A small town in the midwest called Highgate

Darcy couldn't stay mad at him when he kissed her like that; she could barely think or breathe properly!

Richard pulled away gently and looked her straight in the eyes and said “Darcy please, don't ever leave without telling me again."

Normally she would have bristled at such a command but Darcy could clearly see and feel the concern and the utter desperation in his words. She smiled softly as she stroked his rugged cheek “I promise.” She whispered and then added with a grin for good measure “ . . . But technically you weren't awake, so . . .”

Darcy giggled as Richard pulled her down playfully in response, curling her up next to him. Her leg strewn across his waist. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight against his lean body like he'd never let go. Darcy felt more safe and loved then she had ever felt in her whole entire life . . . even now in the midst of a Zombie Apocalypse like this. Just right. This is where she was meant to be, like a puzzle that fit together perfectly. In his arms.

God, she loved him so much.

Richard pulled out his phone and took a picture of both of them. Darcy kissed his stubbled cheek with a smile just as the flash went off. He was smiling too. She loved it when he smiled. It wasn't often but when he did it lit up her world. It was like they were little secrets, meant for her eyes only.

That's when he noticed the bruised left side of her face.

“Is that from Joshua?” He asked, concern creasing his features.

“It's nothing,” Darcy said quickly not wanting to spoil the moment “don't worry about it.”

She was worried he would lose his infamous temper but instead he smiled at her and said “What am I going to do with you?”

“Well . . .” Darcy replied with a mischievous smile as she bit the corner of her swollen bottom lip and ran the fingers of one hand through his hair “I can think of plenty of good things you could do with me . . .” She finished with a wink, raising up, about to leave him to ponder said things when he pulled her back down urgently.

“No . . . Stay with me Darcy . . . Please.” He whispered desperately as he pulled her closer and tighter against him. His face buried in the crook of her neck and the masses of her long brown curls.

Fear twirled a knot in Darcy's stomach . . . he was hiding something from her, instinct told Darcy. Something big! But right now, in this moment, Darcy didn't care . . . if this was all they had, then she wanted to spend all her time with Richard. Pretending . . . that the world wasn't ending . . . That somewhere out there they had a future together . . . That they had more then just this moment.

Tampering down the ill feeling. Darcy wrapped her arms around Richard, not ever wanting to let go and stroked the side of his rough face with the back of one palm.

“I'm here,” She whispered softly meaning every single word, as they held each other “I'm yours . . . always . . . and forever.”

And then made slow passionate love until the sun faded in the sky.

As he awoke in the middle of the night, Darcy's naked form fast asleep next to him using his arm as a pillow. Richard looked at his phone, only six hours until they launched the Aries Fuel Air Bomb. He looked to Darcy again and smiled. He could just not tell her, he probably couldn't move well anyway, they could just spend what little time they had left together. When the missile went off over head the chemicals would settle on the town and she would be frightened...but he would comfort her and before she had time ti be scared again it would all be over in a blink of an eye. They would be incinerated in a ball of flame in mere milliseconds. No! What was he thinking? He couldn't just give up, let her die, even if he was with her. She needed to survive even if he did not.

Richard buried his face in her neck, even after all of this she smelled so good. How could this have happened to him? Love, love that actually meant something to him. He had slept with multiple women from not just the US but from other countries as well, but never had feelings about them like he did for Darcy. This was something special. He needed to tell her now, before it was too late.

"Darcy...Darcy babe wake up." he nudged at her until her eyes slowly came to life and she looked at him sheepishly.

"Well hi there." she said in a tone so sweet it hurt

"Hi." Richard said with a smile, trying not too show his concern.

Darcy's face shifted as soon as she saw Richards failed attempt to bot look distressed, then she starred at him with her own eyes full of concern "Richard...whats wrong?" she asked as she stroked the side of his face.

He grabbed her wrist lightly and turned his head down "Darcy...you...you need to leave. Without me." The look of shock and hurt that came across Darcy's face was heart breaking.

"What!? Why?!" Darcy exclaimed with anger she was obviously not trying to emote as much as she was

Richard bit his lower lip "Darcy...they are going to destroy the city."

"Wha-Who?" Darcy inquired as she got closer

"The people I work for...they are going to detonate an experimental weapon above the city called the Aries Fuel Air Bomb. It is the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the world, and when it is detonated...Highgate won't be anything more then ash..."

~~CIA Headquarters, Langley Virginia~~

"Sir, why have an evacuation if you're not planning on letting them leave?" the Deputy Director questioned

"Is it really that hard to see?" Director, Andrew spoke "You know as well as I do that if any of these people were infected with the early stages of the virus but grew immunities like Ghostfather, then there is too much to learn from examining them. All evidence must be destroyed, plus if Freelancer fails at retrieving Ghostfather, then he must be destroyed as well."

