in her other ear to hear better.

“What’s up, Josie?” Madeline asked as she dug out junk mailers from the small box and handed them to Everett who was flipping through it. She really needed to check the mail more often. She dug out more items that were stuck and stuffed them into Everett’s hands.

“Where are you?” Josephine asked.

“The mailroom,” Madeline answered truthfully as she shut the small mail door and locked it up.

“Go back to the apartment,” Josephine answered tersely. “And pack.”

“What?” Madeline asked, her hand pausing on the mailroom door as she shifted the sled under her arm more. “What are you talking about?”

“You need to get out of the city,” Josephine answered. “I’m trying to see if I can get you to the CDC,” she paused before something smashed in the background. “Or fuck, out of the country. Somewhere, just not in the city.”

Everett had heard the cuss through the phone as they stood at the mailroom door and grinned holding up two fingers.

“Josie,” Madeline said quietly as she pushed open the mailroom door as someone walked over to get in. She instantly stepped away from them and crowded Everett behind her out of caution, subtly pulling her scarf back up over her own mouth. “You’re freaking me out a bit. Can you give me a little more details?”

“It’s spreading Mads,” Josephine said. “I haven’t gotten all the details yet, things are so murky, but the sickness is already out of hand.”

“Okay, so we just stay in the apartment, right? Avoid people, wait it out,” Madeline said as she called the elevator. Her sister had shared protocols and standard procedures with the family years ago. After all the things she had seen, she wanted to make sure the family was prepared. She had always lived by the motto when, not if when it came to sicknesses spreading. “Take our vitamins, sleep all day, and eat soup,” she joked a bit looking at Everett who pulled a face at vitamins.

“There’s no waiting this out,” Josephine answered. “It’s making people,” her voice cut out as the elevator rose up between floors. A few more jumbled words came through but it was static.

“Hang on Josie, we’re on the elevator,” Madeline said as she held her phone away from her face to see if the call dropped. Tapping her foot impatiently she waited for the elevator to reach their floor before darting out and putting the phone back to her ear.

“-blood and salvia.” Josephine finished, not realizing the call had dropped for a bit.

“Wait, explain again, we were on the elevator,” Madeline said as she fished out the apartment keys. She bit off her glove as she fumbled one handed with the key before getting the door unlocked and ushered Everett in.

“I don’t have time,” Josephine said a bit hurriedly. “Just pack up go bags and be ready. Have both of your passports just in case I can’t get arrangements for you to meet me at the CDC. Maybe I can get you down here.”

“Josephine,” Madeline said a bit sterner than she was feeling. “Are you fucking with me?” She looked at Everett who was peeling off his snow clothes in the laundry room, he hadn’t heard her. “Like is this a joke?”

“I’m not joking Madeline,” Josephine answered seriously, using her full name like Madeline had just done to her. “Your passport is with Everett’s in the lockbox in my closet I put it there when you moved in.” She knew her sister well enough that Madeline would lose it if someone didn’t keep track of it for her. “With some cash. I have a to go bag filled with essentials in there too. Tucked behind Garett’s old shit he never picked up.”

“Cash? This is...Josie please how bad can this really be?” She watched as Everett started poking in the pantry, using Madeline’s temporary distraction to sneak a snack before dinner. Traveling with a six-year-old was going to be hellacious. Everett was a good kid but children were not easy, especially when they were in new high stress situations. Madeline barely managed to figure out traveling herself, then she’d have to potentially go international. “What about Garett? Does he need to know?”

“Who cares about him? He left a year ago and hasn’t even called his son,” Josephine said agitated. “Look I have to go. Go pack. Now. Don’t wait. Once I get arrangements, I’ll call you and things are going to move quick…don’t roll your eyes.” She finished knowing Madeline had been in mid-roll. “And stay in the damn apartment. No midnight runs to the corner shop for ice cream, or to flirt with the neighbor down the hall.”

“You’re the worst,” Madeline answered before hanging up and looking at Everett who had quickly stuffed three cookies in his mouth so Madeline couldn’t tell him to put them back.

“When is mom coming home?” Everett asked as he glanced at the phone. He knew his mother worked odd hours, sometimes not calling for days but he had obviously clocked she hadn’t asked to speak to him. “Is she okay?”

“She’s alright bud, just busy. You know how she gets when she’s working,” Madeline said quietly, silently cursing herself for not calling him over to at least say hello. “Go take a shower,” Madeline said as she ruffled his hair which was damp with sweat and melted snow. He was shivering slightly and she knew a shower would warm him. Plus, if they were traveling, he needed to get cleaned up. She couldn’t remember the last time he showered and to be honest she could use one as well. “We’ll eat afterward,” she reasoned as he huffed and rubbed his stomach. “Those cookies you snuck should hold you off.”

When he was safely in the shower Madeline went into his room and grabbed a few clothes, staring at the potential items. What was she supposed to pack? The CDC was in Atlanta so that was warmer, but it was still winter. But if they were going to South America it would be way too hot for winter clothes. She sighed and tucked a few things under her arm before going to her room and pulling random things out of her dresser and closet. Yanking a duffle bag out, one of her exes that she had taken when she left him in the middle of the night over a year ago, she stuffed all their things inside of it. Then ventured into Josephine’s room, pausing to make sure Everett was still distracted. He was still singing in the shower and she smirked before delving into Josephine's closet.

The lockbox combo was Everett’s birthday and when Madeline opened it her eyes widened. There was a stack of cash, passports, divorce papers, and other random paperwork mingled inside, including her parent's wills. Fishing around all that Madeline took the cash and passports and jammed them into her duffle before pulling Josephine’s bag out from behind a box labeled ‘asshole’s shit’.

It was a professional looking backpack that had a handle and wheels, the perfect opposite of Madeline’s beaten and frayed bag. She unzipped one of the pockets to take a look at what her sister qualified as 'essentials' but heard Everett calling out to her from the kitchen. He was already in the cabinets and the rattling of pots because he was impatient. She left the bag half unzipped before standing up, she’d check it later.

“We have limited time,” Price said as he stared at Graves across the table from them. He had taken up the mantel of talking, Soap’s face had been murderous as he stared at the commander the moment he walked in the room. “Alejandro and Rudy checked in; it’s moving fast. Mexico is already starting to get overrun,” he tossed a file on the table. “This is intelligence from an hour ago, but based off Laswell’s call this is probably all outdated already.”

“What the fuck is it?” Gaz asked the question they had all been wanting to ask.

“Not sure boys,” Graves said as he pushed up from his chair. “The scientists have akin it to something like rabies, but it’s not killing the hosts and it's rapid onset. Some people get sick within minutes, others an hour or so. Just makes them crazed, they attack others unprovoked. Only way to put them down is,” he pointed between his eyes. “Body shots just piss them off more.”

“Even filling them with bullets?” Ghost asked and Graves nodded. “How?”

“It’s like they are running on pure muscle memory and electricity. Blood loss is nothing to them. You have to kill the brain to get them to stop,” Alex said as he gestured to the pile of paper in the center of the table. He hadn’t been able to sleep since they landed and spent the past few hours going through all the papers.

“Could always blow them up,” Soap stated, “doesn’t always fucking work though,” he added cutting a glare to Graves who merely gave him a sarcastic smirk in response. Soap adjusted in his chair like he would get up but Ghost quickly put a hand on his chest and pushed him back into the seat.

“If they aren’t really dead, or alive for that matter, once they get infected,” Gaz asked looking around, “what’s a cure going to do?”

“That’s above my pay grade,” Graves answered. “We don’t even know if they have a cure yet, or vaccine, but we need the information they’ve gathered.”

“So, what’s the plan? If it’s moving this fast we can’t just sit here,” Alex said, his thoughts instantly going to Farah. He had tried to call her when he touched down in Boston and settled in the nondescript building they were using as headquarters, but she didn’t answer. Not unusual but it made him uneasy.

“Their head scientist has a request,” Price said. “She wants us to get her family,” he looked at Graves who scoffed. “Her son is six,” he tacked on with a bit of an edge to his voice. “I told her if someone can get them here, we would take them. But they needed to be here before we left, we aren’t waiting.”

“Why is her son special?” Ghost asked, never one to worry about tact or being blunt. “There are plenty of children that are at risk.”

“Nothing,” Price answered curtly. “She asked and I said I’d see what I could do but I wasn’t going out of my way. She understood. She has four hours to get him and her sister here.”

“What are we going to do with a child and civilian in the jungles of Venezuela? It’s going to be bad enough keeping the scientists alive,” Gaz stated sitting back in his seat with a skeptical look. “They’d be safer here at home I’d think, or going out into the countryside a bit.”

“We’re not all going to Venezuela,” Graves answered. “Some of us are headed right to the CDC to prepare for their arrival. Russia is racing us to the finish line, if they think we’re going to win they’ll sabotage anyway they can.”

“And they know the CDC is where we will go,” Alex answered. “We’re taking the family to the CDC with us instead.”

“Exactly,” Price answered.

“Who got the short stick?” Soap asked, not really saying which he considered a short stick but everyone knew it meant being with Graves.

“Alex, Gaz, Graves, and I are headed to South America,” Price said and he saw Soap open his mouth to fight. “You, Ghost, and a chunk of Shadow company are headed to the CDC.”

“We’re on babysitting duty,” Ghost stated, his voice highly unimpressed.

“You’re transporting a kid and his aunt to the custody of the staff there, yes,” Price replied evenly. “If they get here. You just have to deal with them on the flight.”

“If all goes to plan, we’ll be back in a few days with the joint research team and they get to do the rest of the work. Our job is to keep them alive.” Graves filled in before someone busted into the room. All of them jumped and Ghost's hand itched instinctively to a throwing knife on his vest.

“Timeline is moved up,” a man said as Graves snatched a paper from him. “A flight that landed at Logan airport was quarantined on the tarmac for hours. Man flew in from Mexico after spending time in Venezuela. Fell ill halfway here and they suspected he had the sickness. When the local security finally breached the plane, everyone was too far gone and they couldn’t keep them contained. They didn’t wait for military,” he was panicking, the sweat on his brow and upper lip pronounced. “Boston is going to be overrun by daybreak. There are more reports of it all over the country as we speak.”

“Fuck,” Graves said as he threw the paper on the table. “We move now. We can’t get caught here,” he stated as he marched toward the door to start rallying his team together. “If it’s already that widespread here who knows how bad it is down in Venezuela.”

Alex grabbed a laptop and started to scroll through the news feeds. All the media had been quiet about the sickness mere hours ago and now it was cropping up in bits and pieces. He felt a cold sweat break down his back at what he was finding with each click. A sickness that hadn’t existed a week ago was showing its face all over the place at a rapid pace.

Social media was starting to flood with it and he froze as he saw a shaky video of someone filming a man brutally tackling a woman to the ground with a snarl and literally rip her apart. Her screams were shrill and everyone in the room turned to look at Alex who quickly lowered the volume, not realizing it was as high as it had been.

“How long until we’re wheels up?” Gaz asked as he moved around to look at the laptop with Alex who had moved on from that video. He was looking for anything in the Middle East, for Urzikstan. The sickness was already in Nigeria when he had left, which meant it had crossed the Atlantic which was much bigger than the distance between then Nigeria to Farah.

“Hour and a half,” Graves said as he stormed back in, “we leave here for the airfield in forty-five minutes.”

“That’s not going to be enough time for the boy and his aunt to get here,” Alex said as he glanced at his watch.

“Then they’re on their own,” Price answered simply.

Madeline had passed out on the couch and didn’t hear her phone vibrating on the coffee table for a bit, the wine pulling her into a deep stupor. She was already a hard sleeper but when wine was factored in it was a miracle her phone alarm could wake her in the morning. But by the tenth call in a row, the constant rattling had worked her phone to the edge of the coffee table and it crashed to the floor startling Madeline awake. She groaned and groped for it, then wincing when she saw all the missed calls. As she was about to call Josephine back her sister called again.

“Where have you been!” Josephine all but screamed in relief and anger. “Get up. You have to leave. Now. Get Everett up,” she ordered as Madeline barely sat up on the couch.

“What?” Madeline said groggily as she rubbed at her face. “Josephine, it's two in the morning,” she bemoaned as she tried to blink her tired eyes awake more.

“I’m well aware of the time,” Josephine stated. “I have a way for you to get to the CDC but you have to leave. Right now.”

“Can we not just fly out in the morn-” Madeline started.

“No! Madeline! It’s too late for all that.” Josephine barked. “Get your ass out of bed, get my son, and get in the fucking car. Now!” Her voice had an air of terror and that was enough to wake Madeline up a bit more.

“Alright, alright,” Madeline answered as she walked to the living room light switch and flipped it on, flinching at the brightness. “Why does it have to be now? What’s changed?” She asked as she stretched and headed toward Everett’s room. She had put him to bed around nine, later than normal, and she knew he was going to be a nightmare to try and get up. He was like her with his need to sleep, she had literally dragged him out of the bed before.

“It’s already everywhere Mads. We’re,” she paused, “we’re locked up inside of an old school building. Our camp was overrun,” she stopped again. “We lost half the team. I don’t…please just get a pen and write down this address.”

“Half your team? What the hell is this? You seemed fine just a few hours ago...” Madeline stated as she paused her trek to Everett’s room and went to her own to get a post-it off her desk to write down the address Josephine gave her.

“It’s not like anything I’ve ever seen,” Josephine answered before she babbled off the address. It was a place across town, a twenty-minute drive when there was no traffic on a good day. “Stay away from people if you can. Don’t talk to anyone, don’t stop,” she sighed. “Just get to that building and ask for a man named Price, John Price. Tell them who you and Everett are, explain that you are my sister. They know to be on the lookout for you.”

Madeline wrote the information down before her phone buzzed with a message, then another, then it started to vibrate with a warning like an Amber alert. She hesitated and pulled the phone away from her ear to look at it. It was an emergency broadcast to remain indoors due to an undisclosed threat, more information would follow.

“Josie,” Madeline breathed, feeling her chest tighten. This whole time she had been thinking, hoping, her sister may have been just a touch extra paranoid, but a citywide alert going out made this real. She was getting messages from news outlets now sharing news about the alert. “They just sent a city alert to stay indoors.” Her phone buzzed with the same alert again and she saw the Alexa in the kitchen flash with the warning as well.

“Shit. It’s already out of control there. I knew they were slow to alert us down here,” Josephine snapped before taking a steadying breath. Her voice changed instantly to a calming tone, like a mother talking to their scared child.  “Go now. Get the stuff you packed earlier…you did pack, right?” She tacked on and when Madeline whispered yes, she continued. “Get to John Price and you’ll be fine. Get Everett up, get in the car, and on the road. My phone is about to die, I’ve been on it all day and power is spotty here. But you call me when you get to John.”

“Josie, how bad is this?” Madeline breathed feeling the panic welling up inside her as her phone continued to go berserk with news.

“I’ve never lied to you, have I?” Josephine asked calmly and when Madeline didn’t answer she continued, “this is as bad as it gets, Mads. You need to get out of Boston.”

Chapter Text

“I know E,” Mads said quietly as her nephew whined in the backseat. He did not want to get up, having only been asleep a few hours. He cried the whole time and had an absolute meltdown when Madeline tried to get him to put on proper pants. She had conceded to pajama pants, his favorite Batman ones, if he would put his shoes on himself. She didn’t say a word when they ended up being a pair of mismatched sandals, she just threw his sneakers into the duffle. She barely had the capacity herself to throw on weather appropriate clothes herself, her head pounding from the stress and the start of a hangover.

“It’s still dark out,” Everett stated as he wiped at his face. He had started to come around a bit and had been able to buckle himself in the booster as Madeline pulled out of the parking garage. It was under the apartment building and they hadn’t seen a single person as she threw their bags into the trunk. She had forgotten to zip up Josephine’s from earlier and had to scoop the pill bottles and some other items back into it hoping she hadn’t missed anything. “Where are we going?”

“Mom found some friends to take us to her office in Georgia,” Madeline answered as she waited for the automatic garage door to open up. When it clicked into place she pulled out and found that there wasn’t a single person outside, too early for even the runners to be out. The roads remained empty as she rounded out of the apartment complex and Madeline blew the redlight to make the left onto the main road. Her sister had emphasized they had to go right now and she wasn’t going to waste any time waiting for no reason.

“Why are they going so early?” Everett asked with a groan as he threw his head back against the booster seat. He had certainly learned his dramatics from her.

“They’re in a hurry is all,” Madeline said as she pressed her foot harder on the pedal as the GPS told her she’d arrive in nineteen minutes. “And if we want to go with them, we need to hurry as well.”

Everett didn’t answer after that, he just huffed and turned his head to look out the window. Madeline kept her eye on him in the rearview mirror as she cruised through the streets, knowing she would be pulled over in an instant if the police saw her. It drove Josephine crazy how fast she was when she drove, stating she followed too close and darted around enough to make her sick, which meant Josephine usually drove when they were together. Madeline had been taught how to drive by a car enthusiast when she was sixteen, the guy old enough to go to jail if he had been caught with her. His method was if you weren’t leading the pack, you were going too slow and Madeline followed that same mentality now.

The further she delved into Boston though, she found there was more activity, people were actually out and about and she had to slow down. The bar scene was just starting to wrap in some places and Madeline watched as a group stumbled out and headed down the sidewalk. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently waiting for them to cross the street when a taxi came flying down the road from the opposite way. She knew what was going to happen an instant before it did. She screamed and hit the horn in a last-ditch effort to warn them right before the car plowed down the group.

“Cover your eyes!” Madeline yelled to Everett whose eyes were wide as he stared at the building where the car eventually stopped. “E!” Madeline yelled as she turned around and nudged his knee, “look away from it.” When he turned to look at her, she faced the accident. Despite being in a rush Madeline found herself sitting there staring in shock.

The driver of the car pushed the door open and fell out and she watched them jerk uncontrollably as they fell to the ground, hands scrabbling at their throat where blood was pouring. Their passenger got out a moment later and ran flatfooted at the people that were making their way toward the scene to help. Then the passenger, a young woman, leaped on a man twice her size and tackled him to the ground, and began ripping at him with her hands. Others tried to pull her off but she was unstoppable as she snarled and fought them, biting and ripping at them.

“Oh my God,” Madeline muttered as she stared, feeling as if she were in a dream. The taxi driver was up and had grabbed the closest person to him and sank his teeth into their throat. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t flinch as blood coated his skin, he just moved on to the next person. People were realizing what was happening and started to scatter instead of helping. She was so busy watching one side she didn’t see another person run up at her car.

“Oh fuck,” she nearly screamed as someone started beating on the driver’s window and kicking at the door. She hit the gas before thinking and the car squealed at the sudden power surge. Everett was screaming in the back and Madeline joined him as she swerved around a small group of people running to the accident. They certainly didn’t look like they were coming to help, based on the blood all over their clothes and the crazed looks in their eyes.

“What’s happening?” Everett asked, crying again, as he turned to try and look back behind them. “Aunt Mads, why are those people hurting one another?” His eyes were wide as he waited for an answer and his hands were holding onto the booster seat arms like a lifeline.

“I don’t know,” Madeline answered truthfully, her eyes darting over to her window that had blood running down it from the person’s bloody hands pounding on it. “I don’t know what is happening E,” she continued as she slammed the brakes hard when a police car came down a side street and cut them off with lights and sirens going. She groaned at the yank of the seatbelt before hitting the gas, foot to the floor, to get to their destination. She hoped wherever this place was that they were headed to wasn’t dealing with this. She had no idea what she would do if they couldn’t get out. “Just sit back in your seat and close your eyes, yeah?” She said looking up at him in the mirror again, “we’ll be out of here soon.”

“Come on Farah,” Alex muttered as he paced the empty room holding the phone to his ear. He had called three times now and it just continued to ring. “Pick up,” he muttered before hanging up with a frustrated sigh. Things were moving quickly, too quick, and he was second guessing leaving her for the umpteenth time. He had been uneasy about it from the start and now that things were already much worse than they thought, him being here was useless. They didn’t need him or his resources to help get down to Venezuela, they just needed to sneak in and extract without all the political fanfare.

He was staring out the window, mentally going through a list of what he could do. What resources he could tap and favors he could call in to get back to Farah? He was about to hit dial again when the phone rang instead and he answered it before it had a chance to even finish the first one.

“Farah,” he said a bit relieved and agitated. “Where have you been?” He asked as his eyes darted up to the clock and figured out the time difference. It was almost eleven in the morning there.

“Busy,” Farah answered and she sounded rushed. “Alex, it’s already a disaster,” she stated as he heard people yelling in the background. “We’ve been lied to, it’s spread everywhere. Russian forces pulled out right after you left. They left everything behind and just disappeared.” He heard her yell an order, muffled so she must have tilted the phone against her chest.

“Goddamn it,” Alex said as he turned heel and reached for the door. He was leaving.  He wasn’t going to wait here and let her struggle and suffer on her own. “Is the sickness there?” He asked as he jogged down some steps to try and find Price. People were running around the place like mad and he had to press himself up against a wall to avoid being bowled over by a man sprinting down the hall with cases of weapons.

“I haven’t seen it,” Farah answered and Alex breathed a small sigh of relief at that. “But sick people have been seen in the city,” she cut off and Alex heard someone talking to her in rapid succession. “I have to get back and save those we can.”

“Farah, no,” Alex stated harshly. “You need to stay away from it. You need to stay alive and lead the people,” he reasoned and he heard her huff. “I’m coming back,” he stated not knowing how he was going to manage it just yet. He had done many favors for people over the years and never asked for anything in return. It was time to start cashing them in, beginning with Laswell. “I’ll find the first flight.”

“You are not,” Farah answered sternly. “You have a job to do. I sent you on it, you will finish it.”

Alex shut his eyes at the command. He had defied orders before, to stay with her, so he could defy them again to get back to her. How many times had he bled for her, almost died for her, broken his own heart over and over just for her. This wasn’t any different. Everything had done these past few years had been for her and he wasn’t about to stop that now.

“I am,” Alex said as he yanked open a stairwell door. “You can’t do this alone.” He knew he was being a bit irrational at his haste but the panic of her being there without him had been consuming him for a while now.

“I am not alone,” Farah answered, her voice taking an icy tone that he had only been on the receiving end of one other time and it had nearly shattered him then. “I survived without you before Alex, and I can do it now. Do not doubt my abilities or my team.” There was a pause before, “I do not need you.” The silence was a long one and the stab of hurt made Alex’s steps slow to a halt again as he gripped the phone hard to his ear. “You are my second, I have given you a command. You will finish the mission.”

“Farah,” Alex tried as he stared ahead not really seeing, his mind’s eye picturing her face. The same face she had given him when he had confessed he couldn’t just be a bedwarmer for her anymore the last time they had been together. That his feelings were eating him alive and he needed to know what she was thinking. She had told him that she couldn’t be anything more to him than that. Stated he needed to accept her position, that it wasn’t going to change, and he should move on. Her ambitions were too high, life too busy, to even think about settling down; especially with her second. Feelings would make things a disaster and she gave him the ultimatum of figuring it out or leave. “Please,” he finally tacked on knowing it was futile.

“We will be fine. Call me when the job is complete,” she stated and Alex couldn’t tell if she actually was masking her hurt at her own words, or was just that disconnected between her job and her heart. “Goodbye Alex.”

The phone disconnected and Alex sighed, curling his hands in a frustrated gesture feeling the phone digging into his fingers. He knew she was done with the conversation and there would be no changing her mind. When her brother had betrayed her, she had declared him an enemy without a second thought and they were family that had grown up and survived together. Alex hadn’t been around that long and he knew she would not hesitate to push Alex away if it came between her and her goals. Shoving the phone into his pocket he headed back to the office to gather his belongings and head to the transport.

“We’re here,” Madeline breathed out as she looked at the GPS. She had made it in the nineteen-minute time frame it originally predicted, even after stopping and watching the horrific scene at the bar. She had pulled over to parallel park on the street, ignoring the no parking sign. Her sister could pay that stupid ticket. “Let me get the stuff from the trunk, do not get out before I come get you,” Madeline instructed as she killed the engine and shoved the keys in her coat pocket. Everett nodded, he had been quiet the rest of the car ride, only sniffling every now and again.

With shaking hands, Madeline opened the car door and looked around before darting to the trunk to dig out the bags. She had to adjust the strap on her sister's backpack a few times before slinging the duffle over her shoulder and shoving it behind her. She looked around again before slamming the trunk shut hurrying around to the side of the car and yanked open the door. Everett was already out of his seat waiting for her and his hand clasped hers hard as she helped him out.

Their feet crunched over the salt pellets someone had poured out over the sidewalk as they went. The buildings along the street were dark, all of them office buildings and warehouses. Madeline glanced at the scribbled post-it in her other hand to make sure she had the right address. She hadn’t even thought to ask her sister what the place was, and honestly who the hell John Price was anyway.  Was he another scientist? Doctor? She was pretty sure it wasn’t Josephine’s boss; his name was something like Bart which still made Madeline laugh because that did not sound like a stuffy scientist name.

“There’s a man lying on the sidewalk,” Everett blurted out suddenly and Madeline glanced down at him before following where he was pointing. There, in fact, was a man lying on the sidewalk and Madeline froze her steps to look at him. He was bundled under a blanket and had a few layers of clothes on that she could see. She narrowed her eyes a bit trying to determine if he was just a person that had found the least hard part of the ground to sleep on for the evening, or if it was something else.

“We just need to go around him quietly,” Madeline reasoned as she scooted Everett around her to walk on the side closest to the road now. “He’s probably just sleeping,” she stated giving Everett a reassuring smile as they got closer.

“I want to sleep,” Everett muttered before seeing Madeline put a finger to her lips to indicate for him to be quiet.

They sidestepped the man and he didn’t move, and Madeline held the breath she had been holding. She tried to look at him to see if he was even breathing, unable to tell with all the layers, not that there was anything she could do anyway. Once they were around him Madeline found a break in the wall they had been following. There was a gate that was propped half-open and she saw the number drilled into the brick, this was the address.  Shifting the bag on her shoulder a bit she headed through it, quickening her steps as she saw people through the windows bustling about. They were the first people she had seen since they left the house that didn’t look crazed, or dead.

“Stop,” came a voice as Madeline reached the door and yanked it open. She blinked a few times as a flashlight blinded her and she winced away. She quickly let go of the door and stepped back as a man dressed in a solid black military uniform aimed the light beam at Everett who pressed hard into her side.

“I’m here to see John Price,” Madeline said, grateful her voice didn’t shake like she knew the rest of her body was doing. “Do you know where he is?”

The man didn’t answer her but spoke into a microphone on his headset stating two people were looking for Captain Price. He watched the two of them as he listened to whoever was on the other end talk. She moved her hand from Everett’s to gently rub his head, realizing she hadn’t put him in a hat and it was freezing outside. His ears were like little icicles and she pressed her hand over one, pushing the other into her leg, to try and warm them a bit. Her eyes darted to the building where people were moving around still and she shifted on her feet.

“Can we wait inside?” She asked as they continued to stand in silence for a few seconds. “It’s freezing out here,” she tacked on as the guy glared at her. “And I’ve, well, it wasn’t a fun ride over here and I’d much rather be inside.”

The guy looked her up and down one more time before nodding his head toward the door indicating she could step inside. She shifted and pulled the door open before gently pushing Everett through, he was clinging to her hard and she had to shuffle step in before the warmth hit them. She looked around the room, it was a big open space with a reception desk that had someone behind it and she walked over. The man that had stopped them had stayed outside on some sort of guard duty.

“Hello,” Madeline said as she rested a hand on the counter, which was up to her chest. It reminded her of an old police precinct, eerily similar to one that she had visited too often to bail out yet another ex. “I, ah, don’t know if he told you,” she continued pointing with her thumb to the guy outside the window. “I’m here to see John Price?” The woman looked up at her with a disinterested glance and didn’t say anything so Madeline continued, “my sister Josephine Martin sent us, said for me to ask for him. We’re on a bit of a tight schedule.” That caught the woman’s attention.

“Do you have IDs?” She asked as she moved to lean over the counter edge and glanced down at Everett who was staring up at her.

“Oh yeah, hang on,” Madeline answered as she quickly let her duffle fall to the ground with a thump and she bent down to dig around. It was a disaster inside, and she had to pull a few things out before she found the first passport, Everett’s. She handed him his before she dug around some more and found her own before standing up and taking E’s back and handing them to the woman. “I’m Madeline, he’s Everett,” she said a bit lamely as the woman flipped open each of them.

“Everett Martin,” she said and closed Everett’s, “and Madeline Torres,” she finished not sounding impressed. She looked at the passport for a moment before flicking her eyes up to Madeline then back down again.

“Yes,” Madeline answered a bit confused. “I’m Josephine’s sister. She asked me to come here, and ask for John Price.” Were all these people dense Madeline wondered as she looked around.

“We have clearance for two Martins,” the woman answered. Madeline felt her stomach plummet as she looked at Everett for a second. “Where’s the boy’s father?”

“What? His father isn’t around, asshole has been gone for over a year.” She normally tried not to talk bad about Everett’s father in front of him but she was too worried to really think about it. “I’m Everett’s Aunt, I’ve been taking care of him while my sister has been working,” she babbled and moved to dig out her phone. “I’ll just call her and she’ll-” she started but the woman cut her off.

“I only have clearance for him. No one mentioned Torres,” she explained a bit clipped.

“Josephine’s maiden name is Torres, she never changed it after the divorce,” the woman just stared at her. “You’re expecting me to send my six-year-old nephew alone with you?” Madeline snapped as Everett grabbed her even harder. “Let me just call Josephine,” she continued as she fumbled in her pocket.  “Or get John down here,” she tacked on a bit snippily, “I’m sure Josephine gave him our names.”

“How do I know you didn’t just take him and left his father behind?” The woman asked and Madeline was sure she felt her eyes bug out of her head.

“I’m sorry, are you insane?” Madeline asked a bit sarcastically as she let her hand hang limply for a second out of the shock of the outlandish accusation. “I am his Aunt, I live with them. I want to talk to someone else because you clearly are not getting it.” She finally got her phone out of her pocket and swiped through it to call Josephine and hit dial. The phone rang. And rang. And rang. The woman just watched her before calling someone else over and explained what was happening to them.

“We can take him to John. He’s upstairs,” the new person stated. “But until we get approval you will have to wait,” he stated. He was at least a little nicer than the woman.

“I,” Madeline started as she glanced at Everett. She couldn’t risk him not being able to leave and get to his mom but she didn’t want to send him alone either. She really needed Josephine to pick up. She tried calling again, wedging her phone between her shoulder and ear to squat down in front of Everett. The phone just kept ringing. “Everett, you are going to have to go with them,” she stated and winced as she saw the tears start up again. “I know, I’m sorry. I’ll be right behind you, we just have to work out paperwork,” she tried explaining and Everett clung to her.

“No,” Everett said firmly as he clung to her and she glanced up at the two people who were being impossibly thick about the whole situation. She knew her face was portraying a ‘see I told you’ look but they didn’t budge. “I’m scared Aunt Maddy,” Everett wailed and she sighed, peeling her phone off her ear and dialed again before wrapping Everett up in a hug.

“I know E,” Madeline answered as she rubbed his back gently, “I am too but it’s okay.” She was lying, this wasn’t okay but she didn’t need him to have a meltdown again. “I’ll be right behind you. They are going to take you to mommy’s friend,” another lie she was presuming, “and John will make sure you are okay.” She stared at the two adults who didn’t seem to have an ounce of empathy in them as they just watched the scene in front of them. “Damn it,” she muttered as Josephine still didn’t pick up.

“Can’t I wait with you?” Everett asked as he looked up at the two people watching. “If you’re coming anyway,” he tacked on. Too smart for his own good.

“You need to get situated,” Madeline answered as she pointed at his mismatched shoes, “and put on proper sneakers. I promise I am right behind you,” she said as she stood up and glared at the woman as she shoved the duffle at them. “His shoes are in there,” she instructed as she snatched up her own passport again and threw Everett’s in the bag. “You’ll need to carry it; he won’t be able to.”

Everett lost it when the man came around the counter to take him upstairs and Madeline slammed her cellphone down on the counter and grabbed him. He was howling and she hefted him up as he wrapped his arms and legs around her tightly. He was overly tired, stressed, and was probably still trying to process the shit they had seen on the way over. Now he was being told he had to go with intimidating looking strangers which was the final straw for him.

“You tell John Price to come down here, right fucking now,” Madeline demanded of the woman, done trying to play nice. “No,” she interrupted the woman when she opened her mouth, “right now. I don’t care if you have to drag him down by his goddamn ear. My nephew is not going until I talk to him. Maybe he understands what happens when someone gets married, they get a new name from their sister. I don’t understand why it is such a hard concept for you.”

At the same time, Alex was in the stairwell just a floor up and he heard the faint sound of a child crying. It was been enough to catch his attention. There was only one child that would be around at this point, the scientist’s kid, which meant they had somehow made it after all. He called over his comms that the civilians they were escorting had arrived before pushing open the door to the main room. He caught the very frazzled woman’s rant and couldn’t help but smirk, despite himself, at the thought of anyone dragging Price down by his ear. She certainly looked like she would try it though, and Price may cow to it out of sheer surprise.

“Someone looking for Price?” Came a voice and Madeline turned on her heel to see a man walking over, having appeared from a stairwell at the end of the room.

“Yes,” Madeline said quickly, stepping away from the counter toward the guy. He was tall and she had to tilt her head back up to see him fully. He was dressed differently than the other people she had been speaking with. He was in a simple pair of jeans, though he had a thigh holster with a pistol in it, and a t-shirt over another long shirt and a brown military vest topping it all off. She noted the American flag on the vest and an insignia of some sort on his shoulder guards. Maybe Price was a military man. Josephine really should have given her more details.

“Are you him?” She asked but the guy shook his head quickly so she continued talking before he could interrupt. “Do you know where he is? My sister Josephine Martin sent me here,” Madeline said trying to talk a little louder than Everett who was still wailing. “They’re telling me that because my name is different, I can’t go,” she sighed and rubbed Everett’s back as his little fingers dug hard into her back at her last words. “I’m Madeline, Everett’s aunt. My last name is Torres, it’s Josephine’s maiden name. She never changed her name back after she got divorced.” She knew she sounded desperate and probably giving this guy way more information than he needed, or wanted, but she didn’t care. “And his last name is Martin like his mom.” She finished indicating Everett whose face was thoroughly burrowed in her hair.

Alex took in the scene before him and he stared at the woman behind the counter who seemed like she was being defiant for the sake of it. It was obvious the boy was stuck to this woman, Madeline, like glue. Price had stated that it was Josephine’s sister bringing her son which meant this had to be the aunt.  He didn’t know why the shadow was being so obtuse, especially given the situation that was rapidly unfolding outside and around the city. Who else would be showing up at this hour asking for John Price except for someone that was sent specifically to find him.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to Price,” Alex stated and the woman behind the counter opened her mouth but shut it as Alex glared at her. “This your bag?” He asked and Madeline nodded as he snatched it up and slung it over his shoulder without hesitation, cutting the shadow one more side-eye as she crossed her arms watching him. “I’m Alex, I’m working with Price on this,” he explained as he gestured for her to follow him. “The Shadows are a bit robotic, afraid to do anything their operator doesn’t tell them explicitly to do,” he tacked on loud enough for those behind the counter to hear him.

“Seem a bit idiotic,” Madeline answered truthfully, having no idea what Shadows meant, perhaps that was another military thing. Everett adjusted to twist his head out of where he had buried it to look around when he realized they were walking. “Think you can walk now bud?” Madeline asked him as he rested his cheek on her shoulder. “I love you but you ate too much spaghetti last night,” she teased as he wiggled against her even more, locking his ankles around her waist, he was not going to let her put him down.  “Fine,” she said and adjusted her grip a bit.

They were about to clear the door to the stairs when there was the sound of gunfire and breaking glass. Madeline instantly flinched, ducking down to her knees and twisting Everett so her back was to where the sound of the gunfire came from to protect him. She was curled around her nephew, her hand on the back of his head to hold him close as he shrieked. The sounds were echoing and Madeline resisted pressing her hands over her own ears as the shouts erupted from the soldiers in the room.

Alex saw it all happen in rapid succession. The glass blew out when it was pelted with gunfire from a rogue gun being fired as the guard outside was attacked. The idiot hadn’t lifted his finger off the trigger as he was flung back into the window. Alex also flinched and ducked a bit, moving himself out of instinct to cover Madeline’s back with his own body. He had thrown the duffle down on the ground in favor of getting his pistol out of the holster and safety off as he assessed the escalating situation.

“You hurt?” Alex asked, not taking his eyes off the windows and seeing more movement outside. People were rushing about outside but he wasn’t sure if that was the Shadows or something else.

“No,” Madeline answered as she felt Alex pressed up against her back. “No, we’re alright,” she continued as she checked her hands to make sure there was no blood on them.

“Good-” Alex stated before cutting off as someone leaped through a broken window and made a beeline for the soldiers behind the counter. The intruder was covered in blood, one arm ripped to bloody ribbons and snarling. He raised his gun and took a shot, catching them in the shoulder so they wheeled to the side a bit from the hit, but they didn’t slow. It was one of those things.

“Get in the stairwell,” he instructed suddenly. He stood up fully and grabbed Madeline under the arm to heft her up, bodily dragging her back to her feet without much effort.

Madeline glanced over her shoulder at Alex to ask him where to go after getting in there when she saw the soldier that was on guard duty outside hanging halfway through one of the windows. He was leaning impossibly far back with a person, the guy that was sleeping on the sidewalk, on his chest scratching and clawing at his face as he screamed. She was transfixed as the soldier screamed, his helmet knocked off and his impossibly young face contorted in fear and pain as the other guy tore him apart.

“Go,” Alex said a bit more urgently as he shoved Madeline again with one hand on her shoulder to snap her out of her daze. As the screaming from the young soldier died, he twisted back around to take a shot at the man who had attacked him. This shot didn’t miss its intended target.  He hit the guy right in the temple, the blood spraying everywhere on impact.

The attacker fell instantly back out the window but the man he was attacking was jerking around and Madeline heard a feral sounding growl come from him. That was enough for her to finally get moving. She bent down and scooped up her duffle and bolted for the stairs. It was hard work trying to go up the steps with Everett in her arms and the duffle dragging along each step as she went. Her legs were burning with effort as she barely cleared the first seven stairs to the halfway mark to the second floor when she heard Alex fire again. The snarling and screaming seemed to be echoing in her skull before the stairwell door slammed shut muffling the chaos. She looked over the railing to see Alex standing there for a moment preparing to shoot if anyone came through but after a few seconds, he backed up toward the steps.

“They’ve breached the building,” Alex said into his comms as he kept his back pressed to the railing as he went up the stairs rapidly. “I’ve got the civilians, the kid, and his aunt,” he tacked on waiting for Price to come back. “We’re in the stairwell on our way to you.”

“Get to the transport,” came Price’s voice quickly. “Graves has the cars outside ready. No time to finish prepping,” he said before cursing. “They’re all over the damn place, where did they come from?”

“They’re probably drawn by the gunfire. Shit infects them quick,” Alex answered before a loud bang on the stairwell door made him jump. His eyes shot to the hollow metal door before glancing up at Madeline who had frozen in her trek. He quickly put a finger to his lips before digging into one of his vest pockets. He pulled out a new magazine and clipped it into the pistol, putting the half spent one away in another pocket to reload later. He had no idea how he was going to get out to the transport with two civilians and just a sidearm for protection.

“We’re getting overrun,” came Graves. “Put a little pep in your step boys.”

“We’re almost there,” Price answered, “where are you Echo?” There was gunfire in the background of his comms and Alex could also hear it coming from outside the stairwell.

Alex didn’t answer as the banging on the door intensified, the pounding rabid and only getting louder as more fists and feet joined it. They had to get out of there and outside quickly, their only option was an emergency exit that had a big red sign on it that would sound an alarm if opened. They were going to just put a big neon sign on their backs when that high-pitched wailing started. He weighed his options before waving his hand to indicate for Madeline to come to him.

“You’ve got two fucking minutes,” Graves snapped before someone in the background shouted in terror.

“Echo 3-1,” came Price again. “Do you copy? Get to the goddamn transport.”

“Copy,” Alex barely whispered and Price seemed to get the hint. He didn’t come back again.

Madeline shuffled down the steps as quietly as she could, shifting Everett back to her already exhausted left arm to try and get a breather. She slipped the duffle at Alex’s feet before flinching as the door groaned under the assault from the other side. Despite the chill, sweat was running down her back and she felt flustered, flushed, and completely overwhelmed. Everett wasn’t helping either, not that it was his fault but his panic was ricocheting hers up tenfold. He was whimpering and she shifted him again, feeling like her arms were going to give out, her legs shaking from the exertion.

“We have to get to the transport,” Alex said very quietly, his eyes never leaving the door where the threat was just on the other side. It was lucky their predators didn’t know how to use door handles, at least not yet anyway. “It’s outside around the back of the building. A few SUVs,” he continued to explain and he saw Madeline’s eyes widen at the thought of having to run outside. “It’s not far if we go out that door,” he nodded his head at the emergency exit.

“The second we open that door the alarm will sound,” Madeline said, having seen the warning signs on it. “They will be all over us,” she gasped. “I can’t run, not with him,” the panic was starting to tighten around her throat with a stranglehold. “Can we go upstairs? Just barricade...barricade in until,” she stated, her voice a hoarse whisper as she felt her body begin to vibrate with impending doom. “I can’t...we’ll never,” she was heaving for breath and shifted for the stairs. He could run for it, she wasn’t doing it.

“Give him to me,” Alex said, his eyes staring hard into hers, keeping his tone even but with an edge of command. “I can carry him. You’ll need to get the door, and then get behind me. Hold onto my vest and don’t let go,” he stated and he saw her shake her head in fear. “Listen to me,” he put a hand on her shoulder and gripped hard, giving her something to ground and focus on aside from the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. “I know you’re scared, but you need to fight through it. We need to get to those cars, to the team. We stay here, we’re done for. They will not wait for us,” he nodded his head at the emergency door. “We have a minute left. It’s now or never.”

Madeline felt the panic whine in her throat before she heard it. Everett was holding onto her like a leach but she nodded once at Alex willing to go with his plan even if her instincts were screaming to go hide. He had helped this far so she had no choice but to trust him now. If she didn’t they were dead and his plan at least gave them a shot.

Alex didn’t wait for her to say anything in confirmation as one of his hands came around Everett’s waist, snaking its way between his little body and hers. Madeline felt her nephew attempt to hang on tighter but Alex wrenched him free relatively easily and the boy screamed. The pounding on the other side kicked up a notch and snarling joined the sound which drew all of their eyes for a moment.

“It’s okay, E,” Madeline said quickly as she scooped up the duffle. She would ditch it if it got in the way of running but she needed to try and keep it, all their clothes and other items were in there. “He’s going to help us, just hold onto him, alright? I’ll be right behind you, yeah? We get to the car and you can sit in my lap.” She rubbed his back absently as he stared at her with watery eyes before nodding. Under normal circumstances, her nephew had never met a stranger, a small blessing since she was sure if he was shy of other people this would be ten times harder.

Alex didn’t give Everett a chance to say if he was okay with this, there wasn’t time to coddle. He shifted Everett more on his side, grabbing his tiny wrist with his hand that held his pistol to wrap it around his neck. The boy seemed to get the memo and his other arm looped around the back of Alex’s neck and he held his hands tight together, burrowing into his side almost painfully tight.

“If something happens you get him there,” Madeline ordered as Alex situated Everett, the boy was too distracted by his own hiccupping and crying to pay attention to what Madeline was saying. “Just...keep him alive. He's priority.” Her eyes darted to her nephew before she let out a shaky breath knowing that she just signed off on allowing him to leave her for dead.

“I’m keeping you both alive,” Alex said as he held onto the kid with his left arm and prayed that his bullets would hold out and he hadn’t just lied. “Get the door.”

Madeline nodded before her shaking hands pushed on the red paddle on the door. She felt it resist for a moment as if the mechanism was questioning if she really wanted to do this. She continued to press and there was a click as the lock gave way then half a second later the piercing alarm started. The cold air hit her face like a slap and Alex quickly pushed past her shouldering the door open more. The hand with the pistol grabbed hers and securely tucked it around one of the loops of his vest before he raised it in front of them and they began to run.

Chapter Text

Snarls met Madeline’s ears and she kept her head on a swivel as she looked around for the threat. Maybe it was a small mercy it was still so early, that this didn’t happen during morning rush hour traffic or peak lunchtime in downtown Boston. Yet, there were still so many of them it sounded like and she wondered just how many people were usually out at this hour. The hospital wasn’t far from where they were and she felt a thrill of cold fear settle in her stomach at all those poor people that were probably going to be the first victims of all of this. Sick people always went to the hospital and given the fact they were open twenty-four hours a day, people could come in and out easily.

“Who set off the goddamn alarm?” Graves yelled into the comms. “They’re coming from fucking everywhere now!”

“Didn’t have a choice,” Alex answered as he took aim and hit a man that was running right for him. It took two shots to get him down and Alex pivoted to shoot at another that was leaping over the trashcan. It was a Shadow and he cursed as the bullets hit his helmet and didn’t do any damage; he couldn’t afford missed shots.

“We’ve got to go,” Graves answered. “Now.”

“Thirty seconds!” Alex yelled as he finally dropped the Shadow with a shot through the eye.

“Too late Keller. I’ve lost too many men. I’m not losing more waiting on you.” Graves answered and Alex cursed.

“Hold the fucking cars!” Soap snarled, “or I’ll end what you started in Mexico. Right fucking now.”

“Stand down Soap,” Price came across. “Echo 3-1 can you get to the airfield?”

“Fuck, I don’t know,” Alex answered before cutting out and corralling Madeline behind a dumpster, his eyes darting around the area. “Do you still have your car keys?” He asked Madeline who looked at him with horrified eyes. “Yes, or no. Do you have your keys?”

“I, yes I mean…the car is out front but yes, yes I have my keys,” Madeline answered rapidly as she stared at Alex. “But why? I thought you, we, were going to your team?” The idea that it was them alone now was terrifying. She knew she and Everett were dead weight to this man and he could easily cut them loose if it came down to him or them.

“I’ve got another way,” Alex called back. “We’ll meet you there.”

“10-4,” Price answered.

“Change of plans. We need to get to your car and get to the transport ourselves. They can’t wait, they’re already getting overrun.” Alex said to Madeline as Everett clung to his neck nearly strangling him.

“What? Are you serious?” Madeline asked as she craned her head to try and see the SUVs herself, thinking they just had to be a few yards away. “We have to go around the whole building to get back to the front!”

“I know,” Alex answered as he popped his spent clip and loaded another. “We need to move quickly and quietly,” he said as he looked at the building where they had come from. The emergency door was open and the siren was wailing still. “They’re drawn to the noise, they’re going to go for that first,” he pointed as two of the people, things, darted through the illuminated door. “We’ll use that to our advantage. It’ll keep them distracted before the alarm dies.”

Madeline looked over her shoulder at the building before back to Alex again. It was still a long way to go all the way around, get through the front gate then down the sidewalk. But she watched as another person darted inside and she could see figures darting around inside, looking for other victims. She wondered how good their eyesight was if they’d see them moving about outside.

“Stick to the dark spots,” Alex said as if he read Madeline’s mind. “Keep low and keep hold of me,” he instructed as Madeline nodded and reached for his back again. He felt her grasp on him, her nails scraping his side through his shirt as she did so before he moved.

They stuck to the outer wall, glad for the fact it was all brick, which was the historic way of creating fences when this place was originally built. Madeline could hear people shuffling and running about on the other side of the wall and she slapped a hand over her mouth as someone screamed in fear as they were attacked. In the distance, police sirens were blaring and she flinched as a helicopter flew overhead, the spotlight darting all over the ground temporarily blinding her.

“Stop,” Alex instructed quietly, his hand moving back to push Madeline further into the wall and pull her up against his back. He had seen three of them inside the main area where the lights were still on, the bright fluorescent light spilling out onto the grounds. He knew they’d be seen if they continued their route, there wasn’t any darkness to stick to. If they were spotted the things inside didn’t have to try and find a door, they would just jump right out the broken windows.

“What now?” Madeline asked as she took in the situation before them. “Over the wall?” She asked looking up, it was way too far for any of them to climb without a boost.

“No,” Alex answered as he looked at Everett who was watching the people inside with a fearful fascination. “We need a diversion,” he stated before glancing back at Madeline. “Get your keys out,” he said with a nod toward her bag.

Madeline immediately dug in her pockets and produced them, her fingers gliding over the key fob before holding it up for him to see.

“Does the car beep when you lock it?” He asked to which Madeline nodded. “Hit it,” he said as he glanced at the building again. “Draw them out,” he said hoping that there weren’t more on the street that were also going to get drawn to the car. One obstacle at a time.

“Are you sure?” Madeline asked as her thumb hovered over the button. When he nodded, she hit it once, the beep loud since it was just over the wall from them. She crouched down instinctively a few more inches as did Alex. The things inside heard the noise and their heads snapped around. She looked to Alex for instruction and he nodded again so she pressed once more. They definitely wanted to get to the source of the sound now, one fully leaped out the window while the other two scrambled around one another to get out.

“Wait,” Alex said as he practically smushed Madeline against the wall with his own body. He could feel her fingers digging into his shoulders, the key fob clutched in one, and her breath on his neck as he pressed. She was shaking and he resisted the natural desire to soothe her as his eyes tracked the jerking run of the things out on the lawn. If they just looked a few feet to their left, they would be spotted. He was already planning on dropping Everett and shoving him to Madeline so he could draw the attention of the things to give them a chance to get away if they were seen. “Again,” he barely whispered as the things seemed to almost sniff at the air to try and find their prey, turning to face away from them.

When the horn went off a third time the things darted for the gate snarling and Alex let out a breath he had been holding as the last one disappeared around the corner. He felt Madeline relax slightly but her nails were still dug into his skin as she trembled. Everett was staring at where the things disappeared to and he shifted a bit in Alex’s grip, his small legs locking tight around Alex’s waist as if anticipating they would be moving again.

“Okay so they’re at the car now…which is where we need to go,” Madeline said as she looked over Alex’s shoulder. “What do we do now?”

“One step at a time,” Alex answered as he pushed to stand up to his full height again and continued to walk down the wall. He kept his eyes on the surroundings as they crept and he hesitated in his steps twice as he heard feet running down the sidewalk just over the wall. He was anticipating them turning onto the property and he raised his gun ready to drop them but nothing. When they got to the opening of the gate he peered around the edge before quickly retreating. There were half a dozen of them on the street to the left and he thought he saw a few more to the right.

“How bad?” Madeline asked as she looked up at him, her hand gripped tight on Alex’s vest. She still had the keys in hand ready to hit the unlock button any second.

“Street has a few of them, too many for me to take out,” Alex said as he palmed his gun. “We need something else,” he glanced down at his kit for anything available he could use. Flares and flashbangs would certainly draw their attention. But they would have to toss the grenade, run, and hope they didn’t cross paths in their retreat. He doubted they would pass up attacking a victim for a loud bang or bright light. “Any ideas?”

“You’re asking me?” Madeline hissed incredulously as she stared at the back of his head. “I don’t have any idea, I wanted to hide if you remember,” she snarked before wracking her brain for what they could do. “Can you just…shoot into the air?” She asked and when he cut her eyes at her as if to say that was stupid, she huffed. “What about shooting out a few car windows then? Draw them to that?”

“I only have a few bullets left,” Alex admitted as he popped out the clip and looked at it before sliding it back in. “I’d prefer to use those for defense.”

“Fuck,” Madeline muttered and she saw E cut his eyes to her. Even in this moment of terror, he was going to hold her to the swear jar money. “Yes I know, three dollars now,” she muttered and he shook his head.

“Five and he owes me one,” Everett answered a bit sheepishly as he glanced at Alex. The kid hadn’t missed a beat in all of their conversations.

“I’ve only got Lari’s on me currently,” Alex answered as he caught Everett’s confused face. “Trust me, you’ll make out better in the conversion,” he grinned before flinching as an explosion rocked the ground beneath them. He held on tighter to Everett as he balanced himself before looking toward the fireball in the distance. He didn’t know Boston well enough to even know where that was but Madeline answered for him. 

“I think that was the airport,” she said quietly as she narrowed her eyes a bit. They weren’t far from Logan; it was just across the harbor. “That’s not where we were…” she started but Alex shook his head.

“No, airfield outside the city,” he answered as the things over the wall started running toward that sound. This was their chance. “Let’s move while they’re distracted,” he ordered before poking his head around the gate before running through, Madeline stumbling behind him to keep up. The sidewalk was empty the way they were going and when Madeline hit the button to unlock the car the lights flashed to indicate which one Alex needed to go to.

Madeline slid a bit on ice as they ran for the car and when they were close enough, she let go of Alex and wrenched the back door open so he could shove Everett inside. Her nephew went without fuss, seemingly grateful for something he was familiar with as he scrambled across the seat to his booster to strap himself in. She shrugged the duffle off shoved it in the middle seat and moved to climb in next to him. She wasn’t about to try and drive in the state she was in and Alex seemed capable enough.

“I need you up front with me,” Alex said quickly as he reached for her shoulder, one hand on the roof of the car as he guarded her back, eyes ever vigilant to what was happening around them. “I don’t know Boston, I’ll need your help,” he explained as Madeline glanced at him. “GPS could go down and I also don’t want to take main roads, those will clog first,” he tacked on.

“Right, okay,” she said as she stood back up and slipped around Alex to the front passenger. She watched as Alex moved around the front of the car as she buckled herself in. He was quick, snapping the door shut and pulling his own seatbelt on in a matter of moments. In the dim overhead car light, she could see the stress on his face that he had kept out of his voice this whole time. He had rested his gun in his lap as he hit the press start on the car and quickly threw it into reverse before cutting the wheel to pull into the street.

“Do you know where Hanscom Airforce base is?” Alex asked as soft children’s music played over satellite radio. He shifted the rearview mirror to see better and found Everett watching him carefully, though his head was leaned back in his seat. “That’s where we are headed.”

“You want Hanscom field, not the base,” Madeline answered quickly. “The base is just their systems,” she continued before sighing, “I had a, ah, acquaintance in the Airforce that was stationed there.” She was not about to tell this stranger, or her nephew, that this acquaintance was a two am hookup situation. “They’re literally across the street from one another. Take a right here and follow this for a bit.”

“Right,” Alex answered swiftly, he got the implied information without her saying it. “Graves would be vague with his information on purpose,” he stated more to himself than Madeline as he zipped down the street. The traffic lights in this area were flashing yellow, he wasn’t sure if that was normal since it was this early in the morning or because of the emergency. “I need to switch over,” he said gesturing to the radio, he wanted local stations to see if information was being broadcasted. “Local station,” he instructed as Madeline quickly flipped the source.

A loud blaring alarm met their ears compared to the sticky sweet kids’ songs and Madeline turned the volume down more. It was the same alarm her phone had broadcasted and she looked at Alex who glanced at the radio nobs and spun one to find a new station. Same thing. Another station. Same. It was just telling people this was not a drill, to stay indoors and await further information. He went through the whole line of stations and it was all the same, even on the AM stations.

Just as she was about to ask Alex if they could go back to the music, the alarms obviously making everyone in the car uncomfortable her phone rang. The blaring generic ringtone made her jump and she dug into her pocket for it, thankful that no one had tried to call her when they were sneaking about. She didn’t remember turning the volume on but in all the jostling in her pocket and attempts to call Josephine earlier, it was possible she knocked it. Fumbling with it she answered and shoved the phone to her ear.

“Josie!” She all but yelled which made Everett sit up a bit more. “I’ve been trying to call you, where have you been?”

“Did you get to him?” Josephine asked, her voice frantic and panting as if she were running. “Did you get to Price?”

“Yes, sort of,” Madeline answered. “I got there but they held me up at the counter because our names are different,” she babbled quickly. “I was in the middle of arguing with them when those…things attacked.” When Josephine gasped Madeline added quickly, “we’re fine. E and I are fine. I ran into another soldier. His name is Alex,” she glanced at Alex who was watching the road.

“What? Who?” Josephine asked instantly suspicious. “I told you John Price, why did you not go to him?”

“I tried! Are you listening?” Madeline asked feeling her temper rise, Josephine had no idea what the hell they had just been through. “Security or whatever wouldn’t let me up. I ran into someone else though, he said he works with John.”

“You realize anyone could say they work with someone named John, Mads,” Josephine said exasperated. “I gave you a simple instruction. You have no idea who this guy is.”

“Yeah, well. He’s the only reason E and I are even alive at this point Josie, so you can knock that shit off right now,” Madeline snapped. “I’m not going to put us in danger. I got us this far.” She knew arguing wasn’t going to help anything but both of them were wound up and just venting their fear and frustration on one another.

“I’m Alex Keller, ma’am. John Price is my CO on this mission,” Alex answered simply, his voice loud enough for Josephine, he figured out by deduction Madeline’s sister, to hear. When Madeline realized what he was doing she turned the phone a bit so his voice would be clearer for her sister. “I was bringing her up to John when this went down. We are rendezvousing with them at Hanscom. John MacTavish and Simon Riley will be escorting your sister and son to the CDC while I will be joining John Price, Kyle Garrick, Phillip Graves, and a few others to Venezuela to get you.” He figured if he gave her detailed information it may ease her mind a bit, especially if she knew any other names in that lineup.

“Fine,” Josephine said after a second, her anger melting away for a second. “Fine. Where are you now? Why are you having to rendezvous?”

“We’re in the car. The other group was overrun and had to leave so Alex got us back to your car and he’s taking us to them.” Madeline explained before Everett leaned forward and grabbed at the phone whining for his mom. His fingers flexed and fisted in a ‘give me’ gesture and he was straining against his seat not willing to take no for an answer. “E needs you,” Madeline said quietly before handing the phone to Everett who snatched it up greedily and leaned back in his seat to talk to his mom.

“I need you to ask her where she is at,” Alex said, cutting his eyes to Madeline as Everett talked to his mom. “We need to make sure we know where we are going to extract her.”

“I will when he’s done,” Madeline said quietly as she watched her nephew for a few seconds. “Hop off at Concord and follow that,” she said after a moment pointing to one of the signs. “Lexington will start having morning traffic soon enough,” she paused for a second. “Well, it normally would,” she added with a sigh.

“If it’ll be busy with rush hour it will be busy with people trying to leave,” Alex said simply as a car came flying up the exit ramp coming right at them. He was quick in his reaction, jerking the wheel hard to the right. He shot his hand out to hold Madeline’s jacket collar so she didn’t smack her head on the window where she had been turned a bit after handing Everett the phone. He cursed as he hit the brakes and swerved, Everett and Madeline both yelling out in fear as he regained control of the car. He watched the offending car careen further up the highway before it crashed into the divider in a spectacular explosion. Other cars behind them had to move out of the way and Alex dropped his hand from Madeline’s body pulled back into the lane and flew through the red light.

“Nice job,” Madeline breathed out as she leaned between the seats to fish around for the phone Everett had dropped. She could hear Josephine yelling asking what was happening before she put the phone back to her ear. “We’re fine, Josie,” Madeline said trying to pacify her, “idiot in a car came up the off-ramp. Alex was able to get around it,” she said as her sister's frantic yelling stopped. “Alex said he needs to know where you are,” she stated.

“We’ve holed up in an old school in Parupa. It’s the biggest building in the town, hard to miss. Not far from the small airstrip,” Josephine said as Madeline relayed the same information to Alex. “There’s only six of us left,” she continued and she heard Madeline gasp a bit. It had been a team of at least twenty that had gone down. “We have patient zero blood and are fairly certain-” she cut off as someone in the background yelled out.

“Josie?” Madeline asked clutching the phone tighter to her ear to hear better.  “Josephine!” She said a bit more urgently as her sister yelled an order to the group to get into the back storage room. “What is going on?”

“I have to go, Madeline,” her sister came back. “Keep Everett safe for me?” She was panting as the sound of something being dragged filled up the phone with loud scraping noises that made Madeline wince but she didn’t pull the phone away. “Get to the CDC, stay there. If something happens…we’ll keep the samples and data safe for them to collect.”

“Tell me what is happening,” Madeline demanded as Everett started grappling at the back of her seat to get to the phone. “Are you being attacked?” She saw Alex look at her for that and she felt him press the pedal down a bit harder as the car engine revved to speed up.

“We’ve,” her sister cut out and went staticky and Madeline groaned as she white-knuckled the phone to her ear. “-love you both,” and there was another break in sound before Josephine came back one more time. “Stay alive.”

The call cut, Madeline heard the tell-tale sound of a call ending, but she still held the phone to her ear for a few more seconds before dropping it down. She knew if there was any color left in her face it was gone, the blood draining at the thought of what her sister was going through. A team of twenty down to six and by the sounds of it they were being attacked again and having to hide in storage room. How long would a door hold up against those things? How long before they ran out of food and water? She doubted they had any weapons outside of machetes for trekking through the jungle. Hell, she didn’t even know if her sister had even held a gun before, let alone shot one.

“I want my mom!” Everett yelled frustrated, his voice coming to Madeline as if through cotton.

“Madeline!” Alex said sharply as he shook her again, her eyes unfocused and far off as her chest heaved. His hand was a vice on her thigh as he attempted to bring her back down and he was about to grab her jaw and force her to focus when she finally cut her eyes to him. He was too afraid to pull his eyes fully from the road. There were more cars moving now, emergency vehicles as well as civilians. Not to mention he had seen a few people running out of their houses on the back roads to try and escape but those things were already all the way out here. “You need to focus,” he ordered, “I need you here with us.”

Madeline blinked realizing her ears were ringing from the panic attack that had been vibrating under her skin and took in the fact E had been screaming for a while. Alex looked extremely agitated with her as he cut his eyes at her before letting go of her leg to grab the wheel properly again and weave around a stalled-out car. Dropping the phone into the cupholder she twisted in her seat to face Everett who was red in the face and screaming over and over he wanted his mom, he wanted her, he wanted to go home.

“I know, E I know,” Madeline sniffed as she reached a hand out to him that he grasped and pulled on desperately as if he would pull her back through the seat to him. “We’ll be on a plane soon and you’ll see her,” Madeline promised, though she knew that was a slim chance at the moment. “We just have to get to the airport and I can sit with you, okay?”

“Turn around!” Alex snapped before the car plowed into something and Alex felt the sickening thump as they ran the thing over. There had been a road worker, well at one point they had been a road worker. He was missing an arm and was still charging after victims, running down the road, and he couldn’t avoid it. “Shit,” he exhaled as he peered in the mirror at the lump in the road he had left behind. Passing under the road lights he could see the hood was dented pretty badly and there was blood all over it. “I need you to keep an eye on the road for me, they’re all over the place,” he glanced at Everett who was whimpering. “Sorry buddy just a little longer, alright?” He said his voice dropping from the hard line to be a bit placating. He reached over and flipped the radio back over to the satellite, thankful that it was still music and not emergency broadcasts.

Madeline twisted back in her seat as she looked at their surroundings, amazed at how fast things had changed already. The emergency broadcasts had gone out over phones and other devices bypassing do-not-disturb settings, much like tornado warnings, and had roused everyone. It was nice that the government was actually being proactive but at the same time, the panic it was causing was making it worse. People that would normally be inside were out, and the broadcasts hadn’t really given much information so no one really knew what they were dealing with. She winced as they rounded a bend and came to a stop sign, finding an accident in the middle of the intersection with police flashing lights already there.

“Left or right?” Alex asked as he looked at the scene in front of them. Those were the only options; Concord Road had ended.

“Left,” Madeline said, and as Alex twisted the wheel she suddenly yelled, “right, sorry right!” She saw him look at her apprehensively and she nodded. “It’s right. We need to get 2A, it’ll take us right to where the airfield is.” She twisted her hands in her lap before jumping as a police officer appeared seemingly out of nowhere from behind one of the smashed cars and started running at them. Alex didn’t give it a chance to catch up to the car as he weaved around it and Madeline watched the officer running after the car for a few seconds before giving up and changing direction at a new car that approached. “How did it spread so fast?” She asked quietly as they sped along, her eyes noting he was hitting almost seventy

“I think it’s been spreading for a while but kept under wraps,” Alex answered as he glanced up at Everett in the mirror again. The boy was settled back in his seat staring at the car roof. “When I first heard about it, it had spread to Colombia and Panama and found on some shipping vessels. That was about,” he paused thinking, “thirty-six hours ago. There’s no way it’s spread this fast only being in those few places. They’ve known.”

