ZRP-2 Chapter 8: Survivors One and All

"As you wish..." she sighed softly. "My identity...I wouldn't mind a different name...My identity isn't Eve Taylor...but it really isnt Eve Ikizawa...my dad did horrible things to many people. I dont want to be his daughter...so how ma I supposed to distance myself when he gave menmy name and my identity?"

"Change names?" Sam suggested. "Just be Eve Ikizawa, or Eve Martin since James is your father now."

Eve looked over to Sam...somewhat hesitantly...then she went for it.
"Or...can...can I be Eve Connor? Or Evie Connor?"

She recoiled and got ready for some form of punishment.

"Uh.....so I guess you want to be the catcher in this relationship?" Sam asked.

Eve blushed. "Yes ma'am..." she said.

"Oh....great," Sam said, slightly crestfallen. Now that meant that Eve would be getting it more than she would.....though with the world going to hell, it was really a trivial thing.

In the bar, things livened up a bit more, though it wasn't a party really. James had a few more shots of the whiskey, and it was starting to affect him. Thankfully, he wasn't drunk or even tipsy, and he decided to keep it that way as he left the bar and made his way back to the house.

Eve blinked. "Sam? Is that bad? Are you wanting to be the submissive one?" She asked, completely sincere. "I don't mind switching it up, for your sake..."

Hibiki had thrown even her clothes at the door, and as she laid naked in bed, buried in blankets and pillows, she slept away her silent tears.

"No, not asking to be submissive......but don't want you to be either," Sam said.

The front door opened, and James walked in. He saw Ella on the couch, Hayley curled up on her lap while Estel was asleep on a single couch. Ella nodded at him silently, and he walked up the stairs to his room. When he tried to open it, he found that he couldn't; in addition to being locked, there was a weight behind it. "Hibiki?" James said as he pressed against the door. "You locked me out?"

Eve actually giggled a bit. "Okay...but...you're still the one wearing the pants...your judgement is better then mine."

Hibiki sat up. Groggily, she got out of hed and padded over to the door. Remembering the nightstand, she threw the clothes away and moved the nightsta d before unlocking and opening the door, forgetting she was naked.
"I did." She said sleepily. "You pissed me off."

James blushed a bit, seeing her naked and said "Uh......right, yeah I did. And I own that. I'm sorry it happened Hibiki, and that I've been......well, difficult with you."

"That's for damn sure," Sam said. "Between the two of us, I'm probably the most reasonable."

"I'mma bit bitchy too, so I am sorry also." She kissed him. "...did it get colder?"

Eve smiled. "Yeah....so...will you be reasonable and come snuggle?"

"You're kinda....naked," James said. He stepped back a little, gripping the side of the door to pull it close in front of him and her. "Look, we should......we should be alone, both of us, for a bit. At least one night."

"Still no," Sam said. "Don't want to get your cooties or whatever the hell it is you've got right now."

Hibiki blinked. "Okay. Uh. So, Im guessing you're lwaving me the bed?"

Eve pouted. "It's a cold and it's not bad! Everyone worries! So...please? Spooning, so you dont have to worry. You hug me from behind."

"Eh.....still no," Sam said.

"Yeah," James said as he took another step back. "I'll just....find somewhere comfy to lie down."

Eve looked crestfallen.
"Being sick sucks."

Hibiki looked at the door...then punched it.

"Yes it most certainly does," Sam said.

James blinked when he heard the sound of something hitting the door. She must have punched it then, but he wasn't about to go back on what he had planned. So he headed back down the stairs and found a spare chair to sit in, resting up and preparing to go to sleep.

Eve rolled onto her stomach. "Don't suppose a girl could beg a shoulder rub, at the very least?"

Hibiki went back and fell into bed, curling up under the sheets.

"Well.....alright, I can try," Sam said as she crawled over and placed her hands on Eve's back.

Eve's shoulders were a bit stiff, and her skin warm. She sighed softly.
"Just do your best...I dont asknfor much more."

Not saying a word, Sam began rubbing Eve's shoulders, kneading the muscles through the slightly sweaty skin.

Eve groaned softly.
"That feels really nice Sam..."

Just as James was about to fall asleep.....there was a crack of a gunshot, closer than expected. It made him blink his eyes open and stand up, and to his dread there was another shot, followed by screams. Oh come on.... he thought to himself, making sure he still had his knife and pistol as he made for the door. Ella, despite her leg, all but tossed Hayley off her as she grunted in pain and followed James, thankful she herself still carried a gun. As he opened the door, he heard more shots along with shouts and screams, and James saw what was going on: there were walkers in the compound. Runners too. Guards fired on them, and his gaze followed their path to see that they were coming in from a breach in a wall. "Shit!" he yelled, more out of frustration and anger than actual surprise.

