8 comments/ 19246 views/ 10 favorites Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 02 By: indianfire Dear Readers: I hope you like the new type of story I'm starting. I plan to make it much longer. There isn't anything steamy in this chapter, but there will be soon. This isn't a quick read, so for those of you that take the time to read it. I do apologize if there are any typos or grammatical errors. As always, please comment and/or vote!! --- I numbly walked back to our table and sunk into my chair. This was really happening? Maybe I was hallucinating. I looked to Jessie and Jason but they had the same look on their faces that I knew was on mine. Abruptly I realized there was still a hand wrapped around mine. I followed the arm to its owner and saw Finn. Where had he come from? My addled brain wondered. His touch was very comforting and I almost didn't remember the leggy blonde. Almost. I yanked my hand back and cradled it as if I'd been burned. "What are you doing here?" I asked haughtily. His face was set in grim lines. "Well right now, I'm wondering the same thing as you: How did this happen and what are we going to do? But I guess you might mean what am I doing near you after that day in the café." "And what are you doing over here?" I prodded. A quick glance at my companions showed that they were very interested in the conversation. "That girl, Carina, I didn't want her to kiss me Logan. I was waiting for you." He seemed sincere, but I rationalized that maybe he was just a good liar. Just thinking back to that scene made me feel sick. "Sure you were, some gorgeous blonde just happened to fall on your lips." Wow, way to go Lo, shouldn't we have kept the cards a little closer to our chest, hm? "No. Listen, my brother set me up on a date with her last semester because he doesn't think I get out enough. I had never met her before that and it was a disaster. She's nuts, and a stalker. I swear I can't get rid of her. Believe me, I've tried." "Then why didn't you just push her away?" The look on his face turned pleading. "I did, you weren't around long enough to see." I thought about it. Did I believe him? I looked to Jess to see if she would say something, but she didn't. Instead it was Jason that spoke up. "Actually Logan, it's probably true. My friend Eric went on a date with her once, and he told me she was crazy. She stalked him for a few weeks until she found a new target." Okay, so he probably was telling the truth. How was I supposed to know the other day in the café? I'm not a mind reader. Did it even change anything? Well, even if THAT did change anything, the pending apocalypse certainly did. Would we really stay long enough to finish the semester? It wasn't like the college was all that secure. If zombies were coming, I didn't want to be here. "Okay Finn. I'll take your word for now. But we need to figure out what to do." The wheels in my head started turning. "I'm going to call my dad. He used to kind of work with the government. He'll know what to do. But first I think we should head back to the dorm, and we should have a car ready nearby. Finn what do you drive?" "I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee." "Okay, well that's not bad. How about you Jason?" I asked. Jessie and I both had small sedans, not the best vehicle for fleeing zombies or driving through a flesh-eating mob. "Actually, I have an H2," he said proudly. "It was a gift from my parents." Jess and I were dumbstruck. "What's that?" we asked. Jason let out a sigh. "It's a hummer ladies." "Perfect! You and Finn go grab your cars, and meet us by the girls' dorm next to the library. Room 213" "I'm grabbing my brother too, he's cool don't worry," Finn replied. "Okay, see you in twenty." Jessie and I walked cautiously back to the dorm's, looking over our shoulder the entire time. It seemed almost normal except for the few students rushing around with packed suitcases or speeding through campus. When we made it back to the dorm we shut the door quickly behind us and locked it. We curled up together on the bed, and I quickly dialed my dad on my phone. He picked up on the first ring. "Daddy?" My voice came out scared and quiet, like when I was little and afraid of the monsters under my bed. With that thought, I prayed there weren't any hidden zombies beneath my bed right now. "Logan? Baby are you okay??" There was a sense of urgency in his voice. "I'm fine Daddy, but what's going on?" "We aren't exactly sure, but pretty soon everyone's going to go crazy. I need you to listen to me. Do you remember Mr. Mackey?" "You mean Professor Mackey? I haven't met him, but I've heard of him. He teaches government and history." "Yes Baby, but you did meet him when you were little. I'm going to tell him where to find you okay? He's going to come to your dorm in about an hour. Before then, back one suitcase full of your things. Tell Jessie to do the same. No frilly clothes, pack jeans and sweaters, boots if you have them. And in another bag, pack all of the food you have in your room. Still there Lo?" "Yes, I'm listening..." "Okay, once you're packed up, he's going to drive with