“Government always thinking they know best,” Madeline scoffed. She reached a hand up to grab the handle above the window as she pointed for Alex to hang a left onto 2A and he took the turn quickly. “No offense,” she added looking at him.

“They don’t tell us anything either,” Alex answered with a small shrug as he slowed up as they came upon some cars on the road going the actual speed limit. He drummed his fingers on the wheel looking at them, the clock, then daring a glance at Madeline.

“I would have gone around them by now,” Madeline answered simply. Even on a day when the world wasn’t ending, she would have swerved around these people, she was too impatient. “Don’t hold back on account of me. He’s used to it,” she nodded her head back to Everett who was still sitting quietly.

Alex moved into the opposite lane and sped around the people, ignoring the honks as he hit nearly eighty, before jumping back over. He didn’t let off the gas as they continued and only slowed up when Madeline pointed out Hanscom was coming up on the right. They were close enough Alex thought that his comms should be working again. Reaching down he pressed the button to his mic.

“Price, this is Echo 3-1 do you copy?” He asked as he glanced at the small airport signs. “Price,” he tried again after a second when he didn’t receive an answer.

“Echo 3-1 this is Ghost,” came Simon’s voice and Alex nearly sighed in relief that someone was answering.

“We’re about to be at the airfield,” Alex answered as he came upon a boom barrier with no attendant in sight.  “Which hangar are you at?”

“Furthest North,” Ghost answered. “We’ve got an issue,” he tacked on, “we can’t take the civvies.”

“What? We’re already here, what is the issue?” Alex asked suddenly as he weighed his options on how to get past the blockade. The car was already damaged and it wasn’t as if they were ever going to use or see it again. “Hold on,” he said to Madeline and Everett as he threw the car into reverse and put his hand behind Madeline’s headrest turning around to watch where he was backing up at a rapid speed before throwing the car into drive again.

“We only have one plane. The pilots were lost in the mess,” Price finally chimed in as Alex pressed his foot down on the gas harder.

“Alex, what are you doing?” Madeline asked as they sped toward the barrier before his arm shot out across her chest to hold her in her seat, his fingers gripping her shoulder, as they hit the barrier at nearly forty miles per hour. Her hands flew up to hold his forearm tightly, flinching as the car hit and a piece came up and smashed the windshield spidering it with an echoing crack. She looked back at the mess they had made as Alex drove right through the parking lot and made a bee-line for the runways, the car jumping the curb and scraping bottom.

“So? Cram them in, it’s two people,” Alex snapped to Price after he had pulled his arm back from Madeline’s grip to respond. “No one ever said the flight had to be comfortable.”

“We’re not going to Atlanta,” Graves answered instead, his tone slick and even.  “Scientists and data are more important. No reason to protect the CDC if there is nothing to protect anymore.” He cut out for a moment before coming back.  “I am not taking civilians to Venezuela. Ditch them when you get here and get on the plane.”

Chapter Text

Madeline was able to get the gist of the one side of the conversation she could hear from Alex and her blood ran cold. They weren’t going to take them with them. After all of this, they were going to be left behind. She should have just stayed home, stayed holed up in the apartment like she wanted to do to begin with. Now they were out there in the middle of nowhere and there was no way she could get back to the apartment now. Their car was busted, she could smell smoke, and they were just going to be left to fend for themselves.

“I’m not leaving them behind,” Alex said smoothly back to Graves over the comms as he looked over at Madeline in the passenger seat for a second. He didn’t even need to think about it. He had said he’d get them to safety and he was going to make sure he kept that vow.

“Then don’t Keller. We can do it without you.” Graves answered back.

“Price is this your directive?” Alex asked into the mic, ignoring Graves. He found the hangar; it wasn’t hard to miss since it was the only one with lights on and multiple cars. Sliding a bit on the ice he squealed the car to a stop, jolting in his seat against the seatbelt at the sudden movement. “Stay here,” Alex said to Madeline who was already unbuckling her seatbelt.

“So you can ditch us? I don’t think so,” Madeline snapped as she got the belt off and let the buckle crack against the window in her haste. “I’ll be right back E, just need to sort a few things out,” she said turning back to look at him and Everett just nodded. He was exhausted, all of the fight and fear drained from him. She turned the volume up on the radio a few degrees for good measure; he didn’t need to hear them all yelling if it came to that.

“I’m not ditching you,” Alex answered as he watched her come around the car to walk alongside him. She looked fierce and determined, even if she was terrified. “I would have done that back in downtown Boston if that was my plan,” he snapped, wondering if she really thought that lowly of him after all this.

“I don’t know you,” Madeline said as she stomped next to him, her eyes roving over him as if sizing him up for good measure. “You brought us here because it was convenient and you needed the car. But when we’re no longer an easy task then what?” She knew how these things could go. How many times had she been left behind by the ‘good guy’ in her life. Too many.

“Listen, if I-“ Alex started determined to defend himself but then stopped. Graves had walked over in their little tiff and was staring at them with his head slightly cocked, an amused look on his face, and hand holding a pistol at his side. Alex instantly grabbed Madeline’s wrist and yanked her to a hard stop before she got too close to the guy and his small band of Shadows. She shook him off about to snap at him when she caught why Alex had stopped her.

“Get back in the car,” Graves greeted while raising his gun to point right at Madeline who shot her hands in the air. Alex didn’t budge, didn’t even flinch, because Graves was not the first or last person that would threaten him with a loaded weapon. “This is my directive, this is my operation,” he said answering Alex’s last question before glancing at Price with a smirk. Price looked highly unimpressed but outnumbered by the other Shadows there wasn’t much he could do. “Either you come with us now Keller, or you get back in that fucking car.” He shrugged, “or I can shoot you both for holding me up. I’m not picky.”

“What the fuck Graves?” Alex asked as he stared at the man. He saw Graves flip the safety off as he continued to point it at Madeline and Alex subtly sidestepped to get in the line of fire.

If Madeline had any sense she would have cowered and gone right back to the car. But she stood her ground, legs shaking and feeling like she was going to faint as she stared at the man pointing a gun at her. She wasn’t going to risk Everett’s safety because this guy was seemingly on a power trip based on everyone else’s reactions to him. This must be the guy that Alex had said kept his Shadows on a string like puppets. She opened her mouth to say something but Alex blocked her eyeline, his broad shoulders stepping in the way of the barrel aimed at her. Maybe it was a good thing she kept her snark to herself.

“We aren’t risking ourselves for two people, not on a mission this big. We don’t get this potential cure it’s over for everyone.” Graves shrugged, “I’m not making you come along. If you want to stay here and play the white knight for her like you did for Farah,” he smirked, “be my guest. But you have ten seconds to make a choice before I make it for you.”

“Leave me your keys and a few guns,” Alex said to Price as he looked over at him, ignoring Graves and his taunts. The asshole liked being the center of attention and he wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction. “I’ll get them to the CDC,” he stated and Price nodded.

“Always so chivalrous,” Graves taunted. “I’ll be sure to let Farah know that you ignored her orders too.” He laughed at Alex’s glare before turning around, rotating his free hand in the air in a circle. “Round up boys. We’re leaving.”

“You can’t be serious. We can’t drive through this, we barely got here!” Madeline said feeling rage boiling up in her as she stomped up to Alex’s back, knocking her shoulder into his as she moved to walk around him.  “You’re leaving us to die!” Madeline yelled loudly at the man called Graves who didn’t even bother to look back as he climbed into the plane.

“He’s been known to do that,” Alex answered flatly as he looked at Price and Ghost who were walking over.

“We have to go with him,” Price said quietly as he handed the keys over. “You know what he’s done in the past, I’m not letting him go unattended.” His eyes darted over to Madeline and she stared right back at him, not even flinching as the guy in the skull mask crossed his arms and assessed her.

“I get it,” Alex answered as he took the keys to one of the large SUVs; a Tahoe. “Probably take us a few days to get there,” he explained as Madeline continued to look between them all like they were insane. “How much can you leave me?”

“Full crate,” Gaz answered as he walked over. “You’ll need to get gas though,” he stated as he looked over his shoulder as the plane whirred to life. “Soap is already on making sure they don’t leave us all behind.” He paused and smirked, “or maybe strangling Graves, not sure.”

“He’d deserve it,” Madeline seethed as she looked at the pilot through the front window of the plane as they flipped switches. “Any of you pilots? Just shoot him and take it,” she reasoned. She had never been one to advocate for murder but for Everett, she found it wasn’t fully off the table. "He doesn't even know where they are, didn't even bother to ask," she tapped her foot impatiently wondering if she could use that as a bargaining chip to get on the plane. "I talked to my sister on the phone, they're hiding in a school." She wasn't going to risk her sister she decided a second later.

“Just the occasional helo,” the one with the skull mask said which elicited a chuckle from the man in a baseball cap. “We need them even if we don’t want them,” he tacked on, “otherwise I would.”

"A school?" Price interjected quickly looking at Madeline. "Last I knew they were at a local hospital."

"Yeah, well I'm willing to bet sick people also went to the same hospital," Madeline answered crossing her arms mirroring Ghost's body language. "She said it's the biggest building in the town nearest the airfield. Don't tell that asshole," she gestured with a jerk of her chin, "he'll probably push you out of the plane if he thinks you aren't of use."

Price chuckled and cut his eyes at the man in the skull mask before nodding. "Noted. Still in Parupa?" And when Madeleine quietly said yes he let it drop.

“Go,” Alex said after a second to the team, his eyes flicking over Madeline’s face which was twisted with anger as she pointedly looked away from all of them at the plane. “Get to them before it's too late. I’ve got this, I’ll see you in a few days,” he finished. When Price clapped him on the arm, they all nodded at one another before the three of them jogged back to the plane.

He wasn’t going to ask any of them to stay behind, even if he could use the help. For all that Graves was this mission was much more important and they all knew it. Alex also knew they could use him as an extra set of hands but wasn’t going to leave Madeline and Everett to fend for themselves after he dragged them out there. And not especially when her sister, who could potentially put a stop to all of this, was depending on him to keep her family alive.

“Alex, are you crazy? We need to get on that plane,” Madeline said as the other men got out of earshot. “If we just get on…they wouldn’t-” she stepped toward the plane as if she were going to march over and demand they let them on. Alex grabbed the hood of her jacket swiftly, she really was like wrangling a temperamental child, which stopped her. She twisted to get him to let go but he held fast and she whirled on him. “At least send Everett,” she demanded, “he can’t do this with us. He’s six, how are we supposed to do this with a child?” She gestured at the car where Everett was still settled in.

“You heard him, they are going right for your sister. They aren’t stopping and honestly, they need to get to her as fast as possible after that phone call you had with her.” Alex stated as he stared at her in the car headlights. The look of fear on Madeline’s face at the reminder of what her sister was going through was enough to make his gut twist in guilt. “It should be a relative straight shot to Atlanta if we leave now before everything can be blockaded.” He added trying to change the subject a bit.

The plane roared as it began to move forward and Madeline pushed her hair off her face as it blew this way and that as she watched it taxi. Their ticket out of Boston was slowly rolling away right before her eyes and there was nothing she could do about it. She sighed before twisting away from Alex defeated, the fight draining out of her as fast as it had come on. She was tired, so tired, and couldn’t even begin to fathom what was lying ahead of them if getting out of Boston had been this bad so early. She watched Alex for a second as he let his hand fall to his side before she walked back toward the car to where Everett was waiting to tell him plans were changing. Again.

Alex watched her go before heading to one of the SUVs, hitting the key fob to figure out which one it was. Opening the trunk, he pulled a crate of weapons toward him and began to take stock of what was left behind. It was a decent amount thankfully. An M-16, plenty of bullets, a few grenades, flares, rounds for his pistol, and even another set of pistols. He had a feeling that Gaz may have slipped a few extra things in there for him when he realized what was happening; knowing Alex wasn’t going to just ditch Madeline and Everett. Just like when he hadn’t left Farah in her moment of need.  Well, the first time. The thought of her alone in this right now sent a jolt of regret down his spine as he slammed the trunk shut and pocketed the keys.

“I know it’s cold bud,” Madeline answered Everett’s quiet complaint as she stared at the contraption of his booster seat. There were straps that led to nowhere, buckles, a button, and even a crank handle. She had no idea how any of this worked, Josephine had set this up and they had never needed to remove it.

“Ready?” Alex asked as he walked over, slinging his M-16 over his shoulder as Madeline struggled with the booster seat to get it out. Everett was standing next to the car, his hand holding on tight to the door handle as if Madeline had given him instruction to hold still and not leave.

“I can’t get his seat,” Madeline answered frustrated as she shook the stupid thing and tugged harder before shoving it away from her with a frustrated grunt. She glared at it before grabbing at it again and tugging hard at the straps that held it onto the base. It didn’t budge and she almost screamed in frustration; not necessarily at the seat but with everything else that was happening. The seat was going to be the final straw.

“Hang on,” Alex said, realizing Madeline was about to lose it. He quickly grabbed her hips and pulled her out from the car, tugging a little harder as she held fast to the seat as if she’d drag it out with her. “Let me give it a shot. Take a breather,” he said as Madeline slapped at his hands to get him to let go. He did swiftly and put his hands up innocently as she straightened herself. “Go to the SUV,” he instructed as he looked down at her and she grabbed Everett’s hand. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Madeline huffed as she took Everett’s hand and headed toward the Tahoe, scooping up the duffle and backpack that she had unceremoniously tossed out of the car moments before. Everett had barely reacted when she told him they weren’t getting on the plane but were instead driving. He just blinked quietly at her which concerned her more, she would have preferred another breakdown even if it broke her heart compared to the silence. He didn’t even laugh at her as she yelled in frustration like he normally did when she had her little tantrums that Josephine had akin to E’s toddler tantrums; something he found highly entertaining.

Alex was muttering to himself as he followed the seatbelt lines to see if he could figure out where it hooked when he heard the snarl. It was quiet, almost lost on the wind, but he definitely heard it. He paused in his work and looked through the back window across the way from him and he saw the movement in the shadows. Slipping back out of the car he hustled back into a crouching position, slipping his M-16 back over his arm and bracing the butt against his shoulder. He looked over to the SUV where Madeline was still half in, helping Everett get up and loading the bags, she was oblivious.

“Get in the car!” Alex yelled as he saw one move around the side of the hangar. It would get there before he could. He aimed down his sights but he didn’t have the shot, it was stumbling as it ran and he knew his yell had caught the attention of the one he had spotted before. He couldn’t wait. Slamming the door shut, trying to make more noise to draw them to him, he began running for the SUV. It wasn’t far but he could hear the slapping of footsteps following him. These things were fast, too fast.

Madeline snapped her eyes up at Alex’s yell and it took her a second to figure out what he was yelling about before she saw it. There was one on the other side of the SUV in the hangar and she could see more moving up the airfield. They must have been drawn by the sound of the plane in the relative silence of the area. She didn’t hesitate, she climbed right in the backseat with Everett and slammed the door shut before looking at Alex running right for the car.

“Shit,” Madeline whined as she saw two of them right on Alex’s tail. He was going to need to dive in if he was going to avoid them, even just stopping to open the door could be the difference between life and death for him. She didn’t want to open the door by Everett because there was one still close in the hangar but she couldn’t just leave Alex either. Making a split-second decision she scrambled over the center console, her legs flailing as she hauled herself up. The bottoms of her wet shoes from the melted ice and snow slipped on the leather but she finally made it and she flopped on her stomach on the seat. Frantically she pulled on the door handle, fumbling with the lock before flinging the door open and hustling backwards to get out of the way.

Alex grabbed the SUV door as it opened and jumped in, throwing his gun at Madeline ahead of him before slamming the door quick and fast enough that he almost trapped his hand in it. The things collided with the metal less than a second later and the Tahoe rocked to the side a bit at the hard impact. He was panting as he stared at the window as two of them scrabbled and clawed at the glass, foaming blood from their mouth as they shrieked. Pushing his foot on the brake he hit the push start and the engine roared to life and the headlights lit up more of them running right at them.

“Put on your seatbelt,” Madeline instructed Everett as she righted herself in the passenger seat, holding the gun that was much too heavy in her hands. Her nephew hadn’t even screamed at the things attacking but instead looked at her puzzled for a second. He was obviously still waiting for his seat, never riding in the car without it before. Madeline gestured for him to hurry up before he reached for the belt and buckled himself in after fumbling with it for a second. She nodded at Alex who was looking at her before he hit the gas and they began moving.

There were a decent amount of the things running up the runway and Madeline stared as they flew past them, the V-8 engine roaring as they went back out the way they had come in. Josephine’s car was still sitting where they left it, the engine still running and lights on which drew the attention of some. They descended on it like ants and a few were ripping at the seats and things inside in an angry frenzy as if they were hunting for someone hiding inside.

“Thanks for getting the door,” Alex said after they turned back on the road before gesturing at the gun Madeline was still holding. Her hands were holding it tightly, though the look on her face portrayed unfamiliarity and a tinge of fear of it. “You can set that on the floorboard behind you,” he instructed and she stared at him, eyes darting to Everett who was sitting there. “Safety’s on,” he said with a small grin before holding his hand out to her to take it instead.

“I wasn’t going to leave you to fend for yourself,” Madeline answered simply as she hefted the gun over to him. She watched as he shifted it up one handed, despite the weight, and lifted it back behind their seats without taking his eyes off the road and set it on the floor. She peered behind her seat at the floorboard for a second before looking up at Everett who was leaning against his seatbelt to look at the gun at his feet. His legs were too short to touch the floor but it was still too close for her comfort as she pointed at Everett to sit back in his seat. “Don’t touch it,” she warned as he stared at her. “Lean back and try to get some sleep, we’ll be in the car for a bit.”

“We’re going to need gas before long,” Alex said quietly as Madeline turned back in her seat again to face front. Everett had leaned his head up against the car window and was staring out into the dark, his eyes growing heavier with every second. “Gaz said it low and looking at the gauge we’re at a quarter of a tank. I don’t want to get on backroads and run out. We need to avoid main roads for a bit,” he continued as Madeline pointed to where he needed to go next.

“There’s a 7-Eleven not far,” she stated looking back at Everett again whose eyes had finally shut. “I could use some water and he’s going to be hungry before long,” she reasoned just as her stomach gave a growl. “I guess me too,” she sighed and rubbed her stomach a bit.

“It needs to be in and out,” Alex said as he darted around a few slow cars, “I don’t want to get caught up in the mess as everyone starts raiding and trying to get supplies. Plus, crowds will just draw their attention,” he continued as he flipped the radio on low to see if there was anything else besides the emergency broadcast. He had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before the radios cut out altogether.

“My sister had a stack of cash stockpiled away,” Madeline explained, “I put it in her backpack. She’s, well, we used to poke fun at her preparing for the end of the world. I guess her line of work it sometimes felt like it, but I never thought it would happen,” she sighed running a hand through her hair which was a knotted mess from being whipped around in the wind. “We can just pay cash, get in and out. I don’t even know if I have my purse anymore, to be honest,” she sighed thinking about where she had last seen it.

“If there is even an attendant,” Alex said as he saw a sign for the convenience store. “Don’t linger around. I’ll fill up, you go get food and anything else you think we may need. If there is no one around just leave what you think is good. Or just walk out for that matter.” At the look on Madeline’s face, he shrugged, “I doubt anyone is going to arrest you for lifting some gatorades and gas station snacks. They’ve got other things to worry about.”

“I...well, fair,” Madeline conceded as they turned down the road that had the gas station and a few fast-food restaurants. The restaurants were still closed at this hour but the 7-Eleven was lit up brightly and Madeline saw another car there filling up their tank and two extra cans as well. “Do you have any of those?” She asked as she pointed at one of the red gas cans as Alex checked which side to park the car on to fill up.

“No,” he answered, “see if they have any inside. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to get an extra can or two.” He peered at the store, looking for any signs of distress, or those things, but everything seemed well. It was empty save for the other car and Alex climbed out first, careful to make direct eye contact with the man filling up so they were both aware of one another. And also noting they were both armed.

“I need to pee,” Everett piped up suddenly from the backseat and Madeline sighed. She knew he just wanted to go in the store and hustle her for some candy. But if he peed now, they wouldn’t have to stop for a while. “Please,” he whined as he undid his seatbelt.

“Fine,” Madeline said quickly as she watched Alex flip through his wallet and slip a card into the pump to start. He was leaning casually against the side of the car but she caught that his right hand was resting just above where his pistol sat strapped to his leg. “In and out. No playing,” she instructed as Everett rolled his eyes at her, “I mean it E. You go in, you go pee and you come right back out here to Alex.”

Everett opened the door and Alex’s head shot up as he saw the kid climb out before Madeline came around and held her hand out to him.

“Hang on,” Alex said as he pushed up from the car. “This isn’t a fun shopping trip,” he said as he looked at Everett who tugged on Madeline’s arm.

“I’m aware. He needs the bathroom,” Madeline said as Everett swung her arm impatiently “I’m going to let him go in and send him right back out to you,” she explained before giving a step as Everett tugged again.

“Give me a second and I’ll take him,” Alex reasoned as he stared at the gas pump. He still had a bit to go before it was full. He didn’t much like Madeline going in alone as it was, even if it was faster if they worked in tandem. Sending Everett with her was a whole other risk of security if something happened.

“I can go to the bathroom on my own,” Everett said impatiently.

“That’s not the issue,” Alex answered.

“We’ll be fine. Finish up here, I’ll send him out with a gas can,” Madeline offered as she looked around. Things were still quiet and the driver of the other car a row over was loading up one of his gas cans into his trunk. Soon it would just be them there. “I’ll be quick.”

Alex huffed; he didn’t like it but arguing was wasting time. He nodded once and watched them cross the small parking lot and head inside the store. He glanced at his watch on his wrist and decided they would get three minutes before he walked in there himself. Hanging his hand back down by his side he turned to look at the gas pump numbers steadily climbing.

“Go,” Madeline said as she came back out of the women’s bathroom, checking to make sure it was empty. Everett had protested wanting to use the men’s but Madeline put her foot down at that. He went in with a grumble and she turned around and walked to the closest aisle with the handbasket she had scooped up to start grabbing things. She was just putting things in the basket without paying attention, not really caring what it was just that it was some type of easy food. She peered around for the attendant and didn’t see one which made her uneasy but it was possible they were just in the back room or something.

Turning down another aisle Madeline glanced up at the rounded mirror on the ceiling to make sure she could still see the bathroom door as she browsed. She grabbed up some pain medication, her head was still pounding, and also decided that Pepto also wasn’t a bad idea with all this junk food. A few other little things like hygiene products, hand sanitizer, and even a map off an endcap hanger were tossed in the basket by the time Everett walked out shaking his hands. He didn’t like using the air dryers and she was guessing there weren’t any paper towels.

“Right out to Alex,” Madeline instructed as she pointed to the door, snatching up a gas can in the car section they passed. Everett nodded before grabbing something he wanted from the front counter, a bag of Skittles, and holding them to her. She sighed and tossed it in the basket before watching him walk toward the automatic doors and out to the parking lot. Alex was watching him, he made brief eye contact with Madeline and nodded and she turned back into the store to continue.

“Thanks,” Alex said as Everett handed the can to him before he opened the door for the kid. He indicated for Everett to climb in and gave him a small boost with how high the step up was. “Did she say how long she’d be?” Alex asked as he watched Everett climb to the very back row to sprawl out and lay down.

“No, she had a lot in the basket though,” Everett answered as he yawned and stretched out a bit. “How far are we going?”

“Long ways,” Alex answered as the pump finally clicked off. It was a wonder anyone could afford to fill these things on the regular. He shifted the pump to fill the gas can now before glancing over his shoulder to do another area sweep. The guy that was filling up the other car was gone and Alex whirled to see where he had gotten off to. “Damn it,” Alex muttered as he looked at Everett who was settled in. “Stay in the car,” he ordered pointing at the kid who nodded at him. He slammed the door shut and locked it before jogging toward the store.

Madeline was grabbing drinks in the back when the sound of the automatic door opened again. She turned to see who it was but didn’t spot anyone. She threw a few more gatorades in the basket, a few iced coffees, and some plain water when she heard steps approaching. She figured it was Alex and she opened her mouth to tell him she was almost done when she realized it was not him. It was the guy they had seen filling up his car, he was eyeing her as he opened a cooler to grab a drink himself. Not wanting to linger Madeline shut her mouth and turned away, heading back up toward the front. But he shut the cooler door and followed her.

Shifting tactics, sure she was being paranoid, Madeline ventured back to the personal hygiene aisle. She stopped specifically in front of the feminine products. He followed a bit too close for comfort and she dared to dart her eyes over to him as she blindly grabbed things and threw them in the basket. He was staring and she realized he had blocked her way out of the aisle unless she went further back into the store, further away from the store exit.

“Can I help you?” Madeline finally asked as she turned to face him fully. She had learned in her years growing up that men did not like being confronted by people they were leering at. Eye contact made them extremely uncomfortable when a woman stood up for themselves. “Wife need pads?” She asked holding up a pack sarcastically before tossing it into her basket. “Tampons?” She nudged a box as the guy stepped closer.

“I want what you have,” the guy answered simply as he shifted his jacket back to show the gun in his waistband. “All of it. The gas, the SUV, your guy’s guns,” he smirked. “You can come along to, leave the kid though.”

Alex was in the store and he paused at the rain mat looking around to see if he could see Madeline. There was no one working at the counter and he paused as he heard voices then a very strained voice call out his name. Alex felt his stomach drop a bit as he unholstered his pistol and looked for the mirrors to see if he could find her quickly as he walked.

Madeline had gambled that the second time the doors had opened that evening it was Alex coming in now. She knew she had been gone too long and he was hopefully coming to corral her back to the car. If it was someone else that was with this guy she knew she was screwed. Condoms and pregnancy tests were not ideal self-defense items.

“I’ll be staying with my nephew in our SUV,” Madeline answered a bit louder than needed. “And my guy,” she said sarcastically, “is our military escort. I would suggest you rethink what you are demanding.” Her eyes darted up to the mirror and she saw Alex headed her way, he was two aisles away. He had his pistol raised and ready but met her eyes in the reflection with a small nod. “Go back out to your car, and take these with you,” she snapped before throwing a package of pH wipes at the guy to distract him so he would instinctively reach out and catch them being thrown at his face. He did. Taking the diversion, Madeline darted down the back of the aisle and she heard the guy snarl and attempt to come after her.

“I wouldn’t try it,” Alex answered as he came up behind the guy. His voice was even and calm but he purposely flipped the safety off on his pistol so the click could be heard. The man had reached for his own gun but stopped as he turned around with his hands slightly raised looking at Alex. “We’re leaving,” he glanced at Madeline who was at the other end of the aisle behind the edge peering at him. He nodded his head toward the door and she listened without hesitation. She went right toward the door, not even pausing to drop money on the counter.

“You come out that door in less than a minute I will drop you,” Alex warned the guy as he stared him down. “I won’t miss either,” he tacked on and when the guy nodded Alex lowered his gun a fraction of an inch. “Don’t-“ Alex warned as the man went for the pistol in his waistband.

Madeline heard Alex say 'don't' followed by three gunshots in rapid succession. She flinched and whirled back around to go into the store, having been almost out the door.

"Alex?!" Madeline yelled out as she doubled back to find him, dread filling her as only silence met her ears.

Chapter Text

The sound of groaning met Madeline’s ears as she took another step back into the store before the unmistakable ping of metal on tile followed. Gripping the basket tighter in her left hand, keeping her right hand free for some sort of defense, Madeline looked back over her shoulder at the SUV as the automatic store doors slid shut behind her. There was no one out there, and the SUV was still sitting right where they had left it so she knew Everett was safe. Turning back, she stared into the overly bright store to try and figure out what to do next. It was too quiet save for the groaning and she hissed out Alex’s name again before nearly coming out of her skin as the sound of boots hitting the floor met her ears and Alex appeared at the end of an aisle.

“Why are you still in here?” Alex asked as he shoved his newly acquired revolver into his back waistband. Alex had moved ten times faster than the guy had. Alex’s first shot hit him in the chest and after the man fired a retaliatory bullet that exploded a box of cereal, Alex dropped him with a second shot to the head.

“I heard the gunfire and I thought,” Madeline started as she rushed toward him spotting the blood that was all over his sleeves. “Oh God did he hit you? I’m not any good at-” she babbled, her free hand moving to grab at his arm as her head grew a bit light. Blood was not something she handled well and after seeing so much that night the smears on Alex were almost enough to tip her over the edge.

“I’m fine, Madeline I’m fine,” Alex assured as she grabbed at him, her hand scrabbling up over his neck sweeping through the collar of his shirt in a panic. “I’m not hit, he missed,” he stated as he grabbed her wrist and yanked her freezing fingers from his skin a bit impatiently. “We have to go now, before his friends, or those things, show up.” His voice was an order as he all but dragged Madeline out the front door.

“Is he…” Madeline asked, turning to glance over her shoulder for a second already knowing the answer.

“He’s dead,” Alex said flatly as he unlocked and pulled open the passenger door of their vehicle practically shoving her inside. He went around to the driver's side, sweeping the area as he did so, then grabbed the full gas can and threw it into the netting on the roof. He hoped it held because he didn’t have time to try and find something to tie it down tighter. He saw someone run into the store and he didn’t look long enough to see if it was someone with the guy or one of those things.

“What the hell happened?” Madeline asked as Alex climbed back in and started the car up, practically peeling out of the parking lot as he struggled with his seatbelt. Everett had popped his head up when Madeline was unceremoniously shoved into the car by Alex and demanded his Skittles which she tossed back to him. The green 7-Eleven basket was still in her lap overstuffed with things but she didn’t move to get it out of the way.

“I warned him,” Alex said as if he were already mid-conversation and Madeline had an idea of what he was talking about. “I told him to give us a minute to leave but he went for his damn gun,” he sighed as he yanked the revolver out of his waistband and threw it angrily on the console. He then reached down and pulled one of the side straps by his stomach loose on his vest on the right side then the left. “And I wasn’t about to let him take me out, then you,” he reasoned as he shifted forward in the seat to pull the vest up over his head, trying to do it one handed while driving was making it difficult.

“I don’t understand why. He had the whole store he could ransack, enough gas cans and gas to fill up multiple cars,” Madeline said horrified as she grabbed at the wheel to steady the car without being asked. Alex looked at her for a second before reaching back to use both hands to pull the vest over his head, fixing his shirt that rode up a bit with it. She could see he had an outline of sweat on his back where the vest had sat on him, despite the cold weather outside. He was wearing impossibly lightweight clothes for the winter and was sweating while Madeline was cold down to her bones in her thick sweater and jacket.  He tossed the vest behind him and Madeline winced hearing the things in it rattling around as it hit the gun on the floor.

“Guys like that just want what others have. He saw my gear, assumed I had a full arsenal and he wanted it…among other things,” he let that implication hang in the air for a second before changing the subject to abate the anger simmering underneath. “Also, his car was a piece of shit,” Alex answered as he cut his eyes over at her. “Probably banked on us being amateur preppers, like him,” he reasoned before settling back in the seat more comfortably and reached for his seatbelt clicking it into place. “Good thing I don’t miss,” he muttered as he took off his bloodied gloves, throwing them down into the cupholders.

“If he didn’t hit you, why do you have so much blood on you?” Madeline asked as she eyed him, her gaze darting from the bloody gloves to his light-colored shirtsleeves that were streaked with it.

“I disarmed and patted him down. I don’t have revolver bullets so I needed to see what he had. Only had enough for a couple of reloads on him,” Alex answered looking over at Madeline and noted the faint green sheen on her face. “Blood not your thing?” He asked quietly as he snatched up the gloves and shoved them into the door cupholder and hastily pushed up his shirt sleeves to hide some of it.

“Not particularly,” Madeline answered quietly as she stared at his tattoo covered arms before glancing back at Everett to make sure he wasn’t listening. He was all the way in the back popping Skittles in his mouth, looking none the wiser to everything that just occurred. “I broke my nose as a kid, saw the blood, and passed out promptly giving myself a concussion in the process.” Madeline explained with a small shrug, “Everett made me have to get over it, kid is always getting scraped knees and busted lips. He likes to climb,” she rolled her eyes a bit. “Tonight has just been…a lot.”

“Noted,” Alex said simply as he flicked his gaze up to the rearview mirror to make sure he didn’t have any blood on his face or neck. “Can’t say it’s my favorite either but you get used to it,” he tacked on before reaching over to the radio to do another flip through of the stations. All of them were emergency broadcasts but then one caught his attention and he scrolled the dial back to the local AM station.

“…the police are telling us to remain indoors, to not panic, and stay off the roads…but what else are we supposed to do? I can hear the helicopters and the sirens have been nonstop for over an hour now. We need more information. The local news stations haven’t gone on air yet, just reruns of old shows. My coworkers are talking about leaving but I don’t know what else to do.”

“Who is that?” Everett piped up which caused Madeline to turn around in her seat to look at him.

“Not sure,” Alex answered as he started fiddling with the controls to pull the radio to the front. “Someone that works at the radio,” he found the setting he needed and pulled the sound to the front speakers. “Nothing to worry about. They’re just talking.”

“Should we be inside?” Everett asked as he clutched at his seatbelt, his eyes locked on Alex’s in the mirror. “The police said we shouldn’t be out.”

“No, we have permission,” Alex stated which, while it wasn’t the truth, it wasn’t exactly a lie either. “We won’t be in trouble,” he tacked on as Everett looked at him apprehensively as if that were his biggest fear at the moment.  “Why do you lay down? We’re going to be driving for a while. I always find sleeping makes time go faster,” he reasoned, and when Everett nodded and settled back Alex darted his eyes over to Madeline who had watched the whole exchange.

“He’s on a police officer kick currently. Used to want to be a firefighter but now we’re on police officer,” Madeline explained as she peered at Everett as he shifted to lie down. “He’s always afraid of breaking the real law, but has no problem not listening to me,” she huffed a small laugh before finally staring at the basket in her lap to look at the things she had picked.

“I think most kids go through that phase,” Alex answered as they listened to the woman on the radio continue to babble but not really giving any new or helpful information. “CIA wasn’t my first goal as a kid. Pretty sure I wanted to be a rock star for a good portion,” he grinned at Madeline who seemed shocked at his profession.

“CIA? I thought you were military?” Madeline stated as she looked at him, her hands pausing their delve into the snacks.

“Military was my career for a while,” he looked past her to adjust the passenger mirror before going back to the driver. “I was in the Army. Climbed the ranks, joined Delta,” at her face of incomprehension as to what that was, he explained further. “Elite taskforce. We’re the guys the President calls in personally. After that I moved over to CIA and worked for them in a special division for a few years…then I defected,” he smirked. That was a mild explanation as to what he had done but she didn’t need all the details. “And now I’m back at it. Sort of. My handler didn’t really give me all the details of how that worked.”

“You have a handler?” Madeline asked as she held up a green gatorade as an offering and Alex nodded reaching a hand out to take it from her.

“That’s your question after all that?” Alex asked with a laugh as he cracked the seal. “Yes, her name is Laswell. She called me to bring me in on this. I was over in Urzikstan but needed my assistance because of my, ah, connections,” he glossed over exactly what his connections were.

“And who is Farah?” Madeline asked casually to keep the conversation going. She had heard what the man Graves had said and the way he talked made it seem like she was someone important to Alex, calling him her white knight. “Wife?” She asked, unconsciously looking over at his hand to see if she saw a ring there now that his gloves were off. Nothing there but that didn’t mean anything.

Alex swallowed hard on the sip of the drink he had taken before setting the bottle down in the cupholder. He knew that question was going to come up at some point, Madeline and Everett didn’t miss a thing and Graves had been sure to make a point of bringing Farah up.

“No, not my wife,” he explained, his tone a bit stiff as he shifted in his seat a bit. “She’s the commander of ULF. That’s where I defected to when the United States decided to stop offering them our help,” he continued before moving to mess with the GPS on the console to put in the address for the CDC. He was looking for some sort of distraction because this was not a topic he was ready to discuss, or even think about himself. Up until this moment he had just been driving down a main road that was running south but they did need some sort of direction. “Can you put in the address? Make sure you tell it to avoid highways. They are going to be packed before long.”

“Oh, right. Makes sense,” Madeline replied quickly. She caught the change in body language from Alex and figured out rather fast it was not something he wanted to discuss. So she went with his request, busying herself with entering the address that was saved in her phone. “Well, your life sounds much more interesting than mine. I’ve barely left the country…but I have been all over it.”

“Interesting is one way to put it,” Alex answered simply as the person on the radio continued to babble about what they should do. People were calling in and giving their opinions but he was more listening to the information between the panic. What they were seeing, how the local government was responding, and how bad things were actually getting. “I figured you weren’t from Boston, no accent,” he grinned looking over at Madeline who gave him a small smile back as she handed him a granola bar. “What brought you there? Sister?”

“Well we grew up in the Northeast but the second I could I left and just traveled everywhere I could,” she shrugged. “Sort of flying by the seat of my pants. Had no money so I hitched rides, and scrounged up money from working gigs. Mostly waitressing, housekeeping, and things that pay cash so I could keep moving. I didn’t stay anywhere very long because I got bored and just wanted to see more, do more. No idea what I wanted really so I just kept going until I found it,” she paused to take a sip of her own drink, popping a few painkillers for her headache. She peered out the window where the hints of the dawn were streaking the horizon as she tore open her granola bar. “I was out in California when Josephine called almost a year ago and said her husband was a piece of shit so I came home. It’s just the two of us now.”

“Hitching rides with strangers is dangerous,” Alex admonished, a tease, before laughing a bit as Madeline cut him a look with a tilt of her head. “You never know what they could be thinking or planning.”

“Yes, well, I’ve made it this far, haven’t I? You never know, I could be the serial killer in this scenario,” she joked and returned the laugh. She was glad for some levity after all the heavy shit that had just happened. “I learned a few tricks anyway, single woman on your own makes you savvy. Plus living on a commune for a few months, I can handle myself.” She hesitated at the eyebrow raise, “I wasn’t in a cult if that is what you’re thinking.”

“You know who says they weren’t in a cult? People in cults,” Alex answered, chuckling as she threw another snack bar at him. “I was in the CIA I’ve seen many and communes always end up being one.”

“Typical CIA,” Madeline answered with an eye roll. “They were raided after I left. I guess it turned into a religious extremist group,” she paused as Alex scoffed in a told you so way. “It wasn’t like that when I was there! Things changed which is why I left.”

“Right, of course,” Alex said in a matter-of-fact way, nodding his head and trying not to smirk. “So, you’ve been with your sister for almost a year. After moving around so much is it weird to be in one spot for so long? And having a kid to watch?” At that he peered in the rearview mirror to see Everett was passed out, his face pressed against the window, the seatbelt under his cheek holding his head up.

“I got a bit stir crazy, yeah,” Madeline admitted. “But some stability never hurt anyone,” she shrugged a little. “What about you though? All over the world for your job, sounds like you’ve been at it for a while. You don’t sit still for long either.”

“No, not really. I’ve been in Urzikstan for a long while now,” he was careful with his words not wanting to delve into too much detail. “But I do prefer to keep on the move, see new things, new experiences. I haven’t been back home in years. Not a whole lot to go back to anyway,” he continued turning the wheel as the GPS told him to make a right. “Just me these days,” he explained as he used his knee to hold the wheel when he straightened back out to open up his second snack bar Madeline had thrown at his head.

“Sounds like Urzikstan is home now,” Madeline ventured as she shifted to remove her jacket. The heat of the car was finally warming her up and she felt extremely restricted sitting in it. She had to undo the seatbelt, careful to move quickly, before yanking it off. Taking the moment of freedom, and nothing on the road, she leaned over the center console to put the basket and jacket into the back seat. She took an extra second to watch Everett to make sure he was good and asleep and not just faking it. He didn’t move and his breathing was deep and even and she shifted to sit back front again.

“I thought it was as well,” Alex answered before he really thought about it. He watched Madeline maneuvering around in her seat as he shoved his spent snack wrapper down in the door cup holder with his gloves. She bumped into him lightly as he took a curve and he reached over with his left hand to carefully brace her side as she stretched to shove the basket away. He felt his fingers lightly brush over the exposed skin of her waist and he quickly adjusted. “Not so sure anymore,” he finished as she turned back around again and he snatched his hand away.

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. The universe has a way of making everything work out in the end,” Madeline answered with a small smile. It was obvious that something was going on with him and this woman Farah. He was struggling with it and was keeping himself mostly guarded so she was doing her best not to pry. “Hopefully my sister has the answer to all of this so the universe has time to work,” she sighed and settled back into the seat a bit, wringing her hands in her lap. “If they get to her,” she tacked on even more quietly.

“John Price has never not completed a mission,” Alex answered, moving on from his own mental morose quickly as he heard the quiet fear in Madeline’s voice. “They couldn’t have sent a better team to get her. Hell, even Graves. Prick that he is, he doesn’t let anything stop him from accomplishing a mission. They’ll find her and get her back.” He settled a bit more comfortably in his seat as a light pink began to spread across the sky, with the sun up it would be easier for him to see while he drove. “Why don’t you lay back and get some sleep. It’s going to be a while,” he suggested as he peered over at Madeline.

“Are you sure?” Madeline asked, a question about both of his statements. Sleep did sound wonderful though, she was exhausted and sore and the headache was pounding behind her eyes. “I just need an hour or two. But wake me up if you need me,” she reasoned. “I mean I know you’re trained for this but,” She smiled.

“I’ll wake you up if I need you. I’m good for now,” Alex answered as he shifted the radio over to just the front driver speaker. “I’ll have to fill up in a few hours anyway,” he tacked on, “so I’ll need you up for that.”

“No problem,” Madeline answered as she yawned as if her body knew she was finally going to get some sleep. Hitting the button on the seat she reclined back and fished her hand around for her jacket before pulling it up to the pillow under her head. She rolled a bit to the side, snaking her arm up to hug the overstuffed jacket against her and bury her face under it to block out the steadily rising sun. Despite the fear, the anxiety, and never-ending thoughts Madeline managed to fall asleep rather quickly. The rumbling of the car rocked her to a deep and heavy slumber.

Alex remained quiet as he drove, his eyes locked on the road as he continued to listen to the radio. The person they had picked up on the AM radio eventually fizzled out as they got out of range. He twisted the dial a few times finding other sources, other people talking, and even a news station for a bit. It would have been nice if the car had the satellite radio that Josephine’s had but the government wasn’t going to splurge for something like that. Everything that was being said was exactly the same; stay inside and remain calm. No one was listening to that and Alex could tell each time they were getting close to a populated area, more cars on the road, and more things.

Two hours in he had to take a hard detour that sent them over a grass median that woke Madeline up. There was a wreck not far up the road and as he went to go around it a car came flying up behind them and would have smashed directly into the back of them if he hadn’t adjusted.

“It’s fine,” Alex said quickly as he righted the car back, “just had to avoid a wreck,” he reasoned as she turned over to face him. Her eyes were heavy as she rubbed them and she fought with her jacket to get it on her left side to prop under her head. “I’ll have to stop in about an hour,” he explained to her half-asleep state as he checked the gas mileage then the GPS. He wanted to stop in what looked to be the middle of nowhere.

“Okay,” Madeline muttered as she burrowed back down a back into the seat. “Everett?” She asked tilting her head back up as if to move to check on him.

“He laid down across the seat not long ago,” Alex said as he looked at the rearview mirror. He had adjusted it to keep an eye on the kid, using his side mirrors for traffic. “Still out.”

“Thanks,” Madeline answered before sleep began to drag her back under again. She felt Alex shift to gently cover her eyes from the blazing sun with her jacket sleeve, the light reflecting on the snow around them. She reached up to pat his hand in thanks before she was out again.

“Madeline,” Alex said into the silent car. The radio had completely gone down about thirty minutes ago, not a single station was up it was all white noise. The emergency broadcasts had even stopped. “Madeline, I need you to wake up,” Alex said a bit gently so as to not startle her but it didn’t work. She jolted up hard in the seat having sensed the car had stopped.

“What’s going on?” Madeline asked quickly as she scrambled to set up, getting twisted in the seatbelt and jacket in her half-asleep state. “Everything alright?” She asked pushing her hair off her face as she got her bearings. “Why are we stopped?”

“I told you I needed to stop to refill,” Alex reasoned as he watched her scramble to hit the button to sit up the seat. “And it looks like we have some weather coming,” he added as he leaned forward to look out the front windshield. The bright sun of an hour ago was gone, replaced by thick grey clouds and he had heard the ice pellets bouncing off the hood on and off for about fifteen minutes. They were up in the Catskill mountains so the temperature was even colder up here, it was a trade off going up the mountain versus taking the highways. It meant the trip was longer but hopefully fewer people.

“Where are we?” Madeline asked as she looked at the GPS screen which had the error of searching for satellites on it before it came back again.

“New York, somewhere in the mountains not too far from Pennsylvania,” Alex answered as he pointed toward the window to show the overlook he had stopped at.

“We,” Madeline muttered as Everett whined, he was hungry. “Is that ice?” Madeline asked as Alex killed the engine and grabbed his pistol. Madeline quickly pointed to the basket for Everett to dig into and he went for it quickly, grinning as he picked through all the horrible junk food.

“Yes, we may have to stop for a bit. I don’t know how long this will last,” he answered, “radios are all down. Lost it a bit ago and nothing has come back. GPS has begun to struggle too. Tried calling Price but signal was too weak,” he explained, leaving out that he had also tried Farah with the same results. He rotated in his seat to look around the area again. No one was up this far into the mountain range, he hadn’t seen another car in a long while. He was hoping he had enough gas to get back down the mountain but that would just mean finding another gas station. A bridge he’d cross when they got there. “I haven’t seen anyone for a while but keep an eye out. I am going to fill up so we can keep moving and discuss our next steps.”

“Right okay,” Madeline nodded as she undid her seatbelt so she could move better. When Alex hopped out she watched him go to the back of the SUV and drag down the gas can before moving to fill back up. It was remote all the way out here, the mountains were not a popular place in the winter after everyone had their “Christmas in the mountain cabin” fill. This was not an area for skiers either, too many trees though it was gorgeous.

“It’s freezing,” Alex muttered after he climbed back in, breathing into his hands and rubbing them together. He hadn’t dug out his gloves, knowing they were covered in blood, and didn’t want to upset Madeline. “Already getting slick, my boots were sliding,” he explained as he turned the engine on and began moving immediately. He had to be strategic with their gas now, the can didn’t even get them to the halfway mark.

“So what do we do?” Madeline asked as she looked out over the overlook before Alex pulled them back onto the road.  “We can’t drive in ice,” she reasoned but stopping made her even more nervous. “Pull off and wait it out?”

“Too cold,” Alex answered, “I can’t leave the car running, we’ll run out of gas. We can’t stay in the car without heat, we’ll freeze,” he huffed. He was now doubting this plan of his, he may have avoided the people but now they were so far out of the way he could have effectively stranded them in the middle of nowhere to freeze.

“Okay, okay,” Madeline said as she looked at a brown wooden sign that indicated hiking trails to the right. “People like to go to cabins out here. Hunting, family trips things like that,” Madeline reasoned as she peered at another sign that they passed; more trails. “Maybe we find a cabin? I know we need to keep going but,” she sighed feeling her hands shake with nerves.

“We can’t drive in ice,” Alex repeated back to her. This was his fault. Time was of the essence and he had just stalled them for who knew how long. “Fuck, I’m sorry,” he said frustrated as he saw the fear all over her face. “I should have gone a different way,” he said as they continued to seemingly climb the mountain, no other way to go.

“It’s fine, we made it this far,” Madeline reasoned. “You should rest anyway and I doubt we’ll see anyone…thing…out here,” she added as they continued on. They were quiet for a while, the only sound in the car was Everett digging into his snacks. Madeline didn’t bother to tell him to maybe ration it, she didn’t want to think that far into it. The frustration was palpable coming off Alex as they seemingly just kept going deeper into the forest and it was making Madeline squirm a bit.

“Wait stop,” Madeline said suddenly almost twenty minutes later as she spotted a broken sign. It was splintered, as if it had been hit by a car and just never repaired, and was almost completely buried in snow. Rolling down her window she leaned out a bit, her breath fogging the air. “Go left,” Madeline said as she leaned back in again. “Park ranger cabin,” she grinned a bit at Alex who seemed shocked. “They tend to put them off the beaten path so people don’t find them, probably why they didn’t bother to fix the sign.” She pointed to the left for Alex to take, which looked like a dirt path. “I, ah, one of my many adventures,” she explained, not venturing further with little ears around.

“And you said your life wasn’t interesting,” Alex answered with a grin, feeling a little more hopeful. Park ranger cabin meant there would be supplies like food and clothes. He had lost his duffle back in Boston and his desert clothes weren’t going to cut it out here. If he was lucky there could be some ATVs, or other vehicles, he could siphon gas from. “You sure this way?” He asked as he shifted the SUV into a lower gear to climb the steep incline that was just gravel.

“Yes,” Madeline said, trying to sound surer than she felt. “They need to be off the main road, high enough to have a good vantage point but not too far from the tourist area,” she sighed as Alex glanced at her. “I lived with one for a while,” she muttered and quickly adverted her eyes out the window. “They usually take ATVs not cars,” she reasoned as to why the road was so bumpy and uneven.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Alex answered as he felt a tire slip before it caught traction again. It was a rough ride up the gravel but Madeline had not been wrong. The cabin was up behind a bend in the makeshift road and his eyes locked on the carport to the left of it that had an ATV and by the looks of the fresh tracks in the snow there had been another one parked recently but it was gone. “We may have company,” he muttered as he threw the SUV into park and cut the engine.

“Well park rangers tend to be helpful,” Madeline reasoned, trying to sound cheerful. “Surely they won’t mind us waiting out the weather here, right?”

“End of the world tends to change people,” Alex answered. How many times had he seen it in warzones, people turning on friends even their own family to survive. Friendly people turn into frightened animals, and people with already bad intentions capitalizing on the fear. “Let me go first, alright? Make sure it’s clear.”

“Alright,” Madeline agreed as she watched him grab his vest slide it on, and reach down for the M16.

“Get in the driver’s seat,” he instructed as he opened the door and hopped down. “Watch me and be prepared to go if I tell you,” he added and Madeline nodded before just climbing over the console versus getting out and walking around. When she was settled in the seat, hand hovering over the ignition he shut the door and walked up to the cabin. He looked down at the set of footprints as he walked, they were leading away from the cabin, with no blood, and weren’t exactly fresh. They were fresh enough since the last snowfall but the ice and light snow that was falling was filling in the indents.

Madeline stared at Alex’s back as he climbed the few steps to the cabin’s front porch and then went to the door and knocked. He kept his gun down but ever ready and she held her breath waiting for someone to answer. They didn’t. He knocked a few more times before trying the door handle and it swung open. He looked over his shoulder at Madeline and nodded before stepping inside, disappearing into the dark cabin within.

“Anyone here?” Alex called out as he raised his gun now, walking carefully around the small space. There was a living room that connected directly to the kitchen on the right and the back had another room which he guessed was the bedroom. Luckily the place wasn’t huge, not a lot of places to hide. He was able to walk and clear it in a matter of minutes before he was back at the front door, waving at Madeline with the all clear.

“Oh thank God,” Madeline stuttered as Alex appeared again. He was only gone from her sight for three minutes, she had timed it, but it felt like an eternity. “Go to Alex, Everett. Watch your step it’s slippery,” she instructed as Everett grabbed the back door and hopped out. She saw him slip a bit, having ignored her warning, but he caught himself. He walked carefully to Alex in his still mismatched sandals and Batman pajama pants.

“Inside,” Alex said as Everett held his hand out for help up the slick steps. When Everett was in he watched Madeline as she hopped out and went around to grab their bags and the basket of food. Her hands were full and he headed over to help her, the silence of the woods enough for him to feel comfortable he’d hear anything coming.

“Thanks,” Madeline said as Alex took her duffle and offered her his arm to help her over the uneven ground. The ice pellets were bouncing off her arms, she hadn’t bothered to put her jacket on for this short walk, and she could hear them pinging off the car and roof of the cabin as they walked. “Hopefully we won’t be here too long,” she reasoned as she looked up at the sky before heading up the porch steps and inside as well.

Everett had found the television already and was trying to find something to watch and Madeline stared at the screen as well as she shrugged off the backpack and set the basket of food on the small kitchen table. It was white static or colored bars; nothing was coming across. He continued to flip through until he came back to the first channel after a very short amount of time.

“Could be the weather,” Madeline reasoned, “just antennae up here,” she said pointing to the rabbit ears on top of the television. “Looks like they have movies though,” Madeline tacked on as she spotted the small rack that was overflowing with DVDs. “Find something,” she said as Everett bounced off the couch to start digging.

“Fire’s still got coals,” Alex said as he opened the woodstove and peered in. They were nearly dead but they were still giving off some warmth and a light orange glow. He wasn’t exactly comfortable with this situation. They were trespassing and whoever was the resident of this place could be back any moment and rightfully kick them out, or worse. “They could be back any minute,” he said as he grabbed some wood threw it into the stove, and stoked it to get it back up. The cabin wasn’t freezing but it was still a bit chilly.

“Then they’ll be happy you kept the place warm,” Madeline reasoned as she went over to the door, flipped the lock, and slid the chain, just to be safe. While she was hoping for the best out of this other person, she also wasn’t naïve. She wasn’t going to risk them just barging in on them in there unannounced, even if it was their property. “We’ve got nowhere else to go. We just wait it out and as soon as it’s safe to go we go. Hopefully, this person went home themselves, or something,” she said stated as she began laying all their provisions out on the table to take an actual stock.

Everett found a movie he wanted and popped it in, settling back down on the couch under a blanket he pulled off the back of it. Kids were never worried about proper social decorum and she envied him for his lack of concern about the situation as the DVD menu came up. He hit play and stared rapt at the movie he had seen at least ten times that Madeline was aware of but that didn’t seem to bother him.

“When the weather lets up a bit I’m going to check out the ATV,” Alex said, “as long as they don’t come back. I’m hoping its tank is full. See if they have anything else lying around that we can use.” He reasoned as he stared down at all the items Madeline had dumped out. There was a hodgepodge of things in there from Gatorade and water to cereal bars, candy, women’s pads, and even a bottle of lotion with some Pepto and ibuprofen. “We should see if they have anything we can eat while we’re here. Little more than just gas station snacks,” he said. They had already come this far, he would just have to reason with the person when they came back, if they came back if they had an issue.

“Yeah good idea,” Madeline said as she stared at the meager selection of food. “You should get some rest,” she stated looking up at him and she saw him open his mouth to protest. “I’m going to hear an ATV from a mile away up here, you haven’t rested and who knows the next time you’ll get the chance. I have a feeling we’re going to be alone for a while. A park ranger is not going to try and travel in this weather, they know better.”

Alex crossed his arms across his chest thinking. He didn’t want to sleep, he needed to keep watch, but she was right. He hadn’t slept in over a day and who knew the next time he’d get to rest. “In all your adventures did you ever learn how to use a gun?” He asked after a second and he saw her eyes widen a bit and glance at the M16 that was still strapped over his back. “A pistol,” he explained further.

“Yes,” Madeline answered, “I mean I went to some ranges. I’m no ace shot or anything,” she said as she watched Alex unclip his pistol from his thigh holster before handing it over. It was heavy in her hands as she took it and looked it over, turning it in her hands.

“Full clip in there, one chambered,” Alex said before grabbing her hand and twisting it lightly. His hand fully enveloped hers and he moved his thumb over hers and pressed down to slide it over the safety to take it off. “This is the safety. Keep it on unless you intend to use it,” he said before sliding her thumb again to put it back on again and letting go of her hand. “Aim for the biggest spot on the body, you don’t need to kill just incapacitate,” he reasoned, “I can do the killing.”

Madeline did her best to not shiver at his comment about how he could do the killing. She knew he could, he had already killed someone for her, for Everett, and she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. “It won’t come to that,” she stated confidently as she set the gun down on the table and stared at it for a second. “Go lay down for a bit, I’ll find some food.

“Still not a fan of this plan,” Alex answered as he shirked off his vest and draped it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. “Only a few hours and you wake me up if you even think you hear something,” he stared hard at her and she nodded. “And if the storm lets up and I’m still asleep wake me up anyway, I don’t want to linger too long.”

“I will, now go,” Madeline said as she looked at the door she suspected was the bedroom. “Everett and I will be fine watching a movie.” She looked at Everett who was still locked in on the show and then moved to the small pantry to see what she could put together to eat. When Alex walked off to the bedroom, leaving the door open, she put her full attention to the food there. Lots of dry goods, canned items, and soups. Soup would be a good option and then she found bread so she could do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as well.

Busying herself with making some sandwiches, for now and the road, Madeline glanced at the television screen a few times to watch the movie. By the time the movie had ended she had bagged all the sandwiches up, portioned out some chips she had found as well, and even made Everett eat a banana. Trying her best to give him something besides all the candy and sweets he had been eating the past little bit.

“Find another movie,” Madeline said as Everett asked her what they could do because he was bored. She glanced into the bedroom to see Alex was passed out on his stomach, still in his clothes on top of the blankets. He had propped his gun on the small nightstand and the revolver she hadn’t even seen him take from the SUV was also sitting there. As if he was ready to jump up and fight at a moment's notice. “Or a puzzle, or read a book,” she added as she browsed the shelves of books and board games. Everett didn’t seem too impressed with those ideas so he went shuffling through the movies again and found another while Madeline selected a book.

The snowstorm outside was kicking up and Madeline peered out the window after a bit before going to the woodstove to add more wood to it. Alex had been asleep, or at least lying down, for almost three hours. She knew he didn’t want to sleep long but there was no point in waking him when they were all just sitting around, there was no going out in this. Settling back down in a chair that gave her a good vantage of the front window, the television, and the bedroom Madeline flipped another page in her book.

Alex woke up with a jolt as if his body knew he missed an alarm or an important meeting. He pushed up on his arms and quickly rolled onto his back peering around the unfamiliar room as he got his bearings. Rolling his wrist, he looked at his watch and groaned, he had slept for nearly six hours. He heard noises coming out from the main part of the house and then realized he could smell food.

“What happened to a few hours?” Alex asked as he set his gun to lean against the counter as Madeline poured soup out for Everett.

“We’re fine. Stopped snowing about an hour ago but it’s getting too dark to do anything now,” she said nodding her head at the window where the sun was setting. Winter really made the days too short to do anything productive with them. “Made dinner,” added nodding her head at the bowl she set out for him. “We’ll all rest and head out in the morning,” she reasoned as Alex took a heavy seat and rubbed his eyes a bit. “Maybe you should shower,” she said her eyes darting over the dark red stains still marring his clothes.

“Yeah,” Alex said as he took a bite of food, “thanks for dinner.” He added as he ate realizing just how hungry he was the more he ate. Madeline had finished her food a bit ago, Everett had asked for thirds and she had made another can that she split between him and Alex before cleaning up. She disappeared into the bedroom and Alex gave her some time to clean up in the bathroom before he finally walked in after Everett had settled back down on the couch again.

“I found a few things,” Madeline said as she pointed to the bed. She had washed up in the bathroom, cleaned her face, and brushed out her hair a bit, taking a few minutes to herself to just breathe for a second and fight off a breakdown. When she poked her head out of the bedroom to find Alex helping Everett find another movie she decided to dig around in the closet for clothes. “I think whoever was here is your size, or close enough,” she said as Alex picked up an undershirt, then mused over the flannel. “I may take a few things,” she added as she showed her own flannel shirt and a beanie cap on the chair.

“Close enough,” Alex agreed as he kicked off the boots he still wore. “Quick shower then you two need to sleep,” he reasoned. “Sleeping in a car is only so much rest,” he explained as he undid his thigh holster and removed his belt tossing both on the small dresser. “Bed’s big enough for you two to share,” he said as he scooped up the clothes, she had laid out for him.

Madeline watched Alex begin removing his things and felt herself swallow at the image of him removing his belt. She twisted away so he wouldn’t see the smirk she knew was threatening behind her lips, despite herself. It was the end of the world, her sister was in imminent danger, people were dying everywhere and here she was ogling a taken man like a teenager. All those thoughts caused the guilt to hit her like a punch to the gut and she actually found herself biting back a sob she had been fighting off for hours now.

“Hey, you alright?” Alex asked as he threw the clothes he had just picked up off the bed back down and walked over to her. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he tentatively grabbed her shoulder to get her to turn back around and look at him. His eyes darted out to Everett to make sure he was still engrossed in the movie before going back to Madeline. He didn’t need the kid seeing his aunt upset, it would only upset him.

“Nothing,” Madeline said as she turned to face Alex looking up at him, “everything?” She amended before sighing and wiping at her eyes. “I’m terrified Alex, guilty, angry,” she huffed and wiped more at her face. “My sister is out there with those…things. And I’m here, safe, with her son. Why am I safe? She’s the more valuable one, the smart one that could fix this whole thing. I’m just, fuck, I’m just another person. You should have just gone with your team to get her. Taken Everett and left me,” she cut off for a second. “She deserves to be the safe, not me.”

“Stop,” Alex said swiftly as he pulled her away from the doorway and shut the door quietly with his foot so Everett wouldn’t hear. “Guilt is not going to solve anything,” he said as he looked down at her. “And you deserve to be alive as much as the next person. You saved our asses finding this place, and you think your nephew would have been fine leaving you?” He knew his words were only going so far as she blinked back more tears and let her eyes dart around the room to avoid looking at him.

“I guess,” Madeline muttered as she blinked the tears away. “Sorry, you don’t need to deal with this on top of everything else. I’ll let you shower,” she gestured vaguely at the bathroom door but Alex didn’t move.

“I don’t mind,” Alex answered quietly. “I know what guilt feels like, more than I’d like,” he explained with a small sigh. He knew she was closing off, tucking away the feelings as she ground her palms into her eyes as if it would shove the tears back in. “But just know, I wouldn’t have left you. Even if that meant signing my own death certificate,” he did his best to not laugh at her look of surprise. “I’ve been known to have that ‘white knight’ issue remember?”

“You don’t even know me,” Madeline answered a bit shocked. “Why?”

“It’s my job,” Alex answered with a small shrug. “And I know enough,” he added, grinning at Madeline’s puzzled look. He opened his mouth to explain when he heard Everett call out to Madeline.

“What’s up bud?” Madeline asked moving to open the bedroom door, her tone a bit frustrated because she desperately wanted to know what Alex meant by saying he knew enough about her.

The frustration leaked away quickly when she caught sight of vehicle lights shining on the living room wall. Alex had moved to stand right at her back, his chest pressed up against her as he took in the scene since she had only opened the door a crack.

“Get the pistol,” Alex said as he moved away from Madeline and snatched up his rifle, "and make sure the safety is off."

Chapter Text

Madeline darted out of the room and quickly snatched up the television remote to cut the power. It took her two tries before it finally turned off and she ushered Everett off the couch and to the bedroom. He opened his mouth to protest but at the look, Madeline cut at him with a hiss to be quiet he shut it and went quickly to the bedroom, dragging the blanket with him.

“Go in with him,” Alex said as he inched toward the door and peered out the small kitchen window to try and see outside. The headlights were aimed right at the window making it impossible for him to get a look. He dropped the curtains and looked about the cabin itself. There was no use in trying to pretend they weren’t there. The lights were on, a fire was burning and a very large and obvious black SUV parked out front. “It wasn’t a suggestion,” Alex tacked on as Madeline stood by the couch watching him, the gun hanging loosely in her hand at her side.

“No, I’m not leaving you out here alone,” Madeline said firmly and she could almost feel the agitated sigh Alex was trying to hold back. “We don’t even know what they want. It could just be the ranger,” she ventured before cutting off as they heard the sound of a door shutting.

“I don’t want them to know how many of us there are,” Alex snapped as he pushed away from the window and walked over to the couch where Madeline was standing. He could hear the crunch of boots on the icy snow coming up to the cabin. “Go in the room, turn off the light, and wait,” he said, pointing an impatient finger at the bedroom door where Everett was lingering just inside. “Now,” he finished just as someone jiggled the handle.

