The CDC

…

My caravaan was only two armored trucks we'd repurposed from the PGU. I left Lily in charge momentarily while Shane rode in the other one carrying some reinforcements.

Now, our faction was named the ASZ, or Atlanta Safe Zone. Our standard was the flag of Georgia. T-Dog was driving and I rode shotgun as we drove towards the woods deep in the north of Georgia.

"Not every day you get to chauffeur a Governor around."

I scoffed. "You know, I technically was never elected." 

"No one cares man. You saved our asses from Daryl's crazy ass brother and all his bikers. Then you saved us from the army. Is there one thing you can't save us from?"

Yes. This virus, or whatever the fuck it was.

"Anyway, you definitely are a Governor. You're in charge of an entire state, or what's left of it for sure." said T-Dog proudly still in ASV soldier uniform. "I always meant to ask, before the outbreak, the hell did you do for a living?"

"Just your average redneck living in Southern Carolina."

"For some hick, you sure are smart. You sure are one superhuman, I saw you punch through a man's skull in one blow."

I was curious. "Is that why you didn't question any of what I did?"

"Yeah man." T-Dog said. "You're on our side, you're doing your best."

I nodded. "Thank you T-Dog, I really appreciate that."

He smiled for a moment, and I noticed something. 

An orange banner hanging from the side of the road. "That's Daryl, he's telling us where to turn."

As T-Dog began to take some backroads off the main highway, I reached for my walkie. "Shane, you there?"

"Loud and clear Gov'na."

I smiled. "Daryl's flags are just off road, prepare to have your men form up."

"Copy."

About four minutes later, we found Daryl's campsite.

He saluted me jokingly. "Gov'na."

"Why is this a trend now all of a sudden?" I asked.

Daryl fixed his crossbow over his shoulder, still wearing an all black combat uniform and ASZ colors. "Where's the chinaman?"

Impressive that after all of this he still wasn't aware that Glenn was Korean. 

"Glenn," I corrected. "Is helping Lily protect Atlanta while we're gone."

"I know this must've been important when y'all told me you were coming." Daryl glanced at me, seeing Shane's men pile out of the other truck. 

"What did you find?"

"We're not too sure yet, but first, we had something else to show you."

…

Daryl had six men with him on the search party for the CDC building, Shane brought seven, bringing our party up to seventeen when counting T-Dog and I.

He wasn't showing the CDC however, rather a group of survivors all camping out in the woods. They appeared to be the same size as our search party currently.

"They have a radio," said Shane when Daryl handed him some binoculars. "Wouldn't they be getting the all clear signal from Atlanta?"

"Haven't you learned anything?" asked Daryl. "Governments always lie. Marcus' speech was a damn good 'un, but that won't change anything that happened."

"How do we proceed? I doubt they're friendly if that's the case."

"Just because they didn't trust my words, doesn't mean they're not friendly. As hard as I tried to seem otherwise, people can think we're just as bad as the PGU."

I began to walk out from cover, hands raised. 

"Fuck are you doing?" hissed Shane.

"Hey there folks, at ease."

"Whoa whoa."

They looked up from their low ember campfire and meager dinners, the children were hidden, guns pointed instantly in my direction.

"State your business." a tall woman with red hair said instantly, rifle in hand.

"My name is Marcus Liederman, you might've heard my voice on the radio."

Two people exited their tent, both I vaguely recognized. 

Tyreese and his younger sister.

"Stay back Sasha." I saw him whisper.

Right.

"I don't mean any harm, just wanted to say-"

"We heard what you said. There ain't no Safe Haven in Atlanta, ain't nowhere safe no more."

Shane and the other ASZ soldiers began to walk into the light of their camp. "Put your gun down woman. That's our leader and our friend you're threatening."

"Why don't you put your gun down?"

"You first lady."

"If you're the leader of this entire new state, why're you out here in the woods looking for survivors?"

I shrugged. "I take a hands on approach to my leadership."

"Bullshit, there's another reason for it." she said, still looking down her rifle at me.

"You don't drop that gun woman there's gonna be a massive problem here." Shane said angrily.

Sasha loudly raised a revolver towards Shane's head. "I've got a bigger problem right here, how's that?"

Four ASZ soldiers aimed their rifles at Sasha, every person in this vicinity able to aim a gun was doing so right now.

The yelling began to continue when suddenly, someone awkwardly broke the fighting.

"Daryl!"

I thought it was Beth, then remembering she and her family returned to their farm. It was another blonde girl however, a bit older than her who hugged Daryl the moment she appeared.

It took me a minute as they muttered to each other, but I recognized her a little.

"I-Is Andrea still alive?"

"Yes, she is, she is."

I was looking at Daryl in confusion. "You remember Andrea right?" he asked me.

Hard to forget her, Dale and Vernon helped me save her life back at Macon by cutting off her right hand. 

"Yup." I nodded quickly.

"This is her younger sister Amy, she was with our group when we tried to flee Atlanta, she got separated with. Well." Daryl shifted awkwardly. "With my own brother and everyone else."

"As touching as all this is." The ginger lady clearly in charge of the other group sighed and rested her rifle by the forest floor at her feet. "Would you mind explaining what you all want?"

"Again." I said, hands still in the air. "We're here to bring back as many people to the Safe Zone."

"The last time we heard there was a safe zone, old people and the sick were being hung." someone in the other group said. "Barely made it out of Atlanta alive."

"Been there." muttered Shane.

I sighed. "I can't force you all to come back with me. But I will state the facts, you want to work? You'll be given food, running water, and shelter. We even have medical facilities and a schoolhouse for children, even working on some sort of pool."

"Sounds too good to be true." said Tyreese.

"You folks went out of your way to hide from my voice. I wanted my words to inspire safety and hope, not the opposite. But, you're free to do as you choose. Daryl?"

"I got a couple people in my squad that can help lead you back to Atlanta if anyone's interested."

"I'm interested." said Amy.

I clapped my hands a bit. "I'm sorry for the interruption to your dinner, carry on. But don't mind us, just letting all of you know. We have our own camp nearby, and will be leaving in a few nights."

"A few nights?" the ginger girl asked, in her same bossy and tired tone.

"Yes. Have a good night." I waved to them.

…

Amy seemed to feel safer with Daryl than anyone else, but I said some words to both him and Shane.

She was escorted back to her camp with the other survivors by one of our ASZ soldiers.

"Now, you found the place I was looking for?" I made sure the blonde girl was out of earshot.

"For sure, I ain't ever seen a place like it." responded Daryl.

…

Myself, Shane, Daryl, and four militia men were all out in the woods, almost two hours worth of hiking north. Daryl was so good at tracking and hiking that he knew exactly where to go.

We found a short hill on a tall mountainside covered in tall trees, and began to scope it out.

"I found it two nights ago, wasn't sure what the hell I was looking at until daybreak."

I peered through the binoculars myself, and it was clear. This wasn't the CDC building I remembered from the Walking Dead.

This wasn't a publicly known building established as part of government facilities or protection, it wasn't even a military checkpoint. It was a secret lab, one you'd only be able to find after weeks of searching in the woods in northern Georgia, if you already had a vague idea where to look.

There was a PGU flag hanging on it loosely by one hook, but there were no troopers. It appeared entirely abandoned.

"Nice work Daryl." I admitted proudly.

"Mm." he murmured his thanks.

"So we just go in? Guns blazing?" asked Shane, already cocking his shotgun.

