RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

painless

RICK, GLENN, SHANE, AND WILLOW picked up the pace as they descended the stairs into the basement. Rick stopped, looking at a map that was behind a casing on the wall before pointing to the room on their right. "In there." They followed him in, splitting up to find the tank. Sure enough, Glenn and Willow found the emergency fuel intake tank, looking at the fuel meter. The prong was right on empty.

"It's empty." She said to Glenn after shoving it a bit, the tank having little resistance and weight to it.

As if on cue, the lights shut off before a few dim ones flickered back on, the virtual intelligence speaking out. "Emergency lighting on."

"What the hell is this?" They could hear Shane across the room.

"Hey, you guys kill the lights?" Rick and Shane ran up behind Glenn and Willow.

"No, they just went out." She responded. "The tanks empty." She shoved it with her hand. "Did y'all find anything?"

"Yeah, a lot of dead generators and empty fuel drums." Shane responded, rubbing the back of his neck. He pointed his flashlight at the fuel meter. "It can't be down to just this one."

They looked at each other before running back up the stairs, determined to find Jenner and demand answers.

-

"Jenner, what's happening?" Rick kept up his pace with Dr. Jenner.

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark." Jenner led them back to the big room where they saw the bold red numbers, reading 00:31:28. "Right on schedule."

"Let me tell you somethin'." Shane darted after Jenner, Rick trying to pull him back.

"Lori, grab our things. Everybody, get your stuff, we're getting out of here now!" Rick said over his shoulder, still fighting Shane. The group turned to go back to their rooms to gather their belongings, but an ear piercing alarm blared. The big screen turned back on with another countdown, Vi announcing "30 minutes to decontamination."

"Doc, what's goin' on here?" Daryl yelled at Jenner who made his way to a computer.

"Everybody, y'all heard Rick. Get your stuff and let's go, now!" Shane yelled to the group. Willow ran to the door that would lead them to their rooms but got jerked backwards, Daryl grabbing onto her arm, just barely saving her from getting crushed at the doors that slammed shut.

"Did you just lock us in?!" Glenn began to freak out. "He just locked us in!"

Willow looked around at the group that had began to panic with Glenn, Daryl finally letting go of her arm before darting towards Jenner. "You son of a bitch! You locked us in here!"

Willow felt a vibration against her chest, the muffled cries of Sienna breaking through the cloth. She patted her and rocked her as much as she could, but with the yelling and the alarm, it was no use.

"Hey, Jenner, open that door." Rick approached the man who was sitting at the computer.

"There's no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed."

"Well open the damn things!" Daryl demanded as if it were that easy.

"That's not something I control, the computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again, you heard me say that. It's better this way."

"What is?" Willow stormed up to the man, demanding answers. "What happens in 28 minutes?"

The man turned back to the computer, ignoring her, until Daryl stepped up, yanking back the office chair he sat in, nearly knocking him out of it. "What happens in 28 minutes?!"