Madeline jumped at the noise, the small fight in her melting away as fear closed in. She crossed to the bedroom in three steps and slipped inside. “Go in the bathroom. Don’t fight with me,” Madeline said quickly as Everett grabbed at her. “Please E,” she tacked on as he looked at her with hurt in his eyes for the harsh tone. When he walked away, sniffling, she cut the lights but didn’t shut the bedroom door fully, just cracked it.

“Who’s in there?” Came a tired sounding voice, a man. “I have the keys if we are going to play this game,” he added and Alex heard the jingling of a key ring.

“Who are you?” Alex asked as he raised his gun and raised it to aim at the door.

“I should be asking the questions,” the guy responded as he shoved a key into the lock and turned it. “Seeing as you are in my house,” he tacked on. The key unlocked the door with ease which told Alex it was potentially the Ranger. Or someone that stole his keys.

“Door was unlocked, looked abandoned,” Alex lied as he turned to peer at Madeline who was still standing there watching in a gap in the door. She didn’t listen to his order. He took a few steps backward and grabbed the door handle himself to snap it shut, tugging it out of her grip easily. “I wouldn’t open the door, I’m armed.”

“Alex!” Madeline hissed as she was plunged into darkness. She heard him walk away, his steps slow and deliberate toward the front door.

The guy hesitated on opening the door at that warning before a small chuckle.

“Who says I’m not?” He asked blandly before he attempted to open the door swiftly. The chain Madeline had put across stopped it in its tracks and the whole thing rattled. “For fuck’s sake,” the guy muttered before a kick to the door popped the flimsy thing off. “Chain’s been loose for months,” he stated.

Alex was staring down his sights at the guy as the door flung inward. The guy was holding a pistol, an old looking thing, though it wasn’t raised in the firing position. At the sight of Alex, and the huge automatic rifle, the guy instantly put his hands up in the air to surrender.

Alex’s eyes roved over the guy taking him in, assessing the threat and anything he may have on him. He was wearing a park ranger uniform under his bulky jacket, even had the ridiculous hat on, but there was no other threatening weapon that he could see.  He was older as well, probably mid-fifties if Alex were to venture a guess, and seemed a bit worn down. Easier for Alex to neutralize if needed.

“Shit, you could have said you were military,” the guy said as he gestured his intent to put the gun down on the floor. Alex nodded for him to and he slowly bent down to set it on the floor before standing up fully and kicking the weapon into the dead space between the two of them. “Figured you were one of those assholes that live out here coming to steal my stuff, I’m constantly having to run them off,” he finished with a small shrug.

“Would that have made a difference?” Alex asked as the guy peered around his cabin. He knew he had clocked the kid’s movie case that was propped open on the table and the book Madeline had discarded.

“I probably wouldn’t have kicked in my own door, used a different tone too,” he smiled weakly. “Who’s here with you?” He asked after a second, taking a step further into the house. Alex raised his rifle higher and let his finger ghost over the trigger. “Just closing the door,” the guy ventured as he kept his hands up and kicked it shut with his foot.

“Doesn’t matter,” Alex answered as he stepped forward to put the pistol under his boot and kick it back somewhere behind him. “I’m going to pat you down,” he said as he took another step, “and if you even twitch it’s done.”

“What? You’re in my house, remember?” The guy asked as he stared at the muzzle that was inches from his chest now. “I just had the pistol and I’ve got a shitty pocket knife that needs sharpening,” he ventured, “I doubt I could do much damage with that.”

“I could bleed you out in thirty seconds with it,” Alex answered before his left hand shot out to turn the guy around and shoved him against the door. “Where’s the knife?” He asked as he lowered the M16 down to his side to pat him down.

“Left front pocket,” the guy answered as he kept his palms pressed against the door.

“You’re clear,” Alex said after he finished the pat down and stuffed the pocket knife in his back pocket. He noticed the guy flinched a bit when he got to his side but there was nothing there that he could feel.

“I’m well aware,” the guy answered as he stared at the gun Alex had back in his hands again. “You really need all that? I have no weapons and you’ve already insinuated you could gut me with a rusty spoon.”

“I don’t take risks,” Alex answered simply, though his finger wasn’t on the trigger. “I’m taking your bedroom,” he continued on before the guy could fight him. “I’ll be gone in the morning at first light.”

“I…wait a minute,” the guy argued. “This is my goddamn cabin. You can sleep on the couch if I decide you can stay. I see you’ve already eaten my food…all three of you,” he added on. When Alex raised an eyebrow he smirked, “I saw the footprints on the porch. Ranger, remember? There are also three bowls on the drying rack,” he tilted his head at the kitchen sink where their dinnerware was drip drying still. “Doesn’t take a genius.”

“All the more reason for us to have the bedroom,” Alex answered with a shrug. “Couch is plenty big enough for you.”

“Look man,” the guy stated, “I really don’t want to keep arguing with you. You can stay, I’m not about to kick you out in this. Especially a kid,” he stared pointedly at the DVD case. “You don’t have to leave at the crack of dawn, but I want my bed. I’ve had a,” he sighed and took off his hat and threw it onto the kitchen table. “Really shitty day. Evacuating the cabins, running people into town who don’t have cars. Watched a women I knew my whole life attack and rip apart her husband in a matter of seconds,” he rubbed at his cheek where a five o’clock shadow was coming in. “I’m sure you have seen some things as well. I’m guessing that isn’t your blood,” he gestured vaguely at Alex’s arms.

“Correct assumption,” Alex answered sharply, his eyes darting down for just a moment before back up.

“Feel free to shower. Don’t know how hot the water will be,” he moved toward the kitchen, careful to keep it slow since Alex was still following his movements with his gun. “I’m going to eat. Then we can trade off spaces. It’ll be warmer out here with the woodstove anyway.” He grabbed at a pot before wincing as Alex shifted his gun back up in a flash. “I am not going to try and hit you with a pot. Go talk it over with whoever you’re with.”

“You come near that door, you will not see the morning,” Alex snapped and the guy looked at him blankly. He seemed wary but also completely unphased by Alex ordering him about; as if it were just another day.

“Fine by me. Towels are under the sink. I’ve got some extra clothes in there too. People leave stuff in the cabins all the time,” he said before going to the pantry in dismissal.

Madeline was shocked as she heard Alex talking, her hand holding tight onto the door jam. She knew this was his training, the soldier in him that she hadn’t really seen aside from his pinpoint accuracy with his gun. But more so, the fact he was being so viciously protective of her and Everett was what actually surprised her. He was laying down rules, threatening lives, and not even thinking about it in an effort to keep her and E safe. They barely knew one another but here he was willing to lay to waste any threat to them. She was still mulling over this thought when she heard footsteps coming to the door.

She scrambled back, holding the gun in her hand tightly as the door handle turned. Alex barely opened the door, just enough to slip inside before snapping it shut behind him. Madeline saw the hard set of his face for just a moment in the light from the living room before they were plunged into darkness once again.

“Stay quiet,” Alex said before Madeline could say a word. “I’m guessing you heard all of that,” he stated as he reached over and flipped on the bedroom light. If he startled easily he would have jumped with how close Madeline was to him, a look he couldn’t quite decipher on her face as she stared up at him.

“We are in his place,” Madeline said quietly as Alex crowded her back away from the bedroom door, as if afraid they would hear her barely audible whisper. “Do you really think he’s going to axe murder us,” she started as Alex raised his eyebrows at her.

“I’m sure he’s a very nice person in normal times,” Alex answered, “but these aren’t normal. He’s well aware of what is happening. When push comes to shove who do you think he’s going to choose? Himself or strangers?” He glanced at the bathroom door where the shadows of two little feet were, obviously trying to listen to them talk. “Who would you choose?” He softened his tone a bit from the harsh one he had used with the guy out in the living room.

“Always Everett,” Madeline answered simply, it wasn’t even a question. “You,” she added after a second and saw the slight head tilt Alex gave her. “I mean you’ve helped us so much already. As far as I’m concerned, we’re all in it together at this point.”

“My job is protection, you don’t have to worry about me,” Alex answered as he stepped back a few inches. “He wants the bedroom so we are going to swap.”

“After you shower,” Madeline responded and Alex shook his head and opened his mouth to fight. “It’ll take you, what, five minutes? I can watch the door for five minutes,” Madeline reasoned as she reached for the gun that she had tucked in her waistband. “So far, he’s been extremely compliant with your demands. Hasn’t tried anything and it sounds like he’s currently eating anyway,” she added. The sounds of the cabin carried with it being so small and she heard the pots and pans on the stove and the sink running.

“I’m not going to take a shower and just leave you unguarded,” he replied as Madeline walked over to the bed and snatched up the clothes she had laid out for him.

“I can handle it, just go,” she pointed to the bathroom. “Who knows the next time you’ll get the chance and honestly…you’re still really sweaty and bloody,” she smirked, teasing a bit.

“I’ve gone longer without a shower,” Alex reasoned as Madeline pushed the clothes against his chest and he reached up to snatch them out of her hands. “I’ll just change,” he reasoned and Madeline shook her head.

“Alex, I’ve held a gun before. I know how to shoot; I’ll be able to hit him well enough if tries. I think you scared him enough he won’t anyway. For all he knows I am also military,” she reasoned with an eyebrow raise. “You think he’s going to try kicking in a second door tonight?”

“Fine,” Alex snapped knowing she wasn’t going to let this go. Grabbing up a simple wooden chair at the desk in the corner he propped it under the door handle before turning to face Madeline. “Gun out, safety off, pointed at the door the whole time.”

“Sir yes sir,” Madeline said with a little sarcastic salute. “Now go, you’re wasting time.”

“Don’t. I’m only doing this because I know you don’t like blood,” Alex replied to her little sarcastic display. Moving to the bathroom door he pulled it open to see Everett quickly shuffling backwards. “Just like your Aunt,” he mused as the kid didn’t even look mildly ashamed at being caught eavesdropping. “Go on,” he gestured vaguely behind him to usher him out of the bathroom before shutting the door and quickly stripping down to take a shower.

Madeline pulled out some warm clothes she had packed for Everett, making sure she faced the bedroom door as she worked. She could hear the water in the bathroom cut on as Alex started it and she carefully palmed the gun, trying to not look concerned with Everett right there. If the guy was going to try anything it probably would be when he heard the shower on. But after thirty seconds of nothing, just the sound of water running and the scraping of a kitchen chair being pulled out, she figured they were safe enough.

The guy had not been lying about the water not being hot. It was barely lukewarm and Alex gasped out when he first stepped under it, pulling the rickety curtain around him. The shower was a glorified garden metal tub with a head that he had to duck down to fit under fully. He moved quickly and not just because the last bit of heat was leached from the water before he even fully soaped up. He kept his ears strained for any noise, any hint of an issue but all he could hear was the muffled tones of Madeline and Everett’s voices as they talked.

“Fucking Christ,” Alex muttered as he killed the water, shivering and groping for a towel. It was a record fast shower and he hadn’t even bothered to try and condition his hair. The mirror in the bathroom hadn’t even fogged he noticed as he dried off and tugged on the clothes Madeline had found for him. The pants were a bit loose and he had to hold them up until he could get to his belt. The undershirt on the other hand was tight and he didn’t even try to bother to button up the flannel shirt. He’d have to get different clothes at some point.

“All done?” Madeline asked from where she was sitting on the bed with Everett leaning against her. “Pretty sure he’s still eating,” she noted with an ‘I told you so’ smirk as Alex scooped up his belt, tossing the dirty clothes he had folded onto the bed at her feet. She watched him for a moment, noting how the pants were a size or two too big but the shirts were definitely too tight. She could see how the white undershirt stretched tight across his chest and that the sleeves of the flannel shirt strained across his biceps as he moved his arms. “I might be able to find something else,” she started as she rose from the bed, gesturing at the clothes doing her best to not blush at how hard she had been staring. “I thought they would fit but I guess I was a little off.”

“It’s fine,” Alex replied as he bent down and grabbed his gun, doing his own best to not knowingly smirk at her blatant staring at him. As if the universe were trying to help, a drop of water from his still wet hair slid down his neck and back to jolt him with the icy cold feeling. “I want to get this over with,” he muttered as he looked at Everett and Madeline. “Right to the couch,” he said as he moved to tug the chair out from under the door handle. He had a little faith in the guy since he had not tried anything but that was a small faith that he wasn’t going to try and test.

“You’re acting like he’s a rabid dog,” Madeline muttered as she slipped off the bed and took Everett’s hand. “He’s been perfectly nice to you, especially given the circumstances. You’re the aggressive one here,” she noted as she moved to stand next to him.

“We all don’t have the luxury to assume people are nice. Not everyone is a friend,” Alex answered pointedly and he saw the look of anger flash across Madeline’s face at the tone. He was too keyed up and on edge to really play niceties right now when it came to this guy. If it were just him, he would be playing this very differently. More than likely handcuffing the guy to the oven for the evening and keeping a gun trained on him all night for good measure. “Go,” he said as he opened the door and gestured them out.

“All set?” The guy asked from the table where he had a newspaper propped open, his dinner long finished and pushed away. “Figured I’d best wait at the table,” he indicated as Alex stood between him and Madeline and Everett who scooted around the back of the couch to sit. “See you found the clothes. Bit, ah, tight though. Sorry about that,” he stated as he pushed up from the table and peered at Alex before glancing at the other two. “I’ve got more blankets,” he started as he saw Everett wrapped up in the couch blanket.

“We’re fine,” Alex interrupted before jerking his head toward the bedroom door.

“Actually, blankets would be lovely,” Madeline interrupted with a quick glare at Alex. The guy was no match for Alex in any sense of the word. He was older, slower, and honestly looked exhausted judging by how pale he was. “And if you have any spare pillows?” She tacked on rising from the couch and ignoring the way Alex was glaring daggers at her.

“I’m sure I could find something,” the guy answered as he rose from his seat, taking a step and limping for a second as if he were stiff. “Afraid I don’t have any kids’ clothes, but might have something you could fit into,” he offered looking at Madeline who smiled sweetly and followed him toward the bedroom.

“Madeline don’t,” Alex started as he raised his gun but she ignored him, walking purposely past Alex.

“She doesn’t listen very well,” Everett said quietly as he popped up on his knees on the couch to face Alex who was watching a bit agape. “Mommy always complains,” he said with a small grin as he watched his aunt be handed a few of blankets and a spare pillow.

“I’ve picked up on that,” Alex said as he watched Madeline. As soon as she was back out of the bedroom, Alex walked over to the door and grabbed the handle to snap it shut.  “Inside, all night or I’ll-”

“Yes, use the gun, I’m aware,” the guy said with a chuckle as he looked at Everett and grinned before Alex pulled the door shut.

Madeline could practically sense the waves of anger emanating from Alex as she arranged a makeshift bed for Everett, handing him the remote to resume the movie. The tension in the air was tangible, she tucked Everett in before straightening up and meeting Alex's gaze. He had turned the armchair to face the bedroom door and had settled in, determined to maintain a vigil over it.

"I don't think—" she began.

"Don't want your opinion," Alex snapped, his attention briefly flickering towards Everett, who remained absorbed in the movie, oblivious to the anger between them. "Get some sleep."

"Well, you're going to hear it," Madeline shot back sharply, striding over to stand directly in his line of sight, blocking the bedroom door so he couldn't avoid looking at her. "We're perfectly fine. The guy can barely move; he's old and honestly seems a bit weak. He was panting by the time he was done digging into boxes. Do you really think he's going to overpower you?"

Alex leaned forward, his touch on Madeline's arm not gentle as he pushed her aside slightly. If she insisted on having this conversation, fine, but he wasn't about to lose sight of their guest. "Yeah? And what if you walked into that bedroom and he had another gun? A machete, perhaps? What would you have done?" His gaze bore into hers as she crossed her arms defensively. "You being in that room, with him out of my line of fire, was fucking stupid. If this is going to work, you're going to have to listen to me when I tell you what not to do." The words dripped with frustration and a hint of desperation as if he were pleading with her to understand the gravity of the situation.

"Not everyone's a murderer, Alex! Not everyone's out to get everyone," Madeline retorted, her frustration palpable. Despite her years of travel, she had encountered few individuals with malicious intent. Most were just ordinary people, going about their lives, willing to lend a hand to those in need. They were friendly, resourceful, and, above all, not seeking trouble. Sure, some unsettled her, and yes, a few had even made unwanted advances. But they were the minority. Through her experiences, she had developed the ability to read people fairly well. "We're not in Urzikstan," she added softly knowing the endless cycle of terror that consumed the lives of its people and where Alex had been for a long time.

"I'm well aware," Alex replied coldly, his tone turning icy at the mention of Urzikstan. "I should be there, but instead, I'm stuck here with you both trying to do the impossible with how you behave at a very simple order." He shifted in his seat, his demeanor unyielding. "My job is to keep both of you alive, and that means doing things my way, whether you like it or not, Madeline." His gaze met hers, and he could see the hurt he had inflicted at his comment. "Now, get some sleep," he commanded, effectively cutting short the argument.

Madeline's silence hung heavy in the air as she retreated to the couch, sinking heavily onto the cushions at Everett's feet. Her nephew barely acknowledged her presence, his eyes already drooping with sleep as he nestled deeper into his blankets. Drawing an extra blanket over herself, she tossed a third onto the coffee table, a silent offering to Alex if he desired it. Avoiding his gaze, she curled up, arms wrapped tightly around herself, feet tucked close.

The subtle rustle of Alex's movements in his chair echoed in the quiet room, accompanied by the faint jingle of the gun strap clips with each shift. She knew Urzikstan was a touchy subject but she hadn’t realized just how deep that cut went. He was right; he should be there, protecting the person he cared about, not stuck with strangers like her and a child he hardly knew.

Alex seethed in his chair his eyes flicking over to Madeline's form every few minutes as he maintained his watch. She remained curled against the arm of the couch, seemingly engrossed in the movie playing on the television, though he knew she was pointedly avoiding his gaze. But he didn't care about her silent anger; she scared the shit out of him going off book and doing as she pleased. It was as if she had no sense of the ten different ways things could go disastrously wrong. At least back at what he considered home people listened to him and he could do his job properly.

When the movie ended and the DVD went back to the start menu Alex looked over expecting Madeline to turn the television off. Instead, he was met with the sight of her slumbering form, nestled so deeply into the couch cushions that her face was barely visible. He let the menu repeat over about ten times before he grew annoyed with it and rose from his seat to cut it off himself. There hadn’t been any movement from the bedroom so he felt secure enough to look away for a bit.

The anger that had been so quick to jump to the surface had abated as he moved to check the woodstove and add an extra log to the fire. The squeal of the door as he opened it was loud and he winced as heard movement on the couch behind him. Madeline had stirred and pushed up a bit to look at him over the arm of the couch to see what was going on. She looked bleary-eyed as she blinked at him but the soft half-asleep smile she gave him was like a strike to the gut. She hadn’t deserved the way he had talked to her. She was just a civilian, untouched by the horrors of war and the toll it took on those who witnessed it firsthand, let alone those who endured it day in and day out.

“Just checking the fire,” Alex said as he stood up and walked over, “still got a few hours to sleep.” He stated as he bent down, grabbed the extra blanket off the coffee table, and unfolded it, throwing it on the space where Madeline and Everett’s legs twined together on the couch. He wasn’t going to use it and the wind outside seemed to find its way between every crack and sliver in the wood. “Listen about,” he said as she rolled on her back a bit to look up at him.

“’s fine,” Madeline mumbled with a yawn behind her hand. “I know what it feels like to worry,” she answered, gently nudging Everett over with her feet so she could stretch out some more. “I’m sure Farah is okay,” she added softly as she glanced up at Alex who was still hovering. “You should try calling her. Check-in.” She knew she had guessed correctly why her comment of Urzikstan had been a straight shot to his nerves when Alex’s face went a bit slack. “Daytime there, right?” She asked glancing over at a clock on the wall.

“Ah, yeah,” Alex answered a bit sheepishly. He supposed it was a good thing she didn’t seem to hold grudges, or perhaps it was because she was half asleep. “I’ll also call Price, see if I can get ahold of them, see where they are at,” he ventured. Madeline just nodded and rolled on the couch so her face was buried in the cushions. He watched her for a second before going to the kitchen to dig out his satellite phone from his vest. He needed to step outside so he had a direct line to the sky. He glanced back one more time at everyone sleeping before walking out on the porch and down the steps.

Madeline heard the front door open and felt Everett shift around a bit, his little feet kicking at her for intruding into his space. She didn’t budge though; he was small he could deal with it. Her knees and hips were screaming from being curled up so tight for who knew how long. He shifted again and settled and Madeline let herself begin to drift back off to sleep again.

Alex was standing at the bottom of the porch steps, his eyes staring up at the clear night sky as the phone rang. He tried Price first, not knowing what he would say to Farah yet. He was sure Graves had told her of the change of plans if he had the chance and he had no idea how she would react. He truly just wanted to hear her voice and make sure she was alright, but he knew she’d look at it as a distraction and he wasn’t ready for the angry clipped tone.

The call dropped and Alex quickly hit redial again, watching as his breath puffed out in front of him. The phone rang a few more times and he stopped his mild pacing when it paused, as if someone picked up, only for the sound of the call dropping to meet his ears again. He cursed and walked a few more paces out, looking up at the trees to find the clearest spot before trying one more time.

“Can I go to the bathroom?” Came Everett’s small voice as Madeline felt him move the covers off himself and sit up.

"What? Yes, you can go to the bathroom," Madeline mumbled groggily, her voice heavy with sleep. She felt Everett hesitate on the couch before finally getting up, and if she had been more awake, she would have asked if he wanted her to go with him. But instead, she remained in her spot, taking the opportunity to stretch out her cramped muscles when he stood up. Her sleep-addled and anxious mind didn't even consider the possibility that he'd have to pass through the bedroom where the guy was sleeping to reach the bathroom.

Until she heard the bedroom door swing open and the snarling erupt from within.

Chapter Text

Everything moved impossibly slow, yet seemed to crash down on Madeline all at once. She had just shifted on the couch to curl around a pillow when she heard the bedroom door click open. Her eyes opened at that. The reality of what she just told Everett he could do hit her with a swoop in her stomach. It made sense why her nephew seemed to hesitate at her okay for him to use the bathroom as if he knew this wasn’t the best idea. But if she told him it was okay then he was going to do it.

She twisted her head up to look at the front door over the edge of the couch to find it closed. Alex had gone outside to make a call and it was freezing outside so he wouldn’t just leave the door open. Alex was another failsafe to stop Everett from going into the bedroom, to intervene when Madeline didn’t think through her actions. Now Everett was effectively walking in on a stranger sleeping. A stranger that very well could have a weapon and would be within his rights to attack. Especially since Alex has warned him multiple times he would murder him himself if he tried anything.

As she was pushing up on her half-asleep arm, the numbness tingling down to her fingers with a burning sensation, she saw the back of Everett’s head as he halted at the darkness of the bedroom within. She was about to hiss at him to shut the door quickly and get back to the couch when they both heard the snarl. Half a second hesitation, half a second of deciding what to do, before Madeline was scrambling over the back of the couch. She screamed Everett’s name as she stumbled in the blankets nearly falling over as they wrapped around her feet.

Everett jolted back from the door as the sound of rushing feet in the darkness of the bedroom could be heard getting closer to the door. Madeline reached him after fumbling a few feet and bodily scooped him up under the arms before practically throwing him toward the kitchen. She needed to get between him and the thing in the bedroom, and she seemed to manage it before she grabbed at the door handle. But the man, or what used to be man, was already there. He was about to come out the door and Madeline pulled it hard, doing her best to just shut him in it if she could.

“Go get Alex!” Madeline screamed out to Everett as he stood by the table petrified. His eyes were wide as saucers and he was holding the hem of his shirt, for lack of anything else, with a white-knuckle grip.

The thing behind the door growled and shrieked with anger at Madeline and the door shuddered against the onslaught. The man’s head and arm were through the door and he was grabbing at her with one hand and pounding furiously on the back of the wood with the other. Blood and what looked to be foam, like a rabid dog, coated his lips as it dribbled down his chin into his short grey beard and smeared his mustache. His eyes were bloodshot, no not bloodshot, they were running with blood. It was running from his eyes, his nose, and even his ears. As if his body were just bleeding out from the infection, everything so sick and broken inside it was leaking out. His hand managed to grab hold of her sleeve and he yanked her hard as she pulled away.

“Alex!” Madeline screamed out as Everett finally ran to the front door and pulled it open with a rush of cold air into the cabin.

Alex had walked a few feet down the makeshift drive, watching the sky as he moved to try and make sure there wasn’t anything blocking his signal. Satellite phones required a direct link to them without any obstruction and while trees and a few passing clouds didn’t normally cause issues he had a feeling that wasn’t the case anymore.

While being extremely reliable, satellites require constant maintenance. Small corrections are sent to them to keep them on course and at the right angle to send and receive transmissions from Earth. He already knew they were struggling with how the GPS was behaving earlier and he suspected they were either overwhelmed or off a bit with no one to monitor. Things had deteriorated fast when they were down in the city, he could only imagine what it was like now that they’d been up in the mountains for a few hours with no news.

Alex had the phone shoved in his ear as he walked when he heard the first shout. It was muffled, between the loud ring from the phone and the wind whistling outside. But he still stopped his steps and turned to face the cabin, narrowing his eyes a bit. He listened, waiting for anything else, and wondered if they had just turned the movie back on. He stared at the dingy yellow curtains on the kitchen window and waited a few seconds before walking back toward the cabin.

Then he distinctly heard Madeline scream out his name, the rest wasn’t discernable but his name was clear as day to his ears. The still ringing phone was dropped in the snow as he moved, dragging the M16 off his back in one smooth motion. The front door opened to reveal a terrified Everett silhouetted against the dim light inside as Alex got closer.

Madeline couldn’t hold it. The door was groaning from the man’s attack, the old wood splintering from his unfathomable strength he seemed to have. He had pulled the sleeve of the arm that she had holding the brass knob with toward him, yanking her off her feet as he tugged her. She scrambled to grab the door with her other hand to keep ahold of it, to keep him contained, but she couldn’t catch it. It slipped in her fingers from all the blood he had dribbled and spat. She cried out in terror as he dragged her further into the room, the bedroom door opening enough for his other hand to grab her. His grip was strong, biting into her skin hard enough she thought her bones would snap. He was going to drag her into that room and rip her to shreds, or at the very least tear off her arm.

She made one last ditch effort to get the thing off of her. She grabbed the door jamb with her free arm and pushed back hard, using her feet as leverage. The shifting of her weight seemed to work; she was able to get out of the darkness of the bedroom but the guy was still holding her tight. The momentum caused her to topple back and his added rushing weight knocked her back onto the floor, him moving willingly with her.

The ranger landed on top of her without trying to stop his own fall, self-preservation was not part of his human nature anymore. The weight coming down on Madeline caused her to cry out with shock, her head connecting hard with the floor since she was unable to break her own fall. She screamed as she tried to backpedal on the ground, her right arm still trapped between her body and the man’s as he held his grip. His left hand came up to scratch and grab at her face, neck, chest anything he could get ahold of. Madeline twisted to keep her face away, using her own left arm to knock him and she squirmed praying he didn’t bite her as she twisted looking for anything to grab to use as a weapon or to pull herself away.

Alex cleared the fifty feet of the driveway that he had wandered down in moments, his feet not even hitting the few steps of the porch as he rushed up to the front door. Everett was sobbing in the door, his hand reaching out for Alex for some sort of comfort but Alex didn’t stop. He reached his right hand out to grab Everett by the back of the head and maneuver him behind him and off to the side of the door on the porch. It was cold and the kid was only in pajamas but he couldn’t risk him inside without knowing what was happening.

What Alex came upon in the cabin was not what he was expecting in the least. He was anticipating the man had tried something stupid with Madeline when Alex stepped outside, had decided to risk it and attack them to try and take their things. Perhaps a stupid hostage situation that would end up with the guy dead before he even knew what had happened. And while the ranger was certainly trying to kill Madeline it wasn’t really him; he was one of those things.

“Drop your head!” Alex yelled as he found Madeline and the man grappling on the ground. She was trapped under his weight and he was ripping at her clothes with a fierce determination as she tried to push away. Alex’s eyes narrowed down his sights as Madeline curled her head down and covered herself with her free arm. He didn’t wait a moment longer, didn’t give her warning he was going to shoot. He saw how the thing had zoned in on the exposed skin of her neck from her curled position.

Alex pulled the trigger and a burst of three bullets sprayed out the muzzle and connected with the thing. They connected with his head and laid waste to him in less than a blink of an eye, the body falling twitching on top of Madeline’s. The blood was pouring out of him now but Alex still held his position, staring at the body to make sure that he stayed down. And perhaps, for a split second, he stared at Madeline to make sure she was about to turn on him as well. It was a cold thought, but if the thing managed to bite her he couldn’t risk himself and Everett.

“Get it off,” Madeline shrieked, her voice crazed with fear and panic. “Get it off of me,” she said again seeing the blood that was pooled around her and feeling it seep into her clothes. It was still warm and she felt nausea roll in her stomach at the thought. “Alex please,” she begged before gagging as she felt her hands slip in the warm liquid. She pushed at the weight on her stomach and legs and when her fingers gripped at something hot and squishy she nearly fainted as the ringing in her ears intensified.

Alex tossed his gun onto the couch after a second as he rushed to Madeline who was scrambling and crying as she tried to get the body off her. She hadn’t turned on him instantly and he couldn’t just leave her there to keep rolling around in the blood and other matter. He dropped down on both knees and quickly shoved the body off her as she grabbed at his legs. The moment she was free she all but crawled up him, clawing at him as she tugged herself onto his lap. She was shaking and sobbing as she clung to him, her hands curling into his shirt as he slipped his own arms around her to hold her.

“I’ve got you,” he said quickly as he held her, letting her scream her fear into his chest as she kept tugging at him as if she could just burrow into his skin. “You’re alright,” he assured her as he kept his hands tight around her. His eyes scanned the mess of smeared blood all over the floor and he followed the trail of disaster up to the bedroom door. The thing had put up a hell of a fight but she managed to keep it contained long enough for him to get to her. He wasn’t even sure how it happened, surely the thing hadn’t opened the door on its own accord.

“Everett?” Madeline said after a second, as if realizing her nephew was not there and she went rigid. She pushed back to get off Alex’s lap, to go to him, but Alex held her tight and she tilted her head up to look at him.

“He’s alright, he’s on the porch. Not a scratch on him,” Alex assured Madeline as he looked down at her. Her hair was caked in blood and he saw the bright white reflection of bone in her dark tresses. Her face was thankfully mostly free of the blood, though she might have just rubbed it all over his shirt. Her sweater was ripped in places and he caught a glimpse of the pale pink shirt underneath, unsure if it was actually pink or just stained with blood. “You got him out before anything could happen,” he continued watching her nod. His hand came up to gently push some hair off her face, careful to not let her see him push some bits of the man’s flesh off her shoulder.

“We need to get you cleaned up,” Alex said gently, “make sure you aren’t injured.” He finished, not exactly saying he needed to check her for bites but that was exactly what he was going to do. He was praying she managed to get out of that scrap without a bite or open wound where blood could have gotten in. Or that she hadn’t gotten any in her mouth or eyes during the fight for that matter which is why he had yelled at her to get down before he shot. He had read the data, the limited data they had, and he knew it was transferred by blood and saliva. Whether it had to be a bite or just a simple transfer he wasn’t sure, no one seemed to know that at this point.

“We can’t leave E outside all night,” Madeline said quietly as she turned her head to look at the mess. She didn’t know how bad it was and was curious how they were going to hide that from Everett. Alex’s hand was quick to catch her cheek though and he turned her head back around to face him instead. She opened her mouth to protest but he just shook his head once.

“I’ll take care of that in a bit,” Alex said, not wanting her to get a good look at the carnage he had created. Dead bodies were not his favorite thing to look at but in his line of duty, he had become desensitized to it. Able to put away the human feeling side of it as he dragged bodies out of rubble, took their picture for confirmation of a kill, or took a life for the sake of his own or his teammate’s.

Gently adjusting, Alex got his feet back under him before moving to stand. He kept his hands on Madeline’s shoulders to help her rise as well. He felt her wobble a bit, the adrenaline wearing off and the bone deep exhaustion threatening to take over that always hit after a traumatic event. He held her tight as she stood and prevented her from reaching her fingers up to her face out of instinct to get the stuck hair off her cheek.

“Head into the bathroom,” Alex said as he watched her for a second, making sure she wasn’t going to eat dirt if he let her go. She seemed stable enough and nodded at him before turning to face the door, pointedly not looking at the body on the floor. “I’ll go get Everett,” he assured as her eyes darted to the cracked front door.

When she walked into the bedroom Alex snapped a blanket off the couch and threw it over the body. It wasn’t perfect but it was at least blocking the full few of carnage. He then jogged to the front door and pulled it open to find the kid standing there shivering and absolutely terrified.

“She’s alright,” Alex answered before Everett could ask. “You did good buddy,” he said with a small smile as he extended a hand to him after wiping it off on his jeans. Everett took his hand, his fingers absolutely frozen in his grip, before he led him inside.

“It’s my fault,” Everett gasped out after a second. “I did it,” he was breathing quickly as his eyes spotted the lump of the body on the floor and he froze in his steps afraid. “I opened, I had,” he was blabbering and Alex paused to stand next to him. “I had to go to the bathroom,” he explained as Alex knelt down a bit to get in his view. “I asked…Aunt Mads said I could, then when I,” he started crying in earnest and Alex grabbed his shoulder softly.

“It’s not your fault,” Alex said quietly as he ducked to get in the kids’ eyesight and away from the blanket on the floor. “I should have caught it when I patted him down.  And now we know your Aunt can’t be trusted when she’s half asleep,” he grinned trying to get Everett to smile. “But everyone is okay, right?” He waited for Everett to nod, “we just have to be extra careful is all.”

Which meant no more goddamn strangers. The snarky satisfied side of Alex was screaming ‘I told you so’ in his mind but he was very aware Madeline knew she had been wrong in her attempt to trust. The guy knew he had been bitten, or at least sick, but he hid it from them.

“Come on,” Alex said as he stood up and guided Everett into the bedroom. The room was surprisingly still in order, nothing out of place or destroyed. It was almost as if the guy had just recently turned, or he had been dormant in the dark without any noise or prey to stimulate him to attack. Just another piece of information to tuck away for future reference.

“I’m going to help Mads get cleaned up then you can see her,” Alex said as Everett peered at the closed bathroom door. “Just a little bit, think you’ll be alright out here?” When Everett nodded and went over to the bed to sit down Alex knocked lightly on the bathroom door before walking in.

Madeline was standing in the stark bathroom, her back purposely to the mirror and staring at the tub to keep her eyes from wandering. She could feel the stickiness of the blood on her and she knew the sight of it on her would make her sick. She was barely keeping it together as it was at just the thought. She heard Alex talking to Everett in the bedroom after a moment and she gave a small smile at him using the nickname that Everett and her sister used. A small familiar comfort for her nephew who, if he wasn’t in shock already from all of this, needed as much soft handling as possible. Hell, she needed it as well sure that she wasn’t going to be the same after all of this.

“Still all good?” Alex asked as he slipped into the bathroom and clicked the door behind him. His eyes surveyed Madeline for a moment, keeping a careful step back and hand on the door knob. When she cut her eyes to him and nodded once he let his grip go and walked toward her, trying to figure out the best way to do this without terrifying her. “Listen, there isn’t exactly a nice-“ he started.

“I know,” Madeline answered after a second. She had been scared to look herself, too afraid to find the evidence that in the fight he had bitten her without her realizing. Or that she swallowed a mouthful of blood in all her screaming and struggling. Maybe she had wiped her eyes with red tinged fingers and got it in there. She had been so careful once the fight was over, not even daring to wipe away her tears, but the actual moment was such a blur. “I don’t think,” she started as she looked at Alex, “but I don’t know for sure. I’m scared too,” she hiccupped once.

“Let me then,” Alex stated as he shucked off his too tight flannel shirt then reached down to grab a fresh hand towel from under the sink. He wetted down a corner and rung out the excess before turning to Madeline again. He wanted to get her skin cleared, especially her face, before working on the rest of it. “Close your eyes,” he said quietly as he closed the gap between them and gently grabbed her jaw to tilt her head upwards. Her eyes seemed fine, no hint of blood in or around them, or bloodshot like the man’s had been.

Madeline obeyed quietly, letting her arms hang loosely at her sides as Alex set about wiping her face off. The water was frozen and she gasped a bit as he gently wiped at her forehead, his hand smoothing the unstuck hair back as he went. Without being told she tilted her head to the side a bit to let him get to the underneath of her chin and finally passed the rag over her lips softly after he folded it over to a clean spot.

“Nothing on your face,” Alex answered as he tossed the towel onto the bathroom counter before trying to figure out the best way to go about the next part. There was nothing casual about telling someone to remove their clothes, not that he had found anyway, but that’s exactly what he needed her to do. “Let’s start with the sweater, check your arms,” he tried, doing his best to not make it as awkward as it sounded. “Once you’re cleared we can work on the blood in your hair and maybe a shower. Afraid I used all the hot water earlier,” he tacked on with a grin as Madeline reached for the hem of her sweater.

“I’ll need your help with my hair,” Madeline said after a second as she grabbed at her sweater and the hem of the shirt underneath. She didn’t want to try and remove two different bloody pieces of clothing separately. She twisted a bit for some semblance of privacy and noticed how Alex adverted his eyes to the floor. “I don’t want to shower and,” she cut off as she pulled everything up in one go and yanked it carefully over her head, clamping her mouth and eyes shut tight before throwing it on the floor. “Accidentally inhale something,” she finished shuddering at the thought, as well as the cold.

“I can help with that,” Alex said as he saw her strip down out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not the greatest at it, but I can braid,” he tacked on as he brought his gaze back to her face trying to keep the conversation light in the charged situation they were in. It was impossible to not notice the delicate black bra she was wearing but he kept his concentration solely on looking for injuries.

Nothing stuck out to him as he kept his assessment clinical over her body until he caught her arm that was wrapped defensively around her stomach as if to shield herself a bit. There was a vivid pink handprint on her skin, each finger perfectly visible and Alex knew it was going to turn into a nasty bruise.

“You can braid,” Madeline stated more than asked as Alex looked her over. If it were any other situation, she would have felt mortified to be looked over like this, but she was still too scared. Too locked in on his expression to catch a hint of worry or confirmation that she was infected.

“Learned it a few years ago,” Alex said as he extended his hand out to her for her to take it. When she did, he slowly twisted her injured arm over to check it, making sure that it wasn’t scratched and an open wound. Nothing there that he could see but he raised her arm up a bit more and let his eyes roam over her side and ribs, noting a delicate script tattoo on her side. “Started out as a bit of a joke when Soap hadn’t gotten a haircut in weeks and he kept complaining about his hair getting in his eyes,” he smirked. “It’s come in handy,” he continued before twisting her a bit with her arm so he could look over her back and shoulders where more delicate tattoos covered her skin.

“You seem to have plenty of tricks up your sleeve,” Madeline said quietly as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and balked. She felt Alex place a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she looked away at the floor, letting her eyes stare intently at a crack in the tile to steady herself. Her face was clear of blood that she saw but it had seeped through her sweater and shirt in places and she saw how her hair left trails of it on her now bare skin. “What else are you hiding?” She asked as she shivered when Alex grabbed her hair and lifted it up to take a look at her neck, running his fingers gently to capture all the small hairs up.

“I can’t give all my secrets away,” Alex answered as he rubbed his thumb over a spot on her neck, his heartbeat ratcheting up for a second before he realized it was just coagulated blood and not a wound. He gently let her hair go before turning her back around to face him and checking her other arm now. “You’ll just have to figure them out,” he grinned as his hand flipped hers over and rested it in his palm as he let his eyes skirt up to her elbow and then over her collarbone and downward. She had scratch marks and bruises already forming over her torso but nothing that looked to be open, her thick sweater had kept her safe from most of the injuries.

“You’re going to need a new change of clothes,” Madeline noted in an effort to keep the conversation going and not grow shy at the intimacy of this exchange. “Probably another shower,” she tacked on as she reached up her right hand to wipe up a small tint of red on his neck, probably where she had burrowed into him a few minutes ago sobbing.

“I’ll figure it out, I don’t think I can stomach another freezing shower,” Alex said as he let her left hand go. “All clear from what I can see, no bites, no scratches. I think your legs are alright,” he gestured vaguely at her still jean clad legs. “The denim seems alright, not ripped,” he gave her a small smile.

“Small mercy I guess,” Madeline said as she looked down at the stained pants before shuddering and looking away. “How are we going to do my hair? I don’t know if I really should bend over the tub,” she stared at it, before looking over at the bathroom sink.

“The sink,” Alex confirmed as he yanked back the shower curtain, glad for the distraction and need for something to do. “I’ll just get it rinsed out then you can hop in the shower. I’ll get you some clean clothes and we can just-“

“Burn these,” Madeline stated without hesitation. “I don’t think I could wear these again, even if I washed them,” she explained as Alex set the bottle of shampoo on the counter before turning the sink on as high as it would go. He ran his fingers under the water for a few seconds before shaking his head a bit.

“No hot water,” Alex said a bit sadly before looking at her. “We’ll be quick,” he assured before gesturing for her to walk over. He handed her a towel to cover her face, as an added barrier and also so she wouldn’t see what he was washing away. The water was bright red as he gathered her hair up in his hands and he saw chunks of red fall away into the stained porcelain before washing down the drain. He ran his fingers through her hair as best as he could when he felt her wince as his fingers grazed over a large lump on the back of her head.

“Hit my head when I fell back,” Madeline explained, her voice muffled into the towel as Alex hesitated in his ministrations. He moved to get the shampoo and she sighed contently as he worked it over her scalp, careful to avoid hitting the bump. He was through in his work, washing and rinsing twice before he deemed she was clear.

“Did you black out when you fell?” Alex asked as Madeline wrapped her hair up in the towel he offered her, her skin covered in goosebumps from the cold rivulets running down the back of her neck. For a second, he almost ran his hand over her back to rub some warmth into her. He realized what he was about to do before he did and pulled away quickly. There was a line between comfort and being too much and he was afraid he was pushing it.

“No, though I felt like I was going to,” Madeline answered before looking at the shower with a downturned expression. While him washing her hair felt nice, the water was cold and she was not looking forward to dousing her whole body in it even if she wanted to get everything off of her. She knew she was going to be frozen by the time she finished and was hoping that the fire in the stove was blazing.

“I’ll be back,” Alex said as he handed her the shampoo before turning to head toward the door. He needed to get the body out of the living room and he also just needed out of the tight quarters with Madeline for a second.

Everett was curled up on the bed, his head down by where the feet would go and Alex realized why a moment later. The pillow was covered in blood and spittle, where the guy had grown sick and turned. Alex cursed himself for not looking before as he snatched up the pillow before looking around for an alternate for Everett to use but he had made do with a balled up shirt.

“She’s almost done,” Alex assured as he heard Madeline curse from behind the bathroom door. She had obviously worked up the courage to step into the freezing shower. He found himself grinning at the thought of her like an angry cat trying to clean off as fast as possible. “Going to just clean up out there, you alright here for a bit longer?” Alex asked and Everett just nodded his head not looking up at him but instead watched the bathroom door.

After a quick assessment of the body, Alex found the bite mark. It was on his side and the spot was large, the skin black and garish with spidering veins off of it. There was no way the asshole didn’t know, but it also gave him some relief in the fact he was bitten. That it wasn’t an accidental exposure that he had no idea about, a fear still lingering in the back of his mind for Madeline.

It didn’t take Alex long to clean up after that, no need to try and hide the evidence like he had to in the past. Instead, he just grabbed the feet of the man and dragged him across the living room, through the small dining area, and right out the front door. The blood trail took a bit longer to wipe up but he threw down a towel and just used his feet to get as much of it up as possible. It wasn’t perfect but it was enough that it wasn’t glaring and a quick toss of another blanket over the largest blood puddle was sufficient coverage. He intended to be out at first light anyway so it didn’t really matter.

When he walked back into the bedroom, he found Everett still watching the bathroom door and heard Madeline moving about inside but the water was off.

“I’ve got the clothes,” Alex said through the door and he heard Madeline confirm to open the door. He only opened it a few inches, enough to stick his hand through for her to grab the things he had found in her duffle. It was a pair of sleeper pants and a shirt; he wasn’t about to dig around in her underthings though he had found them and shoved them off to the side.

Madeline snatched up the clothes from Alex’s hands as she stood there shivering in the bathroom and handed off the bloody ones. The water may as well of been just ice for how cold it was. But she forced herself under it and washed her body off about four times before she decided she was clean.

She finger-combed her hair before opening the bathroom door to see Everett lying there staring at her. He all but bolted off the bed to her and she barely was able to squat down before he smothered her in a hug. She gripped him back tight as he held her and she let him cry it out, leaning against the door as she smoothed his hair and assured him. Alex had disappeared out into the living room though she saw he had changed yet again, the pile of his and her bloody clothes kicked into the corner of the bedroom.

It took a bit to get Everett calm enough to lay back down on the bed, insisting he lay with his head down by the feet. After he used the bathroom which had started this whole mess. Madeline was kicking herself for putting him at that risk but she knew Everett was silently blaming himself more. She’d have to figure out how to smooth that over at some point, but tonight wasn’t it.

Madeline threw a heavy coat over Everett as she curled with him, staring at the bedroom door that was still cracked open as Alex moved about outside of it. She couldn’t see him but she could hear as he worked, saw his shadow moving back and forth for a bit before he too finally settled on the couch.

When Everett was fully out Madeline slipped away, careful to go out the door quietly but leave it open so Everett had light if he woke up. She was too on edge to sleep and every time she twisted or adjusted Everett would whine in his sleep in protest. When she stepped out the door she found Alex lounging on the couch, the back of his head resting on the couch cushion but at her footsteps, he popped up and turned around to look at her.

“Thought you were asleep,” Alex said as he looked at Madeline who had her arms crossed over her chest a bit protectively as she glanced at the blanket covering the scene. “He’s outside,” Alex explained quickly, “out back. Didn’t want you or Everett to,” he cut off as he watched Madeline’s eyes move from the blanket back to him with a look of gratitude.

“Thank you,” Madeline said after a moment as she walked around the couch. “For all of it,” she said simply as she sat down hard on the couch. “For choosing to stay with us, for putting up with my stupid shit,” she sighed and ran a hand through her still loose hanging hair that was starting to dry at the tips and curl a bit. “For saving me…again. I really must be a real pain in the ass,” she sighed and rubbed at one of her eyes. The red marks of the handprint had turned into dark purple splotches and even just moving her fingers sent a jolt of pain right up to her elbow.

“Just an untrained civilian,” Alex answered with a grin as he looked at her. “I’ve dealt with worse, though you are in the top five,” he joked as she stared at him unbelievingly. “Fine. Top three,” he tacked on which finally earned him a small smile.  “I told you I’d keep you alive,” he ventured as he ran a hand through his hair.

He had opted to just wash up in the kitchen sink instead of trying to shower again, not wanting to disturb Madeline and Everett as he heard the kid crying. “Though I am going to need you to listen just a bit better,” he cut his eyes at her, a joke but also reiteration that her not listening to him had been the catalyst for this to get this far.

“Trust me, I’m done trying to do what I think is best,” Madeline said putting her hands up in surrender. “I’ll do whatever you say, we’ve seen what happens when I try to do anything,” she sighed, pulled her hair over one shoulder, and leaned against the couch facing Alex.

“I didn’t say be a pushover,” Alex answered, “I could use someone to keep me in check. But let’s just assume I know what’s best when it comes to threats.” He stretched out a bit, the sweats and shirt he had found fit a bit better than what Madeline had picked out earlier. They looked at one another for a moment, the silence building as Madeline toyed with her hair some more before Alex filled it.

“I think we need to go at first light. I’ve been pulling things from the pantry, piled them on the table,” he inclined his head at the food and other supplies that were piled up.

Madeline turned her head to look and let her hands fall back into her lap. He had been busy while she and Everett were lying in the bedroom. She could see food, some first aid items, clothes, and even a few pieces of camping gear.

“I agree,” Madeline said after a second. “Earlier we go the better chance we can get to a gas station,” she ventured and Alex nodded.

“I’ll siphon out the gas from his ATVs in the morning, hopefully, it’ll get us plenty to get out of the mountains,” Alex answered before yawning and covering his mouth with the back of his hand before glancing at his watch. “We have about two more hours until sunup, you should,” he nodded his head back at the bedroom.

“Not happening. I’m wide awake whether I like it or not,” Madeline answered at his unspoken indication to go lay down. “I’ll just read or something,” she said leaning forward to snatch up the discarded book from earlier. “You can knock out for a bit though,” she said as she curled her feet up under her, unconsciously leaning toward Alex instead of away at the arm of the couch. “I’ll wake you when I see sunlight,” she volunteered.

“I’m good,” Alex said as he grabbed the book he had started from beside him. He wasn’t far into it; it was one he had read a few times in the past and it seemed so had the guy by how worn it was. He had a feeling once Madeline started to read she was going to knock out, the distraction from what happened would allow the exhaustion to win. While Alex wasn’t overly worried about any visitors at this time of the morning, he still had the nagging memory of the guy saying some people lived out here that liked to steal his stuff. Even during good times, never mind the end of the world.

"You would read a history book," Madeline teased as she flipped open the high fantasy book she had found. It was good but the world-building was slow and the further along she got the more she found herself yawning and struggling to keep her eyes open.

Alex knew he was right about Madeline falling asleep before she did. She barely finished a chapter of her book before it slipped in her fingers. Alex grabbed it gently from her hands and set it back on the coffee table before going back to his own book.

Madeline was leaning into the cushion facing him and he watched her from the corner of his eye as she shifted a few times to get comfortable. There was a moment he thought she had woken up but instead, she adjusted and leaned into him, his arm over the back of the couch giving her full access to curl up into his side. He froze for a second, letting her adjust and shimmy against him before he dropped his hand down to gently rub at her upper arm as he kept reading.

Letting her lay on him was a small comfort he could offer her as she curled into him, her brain subconsciously craving the contact. But when she adjusted to slide an arm across his stomach he almost peeled her off afraid it was too much intimacy. But he didn’t. The second he adjusted to grab her arm, she curled her hand tightly into his side as if pleading with him not to.

Madeline was vaguely aware of what she had done, half awake as she shifted to get comfortable. She could feel each breath Alex took as she leaned into him, felt his fingers gently running up her arm. But she didn't pull back, didn't shy away from his warmth, especially when he set his book down and settled a bit further into the couch to hold her better.

Chapter Text

When Madeline awoke a few hours later she was still on the couch and could feel the warmth of Alex’s body around her. She had stirred at some point, awake enough to feel Alex’s slow breathing under her head, and had sat in the silence just taking in the closeness. It had been a long while since she had been held, let alone comforted, and despite Alex barely knowing her he had offered himself to her in that way. The soft thump of his heartbeat had put her back to sleep quickly enough, but not before she fisted her hand into his shirt to hold on a bit tighter.

Leaning up with a slight groan Madeline blinked a few times as she tried to move and found herself incredibly stiff. She looked at the injured arm that was curled up between her and Alex’s chest, the dark purple bruise that marred her skin giving her pause before she tilted her head back to look up at Alex. He had his arm around her gently to hold her up as she clung to him with her other hand. It was still only faintly daytime, the weak sun barely giving off any light but the alert gaze Alex gave her told Madeline he had been up for a while now.

Alex had in fact sat awake on the couch for a while when he had woken up from his catnap to find Madeline curled hard into him. She was pressed so tightly against him he was pressed into the couch arm and she still seemed like she wanted to get closer. Her hand was gripping his shirt, the fist loose in her sleep but obvious that she was holding him. All his plans to get up and get started packing melted away as he shifted to pull her more onto him. It was a strange feeling as he looked down at her, to have someone like this with him, laying with him and actually wanting to be that close without any reservations.

Farah never stayed with him. The times she dragged him back to her room it was always just for sex and was quick about kicking him out when the reality of what had happened hit her. He didn’t begrudge her for it, not really, but it still stung to just be there to ease the physical ache. She didn’t want anything else from him and he told himself he was okay with that; he’d take what he could get from her. But each time they came together and flew apart it chipped a little more at him, gnawing at the realization he wouldn’t ever get what he craved from Farah. Then this morning waking up to someone that seemed to actually want him there and not just for his ability to do his job, or for pleasure, had been a rather harsh slap to the face.  He couldn’t wait for Farah to decide what she did, or didn’t, want and he also couldn’t force her to make that choice either.

All the pieces snapped into place for Alex as he stared up at the ceiling, grinning a little as Madeline mumbled in her sleep as his fingers traced lazy circles on her back. He knew there were things to do, each minute sitting was a minute wasted, but he selfishly wanted a few more moments of silence, closeness, of physical contact. When he felt Madeline starting to stir, he had frozen his ministrations and watched her come to and had to hide the smirk on his lips as she nestled into him a bit as she blinked the sleep from her eyes.

“Hey,” Alex said simply, a small grin on his lips as he took in Madeline’s bedhead. Her hair had still been wet when she leaned over on him asleep and he had pushed it off her skin as best as he could which caused it to dry like a bird’s nest. “Didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No,” Madeline said as she kicked her legs out a bit on the couch to stretch them out. Everything was sore. Her ribs, her back, and she was certain if she touched the back of her head, it would be sensitive to the touch. “Everett up yet?” She asked moving to look at the bedroom door but the way Alex was holding her she wasn’t able to go far.

“I don’t think so, haven’t heard anything,” Alex answered as he looked over Madeline’s still sleepy face. He grinned a bit as she leaned forward to stifle a yawn in his chest before sitting back again and wincing. “How are you feeling?”

“Just sore,” Madeline confessed as she leaned further back into his arm to get a better look at him. “Probably didn’t help how I slept last night,” she added on with a small sheepish grin.

“I think it’s more of the being tackled and fighting for your life, but sure blame me,” Alex replied with a small laugh.

“Should have made E sleep on the couch and we could have taken the bed,” Madeline answered simply without realizing what she was implicating until the words were out. “I just mean, more room…you know.”

“That bed isn’t much bigger than the couch, you still would have been all over me,” Alex answered with a small smirk, watching Madeline’s face begin to burn. “Every time I moved you clung on a little tighter, couldn’t have gotten up if I tried.”

“Sorry,” Madeline mumbled though she was grinning a little bit as she extricated herself from his grip.

“Wasn’t complaining,” Alex answered before helping her sit up then also rose from the couch himself to stretch out. He had a bunch of things he wanted to get done, the mental list he had put together in his mind running as he added more and more things to it as he looked around the cabin. “I’ve got a few things to get done now that you’re up. Why don’t you go get E up and ready?”

“He’s going to be a delight,” Madeline stated with a small sigh before heading to the bedroom, giving the blanket on the floor by the back of the couch a wide berth.

The next thirty minutes consisted of Madeline waking a cranky child, dressing him, and packing up what she could find while also dragging said cranky child back out of bed when he tried to sneak back to sleep. Everett had always been a hard sleeper, even as a baby, and he would put up a hell of a fight if he was woken up too early or thrown off his sleep schedule. When he was awake enough to function, she shunted him off to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up. She wasn’t going to make him take a freezing cold shower but she did force him to finally get out of his Batman pajamas and put on clean clothes.

Alex busied himself with throwing food from the pantry into a couple boxes he had found, not feeling as bad about taking it all since no one was coming back now. He had carefully kicked snow over the bloody trench that went around the side of the house as he loaded up, not wanting Everett or Madeline to see it. He siphoned gas out of the ATV and ransacked the storage on it for anything useful, tossing it all into the Tahoe before he walked back inside to find Everett standing at the bookshelves looking it over.

“I told him to find some things for the car,” Madeline explained as she looked over her shoulder at Alex. She had pulled a few books for herself and tucked them under her arm and Alex even noted the book he had been reading last night in her hand. He wasn’t sure when he would have time to read at this point but he appreciated it nonetheless. “Found a pack of cards and trivia,” Madeline added as she held up the two decks in her hands. “I’m guessing this collection is from what people leave behind, there’s so many random things.”

After a quick breakfast, figuring it would be the last hot thing they would all eat for a while, they were back on the road. Alex had poured over the map that Madeline had taken from the 7-Eleven to find a good route, marking it with a pen. He didn’t trust the GPS systems would last much longer since they were already having issues the day before. The map only covered the Northeast so they’d have to get another one at some point, but he knew they’d be at a gas station before long, unfortunately. The Tahoe went through gas so quickly climbing the mountains and hills in the snow that the meager amount he pulled from the ATV would only get them so far.

Madeline had started the trip in the back with Everett, occupying him with a game he had brought along since the car was completely silent. The radios were all down and it wasn’t as if the government let their workers keep mixtapes in their SUVs, not that Madeline hadn’t looked. She had scoured the glove compartment, careful to avoid the pistol in there, the center console, and the backseat pockets. Nothing but random tidbits of trash or discarded bullets and wires. The game ate up enough time for them to get through the mountains, their ears popping as they made their descent and Madeline grinned at Alex a few times when she caught him watching them in the rearview mirror.

“Can you join me?” Alex asked after a bit, his relaxed demeanor changing as he caught a glimpse of the highway as they crested a small hill. The main road was a giant gridlock, as he suspected, and even from this distance, he could see movement. He didn’t know if it was those things, people, or both. The military had set up roadblocks, as expected, but from this far away he didn’t know if they were actively doing checks or were overrun. The closer they got to civilization the more dangerous things were going to get. Atlanta was going to be a nightmare to get into but Alex had pulled his paperwork out of his vest, grateful he always kept his credentials on him and not his duffle, if checkpoints were still standing when they got there.

“Oh…yeah,” Madeline answered as she pulled a book from her pile and handed it to Everett. He turned his nose up at it but she pushed it into his hands anyway. “Just read for a bit, this was my favorite when I was your age,” she prodded before tickling his side and heading to climb into the front.

It took a bit of maneuvering to get to the front seat, needing Alex’s hand to help hold her steady as she squirmed and twisted before she sat down with a huff. When she caught sight of the area in the valley down below she kept her face steady as she took it all in, even if it made her feel sick to her stomach. How had things turned this bad this fast? Blockades were up everywhere, cars were bumper to bumper and she could see smoke in the distance, rising in large billowing clouds though she wasn’t sure from what.

“Just help me keep an eye on the area,” Alex said quietly as he watched Madeline’s eyes dart around the scene in front of them. He knew he should have felt a bit more unease at what he saw, should have been more concerned about military blockades and how things had fallen so far seemingly overnight. But he wasn’t. He had been living in a warzone for so long it was actually more of a shock to come home to some normalcy, even if it had been short lived. “We’re not going anywhere near that,” he said pointing with one finger at the lines of cars on the highway and the few that had abandoned the road to go into the snow-covered fields. “But people are going to start going the way we’re going and when people panic is when mistakes happen.”

“Right,” Madeline said quietly as she looked over at Alex for a moment before back out the window. She kept her hands fisted tight in her lap, twisting her fingers in and out of one another as she watched the landscape change. The peaceful mountains had hidden all of this from them. Even with the sick ranger it still hadn’t felt this real, or this bad, up there.

Alex kept both hands on the wheel as he followed the car's compass, taking roads he had memorized and a few switchbacks when he found the way blocked. When they drove through residential areas, he could see a few people peering at their vehicle from the windows of their house and his hand itched to the pistol on his thigh. Desperate people did desperate things and their very obvious government vehicle with its heavy front push bar and lights, though Alex didn’t turn them on, drew attention. He snapped the holster free casually and glanced sideways at Madeline who was watching him.

“Just precaution.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Madeline answered a bit hoarsely as she snapped her eyes back toward the road. Truth be told she didn’t like the feeling of being watched but she certainly hoped Alex wasn’t going to need to use that gun on any of these people. They were scared, like her, and didn’t have the provision or protection that Alex offered.

Backroads were a little easier, not many cars on them and it almost felt like the isolation of the mountains again. That was until they passed a van with a blown-out tire and a desperate family attempting to wave them down for help. Madeline squirmed in her seat at the sight, her eyes darting to Everett in the backseat who was actually nose deep in the book despite his initial complaining.

Alex pressed his foot a little harder down on the gas to pass the family and have them disappear around the bend. His stomach twisted at leaving them helpless but it was his job to make those hard choices and it was that family or them and, unfortunately, he felt he had more important cargo with him. He saw Madeline watch the group disappear in her side mirror before she sighed and settled back in her seat a bit.

When they couldn’t put it off anymore Alex found a gas station that was seemingly deserted. It was small, only four pumps and the building itself looked like it had seen much better days. He circled a few times before deeming it safe enough to stop. He gave Madeline strict instructions on what to do when he found the pump was off, down to how to stand and when to move. He would have to go inside and cut the power back on to the pump. He gave her back the second pistol as he dug out his M16 from the floorboard. They were to move quickly; no bathroom breaks despite Everett asking.

Madeline did as she was told, slamming the nozzle into the tank when the screen came to life before grabbing their extra gas can off the roof rack. She was jumpy, even the wind blowing a few stray leaves from last fall made her flinch and she nearly had a heart attack when the store door banged open and Alex jogged out. He had a few things in his hands and when he shoved them to her she quickly climbed back in the SUV to let him finish filling everything up.

“Wasn’t sure if any of them would work,” Alex said as he hastily climbed in and looked over at the faded packs of chargers in Madeline’s hands. They were all different sizes, some even wall chargers but he had found a cigarette lighter adapter in his quick search. “But my phone is dead and it’s the only way to get ahold of the team,” he stated as he dug the satellite phone out of his vest. In his haste to get into Madeline and Everett the night before he had dropped the phone in the snow, but hadn’t hung up. The phone continued to ring into the ether until it finally died due to use and the cold. Alex had fished it out of the snow when he dragged the body outside and cursed when he found the screen black.

“I’ll give them a shot,” Madeline said as she took the phone from Alex before trying to find ones that worked.

“And I also grabbed these,” Alex said as he pulled a few CDs out of the zipper pocket which made Madeline laugh. They were dusty, the wrapping on them seemingly baked on from sitting in the sunlight for too long. It was an eclectic mix that he had selected, a country CD from an album before even she had been born, a soundscapes, a random volume of Now That’s What I Call Music, some local singers’ demo and-

“Billy Joel?” Madeline asked with a smirk as she held up her CD of choice, flipping it over in her hands to look at the track listing.

“Don’t hate on originals,” Alex answered as he watched her peel the plastic off and open the case.

“I didn’t realize Billy Joel did Shameless. Isn’t that a Garth Brooks song?” Madeline asked as she slipped the CD into the player before glancing at Alex who was watching her indignantly.

“It’s a Billy Joel song,” he answered, skipping tracks until he got to the right one. He knew the album by heart, having listened to it so many times growing up. “His first, Garth just covered it,” he tacked on before the music started and he sat back in the seat singing along under his breath.

“Oh, excuse me mister music snob,” Madeline teased as she went back to flipping through the chargers.

When Everett moved up rows of seats and made a grab for the CDs Madeline handed them to him to peer at as she tried a promising charger. It didn’t fit and she tossed it to the floor before moving on to the next one. In the end none of them fit. It seemed like the phone power cord was unique which meant they would have to find an electronics store which meant fighting potential crowds, looters, and those things.

“I can’t even Google,” Madeline stated as she looked at her phone which had no service and just showed SOS where the bars would be. Her battery was dangerously low. She of hadn’t packed a charger in her haste to get out of the apartment and Alex hadn’t been looking for her type of charger in his rummaging. “I think we should try and stop and find one,” she ventured as Alex leaned his elbow on the driver’s window, relaxing his grip on the wheel to one hand since they hadn’t seen anyone in a while. “It’s the only way we can get updates from your team. And you can call Farah,” she tacked on, “make sure she is okay.”

“If we happen upon a place between here and Atlanta I’ll stop,” Alex said as he ran a hand through his hair. In the quiet of the car his mind had wandered to her more times than he could count, worry and preemptive grief warring in his mind. She would be in the thick of it, not abandoning her people, which meant being in the cities and leading evacuations.

He knew how those stories ended, that they had both lived this long was a miracle in itself, then throwing this into the mix was surely a death knell. He cut his eyes over at Madeline who was watching him, the silence having drawn on too long. “But I’m not going out of my way, not worth the risk. I am sure the CDC has more reliable methods to get ahold of them anyway. Their own phones, more powerful ones. Hell, if I can get a reliable connection from the military personnel bound to be stationed there I can just get into the satellites myself and find them.” He saw the look of apprehension on Madeline’s face and he laughed a bit under his breath, “CIA, remember?”

