"Wait what?" I asked hoarsely before turning to Eli. "You didn't tell him?"

"Well it's not like I've had a lot of t-time to sit and ch-chat," Eli replied defensively.

I waved my hand dismissively as I realized his logic.

"Point taken," I said before rubbing my face that was hot to the touch.

"Where do we start then?" I asked, waving my hand in front of my face in an attempt to cool down.

Eli took a seat next to me but Charles stayed standing. His scared features were unreadable.

"We got to Wither Gate without any issues and we went th-through the green building, the one closest to Wither Gate. We t-took the stairs but once we got t-to the top floor, there was a problem," Eli started methodically.

I nodded in agreement. "This might sound sort of crazy but we saw something weird up there," I said, "There were these weird, clear sack things hanging off the walls like eggs or something. And there was infected inside of them."

Charles quirked a thick brow.

"Yeah, I th-thought they were hibernating or something," Eli said.

"I don't know what they were doing but I doubt it's good for us," I added.

Charles placed his hand under his chin in thought.

"So something strange is happening to the infected," Charles said distantly.

"Yeah and if we hadn't gone up into the b-building we may not have even known about it," Eli noted, as he wrung his hands together anxiously.

"Who knows, there could be more of them and we just don't know about?" I noted, stretching my arms behind me as my nerves settled. I could feel my body temperature gradually decrease as my skin stopped burning.

"They could be evolving," Charles opted and I grimaced at the thought.

"That would fucking blow," I said, "Let's jus' hope that they're finally dying or something," I added but couldnt shake the feeling that maybe he was right.

They'd looked like eggs; almost fetus like.

But nothing was for sure.

"I agree," Charles replied before pointing towards tbe window, "But what I want to know is why a whole horde of infected out there?"

I looked to Eli who had his eyes glued to the wooden floors. He'd gone almost completely still

"Once we got to the top of that building to scout Wither Gate," Eli began with a steady voice. "We saw that the Triad had taken prisoners."

"Prisoners? Are there other survivors?" Charles asked hopefully, looking between us in anticipation.

I looked down at my hands, not wanting to meet his gaze. The room seemed to grow colder and I don't think it was just because the sun was setting outside.

Eli sniffed before shaking his head slowly.

"The Triad had th-them hung up by the wrists near the parking square, on display, but of most t-them were already gone," Eli explained.

Charle's face fell.

"Who was it?" Charles asked quietly.

Eli's bottom lip trembled as he struggled to hold back his emotions.

"Kailen and Stephanie but t-they we-were dead," Eli quietly.

Charles finally took a seat in one of the kitchen chairs with robotic movements.

"They had Andre too. He was pretty be-beat up but still alive," Eli continued.

Charles covered his mouth with a hand in clear disbelief.

"That stubborn mother fucker," Charles said under his breath. "And he was hanging next Stephanie?"

Eli only nodded.

"Jesus gosh," Charles said under his breath.

During one of the many times Eli and Charles spoke of Wither Gate, the names Stephanie and Andre had come up once or twice. From what I knew, they were a married couple who'd lost their children to the infected when the apocalypse first started. And they'd been Eli and Charles friends.

"We couldn't save Andre, his wounds would have killed him sooner or later. T-they were badly infected," Eli said, "He w-was already dead. His heart just didn't know it yet."

It was silent for a moment.

I didn't have anything to say.

"I couldn't leave him like that. He was in so much pain," Eli said before wiping at the slow tears that slid down his freckled cheeks. "I had to kill him."

Charles nodded in slow understanding.

"You did the right thing," Charles said while collecting himself.

Eli didn't respond. He kept his gaze fixed on the ground with a mixed expression.

"I had been hoping that maybe Andre and Steph had made it out of there somehow," Charles said wistfully.

"I did too," Eli admitted. "At least they're together now."

Charles nodded once with a far away look.

"So then the gunshot attracted the infected?" Charles stated absently more so then asked as he pieced the parts together.

"It attracted the Triad too and they were gonna catch up to us," I told him, "That's why I stayed behind and let Eli get out of there."

Charles cleared his throat and looked at me graciously. "Thank you for that," He said.

I waved my hand dismissively.

"You'd have done the same for me," I shrugged but deep down, I was happy to gain his trust.

"Thank god we got back there in time," Eli noted and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I was startin' to get jus' a little worried there," I admitted and Eli snorted in spite of himself.

"Just a little, huh?" Charles's asked with a thin smile.

"Slightly," I said using my hands to micic the size even though I'd had a distinct feeling that they wouldn't be fast enough.

I suppose I shouldn't have doubted them.

It was quiet again.

Then I cleared my throat.

"So, are we still launching the attack tonight?" I asked as I felt the advil take effect. My head began to feel airy as the throbbing in my shoulder decreased.

Eli and Charles looked at each other questionably and then turned back to me.

"Should we? You've gone through a lot today," Charles asked and I gave him a look.

"Don't worry about me. We should hit them right now. I took out two of their pursuit vehicles already so they're gonna be at a disadvantage," I explained.

"She has a point," Eli noted. "They'll be most worried about the infected anyway. T-They won't see us coming."

"But what about your shoulder?" Charles asked and Eli suddenly recanted, peering at my shoulder with concern.

I shrugged even though it hurt.

"I just took nine advil," I replied, "I won't be able to feel my face, let alone my shoulder, in five minutes."

"She has a point again," Eli replied.

Charles sighed before rubbing his hands over his face once he saw our decision.

"You know what? Fuck it. It may be crazy but those mother fuckers deserve it," Charles decided, causing me to grin as I stood up.

"We're all crazy," I said, patting him on the shoulder, "Just accept it."