After Aaron further explained, himself, his home, and his motives, Lorelei gave in and decided to go with him to his community to "audition" for a spot? in the community. She later found out he was with someone else, his boyfriend Eric, they met up with him and drove to a possible future home.

They rolled up to the gates and parked the car just outside, once they exited the car the gate was opened by a tall, slim man in his thirties. Aaron turned to her with a wide smile, "Welcome to Alexandria." Lorelei didn't return the smile, her nerves and unease still pooling in her stomach.

"I get it," Aaron started, "You're not sure about this, that's fine, just try." he didn't give her a chance to answer before he walked forward, Eric exited the other vehicle they had and the two walked together, motioning for the girl to follow.

They walked, once far enough inside, Lorelei heard the gate slam closed. It made a knot form in her stomach, they had her and she was trapped. Now she felt like a caged animal. Her hand gripped the handle of her knife that rested on her belt, the only source of reassurance she could offer herself.

"So, as I told you, there's an interview process." Aaron said, she nodded slightly, her eyes scanning around her. "Deanna, she's our leader, she's the one who does those, if you follow me I'll take you there." Lorelei swallowed the lump in her throat and followed Aaron.

Once inside, Aaron told her that Deanna was already informed of her presence and that she would be straight down the hall. She walked on the plush hallway carpet, almost feeling bad as her dirt-covered boots left marks. Almost. The main room was elegant, filled with furniture, decor, books.

Not a speck of dust around almost as if the world wasn't what it was. There was a woman in the room, around her upper 50's- 60's with dark hair that fell a little past her shoulders, and she stood a few inches under Lorelei at about 5'3.

"Hi, I'm Deanna Monroe." the woman spoke gently. Lorelei didn't respond, her defenses still put in place, when Deanna noticed she continued, "Do you mind if I record this."

"Why?" Lorelei said.

"We're about transparency here."

"If you must." Lorelei sighed. Deanna took her answer as a yes and hit a button on the camera in the middle of the room and then she took a seat on the couch.

"Have a seat, please," she said, directing her hand at the chair. Lorelei looked down at the chair and didn't make a move, she remained standing, she felt sitting down would give her less of a defense position. Deanna gave a grim nod of acknowledgement and started speaking again. "Let's start with your name and age?" she suggested in a questioning manner.

Lorelei surveyed the room slowly then casting her eyes back to Deanna, "Lorelei Jones." she introduced herself, "I guess, I'm 32? 33? I don't know I haven't really had time to keep track."

Deanna nodded, "What was your job before all of this?"

Lorelei furrowed her brows, and narrowed her eyes, "Does it matter?"

Deanna smiled slightly, "I think it does yes."

Lorelei shifted her weight from one foot to the other looking at Deanna, "Why?"

"Because it shows me a part of who you used to be, helps me figure out who you are now." she spoke with a fond smile. Lorlei let out a scoff, "You don't believe that?"

"For me?" she causally shrugged, "I don't know, I just know that for a lot of people who they were doesn't mean a damn thing. People could have been a freaking school teacher and now there psyhos."

"I suppose your right, but not all people are the way you describe, Aaron brought you in because he thinks your a good fit for our community, so I'm hoping you're different." she said, folding her hands on her lap.

Lorelei sighed in defeat, these people were naive if they thought things like this showed who a person was deep down, but never the less she answered the question, "I was a bartender."

"What drew you to that profession?" Deanna wondered.

Lorelei let out a snort, "The pay." she stated bluntly, Deanna was a bit surprise at her attitude, the thing about Lorelei was that she had always been a sarcastic person with a blunt attitude, lets just say the apocolapse certainly didn't change that, "People leave good tips when their drunk and you indulge them."

"Was there anything else you enjoyed about your job?"

Lorelei thought back to the many late nights she worked fixing drinks at Arroe's bar, and ponderd the woman's question, "The stories I guess,"  Lorelei started, Deanna raised her eyebrows for further elaboration, "What you see on tv is true, people love telling there shit to a bartender, problems, memories, guilt, whatever they just need someone to vent too, you'd be surprised what you learn about people."

Deanna gave her a bright smile, and moved on to her next question, "What about your family?"

Lorelei chest grew tight at the thought of her family that no longer existed, her parents and sister deceased to the world, and the fate of her brother unknown. Her mouth went dry as she attempted to get the words out. She closed her eyes for a second of simplicity before clearing her throat to compose herself.

"My parents died about 7 years ago, my sister passed when everything started, and I don't know where my brother is, if he's even still alive." she forced herself to spit out.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the older woman spoke with a nod, she looked to Lorelei with a determined look in her eyes, rising from her position on the couch to stand in front of her, "Do you want to be here?"

"Is there supposed to be a correct answer to that question?" Deanna seemed a bit surprised, in her eyes why wouldn't anyone want safety and shelter?

"Don't you want to be part of the next world, to be safe?"

"No wheres safe any more and I'm a little busy trying to keep myself alive in this world." Lorelei retorted, "Can I asked you a question?" Lorelei asked, Deanna nodded a yes, "You people been here since the start?"

"Yes." Deanna answered with out hesitation.

Lorelei couldn't decide whether she felt bad for them, or she was jealous of them. From what she had saw of the place already, and the people she met, she saw some of them were naive, but they were untouched, it almost made her wonder how, they were in a state that had enough population to have plenty of the dead, how have there gates not been torn down yet?

"How many people have you taken in since then?" Lorelei asked.

"A few." Deanna answered.

"Aaron that's how you do it, him and Eric bring people back for you to interview?" Deanna nodded in confirmation, "Its never back fired?" Lorelei asked in almost disbelief of how lucky they were, until she noticed Deanna's expression falter.

"Once," she started with her lips pressed in a firm line before she spoke again, "I exiled three people."

"And they just went willingly?" Lorelei asked with her question full of doubt.

"We took there weapons." there it was. "Three of our people drove them out and left them there defenseless." Deanna spoke firm, but clearly not proud of herself. "You and I both know that's as good as killing them."

"If you believe that then you've clearly never been out there, or killed anyone." Deannas face looked shocked, Lorelei basically admitted to killing someone, "You don't know me," she answered the woman's expression, "Why do you want me here?"

"How do you know I do?"

"I don't think you'd still be talking to me if you didn't." Deanna let a grin cross her lips.

"You know what it is out there, you know what your doing, and your eyes have been watching me like a hawk, you know what your doing," she repeated, "I want you here because people like you, are whats gonna help build this place, lead this place, make it grow. The only question is, do you want to be a part of it?"

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