“Right,” Madeline answered as she powered her phone off to try and save any little battery she could. “Maybe it’s a good thing we can’t look things up, I’d hate to know what you could find on me.”

“You got things to hide?” Alex asked with a mocking eyebrow raise. “Secrets buried in your closet?” A distraction is exactly what he needed right now.

“Too many,” Madeline answered with a smirk, “I lived on a commune that you were so quick to call a cult. That’s not even my wildest story, probably one of the tamer ones really.”

“We’ve got plenty of time,” Alex replied as he glanced at the rearview mirror to see Everett sitting looking interested in the stories his Aunt could tell. “We’ll take turns, a story for a story,” he glanced at Madeline before back at Everett who looked excited as he put the CDs back on the center console. “That includes you,” he added directly at Everett who nodded in agreement.

That was how they passed a few hours, only falling silent when they happened upon traffic or pausing to laugh at something ridiculous someone said. Madeline learned little secrets from her nephew that genuinely shocked her, none horrible of course just typical kid things that she had no idea about. Alex had managed to keep all of his stories child appropriate as well, though Madeline had a feeling he had changed a few details or glossed over things here and there. Madeline herself had a decent few things to share that even had Alex glancing at her a bit shocked but grinning nonetheless. It had almost felt normal in those minutes as if they weren’t all thrust into the end of the world trying to stay alive.

The drive should have only taken about twenty hours but because they were avoiding main roads, highways, and cities it would take a few days based on their pace. They only stopped for quick bathroom breaks, gas fill-ups, and for Alex to take a few catnaps here and there. Madeline had driven a bit when they were in the bright sun of the day but at night even Alex decided pulling off would be best. Especially when they figured out the power grids were completely down on day two when they stopped at another gas station and Alex had to resort to siphoning again because the pumps were dead. No power meant no streetlight and as the days ticked by they found more people, and obstacles, on the road. He didn’t want to risk an accident and be stranded.

Such was how they found themselves pulled off the road into the woods a bit to remain hidden if anyone happened by. They were a bit further south now, somewhere in West Virginia, so the winter cold wasn’t as harsh as the mountains had been. They were safe to sleep in the car without freezing and Madeline tucked Everett into the back seat, slipping the headphones over his ears that connected to a CD player that Alex had pilfered on another gas station trip. She turned the volume up another notch on the soundscapes before sighing and settling back in the seat waiting for Everett to finally drift off.

Everett’s sleep schedule was completely thrown off by how they had been moving and whenever they stopped his anxiety shot up; especially in the dark. He would never admit that he was afraid of the dark, because boys weren’t supposed to be afraid, but Madeline knew he was terrified of it. Adding in the factor of actual monsters out there he jumped at every noise. The headphones were a gift for Everett as much as it was Madeline and Alex who spent most of their evenings placating him into sleep.

Alex had busied himself with checking the area out while Madeline got Everett settled in. He always circled and watched the area before he pulled off fully, making sure there were no threats around or anyone watching. But it still made him feel better to do a sweep of the area and cover up their tire tracks into the woods. The end of the world should mean people were too busy trying to survive to attack others but Alex had seen the worst of people, and then some.

Moving around in the woods also helped him take a bit of the edge off. The drive was taking longer than he liked. More and more time was added on with each side road they turned down or detour they took. His sighs of exasperation when they had to turn around because roads were too jammed, or an abandoned military blockade had the area cordoned off, were becoming more frequent. It wasn’t just the fact the longer they were out here the more at risk they were in, but it was the lack of communication. The radios were dead, electricity was out everywhere they stopped and he still hadn’t found the wire he needed for his phone. The only lifeline they had for outside information and he had killed it in his haste not thinking straight as he took care of Madeline and Everett.

Madeline sat still for another ten minutes until she heard Everett’s quiet snores, indicating he was fully out before she extricated herself from his feet. She was careful about it, gently setting his feet on the bench as she slipped away, snatching up a blanket from the middle row to wrap around herself to lie down. Alex insisted on sleeping in the driver’s seat, the key in the ignition ready to turn at a moment’s notice but Madeline couldn’t take one more night's rest in the passenger seat. Her back and legs ached from the cramped quarters so she took up the second row of seats to sleep, even if it was smaller than the back row which Everett claimed.

She hadn’t laid down yet, waiting for Alex to come back and get in. She didn’t like sitting in the car while he was out in the dark doing whatever it was he did. Knowing he was out there exposed made her uncomfortable but her and Everett being alone was worse. Peering around the windows for any indication of Alex in the dark she didn’t see anything but her own reflection in the glass for a bit until he finally emerged off to her left, making her jump out of her skin at the movement. He picked through the brush and trees before coming up to the SUV and moved around to the trunk to lean against it lightly.

Madeline gave him a few minutes of standing in the dark before she sighed and exited the SUV as quietly as she could. She watched Everett as she moved, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and hiking it up to keep it off the ground before shutting the door and walking around to the back where Alex was perched on the rear bumper. He twisted his head to look at her with a small tired smile, though it was hard to make out with the faint moonlight.

“You going to camp out here?” Madeline asked as she tugged the blanket tighter around herself as she turned toward the woods to look around.

“Waiting on me?” Alex asked.

“Yes,” Madeline answered simply, “Everett finally fell asleep a little bit ago but I can’t lay down when you are out here alone,” she tacked on with a small huff as she leaned next to him on the trunk, wrapping the blanket a bit more around her.

“I just wasn’t ready to get back in yet,” Alex answered before twisting his gun between his legs a bit. “I needed a few minutes to clear my head, some silence and room to just…think or not think. I’m not sure.”

“Oh, well I can go,” Madeline said suddenly, feeling a blush creep up out of embarrassment for interrupting him. “I didn’t realize,” she pushed up off the bumper but Alex’s hand shot out grabbing her wrist lightly.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to go,” Alex said as he tugged her a bit back to show he wanted her to sit back again. “Sitting in the SUV for hours on end the past few days was just getting to me. Needed a change of scenery for a little while to get out of my thoughts.”

“I get that,” Madeline said quietly after a second, settling back down on the bumper and leaning her head against the back windshield to look up at the sky. The sky was clear but there was only a sliver of moon visible and the tall looming trees seemed to push the darkness heavier onto them.

They sat in silence for a while, Madeline wasn’t sure how long, just staring out into the woods or up at the night sky. Their breath puffed in front of them with each exhale and heavy sigh but aside from their breathing it was silent, too cold for the crickets and frogs still. When Alex adjusted Madeline dared to glance over at him to see him staring down at the ground. His arms were propped on his thighs and his face was pinched in concentration as he stared at the pine needle covered floor. His thoughts had certainly caught up with him even if he had tried to outrun them in the woods.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Madeline asked after a second as she pulled the blanket tighter.

“You don’t want these thoughts,” Alex answered with a small chuckle as he twisted his head to look up at her. He opened his mouth to say something else when he spotted it. It was small and a few yards away but close enough for Alex to make out the light flare. A fire. He pushed up on his feet instantly and reached for Madeline to pull her to him.

“What-“ Madeline started as she turned to see what he was looking at before she also saw it. What were the odds that they would run into another group of people out here? She flipped her wrist to grab Alex’s hand instead of him holding her wrist and she felt him gently grab it back, his fingers encompassing her in a warm grip. “What do we do?” She asked in a whisper as if they hadn’t both just been talking normally a moment before.

“Keep an eye on it,” Alex answered with slight hesitation. If they got in the car and tried to leave there was a high probability they’d hit something in the dark, or get stuck because they couldn’t see. Starting up the SUV would also draw the attention of these people, whoever they were, and if they had ill intent they were stranded. And any noise out here in the quiet could also draw those things. “I need to get higher,” Alex said as he twisted around to look. “Get back inside,” he instructed as he looked down at Madeline.

“Four eyes are better than two,” Madeline answered as she tightened her grip on him. “I’ll just sit in the SUV and stare out the window anyway. I can help,” she insisted and she saw Alex weigh out the options. “We can just sit on the roof, there’s a chance they already heard us and I’m not leaving you out here alone if they decide to come exploring.”

Alex looked up at the SUV before nodding, letting go of Madeline’s hand as he moved to help her up. He took the blanket from her as she stepped up on the bumper and grabbed the roof rack to help pull herself. He gave her a small boost, planting his palm on her backside to push her the rest of the way before throwing the blanket up to her. In the dead silence of the woods, every movement sounded like a gunshot, how her shoes squeaked on the plastic and the metal clips of the roof net clanked. He handed Madeline his M16 before hoisting himself up and settling himself down next to her, peering down his sights toward the fire.

Madeline adjusted on the roof, carefully kicking the netting away a bit before draping the blanket over her shoulders and gently moving to throw it around Alex. While it was safe enough to sleep in the car in warm clothes and under blankets didn’t mean it still wasn’t cold. Sitting on the metal of the roof didn’t help either. She shifted a little closer as she stared out into the woods as well at the fire that had grown a bit bigger while they had climbed, but it looked contained from what she could tell.

“See anything?”

“Hard to make out between the trees and bushes,” Alex answered as he swiveled a bit to the right then to the left to try and see better. “Few people, small fire. I don’t see anyone approaching,” he continued as he shifted to look behind them to see if they were being flanked, if the fire was just a distraction.

“Maybe they just pulled off for the night like us,” Madeline reasoned as she stared at the fire. She had asked Alex about making one on a particularly cold evening but he shot that down, they would be too easily spotted. He had been right; he had picked off this group of people within seconds of them lighting theirs and now they were targets for anyone else around. “Bit odd they are so close,” she added as an afterthought.

“There’s a campground not too far from here,” Alex answered as he lowered his gun down after a second, “maybe they saw it too. Or they’ve been here for a while and we are the odd ones that got too close,” he added as he glanced over at Madeline. He had felt her wrap the blanket over his shoulders and he grabbed the end of it and tugged it a bit tighter and moved closer so they were pressed side to side. “We’ll just watch and listen; they could be doing the same with us.”

They were back to sitting in silence again, both staring off at the little fire and listening for any noises around them. Everett hadn’t stirred inside the SUV that either of them could tell and the people hadn’t moved toward them either. Madeline was hoping it was just going to be a tense night that would lead to a very long day the next morning with a fully energetic cooped up child and two exhausted adults. Alex seemed to function just fine on little sleep but Madeline knew that would catch up with him eventually and she could see the dark circles under his eyes growing by the day. She on the other hand could barely make it through a day if she didn’t get at least six hours of sleep.

“You can go back in,” Alex said as Madeline yawned widely and leaned more on him, her arm curling her side of the blanket tighter around her. “It’s probably warmer and you can sleep. I don’t think they’re going to be an issue that I can’t handle.”

“I’m fine,” Madeline answered as she craned her head a bit to rest it on his shoulder, pulling the braid he did for her earlier over her other shoulder. He hadn’t lied when he said he could braid and when Madeline lamented not being able to shower and how her hair was driving her insane he had done it up for her. “Besides, you’ll freeze out here alone.”

Alex didn’t protest her staying as they sat, sliding his gun next to him before slipping an arm behind her back and around her waist to tug her closer. He could feel the small vibrations of her shivering even if she wouldn’t say it. When she tilted her head up to look at him he glanced down at her. She was close, dangerously close, and the small smile that played along her lips as they looked at one another was enough to make him swallow.

In one of the long nights in the dark Alex had opened up to her about Farah, about what she was to him and what he thought he was to her. It had been a moment where his thoughts had nearly eaten him alive and he needed to get them out, to voice the regret, guilt, and frankly confusion. Not just about Farah either, but about the whole situation and his worry for the team. Madeline had also vented her fears to him, her bone deep terror that her sister may be dead. That she would have to figure out a way to keep her nephew alive, raise him, and survive this mess and the future alone. It was as if both of them needed to release the cap on the pressure cooker before they exploded and they had talked until the sun came up and Everett had stirred.

Since then they had been walking a fine line. Their careful flirtation, passing touches, long stares, and shy turn aways from her had increased tenfold. He particularly enjoyed figuring out what would make her turn crimson when he’d say something that sounded innocent to a child but definitely was not to an adult. Madeline wasn’t so innocent either, her fingers dancing along his skin for a few seconds too long when they were passing food in the car or switching off driving. The most obvious tell he had picked up was when she would reach for his hand for reassurance during tense situations. She would lace their fingers together and sit in the quiet as they weaved through the packed streets until it was just them on the road again. Then she started doing it when Everett was asleep and she just reached for him for some human connection. Neither of them said anything about it, letting it just hang in the air as they went back to casual conversation and acting normal in front of Everett.

Madeline barely breathed as she looked up at Alex. His face was hard to read in the half dark but she could see the apprehension etched on his face. There was desire there, she had felt it in his looks and touches but there was also restraint and she didn’t want to push him too hard. It was hard for her to really describe what she was feeling for him herself if she were honest. Maybe it was her brain’s need for a distraction from everything, or perhaps that phenomenon she had heard about where people fall for their rescuer. Whatever it was it was burning her from the inside but she wasn’t going to press him if he wasn’t ready. His love for Farah ran deep even if he seemed aware it was misplaced and unreciprocated; those feelings didn’t turn off overnight.

“Don’t feel-“ before an earth-shattering scream made both of them jump.

It effectively ended the moment as Alex jumped for his gun and Madeline whipped around to try and see what was happening. There were more shouts and screaming and as if in response snarls and shrieks that sounded unearthly erupted all around them, echoing off the hills. Branches close and far snapped as things moved through the woods as if the forest itself were coming alive.

Alex had his scope trained on the fire when he saw one of the things take a flying leap at someone, hard to make out a man or a woman and took them down. Then more came seemingly out of nowhere and began attacking the group. Alex wasn’t sure how many of them there were but he didn’t have time to worry about that, he had to get himself and Madeline safe but the sounds coming from the woods behind them told him they were too late to try and get inside the car. They would draw too much attention with their noise and fumbling in the dark would slow them down.

“Lay down,” Alex ordered quickly as he yanked the blanket out from around them. He gestured frantically as Madeline stared at him, the shrieks of those being attacked continued to grow and more and more responses from those things were getting closer.

“Everett,” Madeline breathed out as she stared into the dark. “If he wakes up, tries to get out of the car,” she was shaking and it wasn’t just from the cold. If he woke up, alone, and heard what was happening he would panic. He’d get up and try to get out, to find her or Alex and if he opened the car door he would be walking right out into a trap. She leaned over the side of the SUV as if she were going to jump down but Alex snatched her around the middle and pulled her tight to his chest. The frantic running of feet was close and he knew they had seconds to get hidden and quiet.

“He’ll sleep through it,” Alex said confidently, even though he had no idea. He held her back against his chest, his voice hushed as he wrapped his legs between hers to get them as close together as possible. He was trying to take up as little room so they could be right in the center of the SUV’s roof. He flipped the blanket up over them as a last-ditch effort of camouflage as something collided with the car sending it rocking. He felt Madeline tense and the small gasp she let out as his hand snaked up from around her to cover her mouth with his palm.

Madeline felt the whine of panic in her chest as Alex held her, his grip tight over her mouth as he pulled her back to him. She was breathing frantically, the dark of the blanket over them was suffocating and the snarls and shrieks around them were disorienting. They could easily climb up on the car and get them, it wasn’t that high and she felt too exposed. She slipped her hand down to grab at Alex’s other hand that was flat on her stomach and grabbed at it hard enough that she thought she might break his fingers but he didn’t flinch. He continued to hold her back, his breath warming the crook of her neck as he listened.

The SUV rocked again and Madeline took in a sharp breath through her nose and Alex felt the panicked tears hit his fingers. She was terrified, her body shaking hard enough that it was making him vibrate. Alex ran a soothing thumb over the back of her hand that held his. Truth be told he was scared but he couldn’t let the fear overwhelm him, especially when Madeline was clinging to him to keep her grounded. Her breathing was erratic and he knew if she didn’t get enough air soon, she was going to pass out on him. Maybe that would be a small mercy.

“I’ve got you,” Alex barely whispered against Madeline’s ear. The shrieks and snarls around them drowned out his voice enough. “Mads, breathe and it’ll be over soon,” he assured her as a woman screamed in the distance. Alex closed his eyes in a flinch at the sound but he also secretly thanked the stranger for it because it called the attention of the stragglers that were lingering around them to go that way. “We’re going to be okay, just breathe,” he said again, his lips brushing over the soft spot just below her ear, another distraction to pull her from the panic. He was close enough he could feel the goosebumps race across her skin at the contact but he didn’t pay them mind; there was time for that later.

Madeline closed her eyes at Alex’s voice, doing her best to just pay attention to him. Focus on how his hands held her, how his voice skittered along her skin, the feeling of him breathing behind her, and the softest brush of his warm lips on her frozen skin. She nodded at his instructions to breathe, trying to force herself to follow those instructions as the things started to dissipate around them. She knew it was selfish and awful to be thankful that they had found other victims but Madeline couldn’t help herself. She would deal with that guilt later, but for now, she was thanking whoever it was out there that the three of them had been spared.

“Few more minutes,” Alex said as the activity started to slow down and quiet. The things prey were all gone; either torn to shreds, turned or they managed to find somewhere to hide. He was sure the fire had drawn their attention, a rookie mistake that had cost multiple people their lives. “We made it. We’re good. Let’s get back inside before anything else comes wandering by,” he tacked on before daring to press an actual kiss behind her ear, selfishly wanting to feel that pleasurable shiver from her again.

Madeline agreed, unable to speak as he kept his palm over her mouth. She had taken in a sharp breath at the kiss he pressed against her skin, it had been so faint and brief she wasn’t sure she felt it at all until she heard Alex chuckle a bit. Madeline leaned her head back some so Alex would pull his hand from her mouth, the panic having subsided. He picked up the queue and let his hand slide down over her jaw and throat to rest softly on her sternum. They lay together for another few minutes, just to be sure everything was gone.

When the silence completely overtook the woods again Alex gently extracted himself from Madeline and sat up, grabbing his gun. He made Madeline stay lying down as he assessed the area before deeming it okay enough to get down. He jumped off the side first before turning around to help Madeline, his hands going up to grab her around the hips to lower her. She stared up at him as he held her for another second before twisting to open the door and climb inside, her hand grabbing him by the arm to drag him in with her.

“No front seat tonight,” Madeline breathed as she dragged Alex to her in the second row, giving him a moment to shut the door. “Stay with me,” she added as she stared up at him as he stooped in the small space looking down at where she was. She glanced back at Everett who had rolled in his sleep so his back was to them. He hadn’t woken up; the headphones were probably the best things Alex had found in his quick scavenging.

“No front seat,” Alex agreed quietly as he took a heavy seat on the bench row after manually locking the door. He didn’t even need to reach for Madeline, she was already half on him by the time he had sat. She curled up in his lap, draping her legs over his as she curled against his chest and rested her head between his neck and shoulder. He wrapped her up tightly against him and grinned as she rested her hand on his chest before curling her fingers to grab his shirt to hold onto him tighter. He yanked up the blanket and threw it over the two of them before he sunk down a bit in the seat so he could rest his head on the window.

It was cramped with how they were seated but Madeline didn’t care. She wanted to be with Alex, to feel him against her like the night at the cabin all those days ago. He made her feel safe when she was tucked against him and the darkness didn’t feel as cold when he kept her warm.  As they sat in the silence and breathed together Madeline arched her head up to kiss Alex just under his jaw, his beard tickling her face in the dark as she did so.

“Thank you,” she mumbled against his skin and grinned as she felt him rub her arm weakly in response, already half asleep.

Chapter Text

Alex had pulled off the night before a little earlier than normal, wanting to keep away from the downtown scene in the dark. They had no idea what they were happening upon and while the CDC building was northeast of the actual metropolitan area of Atlanta it was still highly populated.

The final few hundred miles had taken them the longest to trek. The blockades were doubling in amounts with less space between but many of them were already abandoned. Less than ten days and everything seemingly fell apart which was either terrifying because this sickness was that deadly. Or sad because the government couldn’t keep it together even with all their protocols in place. Maybe it was both.

Alex had grown quieter the closer they got, his eyes ever on alert as he watched the area around them prepared for anything that they may happen upon. He had given Madeline the pistol that morning and had handed her an extra clip as he loaded himself up with the revolver he had taken off the man on their first night and the extra pistols Gaz had provided. Things in the car were tense, the upbeat music of the mix CD of hits from a decade ago wasn’t enough to ease it either.

Madeline itched to reach for Alex’s hand as they rounded a corner and found a horrifying scene right in the middle of the street. There was a pile of bodies, not a pile, a pyre, with smoke furling from the remains. They were charred and ashen for the most part, the few that hadn’t had their faces damaged showed signs of agony and panic. Others were obviously already things that had turned with bullet holes riddling their body before they were finally taken down with a headshot.

“Read,” Madeline snapped as she turned her head to look at Everett who was peering out the window. “Now,” she said as he kept staring. She twisted around in the seat and grabbed the book on the seat next to Everett and shoved it into his lap, drawing his eyes away from where he had been watching. “Read the next chapter then summarize it for us,” Madeline instructed with a soft smile. It had been one of many games she came up with off the cuff to keep them all entertained.

When Everett settled back into his seat and cracked the book open Madeline sat front again and glanced at Alex. He was watching her out of the side of his eye, assessing her to make sure she was keeping it together. She was, but barely. Breakfast was churning in her stomach and she had to press a hand on her stomach to physically keep it together.

“It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better,” Alex said quietly as he shifted in his seat a bit, adjusting from where he had been sitting so tensely in his spot. He hadn’t let Madeline drive the past few days, there were too many things to keep an eye out for and he needed her to keep Everett occupied.

For a six-year-old, he was mostly calm, and quiet when he could sense things were not right, but he was still a child. He had moments of scared outbursts, chattery energy, and grumpy stretches that seemed to draw on longer and longer each time. Alex understood, being cooped up in a car for this long was taking it out on him, he could only imagine a kid.

“I know, I’m just ready to be there. For this to be done.” Madeline sighed as she fidgeted with her braid, the one Alex did up for her each morning without prompting. Just like how he kept her close to him as night fell, tugging her to him to wrap her protectively into him.

Ever since the night in the woods when those things happened upon them Alex had slept side by side with Madeline, forgoing his front seat vigil. They were careful to not let Everett see, trying to keep whatever this was away from his curious and prying eyes. He would have questions if he saw it and neither of them had an answer as to what it was. It just felt natural to be pressed against one another in the depthless dark, legs wrapping around one another and Alex’s arms like vices around Madeline’s torso to keep her close.

Their body heat seeped into one another as they lay on the small bench every night. A soft comfort as they just tried to relax, get some sleep, and disappear from the reality they were in. They never spoke of the tender half-asleep kisses Alex would press against Madeline's neck as they drifted off, nor how she would sigh contently and squeeze his hand as if asking him to do it again. It was the dance they were both silently doing, a sweet distraction from the horrors they saw every day. As tensions around them rose, the more they sought one another out for comfort. Both needed more touch and just reassurance that they were alive and okay.

That morning Madeline had woken up just as the sun had crested the horizon and rolled on top of Alex who was already awake. They didn’t say a word to one another as she pressed her ear to his chest and let her hands slide under his shoulders to hold him. He responded in turn slipping his fingers just under the hem of her sweater to trace idle shapes on her lower back.

The goal of the CDC was almost within reach but neither of them would deny that the danger was about to increase tenfold. Until they were safely inside the building the risk of death and destruction was looming over their heads, coming ever closer every mile they drove. So, they enjoyed the last few minutes of silence and closeness together. Listening to one another breathe and the woods around them wake up with the dawn. When Everett stirred, they had broken apart with a longing glance and gentle squeeze. Neither of them knew what would happen once this mission was over but there would be time to talk later; when they were safe.

After a morning of switchbacks and a few high speed getaways as they happened upon a mob of things, they were finally at the gates of the CDC as the sun started its descent for the day. There was an active military presence at this blockade luckily which sparked a hopeful feeling in Madeline’s chest, despite the nerves of what these men would say. She was certain they had been turning people away constantly, shooting first and asking questions later as people got too close.

“Here we go,” Alex breathed out as glanced at the paperwork that he had laid out on the center armrest. Madeline had also fished out hers and Everett’s passports and laid them with Alex’s credentials since they would undoubtedly ask who they were.

Alex carefully pulled up to the blockade and rolled down the windows as a cocky young guy walked over. He already had a look on his face that said he had his speech prepared to tell them to fuck off, probably one he had told over and over again the past few days.

“CDC is closed,” the guy said as he peered into the SUV, looking over at Madeline before glancing at the backseat where Everett sat wide-eyed.

Madeline jumped as another man walked over to her window and looked in as well. Alex had told them to roll down all the windows so they didn’t seem like a threat and to stash all their weapons. She glanced up at the stranger doing her best not to squirm as his eyes flitted over to Alex who had strapped his vest back on. While had put his gun away it was still on display in its holster for all eyes to see.

“We’re with the military,” Alex answered simply and he saw the guy roll his eyes and heard the scoff. “Name’s Alex Keller, I’m escorting this family under orders from Captain John Price.”

“Sure you are. That’s what everyone says. Or your wife works inside and you need to get to her. Or maybe you’re someone important second cousin. Turn around,” the guy said dismissively.

“You’ve got most of it right,” Madeline snapped and she knew Alex had groaned internally. He had told her to let him do the talking but she was not going to let this guy, child really, disrespect them like that. “My sister works here. Josephine Martin,” she started and she swore the eyes of the guy standing at her window flared with recognition before he looked at his partner. “I’m her sister and that is her son Everett,” she explained pointing to Everett. “We’re expected. So go call whoever you need to call that has more authority than you. We’ll wait.”

Both men looked back at Everett for a second before going back to Alex and the main guy held out his hand for Alex’s paperwork. Alex handed all of it over and he turned to look at Madeline as they stepped away from the vehicle to go talk and review the information.

“I thought we agreed I’d talk,” he said with a small smirk as he glanced around at the people who were milling about. There were sandbag blockades built high up with machine guns poking out of the gaps with people manning them. Barbed wire was hastily rolled out all over and anti-vehicle hedgehogs were spaced around the area so the only way in or out in a car was where they were currently sitting.

“We did,” Madeline said with a small nod as she watched one of the guys radio to someone. “But they weren’t talking, they were arguing and you didn’t tell me I couldn’t argue.”

Alex chuckled and opened his mouth to say something else but stopped as the guys walked back to the car. The young guy handed the paperwork back to Alex before instructing them to pull forward and follow the left road up to the building. They would have to stop again outside the underground garage entrance to have the car searched before being allowed inside. Alex nodded once before rolling up the windows and waiting for them to step away before he hit the gas.

“Do you think mom is here?” Everett piped up from the backseat, the first thing he had said in many minutes. The hopeful tone in his voice broke Madeline’s heart as she turned around to look at him.

“I’m not sure E, maybe. But if she’s not we can at least find out where she is. It took us a long time to get here and your mom is much further away,” Madeline explained gently as Alex weaved up the road that led them further into the CDC campus. “Either way we’ll find out for sure,” she grinned and Everett gave her a small half-smile trying to hide his disappointment.

The car search was quick, the men instructing Alex to leave his weaponry in the SUV along with anything else that wasn’t essential; they could come get it later once they were cleared. They would be physically searched upon walking inside and subjected to a quick blood test to ensure that they weren’t infected. That instruction made Everett go wide-eyed as Madeline held his hand and led him through the underground garage, noting that the lights were on here which meant the CDC had its own power.

Another paperwork check stopped them outside a row of temporary tents set up before they were led to two tables. Alex was separated from them but Madeline tugged Everett into her lap as she filled out paperwork. It was all standard intake questions that someone would do if they went to the doctor, though this one had added notes about interacting with the infected. Madeline took in the fact that they asked if they had been exposed to any infected in the last six hours, so she assumed that the infection could take that long in some instances. That explained the Ranger.

“It’ll be quick,” Madeline said as Everett started squirming and saying he didn’t want the needle. She had to stretch his arm out and hold his head tight to her chest as the nurse stuck him to take a vial of blood. Madeline had to look away herself, the sight of the tubes filling up made her nauseous on good days. Everett cried and whined as the woman manipulated the needle but when Alex walked over with a pilfered lollypop E quieted down and took it.

“Where’d you get that?” Madeline asked indicating the sweet that Everett sucked on as yet another person came to retrieve them and walk them past another security checkpoint.

“I was a good boy, didn’t cry or turn green when I got my needle stick,” Alex joked as Madeline rolled her eyes. In truth, he had swiped it from the abandoned receptionist’s desk when they had walked by a few minutes before. He knew Everett was already upset at the idea of needles so he figured a piece of candy may ease the sting. “Why, you want one?” He asked as he pulled a second one from his pocket, twirling it between his fingers in a small taunt.

“Keep it,” Madeline answered with a laugh as Alex unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth. When Everett turned around to look up at them he grinned at Alex eating his own sweet before tugging harder on Madeline’s arm as if he were in a rush to get where they were going.

“Wait here,” the woman said with a small smile as she opened the door to a conference room. “We need your tests to come back then someone else will come by to get you for next steps.”

“Any idea how long?” Madeline asked quickly.

“Another thirty minutes or so,” the woman replied but before she could get out the door Everett piped in to ask about his mom. She assured him she would find out before leaving them in the silent glass room.

“Feels strange,” Alex said as he walked around to the windows to peer out them at the landscape in the rapidly setting sun outside. More buildings were part of the CDC campus and a road that led into the woods, but not much else they could see from this angle. “Being inside, getting out of the SUV.”

“If I never have to sleep in a car again it will be too soon,” Madeline answered with a small sigh as she sat down in one of the chairs and rolled her neck.

“I’ve had worse,” Alex said with a grin as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared out at the landscape for a few moments more before joining Madeline and Everett at the table. He pulled out a chair right next to Madeline despite the multiple other options. “But I won’t complain about a bed, hell even a couch.”

“Something a bit bigger,” Madeline agreed a bit quietly as she glanced at Alex. Everett had busied himself with a pad of paper and pen he had found, doodling as he twisted back and forth in the office chair.

“Agreed,” Alex answered, meeting her gaze. He watched the shy smile spread across her face and the nervous flush that spread across her cheeks with some satisfaction. Never admitting that he too felt the nervous jolt at the thought of getting her alone in a bed.

“How long are you going to stay?” Madeline asked as she twisted to face Alex more, feeling a bit more relaxed to not have to watch Everett every second.

“Kicking me out?”

“No…never,” she answered almost inaudibility. Living out of the SUV for the past days felt like a totally different world, like it was just the three of them. But now that they were back in some semblance of civilization Madeline wasn’t sure how Alex would feel.

Without the very real possibility of death coming for them at any second she wasn’t sure if he would back off. If he would reassess everything, rush to get back to Farah now that his job was done. That perhaps Madeline had just been a nice distraction for him, a backup plan of sorts. She wouldn’t blame him, not really, but the thought still stung.

“Unless I’m sent somewhere, I’m not going anywhere. As far as I’m concerned, I’m here until the mission is over. And mission isn’t over until Price gets back here with your sister. We’ll figure out the rest later. Life seems to be a day-by-day basis now, hard to plan when the world’s fallen apart.” He smiled a bit and reached out a hand under the table to grab hers but he didn't quite close the gap before the conference room door banged open.

“Dad!” Everett yelled out before Madeline could turn around. Her back had been to the door so she hadn’t seen him walk by the glass nor walk in with his smug grin.

Madeline tensed and turned in her seat to see that Garett Martin was in fact standing there, scooping up his son in his arms as if he were the dad of the century. No way. She rose from her chair, the blood rushing to her ears and pounding there, drowning out Alex’s voice.

Alex remained calm next to her as he also rose to his feet, doing his best to figure out what was happening and preparing to grab Madeline as she snarled.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Madeline snapped as she kicked the chair out from behind her and began to walk around the table.

“Language Mads,” Garett answered as he adjusted Everett in his grip as his son hung on his neck. “I’m here because my wife works here, and I was told my son would be brought here by an armed guard. The more important question is, what are you doing here.”

“Your wife!?” Madeline nearly screeched as she got near the corner of the long table. She knew the moment she had a clear shot she was going to slap the smarmy smirk right off his smart face. “The one you cheated on? The son that you haven’t even bothered to call for a year? Those two people?”

“Rich coming from the girl who couldn’t be bothered to come home to help when her parents were dying,” Garett answered before his eyes skated over Alex who had appeared at Madeline’s side and grabbed her arm to keep her from advancing further. “I left because Josephine told me to leave, not because I wanted to,” he answered, the lie sliding off his tongue as easily as breathing.

“Oh no, I know you didn’t want to leave. You had it good, fucking every woman who looked at you for three seconds while your wife busted her ass raising your son,” Madeline retorted, shaking her shoulder to get Alex to let go but he held fast. “How did you worm your way in here? What lies did you spew to these people?”

“No lies,” Garett answered as he set Everett down, though the boy held tight to his waist. He had no idea what his father had done, the lies and hurt he had caused. He was just a boy that missed his father and was craving any sort of attention from the man who had effectively abandoned him for a good time.

“When things went to shit I was already in the city,” he explained. He was a pilot for Delta and their main hub was Atlanta so it made sense. It also made it especially easy for him to have his secret love nest here far away from Boston with his revolving door of mistresses. “They called me.”

“I-“ Madeline started before switching tactics. “What? Who called you?”

“I’m still her emergency contact in her work file Mads,” Garett answered, the grin on his face growing wider as the implication set in.

Now it all made sense. Why the woman back in Boston asked where Everett’s father was, how she accused Madeline of snatching Everett away and leaving his father behind. They must have been in contact with the CDC already and were told that Garett and Everett were the ones coming. Communications had been crossed and unable to reach Josephine no one could get the clarifying information.

There were protocols in place for instances like this and while her sister had been methodical in everything in her life, when her marriage fell apart she did the bare minimum. It was too painful, too much emotional work, for her to change her name no matter how much Madeline bugged her to do it. And it seemed she hadn’t updated her personnel file at work which was now to both of their detriments.

“You haven’t spoken to either of them in over a year,” Madeline seethed as she began to shake. “You disappeared, leaving behind the complicated life of being a father and husband. But now that Josephine is literally saving your worthless ass you are suddenly going to play model father?”

“Isn’t that exactly what she did for you? Saved your ass over and over again when you got yourself in stupid situations? How is this any different? You use her just as much as I do,” Garett answered as Everett tugged on his shirt aching for some sort of affection. Garett ignored him and crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down Madeline. He wasn’t here to be Everett’s father, he was here to keep himself alive, gaming the system to his advantage.

“I don’t use her,” Madeline snapped though he wasn’t wrong about Josephine bailing her out multiple times. “I’m actually around. When you shattered your family I picked up the pieces. I’ve been with them since you walked,” she paused and gestured to Alex who was standing close to her side, having let go for the time being but prepared to grab her again. “He’s done more for your son in the past week than you ever have.”

“Well I’m here now aren’t I Mads?” Garett answered as he glanced at Alex, sizing him up. “You and your bodyguard, or fuck toy, whatever he is can go. After all, they only have so many resources, so much space…and seeing as you aren’t listed as her immediate family there just isn’t room or justification to keep you here.” he sucked on his teeth, sarcastically sounding sorry. “He might be able to stay,” he conceded with a nod at Alex, “they lost a few soldiers yesterday in an attack. I’m sure they could use an extra hand.”

Madeline froze, feeling her stomach drop through the floor at what Garett had just said. He was going to be staying here, with Everett, while she was turned back out to the streets again. To the mess. He wasn’t wrong about Alex either, he could be of use to them, another resource. But her? She had no significant skills to help.

There was no way to justify her staying aside from being Everett’s Aunt but if his father was here he had more of a claim of guardianship. They weren’t going to care about the fact Garett hadn’t been around this past year, he was on the paperwork, he was the father. And fuck he was a pilot too. So outside of taking care of his own son, he could fly people, resources, and places if needed.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Alex finally answered as he glanced at Everett who was tugging in earnest on his dad’s shirt. “I’m sure it’ll just be a quick discussion with someone in charge. Josephine’s boss perhaps,” he quirked a brow, “and we’ll get this cleared up.”

“He’s dead,” Garett answered flatly before swatting Everett’s hands away causing the little boy's eyes to well up with tears at the rejection. “Most of her team is gone. They haven’t been able to get a hold of her either,” he continued coldly. “Last I knew the rescue team had to emergency land and trek the rest of the way on foot through the jungle. Chances are they’re all dead at this point.”

“My mom?” Everett started but cut off as his father turned to glare down at him.

“Where did you hear that?” Alex pivoted for a moment.

“Listening,” Garett replied with a shrug. “They don’t tell me much but I’m sure if you ask you could find out more. There’s an office down the way they’ve set up for communications, well what’s left to communicate with. Most places went dark a few days ago.”

“I’ll be right back,” Alex said as he turned to look at Madeline standing there. She was pale with eyes as wide as saucers as she looked up at him. “Don’t leave this room,” he pushed out a chair with his foot and moved to sit her down in it, she didn’t fight him on it and collapsed into the seat. “And don’t let him goad you,” he tacked on as he bent down to place a hand on either arm of the chair to cage her in and force her to look at him. “Ten minutes, stay here for ten minutes and we’ll figure something out.”

“Talk all you want,” Garett answered as he listened to Alex talk to Madeline. “But it’s not going to change protocol.”

“Sit down,” Alex said as he walked around and cleared the space between himself and Garett in a few steps. “And shut the fuck up for ten minutes,” he warned as he loomed above him. Alex only had a few inches on Garett but his bulk and overall lethal calm seemed to placate Garett into silence for a moment. “And pay attention to your son,” he tacked on as Everett stood off to the side a bit staring between his father and Alex. “Kid’s terrified and you are not helping.”

Madeline sat silently in the chair, the information that had just been told to her racing through her mind along with new worries. It was as if she were paralyzed with fear, with panic, hell with surprise as she stared at Garett down the table from her. How could this have happened? How could he be here, threatening to turn her out on the street in this mess when he hardly deserved to be here, let alone taking her spot.

Then in her spiral, her thoughts went to Alex, at how he had just stated his mission wasn’t done until Price came back. And the second half of his mission was to defend the CDC, which meant he had to stay here. She was going to be alone. She was going to be out in this alone. Her breathing picked up into a rapid staccato that gave her a headrush.

“Sinking in?” Garett asked with a smirk as he peered at her above Everett’s head. He had tugged his son into his lap and was letting him doodle away in his lap. “How useless you are in this?”

“Shut up,” Madeline said though her voice was barely a whisper, the only thing she could get out between the squeezing in her chest. She was at the start of a panic attack and she couldn’t get it under control and Garett was just pushing her along it knowing that the worse she looked the better he’d seem to the staff here.

“I’ll take good care of my son,” Garett continued as he smoothed a palm over Everett’s hair, pressing it down where the cowlick stuck up at the back. “I can promise you that because him being here keeps me here. Keeps me safe,” he smirked, his cold gaze staring at Madeline as he continued to taunt her. “I was starting to worry a bit. When you didn’t arrive after a week the team was getting antsy about what they would do with me but you showed up just in time. So thanks for that.”

“Go to hell Garett,” Madeline answered as she fisted her fingers then stretched them out to get feeling back in them where they had begun to tingle. Her ears were starting to ring and she forced herself to take deep breaths to keep herself under control.

How long had Alex been gone? Surely it had been longer than ten minutes. Had he ditched her that quickly? After everything, now that she was no longer useful he was going to leave her? In her panicked haze, she wasn’t thinking straight and she hiccupped once, twice, as the room seemed to press in on her. She needed to get up, to move.

“I’ll get to stay here,” Garett replied simply as he watched Madeline spiral faster as she wound herself up. “While you go out into that hell again. Alone. That’s what you always wanted right? To be alone from your family, to be little miss independent forging your own way? Why stop now?”

Madeline shot up from the chair, stumbling a bit as her vision tunneled before she pushed toward the door. The room was too small, too hot, she needed fresh air, a moment to think, to breathe. Everett called out to her as she walked past but she didn’t hear it, she could just hear the pitch of his voice as she fumbled for the door handle missing it twice before finally twisting it open. She sobbed as she walked out into a hallway that was an even tighter space than the conference room and she twisted to find which way to go.

“Hey! Stop!” Alex called as he saw Madeline burst out of the room. He had been making his way back after talking with a few people. He saw her stumble in her haste to get away and he jogged up to her and grabbed her quickly by the shoulders as she heaved to catch her breath. “I told you to stay,” Alex said as he looked at her face which was tracked with tears.

“So you can leave?” Madeline babbled out as she tried to pull away from him. He was too close, too suffocating. "Leave me alone in all of this."

“Leave? Madeline what?” Alex asked as he held her firm as she shoved at his chest with her palms, though she shook too much for it to do anything.

“I can’t stay here. They’re going to turn me out,” Madeline sobbed as she continued to push at him, reaching up to his fingers to try and pry them off her. “I’m no use anymore. And your mission, you said it’s not over until John is back. But I can’t be here with you, I have to go. Alone.”

She couldn’t leave, she couldn’t leave Everett here, but she couldn’t take him either. He was safe here even with his asshole of a father. Garett would keep him alive because it was a mutual relationship; his son lived so he lived. If she snatched E and ran she would just be signing both of their deaths. She could barely keep herself alive on her own, what would she do with a child without Alex’s help?

“Madeline. Stop,” Alex snapped, his voice a bit louder and commanding. “Look at me and listen,” he instructed as she continued to try and pull away. “Look at me.” He stated again dropping all softness now.

She was circling in the very dark depths of a panic attack and Alex needed to get her to lock back on him, on some sort of reality and not the anxious thoughts in her mind. She glanced up at him as her fingers feebly continued to try and get him to let go and he grabbed her jaw a bit forcefully to force her to stare at his face. His fingers dug into the bone and he felt her flinch but he didn’t let up, hoping the bite of pain would ground her back. “You aren’t going anywhere alone. I’m not leaving you.”

“But your job. If I can’t stay,” Madeline tried as she shut her eyes and felt more tears slip down her cheeks. She gasped a bit as Alex shook her head and she opened her eyes to look back up at him again. His gaze was fierce, full of a quiet rage that would have made her take a step back if he wasn’t holding her so tightly.

“My job is to keep you safe. So if you go, I go,” he stated firmly. “We’ll figure it out, together. But I need you to calm down,” he continued as she stared at him wordlessly. “Keep it together for me for a little longer while we get this figured out. Then you can scream it out later, alright? Take it out on me if you need but not right now. I need you level headed.”

Madeline stared up at him for a moment longer before nodding faintly in agreement. When he let go of her jaw she reached up and wiped at the tears on her face and took a few calming breaths. She still couldn’t feel her fingers or her feet, but she could at least breathe again with Alex standing there next to her. She could keep it together for now while they figured this out and when Alex opened the conference room door for her she stepped in and glared at Garett who was grinning amusedly at her.

“Find out anything?” Garett asked Alex as he pulled out a chair for Madeline a few seats away from Garett to sit before standing behind her chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Enough,” Alex answered unimpressed as he glanced over at Everett who was still in his father’s lap.

Alex had learned that Garett hadn’t been lying about the team at least. They had crash landed in jungle about a three days hike from the small town where Josephine was two days prior. There weren’t any casualties in the 141, and unfortunately Graves also lived, but there were injuries that would slow them down. When Alex asked what had taken them so long to even get down to South America no one had any answers.

When he asked about the rest of the world, hoping for a scrap of news of Urzikstan all they said was the Middle East had fallen quickly and no news had come from there in days. Europe was barely limping by better than America and the only place that still had a semblance of order left that they knew was Australia. They had shut their borders quickest and while the infection made it there, it hadn’t been as widespread.

Alex had schooled his features as they continued to tell him what they could, keeping it together to not ask too many leading questions. He had no idea who he could trust in this place and he wasn’t about to lay his cards bare for them to take advantage of or potentially use against him. When their eyes were diverted to a screen to answer a distracting question Alex subtly pocketed another satellite phone that was lying on the table. He also eyed one of the laptops but he didn’t have anything to slip it into to take without notice, least not yet.

When the conference door opened again the woman that had led them to the room before was standing there looking a bit awkward. All eyes in the room landed on her as she stepped inside with file folders, each of the newcomer's names on it in neat print.

“Tests are back,” she stated before deciding to speak directly to Garett since he was the only familiar face there for her. She smiled a bit at the sight of Everett in his lap still doodling, looking at the picture of a perfect father with his son. “All clear,” she explained and waited as if all of them were going to breathe a sigh of relief. “We can go ahead and take Everett,” she started.

“Take him where?” Madeline interjected as she looked between the woman and Garett.

“Oh, to his room,” the woman stammered. “Get him cleaned up a bit, something to eat. While you figure out what-” she cut off as if unsure before smiling at Everett who looked at her a bit shyly before turning to Madeline.

“I get to stay with dad!” Everett said excitedly to Madeline, as if this were the best news he’d ever heard and they would all be excited. “He said there’s a bed in his room just for me, and I get a television. It’ll be like a sleepover!”

“That’s great buddy,” Madeline answered doing her best to not scream in panic. She felt Alex adjust behind her to put his hands on the back of her chair in silent support.

She didn’t want to let E go, to let him out of her sight. The last time he had been out of her sight he had almost been attacked and the thought set her heartbeat faster again. She knew he was safe here, with all the security, military, the ability for the CDC to lock down at a moment's notice.

But him out of sight meant she couldn’t be sure he was safe. She couldn’t just glance over and see his little face as he slept or how he scrunched his eyes in concentration as he read. Her chest tightened as she anguished over the next words, the next choice. It felt too tantamount, too big of a choice to let him go or make him stay with her.

“We’ll see you in a bit,” Alex filled in for Madeline, making that choice for her as she choked on her own voice. He could do that for her because he knew she agreed even if she couldn’t say it. It was the best choice for E to stay here even if it wasn’t the one they wanted. He was safe at the CDC and he certainly didn’t need to be around for the fight that was about to erupt. “Ask them for mac and cheese so you can stop pestering me for it,” he taunted as Everett made a face at him, completely unaware that this could be the last time they saw one another.

“I’ll save you some,” Everett promised as he peered at Madeline who just nodded at him, unable to speak.

When the woman led Everett out she started talking to him quietly before shutting the door behind her. The air seemed to leave Madeline’s body as she watched Everett walk past the glass walls before he disappeared down the hall. She fought the urge to lunge from her chair and sprint after him, to grab him and run. Run where she didn’t know but this couldn’t be the last time she saw him. She needed more time. Deserved more time. The grief slipped behind the rage that was building in her. The white-hot rage at Garett for everything he had done and continued to do to torture her and Josephine.

“So now what Garett?” Madeline asked into the heavy silence fighting back tears. “What’s next in your grand scheme?”

“No grand scheme, just following the rulebook is all,” he answered as he peered down at Everett’s drawing he had left behind. “I suppose next they’ll come kick you out now that Everett is away from here. Tell you thanks for bringing my son back to me but there isn’t any room for you. It’s not personal Mads. You aren’t the first person they turned away or kicked out.”

“Madeline,” Madeline said flatly as she glared at him and she heard Alex shift behind her, his clothes rustling as he adjusted his stance.

“Madeline,” Garett amended sarcastically. “They’ll extend an offer for him,” he nodded his head to Alex, “to stay since his team is on their way back. I’m sure he’ll get another assignment, find a new pretty girl willing to open her legs for him for a favor. He’ll forget all about you before the end of the week. If you make it that long to care.”

“Watch it,” Alex warned quietly. His tone was quiet, calm, but it sent shivers down Madeline’s spine.

“Touchy,” Garett stated though he had the sense to look a bit apprehensive. “I guess she didn’t give it up for you?” He turned his gaze back to Madeline with a look of surprise “gone soft for this pretty boy? Last I knew you would ride anything if they could do something for you.”

“You’re still jilted that I wouldn’t ride you,” Madeline said with a small laugh. “That I never gave into your filthy advances. I never told Josephine about that even though I wanted to, badly. I couldn’t bear to break her heart and tell her that her husband cornered her little sister at Christmas and asked if he could unwrap me like a present.” She raised an eyebrow at Garett’s shocked face that he schooled quickly, “you think I was too drunk to remember that?”

“You didn’t tell Josie because you liked the attention. Wanted me to pursue you, play into your game,” he chuckled softly. “I was stupid back then, didn’t realize what you were.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Not that any of it matters anymore. You’ll be dead by tomorrow morning. Hopefully, your sister is gone as well so both of you will be one less thing for me to worry about.”

Madeline wasn’t sure who moved faster, her or Alex, at Garett’s last words. She shot up out of her chair prepared to scratch his skin off his face and calculating how much damage she could do before security showed but Alex beat her. He moved around the back of her chair and cleared the few feet in less than three seconds.

“I warned you,” Alex nearly snarled as he grabbed Garett by the back of the neck and slammed his face down onto the table. “I could end it right now,” he pressed as Garett spluttered and tried to push up from the table with his hands. “Break your fucking neck without thinking twice,” he tweaked his wrist and watched as Garett’s head angled to the side and heard him gasp. “Or use this,” Alex tacked on as he reached down with his free hand, his strength outnumbering Garett with just one arm as he pulled out a lethal knife from his pocket. He fisted it and slammed it into the table a fraction of an inch from Garett’s eyes.

“Then none of it would matter,” Alex went on as the knife still vibrated from being stabbed into the wood. “You’ll be dead, Madeline will get to stay and I’ll be court-martialed,” he laughed. “Not the first time, I’m starting to collect criminal charges like medals,” he smirked. “Though I doubt there is really anyone left to punish me anyway. As you stated they need all the help they can get,” he reached up and pulled the knife free from the table. "I'll just get a slap on the wrist and be back to work before you're even cold in the ground."

Madeline stared at the scene before her. Her eyes darted between Alex’s calm rage and Garett’s abject fear. She wasn’t sure what she liked looking at more. The terror as Garett knew he was outnumbered was a delicious sight, to see him taken down a few notches by someone he looked down upon.

But watching Alex work, seeing that protective and carnal soldier slip out from under the charm and smiles, nearly made her knees weak. And that fact he did it for her compounded the feeling. He was risking himself and doing this for her. She knew if she nodded her approval at Alex as he looked at her for direction he would do it. He would end it, end Garett, and deal with the shitstorm that would follow.

“I’m sorry,” Garett finally spat out as Madeline didn’t move and Alex continued to hold him. Garett knew she was thinking about the options and his will to live was stronger than his ego. “I’m sorry,” he breathed out again before Alex shoved his head hard into the table and stood up.

Alex carefully slipped his knife back into his pocket before standing up fully and dragging Garett back to sit up again. He patted his shoulders jovially as if he didn’t just hold his life in his hands before turning to see people running to the conference room through the glass walls. Alex had marked the cameras in the room as soon as they had walked in, a habit from his training, but he didn’t care. He knew this was a lose-lose situation for him and Madeline and when Garett wouldn’t stop running his mouth he decided to make him pay for some of it.

“All good,” Alex said as he held his hands palm up in a surrendering gesture to the two men in uniform who entered. “Just a misunderstanding,” he explained with a grin as he looked over at Garett, the grin not meeting his eyes as he waited for Garett to agree.

“Yes,” Garett answered quickly, glancing between the guards and Alex. “Just, a miscommunication is all,” he continued, his voice returning back to its normal cocky tone. “While you all figure out your next steps, I am going to go check on my son,” he rose from the chair as if he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Madeline knew if the guards weren’t watching he would have run out of the room like the coward he was.

“You take care of him,” Madeline warned more than stated to Garett before he could slip out the door. “You take care of Everett. He’s too young for all of this, he needs someone looking out for him,” she continued as she fought against the breakdown.

Alex had said she needed to be strong for now, that she could break down later, but they needed to keep it together in this moment. “Please Garett,” she tried to hide the begging tone in her voice but she knew he caught it.

“He’s my son,” Garett answered as if that were answer enough, putting on a show for the guards still warily watching Alex. “Of course I will. Thank you for everything. Truly,” he put his hand over his heart in a grateful gesture, “I do hope I see you again one day. That you make it out of this. That we all do.”

And with that he left, walking quickly down the hall and out of sight before Madeline let out a shaky breath. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold this together. The guards moved to the corner of the room stating someone was coming to speak to them. As Alex took a seat he nudged Madeline with his foot lightly to get her to sit as well.

It didn’t take long. The person running the building came into the room with a memorized speech about limited resources and not enough room. That they had to make hard choices about what they could provide to others and had to keep in mind the job at hand which was finding a cure. That the sacrifice of some could be the savior of everyone.

Most of it fell on deaf ears for Madeline but Alex listened carefully, asking questions here and there that Madeline didn’t hear as she stared at a spot on the floor willing herself to not cry. They gave Alex the option to stay but he told them no before they could even finish the sentence, he wasn’t going to stay when they turned Madeline away.

They provided them with a few supplies, offered up a little gas that they had to help them get out of the city limits, and gave them a map. The government had been actively working on safe zones and someone marked them out. They had no idea if the zones were still being worked on, communication had broken down and they only had information that was days old. Alex took the provisions they provided and paused at the communication room, Madeline dawdling outside of it, as he spoke to someone inside.

Alex knew he only had a few minutes left before Madeline lost it, before she couldn’t hold back all the emotions any longer. But he needed the damn laptop. He walked into the communication room with the bag of items, set it subtly on the table right over the closed laptop, and asked a few more questions about directions.

The workers were awkward in their responses, feeling weird telling these people where to go to try and stay safe while they were perfectly fine here in their little fortress. Even better for Alex. They didn’t look at him directly and were rushing their words to try and seem busy, eyes on their computer screens. When Alex scooped up his bag he quickly swiped the device without anyone looking twice.

“Don’t let him see you cry,” Alex breathed into Madeline’s ear as they entered the main lobby. Garett was one floor up looking down watching them. Beside him stood Everett, his hands gripping the railing as he stared down at them. Alex had seen them a second before Madeline did and he felt her stiffen in an attempt to steel herself.

“Aunt Mads!” Everett yelled, his voice a bit confused. “Aunt Mads, where are you going?”

Madeline swallowed once, twice, before turning around and putting on a brave face. E’s little face was apprehensive as he looked at her but she smiled nonetheless. She smiled because she knew he was safe, that he would be okay, she had done what she had promised her sister she would. She had been able to accomplish at least one thing.

“I have to go for a little bit,” Madeline lied through her teeth, smiling to keep the tears safely tucked in her eyes. “Alex is going to help me go find your mom,” she continued as she felt Alex’s steady hand at the small of her back in support.

“Wait,” Everett yelled as he looked around for the stairs. “I want to go with you,” he started walking to the right but Garett grabbed his arm and bent down to talk to him.

“You need to stay here,” Madeline continued, looking up at the ceiling for a moment to hold it together. “Get everything ready for her when she gets back. You’re going to have so much fun with your dad and we’ll be back before you know it.”

“No, I want to go with you!” Everett fought as he wriggled in his dad’s grip. “Aunt Mads, I want to go with you! I want my mom!”

The workers in the lobby had the decency to look busy and away from the scene as Alex guided Madeline toward the exit while Everett yelled for her. Alex flinched a bit as Everett switched tactics and started calling for him instead but he kept pushing Madeline forward, keeping one foot in front of the other. He knew the longer they waited the worse it was going to be for everyone.

As they cleared the heavy cement door of the garage, and it slammed shut cutting off Everett’s voice, Madeline finally let loose a sob. She slumped a bit in her steps and Alex wrapped an arm around her as he guided her to the car. She was faltering under the pressure and fear but he kept her upright in the short walk, his grip strong and sure as they walked.

“Climb in,” Alex said quietly as he held the backdoor of the SUV open for her. “I’ll take care of the stuff,” he continued as she scrambled in and went right to the backrow. He threw the bag and laptop onto the middle bench and shut the door to give her a second, busying himself with filling the tank with the gas can security had brought by.

Before he could even get the gas cap off he heard the gut-wrenching wail Madeline let out as she curled up in the backseat. He stood with his back to the SVU and leaned his head against the glass to give her a moment alone, to scream and cry it out.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there for but when she grew quiet Alex threw the second gas can onto the roof and climbed in the driver’s seat. He could still hear Madeline crying in the back but he started up the SUV and put on some quiet music before pulling out. They would need to talk about everything that had happened, but not yet, not while it was so fresh and painful.

Alex had no idea where to go, his careful planning had ended with the CDC. He needed to get more information and come up with a new plan but night had fallen. The darkness settled over the city like a heavy blanket without a moon in sight.

They had to get off the street and somewhere safe, quickly, before their car drew too much attention in the eerie silence.

Chapter Text

Pain. That’s all Madeline could focus on as she stayed curled in the backseat of the SUV in the nest of blankets Everett had set up for himself. The back row was solidly his space, and it all screamed E when Madeline stared at it in the light of the garage. He had a few pieces of a board game tucked into the cupholder, little figurines he pilfered out of the boxes for his quiet games of pretend. The headphones and CD player were shoved in the backseat pocket, that was a nighttime item and he listened to the rules for the most part.

Every time she shifted the blankets crinkled with hidden wrappers of food that he hadn’t thrown away properly and she felt something squish under her knee, a forgotten about honeybun she was sure. It was like his messy bedroom back at home which made her chest ache even more. The memory of Josephine scolding Madeline for sneaking him sweets and for E hiding them around his room like a little squirrel saving his food for later and then forgetting about it for months.

Alex hadn’t said a word to her since he helped her in the car, resolutely driving with Billy Joel softly playing over the speakers. She knew she should be up front helping navigate and coming up with a plan, but she didn’t think she had the strength. Her head was pounding from all the tears, her throat raw from the wails of anguish and her whole body just ached with the grief. That’s what it was, she realized, after staring blankly at the stitches of the fabric seat inches from her face. She was grieving E like he had died, and even though he was still alive she still felt like his final cries for her were the last she was going to hear and see of him.

“Fuck,” Alex muttered under his breath as he came across a blocked off street, cars that hadn’t been there earlier jammed the road. He tried to peer and see if he could go off the shoulder and around but when he saw movement inside one of the cars, one of those things popping their head up at the sound he knew it wasn’t an option. He wasn’t about to risk getting stuck when there was one there already, one meant more. They seemed to move in packs, drawn to one another’s snarls to hunt down their prey.

Throwing the SUV into reverse Alex manipulated the wheel and doubled back down the street he had just come from. The car was too big to move fast, but it certainly ate gas quickly and couldn’t navigate tight movements well. It was like driving a tank without the luxury of being armored. Just another thing to add to the list of what he needed to plan out; potentially changing cars now that it was just the two of them and more long driving ahead.

He had been following the way they had come in as much as he could remember without having a chance to look at a map. On a whim, he had tried the SUV's GPS but it still flashed the no signal error and he sighed and clicked away from it again. He would have to just keep trying side streets until he got them somewhere he deemed safe enough for the evening.

The CD was on its third replay when Alex let the SUV glide to the shoulder and he killed the lights. He glanced up at the rearview mirror but it was so dark inside the car he couldn’t see Madeline. She had gone relatively quiet now, just an occasional sniff or adjustment. He let the car continue to idle as he dragged the map out of the glovebox to try and see if he could figure out where they were based on the exit ramp he had driven the wrong way down to get a mile marker. He didn’t like going near the highway but this area seemed like it wasn’t very populated, just trees and fields as far as he could see.

“Are we stopping?” Madeline asked into the darkness, her voice a bit muffled as she talked into the seat.

“Just for a few minutes,” Alex answered as he hit the interior light button to start pouring over the map, unfolding it and twisting it to follow the blue highlighter lines Madeline had used to track their path. She crossed out areas that were no-gos with a black pen and even left a few notes of places they stopped and what they had found. He smirked a bit at her note about him snatching her the last Reeses pack at one gas station, and the added a smiley face at the end of the scribble.

“Where are we?” Madeline asked, finally sitting up and wincing at the pounding in her head at the movement. Her eyes felt swollen and her temples throbbed with what felt like a very rough hangover.

“Working on figuring it out. Been trying to go back the way we came to get away from the city but backtracking hasn’t been the easiest,” Alex answered as he glanced up at the highway sign before back down at the map. “The main road we took in was blocked and I had to find a new route but new route meant more dead ends,” he traced his finger down the map and finally found where they were.

“Can we just stop here?” Madeline asked as she looked out the window into the darkness outside. She couldn’t see anything; it was pitch black save for the little overhead light Alex had on. The moon wasn’t out, the clouds blocked any starlight and there wasn’t a single light on for miles. “The further away we go, the further,” she stopped not finishing the thought of the further away she was from E.

“We’re too vulnerable out here in the open,” Alex answered as he glanced at her in the rearview then back down to the map. He found the road he was looking for and recited the street names he needed to take to get there to himself before tossing the map onto the passenger seat. He threw the car back into gear and turned the interior light back off, shifting a bit and rolling his neck to ease some of the tension. “Lay back down, I’ll wake you if I need you.” Truthfully, he could use her help now but he wasn’t about to ask, not with how she was.

Madeline snatched up a half-drunk bottle of Gatorade that Everett had left behind and chugged it, hoping to ease the burn in her throat. She really longed for a cold compress over her eyes, a handful of ibuprofen, and a long sleep but a room-temperature grape sport drink was her only luxury at the moment.  She didn’t say anything else to Alex as she laid back on the seat, curious about where he was aiming to get them to but too tired to ask or really care.

She didn’t sleep at first, not deeply anyway, just a twilight haze of drifting in and out, only knowing that she had dozed when she came too and the song was completely different. Alex had kept them steady, only hitting the brakes a few times and a handful of sharp turns of the wheel to avoid obstacles. She knew he was stressed driving like this but he didn’t vocalize it, just continued on in concentrated silence that he only broke to curse under his breath. In her exhaustion, she willed herself to sit up and offer assistance but the ‘five more minutes’ that she bargained with herself won and she slipped back into sleep each time.

Just over an hour later Alex saw the first signs for a new condo development. It caught his eye when he finally made it to the back road and he started mulling over the possibility of pulling over there. New development hopefully meant not a lot of people. He wasn’t going to go out of his way for it but if they had the chance to get out of the SUV for a bit he was going to take it. The next few signs that were staked on the side of the road every mile or so touted the place as a ‘secluded paradise’ that was ‘perfect for young families’ and a ‘quiet retreat for city workers’.

He scoffed under his breath about the absurdity of condos being considered a secluded paradise but secluded meant no shopping centers around. No other large populace to overrun the area and best of all a construction site hopefully meant generator hookups, gas, and even some short-distance radios. It wouldn’t enable him to call Price or Farah but he may be able to listen in on local chatter and see what was going on around them.

The faded stuck-on sign at the entrance of the development advertising they were selling phase one fluttered a bit in the wind as Alex slowly drove by. Just as he had hoped there were work vehicles and everything you’d expect on an active construction site scattered about the place. A temporary fence ran around a half-built structure that barely had its framing complete and a nice wrought iron fence lined the greater area. He continued on down the central road of the complex. Creeping past the clubhouse that still had stickers on the brand-new windows and cut through the rental office parking lot to get to building one that looked finished.

It was five stories tall with exterior entranceways and a fire escape on either end as well. Even better, more than one way in and out and less obstacles between inside and the car. The wrought iron fence was at least eight feet tall and ran around the back of the parking lot that he had halted in and behind it were trees and dense woods. The plan, while a huge risk, was seemingly coming together.

Backing the SUV up to the fence, Alex positioned them behind a construction dumpster and turned off the headlights. If no one was looking for them they wouldn’t be seen, even in their bulky out of place vehicle. The parking lot itself was about a quarter full he had observed on the drive but Alex liked those numbers. Given the fact many families had two cars, there would be some left behind in an evacuation which would make up a bulk of the left behind cars. Of course, there could still be people that stayed behind that only had one car, or no car at all, but he had to go off his limited information and play the odds.

Killing the music, he rolled down the two front windows a few inches before turning the SUV off and slinking down in his seat a bit. He was listening for any sound, any indication that they weren’t alone; human or otherwise. He kept his eyes on the building, well the area of the building since he couldn’t see it in the pitch black, to look for movement. The flash of a light, a flicker of a candle, or even the smell of a fire since it was chilly enough this evening to warrant one and the condos had chimneys.

