ethreal | the walking dead

XI

     They all stood there for who knows how long, staring at the blinding light from the doorway of the building they were trying to get into. The light went down a little before Rick started to walk towards it.

     "Daryl, you cover the back.", Shane ordered as he followed Rick. The rest of the group also followed Rick into the building, Daryl taking the rear as he was told.

     "Hello?" Rick spoke, his voice echoing in the entrance of the C.D.C. [Y/n] walked to the left side with Carol and Sophia behind him while everyone else scattered with weapons raised.

     "Hello?" Rick tried again, but his voice only echoed.

     "Close those doors.", Dale ordered,"Watch for walkers."

     Glenn and T-Dog went back to the doors to shut them, and once they succeeded the group stayed close. [Y/n] took a second to look around. The place was huge, dark, and simple. There was nothing exciting about the place, but then again, what place is exciting anymore.

     "Hello?" Rick tried once more, his voice a little louder this time. And this time.... A gun cocked in response. [Y/n]'s head snapped forward and he saw a middle aged man with a shotgun standing across from the group in the dark. The [H/c](-nette) felt Sophia shift behind him, gripping his shirt.

     "Anybody infected?", the man questioned loudly, making [Y/n] jump.

     "One of our group was. He didn't make it.", Rick answered, keeping his gun on the stranger.

     "Why are you here? What do you want?", the man asked quickly.

     "A chance."

     "That's asking an awful lot these days.", the man stated while walking towards the group.

     "I know.", Rick said, his breathing heavy. The middle aged man took his time looking at every individual of the group.

     "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission.", he offered.

     "We can do that.", Rick agreed. The man lowered his gun.

     "You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."

     And with that being said, [Y/n] sprinted outside.

~•¤•~

     [Y/n] ran past T-Dog and Dale with a bag on his back and two duffel bags on either arm.

     "VI, seal the main entrance.", the stranger said to a card swiper on the wall near the doors that closed after [Y/n] ran in,"Kill the power up here."

     The metal roll-up doors from earlier began to close, locking the entrance for good. The man looked at Rick, and Rick looked back at him.

     "Rick Grimes."

     "Dr. Edwin Jenner."

~•¤•~

     "Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl spoke up in the crowded elevator.

     "There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself.", Jenner replied,"But you look harmless enough. Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you."

     Carl gave a small smile as Jenner was referring to him. The elevator then came to a stop and the doors slid open, notifying Jenner to start walking through the hallways of the underground. The group followed quickly.

     "Are we underground?" Carol asked.

     "Are you claustrophobic?", Jenner asked back.