𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬.

𝖳𝗎𝗇𝗇𝖾𝗅 𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇.

Upon touching the writing on the wall, Gore stained his finger tips and gave Glenn a burst of enthusiasm as he took a look into the pitch-black tunnel.
"We're gaining on them. It's still wet."

"We sure as shit can't go up and over. How about around?" Abraham suggested, catching up to him with the others just a couple steps behind.

As far as safety was concerned, the sergeant's plan was well thought out. But the impatient husband shook his head, unwilling to let go of the progress they had made.
"No. That'll take a day, maybe more."

"What does 4B even mean anyway?" Rosita asked him.
It was the scientist, however, who responded by making an educated guess.

"From a medical perspective, breast imaging tests, like ultrasounds, magnetic resonance imaging, and mammograms, assist medical professionals in examining breast tissue for anomalies, including the early identification of breast cancer. There is a moderate risk of cancer in category 4, subcategory B. Ten to fifty percent."

Everyone let their facial expressions speak for them when disgusted. Tara was just the first to verbally question Eugene. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the man's eyes glued to Rosita's chest. "Really?"

"What is wrong with you?" Rosita questioned, shaking her head.

Eugene cowardly dropped his gaze and soon succumbed to the effects of social anxiety.
"Though, given the situation as well as the profession of the one responsible for said message, I'd say it's safe to rule that one out."

"You think?" With a roll of the eyes, the feisty woman turned to see her partner's mildly amused appearance.

"Could be the abbreviation for the word 'before'. Often times, it was used when communicating electronically. Such as email or text messaging."
Eugene's second suggestion, while being a more realistic one, didn't impress.

"Maybe it has something to do with the military?" Tara tried, pulling the conversation away from him.

Abraham, glancing back at the message, allowed himself the chance to think before muttering, "The National Airborne Operation Center."

"The what?"

"It's a plane." Rosita answered, crossing her arms. "So our only guesses are that or breast cancer?"

"The E-4B isn't just a plane." Eugene took personal responsibility for explaining the importance of the new discovery. "It's part of the National Military Command System for the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

"So?"

"So, in the event of a national emergency or the ground command and control centers are destroyed, the aircraft serves as a highly survivable command, control, and communications center to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders, and coordinate actions by civil authorities." He stated, standing firm despite her attitude towards him.

"This guy is a Marine, not Air Force. Besides, there's no E in his message." Rosita pointed out the facts.

And as everyone turned to give the wall one more look, that idea was thrown out the window much like the other suggestions.

"Where do you think you're going?" Abraham called out, seeing Glenn take a few steps inside. "Don't you hear that?"

Snarling and growling cut through the moment of silence. And even though they remained unseen, it was clear that many of the dead lurked in the shadows.

"That tunnel is full of reanimated corpses, and I don't have full-on certainty that I can get Eugene through there alive. Go in there, and you're going to get yourself into a shitstorm that you can't flush down."

"If they went through, I'm going through. We're close."
Glenn stood his ground when coming face to face with the man who didn't take no for an answer in the past.
To his surprise, the pushback he expected never came.

"My recommendation would be to take the day, take the detour, and play it safe. But I know you're not going to do that. So this is where we've got to part ways. Sorry. You're on your own here." Abraham removed the pack from off his back and took a knee.

Tara limped over and gave Glenn a small grin. "No, you're not."

After Sergeant Ford rummaged through his collected belongings, he offered up two cans of food as well as a flashlight for them. His first attempt was turned down when Glenn refused to take half of their nutrition. But after being convinced, he gratefully accepted on the second try.

As Abraham stood back up and flung the back over his shoulder, he was met with the unexpected.

"I'm sorry I hit you in the face and for the stuff I said beforehand."

A genuine apology was given, but all the veteran could do was smile. "I'm not. I like to fight."

Glenn's expression slowly grew more similar after a silent chuckle expelled the air from his lungs.
"Sounds like someone else I know."

Abraham stepped aside and made way for the others to say goodbye. He watched as Rosita went in first, giving the man a brief one-armed hug.

"Try not to be an ass." She whispered with a smile. She then moved over to Tara, doing the same before joining at her boyfriend's side again.

Eugene, who awkwardly waited his turn, spoke up at the last minute. "You're both, uh, good people."

Just as they thought the time had come to go their separate ways, the scientist summoned what little confidence he had and awkwardly tried shooting his shot. "I have to say that you are seriously hot, Tara."

"Uh," the woman muttered, "yeah, I like girls."