CHAPTER TWO
         {SEASON ONE EPISODE ONE}

OPERATION BITEMARK RENDEZVOUS POINT
SLEEPY HOLLOW, NEW YORK

By the time the truck was pulling up into the old high school Mariella had already filled in Mack and Addy. Both had different reactions, Addison seemed 100% ready to jump on board. Mack had seemed more skeptical and just wanted to dump Hammond and Murphy off and hit the road for a new camp. Granted they would have to find somewhere and then build it up. Again.

Mariella wasn't too sure about how she felt about Murphy and Hammond. Hammond seemed genuine last night but she also had an extremely bad feeling about being with Murphy. How many people would die taking him all the way to California? How many people have already died for him? He didn't exactly seem grateful for any of it. He seemed more like a selfish bastard who just happened to get lucky enough to get the correct dose of the vaccine.

On the other hand though not having to fight for your life and kill zombies and people left and right did sound pretty amazing. On the other hand how much was she going to have to sacrifice if she followed Murphy? She had already lost Camp Blue Sky and a bunch of people at the start, she didn't want to lose anyone else she loved. She also didn't want to grow an attachment to someone else.

Addy

Mack

Warren

Doc

They had all already proved that they were more than capable of surviving. It's why she had let them in. Why she would kill someone for them. Bloody her hands again for them to live. Nothing was more important than their lives, except maybe her uncle. It's selfish but if Mariella had to trade their lives for his she would gladly do it in a heartbeat. Even knowing that that's not something her uncle would ever agree to or be okay doing. She couldn't live without him though.

She never even wants to think or talk about the possibility of him dying. She fears she'd go insane if he died. The truck stopped moving and she glanced up at Mack and Addy, the two had decided to stand up the closer they all got to the school. Mariella stood up pushing the baby hairs that had been ripped out from her braid away from her eyes. Addy smiled towards the younger girl before she spoke. "I can re braid it in the truck after this." Mariella scoffed before she sat down on the railing of the truck seeing as no one was getting out just yet.

"Let you pull on my hair while were on a bumpy road? No thanks." Addy laughed as she leaned against the cab of the truck.

"Always such a complainer." She teased causing Mariella to roll her eyes.

"Valid complaints I'm afraid." Addy laughed before punching Marie's shoulder lightly. It was then the door to the truck popped open and out stepped Murphy before Hammond made his appearance and pushed Murphy more towards the truck.

"Get back in the truck."

Mariella leaned over the side of the railing to watch as Hammond walked towards the school. "Is it them?" Murphy asked from his window and Marie glanced towards him. "Hammond!? Is it them!?" His questions had gotten louder seeing as Hammond hadn't replied yet.

"Yeah." Hammond called before a gunshot rang out making Marie sigh.

"I gotta pee." Murphy said as he opened the door while everyone else followed. Marie had jumped out of the truck making her way towards Garnett.

"Don't go far." Warren told as Marie placed her hand on her uncles arm. He gave her a sad small smile. One that she returned. They still had each other.

"Don't worry."

Garnett started walking towards Hammond and when he caught onto Marie following him he held his hand up telling her not too, they both paused and she held onto his shoulders pushing her up closer as she kissed his cheek. Just in case. She felt goosebumps rise on her arm as she glanced around having the feeling that she had been being watched.

"My reinforcements are dead. We need to make a quick search for survivors and any supplies. You! Zip it up, and stay close to me." Hammond told Murphy as Doc came over wrapping his arm around Marie's shoulders. That meant that her and Garnett were probably splitting up and the whole group knew how much she hated when they did that.

"Hey where'd all the Z's go?" Addy asked and Doc turned to look at her and Mack still in the truck.

"Movin on, like locust." Doc replied.

"Yeah, but they'll be back." Hammond said and Marie rolled her eyes, state the obvious. "Garnett and Warren, you clear the building." Marie's stomach dropped as she stared a hole into her uncles back. "And you four check the vehicles." Marie moved to step forward before everyone split up.

"Wait!" Everyone looked at her as she moved closer to Hammond. "Let me and Warren clear the building, my name is also Garnett and I'm better at doing it silent then this guy right here." Hammond glanced back at Charles who had a small smile on his face, but he shook his head.

