Godead

XXX

Upon arrival, they got out, heading into the large school gymnasium. As a haggard group of people looked on, a tall man in army fatigues stepped forward.

"How'd it go?" he asked the newly arrived group.

"Still nothin'. The mayor and his wife refuse to help, and are locked up tight in their house. We ran into this cop along the way, though," the bearded man said, soon turning to Blair as the army man looked over.

"And you are...?" he asked with suspicion.

"Officer Blair Nightingale. Are you the one leading this group?" Blair asked.

"That's right. Sergeant Mick Patterson, United States Army," he replied, the others slowly approaching. As they arrived, a young man quietly stepped forward.

"...Sis?" he asked in disbelief.

Blair suddenly froze in place, eyes going wide at the young man's voice. She slowly turned around, weakly looking on as her little brother stood before her.

"...Max!" she replied, the two swiftly approaching before embracing.

"Sis! I can't believe it's really you!" Max said with elation.

"Oh, Max! I was afraid you were dead!" Blair replied, voice full of emotion. As the two released each other, Max frowned.

"...Sis. Mom and dad are...," he said warily.

"...I know. I stopped by the house earlier," Blair replied somberly. "I'm glad you're alright, though."

"You too, sis. How are things in Florida?"

"Same as they are here. Worse, even."

"What made you return to Connecticut?"

"I was worried about you, little brother. What else?" Blair replied with a warm smile. Just then, Patterson stepped forward.

"Well you can head right back to Florida anytime now. We're fine the way we are, and don't need any backwater cops disrupting the order of things around here," he said sternly. Blair glared at him as he walked off, the army man going back to talk with the bearded man.

"Don't mind him. Patterson's a real hard ass, but it's probably what keeps things in order around here," Max replied. He then turned to the survivors, introducing Blair to the rest of the group.

As the policewoman met with everyone, half the room convened around Patterson as the other half gravitated toward Blair. They explained their situation, voicing their concerns over Patterson's leadership.

"I don't trust him," the woman in a blue dress said.

"Oh come on, honey. Mick's an army man! He can keep us safe," her husband replied.

"Are you kidding? That guy's a power hungry egomaniac. Did you hear how he tried to dismiss Blair just now? She's a cop, for goodness sake! I trust her before I trust a moron like that guy," the woman replied. The others soon nodded their heads.

"I agree. She's trained to keep the public safe, whereas Patterson's just trained to kill," the middle-aged man said. "And besides, Patterson and those gun nuts ran out of ammo ages ago, whereas Officer Nightingale is still armed. Isn't that right, ma'am?"

"Well... yes, but... I really don't mean to interfere. I just came to see if my family was still alive, and to find my little brother Max, here. I have no intention of challenging Patterson's leadership. If he's kept you alive this long, he must be doing something right," Blair said.

"Don't be silly," a woman replied. "We've been keeping ourselves alive. Patterson couldn't find his ass with both hands. Just 'cause he was head of the local army recruitment office, he now thinks he's suddenly the president or somethin'."

Just then, Patterson and the others returned to them.

"...Is there a problem?" he asked, sternly folding his arms. Blair looked to him in silence.

"...What's this about people sporadically changing and turning hostile? Is it true?" she asked.

"Yes. We've lost almost half our numbers over the past week from people going crazy out of nowhere. It seems to have started happening only recently," the bearded man replied. Patterson suddenly stepped forward.

"...That's right," he said. "Which is precisely why we don't need strangers marchin' in actin' like they own the place. Who's to say you won't go nuts and shoot us up with that twelve gauge of yours?"

"Who's to say she won't? The way I see it, she's our best bet to stay alive!" the woman in a blue dress said as the others soon voiced their agreement. Patterson cringed, giving them a cold stare before glaring at Blair.

Just then, a man in a sweater vest began to moan, suddenly rushing forward from the middle of Blair's group. He grabbed the woman in a blue dress, tearing his claws into her neck as the woman screamed in fright. As Patterson watched in stunned silence, Blair sprung into action, raising her shotgun before blasting the zombie's head clean off.

As the creature fell to the ground, the others stood in place, eyeing each other with suspicion. As Patterson looked on in surprise, Blair lowered her weapon, coldly staring him down from afar. Patterson's people looked to each other, slowly moving to Blair's side of the room.

"...I see. So all of you side with this cop, do you?" Patterson asked, the bearded man the only one left at his side. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when she turns around and shoots you full of holes," he said, walking off with the bearded man moments later.

"...What the hell is that guy's problem, anyhow?" a man from the crowd asked.

"He's just a control freak, and can't stand that someone more qualified to lead us has shown up. But what now, I wonder?" another man asked. Blair turned to them.

"You all look tired. Stay here. I'll return to the mayor's house and see if I can convince him to help you," she said.

"I'll come along," Max said, the two leaving the gym moments later.