"No need, those doors seem to be magnetically sealed. Probably meant to keep bazooka blasts out, and whatever sorta nasty Ebola or other shit well inside of it."

"And we're gonna go right in." Shane rubbed his eye.

"Damn right."

…

I packed some extra body armor onto me, and went barreling in with the speed, power, and durability of over two dozen men. 

I smashed the emergency gates open with a single shoulder tackle, and as I got up from the ground, leaning off the lid, Daryl, Shane, and the other ASZ soldiers all began to search for enemy rifles.

None appeared, and then I looked around at the interior to the CDC.

Judging from the empty truck outside, this entire place seemed abandoned. But I knew I had reached the right place.

[Quest Completed!

You can now travel to other dimensions!

You can now seek for a potential cure to the outbreak!]

The entire lobby was empty, the computers were off, but the security cameras were clearly working. I could see a red dot blinking.

"Uh, Marcus-"

I heard an elevator door open.

Two men in lab coats holding guns, and a middle aged woman with brown-ish red hair stepped out. The Gamer already told me who they were, but I didn't drop my guard regardless.

"Drop your weapons!" Shane said.

None of them budged. 

"Why are you here? How did you find this place?" challenged the woman.

"Drop 'em!" Shane yelled again.

"You heard the man!" yelled Daryl, still aiming his rifle directly at her forehead.

I sighed, asking politely. "Please, would you tell your guys to kindly disarm themselves?"

"Not until you state who you are."

"I'm Marcus, guy on the radio? Might've heard me broadcast from Atlanta."

"So you're here to kill us?"

I shook my head. "I'm here to talk, do some research."

"Well you're not allowed to be in here." the woman said.

I waved my head towards the broken metal door behind me. "Ever see a single person do that before? With just their own body?"

She appeared silent, the guys next to her shifted uncomfortably.

"If I don't mean harm, you bet your ass I don't mean harm."

She needed a second.

"You're really Marcus Liederman?"

I nodded quietly.

"My name is Candace Jenner, I'm in charge of this facility. Or, I was anyway. These are my assistants, Kyle Flanders, and Robby Wills."

"What the hell happened here?" I asked instantly.

Candace looked around the lobby, shattered glass, and quietly nodded back. "I think it's best if I show you."

"You four, stand point."

"Yessir." T-Dog and the others saluted.

"Not you," I said to T-Dog. "You earned it, Shane, Daryl. I think it's time we follow the nice doctors."

…

The elevator Candace Jenner [LV 147 - Scientist] was using, appeared to go miles underground.

After some silence, she spoke, in a soft, professional, and cool voice. "I want to know how you were able to find this place."

"Daryl's the best tracker I know, I also."

I also sort of knew this place already existed, just not that it wouldn't be on the side of the road.

"I also found intel within Atlanta after I liberated it, that a place like this existed."

"Luck." Candace sighed, I nodded. "Guess there's not enough of that these days."

The elevator stopped, with a key card, Candace activated the console and metal doors to the CDC facility hissed open.

We began to walk down a long narrow path, and then, with another key card swipe, Candace revealed what was inside. 

It was clearly a hidden laboratory, several computers nearby, no red counter clicking down, that was nice to know. And the doorways leading to what must've been several other testing rooms.

This was clearly not supposed to be a place meant to house more than some essential barracks and staff for the scientists, numbering twenty to thirty people at most. Not open to the public nor meant to ever be.

"What do you want to know?" asked Candace.

"Everything. Start from the beginning."

Candace sighed, not appearing to answer.

I swiped the guns from the hands of her lab assistants in the blink of an eye. "Now."

She and the other scientists were shaken by this.

Candace spoke. "Vi, engage slide 11-3A please."

A much more human voice than the standard AI I was expecting activated. "One moment." the feminine AI said.

A widescreen kicked to life, wrapping around the front part of the room in a semi circle.

11-3A was a video of her, and the man I knew to be her husband, Edwin, in a lab together, monitored closely by armed guards vaguely resembling the PGU and a general in a green army uniform, cap in hand.

"This facility was created five years ago to counteract and design biohazards and weaponized diseases, by a top secret branch of the government. We were commissioned to create something, something inhumane."

She went on as the video showed the virus, appearing to be purple in nature, replicate via human blood cells on a microscope slide. "This lab was meant to produce super soldiers, advanced technologies. Our own efforts didn't provide the results the government needed, so we were given help."

"From?" asked T-Dog.

Candace sighed, glancing upwards. "State your directive, Vi."

"To design only the most potent of weapons for our United States."

"She's a computer chip?" I wondered.

"An AI, far more cognitive than anything our labs were able to design before her. Show slide 11-5B."

The recordings of the virus changed to newer ones, still on a microscope, it was a virus, purple like before, then orange, then a green bacterium.

"It…broke previously established rules of biology. Its DNA was purely reconstructive, able to mutate on a whim. It was designed to be solely a virus, meant to kill only the sick and the elderly, population excess control, the lies were clear, and we weren't given a choice."

Daryl appeared to be holding back so much fury in his face it was a miracle he wasn't shaking by now.

"It needed to exacerbate the weaknesses people had, their diabetes, their allergies, any pre-existing conditions. But it went too far, and before the project could be shut down, in March of this year, people within our branch went rogue."

Candace placed her hands forward, leaning on the consoles of the computers in the room. "There was a leak, someone escaped with vials and samples, otherwise the facility would've shut down automatically and the breach covered. Things, only went from bad to worse."

Candace shook her head, a few of us in the room sitting to listen to her.

"A secret coup began about a week later, and finding a cure for the virus became our top priority. No one could know this was out there, not until we could fix it. Then the outbreak began, and people started dying by the hundreds. Then thousands, then."

Candace stopped.

"Then millions, it was global before we had even started writing down its genome. By that point, most world governments collapsed, and the order you all know as the Provisional Govermnent rose to power in the middle of April and took over."

Candace shrugged. "But our leadership never changed."

"How does the virus work?" T-Dog asked, sitting in a nearby desk chair by the CDC consoles.

"That's just the thing, we saw it up close." Candace's younger assistant Kyle said. 

"Show us." I demanded.

The computer didn't respond.

"Show us!" I repeated myself.

"Slide ASN-8190." Candace said to Vi. "Test subject nineteen."

Now, the AI changed the screen.

It was an MRI, showing the neural paths of a regular breathing person judging by all the synaptic activity.

"Is that a person?" asked Shane.

"Indeed, this, is before infection."

Candace began to explain. "There are several steps to the Infection. First, infiltration."

There was no change on screen.

"The virus appears in your body. Everyone on Earth has this now."

"Next slide, please. Then there is, activation."

Candace showed there began to be a buzzing of small black and red dots all over the patients nervous system, even in their stomachs and vital organs.

"This patient was administered a lethal dose of the serum containing the original pathogen," explained Candace. "But the equivalent would be being bitten by an Undead to all of you."

"All of the organs in the body begin to switch off being controlled by motor functions, the amygdala and medulla." Candace could see T-Dog, Shane, and Daryl had questions. "That's the parts of your brain responsible for breathing and heart muscles, are shut down. However, the rest of the limbic system remains in operation."

"What does that mean?" asked Shane calmly.

Candace and her lab partners looked at each other, as if choosing which one had to say it.

"It means you're still alive, your brain is still active. Just, who you are is killed, your consciousness, your memories and desires, it's all erased. There's no way to bring it back." said Candace. "Your brain is controlled by the virus only to have one purpose: consume, and spread more of yourself to others. Bringing us to the final step of the virus, conversion."