"Isn't there a more...civilized way?" The Deputy Director inquired

"For being so high in the CIA you sure are Naive. There is no other way, if you want our secrets to be kept the town must be destroyed. Along with that troublesome son of Mayor Morgan." The director huffed

"He is still a problem?"

"Yes." The deputy director answered as he grabbed a cigar from his desk and lit it "He called me demanding that more money be transferred to his account, and that he get more serum or the files would go live."

"He has a lot of guts you have to give him that." The Deputy Director stated

Andrew blew a few smoke rings "Yes, but the only place I like to see guts is on the floor." he said so coldly that it could turn his breath to ice.

"I still don't know if this is the right decision." The Deputy Director said

Andrew just turned away from him and looked out of a huge window in his office that gave him a perfect view over the infected filled streets of Langley "Good thing your decisions are made for you then."

Matthew walked out the front door and onto the porch. He stood down by the gates, and slung his backpack over him. If these people were smart enough they'd be leaving too. Matthew opened up the gate of the mansion, and walked on out. Back to where you started, he thought. The last attack should have made them scared enough to no this place wasn't safe. But maybe it was better to- Matthew looked at a huge dot coming closer, off in the distance. He grabbed his binoculars and looked through. A horde. Tons, maybe hundreds of runners. They must have heard the gunshots. Matthew looked back at the mansion. He had to help them. They saved his life, so he'll save their's. "Hey! YOU PEOPLE! WE NEED TO GO! THERE"S A HORDE COMING!"

"Hey."
Natalie almost walked into him as she reached the top of the stairs. Jin smiled at her. He looked a little rumpled and as exhausted as her. She closed her mouth and tried to remind herself that not very long ago she’d been conspiring unpleasant reprisals for his recent absence.
"Are there any pancakes left?" he asked.
Pancakes? Oh, the breakfast she’d cooked forever ago?
“Uh…” Very good, Natalie. Now try words. “Pancakes.” Brilliant. She was going to kill Leon. This was his fault; she’d been perfectly capable of normal functioning before he’d insisted on the big heart to heart session this morning. Putting him in an awkward situation with a girl was not punishment enough.
She quickly recovered. “…were in the kitchen last I saw. I cooked a decent amount but who knows how much this lot have had. And any they’ve left are probably cold by now. I suppose I could make some more. I should probably freshen up before handling food…”
Natalie took a breath. Enough rambling. She could be a normal person. Yeah, she kinda maybe liked Jin but that wasn’t an excuse. She didn’t even really know him. She tilted her head slightly and gave a quizzical look. “How old are you anyway?” she blurted. Yeah, that lasted all of ten seconds. She was going to blame exhaustion; that was the excuse she was sticking to anyway.

Matthew tugged on the doorknob. Locked out. Matthew looked at the bottom windows, which were barricaded in. "Dammit." He grabbed a rock off the ground and threw it at the second story window. CRASH! Glass shattered everywhere, and Matthew started to wave his hands side to side and jumping up and down. "We need to leave!" No response. "Ah, fuckers." Matthew started to scale up the building, and grabbed a hold of the window ledge. He pulled himself up, as it crumbled away. He started to bang on doors and started to yell. "We need to leave!"

At first Darcy didn't know what was going on. She had just been woken up from the most peaceful sleep cuddled up next to Richard who nudged her awake with a worrying look across his handsome face.

"Darcy . . . Darcy babe wake up."

"Well hi there." Darcy smiled sleepily.

God, she wanted to see that face every morning she woke up.

"Hi." He replied with an unconvincing smile.

Darcy's face shifted as soon as she saw Richards failed attempt to not look distressed, then she starred at him with her own grey eyes full of concern "Richard . . . what's wrong?" She asked as she stroked the side of his face.

He grabbed her wrist lightly and turned his head down.

"Darcy...you...you need to leave. Without me."

"What!? Why?!" Darcy exclaimed her bewildered anger turning to pure fear.

“ . . . Darcy . . . they are going to destroy the city.” Said Richard, concern and sadness written all over his face.

“Wha-Who?” Darcy asked frantically in return pulling closer to Richard.

What was going on? Darcy thought wildly as panic ran through her whole body. Destroy? The city? And then she remember something Joshua had said to her the day before . . . about the city being blown up or something . . .

"The people I work for...they are going to detonate an experimental weapon above the city called the Aries Fuel Air Bomb. It is the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the world, and when it is detonated...Highgate won't be anything more then ash..." Richard explained.

