Loraine

"Oh my God, it really is you, how have you been, where is your mom and dad" The man asked, Athena was wondering who he was till she remembered she'd seen him in her early childhood as this was her mother's cousin. She couldn't help but wonder how he recognized her, still she decided to play the fool "Who are you?" 

"I'm your mom's cousin, it's me Uncle Danny" this made Athena and Raven look at each other, signaling each other with their eyes to remain calm. 

"I'm sorry I don't remember you" Athena shook her head apologetically, while Uncle Danny smiled amicably, an unmistakable glint flashed through his eyes "It's alright, we'll get to know each other better later" He noticed how Athena avoided the question on her parent wellbeing and couldn't help but feel glee. 

The major general recognizing him greeted him as he was the lieutenant general posted at the base and was previously out on a mission, seeing as they both recognized each other, they both conversed, the major general found out that they killed the zombies in the area yesterday and decided to set explosives and traps in case of any other dangers, he also found out why the zombies kept multiplying when killed. 

Not long after, Evans and Damien were being led by a squad of soldiers with guns pointing at their head, towards their direction "Are they part of your team?" Athena's uncle asked to which the major general responded with "Yes sir" since they were not a threat, he told his team to release them.

Damien and Evans wanted to walk towards Athena, but she gave them a threatening glare which had them freezing in their spot, while Raven gave them eye signals which they understood, so to pretend everything was normal they kept on walking till they got to their spot then stood still, meanwhile Athena's uncle watched them seeing as they didn't know each other he decided he didn't need to take unnecessary actions.

Since they knew each other and were headed back to the same base, the troops, Athena and the guys were sent to pack supplies, while they packed supplies all four of them discretely put things that they lacked in their space.

Back at the base.

After dropping the supplies off, they were told by the person in charge that they received points for the mission being a success, they could use the points to buy supplies or upgrade their house, the ratio of points and Atherenian currency was 10:1, so their points were meager and couldn't do anything. 

The only way to earn point that would be beneficial would be to go out with troops to kill zombies, but no one at the base was willing to take that risk so they all stuck to working within the base for daily meals.

The guys were asked to leave while Athena was asked to stay back to speak to her uncle "Have you been well?" her uncle asked to which she grunted "What about your parent are they here or...?", the Lieutenant general asked, with a slight smirk on his lips, he was well aware of what happened to them and Athena was supposed to be dead but seeing as she was still alive, he guessed she was able to escape "No rush, we'll take it slow, I have to remind them of this unfortunate turn of event though"  He thought.

"My parents are dead uncle"

"Oh my, my condolences poor child, if you need anything you can come meet me, okay?"

Athena felt sick to her stomach looking at the benevolent look on his face, she felt a sudden urge to punch him, but she knew she couldn't do it, for one he was connected to her parent's death and secondly, he was also connected to Little Marcus, so she just kept a blank look on her face "May I be excused?" she asked already feeling impatient.

"Oh yes, I'll come by to visit you one of these days, okay?" he called out as she was already out the door, once she was out his smile dropped, and he picked out a burner phone from a hidden compartment in his desk drawer.

"She's alive, the offspring I mean" whatever was said on the other end of the line made his face grim as anger was radiating off of him. 

Far away from the base.

Loraine returned back to her home, she knocked five times on the gate repeatedly before she was let in, she walked back towards the house in silence with her mom.

"Is the base accessible?" the mom asked sitting down on the couch while Loraine stood before her, her stepdad walked down the staircase and sat beside the mom, they both looked at her with so much disdain that it hurt her heart.

"No ma'am, I wasn't allowed entrance" Loraine shuddered as she spoke knowing what was coming next, her mom furious stood up from the couch walked towards her and slapped her on the face.

"Useless thing, a simple task you cannot complete" Her mom thought 'I should have drowned you when I gave birth to you or better still you should have died outside' "Get out from my sight you this vile creature".

Loraine walked up the stairs towards her room, not really understanding what she'd done wrong still she decided to brush it aside and catch some sleep, walking towards her room she saw her stepsister's room door opened, peeking inside she saw her fiancé and her sister tangled up in bed.

At first, she wanted to confront them, but she held back because she knew something like this would happen sooner or later, so she just glanced at them and continued on her journey towards her room, her heart was either dead or numb she wasn't sure which one.

Sitting on her bed in her room she made a decision to wake up really early and sneak out to go back to the base all alone tomorrow, she'd survive out there relatively better, so she decided to retire for the night.

At an inconspicuous spot in her room there was an incense burning, the scent was really light to notice but it would cause one to go into deep sleep, due to the scent being light and her smelling-like blood and gore she didn't notice it.