The slide on screen she switched to, had TS-19 previously have buzzing blue synapses, to a much more simplistic darker version with mostly the brain stem still working.

"Impossible," said T-Dog.

We all turned to him, surprised by his boldness.

"Huh?" asked Dr. Jenner's other assistant.

"We saw people die from blood loss, starvation, malnutrition, bullet wounds. Stuff that had nothing to do with the virus," explained T-Dog. "And they came back anyway. How is that possible if the virus needs a functioning brain to hijack?"

I think I already knew the answer.

Kyle then said. "The pathogen is powerful enough to even regenerate a brain that has already lost oxygen and blood. It can kickstart the lungs, the heart, everything, so long as the cells are human. It can surrender any part of your body to its power so long as you're infected."

"It's like a supervirus." I rubbed my chin. "Designed only to use human cells to eat and spread itself to whatever moves."

It made a lot of sense. All the Infected I'd ever seen could still run at full speed and had the original strength of who they were before they turned, but they weren't smart enough to climb. Recognize teddy bears and pick them up, smash rocks, climb over chain link fences and stuff like they did in the first season of the show.

"Precisely," said Jenner. "Given the adaptive nature of the virus, we don't know what it is now anymore."

She went on. "Be it a virus, fungi, bacterium, or anything. We don't know if the virus can cause the Infected to evolve into more powerful versions of their original selves, more intelligent, aware, or stronger. We're unsure if it can mutate to the point other species can be affected too, or if new symptoms can appear as well."

"And the nuking of the midwest?"

"We haven't tested the virus under extreme radiation either." said her other lab assistant.

Shane needed a moment.

"You're saying it can get worse?"

"No, I'm saying that without a cure or some sort of plan, it's going to get much, much worse."

"Dr. Jenner, if it's alright, I'd like to stay here with my men until I help gather some more information. I need a solid report in order to bring back to Atlanta." I asked.

Candace shrugged. "Doesn't look like you're giving us much of a choice, but I'll allow it. I can lead you to your new quarters."

…

Unsurprisingly, the PGU abandoned this place the moment Atlanta came under attack, by well, me.

They killed a few of the scientists and lab practitioners on their way out, but oddly, Jenner survived, I surmised that she was able to protect herself in time with her two lab assistants and the PGU was in too big of a hurry to come back for her.

The interior of the CDC bedrooms were more like a hotel room, I expected in the event of a zombie apocalypse scenario like the ones they were expecting, they were ready to stay holed up here for a while.

We brought our own supplies, but before Jenner could allow us to eat, shower, or change, she requested to take blood samples when everyone came in. I always wondered why her husband in the show did that.

Everyone was infected anyway, what did it matter?

On that note, I wondered why it was her and not her husband that survived.

But I remembered that between the two of them, she was supposed to be the smarter of the couple. Which is why, I found it likely TS-19 was Edwin, instead of Candace. They had traded places as the CDC was the origin and design facility of the outbreak, not merely a government lab meant to study it.

We all complied, it was the only thing they'd really asked of us since we got here, and that was that.

The second dinner concluded I did a deep dive of the entire building.

It was not rigged to explode, at least, the power supply had enough gasoline for a very long while. Not that it mattered if the building was going to lock us in here and then blow up, I had already proven nothing in the world could hold back my shoulder tackle.

I locked the door to my bedroom and went to sleep when I realized we were all safe.

…

There was a knock on my door in the middle of the night.

I opened my eyes looking up.

The door was rattling, someone really wanted to speak to me.

"Who is it?"

I heard Jenner's voice. "It's me Marcus, I need to talk to you!" I heard Candace's voice.

I saw her with a gaunt look, clearly she hadn't slept.

"Come with me."

"Now?" I asked tiredly.

"Yes, now!"

She led me back up the main hall, past the mess, and towards the main consoles where she explained the virus to us all.

"Vi, where are my findings for Marcus Liederman's blood samples?"

"On screen," she replied.

I watched what was supposed to be some sort of test. A microscopic video portrayed what was supposed to be my blood tissue failing to react to the virus.

"Y-You're immune, aren't you?"

I knew I was, but explaining that to Jenner would be impossible. "I always knew I was special, hell did you see what I did to your front door?"

"No, but." Jenner wiped her hair aside. "The virus is completely unresponsive to your DNA, your body is one hundred percent resistant to it. It cannot undergo any sort of replication, it doesn't even seem to be able to pass through some cell membranes."

I shrugged. "Does that mean a cure is possible?"

Candace looked even more nervous. "More possible than ever? Yes. In the grand scheme of things? No."

"What do you mean?"

"You are a one in a billion- No. One in three billion anomaly. Unless I can dissect the center of your brain, which, the operation would kill you. I can't create replicate any sort of scenario in which a living person is able to resist the takeover of the pathogen."

I pointed out something to her. "I have the ability to learn anything so fast, that as long as I have the information necessary to do so. I can learn anything in about a month, tops."

Candace looked at me strangely. "Even if you had such an ability, that doesn't change the fundamentals of science."

"This virus did. Why can't I?"

"Because this virus was designed to be incurable. Only its volatility and symptoms were the ones that slipped out of our control and mutated into nothing we've ever seen. The dormancy of the virus and its activation to overtake someone's brain being the biggest ones."

I thought on this. "So you can't just take a bunch of my blood and create some sort of serum to cure people?"

"Not with technology we currently have no. The only way I could replicate your immunity, and pass it on to anyone facing an activated version of the virus intent on killing them. Would be if there was someone else with your same immunity, and your DNA were compatible together."

"And why's that?"

"Your DNA doesn't have to be just immune for this to work. It also has to be able to be able to pass on that same ability to any person who's Infected. Allow me to explain."

Candace Jenner drew lines with her finger on the white CDC computer console in front of her. "Your DNA is special, but what we're looking for is to pass on your immunity to someone else. Right?"

"Right?"

"Currently, there is no way for a dormant virus to not kill its host and take over their consciousness when activated. This is based on how someone's immune system and brain cells function. In order to change the way these systems work in the body, their entire genetic code needs to be severely altered."

I was confused. "There's no way to make a vaccine for this? I already proved the virus has a weakness."

"This isn't a normal pathogen Marcus, it mutates to the point where we're not even sure what kind of microbe it is anymore. In a month it can be an amoeba for all we know."

Yeah normal viruses didn't just change colors instantly, but I still didn't believe her, partially.

"Under normal circumstances yes, I'd just take some more samples from you, and we could produce a vaccine in about a month."

Jenner shook her head. "But again, you need to understand, nothing like this, has ever happened in the history of this planet before. I can't just give people the right antibodies for protection, in a week the vaccine would be obsolete at the rate the virus mutates. There needs to exist, a very specific scenario for a cure to work."

"Walk me through it."

"First, as impossible as it may seem, your DNA and another immune person's DNA need to be combine. That person, must be female. The resulting child must also possess the same immunity to the virus. Only then, can a serum work that specifically prevents someone's brain from being overrun by the infection."

I was curious. "And why are you being so specific about this?"

"Vi?"

The AI showed me multiple chromosomes, I could see by the white tag in the bottom left corner of the curved screen this was my DNA. The screen zoomed in on one, and a bubble with an arrow on it, pointed to where Jenner needed.

