Play Your Cards

The final chapter

Thank you all so much for reading this book, and holding onto it for so long. Thank you for being patient with the chapters and for keeping me motivated. Unfortunately, my inspiration for this book as run dry.

I will be writing another Z Nation story soon and I invite you to read it.

So to finish this story, I have one last final chapter for this book and then I close it for good.

————————————
Two years later

A large black truck pulls up to a nearby gas station. A large megaphone is strapped to the top along with a spare tire.

Out of the passenger seat hops a girl, long blond flowing hair, one blue eye and one red eye.

Ace, the queen of the apocalypse. The one who brought true mayhem to the planet. The girl who walked through hell with a smile and came out on the other side with the devil carrying her.

From the drivers seat comes a boy, his jet back hair smother back with a bandana. Only one of his hands are real, the other, his trigger hand a metal replacement.

10k, the love of her life. The one who's been through it all and stayed right by her side. The pair, inseparable. The badass of the apocalypse, killing over a hundred thousand zombies. He surpassed his name and proceeds to call himself Tomas.

Finally comes a younger man, around 15. His hair slicked back with a bandana, much like 10k. In his hands rest a golden pistol, one of Ace's infamous pistols.

5k, the 'child' of the two.

-flash back

The chaotic patterns of the apocalypse had finally stopped, drawing the group apart to go their separate ways.

10k and Ace, finically forgiving each other of their pasts, decide to stay together to determine their future together.

10k drives down the road, passing a few stores from a nearby town. The commotions around one store grabs their attention.

"Stop the car." Ace orders, leaping out from the door and charging into town, getting the attention of the zombies. "10k, get whoever is inside." She calls as she begins to the draw them away from the building.

10k rubs into the building, disappearing from Ace's sight. She trusts he will be ok but is worried. The distant sound of gunshots fill her ears as she guides the group of zombies away from the building.

Ace stops running, spinning around and bashing a zombie's head in. The boys is sent crashing to the ground, blood pooling around their feet. Another zombie is quick to charge at her.

She pulls a knife from her pocket and quickly pikes the zombie through the skull. She stops wasting time, pulling out her twin pistols.

She plants a bullet in every school, watching the creatures all fall dead.

Sighing, she puts away her weapons and turns back towards the building where 10k should be.

As she turns, she's met with a zombie. It snaps it's jaw at her, drool dripping from its lips. She loses her balance, tripping and falling back onto the hard ground. The zombie lands on top of her, pinning her arms down and snapping towards her skin.

Ace's heart pounds through her chest, realizing this might be it for her. The teeth grow closer as she struggles to keep the zombie back. Blood drips from its mouth and onto her skin, making her cringe.

A gear lands into the head of the creature laying on her. The gear flies through the school of the zombie, leaving the other side and rolling next to Ace.

"It's a MadZ!" She shouts, trying to kick the creature off of her

Finally, she's relieved from her struggles as the zombie is lifted off of her. 10k stands over her, living the zombie with his metal hand and chopping its head off with the knife that sits in his other hand.

Ace sighs, relaxing on the ground and letting her muscles relax. A small figure runs up to her, hugging her tightly.

"Hey, bud." Ace smiles, holding 5k's small figure in her arms. "I never thought I'd see you again." She smiles, squeezing him tightly

She smiles sitting up and pulling her two beloved boys into her arms.

-End of flashback

10k raises his metal hand to tap on the glass door of the gas station. Zombies press against the glass, hungrily clawing at the three.

Ace pulls a skull off her belt, letting it drop to the ground and spring right back into her hand. 10k opens the door, letting only one zombie through.

5k uses a slingshot to drop the creature to the ground. The second zombie claws from the inside, smearing blood on the glass. 10k opens the door again, letting it out. Ace grabs it by the shirt and throws it to the ground. The end of her staff impales the zombie through the head.

10k leads the way into the building, a gun in his left hand. Ace helped him learn to use a gun with his left hand since she is a leftie.

"It's clear." He says

Ace and 5k follow him inside, stuffing their bags with food that had been left at the store. Ace strolls through the isles, running her finger along the dangling price tags that line the empty shelves.

"Where to now?" Ace asks as she listens to 10k walk behind her

"Why? You got somewhere to be?" He asks, giving her a hug from behind and kissing her cheek gently

"I just think we could settle down somewhere. Aren't you done traveling? We've already been across America." Ace laughs lightly, running her fingers through his hair

"Maybe we can find a nice house where it's cold." 10k says slipping his hand into hers

"Z's hate the cold." They both say together

Ace smiles, kissing the knuckles of his metal hand and leaving into the hug. Sighing, she enjoys the thought of being able to finally settle down with her loved ones.

"That's everything." 5k announces, wandering out of the building

Ace smiles, heading out of the building. 10k smirks, holding her waist and sitting her down on the counter. His lips press up against her's roughly. She smiles into the kiss and he reaches behind the counter, retrieving a small handgun.

"Can't forget this." 10k smiles, prancing out of the building and climbing into the truck

Ace chuckles, following her two boys to the truck and speeding off with them; going whenever the apocalypse leads them.