"You go with those three I need Garnett to do it." Hammond spoke and Marie stepped forward and grabbed his arm stopping him from moving with her tight hold as he glared down at her.

"Let me do it."

"No. Now move out!" He yelled ripping his arm from her hold as she scowled and looked at Garnett, he shook his head slightly and Marie turned around and stomped towards Doc's side. Hammond was not helping his case with getting in her good graces.

Marie walked around with Doc glancing over the dead bodies as her sword hung loosely by her side. "I don't understand why Mr. big bad still wear my uniform asshole guy thinks that he can just come in and boss us all around, I mean if anyone was gonna boss us around it would be Charlie." Marie seethed letting the other three see how stressed she was about Garnett.

She stabbed her sword into a Z's head feeling it dig into the dirt before she pulled it out harshly. Addy shook her head silently agreeing with the younger girl, she hadn't liked how he had bossed them around either.

"Hey, Mack." Addy called and pointed with her bat towards the Z under the fence. He came over just as Marie opened the car door and started digging through the middle console. The shot rang throughout the area as Marie pulled out a piece of paper.

Opening it made her heart clench slightly.

'My dear,
Nothing has meant more to me than these last two years with you. Despite what's happening I still want to run away and get married to you, give me 48 hours and I'll be ready to steal you away.
Love, Jackson.'

She thought back to her own letter like this, that had now been burned up at Camp Blue Sky. She had been so stupid not to grab her pack when she went on watch. Not to grab it before she left with Addy, Mack and Doc. She should've just ran in and grabbed it before leaving. She had nothing but her sword and her walkie.

By the time she snapped out of her thoughts she saw the trio walking around the building as she caught up with them she noticed Z's surrounding a cage.

"Heads up." Mack called as she readied her sword.

"What are they after?" Addy asked and Mack replied moving in front of her.

"Only one thing. Come on."

They all took one side of the cage piking the Z's before the wall of Z's revealed a girl, she looked a little older than Mariella but younger than Addy. She was crouched down with her face in her knees Marie's brows furrowed as she realized what the girl was wearing. Shorts that barely looked like they covered anything, and a black tank top that revealed her stomach.

Mack banged on the bars before he started talking. "Hey!" He called before banging on the bars again. "Hey! You all right?" He asked and Marie shifted on her feet making eye contact with Doc across the cage who just shrugged his shoulders. Mack moved to the lock on the cage as he stuck his crow bar through the hole and snapped it off opening the door.

He walked inside as Addy spoke up. "Careful. She might be dead." Marie huffed before she spoke.

"Or worse. Alive." As Mack crouched down and touched her shoulder she suddenly sprung up pushing against the bars holding a knife to his throat.

"Hey!" Marie spoke moving around to the opening getting ready to wedge herself into the cage.

"Woah. Woah." Addy spoke trying to ease the situation. "Hey, hey, hey, hey."

Doc chuckled and Marie stepped into the cage a deadly look on her face as she raised her sword up towards the girl. "Well she ain't dead." He laughed as Addy spoke once more.

"It's okay, It's okay. We're good people. We just saved you." Marie glanced at Mack's face as he held one of the girls arms, she hadn't yet noticed Marie in the cage yet. "Okay? Don't hurt him." Marie didn't give the girl time to move as she grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back and shoved her sword up by her throat.

"Let him go, and I'll let you go." The girl released Mack and as she did Marie let her hold on her hair and her sword both fall from the side before her and the girl switched places. Marie standing in front of Mack facing the other girl.

"Sorry." She spoke putting her knife away as she looked into Marie's eyes. "I didn't know where I was. I must have fallen asleep."

"Asleep?" Doc spoke shocked moving closer to the bars. "How long you in this cage for?" She swallowed hard before using her hand to push her hair back.

"Two days."

"When was the last time you had water?" Marie asked and the girl shrugged.

"When I came inside the cage." She replied and Marie smiled sadly.

"I have water back at the truck that you can drink from." The girl nodded before the group of five had now made the trek back to the truck and the entrance of the school. Marie opened the door before grabbing her bottle of water and holding it out to the girl who took large gulps of the water. "I'm Marie." Mariella spoke holding her hand out a small smile on her face.