"That is the exact line of genetic code I have to copy. It's responsible for producing all the antibodies and white blood cells within your body."

Damn, Jenner wasn't lying when she said Vi and the rest of the tech in this facility was incredibly advanced, secretive and futuristic.

"Before I even ran to wake you, I first tried to test your DNA to see if it was replicate-able on myself. I waited two hours after administering the pseudo-vaccine I made, and then tested my blood, same as yours against the virus in the lab."

Jenner shook her head sadly. "It didn't work. Unless I have a whole lot more data, being, the way your DNA is able to transfer its immunity onto others. Then I can't create the same scenario in a petri-dish, in a vaccine, or with a living person."

"And if I helped?"

"It might make the process easier sure, but with everything I had, I couldn't even create the blueprints for a cure with your blood. Then we won't have better luck unless someone else comes along."

There was silence.

"I'm sorry." said Jenner.

…

I decided I was going to grind the shit out of my [INT] stat and min max that stat with all the levels I'd gained.

The Gamer let me read all the books the CDC had in its Rec Room and I already gained a decent number of points.

I had to come up with some sort of cure, what the hell was the alternative? There was only one person, ever, ever that I knew of besides myself that was immune to a zombie virus.

In fact, it was the entire plot of a video game, Ellie, from the Last of Us. Because well, she was the Last of Us, who were, obviously, immune.

But Ellie was born in, well. The future.

She grew up in Boston's Quarantine Zone well after the outbreak already started, the game took place a decade and a half well after where I currently would be if the timeline for her life was the same.

There was no Boston Quarantine Zone, where would I even start?

Next up on the Atlanta Safe Zone emergency broadcast: "Hey folks, if you're this random girl who might not even exist! There's a giant reward of food and shelter to whoever helps her back here in Georgia!"

I snapped my book shut, sighing as I sat on the couch.

There had to be some sort of immune booster or vaccine I could build from my blood. If I could study the virus on my own, then I could help.

…

I had limits. The human brain had limits, science had limits.

The Gamer however? The Gamer had no limits.

Within a few short days, I read every book I could find in the CDC on Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Medical Science. I poured through databases, I read on Computer Engineering.

I even got a few perks along the way.

[Master Scientist - Able to bring current technological level fourteen years into the future with knowledge of future events and technologies from 2010 to 2024.]

The way the perk worked was that it allowed me to fully dive into what "Vi" was as an AI, and how to improve her.

I was able to review her chip, a CPU that ran mostly on Intel microprocessors that needed a serious update. The CDC lab had more than enough technology that I scoured from the empty consoles, as, only three out of the original twenty three staff members remained.

Vi was severely improved, the graphs and predictions she could make far more accurate, sophisticated, helpful and relevant.

I could have her make diagrams and full readouts from DNA and biological data just be inserting microbes into the vials Jenner had in her lab.

Using a Runner we found out in the woods, we found the most up to date version of the virus and got right to work.

Instantly, with my knowledge of the Gamer, and the fact that I was almost twenty four times more capable mentally than anyone on Earth. Just, never realized until now because I never started power leveling [Computers] and [Science] as skills since I was so focused on fighting. Candace Jenner retracted most of her statements, and, I didn't blame her.

A booster was possible from my blood, just, we wouldn't be able to develop a full cure until I found someone I could reproduce with someone who was able to make more immune children with.

The booster made it so that the onset of the virus when bitten was far less severe, you were all but guaranteed to survive being bitten on the limbs so long as you got the right medical treatment in time. However, bites on the neck, back, and torso meant assured death.

The exact state of the virus was that every 32 hours it changed species. It had all the upsides of a fungus, at least, as a zombie fungus like The Last of Us created, allowing the infection to create fungal growths that augmented an Undead's strength, durability, and speed. But none of the downsides that would let us develop anti fungals of any kind.

It had similar upsides too as a bacteria and even a virus, but it evolved past its downsides.

I compared the virus now with its original 'factory' settings when Vi created the disease meant to just wipe the sick, weak, and old off the Earth.

It was a respiratory virus initially, meant to cause severe amounts of coughing and lung damage. Those with weaker immune systems or pre-existing medical conditions would die after a few short months.

I noticed all the logs in the case file for the original virus over time, somewhere in February of this year, 2010, some was seriously fucking with it. They started using serums, introducing it to other pathogens, testing it in ways that even a lab created bio-weapon shouldn't have been. 

Every important change done in this lab was logged like clockwork, but there were obvious signs that some were omitted. The notes for the earlier parts of the virus did not match its charts nor its genetic structure over time.

This was done strategically, someone had insisted on creating a virus specifically to mutate out of control and then as Jenner said, cause a leak.

Now this, pissed me off. This meant that the outbreak was intentional, someone had really fucked over the entire world. This wasn't an act of God, or just some freak accident. No, someone thought hitting the reset button on humanity wasn't enough.

They actually wanted to create a virus capable of wiping out several factors of the world's population.

I remembered Porter's words, the Interim President of the PGU.

"You'll find that the Infected and the weak are all the same."

I don't think it was the PGU necessarily, but their mentality supported whoever must've wanted this out there.

I don't think I had ever worked so hard in my life, mentally that is, just trying to find a cure.

I didn't go to bed for three days straight. I didn't need sleep, I needed answers.

Finally, a solid conversation with Candace Jenner knocked some sense into me.

"If even I'm telling you, that you look terrible. Then you know you haven't been sleeping well."

I compared another chart I had Vi make, comparing it to notes from the last tests Jenner and I ran on the virus. "Thank you for your assessment doctor."

"I'm serious Marcus, get some sleep."

I sighed, closing the binder. "Thank you."

"You've done some amazing work, I uh, I had no hope until I met you," she said. "No hope for humanity."

"So did most people, that I've met along the way."

Jenner sat down next to me, at the other desk chair along the CDC consoles. "You've got some loyal followers."

"Thanks?"

"Those four guys you came with haven't said a word, neither did that blonde girl I saw near the compound with all your other soldiers."

I was surprised. "Amy hasn't gone back to Atlanta? Her sister's there."

"I wouldn't leave this lab. It's the only safe place to be right now. Except maybe your city."

Right. Shane, Daryl, and the others wouldn't leave until I ordered them to, and considering that we were a solid four hour drive from Atlanta, I doubted Amy and her group wanted to walk on their own. Considering the danger of the Runners on the road until they got there.

I thought they were lucky enough to survive in the woods for this long.

"Doctor, are you sure the cure can only be developed if I pass on my immunity to my son or daughter, that I had with someone else that's immune?"

Jenner nodded. "Definitely. You could have a kid with someone else, and the potential for it to be genetic would be assured. But the precise reason for your immunity, and how it could be replicated in a lab setting would be much harder to define with half of that subject's DNA comprising of nothing related to your immunity."

She was right.

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, I just thought it would be pretty hard to find someone else who was immune. Maybe I'd have to make do with what we already had."

Jenner pointed to herself a little. "You're flirting with me?"

"No, no offense. I just thought of everyone else I'm protecting back at Atlanta. And the risks that could come along with searching for someone else immune."

"That's honorable."

Jenner appeared pensive for a moment.

"I'm sorry if I got defensive."

"It's all fine."

"It's just, TS-19, he was. He was my husband Edwin."

I suspected as much, acting slightly surprised.

"He made me promise to never give up until I found a cure. Until I met you, there was no cure. No chance in hell. Now, it's doable, just very, very, very tricky."