you to his house. He's got some things to pick up there, but it isn't far away. He lives in Brandon. After you stop there, you're going to be stopping at a store, maybe a department store or a shopping center. By then people will probably breaking in. If they are, be careful, and take what you need. Mr. Mackey will keep you safe. If the store hasn't been broken into, use your emergency credit card I gave you. Honey?" It took me a moment to realize he was asking a question. "Yes?" "You remember how to shoot a gun right? All those days we went to the range, you didn't forget everything did you?" "No daddy, I remember how to use a gun." "Good, Mr. Mackey will give you one to use. Keep it on you at all times unless he tells you different. Okay, after shopping, it's going to be a little longer of a drive, but you're going to drive to the ship port in Tampa. I'm already here. I'll be on the boat. If you try to call me again, and it doesn't work, just do what I told you. I'll be right here, okay?" "Okay. But Dad? It's not just me and Jessie, there are a few other people coming with us. Will there be room?" "Yes Baby, that's fine, but try to keep it as small as you can okay? I've already got Jessie's parents here, you can tell her that." "Okay. Daddy?" "Yes Logan?" "I love you." "I love you too Baby Girl, try to stay safe." "You too." He chuckled, "I'll be safe. Just listen to Mr. Mackey. See you soon." The click signaled that the call was over. I looked to Jess. "Did you hear all that?" I asked. She nodded. She was right next to me after all. "I'm glad my parents are there. Do you think we'll be safe on a boat?" she asked. I nodded. "My dad always knows what to do. And since we're going to a larger port, my guess is that it will be a big ship. Big ships sail out into deep water, and I doubt zombies can swim under miles and miles of water." "Good point. Well, let's pack." A few minutes after we started packing there was a knock on the door. Both of us girls jumped, wondering what was on the other side of the door. "It's Jason, open up!" With a breath of relief we did what he asked. He came in with a duffel and set it down to close the door. "Did you see Finn?" I asked. "No, but he'll probably be here soon. Everyone's going crazy. They're all leaving, even the professors. No sign of zombies yet, but a few guys even broke into the school convenience store. It's chaos. When are we leaving?" "In less than an hour. I'll give you the run-down when Finn gets here so I don't have to repeat myself," I replied. Jess and I continued to pack as I worried about Finn. How far away did he live? Where was he? Was he okay? And then I felt stupid. I barely knew the guy, why did I care so much? I calmed down a few minutes later when I heard another knock and his voice through the door. "It's Finn." I rushed over and opened the door, only to have the breath knocked out of me. There he was alright, with another handsome guy, and that stupid blonde!! "Logan, I'm sorry. She was hanging with the same people my brother was and she refused to leave. And of course this is my brother Tristan." So that explained the other Greek God. Finn looked like he swallowed an egg, but I really didn't care. I didn't want that bitch coming with us. "We couldn't leave her alone when the world is about to be overrun with zombies," Tristan said helpfully. He sent an apologetic look to his brother. The blonde was shooting daggers my way with her eyes, but I shot them right back. "Fine, come in." Only Tristan and Finn had bags with them. Blondie didn't, and I got a small amount of pleasure out of the fact. "Okay, so what is the plan?" Jason asked again. I took a deep breath. "I called my dad," Blondie rolled her eyes, "he used to work for the government." I added for Tristan's benefit. "Do any of you know Professor Mackey?" Finn nodded. "I had him last semester. He's a good prof, but he can be strict." That sounded like someone that would be friends with my father. "Okay, well he'll be here soon. He and my dad are friends. When he gets here, we're going to leave. We have to stop at his house for a few things, then a store, and then we'll be heading to the port in Tampa. My dad has a boat waiting there. We're going to get on the boat, and probably get out into the ocean." "A boat? How are we supposed to live on a boat? What about food?" asked the blonde bimbo. I gave her a sharp look, reminding myself that it would probably look bad to Finn and his brother if I strangled her. "Listen Blondie, it's probably more of a ship than a boat. My dad is an intelligent guy, he has a plan. But," I paused for emphasis, "you could just stay here. You don't have to come at all. So if you don't like the plan, leave." "My name is Carina," she spat. "Well then, Carina, are you staying or going?" I asked angrily. She didn't respond other than to cross her arms and stare me down, so I assumed she was staying. Jess and I finished packing in a room that was now filled with awkward silence. Before too much longer the door opened to a face that took me a few minutes to recognize. I was sure Jess would recognize him too once she thought