The Infected

Chapter Three

It's about night by the time we reach the base, the last rays of light leisurely sinking below the horizon.
I heave a breath of relief as I step upon the cement platform, clenching my hand into a fist, I knock slowly four times on the foliage covered door.
A soft rustle could be heard before a movement to the right gains my attention.
One grayish blue eye peers back at me through a small two inch hole. "What's the password?" A gruff voice asks.
I roll my eyes in annoyance.

Why does he always ask that?

Can't he see that It's obviously me and not some freaky-brain-eating-gutter-smelling-Infected? I don't think they even know how to knock.

"Aeternum," I say loudly. The eye disappeared, there were a few moments of silence before the sound of the heavy wooden door scraping against the mortar fills my ears.
"You made it back alive again, eh? I was hoping that the both of ya'll got killed. More food for me. I swear, the both of you eat like grown men!" A mans hoarse voice rings out in the night air.
I laugh in amusement, sending his calloused face a wide grin. "We're growing women, Jaq, we need food. Stop complaining."
He grunts in reply and glares over my shoulder, taking a step out of the door way.
"Who are they?" Jaq asks carefully, nodding his head in the direction of Alex and Heiko.
"That's Heiko and Alex." Lex replies nonchalantly from behind me.
I forgot she was even there.
"Yeah, we sort of ran into trouble on our way back. They kinda saved us..." I trail off.
His shoulders relaxed slightly, but his gray-blue eyes were still narrowed distrustfully.
He looked them up and down, scrutinizing their every feature.
"And you want them too join our stronghold?" Jaq questions raising an eyebrow.
"Remember what happened with Clarissa and Miguel? The damage they caused took us four months too fix, Chael, four months."

We found Clarissa and Miguel on one of our raids, bringing them back with us for the Organization to recruit seemed like a pretty great idea at the time.

And they seemed so nice...

To bad they attempted to raid us, killed two of our best fighters and blew up half of our underground base

I felt no remorse for killing them.

James was furious with me for weeks, but how was I supposed to know they would do that? I guess Lex is right.. I really am gullible..

"No," Lex replies breaking me out of my thoughts. "They don't want to join, They just want to stay the night. Just tonight.
Their base was too far away to walk too before night fall. It's night, Jaques, we couldn't just let them wander around at night."
Her voice turned soft at the end, conflicting emotions flash across her facial features.
I could see her trying to keep her calm, she sucked in a deep breath and shut her eyes clenching her fists tightly.
"I won't allow that to happen again," she utters barely above a whisper.

Poor Lex. I thought she was over Iggy..

"Okay." Jaq finally speaks his steely
eyes softening at the sight of Lex in such a vulnerable state.
"But tonight only. You will leave at noon tomorrow. And don't you dare try any thing. I won't hesitate to kill you if you make one wrong move." Jaq warns his eyes flickering from Heiko then back too Alex.
"Understood?"
"Got it." Alex's deep voice speaks for the first time, his penetrating gaze locking onto mine.
"Hei?" Alex asks, crossing his well defined arms over his muscular chest. His sparkling green orbs never leaving mine. I couldn't help but watch the way his muscles rippled, I wonder what it would feel like to run my hands over them... Or running my hands through his silky strands and--

What the heck, Chael? You just met the damn guy! Stop fantasizing about something that will never happen, I scold myself.

"Yeah, whatever." Heiko mumbles grumpily. "Let's just get inside. I'm tired. And starving." He adds.
Lex shoots Heiko a amused glance, raising a perfectly sculpted brow.

How does she keep them so perfect?

Hmmm... I'll have to ask her later.

Shortly after that, we piled through the doorway, waiting for a second as Jaq closes and locks the entry.
After he's done, he gestures for us to follow him.
We slowly trail behind him through a small hallway, at the end of the corridor is the entrance to a dark stone staircase, curving downward. The only form of light is the flickering of the oil lamps, making our shadows dance, as if trying to taunt us. Our footsteps whisper against the cold stone, like lost spirits, calling for help.
As we continue deeper under ground, the slight sounds of heavy machinery and voices grow louder, filling my ears drums.

I smile.

This is my home.