"So, Edwin's death, helped inspire you?"

She took a deep breath. "He wasn't given a choice. When the Provisional Government took over, they wanted to um. Incentivize me, as if killing Edwin would force me to work harder on a cure. They injected an active version of the virus into him, just to make a point."

"That's awful." I admitted. "But wouldn't that have an opposite effect? Wouldn't killing him make you want to betray them?"

"Oh I did, and they knew that. But they knew another fact for sure would be made clear to me that way. That if my own husband in this ultra secure lab was dead. No one on Earth was safe."

Shit. They got her there.

"So you do have hope." I said to her.

"Yes. More than I ever thought I did."

I spoke to her. "Even though, I know what this place is now. And what the virus is, I still trust you Doctor Jenner."

"And I trust you, even though I'm sure your uprising was plenty bloody Marcus."

"Revolutions aren't won with handshakes." I thought for a second. "Most of the time."

Jenner snorted. "I can imagine."

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Go ahead."

"I need to make copies of all the records here, and take both Vi and all your staff, and your equipment back to Atlanta. I-"

Jenner began to take a deep breath, clearly about to protest.

"I know you can't do that. Right now, you're safe here. But we found this place before the PGU did, and they still know you're here Doctor."

Jenner shook her head. "This place is meant to be hidden out in the woods for a reason."

"I know that. But I can build an equally safe and hidden building inside Atlanta. I have almost twelve hundred people living there, we can build a new facility for you. One where the PGU can never find you. Where no one will ever find you."

Jenner turned her head, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"If the truth of this lab ever got out. There'd be no parlay, you'd be killed. They wouldn't care about what happened to your husband and that no one in this place ever had a choice."

She blinked.

"I can hide all the samples I need, as well as Vi, and any other software or lab equipment this facility uses. Then, I can delegate a secret group of people to move you into a part of Atlanta where no one but me can ever find you."

"Your lieutenants know. Shane, and those two others."

"I trust them. When I head back with my squads and the other survivors we found in these woods, I can make sure you're slipped in during the dead of night. No one would ever know?"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"I can't let the PGU ever get their hands on this place again. Even if they can't make another bioweapon, you and this facility are way too valuable unless I torch everything I can't carry with me."

Jenner thought about it for a moment. "What about the vaccine you need to make?"

"I have other doctors. You and your lab partners can come out of hiding at a later time, maybe a week or two. I'll give you monikers, fabricate a story about us finding a CDC facility somewhere else, and you all having data that can help us make the cure or the boosters I know we can already make."

Jenner sighed. "Is it really that necessary to lie to your entire community? Over a thousand people who all trust you?"

"That's just the thing. Even if I tell them the truth, that you and your team were forced at, basically gunpoint to create the virus. You're all technically still responsible."

Jenner was completely silent.

"You don't deserve that burden. No one does. And if anyone found out, I can't have them breaking into your house in the middle of the night for it, trying to kill you. I know after everything some people have gone through, they might try."

Jenner looked at her lap. "You'd be willing to work with that story? Just to protect my life and my safety?"

"You're a good person Candace. You and your husband would've genuinely been the best influences in the world for the CDC and public health. What the PGU did, whoever came before them did. That wasn't you, and it wasn't right."

Candace appeared a bit tearful. Given her husband's predilections towards suicide for how the CDC handled the virus in the original show, I respected her and her strength a lot.

"You deserve hope, and to heal from all that's happened. Come back with me. Come back with me Atlanta, as long as it takes, I'll give you everything you need so you and I can make a cure. Safety. Walls. Food. Soldiers. Anything in the world."

Jenner nodded. "I know, it's just, hard to trust that."

I didn't blame her. I also had an army of dudes in military uniforms wearing American flags and stuff about Georgia telling her she needed to make a cure of some kind and keep working.

"Hell. I'll even give you the following choice."

Jenner looked at me.

"I can carry the burden myself. Carry all the weight to cure the virus, and let you come back to Atlanta just as a refugee. Or, you can have a car, all the supplies you'd need, and try your luck out on the open road."

"You're great Marcus, quite good at how fast you've picked this all up. Amazing really, but-"

"I can get even better." my tone was firm. "Rest if you need to."

She didn't know what to think.

"Rest."

I put a hand over her wrist. "Rest Doctor."

She slipped a tear aside with her hand. "I agree."

"What? To what?"

"Destroy this place. Burn everything we won't need when we make the cure."

"We?"

"I need a small vacation, or. Some time to recover from working in this building."

I could imagine. Her test subjects, and the brain material she used to test cures and study the virus. All of that was from Edwin's corpse.

Candace turned to me. "I'm not letting you change my name, it was the one I had after I married my husband."

"Duly noted. I'll make the arrangements."

…

I woke up the next morning and walked to the rec room.

Shane was drinking his coffee as Daryl was playing some foosball with T-Dog.

"Okay guys, we're heading back today. The troops we've set to guard the camp of refugees we've found, they're coming back with whoever wants to."

"Finally." Daryl angrily spun the foosball stick, looking around at the dirty plates everyone used for breakfast. "I was getting sick of this place, it's so boring."

"You sure about this?" Shane put his coffee mug down. "You're the man Marcus, doesn't mean you still need to be handing out favors."

"We handed out enough tough love where it was needed. Pack your shit up boys, let's go back."

…

I had detonated the CDC from a distance. It still had a kill feature set for a couple hours after the emergency power from the last generators kicked in, but I didn't want to wait that long.

Eleven people decided to come back with us, Candace Jenner, Amy, Jenner's two lab assistants, Tyreese, Sasha, the three people accompanying them that I remembered from the prison and a few others.

The ginger lady who led Amy's group that I met, unsurprisingly, refused when I gave the all clear to go back.

I wished her the best of luck, she said that there was a group 'nearby' that still took survivors.

It couldn't be Woodbury, Mark would've seen it from the sky, but the prison was possible. That was closeby.

I never was able to find out what happened to the gang in charge of protecting all the sick and old people in Atlanta Rick ran into when going back for Merle and his guns.

…

A week and a half later, with a lab of my own set up, I was able to produce my own semi-cure from the blueprints Jenner and I made back in the CDC. It was the same that made infection much harder, started with my DNA as a launching pad.

The Gamer rewarded me with two very useful perks on [Experimental Technology] and [Bioengineering] and plenty of levels.

The pool had opened, and everyone under the age of eighteen was released from school. Honestly, the data we'd gotten was…quite bad. It wasn't terrible, not as bad as I was expecting, but test scores and reading proficiency was about twenty percent worse than Georgia's standards prior to the outbreak.

No one wanted to be there. Kids to begin with didn't like school, but after a zombie apocalypse? Yeah, I didn't blame them that what they'd learn was useless. 

I sent radio correspondence to the farms I'd allow to repopulate, as well as the Greenes, and a few others, that the pool was open as well as several other amenities. And that they could use the opportunity to come back and trade, as well as tell us if there were any needs for changes in soldier escorts or guards. But re-entrance into Atlanta required a mandatory blood test and the new booster.

I had to find someone else that was immune, that would be a game changer.

I had no such luck.

Jenner needed a short break, but she still helped me produce the vaccine, intended to be a booster against the virus, and we fully informed that the lab we used, that I set up near City Hall in Atlanta. The truth. Had produced it.

I only had one short trip to make marking the one month anniversary since Atlanta was liberated from the PGU.

Back to my old dimension.