about it. My dad was right, I just always knew Mr. Mackey by his first name, and he wasn't really that old. Well, older than us, but not quite my dad's age. I think he was about 30. "Ricky?" I asked. "Logan?" he asked. I probably looked different than I had the last time he saw me. Eight years ago I had been only 12, an innocent little girl with a crush on someone almost twice my age. He had been just as good looking then as he was now. During the summers that my dad took him under his wing I would follow him as often as I could, Jessie too. He would take us to the beach sometimes, or watch us if my dad was called out of town. He had let me snuggle up and watch movies with him. To me, I was excited to snuggle such a handsome boy, while he was probably just being nice to his mentor's little girl. Nothing more had ever happened, but he was my first crush. Rick walked into the room and swept me into a big bear hug. Who would've thought that we would somehow end up at the same college? It felt good to have someone I trusted hold me close for a minute. He drew back a little but still kept me in the circle of his arms. "It's good to see you kid. Though it's hard to recognize you without the pigtails," he said with a smile. I blushed a little and smiled back. "Well, you're kinda old now, but I can still recognize you too," was my cheeky response. He chuckled before his eyes finally drifted to the other five people in the room. I followed his gaze and realized Finn was watching Rick like a hawk. "Hello everyone, I'm Rick Mackey. Hey Jess," he said, smiling at my friend. Jess blushed under his gaze as I had. "Rick, this is Jason, Finn, Tristan, and" and I paused unhappily, "Carina." Rick looked at me during the pause, and I could tell he wanted to ask about Carina. I was sure he would, probably later. "Are you all ready to go?" he asked. We nodded. "If you want to call your parents and have them meet us at the dock, you can try. Tell them to mention the name Roan Hartley when we get there." "I brought my Hummer, and Finn has a Grand Cherokee," Jason added helpfully. "Okay, we can take those. Jason, if you don't mind I'll drive the Hummer. You, Jess and Lo can ride with me. Finn, you can drive your SUV with Tristan and Carina. Let's go." Finn didn't look happy with the riding assignments, but he didn't complain. Those of us that had bags grabbed them, and we headed back down to the cars. Jason had been right: it was chaos out here. There was running and screaming, but thankfully, no zombies. Yet. We loaded the bags into the back of the vehicles, but before we piled in and drove off, Rick pulled Finn aside. "Here's the address to my house, this is where we're going next." He handed him a black walkie-talkie. "They're already set to the same channel. If you get lost or something happens, use it." On that note, we got into the cars. Rick got in the driver's seat and me the passenger seat with Jason and Jess behind us. I heard Jason on the phone with his parents. "My parents are going to make it there! My little sister too." "That's nice Jason, hopefully we'll be there soon" Jessica said. Rick took the back way out, but there were still a lot of cars. Eventually we ended up in a traffic jam. When it came to a standstill, Rick got on the walkie-talkie. "Finn?" Click. "I'm listening."Click. The sound of his voice made my stomach flip over. "We're going to take a different route. Just follow me, alright?" "Sure thing Rick." As soon as the car in front of us gave us enough room to move, Rick drove the hummer off the road into the field beside it. Finn's Jeep sat there a moment before he realized what was going on. Soon, however, he was right behind us again. We continued like that, riding beside the road until we turned off onto an empty road. The houses on it already looked deserted. I wondered where everyone else was going. Finally, we stopped in front of a white house. Rick turned to us. "This is my house. I've got to go in and get a few things. Logan, you can come with me. We won't be long. Jason, can you get on the walkie-talkie and tell Finn and the others?" Jason nodded and grabbed the walkie-talkie, but Rick and I were already off. Once inside the house, I was tossed a large bag. "What are we grabbing Rick?" "Right now, follow me to the kitchen and grab food, and then we have to pack something else." I followed him and did as I was told. I packed all of the non perishables and he grabbed a cooler for the colder food like the meat and the milk. Once it was packed he looked up. "Let's carry these out so they can load them up, and then we'll come back in for the rest." We dropped them outside the door and Rick ran over to the Jeep to have Finn pack them up in his car. Then he jogged back over. "Okay Doll, follow me," he led me through the house and into the basement. The door had a keypad lock on it. Rick carefully punched in the code and the door opened to reveal a nice collection of weaponry. Most of it was composed of firearms, but there were some bows and swords as well. He grabbed two more bags and started putting the more conventional weapons in, like