Twenty minutes of strained listening and darting eyes there was nothing. Not a sound aside from his and Madeline’s breathing as he continued to stare into the void outside the windshield. He could tell by the deep slow breaths she was still out, her drained body not even reacting to the fact they had stopped moving this time. Easier for him to do the next part because he knew she would not be happy with his plan.

Reaching behind the seat he dug out the M16 that they had stashed before getting to the CDC and he tugged it onto his lap. As quietly as he could he popped open the driver’s door and slipped out, his finger flipping the safety off in one fluid movement as he raised the rifle. Nothing came rushing at him, no snarls erupted and he backed up a bit before gently shutting the door and pressing the button on the handle to lock it. The locking mechanism, while he had turned off the beep and flashing lights, still sounded impossibly loud in the silence. He waited half crouched by the driver’s door as he swept the area with his night vision scope to see if he had drawn any attention. Still silent.

He had to make this quick. Crossing the parking lot, he entered the open breezeway and started making his way up. He didn’t bother to stop at the doors on the lower level, he wanted to be as high as possible. Once at the top, he picked the door to the condo that faced their SUV before he grabbed the locked handle and shook it roughly, rattling the door hard so as to startle anyone inside. He stopped and listened but he didn’t hear anything, no voices or shuffling inside. No panicked shouts or anyone yelling out for him to go away. All good signs.

“Fancy,” Alex muttered as he dug out his tactical light and clenched it between his teeth as he stared at the keypad entry lock. He shifted the rifle over his shoulder and pulled out his knife using it to pry the outside box off and look at the wiring inside. “But not fancy enough,” he muttered to himself as he sliced a few wires and peeled back the rubber coating to rewire them again. It took him two different combos before the lock popped.

Putting the knife away he pocketed the light again before opening the door slowly. No chain across the inside to stop him; good indicator it was empty. He still did a sweep though, moving through each room with precision and speed, pulling open closets and checking under beds. Nothing. He could tell by how the drawers were pulled open in the kids’ room and a safe left ajar in the owners’ suite that whoever lived here had left in a hurry. They had most likely evacuated to be with other family or to get to those potential safe areas that the CDC had mentioned.

Stepping back out the front door once he deemed the condo clear he jogged down the stairs and right back to the SUV without pausing. He was feeling confident they were alone in this area, or if people were there, they weren’t willing to mess with him in the dark like this. He’d surveil the place in the morning, find a way to the roof get a good lay of the land, and scope out resources.

Instead of climbing into the driver’s seat Alex went around to the back passenger and yanked open the door. The interior light came on and he blinked back at it for a moment after being used to the dark. Madeline stirred as he clamored in and set his gun down on the floor, shutting the door with a bit of a snap to rouse her some. She had rolled on her back at some point, her head twisted to the side and half hidden by Everett’s blanket he had left behind. He watched her for one more second, debating on just leaving her be and they could go inside in the morning but thought better of it. She’d get a better night’s rest in a bed, they both would.

“Hey,” Alex said gently as reached out a hand to shake her gently. She mumbled and he reached up a hand to brush some loose hairs off her face, “Mads, wake up.” He tried again and she twisted her face to look up at him, blinking sleepily. She looked miserable, her face still puffed and pale and by the way she shielded her eyes with her hand, he suspected the dim overhead light was painful.

“Everything alright?” Madeline asked groggily, using the palm of her hand to rub her eye hard to see if that would get rid of the pounding ache behind it.

“I’ve found a place for us to hole up for the night,” he said as he reached under the seat and pulled out a duffle. If they were going to do this he wanted to be quick about it, situations like theirs could deteriorate rapidly.

“Great,” Madeline muttered as she still lay on the bench, looking at Alex as he hunched over the duffle and started to grab at things he could reach and threw them in. “Why are you packing?” She asked after a moment as he pulled Josephine’s backpack out from under the seat next and threw it on the bench seat.

“We’re going inside,” he explained as he looked over his shoulder at her just as the interior light cut out. “I found a condominium while you slept. Seems deserted, already cleared one of the units on the top floor.” He began fumbling in his vest for his light as he spoke, patting himself down to find what pocket he had slipped it into in his haste.

“Wait, hang on,” Madeline muttered as they were plunged into darkness. She sat up and her head pounded at the movement but she made herself continue sitting. “You cleared it? When?”

“While you slept,” Alex answered as he found and clicked his tactical light on. He swore he heard her hiss at the sudden brightness and angled it at the floor. “I figured after today I don’t think either of us could stomach another night in here,” he gave her a small smile. “You even said if you slept in another car again it would be too soon.”

“Alex! You went out there alone? And didn’t wake me!” Madeline felt the bite of anger well up in her for his action, though it was a dull sort of sting instead of a flash of white hot. She was too emotionally worn out for anything more. “I mean yes I never want to sleep in a car again but I didn’t mean,” she started as she felt her heart swell a bit in her chest at this gesture.

He had done this for her. Had taken this huge risk for her comfort and honestly her sanity. She had been so ready to be done with the traveling, with the sleeping on a hard bench feeling like she was in a fish bowl where anyone could happen upon them. To be in a bed, inside a building with solid walls and the strong illusion of safety had been such a relieving thought. Then all of that had been shattered and she had her heart broken along with it. She had been useless since and left Alex to deal with her issues and safety, again.

“You didn’t have to risk yourself for me. I’m perfectly capable of sleeping in a car,” she finally said as he continued to pack in the silence, clamping down the appreciation and instead settling on irritation. Irritation for him risking himself needlessly, with herself for leaving him with the burden of getting them safe. And irritation was easier, easiest of the emotions she was feeling at the moment.

“Not just for you,” Alex answered as he handed her his tactical light to hold so he could use both hands to pack. He didn’t want to leave anything in the SUV overnight that they may need just in case someone found it and decided to poke around or they had to evacuate another way. “I need to sleep in something a bit bigger,” he gave her a smirk, saying her own words from earlier back to her. “And a shower. City water may still be running for a bit if the pressure hasn’t run out yet.” He was trying to keep the conversation light, to keep her talking and distracted from her pain that he knew was simmering below the surface with how she was speaking. He just needed to get her inside and tucked safely away then she could shut back down.

If Madeline could feel anything else at the moment, she knew she would have been bashful at his comment. But exhaustion tended to only leave room for agitation, even if her stomach swooped slightly at the thought of lying properly with him. A shower also sounded heavenly with how gross she felt, especially after all the crying. A bath to soak in would be even better but she wasn’t going to push the limits on that one. She needed sleep first though, somewhere she could sprawl out and just burrow away for a few hours. While she had been knocked out on the backseat for who knew how long she was still too tired to even fathom trying to do anything but collapse face-first in a pillow.

“I’ll need you to take your duffle and the backpack,” Alex said once they both finished scouring the area for anything else they needed. He had leaned over the back seat grabbed a few things from the crate in the trunk and loaded his vest down, stuffing things unceremoniously into any open pocket; he’d organize it later. The only things left behind were the extra blankets they had pilfered from the cabin, the board games, books, and other random items they had picked up over the past few days for entertainment.

“Let’s go,” Madeline said quietly as she shifted the backpack on her back and slung the duffle over her left shoulder. Alex had given her the pistol back and she wanted to keep that arm free in case she needed to use it. She still kept the safety on though, ever afraid she’d accidentally fire it in a panic.

Just as they had done back in Boston Alex grabbed her left hand and tucked it into a strap on the back of his vest for her to hold so he could guide her. When Madeline tapped him that she was ready he moved, letting her click the button on the car to lock it up. They moved in silence, their feet falls rapid as they crossed the parking lot then climbed the stairs.

Madeline found herself looking over her shoulder in the dark, unable to see anything but still trying anyway. She was terrified something was just going to pop up out of nowhere and grab her, that just feet away in the darkness something was waiting for the opportune time to attack. She redoubled her grip as they went up another set of stairs, her thighs burning as Alex kept up the speed nearly dragging her along by the time they reached the fifth floor.

“Inside,” Alex stated as he finally stopped and opened the door he had left unlocked. He stepped off to the side to let her pass before slipping in behind and shutting it. He flipped the bolt and chain quickly before lowering his gun and turning around to Madeline who was breathing rapidly only inches away.

Madeline was glad Alex couldn’t see her properly at the moment. She was half doubled over breathing heavily and massaging her thighs a bit. Her legs were a bit shaky and she even felt her hands shake at their efforts as well. She knew it was a combination of hardly eating that day, adrenaline, and just all around disuse but Alex had to be just as worn down yet he sounded perfectly fine in the darkness. Maybe breathing a little faster than normal but definitely didn’t sound like he felt like he was going to keel over. The pounding headache wasn’t helping matters either.

“You can use the light just keep it angled down,” Alex said after a second. He had let Madeline keep ahold of it when they moved, just for the fear if they were separated for whatever reason she’d have a way of seeing. He heard her dig it out before clicking the button and illuminating the small entryway that led to the living room.

“Now what?” Madeline asked as she glanced around the area, taking in a stranger’s house feeling like some sort of burglar. It was violating to be standing in here without their permission, to be in the dark with a flashlight and creeping around like the intruders they were. With a jolt she wondered if someone was in their apartment back in Boston doing the same thing. Potentially pilfering through their things, lounging in their living room. If there was anyone left alive in the city that was.

“You go back to the bedroom while I reinforce the door. Go straight through the living room, down the small hall. It’s the last door on the very end,” Alex said as he pointed with his hand before turning around to try and find something to shove against the door.

“How are you going to see?” Madeline asked pointedly as she looked at Alex as he walked into the living room looking for something heavy. “Maybe they have candles,” she stated as she twisted to try and find the kitchen. It was off to the right; the whole area was one big room really until it got to the hall where the bedrooms were. While she wanted nothing more than to just strip down and crawl between the sheets, she could help him with this much at least. Not be a completely useless partner for the whole evening even if she felt dead on her feet.

“We’ll look for them tomorrow,” Alex answered as he settled on the loveseat as a blockade and started shoving it. It didn’t need to be pretty, or practical. It just needed to be heavy and loud enough to draw his attention if someone tried to get in the door. “I don’t want lights on in here for any longer than we need,” he added on, his voice a bit strained as he heaved the overstuffed two-seater across the threshold where the carpet turned to tile.

When the arm of the seat butted up to the door he stopped pushing, hanging his head a bit between his arms as he regrouped before standing. He gave the door one last once over as Madeline pointed the light beam at it then turned around to head back toward the bedroom. He had been careful to shut the kid's room door on his way out before, not wanting Madeline to see the little boy’s toys in there; not tonight.

Madeline didn’t fight him as he led the way down the hallway to the bedroom, pointing the flashlight at the floor so it didn’t reflect too much. When they got into the bedroom Alex went to the windows pulled down the blinds and shut the curtains to help muffle the light. The room was spacious, a large king bed adorned with overstuffed pillows and a little decorative lounge seat at the foot. She twisted to see a television mounted on the wall, a dresser underneath, and even a little vanity area whose chair Alex nabbed and moved to jam under the bedroom door handle.

They unloaded their duffels and bags onto the little seat before Alex went back to the window and twitched back the curtains to peer out of it. This window had access to the fire escape and he could see a bit of it in the light from the flashlight, the metal still shiny and new. He double-checked the lock on the window as he did so, flipping it on and peering out toward the parking lot again to be sure. Nothing caught his eye, just endless darkness. The hardest part of this plan was over; they made it inside and were safely barricaded. Now it was just a matter of telling his nerves that.

“I know I promised you a shower, but can we wait until sun up?” Alex asked as he unclipped his vest and slipped out of it, dropping it down next to the M16. He unholstered his pistol next and set it on the nightstand, shoving a dead alarm clock out of the way and put the car keys right next to it. All things that he could grab at a moment's notice should he need it. “Don’t want people to hear water running for a long while in the dead of night.”

“I’m too tired to even think about that right now,” Madeline replied as she dug around in the bags to try and find something for her pounding head. The packing had been a mess, just throwing anything anywhere it would fit. She threw the flashlight onto the bed, the new angle of light casting long shadows, as she dug with both hands through the bags. Surely they hadn’t left the medicine in the car, maybe the people that lived here had some. As she tugged she heard the telltale rattle of pills so she kept going, pulling out clothes and letting them fall to the floor.

“Something I can help with?” Alex asked as he sank down at the foot of the bed nearest Madeline to remove his boots. She was getting almost frantic in her search and he watched as he bent down to undo the laces on his left foot.

“Just need something for my head,” Madeline huffed as she pulled out what felt like one of her shirts. Good, she could put that on to sleep once she got out of the dirty sweater she was in. She unfolded it to take a quick look at it to find the shirt wasn’t hers. It was Everett’s. She froze looking at it as she held it up some, eyes roving over the tiny thing with an action hero from one of his shows on it and a nice big stain that had never come out. She dropped her hand heavily back down again and stared up at the ceiling willing herself to keep it together as the barrage of thoughts hit her. She hadn’t even given Everett clothes, she had left him at the CDC with his father and all those other strangers, adult strangers, and didn’t give him anything of his. Not even his goddamn headphones, whose wire she could see half hanging out of the bag.

Alex rose from the bed quickly, seeing how Madeline’s face crumpled at the sight in her hand. It was heartbreaking to see what she was thinking painted so blatantly on her face and he knew it was a matter of moments before she lost it again. He came up behind her gently closed his hand around hers and pulled the shirt out of her hands to set it back into the bag. She resisted at first but finally let go and dropped her hand with a slap onto her thighs.

“You don’t need to unpack all this tonight,” Alex said quietly as she tilted her head to look at him. He meant that in a figurative as well as literal sense. “Come on, I’ll find the meds,” he offered before bending down to help her up off the floor.

“I didn’t give him any clothes,” Madeline explained as she let Alex heft her up, lifting her easily as she fumbled to her feet. Her eyes trailed over the bag as he guided her away to the side of the bed and he yanked back the comforter and sheets. She glanced over at him as he gave her a tight smile and wiped her eyes at the few tears that had made it out.

It didn’t take long for Alex to find the medicine. He dug the bottle out and rose from his crouch before grabbing the flashlight to go to the bathroom muttering he’d be right back. He was hoping there was some sort of cup in there for water, or he’d have to wander back out to the kitchen again. When he glanced back over his shoulder at Madeline he saw her peeling her sweater off, lifting her arms above her head and he quickly turned away again to disappear into the other room.

Madeline moved as fast as she could in the dark, kicking off her shoes and socks, then going for the jeans next. She had intended on finding sleepwear but she couldn’t bear digging around in the bag again at the moment and there was no way she was getting in the sinfully soft sheets in her dirty road clothes. She heard Alex open and shut a cabinet then the sound of water running as she unhooked her bra and slipped out of the armholes in her tank to fully remove it. Piling all the clothes by the nightstand on her side she felt around for where Alex had peeled the blankets back before climbing in. She could have cried from the comfort of them if she wasn’t already tearing up thinking about her nephew all alone.

“Here,” Alex said a moment later as he held out a small paper cup and three Tylenol to Madeline. In the light, he could see her clothes slumped on the ground, her bra half sprawled on the top, and he quickly snapped his eyes to her face as she downed the pills. “Those should help, and some sleep as well,” he supplied into the silence as Madeline set the cup on the nightstand.

“Thank you,” Madeline said quietly as she laid down on the pillows, doing her best to not think about what Everett was doing at that moment. If he was laying in the dark of some strange room without any sort of comfort, not even his headphones to help lull him to sleep. “Do you think…you think he’s okay?” She asked a bit pitifully, the words slipping out without her volition, as Alex stepped away and moved to the other side of the bed.

“He’s safe Mads,” Alex answered simply, hearing the worry and guilt in her voice. “You made sure he was safe, you made the best call in the situation. You have kept him safe above all else in this disaster which is more than most people can say.” Now that she was settled Alex clicked the button on the flashlight to save the battery and set it next to his pistol, plunging them back into darkness.

“It’s just…it’s odd without him here. Without hearing the muffled music through the headphones, his constant shifting in his sleep,” she sighed as she curled around the pillow looking at where Alex had just been swallowed up by the dark.

“I know,” Alex agreed with a small sigh. “Just…let the exhaustion take over and you’ll be asleep in no time.”

“Are you not,” Madeline cut off as she shifted in the bed to sit up a bit, pushing up on her elbow. “What are you going to do?”

“Just keep an eye out for a bit,” Alex answered as he heard her moving around. He knew there wasn’t anything to see out there but he didn’t know what else to do at the moment. It felt intrusive to slide between the sheets with her now, despite all the talk of it before.

“There’s nothing to see,” Madeline reasoned quickly. “Please,” she tacked on without any other explanation.

“Mads,” he started but she cut him off.

“Please, Alex…just, we don’t,” she was fumbling her words around a choked sob at the thought of him pulling back, keeping a distance when all she really wanted right at the moment was companionship. “We don’t have to do anything. You can just lay on top of the sheets and I’ll just stay on my side if that’ll make you more comfortable.” Perhaps it was different now that they were here, it wasn’t just all talk and harmless flirting and Alex was beginning to feel that pressure. It was fine, she didn’t care at the moment, she could deal with those feelings later. “I just don’t want to be…alone.” Madeline almost begged.

“I’m not uncomfortable Madeline,” Alex answered after a second. “I just wanted to give you some space, some time alone after everything.”

“I don’t want either of those,” Madeline barely whispered as she shoved at the sheets on his side of the bed to give him access. “I just want you.”

Alex hesitated for a moment longer before giving in, her last words lighting something within him. He pulled his shirt off over his head in a fluid movement before going for his belt buckle and pants, kicking off his boots in the process. Each removal was loud in the silence and despite not seeing he knew Madeline was staring right at him and he was looking back at her. He didn’t bother trying to pile the stuff nicely like she had done and he barely had his pants kicked off as he bent toward the bed. He was careful, placing his hands gently into the soft feather top so as not to land atop her and he felt her reach for him.

Madeline didn’t give him a chance to find her as she grabbed at his arm where the bed had dipped and tugged him, pulling almost desperately at him to get him closer. He didn’t resist her as she dragged him down next to her, her hand sliding up his arm as he held her waist before coming to rest flatly on his chest, feeling his heart pounding under her palm. They were pressed impossibly close, legs wound around each other and she could feel the bare skin of his stomach against her own where her top had ridden up.

She could feel every place they were touching, flimsy barriers of undergarments did nothing to hide the hard lines of him. The brute strength that he was so carefully holding back from her as he shifted to press his other hand behind her head to gently cradle her into him. She pressed her face into the space between his neck and shoulder so she could fully collapse into him, breathing him in.

Alex could feel her breath against his neck as she nuzzled closer, molding herself to him as best as she could. She was incredibly soft and warm against him and he let his mind wander to each spot where they touched; how she had thrown one of her legs over his waist, where her hips pressed tight to his own, how her nails dug into his chest as she gripped at him and how her fingers flexed in response when he pressed a kiss to her temple. He silently ran his hand further up her back, letting it slip under the tank top to feel more of her skin, exploring unhurriedly as she sighed into him at the touches.

The darkness seemed to only amplify the feel of Alex’s fingers along her spine, the press of his kiss on her forehead, because there was nothing else to distract her. No light to draw her eyes, no sound to drown out their shared breathing. His hand trailed down each ridge of her spine and she was laser-focused on the gentle brush of each calloused finger as they mapped out her skin. His fingers finally came to rest when they found the elastic band of her underwear and she paused herself, holding her breath without thought as she waited.

When she didn’t pull back, didn’t squirm but instead held her breath with anticipation, Alex continued his exploration. He ran his hand over the curve of her behind to run up her thigh that she had hitched over him before he grabbed the back of her knee. One more pause, one more drawn out second, before he pulled on her leg to press her hips into his harder and create that friction they both waited for. He felt her breath hitch at the feel of him pressing into her center and while that was reward enough for him, the kiss she pressed into his neck nearly made him lose his restraint. It was tentative, shy, but he gripped the back of her head in a silent request for more.

Madeline gave him another soft kiss, letting her lips linger over his skin as he had done to her countless times. She wanted more though, more than these chaste gestures of affection and she shifted, moving the hand on his chest up to cup at his jaw and pull his face down to her. Just as the darkness has amplified everything they were sharing; it also made her bolder. She leaned in to close that gap, letting her lips brush his as she held his face. It was the first proper kiss they had shared and when Alex returned it, she felt him grip at her behind to press her hips into his again.

When she sighed at the feel of him Alex swept his tongue in, gently coaxing her as she clung to him and rolled her hips. He didn’t want to push too far, to rush her into something she may regret, so he let her show him what she wanted. He let her set the pace as she rocked into him, his hand kneading at the plush curve of her behind as the tips of his fingers skated under the thin cotton of her underwear. When she let out a strangled groan and grabbed at his arm to roll them so he was atop of her, he went willingly. Let his hips press down hard between her splayed legs as she ground up into him unashamedly. Her hands moved to slide in unison down his back as her breaths between kisses started to turn to pants. Her touch wasn’t tentative as she roved over his skin, her nails digging in every so often as he hit that hidden spot at the apex of her thighs with his hardened head.

“Alex,” Madeline gasped out as his kiss left her swollen lips to slide down her jaw, along her neck, up to her ear. His breath was hot on her skin and she arched up a bit as his teeth scraped along the delicate lobe before he pressed another kiss just below it.

“Tell me what you want,” Alex whispered along her skin, kissing her exposed shoulder as his hand that caged her body came up to push the strap of her top out of the way so he could find more. He wanted her to say it again, say those words that had lit something within him all those minutes before.

“You,” Madeline gasped as he hit that spot again with his hardened length. It was pressed so tight into her center she merely had to roll her hips to get that friction. “All of you,” she added as he skated the back of his knuckles along her ribs where her top had bunched up from all their movements.

That was all he needed. He grabbed at the tank top and helped her out of it, holding her up with one hand as she yanked it above her head and let it fall somewhere onto the bed or floor. He didn’t care. He was too entranced at the feel of her bare chest pushed up against his body, how she arched to him as he lowered her back down and let the hand that held her back firmly slip to her front to cup her breast and squeeze. She whined at the feel as his thumb brushed over the already hardened nipple and he kissed her feverishly as he pinched and rolled his fingers over the already sensitive flesh, working her up into a writhing mess under him.

Madeline attempted to follow his lips when pulled away, not ready to give up the feeling of him in her mouth as both of his hands taunted her. She reached up to pull him back to her but he dodged the movement and instead slipped down a few inches and devastatingly slowly ran his tongue over a nipple. The feeling caused her to buck up, the wetness a new sensation that sent a jolt right to her core as he sucked it into his mouth and almost lazily toyed with it. She thrashed a bit on the bed as his hand continued the assault on her other breast, the contrasting sensations making her lose all sense.

Alex grinned to himself as he roughly palmed and pinched one side while he lovingly lapped and sucked at the other. Ever so slowly he kissed his way across her chest, never one to not fix the hurt before he flicked his tongue over the abused nipple and clasped his lips over it sucking softly. Her skin was hot under him as his free hand roamed down her side and his fingers found the elastic of the last barrier between her center and his fingers. She pushed her hips up in silent consent, or demand, and he tugged them down, bending her legs up one at a time so he could unhook it from her feet.

“Yours,” Madeline gasped out as Alex moved to settle between her legs again, his hand pressed to her thigh to keep her properly spread under him. “I want to feel you.” She didn’t give him a chance to fight as she pushed up on her elbows, gently shouldering his face from her as she grasped at his boxers and pushed down. He kissed her shoulder as she ran her hands over the v of his hips and when her hand found his freed length he shuddered, unconsciously shifting his hips forward in her grasp.

She could feel him twitch at her touch, heard the small groan against her skin as she ran her thumb over his head, and felt the wetness of precum there. She smeared it gently along his head and smiled as he rolled his hips into her again to get her to continue. She obliged, running her hand up and down him, squeezing with enough pressure for pleasure as he bit down on her shoulder. It was a battle of her own will to keep this going, to not just guide him where she wanted him most and slide him home, her need growing with every second.

Alex pushed her back to lie down again, letting her settle into the pillows before the hand that had a vice like grip on her thigh moved. The closer he got to the apex of her thighs the more he could feel how much she wanted him, needed him. She was soaked the evidence already on his fingers before he even reached her center. When he pressed two fingers to her, spreading her open even more for him, her hand on him faltered and she rocked to him.

“Fuck Madeline,” Alex barely breathed as his thumb found her clit and gently circled it. She didn’t answer, just whined as she pushed into him, her hand falling away from him to grip at the sheets. He continued the slow movement, his lips finding hers again as his index finger spread her arousal around her opening and trailing it up to her clit for some extra glide. She moaned and bit at his lip in almost a feral response as he pushed a finger into her, his movements matching hers as she rose and fell with his hand.

When he pushed a second finger in Madeline grabbed at his shoulders, grinding herself down against his palm to feel that coil in her stomach. She was desperate for a release, for that rush of endorphins and spine-tingling pleasure, and Alex seemed willing to give it to her without a thought of his own need. His fingers curled inside of her and he picked up a hard, fast, pace that sent her careening. White hot lightning raced through her and as she bucked up into him the release hit her hard. She cried out loudly as Alex continued moving, his fingers pushing her along as she whined and gasped into his mouth.

He felt her clamp down, her thighs attempting to lock him in place as they squeezed against him but he pushed her leg back easily to keep her open. His fingers slid out of her as she dropped her hips back to the bed and he ran them over her clit which was hard and swollen, overly sensitive by how she twitched against him. But he didn’t stop, he kept running his fingers over her, in her, to keep her on the edge of that sword. She whined and twisted but never truly told him to stop, never pushed him away and when she grabbed at his hips, he knew she was ready and wanted more.

Alex fisted himself as he pushed up her body a bit to align himself with her. Her hands held his lower back as he rubbed his head along her folds just to tease them both even more. He groaned at the heat and slickness that coated him with each pass and when he couldn’t resist any longer he notched himself at her entrance. He had to hold her hips down to keep her from arching up and pulling him in herself, wanting to take his time instead, wanting to feel each inch as he slowly took her.

With one soft kiss, he pressed in just the tip and she sighed against his mouth in relief, in need, as he pushed further. He let go of guiding himself once he was halfway in and let his hand cup the back of her head to hold her forehead to his as he rolled his hips back before forward again to sink another inch. And he continued the same movements until he was buried to the hilt in her, his other hand holding her hip hard enough in restraint he was worried he’d leave bruises.

Madeline cupped Alex’s face in the dark once he settled into her, fighting the urge to rock as he held her fast. She was impossibly full, the stretch a pleasant burn as he rocked down into her to press her further into the bed. She knew he was taking his time to savor, to let her get used to him, but she needed him to move, to feel him slide in and out of her. She conveyed the need with the heated kiss she pressed to his lips and he responded with a slow pullout, almost to the tip, before he slid back in making her moan with pleasure.

“Please Alex,” Madeline whined as he continued the torturously slow movements, feeling every inch of him with each delicious thrust and pull back. He seemed satisfied with the plea, or over the slow torment himself because the next roll of his hips was a snap that made her bow up. His speed increased then; hands planted on either side of her as he began to fuck into her with earnest. She wrapped her legs around him, her heels digging into his lower back as he found his stride making her gasp and whine as that coil began to tighten again.

He felt her shaking, felt the clamp of her legs tighten as the next release neared and he didn’t stop. He pushed her toward it and as she was about to hit that high and began to frantically match his movements with her own, he wrapped her tightly to him and rolled them. She didn’t stop moving, didn’t even hesitate at the switch as her body chased its high, too desperate to stop.

Madeline ground down on him as he bucked up to meet her, nearly choking on her own cries as the air was knocked from her lungs. His hands gripped her hips as she rode him, her own hands scrambling to hold herself up as she came hard around him. It was almost too much as her toes curled and she scratched against Alex’s chest, the release so immense she felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.

Her release was all over his legs, his cock and he could feel the sheets underneath him were soaked. But Alex didn’t stop, didn’t let her come down from the high even as her body collapsed forward onto him. He just wrapped her tight to him and used his hands on her ass to keep her moving, his grunt and groans in her ear making her preen as she kissed his shoulder, neck, cheek, anything she could reach.

As she fluttered around him finally coming down from her last orgasm Alex let himself go. He buried himself as far as he could and came inside of her. He selfishly rocked her hips over him to ride out his own pleasure, despite how she trembled. She whined in his ear at the overuse, the pleasurable ache that was so close to being pain, as he lifted her up and pushed her back down again one final time.

He could feel himself leak out of her as she panted atop him and pushed up to kiss him properly.  He twitched slightly inside of her as she kissed him so gently and tiredly, that he almost felt bad for how thoroughly he had wrecked her.

“You alright?” Alex asked after a few minutes of silence as she wrapped around him, nuzzling her face into his neck as she flinched a bit at him adjusting. He hadn’t pulled out, not yet, since he knew every movement would be like fire to her spent nerves.

“Good,” Madeline muttered, her lips brushing his skin with the words. “More than good,” she laughed a bit before groaning at how it made her clamp around him still inside her. “I don’t think I’ve ever,” she started before cutting off as Alex gently pulled out of her now that he had softened a bit.

“You’re going to give me a big head if you finish that sentence,” Alex stated as he ran his hands up and down her back in a soothing gesture. She was still trembling a bit and he reached down to pull the blankets they had kicked away to cover her from the chill air of the room.

Even after everything that had happened that day, the past days, Madeline genuinely felt happy and she smiled to herself in the dark. Grinning at the way Alex so reverently moved her off of him to lay on the bed properly and how he pressed soft kisses to her as he tucked her back to his chest. The high of her pleasure didn’t wear off as they lay in the dark together and she absently wondered if he felt the same as he nudged one of his legs between hers to get more comfortable.  It didn’t take long for her to drift off to his gentle caresses up and down her side and for the first time in days she slept through the night.

When she awoke the next morning Alex wasn’t there. She stretched out and rolled expecting him to still be pressed to her but she found the bed empty, his spot cold. Sitting up with a jolt she looked around the room and noticed his gear, the duffels, and even her clothes from the night before were missing. A panicked heartbeat started in her chest as she swung her legs off the bed but she spotted a pile of new clothes left on the nightstand. Clean and neatly folded, along with a bottle of water and more Tylenol.

She downed the medicine in one go and nearly chugged the whole bottle of water from thirst before tugging on the clothes he had left. It was an oversized shirt and a pair of sweats, none that she recognized so she wondered if they belonged to the owners of the condo and he had dug them out this morning. Had she really slept that hard she hadn’t heard him moving about? And how long had she slept for that matter? The sun was bright even through the blinds and curtains.

“Afternoon,” Alex said with a small grin as Madeline walked into the living room still a bit bleary eyed.

“Afternoon,” she muttered as she blinked a bit at the living room floor. Alex had moved the coffee table out and had laid all of their provisions in small piles, a notebook with scribbled inventory close by. She noticed that none of the items left out were Everett’s in her quick scan and she was grateful for that as she took a seat next to him on the couch to peer at the laptop he had on the couch next to him. “How long have you been up?”

“A while,” Alex said noncommittedly as he peered over at her. “Long enough to shower, unpack, and take inventory.”

“I could have helped with that,” Madeline stated as she looked everything over again.

“We would have run out of water if you helped me in the shower,” Alex answered with a small chuckle. “You needed rest, I wasn’t going to wake you for no reason,” he added before she could pester even more.

Madeline flushed a bit at his comment but was glad to find things weren’t awkward between them the morning afterward. It could be hit or miss after the first time and while she certainly did not regret it, she doubted she would have even if it was awkward, it was still nice to slide back into their normal relationship.

“I found a few things in the pantry. You should eat,” he stated as he stood from the couch and extended his hand to her. “I wasn’t going to go out until you were up. I want to get up to the roof and take a look around. Try the new phone and see if I can get any news on the laptop.” He saw the frown on her face at that. “Just the roof, I won’t go anywhere else. Nothing is up there, we’d of heard them last night…or they would have heard us for that matter.” He smirked as she turned decidedly red at that comment.

“I’ll go with you,” she offered but Alex shook his head at that.

“Eat, get a shower, and if I’m still out there after a while come get me,” he reasoned. “I’m pretty sure we are the only people here, I sat and listened for a while this morning, watched out the windows and there hasn’t been anything at all. I’ll be fine.”

She still frowned but finally nodded as his hand came up to tilt her head back and pressed a kiss to her lips. It wasn’t chaste. It had hunger behind it and as he kissed her a second time she felt her knees go weak. She wasn’t sure where they were left after the night before if it was just sex or something else, but Madeline found she didn’t care at the moment. With the way he looked and tended to her needs, she was content with whatever their relationship was. The smile he gave her was soft, if a bit mischievous, as he let go.

With a final kiss, Alex grabbed the laptop and headed back to the bedroom to climb the fire escape to the roof. Madeline listened at the window for a bit to make sure she didn’t hear anything, no yelling or gunfire but when it remained quiet, she went back to the kitchen to eat some dry cereal by the handful as she stared at the mess in the living room. She scoped out the rest of the house as she ate, opening the kids’ room before quickly shutting it as the ache that Alex had managed to lock away for her the night before came creeping back.

Alex cleared the roof quickly, not much area for anything to hide on the flattop that only had low laying pipes and HVAC systems. He picked the HVAC unit above their condo to set up shop, standing as he peered around the area while the laptop booted up. Once it was live he plugged the cellphone into it to use the satellites as data for the internet and began scouring for information. The connection was spotty, constantly dropping, and extremely slow, as he worked. He used the little time he had connected to download files to read over later. When he heard the water start up below him he unplugged the phone from the laptop, punched in a number he knew well, and shut his eyes as the call rang.

The water pressure left something to be desired as Madeline showered off. It was room temperature and she flinched as she stood under it to rinse off, turning it off between shampoo and conditioner to save as much as she could. She doubted they’d have much left to work with in the next day or two and she thought to fill up a few pots and pans with water when she finished so they’d have some fresh water for a little while for anything else they may need.

When she had finished drying off and dressed and Alex still wasn’t inside she went to the window and climbed out. The wind was brisk even for a mild winter day and she shivered as she climbed the steps to the roof, eyes peering around the area to be sure no one was around watching. It was quiet, just the sounds of the birds chirping and her footfalls on the metal steps.

“Alex?” Madeline called as she cleared the roofline and saw him sitting, half slumped, on the ground. Her heart jumped to her throat when he didn’t move. She ran to him, glancing around to see if something had happened, to see if someone else was up here and had hurt him and was going to get her. But there was nothing. It was just the two of them as he said it would be. As she drew closer, he picked up his head and she saw the grief on his face that made her stop dead.

“What happened.” It was a statement, not a question, because it was obvious something occurred.

“She was bit,” Alex said simply and when he saw Madeline stumble at the thought that it was news of her sister he clarified, “Farah. She was bit when they were overrun. I didn’t even get to,” he stopped and twisted to look off bitterly at the horizon, the phone clenched tight in his hand to keep from throwing it in his rage, his guilt.

Chapter Text

Relief flooded Madeline at the news it wasn’t her sister that was bit She knew it was selfish, but she couldn’t help the easing of the tightness in her chest. The news she had been dreading still hadn’t come and in her mind, Josephine was still okay. And if Josephine was okay so was Everett, they wouldn’t turn out a family member of a vital person with the CDC.

However, the pain on Alex’s face stamped out the brief comfort. The guilt of her own good fortune at Alex’s expense hurt her heart. Whatever Alex and Farah were to one another it was still love, romantic or platonic, it didn’t matter. She knew he loved her, he had confessed as much in their conversations, and from how he spoke about their relationship she knew Farah cared about him just as deeply.

“Alex, I’m,” Madeline started as she got closer and knelt down next to him. The wind was whipping and she shivered slightly but she reached a hand out to his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, I couldn’t imagine.”

Alex had seen Madeline’s face, the relief it wasn’t her heartbreak this time, despite how she tried to hide it from him. Deep down he knew she couldn’t help it, that she didn’t mean to feel solace that the bad news wasn’t for her, but it still riled him just the same.  What was a stranger’s death to her? Just another drop in the bucket of all the death she had seen in recent days. But for him, the world seemed to have ground to a halt, and he was weighed down by having to carry on without Farah.

He didn’t look at Madeline as she knelt down next to him, didn’t acknowledge her apology as she spoke. When her hand came out to grab his shoulder he tensed. He didn’t want to be touched, or comforted, especially not by her. He had been with Madeline seeking comfort, distraction, and pleasure while Farah had been fighting for her people, trying to keep them alive, something he should have done for her. Now she was somewhere in the city as one of those things, or dead. No, she would be dead. She would never let herself become a liability, so when she felt the end coming, she would have taken care of it herself. The thought of what she would have done to make sure she didn’t hurt anyone else sent another fresh wave of horror through him.

“Is…are they all?” Madeline didn’t know how to outwardly ask the question without sounding crass.

“No,” Alex answered sharply, pushing himself up from his sitting position. He couldn’t bear to stay there with her so close, touching him. He needed space, an outlet to scream, to destroy something.

“Farah got them all out. She brought up the rear to ensure everyone made it onto the trucks,” he explained, slamming the phone down on the HVAC system, causing it to rattle loudly. That should have been his place in the evacuation; it should have been him bit.

Madeline quickly withdrew her hand as he twisted out of her grasp. He wasn’t looking at her, his eyes averted as his jaw ticked. He was upset, understandably so, but the rejection stung all the same. She was certain he was revisiting everything they had shared, possibly regretting it all now that Farah, the one he truly loved and wanted to return home to, was gone. The guilt of what they shared was surely settling in quickly.

“How did it happen?” She asked quietly as she still remained on the ground watching him doing her best to lock away her own feelings.

“She was holding off a wave of those things while the children were being loaded. Only a few were left, but the gate was breached, and she was bitten while climbing into the truck. She ordered the team to leave her behind and get to the safe house she had set up.” Alex shut his eyes, running his hands painfully through his hair, fingers curling around his head as if trying to block out the images his mind was creating.

“Farah saved so many people Alex,” Madeline said in a bit of awe as she pushed up from her kneeling position to stand on the side of the HVAC. “Think of the difference she made for all those people, the people she was so passionate about keeping safe and alive. From what you told me about her, she did exactly what she wanted to do.”

When Alex cut his eyes over to her, however, she knew her words hadn’t helped in the slightest. She could see the anger in his glare, the vengeful soldier with no outlet for his emotions and pain.

“She suffered Madeline,” his tone was harsh. “She didn’t turn right away. More people arrived at the safehouse hours later saying Farah sent them. They said she was sick; it was probably nearing the end when they last saw her.” He pivoted away with a snarl, dropped his hands, and walked a few paces away. “That was three days ago…she was trying her hardest to help people as she slowly died and spent her final moments completely alone. While I was with you.” The last sentence was laced with guilt and perhaps accusation.

“I’m sorry,” Madeline said again though it didn’t feel like enough. But what else could she say? There were no words to help in a time like this, nothing that would bring comfort or fix anything. It was beyond that. She felt useless as she watched Alex pace, knowing he was beating himself up and trying to shoulder all the blame because that was easier than accepting that there was nothing he could have done.

“I should have been there. I should have done my one fucking job because she’s worth so much more than me. Than…this” Alex’s eyes swept over Madeline for a second, as if he were comparing her life to Farah’s.

“You can’t blame yourself for this. It’s been a disaster, something no one could have predicted. I’m not sorry you stayed, that you are alive.” Madeline tried, hoping to show him she saw him as more than just the dispensable soldier he saw himself as. She crossed the gap between them and gently reached for his arm again, wanting to get him to pause and think beyond his warring emotions.

“Stop,” Alex snapped, catching her wrist before she could touch him. “Please, just go back inside.”

“It’s not fair, it’s fucking awful, but you being alive is not a failure on your part. Your decision to help someone that needed it wasn’t a bad choice.” Madeline raised her voice a bit, not to yell but to portray the feeling behind her words because she saw the walls going up behind his eyes; he wasn’t listening to anything she had to say. When he grabbed her wrist, she didn’t flinch from it or pull back but instead gently rested her open palm on his chest in reassurance.

“Choices have consequences. And this one wasn’t worth the trade-off,” Alex answered, his voice low and lethal. As if it were a dark secret that he didn’t want to shout but instead let slip from him like deadly venom. At the last words, he pulled her hand away from his chest and pushed it away. He didn’t deserve any sort of sympathy, didn’t want it.

He may as well of slapped her. Madeline let her arm fall limply to her side as she looked at him a bit wide-eyed and shocked at what he had just said. He didn’t even flinch, didn’t show any recognition of the fact that he had just cut straight down to her soul. He believed he had made the wrong choice by helping her, and now he deeply regretted it. And then there were the unspoken implications beneath his words; the meaning behind his glares, the distance he kept putting between them, and the scrutinizing looks. He would have gladly traded her life for the commander he loved so deeply, she was the dispensable one.

“It wasn’t just me you helped. What about Everett?” She fumbled over his name, pausing to take a breath to keep herself together. “Was he not worth it? Just a waste of your time?” Madeline barely whispered as she searched his face for any sort of remorse, a realization. She found none.

Alex stared at Madeline, at the pain that flickered across her face and how she paled a bit. “That’s not-” he started to argue, taking a step toward her just for her to step back. That ignited his anger further, that she was acting fearful of him of all people. After what he had done for her, killed for her. “Everett wasn’t a waste.”

“So just me then?” Madeline asked, attempting to cover up the way her words choked out of her with a sarcastic laugh. “What was I to you this whole time? Just a placeholder, an easy fuck in the dark so you could pretend I was her.”

“You aren’t anything like her so there was no way for me to pretend,” Alex snapped. “You were a job, Madeline. You and Everett were work. An unintended obstacle in this fucking mess where nothing has gone to plan. And now Farah is dead. Your sister may be as too, less you forget about her.” His tone was no less soft even as he took in how Madeline fought to keep the emotion off her face as he continued to dig. He couldn’t help himself; it was as if the floodgates opened and he could finally unleash some of his pent-up frustrations and anger with the excuse of grief to hide behind. “And I was here with you because I let you distract me when I should have known better.”

Madeline didn’t reply immediately. She looked at him for a moment longer, blinking as if truly seeing him for the first time. There was a reason he was good at his job, why he was so valued by the government that he was forgiven for his transgressions with no consequences. She had been naïve to believe that he actually cared about her. He was a soldier, a government asset first, and she was just a job. A job, and distraction, that cost him the thing he actually cared about.

“Feel free to leave then,” she finally blurted out.

“It’s too late for that now,” Alex stated as he watched her. “I committed to the job. Farah’s already gone so nothing else for me to worry about at this point besides you.”

“The job is done, you got us to the CDC as you promised. It’s not your fault they deemed me not worth keeping around, just like you have,” she shifted and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling exposed and vulnerable standing in the middle of the roof. “There’s nothing else is tying you here now; no job, no other commitments.” Her tone was defeated, the spark of fight leaving her as he made her feel so unworthy of him and his help. “Go do the actual job Farah sent you to do. Help your team before someone else dies. Someone whose life is probably more valuable. Like my sister.”

She knew should have let his hurtful remarks go, let his barbs of comparison between her and Farah slide for the moment understanding it was his grief talking and not him. Then, when they both had time to breathe, talked to him about what he had said that hurt. But now, there wouldn’t be a later. He had torn into her with ease and ripped at the most vulnerable parts. The tears she had been fighting welled up in her eyes and she adverted her glance turning to leave.

“Goddamn it. Madeline!” Alex started as he saw the light in her eyes wink out, the bright flash of anger dulled to nothing as she curled in on herself. Just the sight of her giving up snapped him from the spiral he was on, making him realize just what he was doing. She wasn’t a subordinate that he could rip into and it would go in one ear and out the other without ramifications. Nor was she a fellow soldier who understood that words spoken in anger weren’t always true; they were just an outlet for some of the pent-up aggression and fear. “Just listen to me for a second, I didn’t mean-“

Alex followed Madeline, sidestepping around her to block her path. In his pain, he put up walls and lashed out at Madeline in an attempt to comfort himself instead of letting her try to help. He realized a moment too late that these past few days Madeline had been his only source of relief, his peace in this mess, and he for her. But he had ruined that in a matter of moments, tearing her apart out of some deep-seated need to try and offload his pain onto someone else.

He reached a silent hand out to her, a gesture of peace and vulnerability, but she only met his eyes with a look of pure sadness and hurt. She went around him without a word, dropping her eyes to the ground as she shuffled past. He didn’t try to stop her, he just turned to watch her go. Only when she was gone and he was left alone, staring at the sky, did he realize that he had succeeded in fulfilling his need for space and his urge to destroy something.

Madeline rushed down the fire escape, her hands grabbing at the railing to keep from slipping. Her vision blurred as she went, and she nearly fell through the window to get back inside. As she slammed the window shut against the cold, she heard Alex curse and the hollow thud of metal.

She understood grief made people react differently, that anger was usually the gut reaction at the unfairness death. But to be openly cruel, to deem her an unworthy trade-off for Farah, to reduce their connection to merely a job; felt like he had just eviscerated her. She knew that whatever was between them was fleeting, she wasn’t an idiot, but the regret and anger directed solely at her hurt. He had aimed to kill her spirit, and judging by the tightness in her chest, he had achieved it.

Alex didn’t go back inside for the rest of the day. He lingered on the roof studying the area around them, allowing his mind to slip into the solider to numb the pain. He had lost people his whole life, it was nothing new, so he let his training click into place to guard his heart instead. He’d deal with the emotions later, apologize to Madeline later if she’d listen. But for now, he couldn’t afford to unravel; he still had things to do. An obligation to keep Madeline safe even if she told him to leave, using his own words against him. A duty to get to Price and assist with the cure, honoring Farah’s last order to him. He wasn’t going to fail Farah again like he had failed her in every other way.

Madeline had burrowed into the bed as the sun began its descent behind the horizon, staring at the wall as her mind raced. She didn’t know what Alex would do now. Would he leave like she had told him to? Tired of the burden she had become to him, unwilling to face his own regrets any longer. It would be easy for him to walk away; he’d survive easier without having her around to keep safe.

Alex hadn’t mentioned before their fight if he had managed to contact Price and learn about her sister. Maybe he had; perhaps he was already planning his own next steps to get out and get to him. That would be fine Madeline supposed. One more person to aid Josephine, to keep her alive for Everett’s sake, and make sure she figured out the cure. Her sister was far more essential, more needed by the world. Madeline was just a roadblock to slow everyone down, she had completed her one task to get Everett safe. The reality that Alex had inadvertently clarified for her was terrifying yet oddly relieving. With no one else depending on her and nothing left to do, it no longer mattered what happened to her.

When the sun was about to disappear, Alex headed back down the fire escape. His joints were stiff and aching from sitting on the wall that lined the roof for the past few hours. It was cold enough to see his breath as he pulled open the bedroom window and he slipped inside quietly. He paused in his steps when he saw Madeline’s huddled form on the bed with her back to him. He watched her for a second, eyes looking for the slow rise and fall of her chest to indicate she was asleep. She wasn’t. He could tell by how tense she was she was very much awake listening to him standing there.

Madeline remained still in the bed as she heard Alex return downstairs, hugging a pillow tightly as he entered. He lingered in the fading light of the sun, and she felt his gaze on her back. She could imagine the resentment he must have felt, watching her lie there, alive, while Farah was not. She bit down on her lip to stifle tears, silently urging him to leave her alone.

Alex slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him before making his way down the hallway. He felt numb, like a ghost, as he moved. The feelings he had been staving off all day while working crept up on him now that he had nothing else to concentrate on. Leaning against the kitchen counter, he spread his arms out, gripping the cool edge for support. He stood still for a while, staring at a chip in the marble until the shadows grew so long that there was no light left. Only then did he allow himself to break down; to let the tears fall and his body shake from the utter devastation he was feeling where no one could see him. Where he couldn’t see himself.

His mind replayed his failures, all the words left unsaid, all the moments with Farah that would never come again. He mourned the loss of her laughter, the gentle grip of gratitude on his arm when they accomplished a goal, the command in her voice during missions, the soft smiles they shared in rare quiet moments and those few times she would give into her feelings and let Alex love her as deserved. Each memory felt like another cut, bleeding him dry with grief.

The deafening silence allowed everything to overwhelm Alex, and he eventually sank down to lean against the kitchen cabinets on the floor, unable to stand any longer. This was why Farah had never let anyone get close. She couldn’t risk love because it would be her downfall and, in a way, it had been. Her love for her people was what eventually killed her. War, fighting, terror; all those things could break you, kill you, instantly. But love was the silent, slow, killer that ruined you from the inside out. Love made you make foolish decisions and would be the ruin of everyone.

When he thought he couldn't shatter any further, the memory of Madeline's betrayed expression reminded him he wasn't finished. He had lashed out at her, letting her bear the brunt of his pain to dull his own hurt. But at what cost? She had pieced together his darkest thoughts, ones that weren’t truly his but had still conveyed one way or another. None of it was how he really felt. He didn’t want her dead, would never actually want to trade her life for Farah’s and he certainly didn’t view her as a placeholder. He had said all the wrong things in all the wrong ways. It was the shock and grief that had won in that heated moment between them on the roof. Knowing she thought that was how he actually felt about her ripped him even further apart and he had no idea how to undo the damage he had done.

Madeline could hear Alex from where she lay in bed, the sound only slightly muffled by distance and the shut door. It pained her to hear him suffering, to let him wreck himself alone, but she couldn’t bring herself to go to him. His words and actions on the roof had made it clear where she stood with him; which was nowhere. The empathetic side of her silently cried with him, and she nearly rose from the bed twice to comfort him as his pained gasps tore at her heart. She wanted to ease his burden, no matter how badly he had wounded her, but she knew another rejection or jab would completely shatter her. Self-preservation won out against her better nature, and she curled deeper into the bed listening until silence settled over the space again.

Alex was up and moving at first light.

He had slept on the couch that night, unable to face Madeline from the shame of what he had done. She hadn’t stirred when he quietly grabbed a hooded sweatshirt from the closet, and he didn’t linger to see if she wanted to talk. He had exhausted himself in the darkness agonizing over everything but when the sun crept back through the windows he packed it away. He didn’t know how to make things better through his words, he had royally fucked everything up using those, but he knew how to work and could try to convey his apology through action.

Madeline felt like she was on pins and needles as she lay in bed, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Alex was moving around in the living room and she savagely thought to herself that he was packing up, that he was going to walk out that door and leave her. Would he even think about her as he drove off? Would he care? She was so consumed with those thoughts that she hadn’t heard him drag the loveseat from the door and only realized he had walked out of the condo when the front door snapped shut.

She shot out of bed and ran out to the living room to see if he truly had left. She wasn’t going to lose all dignity and run out the door to beg him to come back but she did go to the window to peer out from behind the curtains. He had a duffle, her duffle, over his shoulder and it was empty by the looks of it as he walked around the side of the building opposite of where they had parked. She followed him, darting into the children’s room to look out that window to see him headed toward the construction area and wrench back the fence before walking in.

Alex had watched the surrounding area all day prior, there had been no movement. No one else seemed to be around the condominium and they were far enough back from the main road that cars didn’t come by either. He had mapped out the construction area as best as he could, taking mental notes of where things were that he wanted to check out and what to grab. His first stop was going to be the office trailer to see what type of radios they had and to check and see if the generators would run the electricity inside or if they had already hardwired it to the electric grid.

Breaking one of the windows on the door with the butt of his gun Alex reached inside and unlocked the door. He peered around one more time before slipping inside and flipping a light switch. It came on. One small victory he supposed as he slipped the duffle from his shoulder and set it in a chair and got to work. He snatched up anything he thought could be useful as he dug through drawers, pulled open cabinets, and even went through employee lockers. He had turned the CB radio on to shuffle channels, the white noise on every channel serving as his background music.

Madeline stared at the small light from the trailer for a bit waiting to see what he was up to. He didn’t emerge for a while and she grew impatient, bouncing her leg, as she waited. After what seemed like hours he stepped back out, the bag significantly fuller she noted as he cut off the light and shut the door. As if he knew she were watching his eyes instantly snapped up to the window she was in and she flitted away, dropping the curtain down. He hadn’t shared with her what he was doing so she wasn’t going to stare at him all day, he could do what he pleased even if it made her nervous.

Instead, she walked into the living room and looked at the piles that were still laid out on the floor. She snatched up the list he had made of everything and twisted the paper this way and that at the notes he had made. He had even inventoried Everett’s things with a small note of where he moved them to keep out of her eyesight but to not forget them when they left. It was difficult to reconcile this Alex with the one from yesterday and she sighed as she tossed the paper back down onto the floor. She needed to do something, anything, besides sitting and wallowing; she had done enough of that.

The kitchen was where she found herself. She dug out trash bags and started to go through the food, setting it all out on the counters and sorting through keep and toss. The fridge would be the last thing, everything in there rotten and already smelling. The ice from the machine had puddled and dried on the floor already and something else suspicious looking was leaking out the bottom of one of the doors.

Alex didn’t return until he had two bags worth of items slung on his back and toted a full gas can he had found. A light rain had begun when he called Price again, standing at the bottom of the stairs that led up to their condo. It rang for a while before dropping, storm clouds obscuring the already weak signal. He had been trying to call every three hours, letting it ring a specific number of times, before hanging up. Price wouldn’t know the line he was calling from, the phone was new, so he wanted to establish a pattern so maybe he’d try back.

When Alex climbed to the top of the stairs, he set the gas can down underneath a decorative bench and looked at the bags and bags of garbage sitting there. It smelled horrendous and he toed one of them with his boot to see it was food that had gone bad. He wasn’t a fan of the fact Madeline had gone outside without him but he reeled in his disapproval as he started lugging the bags back down the stairs. He didn’t want to draw any attention to the fact they were there, to humans or animals, so he took everything to the trash near the Tahoe. The rain was coming down in sheets by the time he finished and he shook his arms off at the front door before letting himself inside.

The moment Madeline heard Alex coming up the stairs she deserted the kitchen to go back to the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She had checked on him from time to time throughout the day to make sure he hadn’t landed himself in any trouble, but that did not mean she wanted to face him. The work in the kitchen had taken hours, between organizing, clearing out the fridge, and trying to not vomit as she cleaned it all up. Everything in the fridge was spoiled, completely ruined, and rotting. The mysterious leaking liquid under the door had been a combination of thawed meat juice, ice cream, and other questionable things. That had nearly done her in as she scooped it all out and she had to take a long break to breathe.

The upside to clearing it all out though was she had found wine. Multiple bottles of wine between the fridge and pantry that were still good. She didn’t feel the need to ration those out as she had done with the food and had snagged a bottle for herself in her retreat. She also grabbed a single pack of peanut butter snack crackers for her dinner not bothering to sort anything out for Alex. He could figure it out on his own.

Alex looked around the kitchen as he drip dried on the tile noting the smell of cleaning chemicals. The counters were covered in different piles of food Madeline had set out. It was all non-perishable items fashioned by needing to be cooked to ready to eat, followed by piles of items close to expiration that would need to be eaten first. He mulled over a can of ravioli, which was originally in the ‘to be cooked’ pile, before settling on that for his dinner. He wasn’t above eating cold Chef Boyardee and he was starved.

Opening the can he grabbed a fork and headed to the living room to start skimming through the documents on his laptop that he had downloaded the day before. He had a little bit of light left and he wanted to spend it wisely. He set up by the window, angling the sat phone through a small open crack at the sky to try and grab the internet again. He sent off an email to anyone he could think of with just the GPS coordinates of where he and Madeline were, the new number he had, and that they had made it to the CDC but were turned away after leaving Everett. The email took over thirty minutes to send, the loading bar creeping desperately slowly as he ate. Once it finished, he shut down and made a mental note to go charge the laptop in the office the next day.

Madeline sat on the bed nursing her bottle of red wine as she flipped through a book. Alex was quiet in the living room but that was fine by her, he was back inside so she knew he was safe, so she allowed herself a decent buzz. Hardly eating anything that day allowed the fuzzy calm to settle over her faster than normal and she found herself staring at the bedroom door. She wanted to go talk to him, to see how he was feeling, ask what he had done that day. Anything to end this impenetrable silence that just wouldn’t go away. But she knew better, knew it was the wine talking and she wasn’t truly ready to speak to him. Judging by the fact night fell and he never once came in, he didn’t want to speak to her either.

The next six days were much of a the same. Both of them working on their own things, carefully avoiding one another in the process. It was odd to be sharing a space yet barely seeing the other, let alone not exchanging a single word. Madeline had no idea what Alex was planning with all the work he was doing. He left at first light and only returned before nightfall which was when she would retreat to the bedroom.

She thought she heard him stop by the room one evening though. Knocking so lightly Madeline wasn’t sure if her brain made it up or not. She stared at the door waiting to see if he would knock again but was only met with silence. His footsteps a moment later down the hall made her assume she had made it up in her mind, subconsciously desperate for some human connection. The urge, need, for a scrap of interaction was strong enough that she actually got up and intended to walk out and ask him what he was doing. But when she heard the shower cut on in the guest bathroom a moment later, she retreated back to her isolation. It was better this way she told herself as she curled into the bed feeling desperately lonely.

On day seven Alex awoke from his fitful rest, opting to take a twin bed in the kids’ room over the couch, to a loud clap of thunder. The sky outside was murky, overcast, as rain came down in droves turning the construction area into a mudpuddle and effectively killing all visibility. Winters in the south were typically rainy, too warm to snow most days, and with the warm air pushing up from the gulf it brought thunderstorms as it clashed with the cool. Many people assumed tornado season was during the summer but it was truly the end of winter and the start of spring when the warm air got a little too far north too quickly.

Madeline emerged from the bedroom as thunder rumbled. She went right to the kitchen to pull out any sort of container she could find that could catch the rain; the pipes had finally run dry on her shower the night before. They had plenty of water to drink, Alex had begun his raid of the neighbor’s condos and dragged in cases of water and other sports drinks. But if they wanted to clean up, use the bathroom, or anything along those lines they needed a different water supply. She was juggling a few pots and bowls when Alex walked in half dressed and stared at her. It was the first time they had actually looked at one another besides in passing since the roof.

“I’ll be out of your way in a second,” she muttered as she headed toward the bedroom to go out to the fire escape.

“You don’t have to keep hiding in the bedroom,” Alex answered as he walked toward her and she stiffened. “Mads,” he tried.

“Don’t,” Madeline answered firmly as he attempted to use her nickname. “You keep doing your thing, and I’ll do mine. It’s worked out pretty well this far,” she reasoned as she moved to slip past him. “It’ll make it easier when you finish your plans and head out.”

Truth be told she had woken up every day thinking that it would be the day he’d leave. She had begun to suspect he had been stockpiling and planning for his departure. Each night he returned the panic in her chest seemed to ease a bit only to ratchet back up the next morning as he headed out. On the third morning when she walked out for breakfast after he had left, she found a small box of items he had set out for her. Books, old magazines, a puzzle, and other items raided from neighboring condos. They were things to keep her occupied. She thought, perhaps, it was a peace offering and showing his intentions to not leave, but she didn’t accept it. She left the box there and ignored it over the next few days when more items appeared in it.

“I don’t want to keep doing this,” Alex stated as he stepped in her path, causing her to halt and look up at him. “We need to talk.”

“You said enough the other day,” Madeline replied coolly “I don’t need any clarification on that.”

“Yes, you do,” Alex retorted doing his best to not raise his voice. “But if you’re not ready to hear what I have to say about that, we need to talk about what comes next.”

He thought a few days would be enough, enough time for both of them to cool off and come back together to talk. Perhaps that had been a foolish hope, judging by her glare. Out of everything, he missed the company the most. Just someone to talk with during the long stretches of mundane work, the comfort of holding each other at night when the darkness pressed in. He was spending too much time alone with his ghosts, with Farah’s ghost, and at this point, Madeline was just another phantom in his life. He had hoped his quiet offerings would help bridge the gap a bit between them. But while she picked through the things he left for her, items moved around so he knew she looked, she hadn’t taken a single thing, confirming she wasn’t ready to be around him.

“What next steps? Have you heard from anyone?” Madeline asked quickly as she shifted the pots in her hands.

“Nothing yet,” Alex answered truthfully. “But we need to have a backup plan in case anything changes between now and then. This was originally just a temporary stop, it’s not the safest place out there, too many variables.” He gestured to the laptop sitting on the dining room table. “I found some information on those safe locations they talked about at the CDC. Not all of them are functioning from what I could gather, but one in Texas looks promising.”

Texas. That was so far away from where they were, from Everett. Madeline swallowed once before nodding.

“Fine. Let me set these out and we can discuss.”

“Do you want help? We can put a few on the roof,” Alex tried as he watched her juggle everything and he quickly caught a bowl that toppled off her arm. This was the longest conversation that they had in days and he found himself smiling at her as he held the plastic blue bowl on his finger.

“No, I can do it just fine. I’ll be out in a second,” Madeline answered as she looked at him and snatched the bowl back none too kindly. She wasn’t about to fall for his smiles and easy flirts, she did that once and he had lured her too easily.

When she got to the bedroom, she kicked the door shut behind her maybe a little louder than was needed. A reminder that he was not welcome in the space she had claimed solely for her, one they had briefly shared for a night before he shattered the illusion.

Alex sighed as the door shut. He stood staring at it for a moment, as he did every time she shut it, feeling her reinforce the barrier between them that he had accidentally created. He spent all his free time wondering what he could do, what he could say, to try and fix things between them. Every night, before he settled in for sleep, he hesitated outside the door, bringing his hand up to knock, telling himself that this time they would talk about it, only to back away again. Then, when he woke up in the middle of the darkness, feeling more isolated than he ever had in his life, he found himself sitting in the hallway, staring at the door. Silently willing her to come out, to need him again as desperately as he needed her. She never did, and eventually he would give up his vigil and head back to bed.

Texas seemed like their best option now. It would be a long and awkward drive, but it would be better than continuing to dance around each other here. Alex could get Madeline there, ensure she was safe, and then they could go their separate ways. He would have to find another place to go after dropping her off because he couldn't stay wherever she was without being with her. The condo was proof of that, the slow torture of being so close yet so far from each other.

While he waited for Madeline to return, he went to the living room and stared at the satellite phone, which showed no service. With each passing day of radio silence, he was losing hope of ever hearing back from anyone again. Without his team, Farah, and soon, Madeline, Alex realized he truly was alone. And it was by his own doing.

Chapter Text

Alex waited in the living room, taking a seat on the couch before Madeline walked in a few minutes later, drying her hands on her shirt. The rain was still coming down hard outside, which was going to throw off his calling schedule for Price and the others. He pushed that thought to the side as he flipped open a notebook where he had been writing down all his plans. There were a few options, different scenarios, and places they could try to go. What they would do if they heard from Price, Laswell, what to do if no news came at all.

“Here,” Alex said as he held out the notebook to where she sat on the other end of the couch, as far away from him as she could get. “Few ideas I’ve come up with, among other things,” he explained as she took the notebook from him and started to read.

Madeline found pages of roughly sketched maps of the community they were staying in, scribbles of items he found, notes of what buildings housed what items, and a to-do list with lines through more than half of the things there. Further in, she found gas mileage calculations and how far he thought they could get with the different cars he had found keys for. She had watched him checking a big bag of keys against the vehicles in the parking lot the day before, throwing away extra keys and leaving the ones that worked on the kitchen counter.

Madeline glanced up as Alex rose from the couch when she flipped another page. He looked at her for a second, sheepishly, ruffling up his bedhead before padding into the kitchen. She watched him from behind the cushions as he stood with his back to her, his shirtless back, and made coffee. Well, he poured a cup of a few days-old coffee from the work trailer he had brewed and put in thermal mugs.

She had yet to accept any of his other offerings of peace, but when he left coffee with a note two days ago, she nearly inhaled it. Madeline opened her mouth to ask him for a cup before shutting it; she wasn’t supposed to be talking to him, she reminded herself. No matter how he looked in his low-slung sweats with mussed hair and dog tags hanging on his bare chest. Or how much it seemed he was trying to earn her forgiveness; it wasn’t enough, she kept telling herself. She couldn’t trust he was genuine because she had tried that route already, and he had torn her apart. Used her in her naivety. Realizing she was staring, she flicked her eyes back to the notebook and flipped another page.

Madeline.

That was why he had risen from the couch and walked off with a look of apprehension. And why he was still standing in the kitchen toying with a packet of sugar, pointedly not looking at her. He had attempted to write out an apology or an explanation. She wasn’t sure what it was as she looked over the words; many of them were scribbled out hard enough that she couldn’t figure out the words, and others were lightly crossed. She ran her fingers over the indented paper, over a splotch of ink that looked like the pen may have broken under his hands in his haste or frustration to figure out what to say.

