What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

10 • Blood

"Hello?" Rick shouted, his voice echoing around the empty room. Alexa and her brother practically fell into the C.D.C. before she raced as fast as she could to slam the doors shut. They closed with a bang, just as the sound of a gun cocking reached the girl's ears.

Rick raised his gun to the figure of a man, who stood across the room by a set of stairs.
"Anybody infected?" He called. His voice echoed around the room as well.
"One of our group was," Rick spoke shakily. "He didn't make it."

"You said, someone was injured. Is he bite too?" The man questioned.
"She." Alexa corrected. All eyes flickered over to her as she spoke, still clutching onto her brother for balance. "Twisted ankle." She clarified, her own emerald eyes glaring at the man.

He nodded before continuing. "Why are you here? What do you want?" The man stepped out of the darkness as he directed his question at Rick.
"A chance," Rick replied truthfully.
"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man said, looking sternly at Rick.
"I know," Rick concluded.

A wave of silence washed over the group, as the man's eyes ventured between them all. His eyes lingered on the children of the group. Alexa stepped in front of her little brother as she put on a brave face. She could see the gears spinning in this man's brain, contemplating whether or not he should kill them all or not. Alexa knew the look all too well. An unwelcome feeling sparked inside her bones as she thought this man might just carry out his deadly wish.

"You all submit to a blood test." He spoke suddenly. "That's the price of admission."
The group sighed in relief as the tension in the atmosphere broke.
"We can do that." Rick nodded, watching intently as the man let his gun hang at his side.
"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed." He gestured to the shutters.

The group ran past Alexa and Chase, practically knocking her over again as they filed out the door and ran to their cars to retrieve their belongings. The siblings stayed still, as they watched the men of the group leave. Alexa and Chase already had their packs on, mostly due to the girl's small obsession with having her belonging on her back at all times. But also because she had grown used to the sensation of her gear on her back.

"I can take a look at your ankle if you need me to." The man spoke as he approached the girl. She shook her head no, stepping out of the way of the group members that were running back inside. T-dog and Dale pulled the glass doors shut as the man sealed the shutters closed.

"Rick Grimes." Rick introduced himself.
"Dr. Edwin Jenner." The doctor replied, nervously glancing at the hand Rick offered him to shake. "This way please." He stated, leading the group to an elevator.
T-dog swiftly walked over to Alexa offering her a shoulder to help her walk. She nodded gratefully as they all followed Jenner.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that? I mean, I know this one does." Daryl pointed his crossbow at Alexa. "But still?" He inquired once the group piled into the elevator.
"There was plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself." Jenner explained, guesting to his gun. "But you people look harmless enough." He added, looking around at the group again.

"Except you three." he joked, looking at the kids. "I'll have to keep my eyes on you all." He chuckled as the three kids broke out into proud grins. "Doctor you said?" Jenner asked, looking at Alexa.
"Nurse." She confirmed. Jenner nodded, his attention moving to Rick.
"Keep her around. I reckon there aren't many medical professionals left in this world."
Rick nodded wearily, sending a sincere smile at Alexa.

The girl shifted uncomfortably on her hurt ankle. She didn't like the extra attention she was getting. It made her feel uneasy watching as the people in the cramped elevator took their turns to glance at her.

The elevator slowed to a stop, the doors clicking open to let the group out. Jenner slid out first, leading the people down a long white hallway. Every wall lined with similar doors.
"Are we underground?" The short-haired woman asked in a panicked tone.
"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked.
"A little." She answered.
"Try not to think about it." He answered.

Alexa and Chase lingered behind the group, Alexa's hurt ankle slowing her down a little as she tried not to think about the pain. Daryl staggered a few paces in front of the siblings, occasionally glancing back at Alexa as they continued onward. The rest of the group looked tired and starved. Though they were keeping up with Jenner better than Alexa was.

"VI, bring up the lights in the big room." The doctor called as they entered a large, dark, and circular room. The lights in the room flickered on as the group took in their surroundings. "Welcome to zone five." He added before walking further into the room.

The room was lined with identical white desks and chairs. Only one looked out of place. It was scattered with papers and documents, so Alexa assumed it belonged to Dr. Jenner.
"Where is everybody?" Rick questioned. "The other doctors, the staff?"
"I'm it," Jenner responded simply. "It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori questioned. "VI?"
"VI, say hello to our guests," Jenner spoke to the room. "Tell them... Welcome."
"Hello, guests. Welcome." A robotic voice echoed around the empty room.
"I'm sorry," Jenner said. "Well if you'll follow me."

Alexa sighed as she started to limp the way Jenner was leading them. She could practically feel the hope drain from the group. The C.D.C. was gone. It had fallen to the dead just like that. And this man, Dr. Jenner was all that was left.

Jenner lead them down another long hallway and into a room that resembled a lecture hall. One by one Alexa watched as Jenner called up different members of the group, asking for their names and age before taking their blood. Alexa stood waiting with her brother in the farthest corner of the room until Jenner called them up.

"Name and age?" He asked Alexa as they sat down across from him.
"Alexandra Mason, twenty-four." She replied, holding out her arm for Jenner to take her blood. The small needle pricked her arm, sending only a second's worth of pain up her arm. Jenner drew her blood sample quickly before turning to Chase who immediately started to bawl at the sight of the needle.

"He alright?" Jenner questioned uncertainly.
"Trypanophobia," Alexa answered simply, pulling her baby brother onto her lap. She held him still as Jenner nodded in understanding.
"You ready kiddo? One, two, three." Jenner quickly jabbed the needle into the little boy's small arm, that his sister was holding still for the doctor. "All done." He smiled brightly.

Alexa nodded her thanks before picking up her crying baby brother and limping away. Lori stood and came rushing up to the siblings as Andrea went past them to get her blood taken.
"Is he alright?" she asked, placing a hand on the girl's back.
"He doesn't like needles, is all," Alexa assured the woman.
"May I?" Lori questioned, watching as Alexa sat Chase down in a nearby chair.
"Go for it." She shrugged, folding her arms over her chest.

Lori kneeled and begin to comfort the crying boy. Alexa stood watching, she had never been the best at making her baby brother stop crying, but it seemed Lori had plenty of experience. She watched intently for a few seconds before feeling a pair of eyes drilling into her back. She pivoted, seeing the steel blue eyes of Daryl Dixon staring intently at her. He looked away immediately, almost like he had been doing something he should have.

Alexa didn't pay the look any mind and instead focused on Andrea, who stumbled as she stood from getting her blood drawn.
"Are you okay?" Jenner questioned.
"She hasn't eaten in days," Jacqui spoke for her. "None of us have."
Jenner nodded as he stood again.
"There's a kitchen just down the hall if you'd all like to find something to eat."

An instant chatter broke out over the group at the mention of food. Alexa turned back to her brother and Lori, she smiled at her before heading back to her family. Alexa watched as she left before looking back at her brother who was no longer crying.
"Let's go get some food." She said reassuringly. Chase smiled as he stood before leading his big sister out of the room behind everyone else.