It was, a very odd experience. I couldn't bring anyone with me, but my inventory was still intact.

I was standing outside City Hall in Atlanta one minute, and then, I opened the Gamer interface.

[Return home?

Y/N]

Huh, a thought I'd never considered until now.

…

What the…

There were more cars in the street. I was wearing different clothing.

As I looked around, I realized something by the smartphones people were using and who was nearby.

This was my old dimension, this was 2024, just regular old United States. 

Alright then. I didn't have any money, but I did bring back something useful.

Diamonds, jewels, and some gold. While most jewelry stores were looted as soon as the outbreak started as the police were too busy with Runners to stop thieves, I had been lucky in a few towns. I guess when all hell broke loose, some people still thought money mattered.

At the beginning of it all, I suppose it made sense.

Where did Atlanta have a pawn shop of some kind? This city was ten years in the future from where I just was, and minus the zombie apocalypse.

I walked around a bit, sort of aimlessly, and eventually found a place that dealt in trading cash for gold.

"Let's see." the bald man with a tattoo behind the counter used a glass eyepiece and some scales, as well as a machine to make sure the diamonds were real.

He started to use a calculator, going over all the stuff I brought him. He had a computer he was reading off, likely to see current prices for precious metals and certain gems.

"The gold's worth 2200. The gemstones are about 560, and diamonds are 3000. I'll give you 4000 in cash right now for it all."

"How about 4200?"

"4100."

"4150?" I asked.

He started to consider it, moved a hand forward. "Deal."

We shook on it, and I got a new skill I never thought I'd need until now.

[You've unlocked Bartering! LV 4 (45% to LV 5)]

[You've gained +500 in EXP from unlocking a new skill!]

I walked away from the pawnshop carrying 4150 dollars in cash in my [Inventory]. Never did I feel safer about not having my money stolen since I was walking around with over two dozen times the speed and strength of the average man, and the durability. Not to mention no one could access The Gamer's Inventory system but me.

It was a very strange experience, very very strange.

To walk into a store and pay in cash for an iPhone. Why? Because it had been months since I was used to a normal life.

In my old life, because of the Undead, you could only hold and eat what you could get your hands on. My pockets and backpack just infinitely large because of the Gamer.

I could buy food, medicine, anything I could possibly need.

I even leveled up [Bartering] just from buying a new phone and cell carrier.

I checked my Inventory, apparently, I did have a wallet. A South Carolina license and ID labeled 'Marcus Liederman.' 23 years old, and the mailing address on it still used 'Wilford, SC.'

Neat.

I bought food, I bought tons of shit I couldn't find elsewhere back in Safe Haven Atlanta, even some jewelry.

I even used my knowledge of The Walking Dead canon to find something I knew could be very helpful.

…

My main lab partner, Kyle, primed the needle for the booster shot we'd make.

"Which shoulder do you want it on?"

Andrea Harrison didn't appear happy. "My shitty one."

Kyle was confused.

Andrea looked at him and took off the prosthetic hand on her right arm.

"O-Oh."

She leaned back in the chair in the medical facility Vernon and the other doctors used here in downtown Atlanta. "Marcus here actually helped my save my life. Got bit, needed to have it taken off. He was mayor of the town at the time when I found him."

Andrea smiled. "And now, mayor of the last city in the world."

Kyle rubbed a preparatory serum to numb the pain on her right shoulder. "The only one not run by the PGU or Runners that is."

Andrea didn't like being corrected, and looked at him. "What was your name again? Where were you from?"

"I'm Kyle, Marcus and Daryl found me in the woods when they went scouting over a week ago."

"Riight." I could already tell Andrea didn't buy that but didn't dig further. "Carry on."

She didn't even flinch when the needle went in and delivered my booster shot.

Andrea looked over at me after the shot was done. "Are there going to be any side effects?"

"None. The antibodies in it just help prevent a quicker infection and body takeover of the virus when you're bitten."

"Well I already survived that once so." Andrea shrugged.

I got the feeling she was still sore that I had saved her life.

"Give Ms. Harrison and I a moment alone."

"Thank you, Governor."

Kyle left.

"What?" she was gathering her things, not even looking at me as she packed up.

"I take it you don't want to go to the grand opening of the pool today."

Andrea scoffed. "Not sure kids are going to be thrilled to see a lady in a swimsuit who's deformed."

"Duck, Clementine, Carl, and Carol's kid, what was her name?"

"Sofia."

"After all they've seen. They won't care that someone wants to go swimming missing a hand."

Andrea shrugged. "Well maybe I don't want people to see me like that." she turned around, holding her bag.

"That's your choice. And I respect it." I said. "But you're welcome there, it's open to everyone."

"Whatever."

"Is there anything else that's bothering you? Anything else you need?"

"Now that you mention it. Yeah, actually, I do."

I nodded to her. "It's my job to find what I can for everyone here in the Safe Haven. Ask away."

Andrea sighed longly, rubbing her nose and eyes.

"I can't find a gift for my sister."

"Your sister?"

"I didn't think I was ever going to see Amy again after we got separated trying to get away from the army. Now that I saw her again."

It honestly was touching to see both of them cry and hug each other when I came through the gates with everyone.

The degree of trust they must've had in me for Amy waiting the few days I stayed in the woods knowing she was safe and alive was impressive. I think I did in fact change things with that radio broadcast.

Andrea came out with it. "I want to savor every single second I can for her. I want to get her something special, missed her birthday. She liked mermaids, I wanted to get her something mermaid related."

I looked at Andrea up and down. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you. I would've gotten some jewelry, like a mermaid pendant or ring or something myself, but all the stores here were picked clean and-"

I smiled. "I don't allow looting of any buildings at all in the walls."

"Thank you, Marcus."

"I'm sorry for taking your hand Andrea."

"I know I blamed you before, and I would've preferred to have…" Andrea stopped. "But thank you."

"I appreciate it."

…

I saw Carl get a running start before he jumped into the pool with the other kids.

Instantly there was a whistle from the girl in the chair with a red swimsuit.

"Hey!" I said.

"You wanted me up here or not?" asked Carley, being the only person I could find with any experience or willingness.

Her tone changed. "Er, Governor."

I sighed. "Whatever."

I looked back at Lori, sitting in the shade. It was the middle of July already, it was scorching hot in the deep south, I was used to it because I used to live in California before this shit.

"Everything alright at home?"

She smiled a bit. "You keep making it seem like its your job to check in on us, that's so sweet."

"Lori. It literally is my job."

"Well, I know you can't do anything about it, but Rick is still in a coma. That vaccine you're using-"

"His condition has nothing to do with the outbreak Lori. I'm sorry."

"I know, but is there anything else you could be doing to bring him back? When we had to run from the refugee center when the military started showing up. I almost thought."

I looked around, Lori sighed, emotional, but not tearful.

"I'll see if the lab can find any sort of antidote to his condition. Any sort of thing to help him wake up or recover quicker."

"Thank you."

Comas were tricky. But the only way I said yes was because the Gamer had no limits. If I could whip up a booster for this virus designed by Satan himself, then yeah. I could probably help Rick a bit better.

I saw all my captains in charge of the ASZ show up in a big squad. Shane, Glenn, T-Dog wearing flip flops, sunglasses, ready for the pool.

"Saving Atlanta with you was one thing," Glenn said, gripping my hand and bumping shoulders with me. "But dude?" he looked around. "Managing to get a pool up and running?"

I chuckled, almost embarrassed at how much Glenn was complimenting me.