The girl smiled slightly as well grabbing Marie's hand. "Cassandra." She spoke and Marie nodded before she put her sword back in its holster strapped to her back. The longer that Marie looked at the girl she found her self feeling more connected to her, almost like they secretly shared something that neither of them knew about yet.

However the staring contest was broken as everyone entered the building and Marie and Cassandra followed quickly behind. The baby's loud cry's bothering her ears. "Somebody better shut that kid up, before he attracts Z's like flies." He spoke and Marie glared at him. Charlie had obviously been trying by the way he was bouncing the baby.

"Hey, It's a baby." Garnett spoke while Marie smirked. "He makes noise okay?"

"Shut up." Hammond spoke and Marie quickly glared over at him before he spoke once more. "And you, do what you can. He's right about the Z's." He grabbed some water holding it out to Cassandra who was sitting in a chair. "Here." He spoke and when Cassandra glanced at Marie, she nodded slightly at the older girl. Assuring her that It would be okay to take it.

She quickly took it sucking some down before Hammond ripped it from her making Marie scowl. She quickly made her way towards Cassandra who looked at the girl. "Why would somebody lock you in a cage And leave you to die? What did you do?" He asked and Marie glanced down towards Cassandra.

"I didn't do anything." She glanced around at everyone before she spoke again. "I locked myself in the cage for protection." Marie's brows furrowed slightly but she thought back to the lock, you wouldn't need a key to lock it.

"You have the keys?" Hammond asked.

"I lost them." She replied and Hammond turned his head to check her out even more. He didn't seem to believe her.

"Don't need the keys to lock the door anyhow." Marie spoke causing Hammond to glare at her.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Warren asked and Marie felt herself stiffen slightly. Although she knew Warren was asking from a genuine place for the girl, she doubted Cassandra would take it that way.

"I don't have to justify myself to you."

"Maybe you do!" Hammond spoke back trying to get into her face as Marie stepped in front of her.

"She doesn't! You're not her keeper and you sure as hell aren't the boss." She spoke with a deadly look in her eyes that made Hammond sigh. He really didn't want to fight with this girl any longer.

"We were supposed to meet the men in those vehicles. What happened here?" He asked towards Cassandra looking over Marie's shoulder. She made eye contact with Doc who looked nervous but she nodded slightly to show she was okay.

"Those men showed up about a week ago. They cleared out the school and set up some kind of camp, but word got out that there was food. Lot's of it from the bomb shelter. "Yeah it didn't take long, the soldiers shot some of the locals, and that brought the Z's. You can guess the rest."

"What are we wasting time talking to her for? Give her the baby and let's go." Murphy spoke firmly and Marie scoffed putting her hands on her hips.

"You can't give this girl a baby and leave." Garnett spoke stepping up to Murphy.

"Well they can't come with us."

"Listen." Hammond called but Marie was already speaking.

"You selfish prick, you don't get to decide who we leave behind and who we don't. You ain't the boss." She spoke, Murphy glared at her and Garnett nodded before speaking again.

"No way am I leaving the baby and her behind. It's not gonna happen." He spoke looking to Hammond before Murphy opened his mouth again.

"It's just a baby. It's not like he's gonna grow up and be a fine young man someday."

"You know what, Shut up!" Hammond moved forward grabbing Murphy's arm slightly. Marie took a step back a smug look on her face. Hammond was tired of this. "We'll take them to the next safe outpost." He spoke before turning and walking away. "God, I hate moral dilemmas." He spoke and Marie scoffed.

"YOU are a moral dilemma. Don't forget you wouldn't have made it here this soon without us." She spoke and Hammond sighed before looking back at her and the rest of the group.

"Puppies and Kitten's 200 yards away." Warren interrupted as Marie grabbed her sword before glancing at Cassandra. She pulled out her hunting knife handing it to her as she stood up.

Cassandra shook her head and pulled out her own knife.

"Zombies." Garnett told him before Hammond spoke up.

"All right every body. Time to go. You five I want you to gather all the food and weapons you can find. Load them in that truck, the keys are still inside." Marie scoffed before shifting on her feet but before she could say anything Mack was the one who replied. "Hey! We haven't talked about this." So she wasn't the only picking up on Hammond's horrible attitude. Or the power hungry ass he acted like.

