Apocalyptic Love

Chapter 8 CDC

The caravan arrives outside the CDC compound. Surrounding the building are a lot of corpses, as well as swarms of flies. Rick's caravan approaches the CDC, where hundreds of bodies lay dead on the ground. The group quietly approached the building.

“All right, everybody. Keep moving. Go on. Stay quiet. Let's go. Okay, keep moving. Stay together,” Shane told everyone.

Kagome stayed in the rear of the group, closer to Daryl, her bow drawn and an arrow knocked. She scanned the area looking for Walkers. Rick turned around to see where Kagome was, and he couldn't help but frown when he saw that Kagome was in the rear closer to Daryl. Rick's eyes connected with Kagome, and she nodded in his direction. “Keep moving, come on,” Rick said to everyone as they approach the doors.

Inside the building, Dr. Jenner was watching the group approach the doors through the security cameras, “No,” He whispered as he watched them get closer.

The group reached the doors and discovered that they're locked, and the shutters are lowered, Shane starts bounding on the door, “There's no one here,” T-Dog said.

“Then why are the shutters down,” Rick questioned.

The survivors began to argue about leaving and heading to Fort Benning when Daryl yelled that Walkers were coming, “Shoot them in the head,” Daryl yelled.

The group opened fire on the Walkers, but all the noise was luring more Walkers in. Meanwhile, Rick continued to pound on the doors trying to get whoever was inside's attention, “There's no one here, Man!” Shane yelled.

“I saw the camera move,” Rick countered.

“Man, you've imagined it.”

“It moved!” Rick screamed.

“It's automated, Rick, come on we need to go!”

But Rick refused to give up. He continued to pound on the door pleading with whoever was inside to let them in. Jenner sat there and watched, debating on whether to let them in. He continued to watch as the people outside started to get more frantic as more Walkers began to show up. The only one that was calm was a young lady that continues to fire at a rapid pace. Jenner ignored the others and continued to watch the young woman. Jenner's eyes widen when he saw the young woman create an arrow out of pure energy when she ran out of arrows. She fired and turned most of the Walkers to ash. Jenner quickly stood up and made his way upstairs to let the people into the building.

Outside, Daryl and Kagome fired at the Walkers that were approaching, along with everyone else. But since they were at the back of the group, they were at a higher risk of overrun. Daryl stopped firing and turned to Kagome, “We need to move, girl, before we get swamped.” Daryl yelled.

Kagome never took her eyes off the Walkers, Go!”

“Are you crazy?! I'm not going to leave you here!”

“Don't worry about me, go!”

Daryl cursed and moved closer to Kagome and continued to fire, “Whatever you have planned, you best do it soon!”

Kagome's eyes shifted quickly to Daryl, and she reached for her last arrow and fired, “You're out, let's move!” Daryl yelled and was about to grab Kagome when she pulled back the bowstring, and an energy arrow appeared.

“What the hell?!”

Kagome ignored Daryl and fired, turning the approaching Walkers to ash. Daryl's mouth hung open at the sight, and he was about to ask what happened when they heard the shutters open, and the people closest to the doors were engulfed in bright white light. Kagome and Daryl looked at each other and made a run for the door where the others had disappeared into.

The group enters the building cautiously, watching for danger. Rick and Shane whirl around when they hear a gun cock. Standing by the elevators is a man with a gun pointed at them, “Anyone infected,” He asked.

“No,” Rick told them, man.

“Why are you here? What do you want,” Jenner asked.

“A chance.”

“That's asking a lot these days.”

“I know.”

“Fine, but you have to submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission,” Jenner said, quickly glancing at Kagome.

“We can do that,” Rick said.

“You got stuff to bring in; you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed. Vi, seal the main entrance, and kill the power up here.”

Everyone ran outside and grabbed their stuff, then ran back in and get in the elevator, “Rick Grimes.”

“Edwin Jenner.”

“Doctors always go around packing heat like that?” Daryl asked.

“There was plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough. Except you, I'll have to keep my eye on you.” Jenner said to Carl making Carl smile.

When the elevator doors open, Jenner led the group down a hallway. Kagome hangs back and discreetly flares her aura to see what kind of person this Jenner guy is. Kagome frowned when she felt Jenner's hopelessness and sense of defeat. He must know something terrible.

As they walk down the hall, Carol asked Jenner if they were underground, “Are you claustrophobic?”

“A little.”

“Try not to think about it.”

The group enters a darkened room, “Vi, bring up the lights. Welcome to zone 5.”

“Where is everyone, the doctors, the staff?”

“I'm it; I'm the only one here.”

Lori asked him who he was talking to, and he requested Vi to say hello to the guests and to welcome them, “Hello guests. Welcome.”

“It's only me here, sorry.”

After that, Jenner performed blood tests on everyone, claiming that it was standard procedure. He was mostly interested in getting Kagome's blood. Jenner wanted to see if there was a difference between her blood and everyone else's.

After that, Jenner shows the group to the cafeteria, and they make some pasta and have some wine with their dinner. Everyone sat down and had dinner with Jenner; Kagome sat down next to Daryl, and Rick frowned. Rick felt his stomach churn at the thought of Kagome having anything to do with the archer. He stared at them for a moment then noticed that Lori was looking at him. Rick turned to her and smiled then continued to eat.

After a while of the group laughing and drinking, Rick makes a toast and thanks Jenner for saving them, and the rest of the group agrees. Jenner smiles but looks uncomfortable at the accolades. Then Shane asked what happened to the rest of the people. Jenner explained that a lot of them left, and many others took their lives. He stayed to see if he could do any good.

After they had their dinner, Jenner shows the group to their rooms where they could spend the night and take showers. He advised not to use all the hot water. Glenn and T-Dog smile. The group split off into each room and begin to get ready to bed down for the night. Each one was taking their turn taking a shower.

Kagome decided to wait until everyone had taken their showers to take hers when she was finished, she decided to head into the lounge to get a book to read before going to bed. When Kagome opened the door she gasped when she walked in on Shane and Lori who looked like they were in the middle of making out. At hearing Kagome's gasp, Shane and Lori instantly jumped apart.

“Am I interrupting something,” Kagome asked.

“No, of course not.” Lori said, her face was flushed with embarrassment and shame.

Kagome hummed. Shane glared at Kagome, “What do you want?”

“I came in to get a book to read, I didn't think the room would be… occupied. But I guess I'll go to bed instead. Goodnight, Shane, goodnight Whorie.” Lori glared at the back of Kagome's head as Kagome walked out of the lounge and went to her room to go to bed.