semi-automatic pistols, some rifles, a couple shotguns, and a few shorter swords and daggers. "Logan? See that stack of bullet boxes over there? Grab them and fit as many as you can into that bag. If you can't fit it all, try to pack a variety." "Okay Rick." I started setting the boxes into the bag, careful to grab different calibers. All but a few boxes fit. Rick was finished too. He looked so much more serious than the Ricky I knew as a little girl. I was definitely glad he had come to my rescue. "Ricky?" I asked tentatively. The tone of my voice had him looking up slowly. "Yes Logan?" he responded carefully. "I'm glad you came, that you're here. I know my dad probably asked, but thank you." I walked over and hugged him really quick. He felt stiff for a moment, and I was about to pack off when he hugged me back. "I still would have come for you Brat. Though I guess I can't still call you that, you've grown up a lot. I'm happy not to be alone too." He planted a soft kiss on the top of my head, and then slowly pulled away. He tucked a .45 pistol into the back of his jeans and handed me a smaller Beretta. "Your dad said he taught you how to shoot, you know how to use this right?" I felt the weight of the fun in my hand. Gripping it with my right, I slid the magazine out with my left. Full. I pulled the slide back a little to peek in the chamber, no round in there. Then I raised the gun in a modified Weaver, pointing it toward an empty concrete wall. It felt pretty good, and all of the lessons my dad gave me came flooding back. I flipped the safety on, and following Rick's example, wedged it into the back of my tighter jeans. He had a grin on his face. "I'll take that as a yes. My guess is that Jessie doesn't know how to shoot a gun and I'm not giving anyone else one until I get to know them better." I smiled back and agreed. I struggled to carry the heavy bag of ammunition, so Rick took it from me and he carried both. Back outside he quickly loaded those bags into our vehicle. He got behind the wheel once more and waiting for Finn to back out behind him. Now on our way he asked Jason for the walkie-talkie. "Finn?" "Yes." "Time to do some shopping. We need to bring supplies with us. There's a large store about 2 miles ahead. We're going to go there, then I'm going to go in with you and Jason." He navigated easily while talking. "We need food, things that don't need to be refrigerated. We also need first aid supplies. Any useful tools, things like matches or lanterns, grab it. And if you see soil, dirt or seeds for fruits and vegetables, grab those too. Some clothing if it's there and we have the time." Soon we were at the store. The windows were broken and people were running in and out, most carrying armfuls of merchandise. It appeared that the cashiers and management had fled. I was glad now for the pistol that Rick had, and for the one that he had given me. Finn hurried over to the Hummer to meet up with Finn and Jason. Rick handed me his walkie-talkie. "Logan, take this one. I have another on me, and Finn's is in the other car. If something happens, you call for me, okay Doll?" "I will. Be careful," I said, looking between him and Finn. They went in, and I sat in the silence biting my nails. I looked back at Jess. "I can't believe this is happening." "What that good ole Ricky came to rescue you? And that he still happens to be really handsome? And that he's looking at you like he never has before?" she asked with a smile. "That's not what I was talking about," I laughed, but I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I thought back to Finn and groaned. Two gorgeous men that I had crushes on when the end of the world was coming, just my luck. *** Finn followed the directions he'd been given. People were acting like crazy animals, though still no zombies. He tried to just put one foot in front of the other for now. Tristan had tried calling their mother and aunt in Miami, but hadn't managed to get an answer. They were starting to wonder something had happened to her. He had to keep a tight rein on himself or he would lose it. Carina was being especially annoying. He was unhappily stuck with her for the remainder of the drive. She was whiney and clingy, and she just wouldn't shut up. On top of that, Professor Mackey seemed awfully close to Logan, and he didn't like the way he looked at her. Rick, ugh. When he'd referred to Logan as "Doll" Finn had the irrational urge to punch the guy. After all, he should be grateful. Thanks to Rick and Mr. Hartley, he was better off than most people right now. Their plan was a decent one. Zombies couldn't swim too well, and they sure as Hell wouldn't be able to swim in the ocean. Hell, what a good term. Life was turning into Hell on Earth. Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 02 Once the three had gathered all that they could, they carried their goods back to the cars. Finn was doubtful that it would all fit, but somehow it did. All packed. They got back on the road again. When traffic was too bad, they drove around it. Both the Jeep and the Hummer were good on rough terrain. When we finally arrived at the port of Tampa, the sun was starting to set. There was a huge chain link fence surrounding the port we wanted to enter. Men with guns at their sides guarded the entrance. A call came over the radio. "Don't get out of the car unless I tell you to." *** Rick looked at me then Jess and Jason. "That goes for you too. Stay here." I watched closely as he left to speak with the guards. The conversation was short before he climbed back in. He put the Hummer back in drive and drove through. Slowly, Finn followed. When the cars finally stopped we were in front of what looked like a large cruise ship. There were more men loading boxes and bags into the cargo area. There were also what I would guess to be oil drums, a lot of them. I looked over to the ramp that led onto the passenger part of the ship and saw my father. Once he spotted the cars and headed towards them, I jumped out and ran to him. "Daddy!" I yelled, throwing myself into his arms. Jessie's parents came out too, and she ran to them in a similar fashion. My dad spun me around and hugged me tight. "Glad you made it kiddo." He looked up to Rick. "Thank you. I wouldn't have trusted anyone more to bring her here safe." Rick nodded. "So who are your friends Logan? Other than Jessie of course." He smiled at my friend. As the other piled out of the cars I introduced them. "This is Jason, Tristan, Finn, and Carina." "Nice to meet you," he responded as he let me go. He indicated a man to his right. "This is Marc, he'll take you to one of the dining areas. There are about 140 of us total so far, give or take twenty. Everyone should be in the dining room. Wait there until I come back in with Rick. You can take any personal belongings with you." Those of us that had bags grabbed them and followed Marc, with the exception of Rick. My eyes went to his a moment for we walked up the ramp and onto the ship with Jessie's parents. Inside the lobby, we got into the elevator for a short trip, and after that it was just a short walk. The room itself was gorgeous. The occasional chandelier hung from the ceiling, shining bright light. The walls were golden, and each table was covered with a spotless white tablecloth that hung nearly to the floor. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls and a mosaic covered the floor. I would be excited to be here if it were under just about any other circumstances. In the dining room there was a low hum of conversation. Some people were crying, some people seemed angry, and some people just seemed numb. In that moment, I wondered why I wasn't having some sort of emotional reaction. Maybe it was because I was lucky enough to have every human being I had cared about for the past 10 years on the ship with me. My mom had passed away when I was a girl, so my dad was the only family I had left. And Jess was here, along with her family. Rick and Finn were also here, yet I didn't want myself to dwell on that thought at the moment. We chose an empty table on the outskirts of the crowd and sat down together. Jessie looked happy to be with her parents and sat between them. Mr. and Mrs. Swain looked like they couldn't be happier than to have their only daughter back. Finn sat beside me, Carina on his other side next to Tristan. Finn had a worried look on his face. While that was exactly out of the blue considering our situation, I still felt compelled to ask. "What's wrong Finn?" He was silent for a minute before he finally answered. "Tris and I have been trying to get a hold of our mother, but she hasn't answered." What he left unsaid was that they feared the zombies had claimed her. Not knowing what to say, I grabbed his hand under the tablecloth. Carina, however, wasn't willing to be left out. "Oh Finn, I'm so sorry baby," she said sympathetically, laying her head on his shoulder. He gave her a disdainful look before shrugging her off and glaring at his brother. I had a hard time ignoring the urge to smack her. We heard the door creak open and a few more people filtered into the room. Jason saw his family come in and went over to them. It was about an hour later that my father and Rick finally came in with a few other men. They all went to the front of the room and asked for everyone's attention. My dad was the first to speak. "Ladies and Gentleman, welcome aboard the Voyager. My name is Roan Hartley. This," he indicated Rick, "is Rick Mackey, Joe Schaefer, Will Covington, Brian Cowan and Marc Cuevas," he introduced the rest. "We will be in charge of this ship for the duration of our time aboard. Not because we seek power, but because we have experience in dire situations. And this," he paused, "is indeed such a situation. We will make decisions together, and listen to any opinions you have. We will try to be fair and make this and enjoyable as possible considering. However, we will do what needs to be done to keep everyone safe. If you feel uncomfortable after hearing that, leave now." He gave the opportunity for anyone to leave if they wanted to. No one did. "If any of you change your mind, you may disembark when we next dock, whenever that may be, there will be no repercussions. This