Kirsten was a very passionate speaker, clasping her hand in front of her when she wasn't using them to emphasize her point. Sure, Eric had seen better speakers—mostly research presenters—but he recognized her love for what she advocated for. He was sure he looked the same when presenting his own research back in the day.

"Project R.O.A.D. is not only the name of our mission but also our settlement located in Southern Indiana. So not too far, but the roads and debris hindered our progress making our way down South. We wish to establish a trade and communication network, connecting the different camps and settlements together as it once was a year ago."

Ambitious, but I wonder how fast she expects this to take to complete, Eric thought.

"Along with this we have another intention in mind: We want to connect families who have been separated during the apocalypse."

Eric perked up at that.

"Systems are being developed at our facilities that will be able to record who is where, and hopefully, it will inform others if there are potential family members in other camps. With more fine tuning, we think we will be able to have people input their family members' names themselves, and if that name appears, we will be able to inform them of it almost immediately.

"In addition to this, if we reestablish roads and can clear them, we will be able to move supplies more easily to camps that are struggling. We could make an effective trading system and exchange surplus goods." She looked at Eric. "I'm assuming your diet mainly consists of beef and tomatoes?"

"Well, we grow other things, but those are the easiest I suppose."

She nodded. "We have connections in Michigan, and let me tell you, you don't know you've missed having a good Honeycrisp apple until you try it again."

"I bet." Eric turned to Marco. "When was the last time you had a Georgia peach?"

"It's been a while. I like the ones we have here, but nothing compares to ones from home."

"Exactly!" Kirsten explained. "There are so many things we missed having, things we could just go to the grocery store before and grab. We have the produce, we can fix the trucks to run on electricity, we just need the roads fixed."

"How do you have so much technology in the first place?" Eric asked.

"That is another thing I think you'll like," she grinned. "I'll admit, a lot of these things were salvaged and, well, it feels like we stole it, but no one else was using them, anyway. The buildings were abandoned. Along with that, Dr. Sagan—"

"Eric is fine."

"Oh. Ok. Eric, then. Anyway, with new routes and roads rebuilt, we would be able to transport larger equipment. Equipment, I think, you need to be able to develop the cure."

"...Hold on." Eric raised his hands before steepling them in front of him. "Is this all because you want me to create a cure?"

"Not all, our main goal is to reconnect families, but we did see it as a benefit."

"How did you know I existed, then? As far as I know, my research wasn't publicized, yet, nor did we make it that public. We didn't want to cause a panic before anything happened." Eric glanced at everyone in the room. "Not to mention, it's not like I was some big name in the science world."

Kirsten paused at that. "I'm...not sure. I was just told you were here and you worked on the virus before the outbreak."

"Do you know who told you about me? I'm wondering if it was a previous colleague."

"Even if I did know, I'm afraid that's classified information." She gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid we're currently reserving our efforts for families only, not friends or colleagues."

"It's fine. I guess I just find it...odd, that someone knows who and where I am." Eric shook his head. "But that doesn't really matter at this moment. Can you at least tell us what the project will expect of us? Or is this just some sort of preliminary hearing?"

Kirsten shrugged. "It's more of a hearing. We weren't sure you would have anything to offer in the first place besides the potential of being a road stop, but," she looked out the window, "it looks like you have a lot of things to offer."

She stood and dusted off her coat. Marco stood as well, following her example, and Eric straightened his posture. It wasn't said, but it was clear the conversion was drawing to a close.

"Do you mind if I stay a couple days? That is, assuming you're interested in becoming part of Project R.O.A.D.?"

Eric glanced at Marco, but Marco gave him a tentative shrug.

"We'll think about it," Eric finally said. "But you're welcome to stay here so you don't have to set off so quickly. We have a temporary residence near the entrance for occasions like this. Used to be a hotel. The top floor is reserved for those who we suspect may be infected, however, but that's mostly used if I'm not here to inspect them myself."

"Thank you, we'll take you up on your offer." She waited for Eric to lead the way, and soon they were all back out in the spring air. She easily matched pace with Eric. "Do you leave your settlement often?"

"Well, not too often, but frequent enough to keep an eye on the outside." He gave her a sidelong glance to spot any ulterior motives, but he was only met with innocent curiosity. "We can usually tell when there's a hoard coming our way when we get an influx of survivors, so I would go out and scout to see if we need to take care of it or if we could withstand it."

"By yourself? Isn't that a bit...dangerous?"

His eyes crinkled a bit as he smiled under the mask. "They don't typically attack me since I'm infected as well. Unless they see I'm attacking them first, they almost always ignore me."

"Almost?"

"Did you know that zombies have cannibalistic tendencies?"

"...I suppose that was a stupid question."

