The Touch of Infection

Chapter 30: Just listen

It had been a long drive but they were finally just ten minutes away from HQ. Amite and Ezhno stopping the vehicle and heading to the back where Marnik and Carisa where speaking.

Amite gave him a stern look, "Alright Marnik, we're ten minutes away. This is how it's going to be, Carisa will stay with Ezhno in a house we've picked, she'll be safe there until we get the approval from the Commanders to get her inside."

"No, she's coming with us, I thought that was clear." He wrapped his tail around Carisa instinctively, "If she doesn't go neither do I."

"I get you're worried, but the place is infected free, nothing to be worried about. We'll get back to her with whatever news we receive in less than a day." She tried to ease the worries and fear he felt of leaving her, "Ezhno will even be there to keep an eye on her."

Carisa looked in between them wondering what the conversation was all about. Why Marnik was holding on to her like she'd be taken from him, seeing Amite's smile, she felt more lost on what was happening. Ezhno didn't look like he cared much about it so just what where these two talking about is what she wondered.

"I'm not leaving her." He continued speaking, stubborn to his decision.

"You can't take her, the commanders are asking about you, say you haven't returned calls in a few days. They're worried, if you don't show up with me I'll be paying the price for supposedly lying to the commanders. Do you want to see me punished Marnik? I drove through a damn horde for you!"

Marnik looked down, he didn't want to answer, feeling guilty over the truth she spoke. Ezhno glared at him stepping in front of Amite, "If you don't go I'll tell them about her myself. I don't care about Amite disagrees, but I'm not letting her go down because you're being stupid."

His eyes looked up and glared at Ezhno, "I'm taking her, I don't care what you all say."

Amite stood beside Ezhno, "Why not let her pick? Give her the chance to answer for herself."

Marnik feared her answer, it wouldn't be the first time she'd want to leave him. Shaking his head and hiding Carisa behind him, he stood up. Ezhno and Amite were taller than him, looming over him, the fact that he stood being of no importance to them.

"Listen to me Marnik! Do you want her to get eaten? Think Marnik, she's small, delicate, and fresh meat. They'll tear her apart in there! And here I am giving you a safe option for her!" Amite grabbed him by the collar, "Ezhno will stay with her in the house, while you and I report to HQ. Afterward we go back and Ezhno can go and make his report. Don't try and even say the word no! Because my word is FINAL!"

Marnik pushed her off him turning his back in her, "I'm taking her! And I'm not going to HQ."

Amite was disrespected at his action, "Listen here!" She pushed him down into the seat, "This is MY vehicle, so you'll follow my rules! I don't care if you want to get out or not. But Carisa doesn't need to be the one paying for your actions!"

Marnik stood back up to confront her but Amite slapped him across the face, taking one of the guns and hitting him on the back to knock him unconscious. She graciously smiled at Carisa, "Keep him company while I drive."

Carisa looked petrified, nodding slowly and looking over at Marnik to see him still and unmoving. Ezhno walked towards her and whispered a piece of advice, "Don't ever say 'no' to her... unless you know you can win, just don't do it. And don't worry about him... he'll wake up eventually."

After that he walked off to his Amite. Carisa continued to look at Marnik, pulling the hair off his face, she couldn't believe he could look so peaceful after being slammed unconscious. Wondering just what he'd said that made Amite, the nicest woman she'd met angry enough to slap and knock him out.

Amite drove them to a house, dropping off Ezhno and Carisa as she took Marnik with her. Carisa looked at Ezhno by the corner of her eye, feeling threatened by his presence, "um... why did she take Marnik?"

Ezhno sighed, "Because she wouldn't kill him."

"And you would?" She asked teasingly. The look she got from him enough to know that he would kill Marnik in a heartbeat.

He walked into the house and called her inside. He didn't want to have to look after her outside, the place was of course safe. But you could never be too safe.

The silence around them was suffocating. Carisa didn't like it, wanting to try and make small talk with him, "So, are you and Amite together?"

"We're what you'd call married." He answered quickly.

"Do you have kids?"

He looked at her annoyed, "Do you and Marnik have kids?"

Carisa could feel the tension with him, "So that's a no."

He looked away from her and crossed his legs. Reaching into his pocket and taking out a device.

"Want to ask me anything?" She added, seeing if that would help lighten the mood.

"If you want to talk that much, then just tell me how you and Marnik met." He looked back at her, slight interest in his eyes.

Carisa blushed slightly, but remembering how it happened she shook her head and told him, "Well... it was in the woods, I was escaping zombies, and he was eating them. I don't really know why, but I guess I froze, and before I knew it I was up and close. I was told many times how you guys were terrifying, how you all had the strength to lift a car. All I'd seen of your kind before then was barely shadows in the distance. And seeing that you weren't as scary as everyone said... and how he didn't reach to attack me, I'd like to ask him when he gets back why he didn't. I want to know the reason as to why he let me leave, and why he followed me afterward."