"We can talk about it later. Right now, you do what I tell you!" He spoke and Marie moved closer her sword slightly tilted towards him.

"You ain't the boss." She spoke and he turned away looking towards her uncle.

"Garnett! You stay with the baby and Murphy till we get back. Warren. You and I are gonna see if we can start up that deuce and a half. Everybody meets back here in five!"

Hammond had been the only person to move as Warren looked at Marie before looking at Charlie. Mack and Marie making eye contact before glancing towards everyone else. Doc shrugged shaking his head as Mack scoffed. "Go!" Hammond yelled towards them seeing as no one moved but everyone looked at Garnett who just nodded his head.

"Do it." He spoke and then everyone began making their way out, Marie smacking her shoulder into Hammond's arm.

"What an asshole." Marie exclaimed looking through a dead Z's pockets.

"Is he always like that?" Cassandra asked and Marie just shrugged.

"Only known him for a few hours. He's definitely not our boss though." Cassandra looked like she was about to say something else but she had been cut off by Doc's screaming. A Z had grabbed a hold of him as he worked to push it away.

"Shoot him! Shoot him!" He cried as everyone circled around him but Doc was moving to quick for anyone to get the Z. Marie panicked before she latched onto the Z's shoulders tugging it harshly away from Doc. However before she raised her sword the Z had turned around towards her and now she was dancing with it.

"Marie!" Addy yelled as she tripped over the Z's foot bringing them both down. Marie screamed out as the Z pushed against her arms getting closer to taking a bite out of her neck, but before the group could do anything a shot rang out and the Z's head exploded covering Maries face in blood.

She breathed out in relief as she pushed the Z away and sat up, looking towards the rooftop. A gun still pointed her way but moved away after she smiled slightly. The person with the rifle standing up and moving away before the group could even register a stranger had saved her.

Cassandra came over placing her hand on Marie's shoulder who nodded quickly before being helped up and picking up her sword. She felt her cheeks warm slightly as she thought to the guy who had shot the Z and saved her life. A complete stranger who had no clue who she was. She kept glancing at the rooftops their whole way back.

Marie had been paying more attention to the rooftops that what was really going on with her group until she heard a body being slammed against a door. She looked over seeing Hammond pointing a gun at Garnett. "Let him go." He spoke and Marie quickly grabbed her gun and moved closer to Hammond's side so he could see her. She had gun the pointed at his chest.

"Drop it." She spoke in a deadly tone her grip tight on her pistol. She could feel the stares of the group staring into her back.

"Let him go, or I will send you to walk among the dead." Marie felt all the blood pump to her ears as she felt her heart beating quickly.

"I'll kill you before you even pull the trigger." She spoke her hand steady while her body looked calm and that made her look deadly. Along with the blood splattered all along her face and neck. However Garnett released Murphy who quickly moved and Hammond put his gun down.

Marie put her gun down clicking the safety back on before she shakily placed it back in its holder. She turned back to the group as she walked through them. Cassandra caught her arm but she ripped it out of her hold.

"Don't touch me." She scowled before climbing into the back of the truck, she laid down on the bed feeling the cold metal ground her slightly as she just checked out. She could feel the cold feeling of hands rub all across her body and hear her own cries before she heard the sound of a gunshot going off.

Cassandra leaned over the railing before she heard Doc speak. "Don't. Best to leave her be." He spoke and Marie turned the other way before the truck started moving. She closed her eyes taking a few deep breaths as she felt the wind flow over her. She breathed in the smell of dirt and the dead. However what snapped her out of the daze she was in was the thump of another body coming into the truck.

She rolled over glancing at a dark haired, green eyed boy who looked around her age. She recognized the scarf and the rifle from the sharp shooter who was on the rooftop. He nodded at her before tapping the truck to let who was driving know to move and she sat up sitting in the truck bed with the sharp shooter who was standing holding onto the cab.

She no longer felt hands on her body, or heard cries and the gun shot. Instead she just focused on the back of the boy who was in the truck bed with her.

3,565 words!
THANK YOU FOR READING❤️🖤
Cassandra and Marie's friendship is going to be so healing for them both. I'm so excited that I get to start writing it, and writing her and 10K🥰