Earlier that evening ...

Distractedly, he glanced at his watch before dialing Art's number. Marc knew he was pushing it time-wise, but he had to find Teal before dawn. If 6 a.m. came around and he couldn't find her, she'd be delivered to the human morgue, in a wooden box, alive.

A chill ran the length of his spine. He didn't want to think about what they'd do to her there but he couldn't stop himself from doing so. The gory thoughts were impossible to ignore.

Marc's palm covered his eyes like when he used to have tension headaches as a teenager. Still today as a habit he did it when he was worried, even though he didn't get them anymore. Not since his heart stopped beating.

What if whoever found Teal, killed her? Or, dissected her, and sold her body parts to a lab? Even worse, what if they mercilessly experiment on her? Or, took her home as some exotic, caged pet?

Marc panicked. What if he didn't get there on time. He'd never forgive himself for the lack of attention. For losing her. There was also the, not so small issue of morning light, and the sun burning him to a crisp. But to him, that was secondary.

"Art! I didn't mean to call so late, but I got a situation with Kaya."

Art ran a hand through his bed head strands, before turning with a groan, to look at the solar-powered clock on his nightstand. 2:11 a.m.

"What's up brother?" He muffled a yawn.

"She put Teal in one of the corps boxes earlier, then Rocco took the boxes to the border. He didn't know she was in one of them."

"What the fuck?! Shit!"

Marc heard him sit up and turn-on the solar, bedside lamp next to him on the night table. "I told you that was one crazy zombitch. You thought I was the crazy one, for saying that."

"What did Kaya do?" Gisela questioned Art.

"Something stupid," he replied, then shushed her.

"Don't shush me."

Marc could clearly hear their conversation and impatiently waited for them to catch up.

"Yeah man, for the first time since I was a human teenager, I think I'm sick to my stomach! I have no idea why I was so blind to it. Teal tried to warn me about it earlier tonight but I brushed her concern off. I feel so fucking guilty, Art."

"Where is she?" Art muted the phone and mouthed back at Gisela, "She sent Teal to the border in one of the dead-zombie boxes."

"Aah, shit!" she whispered. "I told you. I've never trusted her."

"Fuck! Was it only me who thought nothing of this?!"

"You're preoccupied with other shit, Marc ... So, what did you do with her?"

Marc rolled his eyes. "I have her locked in the office with me. Rocco bound her hands and feet," he continued over the phone. "I have no idea what to do with her." He ran a nervous hand over his spikes.

"Let me get dressed. You want me to bring Gisela?"

Marc furrowed his brow. "Yeah. I need a woman's opinion. I don't know if I should be the monster I can be or humane with her. At the moment, I sure feel like the former."

"I'll bring her with. See you in twenty."

Seventeen minutes later, Gisela and Art walked through the club's doors and into the bar clad in black jeans and long sleeve, dark shirts. John was behind the counter with Marc and Marc's face showed unusual signs of stress. They watched him distractedly occupied himself by serving drinks, but they knew him well.

Relief washed over Marc when he looked up and saw them. "What's it gonna be guys?"

"Nothing for me, I'm good. Maybe later? You?" Gisela pointed back at Art.

"Nah! I'm ready to get to work. Where's Kaya? Still in your office?"

"No," he signaled for them to follow him to the office, where they could speak in private. "I called John, Rob, and Liz to help us. Rocco will stay here. He has her locked down in the basement."

"Yeah, we saw Rob at the door."

"John will serve drinks and Liz is going with us. She's getting the van ready."

They nodded in agreement. He'd given it careful thought. If daylight struck while they were out attempting to save Teal, he needed humans by his side, not zombies. If anything happened to him, the mission would be completed regardless.

Marc walked to the closet behind his desk and opened the door to the left of it exposing all sorts of weapons. Each one of them chose a few different guns and several knives, holstering them on their bodies.

Opening a drawer, he took out a large paper map and unfolded it.

"You all know the boxes are dropped here." Marc pointed at an area on the map, "but when I spoke with Teal she was here. When I last tracked her phone, before I lost the signal, she showed to be somewhere around this area." He circled an area with his index finger. "We will have to come in from here, where they least expect us to."

"Okay, I'm good. Ready then?" Gisela looked from zombie to human.

"Ready," they said in unison. The threesome walked out of the office and headed towards the old, tattered van outside.

The first twenty of the fifty-five-minute drive was quiet, each lost in their own dark thoughts.

Marc sighed realizing he should attempt to reach out to Teal once more before they arrived. They were close, maybe he'd have better luck with the cell phone connectivity.

Without giving it another thought, he dialed.