They made pleasant conversation the rest of the way, Eric carefully dodging questions about how his infected status worked. There were some things he wanted to keep to himself in case anything were to happen. Just in case. With how a strange group suddenly appeared on their doorstep, someone on their side somehow knowing his existence, it didn't rub Eric the right way. If anything, it made him even more suspicious as Kirsten dodged questions as well, most of them being about what she did before the apocalypse. But perhaps that was just his healthy dose of cynicism kicking in. If he learned anything during the past year, it was to never trust anything easily. The bullet hole through his head was a clear reminder.

"One last question, Dr. Sagan," Kirsten said, turning on her heel to face him when they arrived at the temporary residence. Eric didn't bother correcting her. "Are there any areas you prefer we don't wander?"

"Try keeping out of our residential areas. There isn't anything against open carry obviously," he motioned to his own handgun and knife at his side, "but you might make people nervous." He didn't bother pointing out that the comment was more directed at her guards. "And perhaps don't go poking through our working areas unless you have someone to guide you. We have some building projects going on that are a bit delicate. It'll be obvious where those areas are. Kind of."

"I'll...just ask for a tour of the camp sometime, then."

"Sure, you can find me at the school where we've set up our hospital. Breakfast is served from seven to nine. Do you have any luggage?"

"Only a few essentials. I'll have them passed to me from the people outside so they don't have to come in."

"Ah, it wouldn't be a hassle if—"

"We prefer it this way."

There was a pause. Or rather, a stalemate.

"...I bid you goodnight, then, Kirsten."

"Indeed. Goodnight, Dr. Sagan."

"That departure was strange!" Eric exclaimed, flopping down across Marco's couch. He had followed Marco back to his residence since it was safer to talk there rather than anywhere else. That, and much more comfortable. Where Eric had a converted office in the school (his choice), Marco had a fully furnished apartment.

"Kirsten seemed friendly enough."

"Yeah, but I'm not the one insisting that half of her team stays outside the settlement."

"No, you're not," Marco said, amused, as he sat in the armchair nearest to Eric's head. "It's almost as if they're hiding something."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Don't patronize me, I know they're hiding something. Maybe not directly in their vehicles, but there were some things she said that I found odd. I may have misinterpreted it, but it almost sounded like they already had the equipment."

Marco hummed in agreement, settling further into the chair. Eric continued.

"And if that's the case, I understand that the roads still need to be cleared, but was it just me, or did it sound like they wouldn't give the equipment if we didn't offer any support?"

"I thought that, too," Marco said mildly.

"I mean, fair enough, but it just seems...off. It's in everybody's best interest to simply give me the equipment regardless." Eric glanced up at Marco. "Not that I'm saying I'm the only one who can create the cure, but I am the one who got the closest so far."

"Do you want me to keep an eye on them tomorrow?"

"No, I should do that. Lana and her team should be coming back tomorrow, so they'll be needing your power of organization."

Marco chuckled at that, not bothering to point out that Eric was equally capable of getting them settled. He knew Eric didn't trust Kirsten and her bodyguards, and the former would much rather he stayed far away from anything that could be dangerous. He didn't blame Eric, however. He knew the virologist blamed the downfall of the world on himself, and he simply didn't want to lose anyone else.

He internally sighed as he prepared to ask an age-old question.

"How have you been, Eric?"

Immediately Eric stiffened from where he lay, sitting up slowly and turning to cast wary eyes on the psychiatrist.

"Marco, we're not starting this again."

"Starting what?"

"Marco," Eric warned.

"Eric," Marco said back calmly.

Eric scoffed under his breath before standing up. "I'm not doing this tonight."

"Eric, this is for—"

"My own good, I'm sure it is, but frankly, I couldn't give a fuck about your version of 'what's good for me,'" Eric seethed, stopping to glare at Marco who was still seated in his chair, a somber expression on his face. "Just because you're a psychiatrist, doesn't mean you can keep doing—this!"

"I'm not saying this as a psychiatrist, I'm saying this as a friend," Marco said calmly, trying to placate Eric's anger. "You can't keep isolating yourself; that's not good for anyone."

"Sure, ok, and proceed to infect everyone else while I'm at it," Eric snarked.

"Eric, we have precautions—"

"They're not good enough. Nothing is. I'm not safe."

There was a small pause. Eric took that opportunity to finally open the door and escape whatever Marco was trying to do to him. He didn't make it out, however, before a soft voice invaded his mind.

"You're still human, Eric."

Eric slammed the door behind him, not waiting to hear anything else.

And back at it again! I may have missed the 8k mark by 600 words back then, but I still think this story is worth writing, ONC or not. Don't forget to vote and comment! See you next chapter!

Word count: 1991