CHAPTER ONE

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20 YEARS AFTER THE OUTBREAK

          LUCIA ARJONA PLUNGED HER STILETTO KNIFE INTO THE SKULL OF THE LAST INFECTED, labored pants escaping her as she hunched over to catch her breath. Her hands rested on her knees and her eyes roamed around the room, blood smeared the walls and soaked the soles of her feet as it went through her trainers.

The three runners at her feet laid lifeless on the tiled floor. One of them had fungus growing on the side of his head, and she wondered how long it would have been before he went to the next stage of infection. They never got this close to the wall of the Boston Quarantine Zone, it seemed that the city was slowly becoming more and more overrun.

Lucia reached for one of the runners and slid the knife from his skull, wiping the blood on his own ragged shirt. Sweat was sliding down her neck and she brushed a strand of dark hair from her face that had stuck to her forehead.

"You should have let me handle that."

The woman scoffed, clenching her jaw in annoyance as she brushed past him out of the room. The Firefly followed her out and crossed his arms over his chest while Lucia snatched her backpack from the hallway and stormed off back the way they came.

"Your gun makes too much noise."

"It's quicker." he pressed, heavy footsteps thundering down the staircase that led back to the streets below. "And less dirty."

"If you don't want to get dirty you shouldn't have joined The Fireflies." she sneered, pushing open the heavy metal door and glancing around the streets for any sign of more infected. "Maybe you should ask FEDRA to put you on cleaning duties instead."

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes.

"Listen, you whiny asshole." she turned to face him, glare permanently plastered on her face. "The only reason you're here with me is because Marlene ordered you to be. If it were my choice you wouldn't be here at all. Hell, i'd gladly let that clicker get at you yesterday if it would stop your constant nagging. I don't think you want her to know you didn't contribute anything at all, so you're going to do everything I say. Do you understand?"

The young man clenched his teeth together, breathing heavily through his nose as he looked at her and spit, "Of course, ma'am."

Lucia hated The Fireflies with all her might. Most of them were proud, ruthless and selfish. The only reason she put up with Marlene and her crew was because she hated FEDRA more and would give away all her ration cards to see them fall in the upcoming war.

Which is why she was outside the zone in the first place with that pathetic excuse of a boy. Lucas was barely nineteen and already insufferable, having been born right after the outbreak began. Youngsters these days often thought they knew everything, but they knew nothing about the way of the world. Not the way she did.

"Shouldn't we head the other way?" his voice shook her from her thoughts.

"No," she said, leaving no room for argument as she continued on her way.

About three months ago, Lucia was shot by one of Robert's men and she'd nearly bleed to death if The Fireflies hadn't found her in an alley somewhere during the night. The brunette owed Marlene, and this had been her favour for nursing her back to health. The Fireflies were planning to leave the quarantine zone all together and they needed supplies for their journey. Lucia had survived on her own for ten years before she got to Boston seven years ago, and Marlene admired her for that.

From the ages fifteen to twenty-five, Lucia had been starved, beaten and used. It had chipped away a part of her soul and she didn't know if she could ever get it back. Not in this world, at least.

"We'll head to the hospital on the border." she began, ears strained for any snarls of infected as they walked through another abandoned building. "Just need some rubbing alcohol and then we can head back."

"Isn't the hospital completely overrun?"

"Don't know." she shrugged, not bothered.

"Wait," he muttered, jogging to catch up with her fast pace and shaking his head. "i'm sure I can find some in the zone. Let's just head back."

"Scared of some clickers?" she raised a brow, halting her steps and looking up at him.

Lucas peered at the hospital in the distance, through one of the broken windows of the department store they were currently in. "It's not just clickers i'm afraid of."

Lucia snorted in amusement. "You're about to make a trip to the capitol building with your little militia group. Do you have any idea what lurks in the darkness on the way there?"

The boy shot her a glare and she grinned at him in return. Though, she didn't want to admit it, he was probably right. They could easily snatch some alcohol in the zone from a passed out soldier, she had just wanted to tire him out because of his attitude the past couple of days.

"Alright," she nodded. "we're going through the sewers."