“You can skip over all that,” Alex said after a second as he finally turned around to lean against the counter. "None of it came out right anyway, and you already said you don’t want to talk about it,” he ventured.

“Right,” Madeline barely breathed out as she skimmed over a few lines he hadn’t crossed out enough. Confessions of regret and admittance of his inability to control his rash reactions. She wanted to read more, delve into it, and try to understand. But by the way, he was staring; she flipped the page, pages, until she got to the coordinates of the Texas safe zone. He had written out directions, different routes to take, and ones to avoid.

Alex didn’t let the disappointment show as she agreed and moved on to the plans of leaving. He pushed it down and walked back over to the couch to take a seat again on the far end. He let her read everything over in silence, his eyes locked on the window where the rain was coming down in sheets. The coffee was horrendous, but he drank it anyway for lack of anything else to do.

“When?” Madeline finally asked as she came to the last page. She flipped through to find them all blank, so his last scribbled notes keeping tabs on his contact schedule had been it. How long ago had he tried to write those apologies? When did he decide to give it up for a lost cause? She wasn’t sure how she felt about it because she had been the one to push him so far away, yet the finality of it stung somewhere deep in her chest.

“Next day or two,” Alex answered as he set the coffee down half finished. He couldn’t stomach any more of it. “Depends on this weather. I have a few more things I wanted to try and finish before we left but the rain is putting a damper on that.”

“Is there anything I can do to help you out there? I know I’ve been sitting around for the most part.”

“No. I would just go through the things I’ve brought in and decide what you want to take. We won’t have a ton of room; I’m not taking the Tahoe. The gas mileage and size are impractical,” Alex explained. It felt odd how they were speaking to one another, very matter-of-fact and stilted. Even from the start, they hadn’t quite acted like strangers. They had fallen into conversation and friendship relatively easily.

“Right,” Madeline replied as she flipped back a few pages to the list of cars. He had marked a few with underlines, all midsized SUVs that she could gather. “I could pack up the car at least if you pick one. Write down anything you want to take.”

“Are you good with going? I don’t want to make that choice for you,” Alex asked as he leaned against the arm of the couch to face her better.

“I don’t think I have much choice,” Madeline answered quietly as she shut the notebook and set it on the cushion between them. “I can’t stay here alone, and if you want to move, that’s the only option.”

“You have other options,” Alex answered. “I know Texas is far from here, from Everett,” he paused. “But I could find you a place close to here that’s a bit more secure. Leave you communication options. Make sure that Price relays to your sister where you are so they can come get you.”

“And where do you factor into all of this? What is your plan?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t have much outside of trying to get to the team somehow. I’ve got contacts in Mexico that they’ll potentially rendezvous with.” He wasn’t going to tell her he was going to forge his way on his own because he was alone. His hopes anyone was still alive that he knew were slim, and while he didn’t want to leave Madeline behind here, he also wasn’t going to force her to go to Texas. He had seen the hesitation and reluctance at his mention of Texas before. Knew being that far from Everett terrified her. Though being here, she wasn’t much help to him either.

“I can’t stay,” Madeline stated again after a few beats of silence. “Everett is safe, me being here or there doesn’t change that. And I know I won’t make it by myself,” she sighed and ran a hand through her hair, eyes darting to the piles of supplies on the living room floor still. “I’ll go wherever you are going, Texas, I guess. See how things are there; maybe I’ll be useful to them.” Her voice had a bite to it, but it wasn’t as harsh as it had been during the past few conversations. It seemed now that there was a conclusion to all of this; she was ready to just get there and get it done.

Alex shut his eyes for a second at her words, doing his best to not argue back with her. She was anything but useless as she had deemed herself over and over, and how she thought he felt about her. She had saved their asses in the mountains, kept Everett alive and uninjured at the attack in the cabin, kept his sanity in check, and had done so much here in the condo to assist. She was strong, smart, and, despite everything, resilient, but he couldn’t tell her that. She wouldn’t listen, she’d only hear the hurtful things he had flung at her instead.

“It’s settled then,” Alex answered finally before pushing up from the couch. “There are a few things I can do even with the rain,” he explained, snatching up his half-drunk coffee and going back to the kitchen. Really he would rather stand outside in the pouring rain all day than sit here with her, torturing himself in the awkward silence. “If you could go through the food and pull easy-to-eat items out, pack up your clothes. I’ve started a list of what I think we need to take from here. You can just throw things in those empty totes.” He pointed to a pile of black heavy-duty totes sitting in the armchair.

“Sure,” Madeline answered quietly as she followed his progression back down the hallway. She heard the door of the kid’s room click shut as he went to get ready. She sighed and looked at the notebook before snatching it up again, flipping to a blank page, and grabbing a pen to start her own list.

She was working on an inventory of food when Alex came back out dressed for the rain. He only paused briefly to grab something to eat and the pile of car keys before he was out the door without a word. Madeline listened to him jog down the stairs before resuming her work, dragging a tote over to fill up with what she thought would be good to take. It was a hodgepodge of things, and she wrote it all down and taped the list to the lid before moving on to a second tote. She wasn’t sure how much room they’d have, but she thought food and water were probably among the more important things.

Alex still attempted to reach out to the team throughout the day despite the rain. He began rearranging cars slowly, careful not to make too much noise too frequently to be safe. The more useful vehicles were moved closest to their condo, and the ones he didn’t want were further away. He was also careful to not make the setup too obvious, scattering them around different parking spaces to make it look like naturally left behind cars. But he still had them all within view of one of the windows from their condo. Once the useless vehicles were moved, he siphoned gas out of them, filling up multiple gas cans and stashing them into varying trunks. He had learned over the years to always have more than one option and never expect anything to go to plan.

The moving and arranging took hours with how slow he had to go, but it kept him busy. He only paused when the rain was coming down so hard he couldn’t move the windshield wipers couldn’t keep up. The thunder was ground shaking and he rode out one storm in a beat-up Civic and scarfed down a snack pack of mini muffins as he waited.

Madeline had checked on Alex a few times between her work and watched him carefully move things around the parking lot. He glanced up at the condo a few times, but she always ducked back from the window. The thunderstorms seemed unending through the day, one rolling out only to be followed by another an hour later, and the rain never let up. On a particularly loud storm, she had blatantly opened a window and leaned out to find where Alex was, tempted to call him inside when she spotted him eating his late lunch in a car. She gave him a small half wave, unsure if he had seen, before going back inside.

Between packing, she worked on gathering the extra water she had caught from the rain and dumping it into the tubs. If they were going to be on the road again soon, they wouldn’t need a whole lot, but she wanted to bathe at least one more time before they left.

The work had taken most of the day and Madeline kept itching to flip the notebook pages back to look at what Alex had attempted to write to her. She talked herself out of it every time, but when she was finally exhausted and collapsed on the couch, she snatched it up and flipped. What was the worst thing that could happen? He had already hurt her enough, maybe some sort of explanation would at least make it sting a little less, or help her understand. She propped the notebook on her knees as she rummaged through a box of stale Cheerios and started to decipher.

The day ran out of light earlier than usual, thanks to the storms, so Alex headed back inside, soaked to the skin, a couple of hours ahead of schedule. When he walked back into the condo, he didn’t see Madeline; it seemed she had abandoned the living area for the bedroom. Shucking off his outer layer, he threw the clothes into the sink before walking around to assess what she had done. There were totes neatly stacked by the pantry door and they all had paper torn from his notebook taped to them. He bent down to read one as he undid his shoes to see it was a list of everything inside, and he grinned a bit. It seemed she had the same idea of splitting things out, making each tote a combination of things just to be safe.

He grabbed his dinner, a prepacked protein shake, and the other half of a bag of chips from the night before, and headed to his room. If Madeline had turned in for the night he may as well, he lost valuable time today so if the storm cleared overnight he could get an early start. As he tipped the bag of chips up to get some crumbs he paused in his steps. Madeline’s bedroom door was open. It was just a small gap, hardly enough to see much aside from a sliver of wall, but it was open. She had kept it firmly shut for the past week and he stared at it for just a second longer debating. Was it a coincidence? An accident? Maybe she wanted to talk to him and it was a silent invitation to do so. He stared for a few seconds more before going toward his room. He wasn’t going to push it. She had barely agreed to speak to him, and he wouldn’t ruin that.

Madeline sat quietly on the bed, listening to Alex as he came in, twisting her hands in her lap as she waited. She had no idea what to do, to say. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to say anything at all, to be honest. She had been able to make out what he had tried to say in his writing, piece together his scribbles, and attempt to convey his thoughts. It wasn’t enough for forgiveness, not nearly enough, but it was a start. So she decided to leave it up to him to see if he would want to talk. When he stopped outside her door she held her breath waiting, still unsure of what she wanted, but when his steps continued down the hall she loosed it with a twist of disappointment. Maybe it wasn’t the best time or the time at all.

Still, though, she kept the door open.

Thunder was still rumbling in the distance when Madeline woke up. She had to unbury herself from where she had burrowed under the pillows and feel around for the watch on the nightstand. It was still too dark to be a decent waking hour, but she hit the backlight button on the digital face and had to blink a few times to read it. Two in the morning. She sighed and pushed the watch back onto the table as thunder hummed in the background, but she heard something else. Instantly she popped her head up to listen better, heart ratcheting up a few beats in her chest. She heard it again, muffled, but it was certainly there, and she threw her legs out of bed and stood up, stumbling a bit on her still-asleep muscles.

Grabbing the small penlight flashlight, too dim to be seen from the outside but enough to light her walkway, Madeline shuffled toward her bedroom door. If she heard it, surely Alex heard it as well. He was always on alert, waiting for the next threat. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he was already up and in the living room monitoring the area, gun propped on his shoulder, ready to take down whatever it was.

She pried the door open, thankful she had decided to leave it open overnight and realized the sound was louder now. Her heart jumped into her throat as she clicked the light off and tried to listen over her own quickened breathing. How had something gotten inside? She knew Alex barricaded the door every night, and he certainly wasn’t going to sleep through it. She glanced around in the dark for what to do, where to go, afraid that maybe something had happened to Alex when the sound clearly met her ears this time.

It wasn’t one of those things.

Fumbling down the hall, Madeline went for Alex’s room. His door was also open, and she banged into it. She couldn’t see him in the dark but she could hear him. Hear the frantic shifting in the bed, the stifled groans and choked noises as he fought unknown terrors in his sleep. She tripped over something as she crossed the room and barely caught herself on the bed's footboard. Her jarring the bed didn’t wake Alex as he continued to trash and groan, and she scooted around the edge.

“Alex,” she tried as her hand touched his leg. He was twisted up in the sheets, and she tugged as he strained, the darkness not helping as she attempted to unwind him. He had woken her before in the car when he had his nightmares, but it was never this loud, more of a twitch or a jolt, a few gasps. This was a whole other level, and she flinched as he yelled loudly. The words weren’t discernable but the inflection in the tone was telling enough.

“Alex!” She called out louder as she felt up his leg to his stomach and finally found one of his arms. He pulled back hard out of her grasp, and Madeline groped for him again, resting her hip on the side of the bed. She slid her hands over his chest finding more sheets and blankets before her fingers found skin. He was damp with sweat, and his breathing was coming too quick, almost in gasps as he fought whatever terrors. “Alex,” Madeline tried soothingly as her hands found either side of his face and gripped him hard. “I need you to wake up,” she tried, shaking his head a bit, “you’re dreaming. You’re safe; I’m here with you,” she continued as he twisted a bit but perhaps calmed a fraction. “Whatever you’re seeing, it’s not real,” Madeline continued quietly, running her thumbs over his cheekbones, feeling the wetness from sweat or tears; she wasn’t sure.

He was being held down, restrained as he watched it happen, and couldn’t help. As he watched those things tear into her and rip her to pieces as he just stood by uselessly. He couldn’t do it, couldn’t let it happen again; he’d already failed once. He twisted and fought against the hands, against the ties keeping him down. They were too tight, his limbs too heavy and slow. He thrashed again and felt the hands grab his face to hold him and make him watch. He wouldn’t. He got one hand free and grabbed at them before everything vanished, and he opened his eyes in the dark.

Alex had grabbed at Madeline’s wrist hard enough to make her squeak with a bit of pain, but she didn’t let go of him. It seemed his movement, or maybe her voice, had finally dragged him out of the dream. He had stopped squirming and fighting, though his chest was heaving, and his fingers dug painfully into her pulse point as he continued to hold on. He didn’t say anything just yet, and Madeline felt him snap his head to the side a bit to assess what was going on.

“Just a dream,” Madeline said quietly in the dark, and she felt him shift his head to look at where her voice had come from.

“Madeline?” Alex asked, his voice a rasp. His throat was dry and felt like sandpaper, and he still couldn’t quite piece together what was real and what was the dream. He continued to hold her wrist as he blinked into the dark to banish the images. “Are you…are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Madeline answered simply as she continued to cup his face. “I’m a little more concerned for you,” she confessed as he finally loosened his grip some so her fingers weren’t going numb.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” He asked again, not really comprehending that she was there with him. He had seen it with his own two eyes, seen her be bit, be savagely ripped apart. Seen Farah dying alone in some back ally. Watched as they both looked to him for help that he couldn’t give. Their eyes pleading for help, flashing with anger at his inability, then terror as they succumbed to the sickness and blood loss. “You’re here?”

No, what he had seen wasn’t right. Farah was in Urzikstan; he had left her behind. She was…well, she was dead, but he hadn’t seen it. And Madeline was here talking to him, so she hadn’t been attacked and ripped apart.

Or was this the dream?

“Alex, I am okay,” Madeline said calmly as he continued to work through whatever plagued his thoughts. She could feel him still breathing rapidly, and when his other hand reached for her, she held still. Let his fingers brush along her side, broad palm running up to her shoulder blade before coming to rest on her shoulder itself. “See? Just fine.”

“Fuck,” Alex finally groaned as he pushed his head back into the pillow in frustration and perhaps embarrassment. She was here with him; he could feel the warmth of her skin under his clammy grip and her cool hands on his flushed cheeks as she continued to hold him to ground him. What he had seen hadn’t been real; this was real. She was real. “Fuck I’m sorry, Madeline,” he muttered as he let his hand fall away with a small thump, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“That is the least of my worries right now,” Madeline answered as she let go of him now that he was more coherent. He seemed as if he needed space to breathe so she moved to stand up right as he pushed onto his elbows.

He needed to get out from under the blankets. They were sticking to him like a second skin with sweat, and his hair was also plastered to his forehead. How long had he been trashing about? What had he said and done? He swung his legs out from the small twin bed and planted his feet on the floor, the cold vinyl a nice jolt to his brain to wipe away some of the fog. He leaned forward and dug the heel of his palms into his eyes as if they would press the dream out of his mind.

“Does this happen often?” Madeline asked quietly as she stood just inches away. He mentioned he didn’t mean to wake her, which said this happened more than once.

“Enough,” Alex muttered simply as he rested his forehead in his hands, pushing the hair up and away.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She knew why, of course, because she had thoroughly shut him out and made it clear she didn’t want to talk to him.

“I’m not going to burden you with this too. This is my own shit.”

“I,” Madeline started before she reached for him. “I know we’ve got some things to talk about, but I didn’t want you to suffer. Not like this,” she breathed as she stepped closer, her hand resting on his bare shoulder where it met his neck.

“I can handle it,” Alex said with a humorless laugh, “comes with the job. These things aren’t new for me. It won’t be the last time.”

“You shouldn’t have to handle it alone.”

She stepped around one of his legs to stand before him in the dark. Alex leaned back slightly at her sudden closeness, but Madeline curled her fingers a bit, not wanting him to pull far away. Before either of them could reconsider or pull away, she slid her other arm around him and pulled him against her.

Alex quickly understood Madeline’s intent and didn’t resist her movements. He shifted his position, spreading his legs to make more room for her. As she closed the distance, he leaned his head against her chest, embracing the hug. It was the first soft gesture she had offered him in over a week, and Alex hadn’t realized how much he needed it until he felt her warmth again.

Madeline gently cradled the back of Alex’s head with one hand, her other resting soothingly along his back. In response, Alex wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her shirt with a soft sigh. She could feel how his fingers dug into her skin, gently but conveying a fear she’d pull away or reject him again. But she didn’t. She continued to hold him to her quietly, letting her hand on his head gently run through his hair, feeling the three scar lines near his temple that she had yet to hear how he had received them.

The closeness and simple strength she gave him made Alex swallow hard to keep from falling apart again. The dark always made it so much easier to unravel and that much harder to keep it together. He had been grieving Farah, the suspected death of his friends, and the loss of Madeline’s companionship, utterly alone with no one to talk about it with. It was all overwhelming, and this gesture was the final straw on his tether of false bravado.

“I’m here,” Madeline finally said as she felt Alex tense and stiffen as he tried to hold himself together. She had not been shy about crying in front of him and had broken down too many times to keep up with. He had always been there to help her through it, given her space when she needed it, but also picked her back up and kept her moving. Yet, when he needed her support most, she had walked away. Even though his words had hurt her immensely, and she knew it was the grief talking, she continued to shut him out and let her anger drive instead of logic.

She had forced him to navigate his pain alone, something he would never have done to her. She knew if she had lashed out, berated, or screamed at him, he would have come back because he understood. “I’m sorry for what happened to Farah,” she said quietly, feeling him tighten his grip on her at the mention of the name. “And I’m sorry for making you go through this alone.”

“Madeline,” Alex said quietly, afraid if he raised his voice, she would hear how badly it was wavering. “You have nothing to be sorry for. The things I said-”

“Weren’t you,” Madeline finished for him before he tried to continue to blame himself. “I read the note,” she paused, “notes.”

“I meant what I wrote,” he mumbled, “I couldn’t say it right but writing was a little easier.” He let his fingers press into the soft skin of her back as he pressed closer into her embrace. He was fighting to keep everything together, not let emotion overwhelm him at the fact she had given him a chance. That she understood what happened on the roof really was not him and how it had all gone to shit in a shockingly fast fashion.

“I know,” was all Madeline replied as she stared off into the darkness. She wasn’t ready to forget what happened between them, but now wasn't the time to talk about it. Instead, she gently continued to soothe him, feeling his breathing start to slow into a more relaxed state and his muscles untense.

“You should get back to sleep,” she finally ventured after a long moment of silence as they held onto one another. “It’s still early enough to get a few more hours before sun up.”

Alex shifted and leaned back some to look up at her in the dark, his hands sliding to grip at her hips gently. “I’m probably not going to get back to sleep,” he answered before letting his hands drop from her to his lap. “Usually don’t. I can get started on a few things,” he reasoned before Madeline flexed her fingers on his shoulders to hold him in place.

“We both need some good sleep if we’re about to hit the road again. It’s still stormy out, nothing you can do in the dark,” she reasoned.

“I’ll just stare at the ceiling if I stay here. You can go back to bed I’ll be quiet,” he answered back as he sighed. “I’m usually up for hours before you anyway.”

“Move over,” Madeline said, sounding braver than she felt.

“Mads there’s no room in this-“ Alex started as she shifted to go around him. “I’m fine, you can go back to bed.”

“It’s just like the car,” Madeline reasoned as the bed squeaked with her added weight. She wasn’t forgiving him fully, at least not yet, but maybe just tonight, they could slip into the easy companionship they had developed, filling the void of loneliness for her and loss for him. Tomorrow they could figure things out properly.

Alex didn’t fight her. He shifted back into the small twin bed until his bareback hit the wall, sending a chill down his spine. Laying down on his side, he tucked his elbow under his head and shoved the pillow in her direction as she pushed the sheets down to get under them. It really was just like the SUV and he raised his arm up as she laid down and pressed herself up to his chest, curling her own arms against her chest between them. He let her settle, get that last small adjustment before he dropped the arm around her and pulled her tight to him.

“Good?” Madeline barely whispered as she felt his heart hammering under her hands. Or was that her own?

“Good,” Alex answered back as he splayed his hand on her back to keep her pressed to him and not topple on the floor. She didn’t say anything else as she lay there, her body stiff with awkwardness. As time passed, she relaxed more into the bed, and soon, her breathing was a soft sigh, indicating she had fallen asleep.

It was a long while before Alex fell asleep, the nightmare still vivid in his mind as he held onto Madeline. But even with the images flashing in his mind, he was more relaxed, more content to know at least one thing in his world wasn’t gone. Least not yet. They still needed to discuss the next steps and plans. He wasn’t sure when exactly he fell asleep, but even with everything on his mind, having Madeline there next to him, he was able to rest undisturbed by thoughts or nightmares for the rest of the night.

The next time Madeline awoke, she found herself curled nearly on top of Alex. She blinked at the watery sunlight coming through the windows as she tried to take in her surroundings. Her cheek was pressed tight to his chest, one of her arms flung across him. His arm, in turn, was protectively wrapped around her back to hold her close, and his other hand loosely held her bicep as if he had tugged her on top of him and fallen asleep holding her. She shifted a leg to stretch a bit and found their legs were also entwined together. She peered down where the blankets adorned with cartoon characters hid their lower halves.

He was shirtless and while the room had a chill to it, he was warm like always. No matter the weather or the temperature, Alex always ran hot. His skin was like a radiator under her fingers, and it was perfect to sleep with. Sliding her hand to the center of his chest near her face, she quietly looked at his arm that was caging her. She let her eyes rove over the tattoo that she had seen plenty of times but never this close or this long to pick up the detail. He must have had it for years, parts of it faded a bit with age and use, a few spots marred by scars he received after the artwork.

Madeline ran her finger over the staff of what looked to be a grim reaper near the crease of his elbow when Alex’s breathing stuttered with alertness at the movement. She halted and turned her head up to see him blinking at the ceiling, the arm around her back tightening its grip as if afraid she’d slip away.

“How long ago did you get these?” Madeline asked as she returned her attention back to the tattoo and traced a few swirls of black-inked smoke, the pad of her finger feeling the ridge of another scar.

“Years ago,” Alex answered with a yawn as he peered down at what she was looking at. “Need some touchup, not sure when that will happen,” he added. “I had a plan to eventually run it down my back but life got in the way.”

“It has a funny way of doing that,” Madeline answered as she let her hand fall to rest on his chest again. “Get enough rest?” She asked, tilting her head up to look at him. He was pale with exhaustion, the dark circles under his eyes prominent in this light.

“I could use another three days,” Alex confessed with a small grin, “but I got plenty to be able to function.”

“I guess we better get going,” Madeline stated as she shifted to sit up. She was sore from being tucked so tightly to him, no room to move in the small bed. “Since you lost some time yesterday. Do you still want to leave tomorrow?”

Alex’s arm fell away from her as she sat up, hiding his disappointment that the moment was over so quickly. He watched her back as she stretched, her tank top riding up her waist to give him a peek of her own tattoo on her ribs. He stared for a moment longer before pushing to sit up himself, groaning as his shoulder and back popped at the moment.

“Tomorrow or the day after. I don’t want to leave in a rush if we don’t have to and risk forgetting anything,” Alex answered. “But lingering also isn’t the best idea either. It’s just a matter of time before people start venturing out for more places to raid, to find supplies. Grocery stores and the like will be depleted by now, and people need food. This is out of the way, but locals will know it exists.”

“Right,” Madeline answered as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and looked over her shoulder at him. “Can I help today?” She asked, “and not just by staying inside. I’m getting a bit stir-crazy.”

“I, ah,” Alex started, but he saw her eyes narrow. She was talking to him; he wasn’t going to ruin this tentative truce. “We can start packing the car.”

“Great,” Madeline answered as she stood up and reached above her head to stretch out, pushing up onto her tiptoes before settling flat foot again. “I’ll get changed, and we can eat then get started,” she gave him a small smile.

“Sure,” Alex replied with his own smile as he watched her walk out.

Alex arrived in the living room first and flipped open the laptop, plugged the phone in, and swiped over to his email. He was prepared to just send his usual morning communication when a noise outside caught his attention. He rose from the seat and peered out the window.

They had company much sooner than he anticipated.

Chapter Text

Madeline had been in the midst of pulling on a pair of boots when she heard the sound of an approaching car. She shot up from where she had been sitting and went to one of the bedroom windows to peer out, careful to stay off to the side. The gauzy curtains shielded her enough from being seen, but she could easily see the car, cars, pulling in. There were at least three of them, and they were driving slowly surveying the area. Her eyes instantly cut to the bowls that she had left on the fire escape overnight, and she debated how fast she could open the windows and pull them in before they saw. She decided against it as they drew closer; movement would draw their eye, but a few errant items may not.

“Madeline,” Alex called, his voice even lower than usual as he watched two vehicles park by the construction trailer. “How many do you have?”

“Three,” Madeline answered as she walked out to the living room, feeling her body already beginning to tense up with fear. “Why? Are there more?” She asked as Alex remained stock still, staring out the window.

“Two,” he answered simply as he continued to watch. Two men climbed out of a beat-up truck, guns raised, looking around the area as their companions climbed out of their car, also armed. “Armed,” he continued as Madeline walked up to his side to look out as well, pressing herself up to his side to look out the small gap he made in the curtain with his fingers.

“I didn’t stay long enough to see if they were armed,” Madeline answered as she gripped the windowsill, watching as the men used the hole in the fence Alex had made to get into the construction area.  “What do we do?” Madeline asked after a second of watching. One of the men was barely a man at all, a gangly teenager who held his shotgun like he had never seen one before, let alone used one.

“We watch,” Alex said quietly as he flicked his eyes down to her. He brought his free hand up to her lower back, carefully pressing his hand there as a form of reassurance. He could feel how nervous she had become, everything rigid as she stared out the window and her breathing tight. “And we prepare. Start gathering what you want to take and put it in easy-to-move containers. Fill the duffels, backpacks, and anything easy to carry. Keep it as quiet as possible.”

Madeline leaned into the touch before jumping as a car door slammed, and muffled voices could be heard yelling at one another.  When Alex flexed his fingers in response to the noise, she knew he was thinking exactly what she was; they were going to draw those things. In all the time they had been there, nothing had shown up, not even a noise in the distance to indicate they were around. But Alex had still kept quiet outside, was still careful as he worked, watching over his shoulder, and never letting himself get too distracted. She had watched him stop what he was doing on countless occasions to listen. Yet these people were loudly yelling at one another, opening and closing doors without worry, and making a ton of noise rattling the fence.

“They’re too loud,” Madeline finally whispered as someone, another younger-looking guy, began messing with the generator, hitting it a few times because it wouldn’t start. Alex had siphoned it the day before so it just whirred then whined and died. “They’re going to draw them,” she breathed.

“We’ll keep an eye on it,” Alex answered, his voice a bit distracted as he watched two men enter the trailer. They went in guns raised but hardly looked like they were properly trained on how to clear, which meant they’d be jumpy. “If they show up, we’ll figure out the next steps, but for now, let’s keep it one thing at a time.”

Madeline nodded once before stepping out of his grasp. If they needed to get ready, she needed to move now. Most of their items were in the living room and kitchen, respectively, but she still had clothes and items in the bedroom, and she knew Alex had some of his own things in the room he had taken.

She went to her room first and carefully threw things onto the bed: clothes, hygiene items, and a second set of heavy-duty sneakers. Living in a constant state of traveling, Madeline had learned how to pack and make the most out of little space, so she began folding. She rolled undergarments into tight balls and shoved them into her spare sneakers, stuck hygiene items inside rolled-up pants, shoved odd-shaped items into the side nets of the backpack and filled any gaps with shirts. The pack was stuffed to the brim and hard as a rock by the time she finished but she had managed to get everything she wanted to take in it and then some.

Alex kept his vigil at the window, ears strained for any noises getting too close to their condo or for those things. Luckily, the things shrieked and snarled, so their sneaking up wasn’t really a fear, and in the open area, their sounds would travel. So far, nothing. He also listened to Madeline’s quiet shuffling and the soft footfalls as she showed up in the living room with two bags so tightly packed that they made a thump as she dropped them onto the couch. She stood up and pushed some sweaty hair off her forehead, evidence of her hustling, before giving him a tight smile and heading to the kitchen.

All the work she had spent neatly dividing and packing up the items seemed null, though having her notes on them did make it a little easier. She was able to find easy-to-eat foods, ones that weren’t too heavy but had more nutrition. She dragged her old duffel onto the floor next to her and started filling it, dispersing the weight between it and another bag with the water and food. She and Alex would each have to lug one, and she grunted a bit as she lifted one onto her shoulder, then the other, before stumbling to the couch to drop them.

“We need to get to the roof,” Alex said suddenly as he spotted the group headed toward the condo. They were moving to begin raiding the condos, as he expected, but he knew what they would find. He had already gone through them and picked them clean. He hadn’t been meticulous in his movements because there was no need to cover his tracks inside the building. They just needed to keep up appearances on the outside for people driving by. But if they started going condo to condo to find them turned over and empty, they’d be upstairs to them fairly quickly.

“The roof?” Madeline asked, a bit winded as she heard the people getting closer, their voices echoing in the open stairwell between the condos as they talked. They were discussing how to split up, what to look for, and what to take. And to shoot first and ask questions later. Apparently, it didn’t take long for some people to lose their humanity.  “Why not the cars? We can just-“ she flinched as a loud bang followed by a grunt, and another loud bang met her ears. They were kicking in the doors and calling out taunts to the potential people inside.

“We won’t make it to the cars without them seeing,” Alex answered, “they’ll be up here soon. We need to look like we’ve left.”. He pushed off the window he was at and started gathering up the laptop and phone along with some other spare wires. There was another bang as he shoved the electronics into a duffel with the food before snatching up his notebook and the bag of keys of the shortlisted cars. The last thing he did was bend under the couch and dig out a small reusable grocery bag, one Madeline hadn’t seen before. He packed it as well, zipping up the duffel one-handed.

“The door?” Madeline asked as Alex grunted, throwing the straps of both duffels over his shoulder. The loveseat was still shoved against the door, and he turned to look at it.

“Leave it, they’ll hear us move it,” Alex answered as he ducked his head to slip the M16 strap over his head. “Can you just get the bags?” He slipped the safety off his gun and held one backpack by the strap out to her.

“I-yes,” Madeline answered as she stared at him. The bags of food had to be at least fifty pounds each, and he was holding them ease, along with his gun, which she knew was also heavy. Not to mention all the extra items he had shoved into the duffels at the last moment. She crossed the space to him quickly, and he motioned for her to turn around so he could slip the straps over her shoulders before she picked up the other one to carry by hand. She opened her mouth to inquire what car they were going to take when she heard an angry yell.

“They’ve figured out there’s nothing in those condos,” Alex supplied calmly as he stared at the door.  His heart rate had kicked up a few notches, but he still remained calm. These were civilians, not trained soldiers. So, while they would be trigger-happy, they were sloppy, and he could outdo them. It was just a matter of how many he could take on at a time. “Come on, they’re going to kick in every door they can find.” And no sooner did he say that, they could hear them beating at a door seemingly just a floor below them.

Madeline followed him back to the bedroom, her eyes doing one last sweep of the area before following Alex out onto the fire escape. They moved slowly in an attempt to be quiet, but every movement, each creak, sounded like a gunshot to her ears. She curled her lips into her mouth as she gingerly lowered the window back down, praying her fingers didn’t slip in the water on the glass. When it was in place, she stooped to pick up the bowls, carefully stacking them into one another before going up the stairs.

The roof was soaking, with puddles of water all over, and Alex pointed for Madeline to go to the far corner behind some HVAC units. He wanted them to be as far away from the fire escape as possible because if they couldn’t get into the condo by the front door, they could figure out the fire escape route and go up that way.

Madeline was still quiet with her steps as she walked on the roof, her feet splashing in the standing water as she panted at the extra weight on her back and in her hands. The air wasn’t frozen, but it was still chilled, and the wind that whipped around felt like it was going right through her jacket. When she got to the units, she crept around the side, half bent over, before crouching down fully so she couldn’t be seen over the roof edge. It was soaked over here, too, but they had nowhere else to go, and she eased the backpack onto the driest-looking spot next to the roof wall.

“Good?” Alex asked as he finally joined her, losing the duffel straps from his shoulders to the ground and rolling his neck a bit. When Madeline nodded her reply, eyes wide and skin a few shades paler, he gave her a small smile before sitting next to her on the roof. The water instantly soaked through his pants, and he sighed in discomfort before tensing. The group had made it to their condo. He could hear them smashing at the door, yelling at one another, and then the sound of gunshots. They had resorted to shooting at the door to get it open.

“Alex,” Madeline whispered as she gripped his forearm, flinching at each shot and yell. They weren’t even trying to be civil anymore. Each blast of the shotgun made her wince, and Alex rolled his arm over slowly and extended his hand out to her to grab. She did it gratefully as he sat listening, eyes trained toward the fire escape.

“We’re okay,” Alex stated reassuringly before he leaned forward, grabbed a duffel, and unzipped it a bit before sitting back with a few keys in his hand. “Each of these cars is fully stocked,” he explained as he shoved a few key fobs at her. There was a small post-it note wrapped around the keyring, and Madeline peered at the writing. It was the color of the car and a few numbers or letters from the license plates. “If we need to run, go to any of them,” he explained, and he saw her open her mouth to fight. “I gave us plenty of options on purpose. We can’t plan for everything, but I did my best,” he grinned slightly.

“You’re keeping some, right?” She asked as she fingered one of the loops of an actual set of keys instead of a fob. An older car, she was guessing.

“Yes, there are still some in there,” Alex said with a nod as he tapped the duffle with his foot. “All of them are viable options. So, pick your favorite,” he smirked as she mulled over the logos on the keys in her hands.

Then they heard the rattle of the metal fire escape.

Alex gently untangled his fingers from hers and pushed up on his knees, slipping the gun strap over his head and setting it gently to rest on his thighs. He could hear multiple sets of footsteps on the fire escape, the metal rattling as they clamored up, and a few voices talking. He cut his eyes to Madeline, who shrank down even further against the wall, and he indicated for her to be quiet, to which she nodded. If they could just stay tucked down in this far corner, hopefully, these people were in too much of a rush or inept to do a clean wipe of the area. Then, once they left, he and Madeline could wait it out a few hours before escaping.

Madeline shoved the keys into her pockets as she stared at Alex’s back and listened. It sounded like three or four men walking on the roof, all of them chatting casually and laughing at what they had found. One of them commented that it was obvious a woman had been in the condo, and she shut her eyes at the crude remarks they made about her from the dirty clothes they had found. Alex inhaled a sharp breath through his nose in indignation as he adjusted to reach into his vest and dig out a knife. Madeline stared at him and shook her head once, but Alex slowly shifted the gun off his lap and gently set it down on the rooftop.

They were too close for shooting, too many of them, and the more noise he made, the more people he’d draw. There were four of them, and as he quickly checked around the edge before pulling back, he saw two of them were teens who looked like they hadn’t seen anything more than a schoolyard fight. If push came to shove, he could disarm and take them out, but then they’d have to move before the rest of their companions realized they were missing. He carefully nudged the gun toward Madeline in a sign for her to take it, but she shook her head at him again.

“Take it,” Alex hissed as he flipped the knife in his hand, letting the weight settle in his palm. He nodded pointedly at the gun as if to indicate they were done talking about this, and he watched Madeline reach for it. When her fingers closed around the butt of it, he leaned his back against the HVAC as he shut his eyes to listen to their steps. They were getting closer, spread out a bit but still in a relative semblance of a group. He’d have to move quickly, aim for the biggest guy first, and pray that he was leading the way.

Alex took a deep breath, then another, body bent in a crouch, preparing for the best moment to strike. The toe of a boot came into his view, and as he was about to slip out from behind the corner, a loud blaring horn cut through the silence. He flinched and stayed crouched, looking over at Madeline as the men cursed, obviously just as startled as he had been.

Madeline prayed that whichever alarm she had set off was one of the cars that was further away. She had reached into her pocket blindly and hit the alarm on the first fob she wrapped her fingers around. Alex was good, but it was four against one, and he was planning on just going into the fight with a knife; she couldn’t risk that. He snapped his eyes to her in silent reproach, but she didn’t care; what she had done had the desired effect. The men had halted in their steps and quickly turned around and jogged back to the fire escape to find the source of the noise. They were cursing as they ambled toward the metal steps, and Madeline gave Alex a small smile.

“What happened to being quiet?” Alex asked as he scrambled toward Madeline, shoving the knife into its slot on his vest as he picked the gun back up.

“You have your methods. I have mine,” Madeline answered with a shrug as she turned the key fob over in her hands. “I hope this wasn’t one you really wanted to take,” she said as she peered at the logo, a Toyota.

“I was more partial to the Ford,” Alex deadpanned. “I think you can cut it before we bring more friends.”

Madeline turned the alarm off so only a ringing silence met their ears. She pocketed the key fob again and shifted in her crouch to fall back on her bottom, water seeping into her skin. The men shouted at one another from the windows and parking lot, trying to figure out what had set off the car.

“How long do we wait? Madeline asked quietly as she leaned her head back on the wall.

“Until they leave or nightfall, whichever comes first,” Alex answered as he peered at the watch on his wrist. It reflected the current time they were in as well as the time in Uzikstan on a smaller face. The pang in his gut at the thought of that made him drop his wrist.

“Nightfall? It’s barely nine,” Madeline groaned as she shifted her hips a bit. She was going to be stiff if they sat there all day.

They fell silent for a bit, listening to the rummaging and things being tossed around inside the condo just below their feet. Alex was sure they were dragging all his hard-won things out the door in the nice totes Madeline had packed for them. It was frustrating that all of it went to waste, but he’d rather have them focus on that instead of trying to find them. As much as he hated to admit it, her trick with the car had been a saving grace; if their group had realized too quickly that their friends hadn’t returned, it would have been an all-out brawl.

“So, is this like a reverse stakeout? We’re the suspects having to wait out the CIA?” Madeline asked after long minutes, nudging him with her shoulder.

“People always think stakeouts are these glamorous things,” Alex answered with a chuckle. “It’s mostly just this. Sitting and waiting for the target to move. I’ve had to lie on a roof for almost a full day just watching a building more times than I can count.”

“I blame Hollywood,” Madeline answered. “They always made it look fun. Junk food, witty banter,” she sighed wistfully, “longing stares between the partners that refuse to acknowledge the tension. Then, in the next scene, they jump one another in the backseat.” She laughed a bit, trying to ease some of her own fear now that they had a moment of rest with the men off the roof and well away from them.

“I can tell you that the witty banter dies pretty quickly, and it’s mostly silence with the occasional check-in and cussing at how bored you are,” Alex answered. “And your partner is usually just as grumpy and probably hasn’t showered in about a week. No one wants to jump anyone in that state.”

Madeline laughed before bending her knees to wrap her arms around them. “I suppose. I like the fake version better,” she confessed as they both heard glass shattering. It seemed that these people were just destroying things to destroy them. “Less dangerous.”

“And more kissing?” Alex asked with an eyebrow raised, and he saw a faint blush creep across her cheeks.

“That too,” she admitted with a sigh.

“Well, I can promise that these men are all flash and no bang. They are being loud to be intimidating because that’s all they have going for them. It’s the quiet ones you have to worry about. The ones you never hear coming,” he explained as a car alarm went off again. He was about to continue talking to convince her they would be safe, if a bit sore, when it registered.

The car alarm that was blaring was further away. It was coming from one of the cars he must have moved in his rearranging, not one of the ones closest to them. Alex had left those keys with those cars, carefully tucked inside the wheel well to avoid setting off the alarms. There was barely any gas left in them, but they could still be useful to someone else for the battery or shelter. Which meant there was only one reason the alarm was going off. Someone, or something, else was there.

Judging by the growling shrieks that echoed, they had attracted more than other survivors.

“Shit,” he barely breathed as he twisted in his seat to peer over the wall. He could see them, a good dozen of them sprinting toward where the men were yelling again. They were drawn to sound and movement, so the men frantically picking up what they could to run had caught their eyes. And the car alarm still going off, one of them having probably bumped into it, would just keep drawing more and more of them. “We’re going to have to move,” Alex said as Madeline peered over the wall with him.

These stupid fucking men had ruined everything, Had destroyed any hope of shelter by kicking in, or shooting down, the doors of the condos. They had drawn the things by being so loud, and now they were just a beacon for anything else around. Madeline had seen the way these things worked firsthand too many times. They would just keep coming in droves, looking for prey in packs.

“The only way down is the fire escape,” Madeline answered as she shifted the backpack. “The men,” she started, but Alex shook his head.

“The men are less dangerous than these things. We make a run for a car; they’re doing the same thing at this point; they aren’t going to be as concerned with us; they’ll be worried about themselves,” Alex answered as he hefted one duffle on his shoulder, then grabbed the second backpack. If he was going to be using the M16, he needed to be a little freer to move.

Madeline dug into her pockets and pulled out the keys, fingers gripping them all in one hand before grabbing the second duffel and half-hauling it over a shoulder. It was heavy, the strap digging into her skin, but she gritted her teeth as she adjusted it. She was lopsided with weight but shifted and began jogging toward the fire escape.

The shrieks were getting closer, and the panicked yells of the men below them added to the mix. After days of near silence, the noise was enough to make Madeline flinch as she ran with Alex toward the fire escape, hitting the unlock button on every fob she could. The chaos would hopefully keep the men below distracted from her actions as the mechanical clicks and flashing lights indicated that vehicles were being unlocked.

“Keep going,” Alex said with a nod as he came up hot on her heels, seeing her hesitate at the railing as she looked to him for instructions. “I’m right behind you,” he said as he gestured for her to get moving.

They made it down a level and a half before pained screams met their ears. The group of raiders hadn’t gotten away in time. Madeline focused on her breathing as she kept going and made it to the third floor when a few things burst through the breezeway, chasing a man who had broken away. Not a man. One of those teenagers who no longer had a weapon and was sprinting for his life. He wasn’t going to make it; the tall fences were going to block him in, and he seemed to realize it the second Madeline did.

“Get in a car!” Madeline screamed loud enough that it made her ears pop. “Get in one of the cars!”

The kid hesitated, looked up, and made eye contact with Madeline, who was half-leaning over the railing as she pointed to the scattered vehicles. He seemed to understand after a second and ran for one, reaching for a door handle and yanking hard. It didn’t budge.

Alex groaned at Madeline but shifted his stance, raising his gun up to try and help the kid, taking aim at one of the things as he ran for another car. Madeline was fumbling with the keys to unlock them, double-hitting the buttons to get another car fully unlocked, when Alex took his shot. It caught the infected person in the shoulder; it didn’t do much but slow it down for a second as it twisted with the impact. Alex shot again and caught it in the neck, the bullet angling off to shatter a car window. They were too fast. He shifted his sights to be just a few inches ahead and took a third shot, and it hit home right in the temple.

“Oh fuck,” the kid yelled as the blood sprayed everywhere, and he yanked on a car door. He managed to get it flung open, but the rest of the party had arrived. There were too many. Alex sent a spray of bullets to try and take as many out as possible, but only a few shots made their mark.

Madeline watched it as if in slow motion as one of the things bodily climbed up over the car and tackled the teenager from above. The panicked scream made her gasp, and she twisted away from the sight as the boy yelled for help, his voice drowning out in gurgles as the thing clamped down on his neck and ripped at his jugular.

“You have to go, Madeline,” Alex said as he came up beside her, eyes darting around at the mess in the parking lot below them. There were too many, and that damn car alarm was still going off, drawing more.

“Which car?” Madeline asked frantically as she looked up at Alex, who was looking at the parking lot.

“Any of them,” he answered. “Pick one and just drive,” he instructed.

“Fine,” Madeline answered as she looked down at the keys in her hand before glancing at the parking lot. “The red Ford then,” she stated as she held up the keys; he had said he had been partial to a Ford anyway. “I’ll open the back door for you so you can concentrate on keeping them back.”

“No. I want you to get in the car and go.” Alex stated as he flicked his eyes down to her. He saw the moment the words clicked in her head that he was telling her to go without him. The panic in her face was only emphasized more by the last bit of color draining from her face.

“What? No. I’m not going to leave you,” Madeline nearly squeaked as she reached for his arm as if afraid he was going to run from her now. “That’s not how this works.”

“There’s a huge farm about twenty miles straight north from here, off this main road,” he gestured toward the community's exit, ignoring her protests and how she opened her mouth to fight. “Stay on the state road where you can and find Mulberry. It’ll be right before you get to the next town on your left. Go down it for a while until you see the barn and other buildings. Don’t go into them or on the property; go to the service road behind them and wait there. Pull off the road into the woods a bit.” Alex kept his voice even, unhurried, as he relayed the instructions even though they were running out of time.

“No. I’m not going without you,” Madeline said firmly as she held him. She’d be damned if she left him here alone.

“I told you I tried to plan for everything; this is one of them,” Alex answered as he looked down at her. “I will cover you to get to the car, and you will get in and go.” His words were a firm command but not a cold one, just one that she knew there was no arguing with. “Both of us will not make it right now; there are too many. You know it, and I know it,” he paused, staring into her wide eyes to make sure she understood. He gently placed his hand over her own and squeezed once before prying her grip off him.

“Alex, I-” Madeline started, her heartbeat throbbing in her ears.

“I’ll follow you when I can. But you only wait for me until daybreak tomorrow. If I don’t find you by dawn, you need to keep moving. One group of raiders just means there are three more around. You can’t linger. You have to keep on the move,” he instructed, feeling a lump in his throat but forging on. “I have a map,” he dug into his back pocket and handed her a well-folded piece of paper. “It goes as far as the middle of Alabama, so you’ll have to get another. But I highlighted the route. Remember not to take-”

“Stop!” Madeline snapped as she shoved the hand he held out to her with the map. “I’m not going anywhere without you. I am not leaving you. Do you think I can get to Texas alone? You think I can live with leaving you here?” She felt a dizzying swoop in her stomach just thinking about what he was asking her to do. A few days ago, she was so upset with him that she told herself she would be fine if he just walked out the door, but the reality was she was terrified to be alone. To be without him. “I don’t like this plan. I don’t like any of this. Give me another plan of yours; you said you have multiple. Pick another one.” She was firm in her words, though she felt like she would be sick.

“You don’t have to like a plan for it to be the best plan,” Alex answered with a sad smile. “I’ve gotten you this far…you have to trust me.”

Madeline opened her mouth to keep arguing when something rattled the fire escape. The things were trying to climb up to them; it seemed their original quarry was either dead or turned, and they were the new focus. She felt Alex shove the map into her hands as he raised his gun and shot down right through the gaps in the metal floor, hitting the one in the lead right between the eyes.

“Go, Madeline,” Alex said as he avoided her gaze, staring down the sights of his gun to take aim at more of them. “Run right for the Ford. Don’t pause, and don’t look back; I’ve got you.”

“You better be there,” Madeline breathed as she shoved the map into the front of her sweater, needing to keep her hands free. “I need you to be there, Alex.”

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Alex answered, daring to look over at her one more to give her a soft smile and nod.

Madeline felt her body move while her heart still screamed at her to stay, to make it work so they could go together. But she knew Alex was right; he had been right about every move they had made so far. If she lingered, she could ruin his chance to escape, so she needed to trust that he knew what he was doing.

Before she knew it, she was jumping a few feet down between the bottom of the fire escape and the parking lot, careful to avoid the thing that was still oozing blood from what was left of its head. The asphalt was wet, and even over the growls and shrieks, she could hear the rubber of her sneakers squeak against the pavement as she sprinted. The things seemed to be right on her heels as she went, and she felt her bones rattle with every shot that Alex took, hands flying up to protect her head as one felt so dangerously close she was certain she felt the breeze of a bullet on her neck. But just as he promised, Alex kept her covered.

She made it to the car and ripped the door open, practically falling into the seat as she did. She threw the duffel into the passenger seat and balled her feet under her before slamming the door shut. One of the things rammed hard into the glass as if it was only a second behind her, and she screamed into the muffled silence of the car as its hands clawed at the glass, frantic to get to her. She stared at it for a second before shakily hitting the push start and throwing the shifter into drive as she pried the backpack off.

Alex watched from his perch as Madeline wriggled around inside the SUV, peeling the backpack off her back before starting the engine. When he knew she was locked inside and uninjured, he raised his gun up from its firing position and rushed back up the metal steps to the top. The whole structure shook under him as the things writhed and fought one another to get to him first, snarling with rage and hunger.

The fire escape on the far side of the building was his only option at this point. It was the furthest from the getaway cars and closest to the beacon still blaring, drawing every infected within miles, but there was no other choice. The things were only a few paces behind, and Alex heard the telltale sound of a body falling onto the roof in its uncoordinated rush to get to its prey. He began running again, changing out his magazine as he went and tossing the empty one somewhere on the roof.

Alex had known his chances of escaping were slim when he told Madeline to leave him. But as he watched her speed out of the community, tires screeching and horn blaring to draw the infected away, Alex felt a sense of contentment with his choice. After so many failures on this mission, he succeeded in one of his promises: he kept her safe.

Chapter Text

Madeline didn’t want to leave him even if she had agreed to his plan. She could feel the fear and guilt creeping up, but a particularly loud hit on the glass from her would-be attacker jolted her from the spiral. She glanced over at the window that was covered in blood, some spots bright red but others just globs of dark clots. The bile that rose in her stomach made her forcibly gag before another pounding of hands sent an ominous cracking noise throughout the car. If she lingered here any longer it was going to crack the window.

Moving her foot from where it had the brake pressed to the floor, Madeline shifted it to the gas and hit it hard. The engine revved loudly, and the tires squealed in their space before the SUV lurched and flew forward. The thing banging on the window fell away, but she knew she had run something over as the car careened to the side a bit. Both of her left tires went over it. She didn’t let herself think about just what it was as she cut to the right and glanced up at the roof. The things pouring through the breezeway were split between chasing the thing they could see, which was her, and the thing that the pack was going after, Alex.

Pressing her hand on the horn, she began to erratically beep it, trying to get as much attention as she could. She even rolled her windows all down just a crack, enough to let out sound but not enough for anything to grab if they got too close and turned on the radio. It was just static now, but as she cranked the volume up as high as it could go, it made her gasp. The scratching sound raked against her eardrums hard enough that she felt like they were vibrating. She didn’t care. She continued to drive as loudly as possible, eyes cutting up at the roof one more time to get a glimpse at Alex as he made it back to the top and hopped down. She swore she saw him look back at her one more time before he disappeared, and she audibly whined in panic as more things fought to chase up the fire escape.

She had to keep going. He had told her what to do and knew what needed to be done to survive. She had to trust that he would be okay and trust that this was the best option. And most of all, she needed to go so he could focus on keeping himself alive instead of worrying about her. Cutting the car sharply to the right out of the community, she saw more of those things running down the road toward the sound of the car alarm. She swerved and clipped three of them, screaming as they collided hard with the car and went flying. She lost the side mirror in that act, but looking in her rearview, she managed to incapacitate them at least.

When she was far enough away that she couldn’t see the community anymore, Madeline rolled up her windows and cut the radio. The ringing in her ears filled the silence as she drove down the road, hands holding on to the steering wheel so tight her hands ached. She hadn’t even sat back in the seat, perched on the edge of it with her foot to the floor. Her body was shaking with panic and fear, and after a moment, she realized she was crying as well.

What had she done?

She had left him. The guilt began to eat at her as the car continued to put more distance between her and Alex. The tears were blinding. No matter how many times she swiped at her eyes, her vision was blurred with them. She eased up on the gas so the trees were no longer whizzing by and let herself slowly coast. Before long, she was idling in the middle of the empty road.

She had left him. Left him to fend for himself—something he would have never done to her, to anyone.

Madeline began to sob as she rested her head on the steering wheel, the car rolling a bit on the incline. She had to go back to him to help him. If he was even still alive. That thought jolted her. What would she do if he didn’t show up? There was no way she was making it to Texas alone. She had given him and herself a death sentence by leaving.

As she continued to wallow, she heard something. It was faint, so faint she wasn’t sure if it was her ears ringing still. She held her shaking breath and listened before the sound came again. A phone. She scrambled to throw the car into park before launching across the seat to grab at the duffel she had picked up on a whim.  She hadn’t really looked at which one she grabbed when running across the roof, but it seemed she had grabbed the ones with the electronics—another lifeline she had taken from Alex.

Madeline ripped the zipper open and dug around in the mess, cursing as her fingers cut against something sharp. The burning pain didn’t stop her as she fished around until the phone was in her hand, the ringing louder now that it wasn’t muffled in the bag.

“Hel-hello?” Madeline stammered into the line, not pausing even to see who was calling. She knew satellite phones needed a direct line to the sky to have the best reception, thanks to Alex. She quickly leaned over the dash and yanked the antenna up so it was aimed right at the still-overcast sky.

“Who is this?” A brute voice came on the other line.

“Madeline,” she answered, feeling like she could barely breathe. “Is this Price?”

“Where’s Alex?” The man asked without acknowledging her question.

“I, he’s,” Madeline started as she slammed her eyes shut to try and gather her thoughts. “My sister. Do you have my sister?”

“Where is Alex?” The man asked, sounding agitated about her lack of response.

“We were overrun; he told me he’d cover me and follow later. Told me to go,” she babbled before pausing. If this wasn’t Price, she could have been telling a stranger about their plans. “Where is my sister?”

“Your sister has been obtained,” he answered after a second.

“What does that mean? Is she okay?” Madeline asked as she leaned further over the wheel, jumping as her chest pressed on the horn.

“She’s okay,” he stated curtly. “We managed to save three of them.”

“What?” Madeline nearly screamed into the phone. “Let me talk to her. You should have called sooner. How is she? Please tell me she’s okay.”

“She’s in a secure location while we work on our next steps. I had to travel to get service,” the man answered. “I need to speak to Alex. Where is he supposed to meet you?”

“How do I know you are who you say you are?” Madeline asked after a second. This whole thing could be a setup. By who, she didn’t know. “How do I know you didn’t just take this phone and aren’t Price?”

“Alex taught you a few things, I see,” he said, sounding vaguely amused. “I don’t have time to play twenty questions. You’ll have to trust that no one else would have this number or my phone.”

Madeline hesitated. She didn’t know how much time she had left on the line, knowing how touchy the service was.

“He’s supposed to meet me at a farmhouse. We were leaving for the Texas safe zone when raiders, then the infected, overran us. He told me to wait for him until,” she stopped feeling like she was giving too many details even if she lied about meeting at the farmhouse.

“Daybreak?” Price supplied after a long pause. Long enough, Madeline wasn’t sure if the call had dropped, and she pulled the phone away from her ear to look at the screen.

“Yes,” Madeline said with a small sigh. “I am going back to him. I’m dead without him, so it’s a lose-lose for me anyway.”

“Don’t.” Price’s voice was firm, an order. “He told you to go wait for him; you do just that.”

“I can’t leave him, what if he doesn’t,” she couldn’t finish it.

“Then you continue to do what he told you to do. You get to Texas one way or another,” Price answered. “He gave you a chance to get out, don’t waste it.”

“And you? What are you going to do?” Madeline asked as she glanced around the area to ensure she had no unwanted visitors.

“We’re going to meet you in Texas. Tell Alex to call me when he gets to you tomorrow.”

“And if he doesn’t show?” Madeline nearly whispered.

“He will. Tell him I’m waiting.” Price said simply, with a hint of skepticism lacing his own words.

Madeline didn’t answer as the line cut. She still held the phone tight to her ear as if waiting for something else. For Price to come back and tell her something else. To give her encouraging words, to assure her everything would be all right. Anything. But only silence continued to fill the space, and she sighed, dropping the phone into her lap.

Now that she wasn’t distracted by the call, Madeline glanced at her bloody hand. She felt the familiar lurch in her stomach at the sight of the blood and inhaled sharply through her nose to keep it together. There was a jagged cut right down the side of her pinky all the way to her wrist that was oozing blood and had run a small river down her arm to her elbow. She peered into the duffel and spotted the offending item that had cut her: a busted soup can that had leaked broth all over the inside of the bag and had a lethally sharp edge.  She picked it up and glanced at it before throwing it to the floor in frustration.

Taking a few steadying breaths to keep from passing out, she leaned over to open her backpack to find something to wrap the wound. She pulled out the first thing she found: a tank top. Fine. She unrolled the fabric and wrapped it tightly around her hand, wincing at the sting. There was no time to treat the injury properly; she needed to get moving. Her destination was twenty-odd miles away, and under normal circumstances, it would take less than thirty minutes to get there. But Madeline knew she was probably looking at a few hours of detours and backtracking before she arrived. If Alex got away and beat her there, if he took a different route, he’d panic if she wasn’t there.

The trip had grown to be three hours, and she was only halfway there, as she had predicted. She ended up having to cut across a large field after coming across an infected mob. They crawled all over a backed-up traffic jam, looking for more prey. When she rolled up on it in the SUV, they all turned their attention to her and began racing after her car. She had nowhere else to go and had opted for the field. Screaming and praying the whole way that the tires held out and that she didn’t hit any large holes or get stuck in the mud from all the rain. The dead plants left over from the prior year ripped at the SUV and scratched it to hell and back as she bounced over the uneven ground, but she eventually lost them and found a new road.

Reading the map had also proven more complicated than she would have liked to admit. Alex had left well-outlined routes to take, made small notes to the side, and even circled places to avoid. But having to adjust her route over and over again for blocked roads made it confusing. Directions had never been Madeline’s strong suit; her directions were always landmarks. She couldn’t tell you street names or the exit number to take. But she could tell you to make a right at the Motel 6, and if you saw the abandoned church, you had gone too far.

Luckily, the SUV had a built-in compass that was still functional, so she had been able to navigate jerkily through the increasingly sparse landscape. The further away she got from Alex and the closer she got to her destination, the more desolate the area became. She had no idea there was this much farmland not far outside the Atlanta city limits. She assumed that houses would be everywhere, communities stacked atop one another, and a dense population. But it turned into open fields with barbed fences running by the two-lane roads.

Madeline double-checked the map she had wedged into the air vents to hold as she turned back onto the main road for the umpteenth time. She glanced around the area, carefully sliding around a car that looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry when she spotted a sign. The next town was in two miles, which meant she was on the right track. Just as Alex had told her, Mulberry appeared on the left right before the sign telling her to come back and visit.

With a small relieved sigh, Madeline made the left and continued down the narrower road. It was obvious that this road, while officially named, was not a public road. It was covered in potholes, and the edges crumbled into the ditches on either side. There weren’t any lines on it to indicate one lane or the other, and as she drove through a thick grove of overgrown trees, she spotted the farmhouse in the distance. It was huge. The stark white building stood out against the lush green trees whenever there was a break in them. When she got closer, she saw the iron welcome arch that had Mulberry Farm in welded letters at least fifteen feet in the air.

She slowed down a bit to peer down the gate at the place. The farmhouse was almost the size of the condo building they had stayed in, and a few barns dotted the landscape. Madeline vaguely wondered about the animals on the land and whether they were cared for. If their owners were still around to help them or if they were left to fend for themselves. A pang of worry hit her that the animals may be locked in their stalls and cages, unaware that their caretakers weren’t coming back. But she couldn’t linger or look because Alex had been very clear in his instructions not to go onto the property. She had no idea who was there or if they were friends or foes. Hell, they could have been the raiders for all she knew.

Continuing down the road for what seemed like miles, the farmland on her left, she kept her eyes peeled for a service road. She was about to double back, sure after this long she had missed it when the gravel outlet caught her eye. Twisting the wheel, Madeline veered off the paved road to the gravel and went down it, bouncing on the even worse uneven road. She had no idea how far down she was supposed to go. Alex hadn’t said that, but she decided to try and see if she could find the end. Or if it seemed to go on forever, she’d double back and pull off into the woods a few hundred yards down it to wait for him.

The further she ventured, the more the space opened, and Madeline looked up as she leaned on the wheel to look at the power lines. They were the tall metal ones that looked like they belonged at a factory, stretching hundreds of feet in the air. Multiple wires were stringing them together, as thick as her body, and she could see them continue for seemingly miles.

The road ran out before the powerline towers, ending at a chain link fence with a small shack inside and barbed wire along the top. It was some sort of substation Madeline assumed as she put the car in park and looked at it. She glanced down at the clock on the radio that reflected that it was almost three in the afternoon. Daybreak tomorrow was so far away. Hopefully Alex would get there sooner, surely he was on the road by now, right?

She sighed and looked around the area for a good hiding place, peering over the back seats to where she could back in. This far out of the way, no one would come along unless they were specifically looking for her, so she thought she could get away without hiding. But she’d do what Alex told her to do.

Putting the car in reverse, she backed right up over the bushes, no longer caring about the squealing of the branches against the vehicle. Nor did she pay any mind to the way the engine revved angrily as it fought to mow over small trees. A red SUV would stick out like a sore thumb out there, even buried in branches and bushes, but it was better than just parking out in the middle of the road.

Deciding she was far enough back, Madeline cut the engine and then just sat. The silence was oppressive as she looked around the area, leaning this way and that to look around dead leaves and broken limbs for any sign of movement. She even dared to roll down her window before she killed the power so she could hear anything approaching: a car, a person, or even an animal. Some birds were twittering about, not as numerous as she suspected it would be in the summer, but enough that she didn’t just have her breathing for company.

Sometime later, Madeline decided she needed to tackle the cut on her hand, the blood slipping from under her quick wrap job. The cloth of the shirt hurt to peel off the clotted areas, and her ears started to feel hot as the panicked sweat set in at the sight of the blood. She had cut herself pretty good, the wound deep enough that she thought a stitch or two couldn’t hurt. But there was no way she could do that; she was not left-handed and couldn’t even think about trying to stitch herself. So, instead, she opted to just clean it as best as she could and wrap it better.

Opening the car door a crack, she inhaled sharply and, with a shaking hand, poured water over the wound. The water burned the second it hit the jagged flesh and Madeline watched it mix with her blood to drip down her fingers onto the ground outside. She stamped her feet to get out the pain without shouting as she continued to irrigate it with the bottle until the water ran out.

“Good enough,” Madeline groaned as she shut the door again. The blood was already welling up again in the cleaned-out cut, and she twisted away from the sight. She needed to cover it before she bled all over herself and the seat.

She found a simple cotton t-shirt from her backpack that would have to work. Madeline ripped it apart into strips, struggling to do it one-handed before tying it tightly against her injury. She could hear her sister's voice asking her when she got her last tetanus shot as she rested her head back on the headrest just to breathe. Her hand throbbed with its own heartbeat as she rested it in her lap, but after some time, that dulled into a soft twinge of pain only when she wiggled her fingers.

Time seemed to go agonizingly slow as she sat alone with her thoughts, yet the sun was beginning to set before Madeline knew it. She had been silent for so long that she hadn’t even realized that the birds had disappeared for the evening, and it was starting to get chilly. She didn’t roll up the window, though, too afraid to miss anything. Instead, she dug out another few layers to bundle up and draped another shirt over her legs to help keep the heat in. Sleep wouldn’t happen easily, so she stared out at the darkening sky as the sun disappeared, then watched the stars for a while.

Her breath puffed in front of her as she leaned against the window and counted down the minutes. She hadn’t been afraid of the dark since she was a child, her sister the one needing a nightlight until they were almost teenagers. But that evening out there, alone in the wilderness, Madeline was terrified of it. Afraid of the wind that rustled the trees, the whine of the branches scratching against the car, and the feeling of being watched. It was as if something were just outside the SUV, stalking her, waiting for the best time to pop up at the window and yank her out of the car.

She checked the locks several times before leaning the seat back, trying to get away from the window and find a more comfortable position. Even as she settled in, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Still though she forced herself to close her eyes and stay calm, waiting for either the sunrise or Alex to find her.

She shifted under her makeshift blankets repeatedly, and eventually, exhaustion from the day’s adrenaline highs and crashes pulled her into a fitful sleep. Her sleep was fitful, and she woke up at every slight noise, whether real or imagined, throughout the night.

The next time she truly woke up, it was because the sun was shining brightly on her face. She jolted up instantly and pushed the push start on the engine to see the time on the radio. It was eight-thirty. Well past daybreak.

Pulling the seat upright fast enough that it knocked her, Madeline looked around the area for any sign of Alex. To see if his showing up was what woke her up, but there was nothing. No car, no movement, no voice calling out to her. It was just her and the birds again. The panicked noise in her chest grew louder as she gripped the door handle. Maybe she had hidden herself too well that Alex was silently moving around looking for her. He had mentioned that the dangerous people were the ones you never heard coming, and she knew how he operated.