"Teal?!"

"Marc!" her voice a hushed, shaky whisper. He suspected she was in danger of being spotted.

"Are you a the border? Are you okay?"

"Yes! There are guards and towers ..."

"Are those fired bullets I hear?!"

"Yes!"

He panicked.

What if she got shot and like Eric, ended up needed a blood transfusion? It would be the first time he'd witness a zombie getting one. What if it altered the serum coursing through her veins and who she is?

"They heard the phone when you called and started shooting!"

"Damn it! I'm gonna kill Kaya!"

"Not if I get to her first!"

"I'm almost there. Please, stay down." He hung up. "They're shooting at her!!" Marc loudly announced to everyone in the vehicle.

A couple of gasps and an oh fuck! followed his announcement.

Those last ten minutes left on the road were the longest ten minutes of his life. Art turned the headlights off when they were a couple of miles away. Lucky for Marc, zombies, were night creatures and he was able to see well in the dark and guide his team.

"Art, stay here in case someone drives up. Also, keep the van running."

Art nodded.

They parked within half a mile of the spot and all thee ran up the hill, the rest of the way.

In the pitch darkness, right before dawn, one could not make their bodies, running towards the fenced border. They could hear the shots in the distance and followed the resounding ricochet of bullets. When they were close and saw Teal, as a distraction, Liz and Gisela shot away from where she was so Marc could get to her.

Liz shot one of the guards and they watched as he fell from the tower landing on the concrete floor below, with a splat.

"The shots are coming from over here!" They heard one of the guards scream as he ran toward the direction where Liz and Gisela were, firing back.

"Is it zombies?!" a guard nervously shouted. "Can they shoot?!"

"It's human traitors!" another guard responded. "It has to be!"

As Marc approached her, he saw Teal's eyes open. A deep strangled sigh of relief left his throat as a cold breath of air escaped him.

When he was almost upon her, she smiled and breathlessly whispered, "Finally," before slipping out of consciousness.

So he wouldn't further hurt her, before picking her up, Marc felt around turning her body, inspecting it to see if and where she'd been hit. He saw a stain of red first, then ripped at her sleeve identifying where a bullet grazed the skin on her bicep. She hadn't lost much blood but there was a bigger blotch at the back of her head where it was pretty obvious Kaya had struck her.

Placing his arm under her knees and back, he scooped her unto his chest running towards the van.

"Liz! Gisela! Let's go!!"

Gisela and Liz fired back at the guards. Searchlights and the loud blaring alarm chaotically danced around them searching for the guilty party.

"I hope the zombies eat you alive, traitors!" one of the guards screamed at the top of his lungs when he caught sight of Liz with the searchlights.

She gracefully flipped him the bird. "Fuck you!" she yelled back, running beyond the lights before they fired at them again.

The first, early morning rays of deep blue and pink dusted the skies and Marc closed his eyes running faster. He could feel a slow-burning heat on his face and he quickened his pace.

The burn intensified and weakened him. It was the most excruciating pain he'd felt in his life and only wished it upon his greatest enemy. Marc sighed with relief when in the distance, he caught sight of the van. The side door panel was open and Art waited for them to run into the dark, windowless back.

Liz and Gisela followed by jumping in while Art revved the gas pedal ready to speed off.

"Is she alive?!" He took his eyes off the road, looking back with concern.

"She bleeds?" Gisela paused shocked as the words sunk in.

The rest of the crew seemed not to notice what she'd said.

"Breathing, but unconscious," Liz answered. She looked over at Marc. "Not sure about Marc! He's not responding!"

Gisela shook his big frame and slapped him once to see if she could get a reaction. There was none. "He's badly burned!"

"Head to the hospital!" Liz said while combing the green hair away from his face.

As her eyes lay upon him, she observed how he looked like someone who'd died a week ago. It was eerie and sad. When his eyes flew open, it scared the shit out of her.

"Fuck!"

He grasped at her arm and tightened his hold on her.

"Don't let them give Teal a transfusion," his voice was weak and low. "Promise!"

She automatically nodded allowing his words to sink in. "Marc, why would a zombie need a transfusion? Unless there's blood flowing through the veins?!" She turned her eyes to him But, he had passed out again.

"Drive! Faster! They're on our tail!" Gisela shouted.

"Don't worry. They'll only follow for so long, Babe," Art retorted laughing dryly at the cloud of dust he left behind them when he sped up.

He and his older brother had been through the same situation many times before. Today was not going to be any different.

"Never on my watch, Marc. I got your back brother. You and your girl Teal will be safe and alive if it's the last thing I do."

Music By:
The Cure*A Forest