“The people you work for?” Darcy confusedly questioned Richard, searching his down turned face.

The people he worked for? . . Highgate . . . Ash?

Richard was suddenly quiet and contemplative. His brooding reposeful demeanour scared her more then his words. Heart pounding, Darcy waited in the silence for him to speak.

Noise filled the hallway outside and Darcy heard the blonde bitten boy yelling something about needing to leave and a horde of runners outside the gates. The gates were locked, there was noway they could get in. But Darcy didn't care, it wasn't even important to her at this moment. All that mattered to her was Richard.

Darcy turned back to Richard and remembered what he had said earlier . . . “. . . You need to leave . . . Without me.”

No! There was noway she was going anywhere without him. Especially, not with the state he was in. She began to panic again.

“I . . . I'm not going anywhere without you!” Darcy whispered urgently as she threw her arms around Richards neck and held onto him for dear life . . . Her heartbreaking with every passing second.

Tears streamed down her face . . . Why did it feel like she was loosing him already? What had she done wrong?

“Please, Richard . . .” She whispered desperately near his ear as she held onto him, refusing to let ago, afraid that if she did she'd lose him forever “I promise, I'll . . . I'll- I won't leave without telling you ever again, I'll do whatever you say, I-I . . . Richard, please. . . .”

"Twenty-three." He answered with a smirk. "There isn't an age limit is there? Because I really like pancakes." He gave a warm smile as his body started to relax the more he talked to Natalie. His mind played back what she had just said and images or her in much less clothes played through his mind. He wanted to draw her again.

"I'm glad to see you are ok and-" images once again played before his eyes. "I was wondering if you liked my picture?" He was stepping closer when a rock came flying through the window.

He saw someone come in and he raised his bloodied bat and gently guided Natalie behind him and readied a swing.

(OOC: going away for the weekend. See you guys in two days.)

((OOC: I will be terribly busy for the next week, so I will not be posting, But I'll keep up with the reading. I am going to have James disappear and escape the city, figuring the bomb will be launching soon. James escapes with his stuff and a stolen car. He takes a back-road exit, after finding out that evac isn't leaving...yet. He goes up to a cabin he owns up near the mountains. Again sorry but I gotta focus on school. You know how it is.))

Richard held Darcy close. "No..it's not you I..I.." he squirmed in pain as his bullet wounds started to flare

"I don't want to get you hurt." Richard he thought about how hard it was to move, there was no way he could go out and find James now...or make it to the extraction point that was designated by the Agency. If he tagged along with Darcy would just get her killed, either by slowing her down on her way out of the city or by leading the government agents right to her. There was no way they would let him escape if he betrayed them by going AWOL with some girl. His heart felt like it was going to just explode, every time he was about to get ahead he began to lose again.

"How would you get me hurt?" She asked through the tears that were running down her face as if she were a public water fountain

"I'll slow you down...or lead them to you." Richard said with deep sorrow flooding his voice like a river in a bad storm

"Lead who to me Richard?" Darcy asked

"People who will want to hurt me if I leave without James." Richard replied

Darcy backed away from Richard and gave him a stare of curiosity that was almost completely obscured by grief that was painted on her face " Why is he so important? Why are you after him?" Richard bit his lower lip and thought of a lie...but he didn't tell it. What was the use of lying to her? He was a dead man anyway, plus he was done lying to this women.

He pointed to his backpack "In there are some files...they will tell you everything you need to know..."

The files. Of course! She had forgotten all about them. The one that Joshua had left behind and was now sitting in her Duffel Bag in the trunk of her car with the three vials. . . and the four she had seen Richard riffling through earlier. The one's he was pointing to now in his backpack.

Turning the lamp on on the night-stand, Darcy pulled the bedsheets across her chest and reached for the backpack that lay near the bed, removing the benign looking files. Her hands shook as she took in a deep breath and opened the first one.

Shifting through the papers, Darcy didn't understand them fully. They talked about some experiments and results, with charts and graphs and notes . . . it was all so confusing . . . and then she came to a sudden stop.

Was that . . . It couldn't be, could it?

Darcy removed the single sheet that was some sort of profile. It had a reference number, some details, a photo paper clipped in the corner . . . and a name. Darcy looked closer at the picture in the dim light. It was him!

“But he's dead.” Darcy said turning to Richard and pointing at the small photograph.

“What?! Are you sure?” Richard questioned a puzzled look crossing his features. “How do you know?”

