The Infection

Chapter 13

Finding a way to sneak out of Sharon's bed was way worse than finding a way out of island he was kept on. Ben hasn't been able to get out of here for nearly a week. He had to have his leg reset and he could hardly walk. He could limp to and from the bathroom, but that was about it. 

Sharon has been absolutely unbearable. He can't stand another second with her. He needs Cassie, he needs his girl. He's aching to touch her and kiss her. Sharon's been trying to get him to have sex for a few days now, but he's been refusing. The only woman he wants to touch is Cassie. 

As he lay in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling with Sharon sleeping on his chest, all he could thing about is Cassie and him and their affair in the cell. Neither felt guilty, neither regretted it because they both loved each other. It's what they've both wanted for a long time. 

And now that they have it, they can't do anything because the people who think they love them are in the way. 

But it's been a week. He has to see her. Now. As swiftly as he could, he got Sharon off his chest and painfully stood on his recovering leg. He limped over to grab his coat and shoes. It took him several minutes to get his shoes on, but when he did, he limped out as quickly as he could. 

It felt good to be outside again, but it was pouring rain. That didn't stop him, as he quickly crossed the yard, to Cassie's place with the rush of the cold against his skin. He hobbled up to her skimpy, cracked door and lifted his hand to knock on the door...but stopped himself. He heard voices inside. 

He then heard footsteps quickly approaching, so he quickly backed up and hid in the darkness, getting soaked in the rain.

**

"Cassie, we need to talk about this!" Tom shouted. "You were on the brink of death, I needed to tell you!" Cassie grunted and spun around to look at him. "I was alive and well and you sure as shit know that, Thomas! Jesus I...I don't love you, okay? Now drop it!"

She went to walk away, but Tom grabbed her good arm to stop her. "What in the hell is wrong with you?" He harshly asked. "What happened at that prison?" Cassie shucked off his arm, then pointed sternly at him. "Don't. Touch me." 

Tom breathed heavily through his nose. "Did you fuck him?" He asked. Cassie's eyes went wide and she scoffed, but didn't say anything. "Well?" He asked. "You've been turning me down for everything! I can't get a kiss or anything from you!"

"Because I don't want you!" She shouted. Tom looked hurt, wounded. "I just don't want you, Tom," Cassie said as if she were now exhausted. "Please, just...get out."  Tom shook his head and turned towards the door. 

"I don't know what happened over there," he calmly said, "but I intend to find out. And I intend to make us work again." He then quickly walked to her door and walked out, slamming it behind him. The whole place nearly shook.

Sighing, Cassie put her hand on her head and closed her eyes. This was what she didn't want when she hooked up with Tom. No strings, no feelings. If they found someone they both wanted, then fine. Go with them. But now he says he loves her and she knows it's going to turn into a disaster. 

A knock on her door caused her to jump. She looked to her door, then started walking over to it. "Go away, Tom," she called through the door. There wasn't a response. "I'm not letting you in," she called. Again, no response. 

With an angry grunt, she twisted the handle and swung open the door. Her eyes almost blew out of her head. This wasn't Tom. "Ben," she breathed. Ben, soaked to the bone in his pajamas and coat, gave her a sheepish smile. 

"Hey," he said. Cassie took his hand and started leading him inside. "You're drenched," she said. "I didn't think you could walk yet. I heard Sharon had to reset your leg." He didn't say anything, just stared at her. 

She smirked and asked him, "What?" His answer was leaning down and capturing her lips in a kiss. Despite almost freezing, this contact with her made his entire body warm. He put his hand up to her face and made the kiss deeper, until she pulled away. 

"You're hand is cold," she whispered against his lips. He smiled, then said, "Sorry." He went back to kissing her, then they started stripping each other's clothing one by one, until they were both naked and laying on her bed. 

**

"The leader's name is Gary. His right hand man is Sean. They have a community of at least a hundred people, so less than us, but they train their people to fight. Even the kids." Mark listened to Cassie as he sat behind his desk in deep thought. 

"And this is at Alcatraz?" He asked. Cassie nodded and told him, "Yes. They have several supplies of food and water, more than enough for all of them. And their weapons...I don't think I've seen that many guns since the army days." 

Mark looked to Ben and asked, "You can confirm this?" Ben told him, "Absolutely. They have medicine,  boats, food, water, knives, guns. They're living in a sanctuary on the ocean. We can't get to them without them seeing us, but they sure as hell can get to us." 

"Do they want to get to us?" Chris, who was standing next to Mark, asked. Cassie looked to him and said, "That's the reason they took us. They claimed to be helping us and I had no other choice but to go with them. Ben was near death and I was hurt. Once we got there, I could see that something was wrong."

Chris rounded the desk to face her. "But he didn't say he wanted to come after us," he said. Cassie gave him a pointed look. "It's my job to read people, Evans. He difficult...but I could see it in his eyes when he drugged us. Not to mention, he shouted that he was going to make me watch everyone die, right after he shot me on the bridge." 

Mark looked to Chris, then to Tom, Tony and Richard, who were all standing in the back. When he looked back to Cassie, he said, "We need to be prepared if they do end up coming here. What do you propose we do?"

Cassie and Ben looked at each other, then back to Mark. "We need to train everyone," Ben told him. "Guns, knives, whatever we have, they need to learn how to use them. We may have more people, but there's only a few of us who can fight. I say we leave the children out, though." 

Mark took a deep breath, then stood up from his desk. "Do what you have to do," he told them. Ben and Cassie nodded, then started walking out. "This Gary," he called, making them stop just at the door. "What was his last name?"

Ben told him he didn't know, but Cassie started to think back. What was his last name? Nothing in that warden's office had anything to do with him...except one item. Amongst the several frames and pictures on the wall, there was a degree that stood out to her. She didn't think anything about it, until now. 

"Oldman," she said. "Gary Oldman." Mark looked at her in shock. It looked like he was about to be sick. Before anyone could ask, he told them, "Go. Get to Rob, sort out the weapons, then get to Sharon to sort out anything else you might need. Now!" 

Everyone quickly filed out of the room, while Mark stayed behind and sat down at his desk in deep, deep thought.