The Walking Dead Season 1: The Start of Something New

Chapter 15: TS-19 (Part 1)

Seline's POV
We find ourselves standing in the beam of the blinding white light when the doors of the CDC open. Tense with our weapons, we enter the building, through the lobby.

"Is anyone there?" Rick says. "Daryl, and Lee cover us from the back. Everyone keep your eyes open." Rick ordered. We all feel apprehensive, what will we find in here? "Anyone?" Rick says again.
We hear a gun click, and we all point our weapons to a man with white hair possibly in his fifties holding a automatic carbine. "Anybody infected?" The man says.
Rick replies, "A member of the group was. He didn't survive."
"Why are you here? What is it that you want?" The man questions, still pointing the gun at us.
"A chance." I inject. He then focuses his eye to me. "That's a lot to ask for these days." he states.
"I agree."

In a brief moment the man observes us . I begin to feel uncomfortable under his stare. "You all submit to a blood test that's the price of admission " He tells us.
"We can do that." Rick says.
The man lowers his rifle and then we do the same. "If you got stuff to bring in, do it now. When this door closes, it'll be final." The man states.

We all split ways, T-Dog, Kenny and Daryl monitor the door, as everyone piles in. The man voices over the intercom, "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here." We all follow the man to the elevator. Before Rick enters he put out a hand to the man. "Rick Grimes." He introduced himself.
The man ignored the hand shake and replied. "Doctor Edwin Jenner." The man says, as we enter the elevator. We stood there in silence. I think we'll be ok here, to be away from walkers I mean. I look at Gabriel with a relieved expression, he looks relieved too but not fully, as he held Angie in his arms tightly. Daryl breaks the silence, "Does doctors always walk around packing heat like that?"
Jenner replies, "There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough." The tension in the elevator relaxes. Jenner turns to Carl. "Except you, I'll have to keep my eye on you." he teases. Carl smiles timidly, amused. he leads us through a corridor.

"Are we underground?" Carol asks.
"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asks.
"Slightly" Carol says.
"Try not to think about it. Vi! Lights. The lights in the large room." The lights come on, and here in a large room there are a multitude of computers. "Welcome to area 5." he says.
(TWD Theme song plays)

"Wait, where are the others? The researchers, employees, the staff?" Rick asks. "In front of you. There is only me here." Jenner replies. "And the person you are speaking with? Vi?" Lori injects. The doctor says to the intercom, "Vi! Say hello to our guests. Wish them welcome." A female mechanical voice speaks, "Hello guest, welcome."
"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry." Jenner states.
Later he then takes samples of our blood. I watched Jenner took Andrea's blood as I wait for my turn. "What's the point. If we were infected, we would all be running a fever." Says Andrea. "I have already broken all the rules that I was supposed to follow in letting you enter, at least let me do this. That is why." Andrea rises but flickers. I came to help. "You feel well?" he asks. "She hasn't eaten in days. None of us have." I said.

***

We were all eating dinner and drinking wine and eating pasta. I was nearly laughing in tears when Carl and Clementine asked what is wine taste like and surprised that Gabriel told me he don't drink, ever. "Really? Never?"
"Nope. And I never will." He said.
I smiled as I pour some wine in my glass and put it in front of him. "You gotta try. You don't know what you missing."
Dale is filling another glass. "She's right Gabe. There is no difficulty to pleasure, you know. Life is hard enough as it is. And you know in Italy and France, children have the right to drink a little wine for dinner." Dale says to Lori.
"If the day comes when Carl or Clementine is in Italy or France, he will be able to drink." Lori says amused.
"Amen." Lee said, smiling. "Why not? It's not going to kill him. He may as well taste it." Rick says to Lori. She looks at him, mid-amused, mid-annoyed. I try to stifle a laugh at Lori's expression. I couldn't contain myself so I bursted, everyone else did too, even Gabe and Carl. Lori yields. Dale pours some wine for Carl.