"I can't believe this man. A pool!? With everything we've been through?" he said. "You've outdone yourself, so glad I joined your group. You've been, so helpful."

"Thank you so much Glenn."

The Greenes arrived, I don't think they were much for swimming, but it seemed to be more of a formality.

"I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Mm, Governor's got some mighty fine leg-islation to catch up on." T-Dog rubbed his goatee, the dudes walking off to find some shade and sit down somewhere. Shane chuckled at this.

I turned to greet the Greenes. As per T-Dog's insinuation, the Greene sisters were wearing bikinis, towels over their shoulders. Having seen Maggie wear less, I was impressed that it was somehow hotter to see her in this.

Hershel did not dress for swimming but still appeared to shake my hand. "I just came to say thank you."

That changed the mood. Right, he extended his hand to you.

I shook his hand. "You're welcome."

"The farm is safe now. The two boys you sent to help build fences or keep a perimeter won't be needed, thank you for sending them. Jimmy, Otis, and Shawn are enough to keep eyes out for bandits or Runners."

"No, no thank you. The milk from all of your cows was brought in yesterday. The entire town is going to love the ice cream we made. Carol and Doug helped make it."

Hershel was confused. "Doug makes ice cream? I thought he was supposed to be your right hand man?"

"He is, he actually volunteered the few free hours he has besides communications and logistics to work on the ice cream. Feel free to grab a chair, the water's fine."

"We're good, just." Annette smiled at me. "Thank you Governor."

"You're welcome."

Beth smiled when her parents waved and began to walk away. "Yeah, thanks Governor."

The way she said that, and that cheeky smile. Dang, did she- 

"Hey." Maggie looked at me. "You alright?"

"Yeah, just impressed your parents call me Governor. I'm still nineteen."

"You ain't like any nineteen year old they ever met. You ain't like any man I've ever met."

I smiled slightly. "In a good way?"

"Of course."

Things were awkward since I told her to go back with her parents. I wanted to avoid the argument, and the timing was awkward because I was living with Lily, Doug, and nothing but the captains of my guard that took the city.

Kids and everyone splashed around in the pool nearby, everyone was happy.

"Can we talk?" asked Maggie, a bit suddenly.

"Sure."

…

I really didn't appreciate how T-Dog, Shane, and Daryl who had appeared a bit later, and Glenn were watching me from afar speak to Maggie.

I knew the guys had asked me for some beers or something, not now man.

"I was thinking about how you've been running the city," said Maggie as we sat by one of the tables by the pool. "About how you dealt with the army."

"And?"

"I talked to my parents. After everything that happened, they don't just trust you."

She drew my attention away from watching Clementine and Lee play chicken or shoulder wars in the pool with Kenny and Duck.

Maggie held my wrist. "Marcus, they believe you're our future. And you damn well are, you saved my sister's life from Merle. You saved the entire state."

"Did you tell them we slept together when I was still working on your parent's ranch? Waiting to try to move them away until we figured out a better plan?"

"Well I-"

Maggie paused, leaning back, looking away.

"No, no I didn't."

"So then-"

"They said I can come back here in the city and date you. They don't care if we're married or not."

I was surprised by that. "You want to stay here?"

"You didn't let me help with the main attack on the army. You made me help overtake the airfields when your diversion happened. Why?"

That was true. Maggie was not part of my strike team I led to get rid of the PGU.

I shrugged. "Tactically, you were one of the few good fighters left I didn't bring with me personally. Mark might've failed and we all would've been screwed if your mission was unsuccessful."

She smirked. "I was, a bit insulted you didn't want to bring me with you. But then I realized why you did it. You wanted to keep me safe, didn't you?"

"I." I paused. "I did. But why not bring this up before?"

"Your version of Atlanta was much different than mine, wasn't it?"

I'm sure the airfield wasn't easy. No. But what Morgan went through, what Shane had to go through. And then what I went through needing to gun down over two hundred men out of necessity.

Sometimes, I thanked [Gamer's Mind.]

I was impressed by her, she knew me. She knew the right time to come forward and tell me this. Maggie understood how I felt, gave me the time to process it.

"Before I say yes, there's something I have to tell you."

Maggie nodded slightly. 

"I might have feelings for someone else too."

"Is it Carley?"

I had to admit the truth. "Maggie, with the current state of the entire planet. And."

If there were a few people I trusted with this secret, it was definitely going to be the girl I knew for the longest time. No, the first person I really spoke to since I left South Carolina all those months ago.

I was sure no one was in earshot.

"I'm immune."

Maggie didn't know how to respond.

"Wh-What?"

"I'm immune to the virus. Whatever makes you turn into a Runner, it can't affect me."

"How do you know?"

I knew for ages. "I was tested recently. I know it for a fact, if I get bitten." I shook my head. "I won't turn."

The noises of the public pool's grand opening were the only sound between Maggie and I.

I didn't know how she felt. Confused? Grateful? Distrustful? Not believing at all what I said? Believing it but having dozens more questions.

"Why're you telling me this?"

"I trust you and I think that-"

"The truth Marcus." she almost looked angry.

"Because I know you know how we feel about each other. Honestly, it was very mature of you, very touching that you knew exactly what to say and when to say it. But because of my immunity, we will never have a normal relationship."

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

"The research I've done in the lab on my own. For the sake of humanity, and repopulating a pretty much devastated planet. I can't limit myself to one partner, long term or otherwise." 

It really was the truth, I just wanted to tell Maggie ahead of time.

"You're some sort of scientist now?"

"Have you ever known me to be unable to do something?"

"You're a pretty impressive guy, I'll admit."

I smiled, pride bristling a little.

"I'm not too sold on this um, multiple partners idea. But truth be told, I don't see a reason not to do it. At least, not yet anyway."

"Really?"

"You've got a fun pole to ride on, shoot. I don't own you, I don't wanna tie that down."

"But I'll see you again tonight right?"

Maggie stood up, smirking. "I don't know. Maybe."

Then she walked away in that tight blue two piece bikini. Shiiiiiiiiiiieeeett.

As Maggie got into the pool to toss a beach ball and gab with her sister and some other friends, I walked over towards T-Dog and the others.

"Hey guys, how're you doing?"

"Very nice Governor," said T-Dog jokingly cold drink in his hand. "Say, that over there. Was that you two breaking up, or getting back together?"

"I'm not too sure we ever were together?" I shrugged. "I'm not too sure what that was exactly?"

Maggie agreeing to some sort of harem? Or not denying it? For all I know she wants nothing to do with me and just wants to fuck with me. Some girls are just like that, and Maggie certainly is.

Shane laughed. "If there's one thing that won't ever make no sense and will pointlessly drive you insane. It's women. Time wasters, liars, and in most cases, just plain old stupid. I guarantee you Marcus, she might want to be the mother of your children, right now. But will make you spend a decade wondering if that was ever the case."

I forgot how casually sexist Shane could be. 

"That reminds me. Fellas?"

Daryl with sunglasses and swim trunks was something I thought I'd never see, he returned from the bathrooms I'd helped have up and running and took a seat next to him.

"Yo." I said.

"Yeah?" asked Glenn.

"Women have no idea how anything works. You know before all this started, I never once dated a woman who knew how to turn a light switch off." said Shane.

T-Dog began to chuckle. "You gotta be exaggerating."

"Not even joking. I lived with one chick, then another, and another. Always a thing with them, light's always running."