“I-I saw it with my own eyes. I saw James.” She replied frantically trying to recall the event. “I mean, I was there. I saw the Leo kid he was about to be jumped by a group of those infected, so I pulled up and told him to get in . . . and he did but then this guy – James - comes out of nowhere and is shouting at me to take Leo to the evacuation point on 32nd Street and Garden Street at the Welcoming Arch. We were practically there but the place was completely surrounded by Zombies there was noway anyone could have got in. So I told James to get in the car but I don't know whether he didn't hear me or just plain didn't bother listening and he ran up the fire escape of this building and then the place was surrounded by the creatures trying to get in and I had to leave. It's impossible to think he would have gotten out alive from there.”

Darcy looked to Richard again. He was back to contemplating things as he was used to doing in his brooding manner.

James was dead. There was no doubt about it in her mind. It was absolutely impossible for him to get out alive from a building heaving with blood thirsty Zombies.

That meant . . . Darcy thought with a sudden spark of joy . . .

“You can leave with me.” She said breathlessly turning to face Richard.

“No Darcy.” He said with stony cold eyes .

“But-” Darcy began, feeling the warmth leaving her body as she was cut off.

“I said no. It's too dangerous for you.” He answered in a final steel underlining tone.

“I don't care!” Darcy shouted angrily back.

Her heart pounding, the blood draining from her face at his bewildering words.

“Well I do! And there's nothing you can say or do that's going to change that. Is that understood?!”

Darcy's anger boiled at his commanding tone.

“So what are you going to do?” She spat furiously “Stay here and die!?”

She expected a no or something denying her accusation but when he just looked at her passively not saying anything, his demeanor sorrowful; her heart began to race faster and faster. He couldn't seriously be contemplating staying here in Highgate when it was about to get blown up!

“No.” Darcy breathed clutching the silk sheets to her chest “No! You can't-”

This was all wrong! It couldn't be happening, it didn't make any sense!

“Darcy, baby . . .” Richard pleaded as he tried to pull her closer by her arms.

“No! Don't touch me!” She cried angrily as she pushed him away; warm tears streaming down the pink apples of her cheeks.

Richard winced in pain at her shove and Darcy felt instant regret but she couldn't handle this. How could he possible think she would leave him here to die! But he was stubborn enough she knew, to still go ahead with his suicidal plan, unless she thought away around it fast.

She had to stop and think.

She couldn't lose him again. She wouldn't!

“No! Don't touch me!” Darcy cried angrily as she pushed him away; warm tears streaming down the pink apples of her cheeks.

The shove hurt like hell, sending pules of pain up from his abdomen into his chest. He feel backwards on to the bed and held his stomach. He knew she would hate him, but it was what needed to be done. He couldn't make it out with her, and even if he did the government would track him down. Even though James was dead, which meant Richard wouldn't be abandoning his mission, they would find him and possibly try to kill Darcy for being a liability. Hell he had just made her one, but they wouldn't go after her if they didn't know what she saw, or if they didn't know their agent was with her.

"Darcy.." Richard said with the expression of a hurt heart across his face "Please, listen to me. These people, they are professional killers. They will hunt whoever they think is a danger to them. They are very good at what they do, and they won't pull punches like I do." He said with a pleading tone

"You're not going to just sit here and die! I won't let you!" Darcy growled

"There is no other way, I'll slow you down to much." He looked at his phone, it was going on four hours left. If she was lucky it would take her about a half hour to an hour to get out of the city, then another hour to get out of the blast radius. "Darcy...you need to go." He said coldly "please...I can't let you die."

Darcy bit her lower lip and got in close, then planted a soft kiss on Richards lips "I can't let you die either."

~Aries Launch Site~
The colonel wiped some beads of sweat from his head as he starred at the ballistic missile through the glass of the launch bay observation center.

"This doesn't feel right." The colonel murmured

"Do we need to do it sir?" The facility CO asked with a stutter

"I'm afraid we do..." He looked at the missile "Begin launch preparations and lock in target...I want this done as quick as possible."

Moving closer over Richard, Darcy kissed him softly "I can't let you die either." She whispered against his lips as she looked him in the eyes and stroked the side of is face.

The soft kissed turned into a hard all encompassing one as if their lives depended on it as Richard twined his fingers in Darcy's dark masses of brown curls and pulled her down . . . But then he winced and groaned.

Darcy fingers trailed down his muscled chest to his bandaged abdomen. It was the pain from his wound, it must be unbearable . . . and she had completely forgotten about the medicine she had brought for him. Stupid!

“Wait.” She whispered as she half got out of bed and started putting her underwear back on.

“Where are you going?” Richard asked his features still distraught with pain as he reached an arm out across the sheets.

“Nowhere.” Darcy replied zipping up her skinny jeans “At least not without you.” She said smiling over her shoulder as she pulled on her snug gray Rolling Stones T-shirt over her head.