Throwing open the door, disregarding the voice of self-preservation warning her not to, Madeline stepped out of the SUV. The ground crunched beneath her feet as she pushed through the underbrush, using her good hand to clear a path. She made her way a few yards to the service road, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.

As she moved, she kept twisting and turning, glancing over her shoulder for the imaginary monster she’d convinced herself was stalking her the night before. But there was nothing there, only dead branches swaying gently in the slight breeze.

She considered waiting by the edge of the road in a small ditch instead of staying in the SUV. Maybe she couldn't hear him properly from inside the car, or he hadn’t come this far down in his own car. Madeline knew these thoughts were desperate attempts to convince herself that Alex was okay and still on his way. But she wasn’t ready to give up yet. She could give it a few more hours; what was that in comparison to the day's long drive she had ahead of her.

As she stepped into the ditch, a sudden noise, a snap of branches to her left, shattered the silence. It was too loud to be a bird.

Madeline whirled around, her heart racing as she imagined her make-believe villain closing in on her. To her shock, someone was standing just a few feet away in the woods. She let out a muffled scream and lost her footing on the scattered leaves, slipping awkwardly into the ditch.

Chapter Text

The only thing keeping Alex moving was sheer instinct, driven by a need to find Madeline and ensure she was safe. His body, battered and spent, protested with every agonizing step. Each movement felt like wading through mud, exhaustion pressing down on him, making his legs heavy. But he knew the moment he stopped, it would be over.

He had been moving on foot for over three miles, having to ditch his car because it was useless. The engine finally gave up the ghost after he rode it hard and used it as a battering ram to plow through a blockade. There had been no time to search for an alternate route, so he went through it instead of around it. His time was limited, and he didn’t want to waste precious minutes trying to find another way.

The service road was within sight, and as he turned down it, he felt the world tilt a bit as if his eyes moved too slow for his head. He was running out of time. He sidestepped and stumbled when he leaned forward to look at the tire marks to make sure they were Madeline’s. His balance was shot, and he felt a churn of nausea at the wavy vision, but he knew he was on the right path. Tracks led in, but they didn’t lead out, just as he knew they wouldn’t.

She had gone far down the service road, his eyes tracking the grooves in the mud and gravel as far as he could before everything blurred. Pressing his left hand over his ribs, where they screamed in protest, he gritted his teeth and began jogging again. He could taste the iron in his mouth from blood, his lungs pushed past their limits or perhaps injured from one of his ribs. He wasn’t sure.

He saw the car before he saw Madeline, the red sticking out so boldly against the landscape it was like a beacon for anyone around, even with his shit vision at the moment.  If the car was still there, she was as well, clearly having ignored his instructions to leave at first light. He instantly went toward the SUV, slipping as quietly as possible into the brush in the off-chance Madeline wasn’t there and it was someone else.

The SUV’s door creaked open, and Alex’s heart skipped a beat. Through the opening, he saw Madeline emerge from the driver’s seat. She moved slowly, closing the door gently to muffle any noise. The sight of her, safe and unharmed, was enough to outweigh the twinge of annoyance that she hadn’t listened to him. He allowed himself a moment of rest as he watched her, letting her get further from the car as he leaned against a nearby tree for support.

Alex didn’t want to draw attention to himself, letting his stillness blend into the dead landscape. He knew it had been stupid to come this far to see her, but he had to be sure she was all right. That all the work and time he had put in had been worth it, that she would survive.

He blinked slowly, perhaps shutting his eyes longer than usual, as he watched her creep around. She was acting as if she could sense something was off, that someone was watching her, but she still hadn’t zeroed in on him. He planned to act quickly; once she reached the road, he’d sneak to the car, drop the stuff, and disappear before she saw him. It would be message enough for her, he hoped. That he had come and gone and that she needed to leave this place as well.

But the small sapling of a tree he was leaning against snapped under the ever-growing weight he had pressed into it, giving him away.

Alex knew the moment she saw him because she had lost her footing and slipped, trying to backpedal. Instinctively, he twitched as if to catch her, but he was too far and in no condition to help. Her eyes widened as she truly took him in, and Alex realized that perhaps him standing there wasn’t all that scared her. He knew he had to look like he was on death’s doorstep.

“I thought I told you to leave at dawn,” Alex stated so quietly he barely heard it himself.

“Alex?” Madeline gasped out as she scrambled on the wet leaves, slipping and sliding. “What,” she gained her footing and launched herself at him.

“Don’t,” Alex warned quickly, putting up a hand to stop her. He didn’t want her near him, not in this state. “The blood, Madeline,” he warned, his eyes darting to the hand that he held up. It was covered in blood, caked into his knuckles and under his nails.

Madeline stopped short of running into him, wavering on her feet as she froze only a foot away. He was there, he was alive, but he was an absolute mess. She hadn’t recognized him at first when he somehow snuck up on her. He looked like one of those things, and she was certain he was until he spoke.

His clothes were ripped and torn, the colors barely discernable under the dirt and blood. He had a horrendous cut somewhere in his hair that had bled down the side of his face and had oozed into the collar of his shirt. Accompanied by a dark purple bruise under his eye that spread across the bridge of his nose, and his lips were split in more than one place. That wasn’t to mention the streaks of dirt and blood all over the exposed skin of his arms. He had attempted to patch himself up, evident from the makeshift bandage on his left forearm, which was barely hanging on, and the tear in his jeans, secured with an old shirt wrapped tightly around his thigh.

“What happened to you?” Madeline whined in panic as she looked at him. Her palms began to sweat, and a dull ringing started up in her ears. It wasn’t from the sight of the blood; it was from the sheer worry she had for him. His eyes were unfocused, and he pitched dangerously to the side as he shifted to remove the gun strap off his shoulder.

He didn’t respond. Instead, he hissed in pain as he adjusted the strap of the duffle bag off his shoulder and lowered it to the ground.

“Alex, you’re bleeding…God, you’re bleeding everywhere,” Madeline blabbered as she noticed the blood that seemed to seep from one of his eyes. It had to be the leftover blood still trickling down his eyebrow, she told herself, as she took in the clear streaks where sweat had mingled with the splotches on his forehead. She reached out to him to try to help him, but he flinched back.

“You need to sit. I need to look at you,” she insisted.

“You can’t touch me, Madeline,” Alex said, his voice strained as he shot out his arm to grab onto something for support. The world was spinning around him, and he knew he was dealing with a concussion at the very least. At worst, he had only minutes left. “I just came to deliver the rest of the supplies. I realized I sent you off without a weapon.” He managed a faint, pained smile. “Made sure you took the duffle with the phone and laptop, but not a single gun. You’re going to need one to get to Texas.”

“What?” Madeline asked as she watched him toss the duffle on the ground between them, the items inside clattering a bit. He wasn’t making sense. Judging by how beat up he was, she was pretty sure he was dazed from a hit to the head or the blood loss. Maybe both. “I don’t care about the blood, I’ll…it’s fine, Alex. I may faint a few times, but I’ll figure it out.” The words were meant to be funny to ease her panic, but there wasn’t any humor in her tone.

The thought of undoing some of his bandages to look at his wounds made her insides flutter uncomfortably. Then the idea of having to clean them out, just as she had done with her own hand, caused her stomach to lurch. She had to close her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to push the unsettling thoughts away before she retched.

“I need you to try and get to the car before you pass out here and I can’t move you,” Madeline stated as she took another step closer to him.

“There’s a decent supply of bullets in the bag,” Alex said as he flipped the safety onto the M16 and tossed it on top of the duffle. “Just wipe it down first.” He glanced at her, her face wavering in and out of focus. The ever threatening tunnel vision was finally setting in.

“Alex!” Madeline nearly yelled, trying desperately to pull him out of whatever mental state he was in. It was as if he were on autopilot, rattling off instructions with a casual detachment, clearly unaware of how serious his condition was. “Please, we can talk about this later. I don’t want your gun, I can’t shoot that thing.” She gestured at the M16. “I need you to get into the car so I can look at you.”

“I’m not getting in the car, Mads,” Alex answered as he sighed body sagging a bit. “But you are. You’re going to take these supplies and you are going to go.”

“No, I’m not leaving you behind again. Why would I? We’re out of there. We’re safe.” Madeline took a step closer, but Alex tried to back away, fumbling a bit, so she stopped. “We’re safe, Alex. We’re in the woods, and none of those things are around. I think you’re a bit confused; you look like you’ve taken a hard hit… or twelve.”

Alex’s hand groped at his thigh holster, a security and double check that the pistol was still there. He had reached for it a few times in his walk, sensing any moment was it. His fingers brushed the cool metal, and he snapped the button free on the holster. Faster to get to it that way; one bullet already chambered and ready to go.

“I’m not confused, Mads, you’re not-,” Alex answered softly, his gaze locked on her face as he blinked to try and focus his sight.  When he opened his eyes again, she was suddenly close enough for him to touch her. As she reached for him, he instinctively tried to push her away for her own safety, but his movements were sluggish. Her hand landed on his chest, gripping his shirt as his knees buckled beneath him. His body was done before his mind was.

His hand that had been going for his gun went slack and numb, unable to grasp the weapon and pull it free. He screamed in his head for her to let him go, to get away from him and not to touch him. But no sound made it out as she caught him by the shoulders.

“No, no, no, no, no, Alex!” Madeline shouted, diving to catch him as he began to collapse. She saw the way his eyes rolled up, heard the small whine in his chest that indicated he was going under, and was fighting it. She barely managed to catch him as he toppled forward into her.

“Alex,” she pleaded, shifting his weight and gripping his face, trying to get him to focus on her, but his head merely lolled to the side. “Alex, I need you to stand the fuck up and walk! I cannot lift you.” She shook him and heard the grunt of pain in response, which reassured her that he was still somewhat responsive. “Get up and fucking walk. Do you hear me? I will not leave you out here, so either you get to the car, or we’re both sitting out here.”

Her words were harsh, angry, scared. Madeline honestly couldn’t remember the last time she ordered someone about like this. Never mind aimed at someone who was clearly unable to help themselves. But she couldn’t move him without his help. She could barely keep him upright as it was, and she was panicked at the thought of them being exposed and vulnerable out there.

Alex’s vision was gone as he felt her jostle him, and he groaned in agony from the shooting pain that radiated from the top of his head down to his toes. He needed her to let go, to stop touching him. He was bloody, dirty, and he had caught sight of her bandaged hand. An exposed cut made it that much easier for him to put her at risk. Yet, as she issued her ultimatum that he help her or they would both be in danger, that primal part of his mind that had been trained for years to follow orders without question kicked in.

Using the last scrap of energy left in his body, he made it move, even though he could barely feel it, and what he did feel was like searing fire. His feet shuffled for purchase, and he heard Madeline grunt as she adjusted her hold on him, shifting his weight on her shoulders to guide him. If he could just make it to the car and sit down, maybe he could explain, tell her why his being there was so dangerous.

“Good, keep going,” Madeline continued to order as she wrapped her arm around his waist and heaved him along.

He was too heavy for her, and she could feel the last dregs of his energy leaving him, each fumbling step making him sag further against her body. Her arms groaned under the strain as she heaved him forward, pushing with her legs and half-dragging him toward the SUV. His eyes were closed, and his head rolled against her shoulder as they moved, his grip on her waist weakening.

“Just a few more seconds,” Madeline pleaded as she carefully untangled herself from Alex, guiding him to lean against the SUV. She pressed one hand against his chest to keep him steady and stretched to hit the button for the hatchback. There was no way she was getting him into the back seat and she needed him to lay down so she could look him over. The hatchback seemed to take forever to open, and Madeline pushed up against the electric mechanism to make it go faster.

Bending her knees, Madeline grabbed Alex under the armpits as best as she could and half-rolled, half-tossed him into the open trunk. Despite the cooler day, she was sweating from the effort. As he fell into the trunk with a thud, she winced but didn’t linger to make sure he was alright. She rushed around to the back seats, quickly throwing things onto the floor then flattened them out.

Once the seats were down, she climbed on top of them, grabbed Alex by the shirt, and tugged him up toward her. Her hands throbbed from the tight grip and she was certain the cut in her hand had popped open again from the little healing it had done. It stung and burned as she continued to drag and twist him into the trunk before his feet finally cleared the edge of the trunk.

“Okay,” Madeline gasped, leaning against the back of the driver’s seat to catch her breath. Her hand trembled as she pushed some sweat-drenched hair off her face, her eyes locking on Alex, who was now completely unconscious. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and if she wasn’t so panicked, she would have cried at the state of him. At the fact he had been this badly hurt, and he had still pushed through it to come for her.

She rested her palm on his forehead, gently pushing aside the bloodstained hair that had clung to his skin in a soothing manner. As she carefully pried the matted strands away, she felt it. He was burning up.

It wasn't his usual hot-blooded self that kept her warm at night; this was an alarming heat that almost made her pull her hand away from the burn of it. Smoothing her hands down his cheeks, the blood on his face be damned, she continued to feel at his skin. He was hot all over. As she got to his neck, she could feel the heat almost coming off him in waves.

How had she not noticed this before? That had to be why he had been babbling nonsense at her; he was delirious with fever. That thought eased her panic that a head injury caused his confusion; she could handle a fever much easier than a concussion.

Twisting around, Madeline fumbled in the front passenger seat, pulling the duffle bag closer to her and digging through it for some water. She needed to cool him down, clean him up, and get some pain meds into him to manage the fever. Her hands carefully dug through the bag until she pulled out a few bottles of water and sports drinks, her eyes darting back to Alex frequently to make sure he was still breathing. He remained motionless except for the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“Good thing it’s winter,” Madeline muttered, starting to unfasten the straps and clips on his vest. She left the SUV doors open, carefully listening to the world outside as she worked. The vest came off relatively easily, and she tossed it to the front seat. It was caked in blood and dirt that she would figure out how to clean later.

“Going to have to freeze this fever out for a bit,” she continued, talking as if Alex could hear her and wasn’t completely unconscious. “My mother always said that was best, I hated it as a kid, but it worked.”

She went for the shirt next, moving around awkwardly over the folded seats as she hunched over him. The shirt was tattered and ripped in spots, and as she huffed while rolling him to his side as she tugged, she heard it rip. She continued to pull until it decidedly tore right along the seam on his left side. “Fine,” she muttered, deciding it was easier this way. Grabbing it, she yanked along the seam until it tore right up to his underarm. She peeled the shirt off him, carefully feeding his arms through the sleeves. She avoided looking at his bandaged forearm for now, afraid if she took the bandage off, it would start bleeding, and she wasn’t ready to tackle that just yet.

“What happened to you?” Madeline asked as her fingers gently traced down his ribs where an angry bruise mottled his skin. He had nicks and marks all over. She knew they were fresh because they certainly weren’t there when she had seen him shirtless only two days ago. “Did you get in a fight?” She asked as she shifted down his body a bit, her eyes falling on the tear in his jeans where blood coated the ripped fabric.

Madeline yanked off his shoes and socks, tossing them unceremoniously to the side before she shifted to straddle his legs. The thigh holster and gun were next. She snapped the pistol back into its place before she unclipped the holster from his leg and set them gently on the small ledge by the back window. She made a mental note to check the safety and secure the gun somewhere safer later, but for now, that would have to wait.

She didn’t let an ounce of shyness get to her as she grabbed his belt buckle and undid it, fingers making quick work of the button and zipper. As she pulled them down, she left him a bit of dignity, keeping his boxers on, grateful he had opted for them for his sake. Shimming down some, she carefully pulled the pants over his cut before they cleared his feet, and she tossed them outside on the ground. He wouldn’t be putting those back on; they were disgusting between sweat, blood, and dirt.

“You’re on fire,” she muttered as she touched his legs, her own fingers feeling like icicles against his scorching skin. “Did you manage to catch the flu in the damn apocalypse?” Madeline asked as she moved off him to slide back up by his head.

Her back was aching already with how she had to hunch and maneuver, but she ignored it as she bodily leaned over the passenger seat to grab her backpack. She couldn’t try to give him water when he was unconscious, which meant medicine was out of the question. Which left cleaning him up. Perhaps the jostling and cleaning of his wounds would rouse him a bit. Even if it was just for her to shove Tylenol down his throat.

After she stuffed some balled-up shirts under his head for some sort of pillow, she grabbed extra clothes and debated which cut to tend to first: his head, leg, or arm. She could only imagine all of them looked horrendous and needed tending, but she decided to start from the bottom up.

As gingerly as possible, she undid the tight knot on his leg, easing the tension of the ripped-up shirt a little at a time, afraid that it may have been a tourniquet for some deep gash. But when blood didn’t come pouring out, she undid it the rest of the way, carefully unwrapping it from around his thigh and sliding it away.

The cut was wide, spanning over his thick muscle from one side to the other, but it didn’t seem too deep. She took a few deep breaths and stared at the ceiling to get herself together, trying to ward off the tingling faint feeling. When she felt steady enough Madeline began cleaning the wound.

She used a bottle of water and socks to gently irrigate the wound, not caring that it was soaking the back of the seat as she moved along. The cut was bleeding a decent amount by the time she finished, and she hummed in a self-soothing way as she packed another sock and cami over the cut. She tied everything tight again with the shirt he had used. It was dirty, but she was careful not to touch the wound with it; she would need to get better supplies later.

“One down,” she muttered as her eyes slid up his body, lingering on his still rapid breathing before going to his forearm. If that one was a bleeder, she would need more cloths. Glancing out to the woods where he had dumped his items in front of her like offerings, Madeline climbed out the door to get them.

The area was still quiet, with only birds and rustling leaves for company. She was still careful as she walked, avoiding as many twigs and broken branches on the ground as possible to limit her noise. The supplies were heavy as she heaved them over her shoulder, but they were nothing compared to lugging Alex.

She made quick work of picking her way back, eyes locked on Alex’s face as he continued to lay unconscious in the back of the SUV. He didn’t stir as she threw the things into the back, making the SUV rock. She stood outside of the trunk as she picked through his clothes, trying to find things she deemed disposable. Undershirts, socks, and a flannel shirt would be sacrificed. She could use the arm of the shirt to wrap his head and arm and the rest to cover and pack the wounds.

“I learned a few things, I guess,” Madeline muttered as she climbed back into the SUV, settling cross-legged by Alex’s side. She tore the sleeves off the shirt after she picked the stitches loose. “Still don’t like blood,” she tacked on as she looked at her hand where blood trickled down her wrist toward her elbow. She was going to have to take care of that again, but only after she was done tending to Alex. She was afraid she really would pass out after everything if she looked at her cut up hand again.

“Once I get these big ones taken care of, I’ll look at the rest of this…mess,” Madeline explained as she gestured to the scrapes and small cuts covering Alex’s body, even though he couldn’t hear her.

With a deep breath she undid the bandage over his forearm. This wound was right in the middle of his tattoo sleeve. She had a feeling that this was going to leave more than a little nick based on the fact the shirt used to be a light blue from what she could tell, and it was now deep purple with blood.

As the bandage peeled, Madeline had to wiggle it a bit, the skin having starting to fuse to the fabric. She felt herself retch at the thought of what was happening to get it loose. His body must have started healing around it already, which meant it was older. Praying it didn’t pop any scabs, Madeline wriggled the rest of it free before sliding it away. What she saw underneath was worse than she had anticipated. It was much worse, and she nearly fell out of the SUV as she scrambled backward toward the open door.

He had a bite.

A chunk of his skin was missing right where the fanged mouth of his skull tattoo was. The flesh around the bite was ragged and tattered, with blood crusting around the edges where it had clotted and begun to heal. Dark red lines spidered out from the wound, spreading under his black ink tattoos, a clear sign that infection was setting in. She wasn’t the medicinal one in the family, but you couldn’t live around her sister without learning a few things.

“Fuck,” Madeline whispered as she continued to stare at the wound as she pressed herself against the side of the car, inching away from the open door so she didn’t fall out. “Fuck Alex, why didn’t you say anything?” She asked him as she felt the tears finally prick her eyes.

But he had. He had told her to stay away from him, from the blood. She had assumed it was him just trying to protect her from her aversion, not the fact that he was infected. And she…

She flinched instantly scrambling to wipe down her cut hand in her shirt. It was also covered in blood, hers or his, she wasn’t sure. The sight of all the blood only heightened her panic. Leaning forward, careful to keep out of Alex’s range of reach should he wake up as one of those things, she grabbed a bottle of water and clean cloth. She had to get his blood off her and keep herself from getting infected.

Undoing the bandage around her hand, she leaned her arm out the car door and doused it in water. She shrieked with pain as the water hit the cut, but she continued to pour and then scrubbed at it with the clean shirt. It burned, but she kept wiping at her skin to clean herself, running the cloth over her fingers and up her arms. She used the window as a mirror to make sure she cleaned her face and neck where Alex had leaned against her when she forced him to walk.

Her movements were growing frantic as she found more blood and dirt, nearly ripping at her skin as she examined herself. When she pulled her shirt off, she threw it with an angry, scared shriek into the woods. There was blood all over it. Her pants were covered in it as well. She could feel where the mix of water and blood from cleaning up Alex had soaked into her knees from kneeling in the puddles. Did she have a small cut there? A nick from stamping around in the woods? Was she infected now? She yanked the pants off, shivering in the cold as she inspected her skin. Fingers prying at her knees and shins, twisting her limbs this way and that to look for any cuts.

As she frantically looked herself over she kept glancing back at Alex who hadn’t stirred. When she thought she was as clean and clear as she was going to get, Madeline wrapped her hand back up. She cradled her arm against her chest as if afraid a droplet of Alex’s blood would somehow get in if she even put her hand down. Once she got her breathing back down to a more normal rate, she looked at Alex’s still slack face.

What was she going to do?

Her eyes darted to the pistol she had set down a few minutes before, and hating herself, she grabbed it, fingers fumbling to undo the holster snap to pull it free. She turned the gun in her hands; the safety was off, and one bullet was already chambered. That was why he had been reaching for the gun before; he knew he was going to turn, and he would rather die than have that happen.

The pieces were clicking into place now.

He had come to tell her to leave, to not wait for him like he knew she would despite his clear order. He had tried to give her the supplies and push her away before it was too late and her arguing with him just whittled down his window even further. He fought the sickness off for as long as he could and was going to take care of himself before he turned. Always thinking of others before himself, willing to take his own life to save someone else, save her, from that burden.

But sitting here with the gun in her lap, Madeline knew she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t shoot him. Not when he was just lying there. She couldn’t. It was still him; it was still Alex unconscious before her. Those things didn’t sleep, they didn’t rest, not that she had seen anyway. People were bit, they turned, and then they attacked like rabid animals. So, while he was still him, she would sit with him.

She didn’t know how long ago he had been a bit, but it seemed six hours was the longest anyone had gone. She’d have to shove him out when it got closer, close all the doors, and just…wait. Or drive off. She wouldn’t shoot him even if she knew that would be what he wanted. She knew he wouldn’t want to be one of those things attacking others, but she was too cowardly to end it for him unless it was her life for his. Even then, she wasn’t sure if she could do it.

As more time ticked by and her body flinched with cold, Madeline resigned herself to grabbing clean clothes to pull on. She knew closing the car doors would make her feel too trapped in the car with him if she needed to get away quickly. Plus, the cold would keep his fever from rising and maybe prolong the inevitable. Not wanting to take her eyes off Alex, she grabbed the closest things she could reach: one of his shirts and a pair of sleep pants.

Careful to avoid the wet spots of blood and water, Madeline wrestled herself into the clothes, moving slowly as if afraid sudden movements would set off the creature lying there. Not creature. Alex. He was still unconscious and wasn’t foaming at the mouth with blood and spittle.

It was still Alex, and he was slowly dying before her eyes; his breathing slowed to almost indiscernible.

Reaching out, Madeline twisted Alex’s wrist to check the watch on his arm, her fingers carefully brushing the bare minimum. It was almost noon. If he had been bitten right before he arrived, they’d be at the four-hour mark.

But that didn’t add up. He wouldn’t have made it to her with those things following him, and he certainly wouldn’t have led them to her. He also needed time to wrap up the wound; multiple wounds and the bandage around the bite had been dry. The blood had already caked, and the fabric stuck to the wound, which was starting to heal. The bite must have been a few hours old by the time he showed up—old enough to begin showing signs of infection and scabbing.

Madeline’s eyes darted to Alex’s face as she uncurled her legs and dared to reach a hand out to him, palm gently resting on his unbloodied cheek. He was still burning up, the skin hot and dry to the touch, and his busted lips were white from dehydration. But despite his unconscious state, she thought she felt him lean into her touch as she smoothed her thumb over his swollen cheekbone.

Maybe he wasn’t bitten by one of those things, or perhaps the infection hadn’t entered his blood. They had to be well past the six-hour mark now. Madeline knew the most logical explanation was that six hours was just a rough estimate; the virus was so new, and information about it was still unclear. There was no centralized database to look it up; all information was just word of mouth and guesses.

“Alex?” Madeline asked softly, brushing her thumb over his cheek again. When he didn’t stir, she sighed and sat back on her heels. She needed to wake him up, needed to talk to him to find out when he’d been bitten or what had happened. “Alex, can you hear me?” She gave him a gentle shake. The quiet groan that followed made her jump, her brain frantically trying to interpret if that was a groan or a growl.

“Alex.” She tried again a bit more firmly. But before he or she could do anything else, a sudden noise made Madeline jump out of her skin. The satellite phone was ringing in the front seat.

They were supposed to call Price that morning when Alex arrived. The Captain had been so sure Alex would get back to her that there was no other option than to just wait. But it seemed he had grown impatient.

The loud chiming of the phone made Alex stir, his hands flexing as if searching for a grip. At the sudden movement, Madeline nearly threw herself into the front seat, recoiling in fear. She had been desperate to wake him, but now that he was moving, she was terrified of what she might find.

The phone continued to ring as Madeline pressed herself tightly against the radio console, the knobs and buttons digging into her back. She needed to answer it and turn it off, but she was too scared to take her eyes off Alex for even a second. He rolled his head to the side with another grunt, he was listening to the sounds around him. Or it was listening.

Reaching for the driver’s side door handle, Madeline grasped the plastic and began to tug it open as Alex’s head tilted back to look up at her. Her heart pounded in her throat as she braced herself to possibly flee.

She knew those things' eyes were wholly black, pupils blown out, and the whites bloodshot to the point that they almost disappeared. Those eyes would be her signal to either run or stay, though she knew running was futile. With all the other doors of the SUV wide open, he could pounce on her in an instant.

As she looked down at him, poised to run, she waited for his eyes to open. She needed to see if the gaze that met hers was still Alex’s or if he had finally turned.

Chapter Text

Blue. His eyes were blue.

Madeline nearly sobbed with relief as Alex looked up at her. His face was pale and etched with pain, and he still attempted to adjust to sit up, but his body was too weak.

“Hang on, stop,” Madeline said as she scrambled back over the center armrest to get to him. The phone was still screaming, and she hit the hangup symbol without thinking twice. A few hours ago, she would have given anything to talk to someone, but now she had other priorities. “You need to lay back down,” she ordered as she swept her gaze over him again to look for any other signs of injury or illness.

She had been staring at him for hours. Let her eyes rove over his face to commit it to memory, lingered on the scars in his hairline that she still didn’t know the origin of, and noted the unkempt beard that had been so tidy the first time she had seen him. Had watched as his chest rose and fell with each breath, and as time had worn on, how much slower those breaths became and the longer breaks between inhales.

And as she looked at him now, everything was the same. Hours after she found the bite and probably many hours after he had been bitten.

“Madeline, I can’t,” Alex started his voice a hoarse crack from disuse and dehydration. He felt as if he had swallowed sand, so much sand that it sucked all moisture from him and scratched every surface of his insides. He was burning up, and each movement felt like agony; even blinking hurt.

“Stop moving,” Madeline answered as she grabbed at his arm carefully above the bite and felt him flinch away. She wasn’t sure if it was because of where she grabbed him or if it hurt, so she eased up her grip a bit. “Alex, when were you bit?”

“I can’t be here,” Alex answered with a groan, trying to pull away, but he couldn’t get out of her grasp. Her words sounded muffled in his ears as if there was sand packed in them as well. “I shouldn’t have,” he started before her words sunk into his addled mind. She had found his bite.

“You’ve been here for over four hours,” she said gently as she caught the panicked look on his face. “And you haven’t turned. How long ago were you bit?”

Alex laid back on the seats she had put him on and stared up at the ceiling, thinking. He had no idea what time it was when he got to her, let alone what four hours later meant. Thinking was difficult, and he was chasing his thoughts through his mind as they slipped away like water in his hands. When had he been bitten? It was back at the condo; he knew that much. He kept pushing his mind to remember, and it started to come back to him in brief glimpses.

They were too hot on his tail for him to get to a car; if he hesitated for even a second in his run, they would have been on top of him. So, instead, he had led them on a chase. He lured them up to the third-story of a half-built condo to bottleneck them into it to try and slow them down some. There were so many of them that they jammed one another into the hallways and doors, trying to be the first to him, which only enraged them more.

Busting out the living room window, Alex had glanced down, pausing for only a second before jumping. The landing was rough. He hit the work truck with too much momentum. He knew instantly that he had busted some ribs as he caught the edge of the truck, had smacked his head on the hard metal bad enough that he had given himself a bloody nose, and his vision swam. But he didn’t stop moving; the things were already pouring out of the window after him. He quickly let go of the edge of the truck to land on his back on the pavement, knocking the wind out of him.

Still, he got back up.

He was moving too slowly, and they quickly caught up. His first plan to blow it and run was looking less and less likely. He was still going to blow it; the more he could take out, the better, but his outrunning it didn’t seem feasible anymore. But he didn’t back down; instead, he purposely made more noise as he rattled the fence to the pool to attract as many things as possible. They followed him like dogs on a hunt and soon were falling over one another in the Olympic-sized pool that was still drained for winter as Alex climbed up the ladder on the far side.

“Yesterday,” Alex answered as he closed his eyes. He was still trying to think about when the bite happened but was unable to get the time straight. Was it before or after he blew up the pool? He saw flashes of more running, of him throwing the grenade over the fence, being blown back a few feet from the explosion only to collide hard with a pile of construction debris. He lost a good chunk of time then to darkness. How long he had been out, he wasn’t sure, but the burning pain of rebar in his thigh woke him sometime later.

“You have to go,” he finally said, opening his eyes to look at Madeline again. She was watching him wearily but still held onto him as she listened. His arm she was holding his arm where the bite was, and the panic jolted him. “Don’t touch me, Madeline,” Alex attempted to yell in panic as he yanked his arm, but the sound was weak, and his movement was just a twitch. He was too tired to do anything.

“I’ve already cleaned it,” Madeline answered softly as she kept her grip. “I was careful. I don’t think I got any blood on me,” she lied, not wanting him to panic and move around too much. “I wrapped it; it’s not bleeding anymore,” she explained as she smoothed her thumb along his upper forearm reassuringly. “If you were bit yesterday, Alex, then you should have turned by now. Are you sure it was yesterday?” She was doing her best not to get her hopes up, to believe him that it was yesterday and somehow, someway, he wasn’t going to turn.

“I spent the night in a car,” Alex answered, swallowing hard against the burn with each word.  “I thought it would be best to keep me contained once,” he started before coughing. The blood was back. He could taste it even in the dry husk of his mouth. “I still could,” he managed as he swallowed back the tangy liquid and watched as Madeline fumbled around out of his view with something.

“You need to take this,” Madeline answered, ignoring his worries about potentially turning. At this rate, he wasn’t going to live long enough to turn. His skin was ashen, and despite burning up, he was perfectly dry to the touch. The fever was cooking him from the inside, and she knew that his wounds needed to be cleaned better to avoid infection. If they weren’t infected already, the bite alone had already started spidering under his skin.

“Wait,” Alex protested as he felt her slide her blissfully cool fingers around to the back of his neck to grab his head to tilt him up. “Fuck,” he groaned, unable to get anything else out as the pain of the simple movement ran along his skin like burning electricity.

“I know, I know. Just take these, please,” Madeline encouraged as she showed him six little white pills. It was a high dosage of Tylenol, but she knew with his size and how bad off he was, it was of the least concern. She needed to get his fever down, and who knew when he’d wake back up again so she could get him to take more.

Alex barely opened his mouth before he felt Madeline’s fingers on the back of his head tighten for a second, watching as her eyes flicked to his mouth. He knew there was blood there; he could still feel it coating his tongue, but she carefully slipped the pills in before bringing a bottle of Gatorade to his lips. He couldn’t taste it well but could tell it was more than water, the sugar tingling as it mixed with the already dissolving medicine in his mouth. He swallowed once, twice, spluttered and felt Madeline lift him further before giving him more.

Madeline slowly poured the Gatorade into his mouth, careful not to choke him, until she felt him sag a bit against her hand. Even this slight movement had tired him, and she pulled the bottle away, glancing at it to see it was half gone. Better than she had expected. She set it carefully next to Alex, wedging it between the seat and door so he could grab it if he had the strength. He watched her quietly, huffing a bit to hold back a cough as he winced with pain. Yet when she caught his eye, he still gave her a small reassuring smile, his busted lips straining at the movement.

“Just rest. I need to call Price back,” Madeline answered, and she saw his eyes flare a bit. She hadn’t told him he had called yesterday to check in, and there hadn’t been time in the chaos when he showed up to relay any message. “They’re all alive, and they found my sister,” she said quickly, giving him a small smile. “He was looking for you; assured me you would get back to me and wanted you to call him when you got here.” As if he knew they were talking about him, the phone started up again, and both she and Alex jumped a bit at the sound. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Don’t go far,” Alex replied sleepily, eyes already half-lidded with exhaustion. He was fighting off the bone-deep need for sleep that was dragging him back under, trying to keep an eye on Madeline. She had slipped out of the SUV through the trunk and was standing a few feet away from the still-open door talking. He couldn’t catch what she was saying, but he still watched her until his eyes finally shut again and remained closed as he slipped unconscious again.

“I need to talk to my sister,” Madeline demanded into the phone as she crunched over some leaves, trying to get out from under tree branches for a clear spot in the sky. She didn’t want to go up to the road if she didn’t have to, the woods giving her better cover for anything around.

“Where is Alex?” Price demanded back, his tone just as steadfast as hers.

“He’s here. But he’s sick, and I need to talk to Josephine. Now.”

“What do you mean, sick?” Price asked, and she could hear the phone rustling as if he had moved the speaker to his shoulder. Muffled voices in the background met her ears before the rustling stopped.

“I mean sick. Unless you can tell me what medication he needs and how to irrigate wounds, I need to talk to my sister.” Madeline snapped as she turned her head to look at Alex, who had closed his eyes again.

“Madeline?” Came a familiar voice a moment later. She sounded tired, exhausted, but it was still very much Josephine. And she was alive. “Madeline, what is going on? Where are you? Where is Everett?”

Shit. She hadn’t told Price anything the last time they talked. So consumed with what happened with her and Alex getting split up that it hadn’t dawned on her.

“I’m,” Madeline twisted on the spot. Where was she exactly? “I’m in the woods outside of Atlanta,” she began, and she could hear her sister suck in a breath to ask about her son again. “Everett is fine. He is safe at the CDC; things went a bit…it doesn’t matter now. He’s fine, safe.”

“Why aren’t you with him? Who is he with?” Josephine continued, not taking the short explanation for an answer.

Madeline couldn’t really blame her. Her son was alone, as far as she knew, in the end of the world. The person who was supposed to be caring for him had just left him and was now calling frantic.

“He’s with his father. I,” Madeline sighed; she knew if she kept pushing off the answer to get her own, Josephine would just continue to push back. Time was of the essence, but it would be faster just to give her a quick rundown of what happened with her son. “Garett was at the CDC already, using your name and his title as spouse. He was still listed as the emergency contact and next of kin on your file. I wasn’t on the list, so I was turned away. They only had so much space,” she rambled quickly, pausing the small circles she was making as she talked to look over at Alex again. He was still breathing.

“Garett?” Her sister snapped indignantly. Madeline could picture the instant tensing of her sister's shoulders, the narrowing of her eyes, and the puffing of her lips in annoyance. “Who the hell let him in? I can call,” she hesitated as if not knowing who to call. Who was left to call?  “I’ll find someone to call. You go back there right now and drag him out the front fucking door.”

“That’s the least of my worries,” Madeline answered. “I need you to tell me what I can get for Alex,” she paused again. “He’s hurt, Josephine. Bad. I don’t know everything that happened, but he managed to get to me before he collapsed, and I had to practically drag him to the car.”

“Hurt how?” Josephine asked, her tone instantly cautious.

“A bad slash on his thigh, a head wound of some sort,” Madeline paused, debating on if she should tell her everything. “Pretty sure some broken ribs. But he’s got a fever; I barely got him conscious enough to take some Tylenol and drink something. He feels like he’s burning; his skin is so hot and dry. He can’t talk much, and I think he may have a concussion and maybe blood loss; he’s so pale.”

“Did you clean up the wounds?” Josephine asked a mixture of apprehension and surprise at the idea that Madeline had been able to do that.

“I did. They aren’t bleeding anymore, as far as I can tell. I haven’t been able to clean his head yet; I got a little distracted,” Madeline replied, her words trailing off a bit.

“Any sign of infection? Red raised skin, spidering of veins, puss,” Josephine rambled off.

“Um,” Madeline walked back to the SUV, carefully picking her way through the fallen leaves to avoid tripping over branches and rocks. “The one on his arm does. The red lines have grown,” she answered as she gently leaned over Alex’s form to look at his left arm. The bandage had covered the lines earlier but now she could see them creeping toward his elbow. “In just a few hours.”

“Okay,” Josephine breathed out for a second. “Any idea how he got it? Did he tell you? Could narrow down what you can give him.”

“No,” Madeline paused again and turned to lean against the outside of the SUV. “But I know what it was. Do not freak out, and let me explain.”

“Madeline,” Josephine started, her voice clearly indicating she was guessing what it was.

“It happened yesterday. He was able to tell me that much. It’s been over twenty-four hours, Josie,” she began, but Josephine cut her off.

“Madeline, if he was bit, you need to ditch him. Right now. It’s over; there is no coming back from that. You,” her sister stopped to take an agitated breath. “Your optimism has no place here. You are just putting yourself at risk being around him.” Madeline could hear men talking in the background, and she was sure Josephine’s words had caught their attention. Their voices were raised and agitated, and she could hear someone snap. They were asking Josephine for more information, but her sister didn’t respond to them.

“I’m not an idiot, Josephine!” Madeline answered. “I’ve seen what those things can do. First-hand way too many times. Have seen people change in front of my eyes in an instant. Been attacked by someone who hid their bite and changed later. This is different. It’s been much longer than the six hours the CDC told us.”

“That’s not a guarantee; we don’t know for sure how long it can take! Who knows, maybe it’s mutated,” another pause and shaky breath intake told Madeline she was doing her best not to pick a fight. “I’m sorry, Madeline, but you can’t help him.”

“I’m going to do what I can,” Madeline answered with a finality that she rarely used with her sister. “With or without your help. It’ll go faster if you do, but I don’t have time to stand here and argue with you.”

“Madeline, you are just putting yourself at risk; it’s not worth it. Please listen to me,” Josephine tried as the men around her were close enough to the phone now that Madeline could hear them talking clearly.

“He is the only reason I am standing here talking to you right now,” Madeline answered, feeling the emotions she had been fighting bubble up in her throat, threatening to silence her words. “Without him, we would have been dead in Boston. I’d never of made it this far. He’s the only reason Everett is safe. I can’t,” she loosed a breath to keep it together.

“He was bit when he covered me to get away. He fought it, Josephine. He fought it to get back to me to make sure I was okay and to make sure I had what I needed to get to Texas before he planned on,” she choked up at the thought. She knew that Alex had been prepared to end it himself before he turned to keep her and others safe because that was the man he was. “I am not going to desert him now.”

The pause and silence were so long that Madeline pulled the phone away from her ear, sure that they had lost connection. But the seconds on the small display screen continued to climb, and she put the phone back up to her ear.

“Hello?” She muttered into the silence.

“He’ll need a broad-spectrum antibiotic,” Josephine answered quietly. “Steroids. Fluids. Fever reducer. You need to cool him down if he’s as hot as you say. Ice packs, if you can find them. Put them under his arms, his neck, groin, feet,” she listed off.

“What kind of antibiotic? How much?” Madeline asked as she yanked open the driver’s door and leaned across the seat to try and find a pen and paper. She settled on the back of the map with a half-dead pen to write down everything Josephine told her.

The list was a long one, with different options depending on what she was able to find. How much to give him, how often and most importantly, where to inject it. The idea of filling up a needle full of medicine and pushing it into Alex’s skin made Madeline’s stomach flip with nerves, but she would do it. And if it came to the subcutaneous fluid portion, if she couldn’t get him to wake and drink, she was certain she would faint. The instructions her sister rattled off for that had been enough to make her feel the blood rush from her face and her ears ring.

“We’re on our way back to you. Check in every day at the same time. We’ll be hiking through the jungle, so it may not go through for a few days.” Price instructed a few minutes later when Josephine handed the phone back to him after making Madeline promise she would not let Alex turn and hurt her. She emphasized how bad of an idea this was and demanded to know if Madeline had a weapon and could use it.

“I will,” Madeline replied as her eyes scanned over the scribbles of words and numbers.

“Remember, stay away from populated areas. Alex won’t be able to help you.” Price reiterated, and Madeline nodded before verbally responding.

“Got it,” Madeline answered with a small sigh as she twisted to glance at Alex. He was still firmly unconscious. “Talk to you in a bit. Hopefully, with good news.”

When the line went dead, Madeline let the phone slip from her fingers. The wind was chilled, and she shivered a bit before going around and closing the doors. Grabbing the pistol from the floorboard where it had fallen in her scramble to get away from Alex and shut off the phone, she inspected it. The safety was still on, and she carefully put it in the cupholder before buckling into the driver’s seat.  She needed to move quickly per Josephine’s instructions; if the infection was spreading that fast, there was only so long left before they reached the point of no return.

The roar of the engine seemed obscenely loud in the dense quiet, and Madeline flinched at it, looking around as if a horde was hiding behind the tree line. Nothing came for her, though. No movement aside from the wind rustling the trees. Dropping her rearview mirror to keep an eye on Alex, Madeline hit the gas and began the bumpy climb out of the woods, over the ditch, and back to the road. She could hear Alex grunt with discomfort and she apologized a few times as they ran over more bumps and ditches in the gravel road to get back to the paved one.

She had no idea where she was going to go. Price had been insistent that she stay away from hospitals and major cities in general, but the drugs her sister said she needed would be easiest to find at one of those. They didn’t carry injectable antibiotics at a regular store pharmacy, let alone IV fluids. She would have to find an emergency clinic or a small local doctor's office. Josephine had even stated in a moment of desperation that a vet’s clinic would work. Many of their drugs were similar to humans; if not exactly the same, just the dosage would be different. Not many people knew that, though, so if Madeline couldn’t find a clinic around or one that wasn’t raided, chances were high that was still a good second option.

As Madeline hit the paved road and turned down it, she mulled over where she could go. She debated pulling over and looking at the map for smaller towns in the area that may have an urgent care. Then she opted against it because the pained sigh Alex let out as she went over a deep dip in the road reminded her that time was dwindling.

As Madeline drove along, one of the large barns came into view through the gaps in the trees. It stood pristine and untouched, a small paradise seemingly frozen in time compared to the horrors in the rest of the world. When the large welded archway appeared again, she slowed down slightly. Apprehension rose within her, urging her to pass quietly in case anyone else had shown up in the past day and was lingering around. As she crept past the driveway, the nagging thought she had the day before about the potentially trapped animals flashed across her mind. Then the realization nearly slapped her in the face and she slammed on the brakes.

The animals.

This was a huge farm with multiple barns for a large number of animals. Which meant they needed to tend to these animals. Which more than likely meant medication. Surely, a farm of this size wouldn’t be carting their animals back and forth to the local clinic, nor would they pay someone to come out to tend to them constantly. It would be easier and cheaper to have medicine on hand for day to day ailments. Antibiotics and steroids were common things for minor issues, and if they had a large staff working on said farm, there might even be a decent first aid setup for the humans.

Madeline glanced at Alex, his lips slightly parted in a pant. She wasn't sure if it was from unconscious pain or inability to catch his breath. She didn’t have time to drive around aimlessly, and she knew each bump and jolt of the car was agony for him. In his state, he was unable to hide his discomfort from her, and she heard each hiss and whine. She knew that when she had the flu with the body aches, even rolling over in bed hurt; she could only imagine the pain he was in.

“Worth a shot,” she muttered as she threw the car into reverse and turned down the small entryway to the drive, pulling the car right up to the gate. She could try just running it, ram down the fence without a second glance, but it seemed like a dangerous choice. If someone was on the property, they’d hear her and be pissed she just ran it down, or if someone happened by, they’d know someone was around. No. She would get out and open the gate, drive through, and shut it again. The less footprint she left behind, the better.

Madeline made quick work of the gate, unhooking the pin on one side and swinging it open wide. They hadn’t even put a lock on it. When she drove through, she didn’t bother to shut the car door and hopped out just as quickly to shut the gate again before she began her slow creep down the driveway.

She kept her eyes scanning in every direction for even the slightest hint of movement in the fields or the house. A twitch of curtains, someone darting behind a building, or even up on the roofs. But there was nothing. The place seemed like it was abandoned, though not in a hurry. Everything was neat and clean; no flung open doors or items littered around the lawn left behind in their haste to get away. If she felt brave later, she would try the house see if there was somewhere they could be comfortable. But her priority was medicine, so she followed the drive around the side of the house and came to a fork with a sign.

“Livestock,” Madeline muttered as she glanced between all the labeled arrows. The others were for feed, equipment, and the main office. She would try the main office for some regular human first aid, figuring that animals would not have a need for ice packs.

She had to pass through a few more gates, popping out to open them and then shutting them behind her, before she got to the biggest barn on the property. Well, that she could see anyway. It was extremely tall, and she had to lean against the wheel to see the top of it before looking left and right to see the very ends of it. Fencing surrounded the whole thing with different corrals for different animals. Off to the far right, she spotted a sign for a petting zoo. Perhaps this place also did tourist and community things.

Leaving the windows cracked, Madeline slipped out and locked the car, jumping at the beep even though she had used the door handle to lock it. She felt like she was on edge; each step she took was too loud, and the feeling of being watching was strong. She was sure someone was going to pop up out of nowhere and attack her or yell at her. Shoot her even for trespassing. But when she got to a human-sized door in the barn, and none of those things happened, she tried the handle. It was unlocked.

Glancing over her shoulder one more time at the SUV, she took a deep breath, adjusted her grip on the pistol, and stepped inside.

It was dark, the only light coming from the windows in the stalls that lined the rows. She didn’t dare flip on the lights as she walked further in; the smell of hay, animals, and manure were strong as she crept. But what she didn’t sense was movement or sound. There was nothing in there. No animals were moving about in their stalls, nothing whimpering or calling out for help. It was silent save for a bird swooping past her, scaring her half to death after she disturbed its slumber in one of the high-up rafters.

Peering into a stall, she found no sign of an animal, not even one that had died or something even worse. It was empty, with no hay or even a water bowl. Stepping to the next one it was the same. And it continued down each one she peered into. The stalls were cleaned out completely. They weren’t brand new; there were signs an animal had been there at one point, but they were barren now. Perhaps they went somewhere else in the winter? Another barn? Or could they be show horses or something of the like?

Without the worry of disturbing anything but the birds, Madeline moved faster, not wanting to leave Alex alone out there for too long. The place was just as large inside as it was outside, and it took her a while, but she finally found the infirmary area. It was fully stocked, and she nearly collapsed with relief as she looked at all the vials of different medicines, topical creams, drawers full of fluids, and plenty of bandages. It was like the place had its very own fully functioning veterinary office; they must have been a very successful business, whatever it was.

She had brought in the map with her scribbled notes and laid it out on the counter, squinting at it a few times to confirm the names of items. The pain medication was behind a locked glass door, and Madeline shattered the glass open with a hard hit from the butt of her gun. One vial would be enough; based on what Josephine said, the amount she could administer was so minimal that a single vial would last her and Alex a month easily. She decided to leave behind anything that she didn’t need for someone else to grab if they needed it, or if the world ever recovered and these people came back, their whole stock wouldn’t be depleted.

“Alex?” Madeline asked as she climbed back into the SUV. She dropped the bag of supplies into the seat next to her as she twisted around to look at him. He didn’t answer, but his chest rose and fell. Reaching a hand behind her, she felt for his forehead, not caring to avoid the dried blood there, and sighed. He was still burning up. The Tylenol hadn’t touched the fever that she could tell.

“Let’s get you some ice packs,” Madeline said as she threw the car into drive and turned around to head the other way to the main offices.

The offices were much of the same. Pristinely clean, with everything in its place, and no sign of anyone there. A huge display of trophies and ribbons along the back wall of the main room confirmed Madeline’s suspicions about the main focus of this farm. They specialized in training and breeding show horses, racehorses, and even some prize-winning cattle. Maybe they were on the road after all when the outbreak happened, and that’s why it was so empty. Winter wasn’t prime-time family outing or petting farm time, so there was no point in staffing the offices.

The first aid was an easy find, but it wasn’t as well stocked as she had hoped. There were only a few lone squeeze to activate ice packs, and the kit had been used a few times without being replenished. She didn’t spend a long time looking it over, wanting to get back to Alex and administer medicine as soon as possible.

The farm was as good as abandoned, as far as Madeline could tell, but she still looked for a place to park the SUV and hide. She couldn’t move Alex; he was fully unconscious, and he was far too large for her to try and heave anywhere. While sleeping in the SUV would be cramped, it was still the safest option for a quick getaway. When he got better, because she wasn’t going to even think about any other outcome, perhaps they could check the farmhouse and rest in there.

Quadruple checking she had the dosages right, the medicine she found being for horses, Madeline stared at the two capped needles in her hand. She had pulled Alex’s watch from his wrist and slipped it over her own, even if it was laughably large on her, to set the timer. As soon as she gave him these shots, he needed another dose of antibiotic in a few hours to jump-start his system, then the steroids again a few hours after that. Josephine had said to wait on the pain medication until he was awake to keep him from staying unconscious too long and also not to impede the other meds.

“I hate this more than you do,” Madeline breathed out as she pulled the elastic of his boxers down a bit to get to his hip. Her fingers smoothed over the skin to find a spot before uncapping the needles. She groaned one more time before jabbing both of them into the soft spot she found, closing her eyes as she did so. Doing them both together at the same time was probably not standard protocol, and not looking was definitely against the rules, but Madeline wasn’t sure she could stomach the proper way at the moment. The feeling of the needles puncturing his skin made her double over with a gag, and she pushed the plungers down quickly.

Still not looking where the needles punctured him, Madeline pulled the needles out and carefully recapped them before settling them off to the side. She then placed a band-aid over the spot and gently rubbed it to keep the medication from settling in the muscle, per Josephine's instructions. It was laughable to see the band-aid on these tiny marks compared to the rest of his battered body, but it felt odd to her to just leave the pinpricks exposed.

“All right, four more hours until I have to do that again,” Madeline muttered as she hit the timer on the watch. “Let’s cool you down and clean you up the rest of the way.”

Madeline activated the few ice packs she had and stuffed them under his armpits and in his groin. He flinched a bit at the cold, and she dared to have a bit of optimism at that; he was still having reactions, even if unconscious ones. For the other areas, she just soaked down some scraps of fabric and set them outside of the car to get cold before draping them around his feet and the back of his neck. She’d do his forehead once she cleaned up his cut and face. Goosebumps danced along his skin as she applied more and more cold rags to his body, and she even shivered as the wind whistled through the cracked windows.

The cut to his head wasn’t as bad as the rest of his injuries, but she still carefully cleaned and wrapped it as best as she could. She wiped down his face while still wearing gloves, but when the blood was cleared, she gently ran her bare fingers over his skin. His cheekbone was swollen, and a dark purple bruise spread over the bridge of his nose. She felt for any broken bones but found none that were glaringly obvious. His face scrunched up a bit at her prodding, and she quickly stopped, smoothing out the frown lines between his eyes with her thumb in a soothing manner until he relaxed again.

She redid the wrappings on his arm and leg, carefully inspecting them for any sign of further infection. The skin on his leg was swollen and angry but didn’t look like anything more than a cut, but his arm was another story. The red streaks that ran out from the bite were so dark in places that they looked black and were wrapping up around his elbow and down the backs of his hands. She could clearly see where each vein ran under his skin and the small capillaries that broke off of them. The bite itself was a dark red mass; a big enough chunk of skin was missing so that his arm was visibly indented and still oozed a bit of sludge-like blood.

Once Alex was set, as cleaned up as she could get him with proper wrappings, Madeline set to work on her own wound. It stung to unwrap, and she hissed as she twisted her hand this way and that to get a good look at it. It was swollen and throbbed with each heartbeat now that it wasn’t wrapped tightly. She knew she had agitated it with all the maneuvering with Alex, but she didn’t dare take any pain medication stronger than the ibuprofen. She didn’t want to risk anything while Alex was vulnerable, and the morphine would knock her on her ass.

“Still couldn’t do this full time, even if I feel like I am going to master this before it’s all over,” Madeline said to no one as she looked over her handiwork. Her hand was wrapped up so that her ring finger was splinted with her pinky, and everything was secured tightly with medical tape. She probably needed to take an antibiotic herself, but stabbing herself with a needle was her final straw. It didn’t look infected; she’d deal with it later if it came to it.

And so the day continued on.

Madeline kept changing out the cold rags once they warmed for fresh ones and rotated the ice packs until they were completely spent. Every time the alarm on the watch went off, she gave Alex his next round of medication, and in between all of that, she kept watch, eyes staring out across the open fields and toward the building she had backed them up to. When night fell, she didn’t get out of the car; she just draped the wet rags on the windows to cool before swapping out.

She didn’t let herself sleep, too afraid to miss any threats in the dark, and still on edge for Alex. There had been a few times she thought he had stopped breathing, his breaths going for so long between that she had shaken him. Even with the full moon, it was hard to see him, so she laid out on her back next to him, lightly pressing her arm up to his side to feel him breathe. She stared out of the sunroof at the sky to occupy her time, mapping out the stars and just letting herself get lost in her thoughts.

Coyotes or wolves, she wasn’t sure, howled in the distance, and snarls echoed around the hills every once in a while in response. The noises sent chills down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature in the cab. She had bundled herself up under a few layers of clothes and had taken pity on Alex enough to give him a thin cover to help with his shivering when he didn’t feel as hot anymore. His body heat helped keep her warm, and she gently reached for his hand, curling her fingers into his to hold as she continued to listen to the sounds around them. A reassurance for herself he was there, and maybe for him if he could feel her.

When the sun started to rise the next morning, Madeline watched the sky change colors, jumping slightly as the watch went off for Alex’s next dose of medication. If he didn’t wake up in the next few hours, she knew she would have to do the fluids, the bags seemingly mocking her from where she had left them down by their feet. His lips were severely chapped, and his skin was tenting when she pinched the back of his hand. If the medication had a chance to continue working, he needed his blood to not be goo in his veins.

As she sat up, wincing as her back and hips popped, she glanced down at Alex and paused. His left arm wasn’t nearly as bad, the dark red streaks having faded some. Afraid it was just the dim light, she reached out to twist his arm a bit to get a better look. That was when she noticed his skin was damp. Damp with sweat.

Instantly, she reached up to his forehead to feel his temperature and felt moisture there as well; he was drenched. She wasn't sure how she hadn’t felt it while holding his other hand because his whole body was covered in a thin sheen of moisture. Feeling his forehead and cheeks with her hands, then her lips because her hands were frozen, Madeline could feel his fever had broken; he was back down to his normal personal heater level.

Alex still didn’t wake up when she shook him. He flinched a bit with his shots of medicine, the skin probably tender with all the poking and prodding, but that was it. Feeling a bit better about the fact that his fever had broken and he needed to sleep the rest of this off, Madeline rolled up the car windows and pulled all the cooling rags off of him. Rest and medicine were the only things necessary now, and as the sun crested the horizon, she resigned herself to try and get some sleep as well. Everything had been quiet around them all night; a few hours of sleep in the day on the seemingly deserted farm would have to work. She was going to need all her wits about her if she was going to attempt to do fluids for him if he still didn’t wake up when she tried again.

Settling back down, Madeline curled herself up to Alex’s side, no longer worried about making him too hot now that his fever had broken. He was comfortably warm against her, and she splayed her hand across the bare skin of his chest to feel his heartbeat and his breathing. It was much more even now, and she smiled, even if it was tentative hope, as she rested her head on his shoulder. She watched her hand on his chest rise and fall with each breath he took and soon fell into a light doze, ears still on high alert for any changes.

When a hand came up to close around hers sometime later, Madeline jolted awake. Her heart hammered in her ears as she tried to regain her bearings. Car. She was in the car with Alex, who was still asleep last she knew. Unless he had turned and was grabbing her to kill her, the half-asleep paranoid thoughts got the best of her. She flinched away from the grab, and the hand instantly let go as she rolled back.

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Alex said in a rasp, his throat impossibly dry.

“Alex!” Madeline nearly sobbed. “You’re awake…” Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked at him. He was still pale and battered, but he wasn’t dead.

Relief washed over her as she searched his eyes for any sign of infection or danger of him turning. They were still the striking crystal blue she knew. Though a dark red ring lined his irises, and the whites were still slightly bloodshot. But it was still him. Somehow, he had fought off the infection that should have been a death sentence, and he was still here.

She leaned in to hug him, trying not to crush him as weariness washed over her. It was as if her body sensed he was okay, and now she could finally let loose all the fear and bottled up emotions in the safety of his arms. Burying her face into his neck so that his pulse hammered against her cheek, she allowed herself to cry.

Alex bit back a groan of pain as Madeline leaned against him, her gentle shaking sending waves of pain through his tender skin and aching muscles. Instead, he shifted slightly, bringing his arms around her to grip at her shirt. He wanted nothing more than to crush her tightly against him, to hold her and let her fall to pieces after everything she had been through these past few days. But his body was still too weak, his arms already shaking from merely holding on.

In his determination to get back to Madeline, to make sure she was okay, all he could think about was holding her like he had done all those nights before. Just one more time was all he silently pleaded for as he pushed through the pain and sickness. And while this embrace was just an imitation of what he wanted, he would take it. He had somehow survived, and he wasn’t about to let go of the one thing that had kept him going. Kept him alive.

Chapter Text

It took a phone call with Price and Madeline insisting she could handle herself in an empty farmhouse before Alex agreed to let her assess the building they were parked behind. He didn’t like the idea of her going out with no backup. He was in no state to cover her. Just the thought of trying to get into an overwatch position or even do the sweep himself made his head swim. Alex insisted they would be fine in the car until he had more strength back, then he could clear the area. But as the day ticked by and the temperature outside dropped lower than the night before, he knew it was a losing battle as Madeline narrowed her eyes at him. The final straw was when Madeline caught Alex shivering and then wincing in pain.

There hadn’t been any movement around them all day. No sounds, no strange happenings. Complete silence. He had been dozing in and out of a haze all day in the car, still exhausted, but Alex knew if anything had cropped up, Madeline would have reacted. He was taking the dead silence as a good sign, even if out in the field, that usually meant the other shoe hadn’t dropped yet.

The farmhouse had been completely still, but Madeline agreed to take it slow. To make loud noises to draw any sort of attention from inside before moving. The things tended to go into hibernation mode when there was no prey around, saving their energy as predators did.  Madeline slammed the car door a few times, making Alex groan internally as his head rattled, and there was no response. She tried getting closer, stepped up on the porch, and dragged the furniture around before darting back to the car. Still nothing.

Alex had given her a strict five-minute rule, carefully grabbing her wrist and setting the timer on his watch. He knew her well enough. If he left her to do the timer, she’d claim it was five minutes and not show back up for ten, busy putting things together for him. The watchband was on the tightest setting, but it still slipped and slid on her arm. It twisted the wrong way as she used the butt of the gun to smash the small square glass on the backdoor and reach inside to unlock it. She fixed it, giving him one last look over her shoulder, before slipping inside.

When she appeared a minute late, Alex shut his eyes in relief for a moment before listening to her rundown on what she had found. It seemed the farmhouse was a multi-function building. The first floor was more for business, with large banquet rooms, an industrial kitchen, a gift shop, a bar, and multiple lounge areas. The second story was the private quarters, set up like a regular house would be, with all the normal amenities. But there was a thick layer of dust on the furniture, and the kitchen was nearly empty save for a few shelf-stable foods.

The shuffle inside was slower than Alex would have liked, his body too sore and tired to be of much use. He had to lean on Madeline to get up the back steps and pause at the welcome counter inside to catch his breath. His heart was hammering in his chest by the time they hit the main stairs, and he had to grip the banister to steady himself as his vision wavered. When they reached the bedroom door upstairs, he was sweating bullets and felt weak and shaky as Madeline shouldered it open.

“You need to rest,” Madeline said as Alex attempted to turn around to help her heave the bags in. She had dropped them at the top of the stairs when Alex’s knees threatened to buckle. “I can get the bags. Please, I don’t think I can catch you again,” Madeline said as she held out her arms, afraid he would keel forward on her.

Alex let her help him to the bed and leaned against the headboard as Madeline dragged in each bag. She left them in the middle of the floor before taking a seat on the bed herself. Despite the cold outside, winter in the South was a roulette for temperature, she was sweating.

Shrugging off the jacket and sweater, Madeline moved to pull her sticking hair off her neck when the alarm on the watch went off. It was time for Alex’s next round of medication. Standing up on slightly shaking legs, the exhaustion catching up, she moved to dig through the bags until she had all the medication clutched in one hand. She set it on the nightstand next to Alex, sweeping the decorative things into the drawer before drawing up the steroid.

“Have you taken care of yourself yet?” Alex asked as Madeline tore open an alcohol wipe and shifted to clean his arm.

“I’m fine,” Madeline muttered, though the sharp inhale through her nose as she angled the needle said otherwise. She had done this a few times now, but she was far from used to it. Now that he was awake and she was using his arm, she couldn’t just look away like she had when it was his hip. “I’ll get you settled and then barricade,” she muttered before jabbing him and pushing the plunger. Her stomach flipped at the feeling, and she felt her abs flex at the feeling before she pulled the needle out and capped it.

“You’re exhausted, Madeline,” Alex said as he watched her, doing his best not to smile a bit at her attempt to cover up her repulsion of injecting him with medication. He barely felt the jab, his body still feeling like it was half asleep. “Your bandage is coming undone, and it’s oozing,” he nodded at her hand. “When was the last time you looked at it?”

“I,” she thought back, trying to put the timeline together. Having to wake up, if she slept at all, to check on him and take care of his injuries constantly, she couldn’t place it. Was it a few hours ago? No, that was when she checked his bite and carefully bandaged it back up, balling up the bloody rags inside her gloves and tossing them into a bag. Her brain was a bit muddled, and when she looked at Alex, who was waiting for an answer, she sighed defeated. “I don’t remember.”

“Can I?” Alex asked as he offered his hand. When she didn’t refuse but instead placed her injured hand in his palm, he carefully undid the wrapping and held back a small hiss. Her pinky to her wrist was sliced in a jagged line, and the edges of the skin were pink with irritation. She flinched as he dabbed at a spot with gauze that was oozing out a yellowish liquid, and Alex snapped his eyes to her face.

“Have you taken any antibiotics?” He asked as he glanced back down at the deepest part of the wound. If it had been a normal time, or he had been around, it probably could have used a stitch or two.

“I could barely give you a shot without passing out. There is no way I can give myself one,” Madeline answered.

“I’ll do it then,” he said as she opened her mouth to protest. “It’s already a bit infected. If you get a high dose now, it may stave it off, and you won’t need another. Let it go too long, and you’ll need a whole round of it.” He knew he was going to win this one because the light shade of green she had turned at the thought of one shot was enough to turn her off from needing multiple.

“Three, two,” Alex counted down as Madeline sat with her head turned so as not to see the needle. He stuck her before he hit one, and he felt her tense before he pulled it out and quickly stuck a bandaid over it. “Done,” he said as he rubbed the spot gently with his thumb to make the medication disperse faster and not settle.

