(Author's note: Yep one of those chapters again where it got too long and I had to cut it in half. Hope it doesn't hinder you enjoyment of reading it. Happy reading!)

"Didn't expect to see you, here, doc." Brendan smirked at Clint. Then he looked at Marie and Zack and greeted them with a wave. "Dr. Harris was my senior at Rescue and Relief."

Marie nodded. "Nice to see you. And thanks so much for saving our lives."

Brendan smiled. "Don't mention it," he said. "We were just passing by when we heard the gunshots from inside City Hall. The doors were locked but we knew that the place had been overrun with infected. Pretty much most of sector 25 is overrun."

"Yeah, we kinda experienced that before we even went inside the City Hall," Clint said.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you guys even go in there for?" Brendan said.

Marie looked down, flustered. Clint noticed her expression and despite everything they'd just experienced, he found himself grinning.

"Mom and Dad had a fight," Zack said. "They were trying to prove who can find a better place to live. They both failed."

Brendan's eyebrows shot up.

"Zack!" Marie pinched the boy on his neck.

Clint belted a nervous laughter, now flustered himself. He nodded at Brendan. "That's actually pretty much what happened." He let out a sigh, leaning back and relaxing in the basket of the firetruck. "What about you? Last I saw you, you were fixing people up at a rescue camp and here you are now, rescuing people even more literally. Like you even got a firetruck." Clint laughed a more genuine laughter. Then he paused. "Wait, don't tell me this is a new job that they offered you?"

It was Brendan's turn to chuckle now. "Of course not! Even though this truck belongs to the sector fire department, we stole it anyway cuz everyone has already deserted the entire sector. It was Germaine's idea."

"Who is Germaine?" Marie asked.

"It's the lady who is driving the truck." Brendan pointed at the driver's cabin.

"No but Brendan, whatever happened at Rescue and Relief after I left?" Clint leaned towards him, probing the younger man with inquisitive eyes. "I thought you'd look for a more permanent job with them."

Brendan's eyes scanned the faces of all three of them. "You guys really don't know what happened?" he said.

"I think it is pretty obvious that we don't," Marie said.

"Well, it seems you don't listen to the radio much then." Brendan turned back to Clint. "A small army of operatives came two months after you left, Dr. Harris. They arrested more than a hundred and fifty people."

Marie's jaw went slack under her gas mask. "Wait, these were people you both cured?"

Brendan nodded. "Yes. People who'd just recently gotten better. About sixty or so operatives came in and took them all away."

"But why?" Marie asked.

"Probably because most of them were rioters," Clint said. "Right?"

Brendan nodded. "The riots were really just half of the reason why so many people got arrested," he said. "Most of them were arrested because they'd associated themselves with the terrorist group Last Hand."

"Hey, I know about the Last Hand! But I've heard the guy on the radio call Last Hand a group of rebels," Zack said.

Brendan sighed. "It's a bit more trickier than that, kiddo. Initially, Last Hand just protested peacefully and asked questions, so they were rebels. But when Last Hand picked up arms and stormed government property during the riots, they became terrorists." He looked at Clint again. "And that's how they were arrested."

"It still doesn't add up." Marie frowned. "Wasn't there some sorta law that stops the government from arresting people who'd just healed from a medical condition? Wouldn't those people at least get two weeks of exemption from any investigation before the government came after them?"

"Yeah, well that was how it worked a few years ago," Brendan said. "Now the economy has been hit hard enough for the government to declare Wartime Unrest." He shrugged awkwardly.

"What's Wartime Unrest, dad?" Zack asked. "I've heard that on the radio too but they never explained what it was."

Clint thought for a moment before saying, "It's a law that allows the government to make certain compromises with other laws. It means people can't question the government if the government breaks a law. Because some rules have to be broken to ensure the safety of the country in the midst of a war."

Zack winced. "Wouldn't that mean the government can do anything they want then?"

The three adults just exchanged glances. But neither said anything.

Marie was the one who broke the silence first. "So...where are we headed now?" she said.

"Sector 27," Brendan said.

Clint gawked at him. "27? If you live that far then what were you doing all the way back here in 24?"

"Again it was Germaine's plan," Brendan said. "We were here for the fire truck and for some scavending. She hasn't told me what she wants it for. But that's why we came all the way down here in the first place because we knew the operative's had deserted so we could just drive it off. We were on our way out when we heard gunshots from the direction of City Hall. And you know the rest."

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Wait so...if you are letting us come along, does that mean we can live with you guys?"

Brendan nodded. "Yep. Germaine would be really happy to bring new people to the town. We are kinda always looking for new survivors to join the community. We are trying to make it the way it was before the war and the virus."

"Is Sector 27 any better than everywhere else?" Zack asked.

Brendan smiled. "You can say so. It has way less pollution and way fewer infected. Actually the part that we have occupied is completely free of all infected. It also wasn't the main target of the bombings either. So a lot less death-breath. Which means some places in 27 are safe to visit even without a mask," Brendan said. "Plus, it's where Germaine is from too."

"Sounds like a great place, Brendan." Clint nodded with a smile.

Brendan smiled back. "I know! It's quite peaceful. You all will love it for how quiet it is up there," he said excitedly. "Also many intact houses."

Brendan asked them if they had any more questions. When the Harrises shook their heads, he told them he was gonna take a nap and leant his head back against the wall of the basket and dozed off.

Marie huddled even closer to her husband once she was sure the other man had fallen asleep. "Clint," she whispered, "I don't trust him."

Clint frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Everything he told us sounds a little too...idealistic," she said, still whispering. "Looking for survivors? Building back a deserted city? Less bombing? You really believe all that?"

Clint sighed. "It can be true. Also, Brendan won't lie to me." He shrugged. "He is pretty much a golden boy. He was like that even back at Rescue and Relief."

Marie was incredulous. "Really, Clint?" she said. "You're really putting so much trust on a guy you worked with for just two months?"

"I could say the same about you trusting Nick," Clint said.

Marie set her jaw, as if she was suppressing a sneer. She leaned back in the basket and said nothing.

"He shared his rations with me, Marie." Clint said quietly. "He did it cuz I didn't have any. He's a good guy."

Marie pursed her lips, her forehead scrunched up. Now she looked away, crossing her arms.

"What?" Clint leaned closer to her.

"Never mind."

"Hey, no." Clint insisted. "Tell me. What was it?"

There was a long pause before Marie let out a breath. "I was gonna say...I wouldn't have believed you could kill someone until you actually did it." She turned to him and met his gaze. "And I've known you for years, Clint."

Clint felt his heart sink a little. But he knew she was right. Even he couldn't believe he was capable of killing someone until he actually pulled the trigger on Neville.

That's when she took his hand in hers. He looked at her. "Even though I just said what I said, it doesn't mean that I don't trust you," Marie said. "We're still a team. And we'll always stick together."

He smiled and squeezed her hand before turning away from Marie and his gaze halted upon Brendan's sleeping form, his breath fogging up on his gas mask.

That's when Clint remembered. He still had the box-cutter Zack had picked up at the City Hall. Yes, this is how it had to be, he thought. He wouldn't hesitate to do it if what Marie said was right.

If Brendan and this Germaine lady were really up to no good...if they would try to do anything funny with Marie or Zack, he would do what he had to do back at Cathy's house. And he'd do it a hundred times over if that's what it took to protect his family.

Clint's hand kept hovering over the box cutter in his pocket. He found it comforting to have it on him. His eyes never left Brendan as he slept. The truck kept moving.