She laughed lightly as he frowned at her, “Don't worry so much,” She winked and smiled down at him as she used the cotton comfort to wipe the sweat breaking out on his brow and kissed him on the cheek “I have a plan.”

Richard was clearly not happy with her declaration. Poor thing. Thought Darcy as she smooth his hair back with a hand. He obviously wasn't used to being in a position where he had no choice but to let another take command. Shouldn't have got yourself shot then! Thought Darcy peeved, if he'd shown a little concern for himself in the first place, he wouldn't be in such a position.

Grabbing both their backpacks, Darcy shuffled through her Louis Vuitton and pulled out four boxes of painkillers and three boxes of antibiotics. Removing a single pill from each and then Darcy stuffed the seven boxes in total into Richards pack.

“What are these?” Richard question in pain as Darcy helped him up, placing pillows behind his back so he would be more comfortable and put the two pills to his lips.

“One is for the pain and the other is antibiotics so your wounds don't become infected.” She smiled sweetly down at him. “I've put some in your pack, you gotta remember to take them.” She added as she gave him the glass of water from the night stand. “Okay, now I'll be right back. Don't,” Darcy added seriously “even think about moving!” as she slipped out of the door.


Walking out into the hallway she noticed Jin and Natalie huddled over at the other end. What the hell was so interesting on the floor? Darcy headed over to investigate.

“Again?!” She shouted exasperatedly as she reached Jin and Natalie’s side, who, she could now see were looking over, once again, the unconscious body of the scrawny blonde boy who had been yelling out in the hallway earlier. “Well, at least you shut him up.” Darcy commented plainly as she bent down to check his pulse once again. “Still strong, he'll live.” She was actually mildly amused and somewhat surprised that the boy was still alive, even after multiple concussions. At the so called hands of his saviors. Indeed, amusing.

Getting up she turned back to Jin the culprit, who still held the baseball bat in hand and a bemused Natalie. “We need to talk.” Darcy said over her shoulder as she walked down the stairs “Get everyone together and meet me in the Kitchen in half an hour.”

Heading for the Kitchen herself; Darcy only realized how very hungry she was when she smelt Pancakes. Of course, no surprise there were none left. It had almost been, what, two days since she had eaten. Two days! And that had only been a cold drink and a nasty Gas Station Sandwich.

Opening the massive stainless steel fridge Darcy stuffed her face with whatever she could get her hands on. After she could not eat another bite, she rustled up some food for Richard and headed back up stairs.

She stopped at the top of the landing. One more thing. Before she went back to Richard. Darcy headed for her fathers office and found an old rolled up map of Highgate. Placing the map under her arm, she went back to Richard with the food.

Darcy had a plan. A brilliant plan if she did say so herself . . . and if Richard didn't get on board with it . . . Well . . . then she would just have to drug his ass . . . because there was noway she would leave him here to die.

Darcy walked in with some food and Richard took it in his hands "Thanks." he said with a smile. It had been a long time since he had last eaten, he needed something in his stomach. He had gotten use to not eating for long periods, but after being shot he needed the energy. He looked at Darcy and saw she had a paper of some kind under her arm.

"What's that?" he asked as he starred at the long paper.

"A map." Darcy said as she placed it the foot of the bed and handed him the food which he began to immediately dig into.

"Of what?" he asked as he sat up and watched as she unfolded the map

"Highgate" She said with a matter of fact tone in her voice

"Why? What are you looking for?" Richard asked.

Darcy grinned at him "I have a plan." she put a hand on his arm "And you have no choice but to go along with it."

Natalie didn’t back up when Jin moved closer, she looked up at him slightly distracted by the smirk of his mouth. “I- ” she began to reply when a rock smashed through a nearby window.
Jin’s focus quickly shifted to some approaching danger and Natalie found herself being moved behind him as he raised his bloodied bat. Natalie rested a hand on the curve of his shoulder while the other tightened on her crowbar and she peered around him.
As the figure came into view she recognised its face. Her hand on Jin’s shoulder tightened but she felt the muscles moving under her hand; he’d already committed to the swing, “Jin-!”
The kid from earlier got it in the side of the head and crumpled to the ground. “Ouch,” breathed Natalie as the two of the stared at the little blonde boy lying on the ground.

“Again?!” came an exasperatedly shout Natalie jumped and looked guiltily towards Darcy who had appeared beside them. “Well, at least you shut him up.” Darcy commented plainly as she bent down to check his pulse once again. “Still strong, he'll live.” Natalie let out a relieved breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.
Getting up Darcy turned back towards the two of them. “We need to talk,” she said over her shoulder as she walked down the stairs. “Get everyone together and meet me in the Kitchen in half an hour.”