is indeed a cruise ship, as I'm sure you've noticed. Mr. Schaefer," a man who looked to be in his 40s or early 50s stepped forward, "will be the captain of this ship. He used to be a captain in the Navy before he began working on the cruise ships. Mr. Cowan," a man in his 30s with blonde hair stepped forward, "will be his second in command. He has captained cruise ships before and has enough experience. I will be a general coordinator for this ship. My job will be to make sure things go smoothly. If you have complaints, come to me. I will also be in charge of discipline if the need should arise. Rick used to be SWAT. He will be in charge of security. Will Covington will be in charge of supplies. Mr. Cuevas had some engineering experience and used to do ship maintenance for government ships. He will do his best to keep the integrity of the boat intact to ensure safe sailing. If one of these men tells you to do something, do it. We also convinced some of the crew working for the company to stay on and help us run the ship. They agreed that it would be one of the safer places to stay. We have loaded a lot of extra barrels of fuel onto the ship. They should last a while, but eventually we will need to dock for food and more fuel. When that time comes we will need a security force to go out into port and look for it. There will probably be creatures to fight there, so training should start immediately. Anyone interested, please contact Rick. Now, we have room keys to the uppermost deck containing passenger rooms. You can select a room from the list and get the card now from Mr. Cowan, or you can roam around the ship and find a room that you might like and come get the key from us. If you're hungry, we should have food ready in an hour or so. If not, I still expect to see everyone back here at 10:00am sharp tomorrow morning. We leave port in one hour." Some people started forming a line near the table the captain sat at, and some began wandering through the ship. I went back up where my dad and Rick stood, while my friends seemed content to stay at the table a little longer. "Hey Honey," my dad greeted me. "I already have a good room picked out for you. It's a suite, and down the hall from my room. Not far from Rick's either. You can either share the room with Jess or she can have her own. I'll be in room 1314." He handed me two plastic key cards and a map of the ship. Deck 10, Room 1298. "Thank you Dad," I hugged him again. "You're welcome Sweetie. Do me a favor and come back for the dinner later, okay?" "Okay, I will. I'm just going to put my stuff in my room really quick." "Atta girl," he smiled. With that he was off to talk to the other men in charge. Rick, however, stayed near. "I'll be in room 1308. If you want, I can show you and Jess to the room." "Sure, I'll be right back, let me go get her." I went back over to Jessie and our friends. My bag was still sitting by my empty chair. "Hey Jess, did you want to share a room?" I asked. "Of course," she said with a big smile. I looked to her parents. "We'll be in room 1298 if you want to find a room close to ours." As I said it my eyes also darted over to Finn. Would he want a room close to ours? "Sounds good girls. We'll go request our room right now, and then we'll go get settled in too. Will you be back for food later?" Mrs. Swain, Kathy, questioned. "Yeah, we'll be back." "Okay, see you soon." I watched Jess hug her parents goodbye and my stare fell back on Finn. I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what to say to him. So I waved and picked up my bag. Jess did the same and we walked back to Rick. He offered to carry our bags, and hesitantly I let him. What a nice guy. "Follow me ladies." He led us back to the lobby and the elevators, taking us from Deck 15 to Deck 10. We took a left around the corner and our suite was less than a minute away. I gave Jess a key card and used mine to open the door. We went inside to look around. As far as size went, it was somewhat small by normal standards, but slightly larger than the dorm room we had shared. The bonus was that it had a kitchenette, a shower, and a desk/study area. Two large beds shared the largest portion of the room. The room was mostly blue, white and yellow, with wood accents. A patio door led the way onto a balcony, not far from the life boats. Overall, it was a very nice suite. Rick set our bags down and Jess rifled in her bag for something. "I hope you don't mind," she looked between us, "but I really want to shower." "Go ahead Jess, I'll be here when you get out," I told her. She swept into the bathroom, leaving Rick and I in the silence. "Hey kiddo, how are you holding up?" "I'm okay. I feel like I should be more upset, but I just keep thinking about how lucky I am. Everyone that's important to me is on this boat. Not everyone is so lucky." I answered. "What about you?" "I'm doing pretty good too, despite everything. I've never really had a family. You're dad is my closest friend, and he's here. So are you," he added. That thought made my heart beat faster, but I did my best to ignore the sensation. "It's hard to believe that