Shane nodded towards Marcus. "He bagged a girl outta his league. And you think she'll leave the light switch off for him? Get it? I think you're being played by the same game." 

I think he was wrong.

"Outta his league?" T-Dog was confused.

Glenn nodded. "I agree, he's not perfect, but he's definitely some sort of super soldier. At least acts like one."

"Mm." T-Dog agreed, Daryl nodded.

"Marcus can do more than shoot." Daryl was picking his teeth with a straw he found from the lemonade cups I had set out. "He's a leader, a great one I think." he even pointed at me out of his pool chair by the table with the umbrella.

Touching, truly.

"Fine, but Captain America didn't look nineteen," said Shane. "He does."

"Did he keep the lights on for twelve hundred people? Keep them all fed and clothed? Keep a crazy government off their backs? He was a hero, but he was from a comic book."

I looked around, at the pool that had cost hundreds of lives worth of blood to enjoy that Shane had to remind me about. 

"My apologies if I got all serious. We're here to have fun for once."

"Of course!" Shane raised his styrofoam cup after he chewed on some of the ice in it. "To Marcus!"

"Eyy!" T-Dog agreed, cheering with everyone else.

"The savior of the city!"

"The conqueror of bikers, the provisional government." Shane prepared another styrofoam cup of lemonade from the nearby stand I let everyone sip from. "And whatever nasty shit might be out there."

The guys drew up a chair, made me sit down, passed me some lemonade.

It wasn't the kind I made. They spiked it with whiskey, much stronger than anything I was ever used to.

As I coughed, Shane chuckled, patting me on the back. "Bulletproof. But not proof to anything else huh?"

Fuck, I know right? Made no sense at all.

Should I get mad? Eh, these guys weren't acting particularly drunk at all, and this was a special occasion. 

"That dime piece over there." Shane pointed towards Candace Jenner, enjoying her holiday.

She was wearing a dark blue one piece bathing suit and reading something, wearing a big brown sun hat and sunglasses.

"Man, I'd really like to get to know her." said Shane.

Technically, they'd met. But I sort of understood what Shane meant. She had started a new life here in the city, and I really felt like she deserved it.

And I thought Edwin Jenner felt guilt in the show, I could only imagine what she felt.

"You okay Glenn?"

"I'm fine."

Lies.

T-Dog nodded towards her. "Go talk to her man."

"But I don't know her, don't any of you?"

Every single one of us who went to the CDC had to play dumb.

"Marcus, you have to catalog everyone who comes into the city right?" Glenn turned to me. "Can I at least know her name?"

"Yeah man, but I'm not a walking encyclopedia for people. You gotta say fuck it man, just go for it."

Glenn wondered. "Is that how it worked for you and Maggie?"

It was trippy as fuck to hear him say that. 

Granted, Glenn was still in Lee's group when that happened, when he otherwise would've driven towards Atlanta instead of stay at the motel. Weird in all directions.

"Let's just say I don't know how that worked out."

Glenn sighed, standing up.

We all watched him walk over, Jenner actually seemed happy to talk to him. I don't think she was interested in him necessarily, but they did appear to have a very cordial conversation.

I leaned back, enjoyed the whiskey flavored lemonade Shane and the others snuck in, and looked around.

I stood up, and walked over when I saw Andrea and Amy enter the pool from the main entrance.

"How're you both doing?"

"Just fine Governor." said Andrea.

Amy was confused. "Do we have to call him that?"

"It's just a formality, no one elected me." I drew the necklace from my pockets. "I think I was able to fulfill your request."

Amy gasped at the necklace. "You got this for me?"

"Your sister was the one who made the petition, it's my job to reply. I just made the right arrangements to have this found on the correct supply run."

Andrea smiled, giving Amy a side hug and rubbing her shoulder.

"Oh my gosh, it's perfect." 

I couldn't find a mermaid necklace exactly in the way I remembered, but it was a sufficient substitute.

Amy turned, hugging her sister tightly. She even pecked her on the cheek for it.

"Uh, er. Here."

Suddenly, Amy kissed me on the cheek too. 

Surprising, but I wasn't sure if it was meant to be a romantic gesture.

The two were about to walk off together but Andrea said something.

"I never said thank you, you know."

"For what?"

"That scouting mission in those woods up north. You brought my sister back to me."

I shrugged. "Enjoy the pool ladies."

It appeared that was exactly what they did.

I turned, slightly disappointed to see Shane and T-Dog nodding in unison and approval, Daryl was merely sipping his scotch or whatever the hell he had in the flask Shane passed him.

I walked over and asked. "Guys-"

"Save it," said Shane. "You got resources as the leader of the safe zone. If I was in your shoes I'd do the same thing."

I sat down next to Daryl as T-Dog told Shane something.

"Hey man, I didn't mean to-"

Daryl was actually calm, shaking his head. "You're good. I ain't got no time for a damned romance novel."

This made me laugh. I knew he was being sincere.

If there was one thing Daryl didn't do it was lie. On that note though.

"About that lady Glenn was asking about-"

"I don't know anything about her," Daryl mumbled instantly.

Dude, Daryl wasn't just badass. He was a real friend, a really honest person. He knew the situation for how we all came out of the woods was odd, and how Candace was basically omitting one giant part from her life

It was honestly a nice day out, and then I was enjoying the sight of Maggie, Beth, Andrea, Carley, and Amy all walk around in swimsuits. Some with the water from the pool still hugging their wet forms to their bikinis and such.

Fuck, this pool was a great idea.

The sun on my skin, cold drink in my hand. Sitting around a table full of dudes just talking about whatever.

If this was supposed to be the zombie apocalypse? Shit.

I don't think I ever wanted it to end.

…

…

…

Notes:

More scenes with Candace Jenner, establish good reasons and comparisons with Edwin Jenner in the show. Make them emotional flesh out her character realistically among the circumstances in the show.

Jenner will be one of the most important characters in the fic, responsible for any science and research. MC puts soldiers around the clock to fully guard facility, promising all of her research will be done consentfully and won't be like before.

Explain more background about what the hell the PGU was doing, the conspiracy, and who was trying to end the world.

Short scene with T-Dog and Shane watching Marcus read like. Twenty books in two days? (Scrapped)

MC will gather conclusions, and towards end of the chapter, find ways to offer those who lose limbs and are bitten, a significant better fighting chance using his blood.

Tease The Last of Us? 

A/N:

So, about a few of the harem decisions.

Everyone disliked that.

So I retracted that as well. Maggie and Beth, as well as Carley aren't instantly back in the harem, but the newer members won't be fucking the MC's brains out any time soon. But consider the harem to be larger for now.

Other than that, yes, the lemons will begin soon.

I want to start to establish reasons beyond "character hot make them fuck the MC" I'm hoping I've started to give good reasons for Maggie and Marcus' romance. I want to make the other pairings good, as from what I can tell, Carley's writing was done well too as people seemed to actually be missing her.

Well, request. Granted!

I think I'll be posting this on Questionable Questing or other sites as well to widen the response to Discord, and get some more feedback. I at least hope I'm responding appropriately to where people have replied. I will be including the A/Ns ahead of time as the main issue up until now besides what I've mentioned was the sudden change in the harem.

Well I'm here to serve, response fixed. It was a hasty oversight that was unnecessary, and it also wasn't taking into consideration some character motivations.

Harem time everybody:

Carley, Maggie, Beth, Rosita (eventually), Andrea and Amy.