Abel was sitting at one of the tables in the corner of the bar, just watching the other people in the building. One of the other Elites offered Abel a cigarette. It wasn't the first time he ever had one, but he did prefer cigars, not really liking to inhale smoke. When the first gunshot rang out, everyone in the bar froze and discontinued their activities. Before anybody could ask what that was, the second shot sounded, followed by a scream. Without any question everyone grabbed what ever weapons they had with them and ran outside, Abel being one of the first out the door.

He darted toward where the gunshots came from, shotgun in one hand and the scabbard for his sword in the other.

Hayley yelped as she hit the ground. Hibiki was down two minutes later in a bra and pants, gun in her arms.
"Whats...oh fuck." She said. "A break. One fucking break." She seethed before grabbing a jacket nearbye and zipping up.
"Alright James. Let's go clean house." She growled.

Eve frowned. "Whats going on?"

As soon as she heard the gunshots, Sam stopped what she was doing and got up, grabbing her shotgun on her way out of the room. "Stay there Eve!" she shouted, before thundering down the stairs and out of the house. She saw James, Hibiki and Ella on the porch, and the zombies that were coming in from a hole in the compound wall. "Don't just stand there!" she said, already running past them to help the defenders.

"Yeah, got it," James said ignoring the fact Hibiki wasn't wearing a shirt. He and Ella ran towards the fighting, and started opening fire as they either landed headshots or crippled walkers for the melee users to kill.

Abel moved to the line of shooters, slinging his sword on his back.  He pumped his shotgun and let loose slug after slug, targeting mostly the runners and any other walker that got within his weapon's range.  After five shots the shotgun clicked and Abel began reloading shells into it as fast as he could.  He had put about three shells in when a walker got a little too close for comfort, so he drew his pistol and fired three shots, two of which entering the creature's skull, dropping it.  Abel holstered his USP and continued loading his shotgun.

Hibiki kept a bit away, keeping her distance but keeping up a steady fire. She mainly aimed for headshots, doing her best to conserve ammo.
"Move one of the big cars to block the breach!" She shouted.

Eve sat up, and as Sam left, got a shirt on. She disobeyed far enough to go downstairs to wait, curled on the couch as Hayley recovered.
"Uh. So. You and Sam?"
"Yeah."
"...you two are kinda cute."
"..."
"Sorry."
"Its ok."
Hayley then got on her knees and studied Eve's face. "Fever, feel cold, and some coughing and sneezing?"
"Yeah..."
Hayley chuckled softly. "Small cold. Plenty of fluids, some food and you should be good in a few days." She gotnup and sat close, and pulled the blanket Eve had brough around her more.
"Thanks."

The two sat in silence as gunshots rang.

"No!" someone shouted. "We can fix the breach, just clear out the zombies around it!" The hole, was actually rather.....uniform. It didn't look like something had busted through or hacked it apart. Instead it looked like someone......removed a panel.

James and Ella waded towards the breach, firing rounds at the walkers and runners. They got help from Sam, who took the lead with her shotgun while others from the militia aided in the push.

With a frown, Hibiki turned full auto and joined the push.
"Lets go people! Make a path, make a hole!" She shouted, spraying the walkers. "Sam, pull back a bit! Don't overextend!"

Abel fired the rest of his shotgun rounds into the horde, before slinging it around his back while drawing both his sword and pistol. He held the broadsword in his right hand while firing his pistol in his left, moving with the rest of the group.

There were a lot of the undead already inside, maybe twenty or more, but the bulk of them was being punched through by the group consisting of James, Ella, Sam, Hibiki and even Abel. They managed to get to the wall and found the breach, and to everyones surprise there was still the panel there, leaning against the wall almost conveniently. One of the town residents ran up to them through the path carved in the horde, and said "Keep them off me while I fix this shit!" James turned around to the horde, honing in on the sound and said "Let's do what he say's everyone."

Hibiki turned and stood near James.
Without a word she began gunning down walkers.

Abel let an empty magazine fall from his USP as he reached for another with two fingers from his sword hand into his pocket. He pulled the cartridge out and slid it into the weapon, hitting the slide release before taking aim for another walking corpse, plugging it with two rounds.

While the guy started hammering away, securing the panel back into the wall, the group gunned down the walkers while the rest of the town militia fired from the other side. "What's the status?" James shouted over the gunfire. The worker yelled "Just six more nails!"

Hibiki grimaced. "How many are there? I just emptied two clips!" She reported and questioned, having just reloaded.

"Not many left!" Sam shouted as she put down one of the zombies with a headshot. Their numbers were thinning, the gunfire from both sides ripping them apart. Suddenly, the worker everyone was guarding turned and said "Done!"

