Episode 4

Bella and Andy pulled to the front door, and Andy, Mike, and Dale got out. Bella got off her bike and squinted, looking at the building.

"So, what are you thinking? How should we do this?" asked Andy, and she thought momentarily.

"Dale and I will take one side, and you and Mike can scout the other. We'll do a sweep first and meet in the middle. If you run into trouble, chirp, and we will come running," she said, and Andy and Mike nodded.

"Likewise," said Mike, and Bella smiled, nodding.

"Of course," she said.

They pulled their guns and weapons from the bed and started loading ammo.

"Do you think those assholes will show up?" asked Mike, loading his handgun, and Bella shook her head.

"They shouldn't come here. This is far from their territory."

"And you can keep those things in check?" asked Andy, and Bella nodded, giving him a thoughtful look.

"It still amazes me you were able to get us out of the city like you did, but the things you can do now makes you a certified badass in my book," Mike chimed, and Dale laughed.

"Hey, now. She's taken, and so are you," he said, and Andy and Bella laughed.

She looked at Dale, smirking, and he grinned.

"I think you're blushing, Ms. Daniels," he teased, and she shook her head.

"Badass's, don't blush."

Andy and Mike laughed, and Dale snickered.

"Alright, let's get to it," he said, and everyone agreed.

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Dale and Bella were sweeping through the back of the store when Bella saw a back door. She felt something calling to her, and she looked at Dale.

"Babe, I'm going to check the back," she whispered, pointing her flashlight toward the large bay door, and he nodded.

"Alright, I'm gonna check this section. If ya need me, you know what to do," he whispered, and she nodded.

She kissed him quickly, and they parted ways.

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Bella cautiously walked through the tall steel shelves full of wrapped pallets and heard a noise from the back door. Curiously, she walked to the open door, peered outside, and saw two box trucks ready to be loaded. A decaying man with a bloody hanging eyeball staggered in front of the closest truck, and Bella lowered her gun.

"Basement."

She heard the mutants whisper and looked at it oddly.

"What's in the basement?" she whispered, and the creature didn't respond.

She scoffed, pulling herself back inside and shutting the door. Bella walked through the back and came onto a set of stairs leading downward. She pulled out her gun and cautiously walked down the steps. She looked at the cold, damp cement walls and went down the hallway. She wasn't paying attention and smacked her head against an old rusty dripping pipe sticking out of the wall.

"Ow! Damn it!" she cried, making a face and rubbing her head.

"Stupid pipe!" she exclaimed, glaring at the rusted thing.

Suddenly, a muffled yell echoed through the hallway, and she froze. Bella wiped her bleeding gash with the hem of her shirt and heard the muffle yell again. She approached the sound, aiming her gun and flashlight around every corner. She jumped when the flashlight's beam hit a light-skinned, handsome, muscular man chained to the ceiling and a gag tied around his mouth.

He looked at the girl with frightened eyes and thought she was beautiful. Bella gave him a concerned look and ran to him. She untied the gag, and the man took a deep breath. He looked like he had been recently beaten, and fresh blood bled from a gash on his forehead.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, undoing the chains, and the man fell to the floor.

He winced, grabbing his ankle, and she got close to him. He gave her an edgy look, but she ignored it as she dabbed the hem of her shirt on his gash. He was scared of her but relaxed a little when he realized the gorgeous, caring girl wasn't part of the vicious group who attacked him and his camp.

Bella pulled her shirt away, knelt beside him, and examined his face. He had a black eye, a busted lip, and a twisted ankle. The man looked at her eyes, noticed the strange purple color, and raised his eyebrows.

"Your eyes, wow," he stammered, touching her face, and she shook his hand away.

"Never mind that. Tell me, who did this to you," she asked, looking at him softly.

"This group of assholes. Call themselves the Bandits or some shit. They be back soon, and when they see you freed me, they'll kill us both," he breathed, spitting a mouthful of blood.

She looked at the man thoughtfully and wiped the blood from his cheek with her thumb. The man looked at her, not sure of her kindness, but was grateful for it. He couldn't have been much older than her and Dale. Bella felt a weird connection between them but ignored it and gave the man a clever look.

"Let them try. What's your name?"

"Jordan. Jordan Baker."