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THE WATER WAS FREEZING COLD AS SHE SCRUBBED AWAY DRIED BLOOD FROM HER SKIN. None of it was her own and she was grateful for that as she sat crammed in her bathtub, the water had gotten light pink the moment she stepped inside. The cold didn't bother her that much, her mind had wandered off too far to feel the bite of it on her skin.

After she had dropped off the supplies and the teen to The Fireflies, ignoring demands for her to meet with Marlene, she had gone straight to her small home at the edge of the zone. Not many people still resided there, since the building was close to collapsing and none of the FEDRA soldiers seemed eager to patrol that area too much. Lucia didn't mind, she like the solitude.

Lucia closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself soak in the pink water. It was better than nothing and she was grateful for the running water that was still available in this dump. Her limbs were aching and she wished she could just take some painkillers and fall into a deep slumber.

There was a firm knock on her door and her eyes snapped open, alert. Her eyes moved to the half open bathroom door, her hand tightened on the edge of the tub. Maybe whoever it was would go away if she kept quiet, but the person knocked again and Lucia pulled herself from the cold water. Droplets slid down her skin as she pulled on an old black and white flannel shirt, buttoning it closed as she walked to her door, leaving wet footprints on the old floorboards.

Lucia knew better than to just open it and peered through the small hole, seeing the person she dreaded to see most.

"Marlene," she raised a brow, unlocking the door and gazing at the older woman.

"Lucia," she retorted, leaning against the side of the door as she looked at her from head to toe. "are you going to invite me in?"

The brunette didn't say anything and kept her stare for another moment before stepping back just enough so she could enter the small apartment. Marlene grinned slightly as she took in the space, circling around slowly before facing Lucia, who had locked the door behind her.

"I no longer owe you anything." Was the first thing that left her mouth as she stayed by the door.

"Lucas tells me different." Marlene shrugged, knowing look on her face. "Said you were horrible to him and didn't bother saving him from a clicker when he called for you."

"Lucas is a lying little bitch."

Marlene laughed lowly and nodded her head. "I know. I kicked him out. Guess he just wanted the thrill of war. He's too young. I only send him out with you to see how he would do. He failed."

"Lucky him." said Lucia, not caring what she had decided to do with the teen. "He wouldn't have survived out there on his own."

"No, he definitely wouldn't have." she agreed. Marlene could see the question floating behind her eyes as she looked at Lucia and said, "I need another favour."

"You're not getting it." replied Lucia, crossing her arms over her chest. "My debt is paid."

"I think you're going to want to hear this." Marlene pressed, taking a seat on her tattered sofa. Lucia bit the inside of her cheek and leaned against the desk by the door, giving her a nod to continue. "You know we're leaving Boston tomorrow but I never told you why. There's a girl, her name is Ellie and we are taking her to the capital building to another group of Fireflies and then we'll take her to Salt Lake City."

"That's far." Lucia furrowed her brows. "She must be important."

Marlene nodded her head in confirmation. "She is. Three weeks ago she got bitten by an infected. Three weeks ago and she still hasn't turned. The bite has scabbed over, no sign of infection."

"Impossible." Lucia muttered, narrowing her eyes.

"I swear on my life." Marlene promised, trying to convince her. "Ellie is immune and she might be the cure to all of it."

"Even if this is true. What is it to me?"

"Don't play dumb." Marlene sighed, shaking her head in annoyance. "You want out of here. This is a prison. Come with us. Help me take her to the capital building and then you're free to go. Do whatever you want. Come with us after, don't come with us. I don't care. But I could really use your knowledge of the area for this. You're out there way more than any of us."

Lucia thought about it for a moment and let out a breath. "I want ammo and a car."

"Done." Marlene agreed. "Meet me tomorrow morning at nine in the kitchen on second street on the other side of town. I will take Ellie there and I need you there for protection while I handle something with Robert. We'll leave the zone after that."

If you were here before, thank you, i changed the story en decided to publish it again. i watched the episode yesterday and it was so so amazing i cannot wait to see the rest. this book will follow the game/show and some of my own plots and turns.

also, if anyone is good at making covers and would like to make one for me i would very much appreciate it. i suck at them. i will give you all the credits !!

I hope you will enjoy this <3