there are really creatures like that, zombies, really living out there. Well, not living, but you know what I mean." "I know, I haven't seen one yet, but all of our government contacts confirmed it. The president was taken to a secure shelter hours ago. I never thought I would say this, but zombies are real. You don't have to worry though Logan. We have a good plan, and we'll keep you safe." I got one last hug before he went back to the door. "I'll see you later?" "Yes," I said softly. And then he was gone. I wondered what Finn was doing right then. *** Watching Logan go with Rick was hard. Finn thought he was a nice guy and all, but he really wanted to be the one keeping Logan safe. He felt the urge to protect her, keep her safe. Maybe there were some other urges, but he knew when to think with his brain. Right now his brain was thinking of a way to get rid of Carina. Jessie's parents had left the table, and now it was just the three of them. He looked over to his brother. "Tris, I'll be right back. I want to see if they heard anything about Miami." Cari looked like she wanted to follow, but he told her to stay with his brother. Before he made his way up to talk to Mr. Hartley, he waited until Carina wasn't looking and snuck over to see Mr. Cowan. "Do you have any rooms near room 1298?" he inquired. The man gave him a strange look, but took out his map for inspection. "1278 is open. Will you be the only one in the room?" He looked up. "No, my brother is with me." Cowan asked for their names and added them to the list before handing him two room keys. Finn quickly hid them in his pocket. Next stop: Mr. Hartley. He was chatting idly with his companions. "Excuse me, Sir?" He turned to me. "You're one of Logan's friends aren't you?" "Yes Sir, Finnegan Kendrick. Most people call me Finn." His hand reached out toward Finn and they shook. "Nice to meet you Finn, you can call me Roan. What is it that you need?" "I was wondering if you'd heard about Miami. My mother and my aunt live there," he ventured. Finn held his breath, hoping against the odds. "I'm sorry son, but from what I heard, the zombies hit there already. They'll probably be here any minute, which is why we're leaving." The older man patted him on the back, unsure what to say. Finn walked back to his brother. Tristan looked up and could tell from the grim set to his brother's face that it wasn't good news. "What did he say?" "The zombies hit Miami already." Hesitantly, Finn took out his Smartphone and went to YouTube. He typed the words "zombies" and "Miami". Up came a myriad of movies. He didn't have to open them to know they weren't good. He didn't really want to open them. He put his head in his hands and took deep breaths. Carina tried to talk and touch him, but he pushed her back. She must have been somewhat intelligent because this time she actually backed off. "Tristan, I need to talk to you for a moment." The brothers stepped away for a moment, leaving Cari pouting by herself. Quickly Finn slipped his brother the room key. "Here, this is the key to our room. I think it's a suite. I didn't want psychopathic blonde getting a room by me. It's already bad enough you let her tag along." "Sorry Bro, but I couldn't let some girl get eaten by zombies just because she's really clingy and annoying. She didn't have anywhere to go. Her parents are on the other side of the country and by the time we got news all planes were grounded. Deep down, she probably feels almost the same as we do right now. " Finn wanted to feel some sympathy, and he almost did. But he had too much on his mind right now and he didn't want to deal with her. "Fine, I'm going back to the room, see you later." *** Jess was finally out of the shower and primping for dinner, though I wasn't sure why. There was much more on all of our minds, but maybe it made her feel better. I was looking out the window as the ship finally started leaving port. The tall buildings were drifting farther and farther away. Some buildings in the distance were on fire. It looked like we were leaving right on time. I put on a fresh set of clothes real quick. Fresh jeans and a comfortable black top were my simple outfit, followed my some black moccasins. Nothing fancy. "Jessie, you ready?" "Yeah, let's go." It was a quick trip back to the dining room. We scanned the crowd for familiar faces. We found the Swains by my dad. No sign of Finn, but I did see his brother and The Bimbo at a table with some other people. Jason was sitting with his sister and parents. We headed in the direction of our own parents. Together we sat at a table. Bowls were set out. A woman came around with a cart and a pot of what I guessed to be soup. Gradually we were all served. "So how's everything going so far Dad?" I asked. "Well we barely made it out on time, but the ship's running well, and we have a decent amount of supplies. It should be a while before we dock, and by then hopefully by then the docks will be fairly deserted. Our goal right now is to get into the ocean. Then we'll probably drift until we come up with a better destination." "Have you considered one of the private islands