"Alright, Jordan Baker," Bella said, putting his arm over her shoulders.

"Let's get you out of here."

Jordan nodded as she pulled him to his feet, and he winced in pain, lifting his bad ankle. He was surprised she could hold his weight and gave her an unsure look.

"You sure you gonna get me up them stairs, baby girl?"

She looked at him, feeling a clam wash over her, and he saw her eyes shimmer.

"Does a rooster crow at the crack ass of dawn? Hi, my name is Bella Daniels, and you would be surprised at the things I can do."

Jordan only nodded. He knew they didn't have time for twenty questions before the Bandits returned and decided to go along with it. Bella helped him through the hallway, up the stairs, and into the store. She chirped, heading to the front door, and Dale ran to her side.

He noticed the man and looked at his girlfriend oddly.

"Who's that?" he asked, eyeing Jordan.

Bella looked at Jordan, then at Dale, and sighed. Jordan could tell Dale wasn't the trusting type, and the guy looked rough.

"Jordan Baker. The Bandits had him chained and gagged in the basement. I couldn't just leave him there," said Bella, seeing the protective look on her boyfriend's face.

Dale thought the man looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he'd seen him before and dismissed his thoughts.

"The Bandits," Jordan breathed, and Dale eyed him.

"Yeah? What about em?"

Jordan lifted his head, breathing through the pain, and looked at Dale seriously.

"They be here soon. They don't stay gone long," he said in between breaths.

Bella and Dale glanced at each other, and Dale chirped.

"Get him in the truck, little bird," he said, and Andy and Mike ran toward them.

"What's going on?" asked Andy as he and Mike watched Bella help a strange man outside.

"Who's that?" asked Mike, and Dale shook his head.

"Someone Bella found in the basement. Name's Jordan. Listen, load whatever we got. We have to go now," he said, and Andy and Mike grabbed their duffle bags.

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"Thank you, Bella," breathed Jordan after Bella helped him get situated in the truck bed and gave him a bottle of water.

"You're welcome, Jordan Baker. Now, tell me why those assholes locked you up down there," she asked, perched on the truck frame.

Jordan winced, adjusting his ankle, and blew a breath.

"Wess and his group raided our camp a few months back. Took everything. Killed my people, wife, daughters, my little brother Jimmy, and his wife, Mya. Me and a few others fought back, but we were outnumbered, so we ran, and our dumb asses got caught," he explained sadly, and Bella looked at him with care, handing him a damp cloth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and he nodded, taking the rag.

Andy, Mike, and Dale ran out of the building with their duffle bags and tossed them next to Jordan.

"Come on, little bird. We gotta go," said Dale, and Bella jumped off the truck.

She kissed him, got on her motorcycle, and started the engine. He, Andy, and Mike jumped in the truck and sped through the parking lot. Suddenly, a tan SUV with dark-tinted windows pulled up behind them, and Andy stepped on the gas. The tinted windows opened, and Mike saw the barrel of a shotgun.

"Everyone get down!" he yelled, and Jordan used a piece of metal for a shield.

Mike, Dale, and Andy ducked as the men started shooting at them.

"Man, I told you they was coming!" yelled Jordan, and Dale scoffed.

"Can you shoot?" he asked, and Jordan nodded.

Dale sighed, handing the strange man his gun, and gave him a thoughtful look.

"Just don't shoot any of us. Just remember, that girl saved your ass back there, and if you piss her off, she can make what the Bandits did to you look like child's play."

Jordan searched Dale's eyes, took the gun, and nodded.

"I'll take your word for it, man. Baby girl practically carried me up the basement steps."

Dale nodded, and Jordan checked the clip and slid it back into place. Andy saw Bella a few feet ahead of them and grabbed the CB.

"Bell, we got company," he said over the radio.

Bella swung to the side and looked behind them. She saw the SUV chasing and shooting at them, and her eyebrows shot down in anger. She waved for Andy to pass her, and Dale looked at her as they passed.

"What is she doing?" asked Mike, and Dale sighed, shaking his head.

"Probably, something stupid that could get her ass killed if she was still human," he said.

Jordan swallowed hard, letting Dale's words roll around in his head, and looked at the beautiful girl on the motorcycle. What did Dale mean if she was still human?