Didn't See That Coming | The Walking Dead(1)

Part 9 (Give Them A Chance)

Everyone had left the main room to process both their thoughts and confusions. CJ couldn't stop thinking about what Jenner had said about the full decontamination. She was on her way to find him when a voiced called out to her.

"Hey, CJ," she turned to see Rick and Shane coming towards her. Rick passed her a flashlight. "Come on, we're checking the basement," he said as both men walked past her. She quickly turned on her heel to follow them.

Glenn and T-Dog joined them as the trio headed down the stairs to the basement. "Decontamination - what does that mean?" Glenn questioned.

"Jenner's hiding something," Rick said to no one in particular.

"I don't like the way he clammed up like that," Shane responded as the group turned a corner.

CJ approached the large map on the wall and traced it with her finger until she found the word 'GENERATORS'. "In there," she said, gesturing to a door just a few feet away from them.

Rick opened the door and the dim lights flickered on. Whilst him and Shane went to look at the switches on the wall, Glenn, CJ and T-Dog went further into the dark room with their flashlights raised. In the corners of the room were big black fuel barrels. CJ went over to them and pushed them around slightly, finding that there was nothing in them.

"All empty," she announced, looking over at T-Dog.

He and Glenn ran over to the other barrels and did the same thing. "These ones too," Glenn said looking back at CJ. As he spoke the lights above their heads went out and the only light in the room was coming from their flashlights.

"What the hell?" T-Dog whispered under his breath. The three of them ran back to the switches to find Shane and Rick.

"Hey, you guys kill the lights?" CJ asked breathlessly.

"Nah, just went out," Shane replied.

"You find anything?" Rick asked CJ.

"Empty fuel cans and dead generators."

Shane's gaze landed on the fuel intake metre which read 'EMPTY'. "It can't just be down to that one..." he trailed of quietly.

Rick looked around at all of them for a moment before turning back to leave the basement. They all quickly followed him as he ran up the stairs.

Jenner entered the hallway and everyone started following him as he passed them. "The hell's going on?" Daryl asked as he looked out of his door to everyone.

"Energy is being prioritised," Jenner said as he took a bottle of whiskey from Daryl and drank some.

"Air isn't a priority? And lights?" Dale questioned.

"Not up to me," Jenner responded. "Zone Five is shutting itself down."

"Hey! Hey man I'm talking to you!" Daryl yelled. "What do you mean? How can a building do anything?"

"You'd be surprised."

CJ, Rick and the others got to the end of the hallway and quickly caught up with Jenner. "Jenner, what's happening?" Rick asked as they all entered the big computer room.

"The system is dropping all non-essential uses of power," Jenner answered, not looking at anyone. "It starts as we approach the half hour mark..." he continued as he pointed to the countdown which displayed 32:09. "...right on schedule."

Jenner held the whiskey bottle out to Daryl who snatched it away harshly. Jenner's whole demeanour switched as he looked to the ground and sighed. "It was the French. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs 'till the end. They thought they were close to a cure."