“It burns,” Madeline complained with a grimace as she looked at the bandaid before up at him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’m too sore to even notice,” Alex confessed as he switched to rubbing his palm broadly up and down her arm to stimulate blood flow. “Take some Tylenol for the pain and swelling,” he added as Madeline handed him rolls of gauze and other items so he could clean and wrap up her hand properly.

Madeline stared around the room as Alex worked, glad to have a break from the gore and let him take care of it. It was hard to wrap her dominant hand. The wrappings were always too loose in some places and tight in others. So when he finished, and the bandages felt snug, she smiled a little bit. The even pressure helped ease some of the ache.

“Now rest,” she instructed as she stood up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes once I find something to block the door to the stairs and make sure all the windows are locked.”

She had made a mental list of things to check when Alex had been sleeping earlier. Her top priority was safety, so blocking entrances and exits needed to be done first. Then, once she felt they were more secure, she would set some barriers that would make a noise if anyone tried to get in. If she had enough energy after that, she would go through their bags and see what else they could use from the house. Followed by poking around in the kitchen.

True to her word, Madeline came back after she had grunted and fought with the gigantic dryer in the laundry room to shove it in front of the door on the stairs. Alex was solidly out. He hadn’t even had a chance to lay down properly before sleep had claimed him again. It seemed that just the walk inside and up the stairs had wiped him out.

Walking into the room, she moved some pillows around and helped him lie down, chuckling a bit as he muttered something in his sleep. She smoothed his hair back, fingers tracing down his cheek softly before leaving again. She could use the time while he was asleep to get a few more things checked off her list.

The next time Alex awoke, the sun was high in the sky, and he snapped his eyes shut at the unexpected brightness. He pushed up a bit on his arms and twisted his head to the side to look about the room. He spotted Madeline in a chair by the window, engrossed in a book, not realizing he was up.

“How long was I out?” Alex asked as he focused on her form, still squinting a bit.

“Almost a full day, didn’t even wake when I gave you your last shot,” Madeline answered with a grin before she held up the book she had been reading to hide a yawn. “Are you hungry? You haven’t eaten in a few days.” She got up from her spot, snapping the book shut, and came to sit on the bed.

“When was the last time you ate?” Alex asked as he reached out and grabbed her thigh to get her attention, flexing his fingers a bit when she moved to get up. “Slept?” He took in the dark circles under her eyes and sat up, prepared to halt her attempts to get out of his grasp.

He was expecting a shot of pain and winced a bit in preparation, but nothing was there. He felt oddly…normal. Maybe some of his soreness was from lying in the car and not all from being sick. “Madeline,” Alex said a bit stiffly as she pointedly ignored him and wriggled out of his grasp.

“You need to drink as well,” she continued, not listening to him as she tossed a few bottles of Gatorade from the duffle bags onto the bed. “We have fluids if you need them, but you’re on your own for that one.” She was babbling with tiredness, a trait her sister always teased her for. Everyone in the family knew when Madeline was ready for bed because all she wanted to do was talk. “I managed to get everything barricaded. All windows are locked. Found some candles in their hall closet. I thought those would be safe since they don’t give off a whole lot of light. Bit of an odd mix of smells, but,” she shrugged, looking around the room at the collection of candles all around.

“Mads,” Alex tried again as she came around the side of the bed to hold out a selection of food for him. She still wasn’t listening, eyes darting to the drinks still on the end of the bed. When she leaned to get them, he grabbed her wrist. She tugged but didn’t break his hold, and he gently pulled back on her to get her attention. “I can do this for myself. I’m already feeling better.”

It wasn’t a lie.

As he gained more awareness, the longer he was awake, he found he didn’t feel like he was in as much of a fog. His mind was clearer. He didn’t feel the sickly shaking like he had before either. He certainly wasn’t up to full strength, but he also didn’t feel like he would keel over just by walking to the bathroom. Curiously, he twisted his left arm to look at the bandaged bite and found that the red streaks on his skin had fully retreated under the bandage.

“You don’t need to push it,” Madeline argued as she looked at the bandage as well. “Sleep is the best thing for you now. So, get something to eat and lay back down.”

“I’ve slept enough,” Alex answered. “I don’t think I could sleep right now if I tried. Let me take watch for a bit,” he paused as she narrowed her eyes. “I can sit in a chair for a few hours.” He resisted the urge to huff as she crossed her arms disbelievingly over her chest. “Just a few. Get some sleep. If I need you, I’ll wake you up. You haven’t slept properly in days.”

Madeline knew she was going to lose the fight. If he was strong enough to argue, he was strong enough to order her around again. And she was exhausted. There was more of a risk of her falling asleep in the chair on watch than it was for Alex. Even in his state, she knew he would never put their safety, her safety, to chance.

“Just a few, then you wake me up,” she glared at him a bit to get him to agree. When he nodded, she nodded back, watching him disappear into the bathroom. He still limped, but he was moving on his own without much issue, which made her smile faintly. It was a huge difference from when she had found him in the woods.

Shucking off her pants, Madeline bit back her groan of relief as she slipped under the covers. The bed was soft, and as she rolled over, she found the spot Alex had laid in. It was still warm and smelled of him, which only made her bury herself in the bed more. She grinned a bit as she curled around a pillow, listening to him shuffling about in the bathroom, ready to dart out of the bed if he needed her. But he didn’t call out, and after a few moments the exhaustion won, and she was asleep.

Madeline had passed out rather quickly, even for Alex’s prediction. He had lingered in the bathroom longer than needed just to give her some time, and when he popped his head out to look at her, he laughed a bit. All he could see was a lump under the covers and hear her soft, muffled breathing from where she had buried herself. Right in the spot he had been in.

Alex spent his time slowly cleaning himself up, quietly shuffling between the bedroom and the rest of the house so as not to disturb Madeline. He would have killed for a proper shower, but he would take what he could get. Which was a few jugs of water and wiping down with a washcloth and soap. He worked carefully around his wounds while standing in the shower, inspecting each one as he cleaned them.

His leg was healing fairly well, faster than he would have thought. The bite was no longer oozing, either. The chunk was already scabbed, and pink skin was growing back in places. And the wound on his head was barely a raised scratch. It was unnerving. He had seen and had enough of his own gruesome injuries to know something wasn’t right. These should have taken many more days to look even half this healed, yet the marks looked weeks old. Even the black and blue bruise that spread from his cheek to his nose was light yellow. The splits in his lips were completely healed.

“What the hell,” Alex muttered as he continued to assess himself. Something in this virus had to be doing it. The infected didn’t react to pain or injury.  Perhaps this virus had healing qualities. Somehow sped up the body’s natural ability. It would explain why the infected didn’t go down no matter how many times you shot them. The only thing that stopped them were shots to the head, and that was only because it destroyed the brain. There was no healing from that.

Washing his hair, not bothering to put the bandage back on that wound, Alex finished up his makeshift bath. He trimmed his beard with what he could find and shaved for the first time in…he couldn’t remember. It made him feel a little more human and less sickly to actually freshen up and put on a clean pair of comfortable clothes. He had grabbed a shirt but decided to forgo it, already back to running hot even without a temperature. And when he looked at his reflection in the mirror as he dried his face, he actually recognized the face looking back at him, save for the red tinge that still lined his irises.

He spent the rest of his time patrolling around the house, poking in the rooms for things to occupy his time, and had a quick spotty call with Price. Then, when he grew tired of exploring, he picked up the book Madeline had been reading earlier and took a seat on the bed next to her under the blankets to read. The area had been quiet of all movement, and they were tightly barricaded inside. He had added a few things of his own to reinforce the two exits, so Alex wasn’t as worried about staring out the window on guard. They would hear anything getting close thanks to the hills amplifying echoes, and the farmhouse itself was decently hidden from prying eyes. Unless you knew it was there, it wasn’t a destination for anyone.

As night fell, and the candles barely gave off enough light to read by, Alex shut the book and set it on the nightstand. Madeline had been asleep for hours now, and he knew she would be frustrated with him if he didn’t wake her. She’d want to check on him, to fuss and force him to eat something even though he wasn’t hungry. But he had agreed to just a few hours.

Peeling the blankets back, he found Madeline curled tightly around a pillow, her back to him as she slept. She had barely moved that whole time, which told him just how exhausted she was. A few more minutes of sleep wouldn’t hurt.

Adjusting a bit, he slipped into the spot next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her against him. She shifted a little, a small huff escaping her lips at being moved. He slid his hand up her side, then arm, and up to her neck to brush the hair there away. He shifted it up above her head before running his knuckles down the side of her neck softly. She still didn’t move. So he laid just as still as her, admiring her and thanking whoever was out there for letting him live to get back to her again.

“Mads,” Alex said quietly after a few minutes as she shifted against him on the fringes of sleep and consciousness. "Are you awake?” he asked quietly as he nuzzled his face up behind her and pressed a kiss where her neck met the back of her shoulder. It was something he had done all those weeks ago without even thinking about it, and then he immediately came up with a million apologies while he waited for her to snap at him. But she hadn’t. And from there, it had quietly turned into their thing. Neither acknowledged it out loud, though he always felt when she arched her neck shyly asking for more.

A small noncommittal noise met his ears. Alex grinned as he brushed his lips over the same spot again. And he felt her shift, as always, giving him more access to her skin even if she didn’t realize it. The collar of the oversized button down sliding away to give him more of a view of her shoulder.

“You told me to wake you up,” he said quietly as he shifted to breathe over the newly exposed skin, his lips barely grazing it. He felt a shiver go down her back, and he bit back a cocky laugh before continuing to talk just to tease her more. “But you don’t need to get up. Everything is fine.” Each word caused his lips to brush over her skin, so lightly it could be denied, but it was enough for goosebumps to erupt.

“Alex?” Madeline muttered, still mostly asleep. She had stirred a bit when she had been tugged against him but didn’t allow herself to wake up fully, instead settling into the warm embrace. She was too comfortable, too relaxed, to want to get up. Tucked safely into the warm bed with Alex’s arm locked around her, Madeline had nowhere else she wanted to be.

“I’m here,” Alex answered. “You made me promise to wake you up, so this is me waking you up,” he said softly, his hand flexing on her stomach as she adjusted this time to get that fraction of an inch closer to him. “But you can go back to sleep,” he explained. “Everything is fine, all quiet. I can stay up. I just didn’t want you to accuse me of not trying,” he smirked, knowing she had rolled her eyes, even if it was figuratively.

“Mmm,” Madeline answered, feeling the heavy pull of sleep dragging her back. “Stay,” she breathed, her arm unlocking from around the pillow to reach down and grab his, holding it as best as she could in her tired state. “’s been quiet every night anyway.” It had been too long since they had been like this, since she had felt his comfort before it all went to hell.

Alex didn’t hesitate. He knew the wise idea would be to get out of bed and douse all the candles. Or to stay up all together and not be distracted. But he wasn’t feeling very wise. Rolling back some, he had to wriggle his hand free of hers to reach for the blanket to cover himself. But Madeline must have been afraid he was leaving because, despite her tired state, she quickly groped behind her to grab at him, her hand landing on his leg.

“Not going anywhere,” Alex assured her, careful to flip the blanket up and avoid one of the candles on the nightstand. “Still right here,” he replied as he twisted back to her again, winding one of his legs between hers and grabbing her hip to pull her flush against him.

“Good,” Madeline said quietly as she felt his broad palm slide over her thigh before going under the flannel shirt she still wore to rest on her stomach. He was in sweats, and she could feel the soft material on her bare legs as he tangled them together. “I’ve missed this,” she added as she leaned back into his chest more, giving him better access to touch her.

Alex grinned as he listened to her half-asleep slurred voice, his fingers tracing idle circles on her stomach. She was tucked far back into his chest now, her head barely grazing the underside of his chin as he continued to explore the expanse of skin she was offering. She was still so soft under his fingers, his hands permanently calloused despite this sped-up healing component of whatever this virus was.

“I’ve missed you,” he said after a moment as he let his hand slide down to trace her hipbone, grazing over the lace elastic band of her underwear.

“Don’t leave me again then,” Madeline answered quietly.

“Deal,” Alex agreed, tilting his head down to press a kiss into her hair.

He was fully prepared to lay in the bed and just hold her while she slept, even if he had to lie still and stare at the flickering candles in silence for hours. If that meant he was there with her, he would take it in any form. Settling in he slid his hand back down toward her underwear to let his fingertips run softly under the elastic this time, using the material as an anchor for his hand. But she shifted at that.

“Sorry, I,” Alex started, instantly pulling his hand off her and moving to back up. Perhaps he had pushed too far.

Madeline smiled to herself. She knew he was doing his best to be polite, to lull her back to sleep and just bask in this, but that’s not what she wanted.  She wanted to feel him more, to have him closer. After thinking he was dead so many times, watching him so close to death's doorstep, she swore the reaper was in the car with them; she needed him. Needed to feel his warmth, his caress, listen to his racing heartbeat caused by her and not illness.

She didn’t answer his apology verbally, anyway. Instead, she tugged on her shirt to find the buttons, fumbling with still tired fingers for them. When she found the first one, she tugged. The well worn flannel gave easily, and she pushed the fabric back, moving toward the second one.

It took Alex a few seconds to figure out what she was doing, but only a few. When the first button popped, his arm gently wound back around her and he grabbed her hand to stop her. A silent command to let him as he found the next one and undid it deftly between his thumb and forefinger. He hadn’t planned on this leading down this path but he certainly wasn’t going to turn it away either.

Madeline’s breath caught as he freed the third button without even needing to look, and she swallowed hard as the fourth fell free. The shirt was almost fully undone, one half falling to the bed next to her, the other carefully bunched along Alex’s forearm as his breathing started to come a bit faster in anticipation. She matched it as she watched him work with heavy lidded eyes.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked, ever the gentleman, while his mind was still coherent. The way Madeline arched her back slightly, silently demanding he touch her as he continued his work to undo the button between her breasts, told him his answer. He knew they had to be careful, so fucking careful, because of the infection. The virus was transmitted by blood or saliva, and while he had managed to survive it, it didn’t mean he wasn’t a carrier or not still infected. Which meant many things were off limits. He couldn’t risk her; not even a chaste kiss or getting his mouth on her in other places could happen.

“Madeline,” he started, his tone shifting to more serious as he ran through all the ways this could go wrong. All the ways they would need to be careful.

“I know,” Madeline answered, picking up on the restraint and slight hesitance in his voice. She knew what him being bit meant, what a risk he could be to her. But what they were doing was fine, he wouldn’t put her in danger and she knew they both knew that. “Just touch me, Alex,” Madeline nearly begged as he undid the last button by her collarbone. His hand peeled her shirt away, hooking it around her shoulder to bare her to the still warm air under the blanket. “Please, just,” the words died in her throat as the same hand slid along her collarbone.

Alex shut his eyes for a moment as he listened to her talk, the pleading in her voice. This was not the best idea and every single sense told him to just tug her to him and lay with her as she fell back asleep. But the way she spoke, how she reached up behind her to grab at his neck as if afraid he’d pull back, he didn’t stop. Selfishly he wanted it as badly as she did.

Madeline was barely breathing as he explored, her body wound tight as he pushed at the shirt more to get a better feel. He didn’t give her what she wanted right away, though. Instead, he let his knuckles graze down her ribs, fingers extending to trace along her belly button. He took his time working his way back up in one long stroke, his fingertips grazing up the swell of one breast as she held her breath waiting. Every nerve felt like it was on fire, narrowing in on every spot his skin touched hers. She needed his featherlight touch to turn into something more, for him to take what she was offering to him, begging him to claim.

Still lying behind her, Alex was unable to see just what he was doing and instead relied on memory and feel. Based on her reactions and how she stiffened as his hand slipped up her breast he knew he was doing just fine. And when her impatience won out, and her nails scratched at his scalp as she pulled on him again, he knew she was desperate for more. He granted her a little reprieve, the pads of his fingers briefly passing over her nipple, so she whined in her throat, making him smirk.

The fact he was still alive to experience this again was beyond comprehension, enough so that it made him wonder if this whole thing was a fever-induced hallucination. That in reality he was really still half dead in the back of the car, just waiting to turn. But the way Madeline rolled her hips so her ass pressed tight against where he was already growing hard pulled him from that thought. He was very much awake and in bed with a woman who wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

Madeline could feel him. Feel him dig into her as she rolled her hips again and how he grunted a bit behind her. She pulled his head back to her neck and sighed as he pressed his lips to her skittering pulse. She wanted more, needed more, and attempted to roll so she could grab him properly, but Alex stopped her. His hand sliding to grip her hip and dig into the sensitive spot there.

“You wanted me to touch you,” Alex said quietly, his breath warm on her neck, holding her still. “So let me touch you.”  His voice was low, a soft command that he knew would only further her enticement. She listened though, letting her body twist back and relax against him as he shifted to press his knee up a fraction of an inch. That’s all he needed to get that soft little gasp out of her, knowing he was putting friction right at the apex of her thighs.

Alex was right. She wanted his hands all over her, touching her, grabbing at her. And when he resumed his exploration and pressed up into her just enough, she shut her eyes to bask in the feel. Madeline knew if she rushed him, he would stop, but the disappointed whine she let out as his fingers once again skimmed over her breasts couldn’t be helped. Based on the feel of his lips on her shoulders she knew he was grinning at her suffering.

When Alex felt her practically vibrating with anticipation, her breath catching if he even came close to more than skimming over her skin, he finally relented. Let his hand cup her breast and squeeze. He bit back his own groan as she arched up, pushing her hips down into his, and let out a satisfied sigh. He didn’t ease up his hold as he continued, adding more pressure and pinching her nipple lightly as she pushed against his palm.

Between his hand and his knee grinding up into her Madeline felt the familiar flush of pleasurable warmth spreading through her. She was unashamed as she pushed back against him, on him, and made it her mission to get him to pant along with her. Hooking her foot behind his calf, she gave him more room to push up into her. And when his knee hit that perfect spot, she rolled her head to groan into the pillow.

Alex needed more of that. More of her moans, more of her using him for her pleasure. But to get it he would need better access and her face away from the pillows.

Deftly, before Madeline could really figure out what he was doing, Alex rolled her on top of him and shifted up the bed. In this position he was reclined on the pillows with her partially down his chest due to their size difference. As Madeline gained her bearings, Alex tucked her head between his collarbone and shoulder and used his own legs to kick hers out so they were hooked over his shins, effectively spreading her to the chilled air. When she reached down toward the bed with her hands to push herself up and slide closer, Alex didn’t let her. He grabbed her hips to keep her solidly pressed against him and bent his knees just a bit to get her to do the same.

“Stay like this,” Alex said quietly, tilting his head down so his breath caressed the shell of her ear. “I want to see you,” he grinned, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

Madeline stopped adjusting at his words and instead flicked her eyes up to him. Everything was on display in this position. The red flannel shirt fell open easily, and she knew the underwear left little for Alex’s imagination in the dim candlelight. She didn’t look at herself though, nor at his fingers that now roamed over the curve of her inner thighs and over the v of her hips. She continued to watch his eyes, nearly burning from the inside out at the intense need she saw in his gaze as he took her in. But the thing that nearly sent her over the edge was when his fingers brushed over the thin lace at her center. Not at the touch, it was still too light to be anything but a tease, but at the way his pupils flared at what he found there.

The candles in the room were throwing long shadows on the walls and bed, barely giving off enough light to see a few feet in front of them. But that was all Alex needed to see Madeline pressed against him. See how her chest heaved as he peered down her body from over her shoulder. Watch as she flinched lightly as his fingers traced over sensitive spots on her legs. And how her eyes locked on his face in curious fascination, and perhaps a bit of smugness, at how he was barely holding it together as he drank her in.

Daring to press at the final barrier on her body, Alex let his hand cup over Madeline’s center to feel the heat and warmth of her need. The lace floral design had so many thin spots and holes that Alex didn’t even need to push the material to the side to notice the wetness. She was hot, pliant, and already so slick for him he knew he could have her screaming in a matter of minutes. Fuck this fucking virus. He wanted to just slide the strip of cloth to the side and settle her over him in one swift movement. Let her ride him like this, where he could hold her close to him and watch as she fell apart on him. But he couldn’t, so he would take the next best thing.

“Ungh, Alex,” Madeline barely gasped out as he pushed the lace to the side and plunged his fingers through her folds. He was keeping it just as slow and methodical as he had done when he wound her up before, and she fisted her hands into his sweats for the need to hold onto something. She looked down to watch as his fingers worked, how his broad palm took up the soft circling pressure on her clit so the pads of his fingers could press against her entrance. She groaned in her throat and rolled her hips to match his movements, and perhaps to force him to sink into her.

“Just us here,” Alex said as he lifted the hand that had been on her hip to pull her bottom lip free where she had been biting down on it in restraint. “No need to be quiet.” He smirked as he ran his thumb along her bottom lip, still teasing her clit with his palm waiting for her to whine again. When she squirmed, he pressed a finger in to the first knuckle, and Madeline let out a soft gasp. He took his opportunity to hook his thumb to press down on her tongue so the accompanying sigh echoed around the room. “There we go,” he praised as she darted her eyes up to his face before arching up as he pushed his finger in fully. “Let me hear you.”

She was going to combust just from his voice. It was a low rasp that felt like it was raking along her nerves in time with the slow pump of his finger. Everything was on fire. Everywhere he had touched her to amp her up was sensitive to the cool air and his hand that had moved to gently cup her jaw to keep her head pressed back to his chest felt like a brand. He was fully in control of her, of the situation, and she was all too willing to let him continue to take the reins as long as he didn’t stop.

Alex added another finger without resistance, and when Madeline bared down on him to add more pressure, he gave it back. Each press in then pull back had her moaning with an increased cadence and Alex also groaned as she breathed out his name. He liked hearing her call his name, the way it sounded coming from her lips in any form, but this was his favorite. A slight pleading in her tone as she careened toward that freefall. Pleading because she needed him to get her there.

“Fu-Alex,” Madeline gasped as she bowed against his chest, his hand still holding her face so she couldn’t look away from him. His eyes snapped up from watching his work, where he caught a glimpse of something glistening on his hand, to look at her face. The grin he gave her was the final undoing. It was an easy, cocky, one that she had come to know over the past few weeks. One he gave her when he was right or when he teased her. And right now, when he knew he was the reason she was white knuckling the fabric of his pants to keep some semblance of reality.

“That’s it,” Alex taunted just a bit because he enjoyed the way her eyes fluttered at his praises. “Roll your hips just like,” he cut off with a groan as she moved, grinding against his still restrained cock. “Just like that,” he finished as he felt her release. Her legs fought to clamp shut, muscles tensing as the pleasure washed through her, and she gasped at the ceiling. Watching her fall apart was almost enough for him, but the way she pressed down on him, asking for the pleasure to continue, kept Alex on that razor sharp edge.

Madeline watched Alex’s face, the way his jaw clenched as she rolled her hips on him and how his eyes shuttered for a moment. He was fighting to keep his concentration but she knew her movements were distracting him in the best way possible. Then, when his hand on her throat moved to grab her hip to help her move over him, she knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep control for long. His desire was winning out, and she wanted him to lose it. To let go even if it was for a few moments, to take what he needed because he always did for others. Always took care of her first, took care of everyone else but himself.

“What do you want?” Madeline asked in a shaky whisper as his fingers scissored in her causing her to buck up a bit.

“This,” Alex answered as he bent to kiss at her shoulder. “You like this,” he answered as his hand on her side pushed and pulled her over him. He was painfully hard and the rubbing pressure was making him bite back a grunt of pleasure that was almost bordering on agony as he fought to stay present. He couldn’t lose control, couldn’t give in to the carnal need that was right below the skin. But he wanted her. Wanted to pin her down on the bed and get her to scream his name out as he fucked her senseless. Wanted to watch as her eyes rolled up with yet another orgasm as she clawed at his back for a reprieve as he hiked her knee up to get even deeper.

“Alex,” Madeline breathed as he slipped his fingers from inside of her to rub the slick over her center in wide circles. “Can we-?” She huffed as he spread his hand to open her more to him, finding the rigid head of her clit and flicking it with his thumb. She wasn’t going to be able to get the words out as he did it again and her whole body twitched from the overstimulation.

“Can we what?” Alex taunted when she pulled him from his thoughts of driving into her hard enough she couldn’t catch her breath. She didn’t answer, her voice seemingly lost for a moment as he started small circles on her clit again. Instead, her hand came up to grab the one he had on her hip. He eased up his movements, afraid he had grabbed too hard or was being too aggressive.

“I want to see you better,” Madeline confessed as she looked back and up at him. He hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to make his mind focus on what she was asking. When it seemed to sink in, the hand between her legs came to rest on the inside of her thigh. Madeline knew he was going to give her whatever she wanted. As always.

Shifting Madeline twisted on the bed and threw a leg on either side of his hips. This was easier and facing one another was much more intimate. Shrugging her shoulders, she let the flannel fall down to pool in the crook of her elbows for a moment before she peeled it off to fall behind her.

Even like this, Alex was still a fair bit taller, but he shifted back on the pillows some so that they were more on eye level, though his eyes weren’t on hers. Not yet. They were combing over her breasts, lingering where her nipples were peaked from arousal and the chill, before moving down to look where their bodies were connected through the clothes.

It was her turn to explore, to feel his skin under hers. Laying her hands flat on the muscles of his stomach, she slid her hands slowly up, her fingers feeling each ridge and line of his body. As she pushed up his chest, she curled her fingers a bit to get a grip on the muscles, nails scratching at the skin that was no longer ghastly white from sickness. Then she rolled her hips sinfully slow, sliding right up his length that pressed up tight against her core. When Alex dropped his head back for a moment to enjoy the feeling she did it again, pressing him down into the bed that much more.

“Fuck, don’t stop,” Alex said as his hands grabbed at her waist to keep her half arched on him, knowing in this position, she was grinding her clit right over his head. “Don’t stop,” he said again as Madeline continued her movements, her breasts bouncing slightly as she rode on him. The way she looked at him, how her hair hung around her face and the almost shy little pants she was making as she found the right spot for herself made Alex groan. It had been years since he had anyone grind on him like this, with barriers of clothes separating what they really wanted. Yet it made it feel more intense in a way. Knowing, or hoping, that this was just a temporary tease and that he’d have her eventually how he wanted her. Then all of this longing would make it that much better.

Madeline didn’t let her eyes slip from his, watching as he gazed up at her in the dark. His hands cradled her waist as she continued to move, and when her nails dug into his shoulders, he twisted to place a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Despite not having that final connection, this still felt like the most intensely intimate thing she had done in her life. Seeing how his eyes fought to keep open, to keep on her, as she drove her hips down on him over and over again. She was going to get off on just this alone, on watching him look up at her with such fierce adoration and need.

There. Fuck he was there. And as he arched his hips up and felt the warmth and wetness seep through the cloth of his sweats he was done for. If he had been a man who was ever ashamed, perhaps he would have been embarrassed about coming while still clothed. But he wasn’t. It was hot as hell to have Madeline riding him like this, knowing she was so desperate for him, she was soaking through two barriers.

“Mads,” Alex groaned as he jammed his thumb into the soft spot of her hips and moved her over him at his own pace to finish. She had moved her hands to the bed on either side of his face and was hovering so close he could feel her breath as she let out incoherent words. “Mads fuck, I can feel you’re soaking. You going to come for me again?” He babbled into her ear as she slumped forward even further. She was whining and fighting for purchase, or perhaps a bit of sanity, as she pushed and pulled at the sheets to give her leverage to get that final bit of friction. But the grunt he let out as she bit his shoulder seemed to be all she needed as she keened, pressing down and rocking her hips so hard on him she was able to finish pumping him on her own through the clothes.

Madeline collapsed fully on his chest, not caring as she felt the wetness all over the inside of her thighs from herself and probably Alex. But Alex was ever vigilant and he reached down to cup her ass and drag her up so her pelvis rested on his lower stomach, far enough away from the mess she knew was seeping through his pants.

Josephine and the CDC had indicated blood and salvia were the carriers but she was fairly certain no one had tested any other sort of bodily fluids to see if they were also carriers. It had been a risk, still was, but Madeline found she didn’t care at the moment. She hadn’t felt this relief in days and as she clung to Alex, feeling him panting still under her she deemed it all worth it.

Not needing to fill the silence, Alex ran his hands up and down Madeline’s back, gently swiping her hair away so he could press soft kisses on any skin he could reach. She was clinging to him hard as she came down and before her heated skin could cool and chill her, he tugged the blankets up over them. He needed to clean up and change but the deadweight of Madeline on him kept him there, the pressure a comfort as she twisted to tuck her face into his neck.

As Madeline drifted off, he lay still, feeling her soft breaths in his ear and the way her hands clung to him weakly as if afraid he’d slip away. That was enough for Alex to tell her quietly he wasn’t leaving her side again no matter what, and in her sleep, he swore he caught a glimpse of a smile.

Chapter Text

“When was the last time you heard from Price?” Madeline asked as she walked out of the bathroom, toweling her hair. The days had begun to bleed into one another when there wasn’t anything to differentiate yesterday from today and today from tomorrow. The only new development was a cold front had moved in and brought with it a whipping wind and freezing rain. The standing bath she had just taken had been ice cold and she spent most of it gasping and cursing herself for deciding to do it. When Alex heard her struggling, he knocked quietly on the door and handed her the warm oversized sweatshirt that he had peeled off to help her warm back up.

“Two days ago,” Alex answered as he checked his watch. They had to conserve power on the phones, so they had scheduled an hour long window for calls every day. As it was, Alex had gone out to the car to charge it to make sure the car started with the low temperatures. “They were almost at the Texas border. Hopefully, it won’t be long now.” He grinned as Madeline came around to the lounge chair he was propped in, pushed the notebook out of his lap, and climbed into it herself.

“I’m frozen,” she muttered, slipping her arms around him. He returned the gesture, his hand grabbing her thigh to tuck her tighter against him. “How are you never cold?” Madeline asked as she tilted her head up to look at him. Even inside the house it was chilly yet most of the time she could find him in a t-shirt and pants. While she was bundled in anything she could find and if she didn’t feel ridiculous, she would have donned a hat to cover her ears. The bed was covered in multiple layers of blankets and while Alex didn’t say anything, she knew he had to be dying of heat under them as she huddled to him.

“I’ve always run hot,” Alex stated, “even before this,” he tacked on as he extended out his left arm to indicate the bite. The wound was fully healed, and there was nothing but fresh pink skin, indicating the ragged chunk that had been missing only days before. The tattoo was ruined, the ink jagged, and the picture permanently marred, but aside from that, his arm looked perfectly fine. He had stopped bandaging it a few days prior. His leg was also healed, the deep gash just a line and all his bruises had disappeared. The suspected broken ribs had long become a distant memory that he nearly forgot about until Madeline had asked about how they were doing.

“Must have been miserable in the desert,” Madeline mumbled quietly against him as she tucked her fingers into the oversized sweatshirt sleeves. The chair that Alex had drug into the bedroom was large, but it was still a tight fit with Alex’s bigger frame, and she had to wriggle a bit to get comfortable. “I’m always frozen.”

“I got used to it, though it was suffocating at times,” Alex agreed as he pulled her still wet hair off her neck to help with the chill. “And I’m well aware how cold you run. Your frozen feet and fingers every night are startling reminders,” he smirked as Madeline pushed herself closer only to press her cold nose right on his neck.

“You’re like a living heated blanket, I make no apologies,” Madeline replied as she settled in, listening to the rain pattering the roof. “What were you up to?”

“Inventory,” Alex answered as he peered at the discarded book on the floor. “If we’re going to have an influx of people here soon, I wanted to know what we had on hand.”

“We aren’t staying here, though, right?” Madeline asked. She was eager to get back to Everett, the deep seated fear of not knowing how he was doing twisted her stomach every time she thought about it. There was also that anxiety of having to leave this safe bubble they had created. No one came around the area, and it was silent, save for the coyotes and other nocturnal animals. But she knew what was out there lurking, what had almost killed her and Alex too many times, always just a loud noise away.

“We won’t travel at night but the goal is to get back to the CDC as soon as possible, yes. I’ve turned into the precious cargo,” Alex answered with a small eyeroll. It was a heavy truth though. He had been bitten yet didn’t turn, though he had come close to dying a few times while fighting off the disease. “Sooner we get there, the sooner they can start figuring out just how I managed to escape turning so we can help others…and also find out if I’m contagious.” The words hung heavy with implication as they looked at one another.

They had continued to play it safe due to the unknown risk. The temptation had been there of course, the desire to just kiss as easily as they had done in the past was just beneath the surface. Alex tampered it down with gentle touches, letting his lips slide along Madeline’s skin and listening to her sigh at the feel. Watch as she panted as his fingers touched where his lips couldn’t, and bite back his own groans when she pinned him down on the bed to return the gesture.

“My sister is going to want to take blood immediately,” Madeline answered as she peeled her gaze away to look at the pile of boxes that they had scrounged up from the barn. When Alex had felt back to himself, they ventured out of the farmhouse to the veterinary area Madeline had found all those days ago. There were plenty of things that were compatible with humans, and they had taken stock of any and everything that could be of use. Including plenty of needles, test vials, and a giant box of gloves. “Probably try to poke and prod you into oblivion.”

“Nothing new for me,” Alex said as he mussed up his hair with his free hand. “Physicals, vaccines, tests, and other things are par for the course. Military makes you government property…so fresh batch of lab rats for them to study at all times.”

“Mm, yes, well, she’ll probably want to take mine as well. She’s not been exactly enthusiastic about the fact we are so close,” Madeline stated with a small purse of her lips.

That was an understatement. Josephine had tried every time they talked to warn Madeline away from Alex. Not to touch him, sleep next to him, hell be in the same room as him. She was terrified his variation of the virus was just a mutation, a different form that took longer to take effect. Or he was somehow a carrier that could be a super spreader.

“Don’t be surprised if she sleeps with one eye open when they get here.” She finished.

“I can’t blame her. She’s been up close and personal with the virus,” he paused and looked at Madeline’s face. “Everyone turned on her. We just got…lucky.”

Luck didn’t feel like the right word. Some sort of divine intervention or fluke was more likely. Alex had come up with multiple theories as to why he didn’t turn, each of them more outlandish than the last. The person that bit him hadn’t fully turned so he only received a small part of the virus. That he was bit by someone and he received some other sort of illness from them. He was already infected somehow so what he went through was an immune response. There were so many he gave up trying to write them all down.

Mostly Alex couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that of everyone why he had been okay.  Why he was still alive and Farah was not. The thought ate at him in the quiet moments, laying in the dark staring into the vast nothingness as Madeline curled against him. He knew it was survivor’s guilt, and while he did not regret making it out alive, he regretted her death and his inability to help her. Having Madeline with him helped; he didn’t feel as alone, and she kept the worst of the monsters in his mind at bay.

“Hey,” Madeline said quietly as she watched Alex’s eyes shift a bit, his gaze going a bit unfocused as he thought. She had learned the look, not just from him, and knew what it meant. When he blinked and looked back down at her she gave him a soft smile. “There’s a reason you made it, a reason we were all brought together in this mess.  If anyone can figure out why you seem to be immune and use it to fix this whole thing, it will be my sister,” Madeline stated as she reached a hand up to cup his face and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Then the hard work will start,” Alex teased as he rubbed his thumb along Madeline’s thigh over the sweats she was wearing. Per Price there wasn’t much left of the government anywhere. They couldn’t get in contact with anyone, including Laswell. What they were able to gather was that world leaders had fallen silent weeks ago, either from death or hiding in their bunkers to wait. It was up to the few people left to try and piece everything together, gather resources, and start figuring shit out. “I’m glad my portion of the job will be done nice and early. I doubt they’ll ask their living vaccinee to do anything.”

“Oh no,” Madeline answered with a laugh. “If I have to help administer shots or manage deliveries you will be right there with me. You don’t get a pass.”

“Well, let’s get started then,” Alex answered as he bent down to grab his notebook again. Madeline slipped from his lap to start counting out their stock. “If Josephine wants to start the moment she gets here, she’ll need to know what we’ve got.”

They worked and organized for much of the afternoon. Wandering from room to room to gather anything that may be of use. When Madeline dug out blankets to make up makeshift beds, Alex tried to dissuade her of the idea. If any of the guys slept, it would be in small stints, and a chair, or propped up against the wall, would be good enough for any of them. But she insisted, and in between trying to find clothes that may fit everyone, she gathered rain water and dumped it into the tubs and sinks. If they had been doing nothing but traveling all this time, they’d need to wash up.

When night fell, they ate a small meal of protein bars, water, and some fruit snacks. They had plenty of food but were saving it for the group figuring they’d be starved. The rest of the evening was spent listening to the wind howl, changing out full bowls of water, and playing cards by candlelight. Their phone call window from Price was five to six in the morning, so when Alex wiped the floor with Madeline at Gin, again, at almost eleven, he wrapped up the game.

They tucked into the bed under all the layers before Alex blew out the last candle, plunging them into darkness. After days of silence and not one sign of infected, they had given up a night watch. Alex was a light enough sleeper that he would hear anything. He barely slept through the night, and the defenses he reinforced would alert them to anyone, or anything, showing up.

“How do you manage to wake up without an alarm right on time?” Madeline mumbled the next morning as she peeked out from under the blankets where she had burrowed. The room was cold enough she scrunched her face at the assault but resisted diving back under as she looked to where Alex was.

He was at the window working on powering up the satellite phone. Even in the pale light, Madeline could see his face when he turned to grin at her, and she huffed a bit. It was unfair how he looked in the morning. His sleep mussed hair was endearing compared to the disaster hers was, and his lazy smile, still heavy with sleep, made her squirm a bit.

“Internal clock,” Alex answered as he propped the phone against the glass pane. “I was going to come back to bed,” he added as he padded over and pulled back the sheets. “Nothing to do today; we did all the work yesterday,” he mused as he peered at Madeline’s near naked form save for her underwear as she lay there looking up at him, goosebumps erupting all over her skin. “And I knew what was waiting for me under this mountain of blankets.”

“It may be the last little bit of alone time we get,” Madeline answered as she grabbed at his hip to tug him back into the bed.

Alex had taken his time the night before to peel every layer of clothing off her and feel each inch of her bare skin against his own. They had gone to bed before midnight, but when Madeline sprawled across his chest, she saw in the glow of his watch that it was one in the morning by the time he had finished with her.

“Make no mistake,” Alex answered as he sat against the headboard and tugged Madeline into his lap, draping the comforter over her shoulders, “I will be getting you alone. Every night,” he smirked as he let his fingers dance along the outside of her thighs. “Especially once I get the all clear.”

“You get the all clear, and I’m not waiting until nightfall,” Madeline replied. She looped her arms around his neck and hummed a bit as his fingers traced her ribs.

“Oh?” Alex asked with a small laugh, “plan on dragging me to the barracks midday?”

“I don’t care if it’s that stupid conference room from last time,” Madeline answered as she leaned forward to kiss his neck and up to his ear. “Or in the backseat of a car in the garage. I want you to-“

The satellite phone rang.

Just as Madeline pushed her hips against Alex’s, making him arch up a bit, the trill of the phone doused a cold bucket of water on the moment, making them both jump before they scrambled to get out of the bed. Alex made it to it first and answered quickly as Madeline bent down to scoop up her discarded shirt from the night before. Being out in the room’s cold air made her teeth chatter a bit and she rubbed her arms as Alex talked.

Based on Alex's silence, Price did most of the talking, and the looks Alex cut to Madeline told her he had news. As he scribbled something down in his notebook and turned it to her, Madeline stepped into her sweats. Bending down to look at the note, she sat hard in the chair. They had been attacked by the infected the day before. Josephine was fine, he had underlined.

“Today?” Alex finally asked into the silence of the room and Madeline looked at him. “We’re ready. We can’t go into Atlanta in the dark though. The metro is a maze of roadblocks and the infected are everywhere,” he explained as Madeline sat staring at him. He was pacing by the window now and she curled her legs up under her as they continued to talk back and forth. When the call finally ended Alex hung up and left the phone propped on the window, still on.

“They’re on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi,” Alex explained as he took a seat in the other chair at the small table. “They would have been here this morning but were hit with a hoard of infected that slowed them down. They lost a few people, Grave’s people, and some vehicles in the process. They had to recoup and decided to wait for daylight before trying to leave again.” He paused before adding the last part. “The infected are hunting now. They seem to be traveling in packs, desperate for food or anything they can get their hands on.”

Before the infected had just moved in groups because they were drawn to the sound together. But from what Price had explained, the less victims left for them to go after, with most being turned, the more feral they had become. The virus’ first priority was to make people attack to turn others, but Alex had also seen the turned eat people, rip them apart to feed. When predators became starved, they would do whatever it took to survive, and humans were, at their core, pack animals. It had just become even more dangerous to try and move out in the open and higher populated areas were a death zone.

“So, what do we do?” Madeline asked. “We have to get to Atlanta, we can’t,” she took a shaky breath, her mind going to Everett. If they moved in packs and hunted as a team, that small defense of the CDC would never be able to hold them back. “The CDC? Do you think…”

“We’re getting to Atlanta, to Everett. Josephine has made contact with them to let them know she was on her way. She hasn’t heard from them in about five days, but as of five days ago everything was fine still,” Alex answered as he took Madeline’s hand. “When they get here, we are going to assess what they have, what we have. Prepare and move with a plan.” He kept his voice calm as he looked at Madeline though he knew the anxiety that had taken a bit of a back seat the past few days was right in the forefront again.

Price had estimated it would take them until late afternoon to get there. The drive normally took less than six hours to traverse in normal times, but roadblocks and having to take backroads would eat into their time. He also stated they needed to refuel what was left of their fleet and try to find more ammo. Alex volunteered to try to locate a few places they could hit on their way using the computer he had and send them GPS coordinates. It was a slow process, the service dropping in and out with the clouds and the poor reception as it was with no one left to calibrate the satellites.

Madeline was left without much to do, her mind frantic with energy and a million thoughts as she passed the time. She busied herself double and triple checking the work they had done yesterday. They had no idea how many people there were, and while Alex said not to worry about making sure there were enough blankets, Madeline still fussed. He gave up trying to get her to sit down and read a book and let her wander about the upstairs of the farmhouse to keep occupied.

By the time lunchtime came, she could barely eat from anticipation, and when the phone rang late into the afternoon, she jumped like she had been shocked. Alex glanced at her before grabbing the phone and extending his hand out to her to ease her tension, his thumb rubbing along her knuckles. They had opted to keep the phones on for the day since if all went to plan, they’d be together today. Better to be able to exchange information than to be left waiting.

“We can probably go set up,” Alex said as he finished assembling his M16 after a full tear apart to clean it. He had also taken apart and cleaned the two handguns and gave Madeline the one he usually kept in his thigh holster, the revolver from the man at the gas station sitting in that spot instead. “Should be here within the hour, give or take,” he added as Madeline palmed the gun and stared at it.

The plan was to set up and watch for Price’s arrival. The large team they had gathered was down to three SUVs, and they weren’t even full of people. Most of the space was used to hold onto supplies such as weaponry, Josephine’s studies and rations. The once decent sized fleet was limping across the finish line to the farmhouse. Price had hinted at perhaps having to ditch another one of the vehicles since it was barely able to run.

“The stairs unblocked?” Madeline asked as she leaned against the wall and looked out the front of the house. The road wasn’t easy to see, even with the leafless trees, thanks to the length of the driveway.

“Good to go,” Alex answered as he peered out the same window Madeline was looking at. “Got your watch?” He asked as she held up her left arm to show the cheesy tourist watch they had found in the gift shop. “Something happens,” he started but stopped as Madeline looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. They had gone over the plan a few times, but despite her nodding and agreeing, he knew she wouldn’t follow it.

“Just be careful,” Madeline replied as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. “And take an extra jacket…I know you don’t get cold,” she teased as he smiled against her skin.

“I’ll see you in a little bit,” Alex stated, pausing at the door to the bedroom to grab the jacket he had already scrounged up.

Alex headed out the stairs that lead to the main floor, slipping the jacket on as he went. They hadn’t ventured down to the first floor in a few days and he kept his gun raised as he walked. Just because he hadn’t heard anything didn’t mean something wasn’t lurking. But when he wasn’t jumped and he didn’t hear any snarling, he headed out the door. He was to be overwatch, cover the convoy as it came in.

Madeline leaned her head against the window and stared at the edge of the driveway, her breath fogging up the glass as she waited. She debated on opening it to hear better, but the inside of the house was barely warmer than outside, and she didn’t want to lose the last ounce of heat left. Besides, she was certain she’d hear them coming from a good distance anyway since it was so quiet all the way out where they were.

Out on the wrap around porch, Alex settled in a crouch and peered down the scope on his gun. It wasn’t as far seeing as a sniper rifle, but it still gave him a good view of the gate. The wind was fierce, and despite always running hot, he actually shivered a bit in his jacket as he surveyed the area. There was zero movement anywhere aside from the branches whipping in the wind. No animals, not even birds, which set off a small alarm in Alex’s mind. Even in the winter, some birds still hung about. He kept sweeping the grounds when he thought he caught the first faint rumble of an engine.

The groan of an engine barely registered for Madeline before she saw the lights sweep between the trees. The sun was still in the sky, albeit low since it was winter, but it was dim enough to see headlights. And she realized how fast they were moving. They were absolutely flying. Madeline sat up straighter then and dared to crack the window; the screen popped out already, so she had a direct, clear view to shoot if needed. If they were going this fast, they were going to miss the farm and have to double back. But right when she thought they’d pass it, they made a sharp turn down the drive and didn’t stop.

The squeal and crush of metal on metal made Madeline wince. They didn’t pause to open the gate, just barreled right through it and didn’t even hesitate off the gas after the impact. Even though she couldn’t see it, there would be only one reason they would be driving this fast. They had someone, or something, following them. And as if on cue she heard the shrieking snarls of the infected and saw them break through the trees further up the property. It was as if a dam had been let loose and they were just pouring in, falling and climbing over one another in a frenzy to get to the prey they were chasing.

Alex gripped his gun tighter as the three SUVs sped down the driveway, and each took the sharp turn behind the farmhouse. He estimated they had less than sixty seconds before the first in the line of infected made it to the farmhouse. Darting his gaze between the infected and the SUVs, he watched as doors opened, and a few people poured out and ran right for the backdoor. Then, when the first infected made it past the invisible line he had set, he took aim and fired, taking it down with a headshot. A second later more gunfire echoed his own as the rest of the group took up defensive positions to protect the only safehouse around.

Madeline shut the window she was at and darted out of the room toward the stairs. Alex had told her not to fire unless absolutely necessary, and he didn’t want the infected to be drawn to her. Her job, once the team was there, was to get them inside and get the barricades across the door. He had made her promise to lock herself inside with anyone who made it, even if he wasn’t with her, after three minutes.

Both groups were to start their timer as soon as the SUVs entered the property. If it took the team longer than three minutes to get inside, there was a problem, and they wanted Josephine safely tucked away, along with Madeline. Alex and the rest would wait it out if needed, and then they could regroup once the trouble had passed. Madeline had accepted the deal, even if it was only at face value. The last time she and Alex had been separated he had almost died and she wasn’t willing to take that risk twice.

“Up here!” Madeline yelled down the stairs as she heard voices in the stairwell. She had no idea who was there, but the sound of pounding feet met her ears, and the first face she had seen in days aside from Alex’s appeared. She didn’t recognize the person, but he was dressed in military fatigues and didn’t look infected, so she kept the gun she was gripping down at her side. And he was followed closely by more people, the split stairwell packed in a matter of seconds. Then she did recognize someone.

“Josephine!” Madeline nearly sobbed as her sister hit the halfway landing point on the stairs and looked up at her. People pushed past Madeline on the stairs, but she didn’t care; she held her ground as they bumped their shoulders against her body. They were shouting orders to one another, into their radios, but Madeline barely paid them any attention. Her sister was there, she was alive and she was within touching distance. When Josephine cleared the last step, she reached out and dragged her older sister to her.

They just kept coming.

Alex quickly looked up the vast front lawn at the tree line, and more infected were filling in the ranks where their comrades had fallen. They were going to be overrun. They must have heard the vehicles and come out of their dormant state from all around. It had been a nice reprieve from the infected this whole time, but it seemed it was a curse because while Alex hadn’t heard them, they had always been there. Waiting.

“Get inside!” Alex yelled from his open spot toward where the 141 had spread out for cover. Price was on the porch with Alex, leaning around the edge, taking out as many as he could, while Soap had wrenched open the hood of one of the SUVs and was tinkering with something. Ghost and Gaz were right at the back of the SUVs mowing down the lines with heavy machine fire. “I’ll be right behind you, I’ve got better clearance up here.”

“Not part of the plan!” Gaz yelled back as he inched backward toward the porch, taking a pause in shooting as Ghost laid down fire to hop the railing. “Josephine will have our heads if we don’t get you inside.”

“Let’s go, Keller!” Ghost snapped as he rested his gun on a railing and rapidly took out infected, swiveling his gun left and right to take out the closest ones. “I didn’t get all the way back here to die now.”

“You’re alright,” Madeline breathed as she clung to her sister, holding her smaller frame tightly against her. Even in the chaos and uncertainty she couldn’t let her go, couldn’t pull herself away to get into a defensive position as Alex had instructed. She wanted nothing more than to just sink into her older sisters’ arms and beg her forgiveness for what had happened to Everett. To ask her what happened to her. Figure out what they were going to do next. But most of all she just wanted the comfort that only she could provide.

“I’m okay,” Josephine sniffed as she held Madeline back just as tightly. “We’re okay,” she assured Madeline as she turned to see a woman dart past carrying her very important cargo.

“We’ve got to block the stairs,” a man stated as he was grabbed by another and heaved over the threshold. He looked beaten up, exhausted, and generally worse for wear. “You two. Move,” he ordered to two men in all black who had their rifles aimed at the stairwell. Madeline had to do a doubletake to realize it was Graves talking, the guy who had stopped her and Everett from getting on the plane all that time ago.

“Not yet,” Madeline shouted as someone moved to heave the washing machine. “There are still people out there,” she realized she hadn’t seen any of the 141; she didn’t know what they looked like well, but she remembered them enough from the airstrip. They were all still outside while Grave’s men were inside safe. “Alex is still out there!” She emphasized as she twisted out of Josephine’s suddenly stiff embrace and moved toward the stairs as her sister grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“We’re going to get swamped if we don’t put up a blockade,” Graves snapped as he gestured for the men to continue. “They knew the risks. We wait for it to quiet down then if there is anything left we’ll get them then. We have to keep safe what we have.”

“You coward. Of course you didn’t volunteer to put yourself at risk, just running for safety like last time,” Madeline hissed, perhaps a bit calmer than expected, as she raised the pistol she still had gripped in her hand and trained it on Graves. It was stupid, a death wish, and her hand shook as she did it but she still kept her aim. “We all said three minutes,” she peered at her watch at the timer she had started when they had first arrived; there were forty five seconds left. “Give them their three minutes.”

“Just a tip,” Graves mocked as his team turned their attention to them automatically. "When you raise your gun, make sure you’re not outmatched,” he said.

“Phillip,” Josephine’s voice cut through the tension as the snarls downstairs grew louder. “Tell your men to lower their weapons from my sister.”

Madeline hadn’t even caught on to the fact that while Graves had not raised his gun in defense, his team had. All off them.

Alex took out a few of the infected that had cleared the front steps as he pushed back up to his feet. He could see Gaz knelt taking aim through a scope, rapidly firing as Alex sprinted toward him. He didn’t stop running as he smacked Gaz on the shoulder and half heaved him up off the ground, and they ran for the door. Ghost joined as they passed him, hefting the heavy gun on his shoulder, still holding down the trigger of the rapid fire machine gun. The bullets weren’t hitting the infected in the head, but it didn’t matter; the caliber of the ammo was enough. It was shredding them apart, so there was nothing left to the bodies to run and attack.

“Let’s go Soap!” Ghost snapped, not missing a beat as they turned the corner on the porch. Price had moved to set up in the door, shooting at the infected that weren’t far off their heels as the foursome all but flew inside.

“It’s all set,” Soap panted as he held up the switch in his hand as they followed Alex to the stairs.

“Blow it,” Price ordered as the infected hit the glass door and shattered it. “We’re not going to make it up the stairs with the wave that was right behind you.”

Alex pieced together what Soap had been doing a second before the blast hit his ears. The SUV had been rigged to blow and he suspected that was the one they were already talking about ditching. Based on the way the glass blew in all around them and the heat Alex felt on his back, even from inside, he knew it had been a gigantic explosion. The floor under his feet shook and things fell off the shelves all around them as the house joists groaned. He knocked Price on his back with his shoulder to keep him steady as the man stumbled from the rocking on the stairs as they took them at lightning speed.

The infected were still coming even if the nearest were blown up and more from all around would show up from all the commotion. Or even other uninvited guests if they saw the explosion and plume of smoke.

Madeline stumbled at the blast, the shock of the unexpected impact on the house caught her off guard, and Graves used it to his advantage. He disarmed Madeline with sickening ease and had her pinned face first against the floor before she knew what happening. She was still trying to gather her bearings, wriggling and fighting despite the very real pressure on her wrist telling her it was about to be dislocated. Josephine was shouting, though the ringing in her ears from the adrenaline rush muffled the words.

“What the fuck is going on?” Alex asked as soon as he cleared the top step and pushed the barricade back with one quick shove. The heavy metal bit into his arm and his neck protested the exertion, but it didn’t stop him. He had squeezed through the small gap and made a beeline right for Graves when he saw him with Madeline pinned.

He didn’t wait for any sort of explanation as he yanked Graves up with his arm wrapped around his throat. The move was so practiced that it was second nature to also pull his knife out of his vest and press the tip right above the man’s kidneys. Alex knew it had cut through his layers of clothes so Graves could feel the cold metal on his skin. And perhaps a pinprick of pain as it sliced him when he didn’t answer in the half second Alex gave him.

In the confusion and chaos, someone at least had the mindset to shove the barricade across. The infected were outside the house, banging on the wooden siding and smashing through the windows that had managed to stay together after the explosion. Some had tracked their way up the stairs and were banging on the door, rattling the washing machine and other items stacked in front of it.  A few people shifted their guns, letting them hang by the shoulder strap as they moved to support the weight of keeping the infected out. There would be no fight to try and alleviate if they were all ripped to shreds.

“She pulled a gun,” Graves spat as he moved to rip Alex’s arm off his throat only to hesitate as the knife pressed harder into him. He knew Alex could end him in a matter of moments if he chose.

“Because you were going to block the door before they could get in!” Madeline answered as Josephine helped her up off the floor. Her wrist burned from the strain, and she knew her cheek was going to bruise; it already felt tender as she talked.

“Everyone needs to shut the fuck up,” Ghost ordered, though his voice was low as he glared around the room. “Now.”

Alex cut his eyes over to Ghost, his temper evident at the mess Graves had caused. A few Shadows still had their guns raised on Alex and Madeline, whereas the 141 had their own pointed right back at them. Even Ghost had his pistol raised at the nearest woman who aimed at Madeline’s face as she bent down to pick her gun back up.

But Ghost was right. The horde was only being kept back by rudimentary barriers, and if more of them piled on and pushed, they’d be overrun. They needed to be quiet and let the things disperse, go find something else to run after and chase.

“Stand down, Alex,” Price ordered as he looked around the room at the rest of the group. The 141 were still locked in with their guns, but the Shadows knew they were outmatched, even if they had the greater numbers. Survival was the name of the game, and gunfire would only attract more attention.

“This isn’t over,” Alex murmured as he slid the knife out from Grave’s back, drawing a sliver of a cut across the skin before he shoved it in his vest again and let Graves go. “Always out for your own.”

“End of the world, boys,” Graves answered quietly, acting unruffled even if he was a bit red in the face from Alex squeezing so hard. “No hard feelings.”

“You’re only alive because we have a mission to finish. We get to the CDC you’re on your own,” Price answered as he slipped his gun behind his back.

“Noted,” Graves answered sarcastically as he stepped back toward a few members of his team to better protect himself.

Madeline glanced at her sister as she held her bicep, her eyes wide from everything that had just happened but also at the scratching and pounding at the door. Her and Alex’s sanctuary all these days was gone and it was back to being on high alert, having to keep watch and knowing they couldn’t stay. There hadn’t been a plan to stay, not really, but it had been easier when they had the luxury to not rush. To not worry about having to sleep with one eye open from enemies from outside and looking at the way Graves glared at Alex, enemies from within.

“Shoes off, loose articles removed. We need to move slowly and softly,” Josephine instructed as she moved from Madeline’s side to be more in the center of the hallway where everyone could hear her hushed voice. “Set up where you want to be for the next bit and try not to move.”

Despite the tension and Josephine not being in charge, not by a long shot, everyone listened. As quietly as they could, everyone removed their heavy boots and shoes, stacking them neatly in piles with their backpacks. Soldiers kept their guns on them but ditched their vests and other excessive items that could make noise. The infected were in hunting mode, and they’d be listening for everything and anything.

In hushed tones, orders were given out. A few were to maintain the blockade, and others were positioned in other rooms around the house to watch the perimeter. Price and Graves would work out the next step of the plans with Alex since he knew the area better than the rest. But not before Josephine had time to give him a once over and take the samples she needed. Those soldiers who were left were told to eat and get some rest.

Which left Madeline. With a quick glance at Alex, Madeline watched him as he gestured for Price and Graves to go into the main bedroom suite. That was where they had been mostly living and where his computer was set up, along with all the medical supplies. Price and Graves walked in ahead of Alex, shoulders stiff and eyes narrowed as they did so. Madeline was sure this planning was going to be nothing more than a pissing match between the men; no wonder it took them so long to get there.

“You alright?” Alex asked quietly as he walked over, his hand instinctively cupping Madeline’s jaw as he turned her head up to look at him. Her cheek was red, and he clenched his teeth together as he rubbed his thumb over it softly, feeling her wince.

“Fine,” Madeline breathed as she looked up at him. “I’d do it again. It bought you the time you needed to get back to me.”

“I know you would,” Alex sighed as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “That’s what worries me.”

“Madeline has always been the act first, think later. Even if it puts her in danger.” Josephine huffed as she looked between the two of them. She clearly was still uncomfortable being around Alex, and Alex being so close to Madeline. “Hence why you’re still even here.”

“Josephine,” Madeline admonished as she looked at her sister. She had always been business first, clinical and calculating, but this detached stance was harsh even for her.

“Let’s go,” Josephine gestured to the bedroom for all of them to file in. She was not in the mood to talk about whatever it was that gave her the haunted look in her eyes. She had work to do and was determined to get it done before she even thought about relaxing.

Madeline sat on the bed in the room for lack of anywhere else to go. The chairs were occupied by the three men and Josephine as she worked. Price and Graves sat mostly in silence while Josephine pulled out all her things, opting to go over all of Alex’s maps and notes that he had put together. Madeline knew they were also listening in as Josephine gave Alex a full assessment.

The blood draw had been her first item to tend to and Madeline had looked away at that, letting her eyes wander to one of the windows to watch the smoke still billowing from the explosion.

“Has your blood always clotted that quickly?” Josephine asked as she moved to press a cotton ball over where she had stuck Alex’s elbow.

“I don’t recall,” Alex answered as he looked down at the spot she was staring at. The needle she had used wasn’t a standard one from a doctor’s appointment. The gage was large, meant for animals, and it hurt enough going in that he had balled his fist to keep from flinching. He had expected to bleed a good amount when she removed it, but there was barely a trace of blood.

Josephine didn’t answer, she just made a non-committal noise as she stuck the vials into her case to keep cold. She had been clutching the metal box since the Shadow ran into the house carrying it and shoved it at her. And she had yet to let it out of her eyesight, let alone reach, for good reason, of course. Their suspected patient zero blood sample was in there along with other blood samples she had been able to obtain along the way. And now Alex’s blood, the only known person to be bitten and survived, resided in there. The case itself looked like it had seen better days. The sides were dented and scratched, and wires were running out of the bottom to attach it to the car battery it was rigged with to keep it running.

Her next step was to look over the bite wound, though it was just a scar at this point. She took measurements, scrapped skin samples, and tucked them into sterile bags while writing down everything she observed. She lingered on Alex’s eyes for a while. Focusing on the red ring that still lingered around his irises, perhaps overly using her pen light to see the reactions until she found whatever she was looking for.

As she worked, her attention fully zoned in on what was in front of her, the rest of the room watched. Price and Graves had fallen silent and set down their own work to observe, both clearly interested in what she was doing. Once Josephine was satisfied with documenting everything she saw, she removed her gloves and scooted a few inches away from Alex.

“Now we go through what I can’t see,” Josephine explained as she propped her notebook on her knee. “I want you to tell me everything. Anything you can remember, big or small,” she explained and gestured to Madeline. “You as well. Fill in what he misses and tell me all that you saw when he was unconscious. Any changes you’ve seen, physical or personality. If it’s different I need to know.”

“Right now? Josie, you look dead on your feet,” Madeline replied as she shifted on the bed, jumping a bit as something crashed downstairs, and a wave of snarls and screeches met her ears. “You’ve done the important part,” she gestured toward the box, “we can cover the rest after you eat and get some sleep.”

“There isn’t always later,” Josephine answered softly, “I learned that too many times these past few weeks.” She sighed, smoothing her hair out of her face with her hand before looking pointedly at Alex. “From the beginning, please.”

And so they did, from the moment Alex and Madeline separated until now. Alex talked about everything he could recall, backtracking as Josephine asked clarifying questions and pausing as she took an extra second to write. Madeline filled in gaps where Alex couldn’t remember. She did her best to not let talking about the situation upset her as she recalled all the horrendous details.

The conversation turned particularly uncomfortable when Josephine asked point blank if Madeline and Alex had been intimate in any shape or form, and everyone in the room looked up at that. Her sister knew her better than anyone and she pressed her lips into a thin line when Madeline said no, clearly knowing that ‘no’ meant ‘not really’ but definitely not a true no. She dropped the subject when Alex stepped in and stated that while they had physically slept in the same bed each night, they had not slept together since he had been bitten. That he wouldn’t have risked Madeline’s life in that way.

“If we’re done,” Madeline muttered feeling herself burn from embarrassment. It seemed everyone in the room had picked up on Alex’s statement of the fact that they hadn’t slept together since he had been bitten. “I think they need to get to planning,” she gestured to Price and Graves who both had a little decency to make themselves look busy.

“Just your blood,” Josephine stated as she dug out another needle and vial.

“Me? Why?” Madeline asked, instinctively crossing her arms infront of her, as if hiding the inside of her elbows would prevent Josephine from drawing blood.

“You’ve been close with him this whole time. I don’t know if he has a different mutation, if it’s airborne, if you’ve picked up an immunity,” Josephine reasoned as she ripped open a fresh needle. “Plenty of reasons,” she tacked on with a knowing look.

Madeline knew she wasn’t winning this fight, so she sighed and extended her arm in defeat. Josephine walked over quietly to the bed and let Madeline turn her head and hiss as she jabbed her, drawing out a few vials of blood but not nearly as many as Alex. And unlike Alex, she did bleed a decent amount, to the point that Josephine wrapped a cotton ball under the bandaid and did a few rounds of gauze for pressure.

“I have a bed set up for you,” Madeline said quietly, pointedly not looking at her bandaged arm. "And some stuff to bathe,” she offered as Josephine sealed up her samples in her cooling container. "It’ll be freezing, though.”

“It’s fine,” Josephine answered softly, her exhaustion finally catching up now that her personal mission was done. "I’ll clean up, then sleep. Everyone should get some rest." She looked pointedly at Price for a moment. "If our trip to Atlanta is anything like the past few days, we’re going to need as much recovery time as we can get.”

“I’ll check on everyone, make sure they’ve got what they need,” Madeline replied as she followed Josephine to the door. “I’ll be back in a bit to show you your area to sleep,” she explained to Price and Graves.

She wanted to make it very clear that this room was for her and Alex alone, and she would be damned to share it with Graves. Even now, she was contemplating putting him in the linen closet instead of the living room area. Granted, she had given Price the couch, and Graves was relegated to a small, stiff armchair.

“Plan is to be out at first light if the infected are clear, if not we are going to have to get creative,” Price answered as he flipped another page of Alex’s notes.

“I have a feeling Soap is hoping for creative, if his SUV bomb was any indication,” Alex joked as he gave Madeline a reassuring smile as she followed Josephine toward the door.