“You know, I’m beginning to see why she and Marcus get along so well,” Natalie said wryly as she watched the other girl heading towards the kitchen. She looked back to the situation at hand. Speaking of hands, hers was still rested on Jin’s shoulder. Her mind began to wander but she just smiled and took her hand back.
When Jin looked at her she hid the look in her eyes by looking instead down at the unconscious kid, “Do you want me…” she kept her eyes steadfast looking down, “…to uh… get his feet, and you get his arms? We shouldn’t really just leave him here. And despite how much we enjoy their company we should probably go see why Mommy and Pop are calling the family meeting.”

Jin didn't really get a chance to clear things up but seeing as the guy wasn't actually hit in the head then everything was fine.

“We need to talk.” Darcy said over her shoulder as she walked down the stairs “Get everyone together and meet me in the Kitchen in half an hour.”

Jin glanced over at Natalie and they smiled. Natalie offered to help with his feet but Jin shook his head as his eyes wandered up an down Natalie's frame.
"I got this," he said a tad saddened seeing as he had honestly considered joining her. "We'll meet up back here and go to the family meeting, yeah?" He watched as Natalie walked away to get cleaned up. Jin smirked as he placed the guy in the closest room and then went to get himself washed up. The sensation was nice enough seeing as he thought he wouldn't have made it back to the house all night. He stepped out of the shower only to remember that the clothes he had been wearing were filthy, were not his, and anything else was in another room. He sighed as he placed the bath robe on. He then stepped into the hallway as he found his way back to Darcy's brother's room to grab some clothes. The bat was clean once more as he carried it down the hallway. He stepped into the brother's room to once more to get some clothes.

(OOC: Not sure what room Darcy and Richard are in.)
_________________________________
(Same Room)

"Uhm," Jin said as he lifted one hand. "Hey there, Robot." With that said and done he made his way to the dresser and closet. Jin took notice of the map. His eyes scanned it quickly and he got the gist of what he saw but not what it was. He made a mental note to try to draw it later. "Don't mind me," he stated as he started to rummage once more. He had seen a nice dark grey shirt earlier and wanted to get a hold of it. Jin took his time seeing if they would talk anymore but when he found what he was looking for he had no choice but to leave.

---------------------------------
(Different Room)

Jin entered the room and gave some practice swings from his now clean bat. He was never a baseball player but he hadn't missed any of those things last night or this morning. He considered his natural talent as he placed the bat next to dresser as he looked in for the clothes he noticed before. He got dressed fast enough and grabbed his bat once more.
_____________________________

Jin met Natalie in the hallway.

"Looking good there, beautiful," he said with the bat by his side. "You clean up good." Jin motioned for her to walk with him as he made his way towards the stairs. "So what do you think of this heart to heart in the kitchen?" he asked as he wondered where everyone else was.

After the long amount of time Leon had spent with the new 'kid', Leo, he knew he needed to be away from this annoying, tantrum-filled teenager. He gripped his own, dark brown hair and mouthed a scream while the kid wasn't looking. The Brits always kept their manners right...
"I'll.. err... be right back." He said quickly and ran off as fast as he could.
He sighed and leant his head against the railing of the stairs, his eyes looking at Natalie and Jin. A smirk grew across his face as he jumped down the flight of stairs with no struggle and came around to the scrawny blonde on the floor. Was he still out cold from before or did someone knock him out again? Leon groaned then looked up to Natalie then Jin and winked, noticing Natalie had quickly moved her arm from his shoulder and asked Jin if he wanted to carry the body with her.
"Yes, yes. Bond." Leon smirked and then walked off a little at Natalie's face expression. He was only a few steps away when he turned around.
"James Bond!" He shrugged off and sat down on a lounge, smiling quite content with himself.

Leo crossed his arms, this Leon guy wasn't very fun to hang out with, but besides the crazy lady from earlier, he didnt know anyone else in the house.
The only fun part was laughing at the guys accent, which probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.
Leon didn't seem overly thrilled when Leo kept asking him to say stuff that sounded funny in a British accent.

After quite some time of not really getting along, Leo was relieved when Leon said something worth listening to, "I'll.. err... be right back.
Leo watched as the guy left, and was somewhat amused at the fact that he seemed so eager to leave, "Don't hurry." He muttered, then got up and headed towards what he hoped was the kitchen.
Hopefully the other people haven't eaten all the food. He thought.