Hibiki didnt breath any relief. She kept shooting, then switched to her ever present katana and opted to slalice anything that got a bit too close.
This was just hell.

Not even a minute. That was how quick it was to end the fighting, with the last of the zombies dead and on the ground. James stood next to one of the bodies, half expecting it to attack. Sam looked around, and said "Well. That happened."

Hibiki cleaned and sheathed her sword.
"Everyone home. Now." She ordered. Then she raised her voice. "Caravan people. Please head tonyour homes immediately and wait until Marcus sends word it's safe." She lowered her voice to James. "Three guesses who isngonna get blamed for this. Lets get our people safe, and you get with Marcus and Clara while I keep the family fromnharm." She paused. "Not trying to order you around...but you cant deny...tlwhere the blame will be sent."

James nodded, but before he could do anything Marcus and Clara already walked over. "Hey, where's Cristina?" James asked. He wasn't asking in accusatory tone, but it was just because he hadn't seen her. Clara responded with "I left her by the Sheriff's office......that was maybe twenty minutes ago?" Marcus had a worried look on his face, saying "We'll find her. But we should also account for everyone else, make sure that they've got solid alibis." It was somewhat unsettling, to think someone they traveled with was behind the sabotage. After all, the panel had been removed using tools if the lack of damage was any indicator, so that ruled out zombies.

Hibiki motioned to Sam.
"Let's go check the kids. James. Uh. I guess do your best." She kissed his cheek. "I'll keep the hearth fire burning."
Hibiki headed off.

James shook his head and said to Hibiki "Not much I can do really." Marcus nodded, saying "No, there really isn't. Look, for now stay with your family. We'll check on everyone else." Nodding, James headed back with Hibiki for the house, and the moment everyone was behind the closed door he said aloud "Alright what the hell is going on? The.....snake is trying to kill themselves too?"

Eve and Hayley looked up from their game of Go Fish.
"Hmm? Oh, got any twos?"
"Go fish. Did the walkers break through?" Hayley asked.

Hibiki just went upstairs, muttering something about clothes.

Sam lost it then and there. "FUCKING REALLY? We're out there risking our lives, zombies breaking in and you're both playing cards!?" The stress of it all, the past two days and the fight......not only did it catch up to Sam, but the card playing was the last straw, and she walked over and kicked the pile out of cards into the air. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?" she demanded before James and Ella grabbed Sam and pulled her back.

Eve lookedat her, then stood. Despite being a bit sick and half naked, she calmly looked up at Sam.
"She's a medic. I was sick. You said stay here. I did as you said. If you want to get mad at me for doing as I was told, and Hayley staying here to watch me, go ahead Sam. I know I'm a pain in the ass, but it seems the one time I do as I'm told, I still mess up." She kicked a card. The Queen of Hearts. She just headed upstairs, with Hayley looking scared. "I'm sorry. She was sick, I was just trying to make sure she didnt get excited or overly nervous. I was only trying to help." She squeaked.

Sam calmed down a bit, and said "When I said stay here, I didn't mean stay and play games. You hear gunshots, you start fortifying, securing the place. Make sure you stay safe goddammit...." Then she sat down in a chair and slumped there. For his part, James did a headcount and asked "Where's Estel?" Ella patted his arm and said "Probably down in the basement, I'll go check on her."

Hayley quietly went upstairs...and found Eve alone in her bed, crying. She had closed the door and kept quiet, and Hayley sat beside her.
"Shh..."
"Why cant I do anything right? I get sick, I let myself not think and play cards with you. I don't fortify..."
"I wouldnt have let you Eve. You're sick."
"But why is it I always make everyone worry or get mad? Why cant I ever do anything right?"
"She's worried. While I agree she really had no right yelling at a sick girl, maybe I should have done the fortifying and let you nap."
Eve was leaned against Hayley, then slipped and flopped across the medic's lap. She had cried herself to sleep. Unsure of what to do, Hayley just stared at Eve.
"What the bloody hell is wrong with these people?"

Hibiki returned downstairs, fully clothed. "So. Now that the aggression is all out of us, lets all just apologize to our better halves and try and make up for today's fuckups."

"Right," James said. "Though in all honesty, we probably have more important things to worry about." Sam stood up, and said "No, she's right. I'll....I'll try and apologize to Eve, though I'm not sure there's a lot I can say."

"It's the little things that can ultimately help the big things kill us." She smiled at Sam, then sat beside James.
"Again...I'm sorry. I'm hard to be with...but you've become one of the few things I can always hold on to."

Hayley was really wanting to call for help. She quickly gotnher hankie and started cleaning Eve's face, hoping she woke up.

"Yeah well.....sorry I'm so difficult," James said. Sam got up and headed for the kitchen, feeling slightly hungry and also to give them some privacy.