Chronicles of the Apocalyse: Condemnation (2016)

Chapter 19: Distorted

Deeper into the Shallows, a group of survivors are sitting around including a bearded Merritt just as the A.O.W tank drives up on them. Kyle, Jake, Shawn, James and Barnes exit the tank.

Kyle: Merritt?

Merritt: Kyle, is that you? Jeez, son...you grew some hair. You look different with your head fully grown.

Kyle: and you with your beard....what are you doing down here?

Merritt: Well, shit, after you and those two other dipshits destroyed my gas station and Oden's outpost was overrun, we thought the surface was too dangerous. Speaking of those two dipshits...they alive?

Kyle: Dante and Killen....no...they both died four years ago.

Merritt: sorry to hear that.

Jake: So, you guys thought underground, where these things are coming from, you thought it'd be safer down here?

Merritt: Nowhere is, son. Not anymore. We were good here for a few months as long you stayed off the roads leading to the Hive, but now those damn monsters are showing up where they didn't before. Killing people, kidnapping them, torturing them. It's horrible.

Kyle: "The Hive"?

Merritt: Yeah, the Hive. What? You need to scoop up all that wax out of your ears, kid? The Hive is where those things come from.

Kyle and Jake look at each other and nod.

Jake: Best lead we have yet.

Kyle: Yeah....we definitely need to check this out.

Jake: What about them? We can't take them with us.

Kyle turns to Merritt.

Kyle: Hey, old man. How do we get there from here?

Merritt: You'll have to cross the lake, but no one cross those lakes except those monsters in armor. The water's not safe.

Kyle: Is anywhere, right? 

Kyle turns to Shawn and James.

Kyle: Okay, James, Shawn, I want you to take these people up to the surface. Jake, Barnes and I will continue on foot.

Barnes: (quietly) Fuck!

James: What? But they-

Kyle: They'll die if you don't, James. You and Shawn go back to Midtown Manhattan once you've dropped them off. You guys have helped us enough. Go back home to Cassandra, James. She needs you.

James: But Kyle-

Shawn: James, this guy led an army of Blood Hogs and Raiders to take out Kronos. I think he can handle it. C'mon, man. Let's bounce.

Kyle: Merritt, gather everyone else and go with them. They'll take you to safety.

Merritt: Hold up! Does this mean we have to fight with you folks now?

Kyle: I didn't say that, man, but you can't stay here. It's dangerous.

Merritt walks to the tank as Jake stops him.

Jake: Hey, wait....

Jake takes out photograph of himself and Keera and presents it to Merritt.

Jake: You ever seen this woman before? Her name's Keera.

Merritt: Oh, what a dish. She your wife, son?

Jake: Yeah.

Merritt: Oh, you married a fine young woman there, my boy.....she does look familiar. I think she was one of the other groups that was down here. Steven's group....(sighs) but I think Steven and the others....they were captured...a few killed.