"I think that this kitchen of Darcy's seems to be seeing a lot of heart to hearts lately," replied Natalie still smiling at Jin’s compliment. And other things.
Having enjoyed a quick shower and slipped into fresh clothes Natalie had been wandering the halls slowly making her way towards the kitchen when she’d glimpsed someone going between rooms. Jin carrying his baseball bat and dressed only in a bathrobe was quite a pleasant sight. She’d waited down the hallway for him to come back out before joining him on his way to the kitchen.
“Between this family meeting and Leon’s antics, it’s only a matter of time before someone other than that kid gets hit over the head,” her grin turned wicked as she thought of how best to exact her revenge on Leon.
“So… twenty-three? That’s doable – I mean, for pancakes,” she quickly corrected. “But you might be too old for chocolate chips if I am persuaded to make a fresh batch.”
She skipped down the last couple of steps and looked back up at him.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell happened?" Matthew had finally woken up, and was trying to pull himself up. His head was hurting like hell, so he put his hand to his forehead. Blood. "Dickheads. I'm having a migraine now, and I need to tell them something... What was I going to tell them anyways? Whatever, my head feels likes it got hit with a baseball bat." Matthew spit up a glob of blood onto the floor, along with a tooth. "Aw, come on." He started to walk towards the kitchen, when he saw an asian man and a woman. The asian man was holding a bloodied baseball bat. "Course'.

"So, I suppose your the guy who hit me with the baseball bat huh? Well, it fucking hurt." Matthew said to the man and the woman.

"So, I suppose your the guy who hit me with the baseball bat huh? Well, it fucking hurt." Someone said from a little further down the hallway.
Leo raised his eyebrows, "What the hell?" He whispered to himself, these people werent very civilized, were they?
Walking towards the direction of the voice that had spoken, Leo stopped when he saw three people, two men and a woman.
The asian guy had a baseball bat that had blood on it.
Looking at the other guy, Leo saw that his head was bleeding.
Oh, wonderful. He thought glumly, Maybe i'll be next to get my head bashed in.

"Well you three look friendly." Leo said, a sarcastic tone to his voice.
By now he was sure that everyone here was completely insane, if they werent... then they wouldnt be hitting eachother in the head with baseball bats.

Matthew turned towards the voice and rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the compliment. And, I'm not exactly the one smashing skulls here. That guy over there is a little bit swinghappy! But, 'Akuma Matata', right? At least I'm alive." Matthew turned back around to the man and the woman.
"Hey, I think I remember what I was going to tell you people. There's a horde, at least a hundred of'em, coming this way."

Richard looked at her like she was crazy . . . Maybe she was. But she wouldn't leave him behind and really it was there only shot. She knew that for sure. She'd seen it with her own eyes.

It was a big map of a small town. Darcy could practically picture all the streets in her minds eye as she ran her fingers along them. All of them familiar. This was her life right here, her childhood . . . And it was all about to disappear in the blink of an eye.

Sadness washed over her. When she lived in Highgate all Darcy ever dreamed about was getting away and now that it was about to be blown up she couldn't stand the thought of never being able to come back to the comfort of the small town, she called home.

Pushing the depressing feelings away Darcy sat next to Richard as he ate and rolled out the map in front of them with two hands. The corners curled but it stayed flat and open.

"Well," Darcy sighed looking down at the map "This is it."

It was such a small place; she wondered where Richard grew up.

"Okay, so this is where the evac point is," Darcy pointed the position out with a finger to Richard. "32nd Street and Garden Street at the Welcoming Arch. But like I said earlier there is like no way to get in. It's impossible. It's surrounded by Zombies plus it didn't look like the people inside were going anywhere fast."

It was really quite weird, thought Darcy. Shouldn't they be trying to get people out of there as fast as they could. Yet, they were all caged in like animals or prisoners. She didn't want to think about it.

"So here are the five exits out of Highgate. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5." She stated pointing each one out. "These two are all the way on the other side of town, near the evac point. They're probably heavily guarded and too far away. Now these three are our best shots and they're all easily accessible from the back gates."

Darcy continued not looking at Richard or stopping because she didn't want him to pour water all over her plans before she finished them. The food in hindsight was an excellent deterrent stopping it from happening, mused Darcy happily.

"Now, so I know you don't want to leave with me because you're worried about me getting hurt," and blah, blah, blah "but that doesn't mean you can't leave and do what you have to do and then meet up with me later . . . that is if you still want me." Darcy teased wickedly, pressing her lips softly against Richards stubbled cheek as she gave him a quick peck and turned back quickly to continue.

"Okay, so for safety if these people are as dangerous as you say they are," And she didn't doubt that they weren't . . . trained killers . . . The harsh words rang through her mind . . .

Is that what Richard was? . . A cold chill ran down Darcy's spine and she pushed the disturbing thought away quickly, not because she was scared that he would ever hurt or harm her in that way but because how easily she, herself would forgive and accept him no matter what wrongs he may and will in the future have committed. "Then we should all separate and go in all three direction. It would make it harder for them to track any of us, especially you." Which was the whole point of her plan anyway.

"So this one," Darcy pointed to the road leading out straight from the back of the Morgan estate. "This is the quickest. So I was thinking Jin, Natalie, Leo, the scrawny blonde guy - if he lives - and the redhead with no name can take that road because I think most of them are strangers to Highgate so that will be easy and straightforward for them. Plus I passed it and although it is kind of barricaded it's not guarded or manned so that shouldn't be a problem."

She was talking a lot but she needed to get her plan out in words. So far so good, she thought. Richard was eating like he was a starving man out of the desert after forty days which helped.

"Now this road," Darcy said point to the leftmost one "now, this is the one you, Lilith and that huge flee bag of hers can take in the Jeep. It's slightly longer but I'm guessing with being a Police girl and living in Highgate for her whole life and all Lilith will be familiar enough with the road and you guys can get out that way with no trouble."

Because that's all that mattered to her, that Richard got out alive in one piece and although she would never admit it to Lilith in a million years, she was the only one, Darcy believed, in this whole messed up Brady Bunch of theirs to have a solid head on her body and the only one capable or who Darcy would remotely trust with someone else's life since Richard was out of action.

"Leon can get on his bike and go with whoever he likes." But not with me. She was not looking after that boy, he was prone to klutz-ism and she had no intention of dying trying to save his ass . . . Plus he would get in the way of her other plans . . . Hmm . . . She'd have to cajole him into going with Natalie or best bet yet Lilith, seeing as they shared certain weird hobbies like swords and crap.

"And I'll take this road." Darcy finished simply - hoping he wouldn't notice she would be going alone as it would be in her best interest to do so, still having certain things to take care of - pointing at the road on the far right. It would take her almost all the way around Highgate before she got out but she had the fastest car plus she'd had more experience with that road then any of these other guys.

In fact it really wasn't a road at all - well it must have been at one point, like a gazillions years ago like this map which was ancient too, that's why it still showed it - but it was a dirt road that eventually joined onto a highway that the teenagers of the town used for racing. Darcy had spent much of her teenagers years there and how in-turn she was so familiar with the HGPD.

"So," Darcy finally said with a lift of her shoulders, taking a deep breath and turning to Richard. "What do you think?"

Jin gave a crestfallen face when being told he couldn't get chocolate chips. His smile returned just as quickly when Natalie told him there was a chance if he oils convince her. His mind went to the gutter and back again.

He launched himself down the last few stairs and stood right in front Natalie. But just as he started to lean in again heads and bodies attached to them started coming around every corner. On top of that they all seemed to have problem with him hitting people over the head with his new bat.

"Okay so, there is a horde of nearly a hundred of those things." Jin's face was serious as he gripped his bat and eyed Natalie. "Is there enough time for pancakes? I've been chocolate chips." He smirked in Natalies direction but his smile was for everyone.

"I hope so because we seem to have an important meeting in the kitchen. I mean what is a meeting without food,right?"

That blonde kid was way to loud, he could hear him all the way from the lounge, Leo was way too annoying. If teasing Leon's accent wasn't bad enough, he had no respect. Darcy and Richard were getting on Leon's last nerve, all this secrecy and protecting and lovey dovey crap. Felt like the only sane ones that Leon could actually bring himself to be nice to was Natalie, Jin and Lilith. Ofcourse that was because Lilith wasn't in sight and she was quiet, also that she hadn't bugged him from the start. He had always thought Jin would've been a cool guy ever since he called Darcy topless. Yes he had teased Natalie a bit, but it was fun when she got back at him, it felt like he was back in school, teasing the popular girls. Except that they'd just fall inlove with him, not that this was his plan with Natalie. Jin was the man for her! He chuckled at himself thinking this way. Leon, the love doctor. Keeping/ Bringing couples together since the zombies started. He shook his head, no way. He was the player before this zombie apocolypse. Thank God though, he was getting sick of it.

The blonde kid had said that a new horde was coming its way over. Like that last one wasn't enough, but then again Leon didn't really do anything and it was a struggle since Richard had gotten shot. Really? Theres enough evil in the world and then some random dude just comes around and decides to shoot one of the important people in the group. Leon took his sword out following Jin who had taken his bat in his hands. Leon smiled, he had grown way too fond of killing Zombies, he enjoyed it. Was that bad? He didn't care, it gave a certain rush. He wouldn't miss this horde out for anything in the world.