owned by the cruise companies?" Kathy Swain asked. My dad nodded. "We've been debating it. It may be a safe place, the zombies couldn't reach an island, but if there were people there, and one had accidentally been turned before they arrived, who knows. We'll figure something out." He smiled. Rick appeared behind him. "Hello everyone, mind if I join you?" No one did, so he sat. He looked handsome in a tight shirt and tight jeans, hair wet from a shower. I thought about the other handsome man that I'd been around today and again wondered where he was. The soup was good, really good actually. Somebody on the ship really knew how to cook. The conversation was dull and I spent more time playing with my food than eating it. I was glad when dinner was over. Since all of our rooms were in the same area, everyone left at the same time in a group. Once on Deck 10, we split, Rick walking us ladies to the door. "Can I talk to Lo for a minute Jess?" "Sure, you have your key right Logan?" "Yeah, I'll be in shortly." After I heard the door close I turned to Rick. "You hardly touched your dinner. Something wrong?" He brushed a finger over my cheek, not liking the worry that marred my features. "Just worrying about my friend. He didn't eat dinner. He was worried about his mother, I'm wondering if he got bad news." "Finn?" he asked. My answer was a nod. "I'm sorry about your friend Logan. Do you still have a walkie-talkie?" "Yes, it's in my bag." "Keep it, I have the other two. If you need anything, just turn it on and ask for me. Okay?" "Okay. Thanks Ricky." His lips curved upward at the nickname I'd used for him during childhood. "Anytime Logan. Any time." "Goodnight," I whispered. "Goodnight." I slipped into the room, and then into the bed. The day finally caught up with me, and I drifted right off to sleep. Not even dreams plagued me. I probably drooled everywhere in my deep sleep. I awoke to loud knocking in the middle of the night. I looked over to Jessie and I was surprised she wasn't awake. I shouldn't have been surprised; she always slept like the dead. Hah, the dead. Bad joke. But someone was still knocking. I got out of bed in my rumpled clothing and looked through the peephole. --- The next chapter will come soon. Thank you for reading. Again, please comment and vote! Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 03 Dear Readers: I'm glad most of you like the second chapter better than the first. Hopefully this one doesn't disappoint. For those of you that haven't read the other chapters: this isn't a quickie. It's a story that will gradually get juicier ;). Please vote and/or comment!! Thank you --- I awoke to loud knocking in the middle of the night. I looked over to Jessie and I was surprised she wasn't awake. I shouldn't have been surprised; she always slept like the dead. Hah, the dead. Bad joke. But someone was still knocking. I got out of bed in my rumpled clothing and looked through the peephole. There wasn't much light in the hallways, but they soon adjusted to the darkness. When they did, I realized it was Finn in the hallway. I opened the door quietly and let him in. Not wanting to speak while Jess slept, I indicated the balcony and let the way onto it. Once the sliding door was shut behind us, I whispered softly. "Hey Finn." "Hey yourself." A lopsided smile curved the corner of his lips. My first instinct was to hug him; he looked like he could use it. Would he mind if I hugged him? Would it seem weird coming from someone he hardly knew? What the Hell, the world was coming to an end. Some of our classmates and a lot of the world were turning into some sort of monster and we couldn't save them. I needed a hug just as bad as he likely did. I half glided, half flew into his arms. I slid my hands around his neck and held on tightly. His own strong arms encircled my waist and held me close. Being that way felt so right. I could hear the steady beat of his heart under my cheek. "How are you?" I mumbled against his chest. He stiffened. "Finn?" I looked up into his face and the hurt there was barely discernible through his stern veneer. The silence stretched. "I don't think my mom made it." Those words hung in the air before I finally spoke. "I'm sorry." I knew it wasn't enough, that it didn't make anything better. It hadn't made anything easier for me when my own mother had passed away 10 years ago. I barely remember her now, sadly enough. But Finn's wound was still fresh, and it must have hurt him so much more. I hugged him tighter and rubbed my cheek over his thumping heart. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, just holding each other during that trying time. Eventually I felt a finger go under my chin, lifting my face to his. Those blue eyes were no longer filled with grief; there was a fire burning in them now. My pulse sped in reaction. When he leaned his lips down and pressed them to mine, I didn't back away. Our mouths met and my desire flared. He had fuller lips than most men, but they were still firm and masculine in his oral assault. His tongue darted out to lick my lips like a starving man before white teeth tugged at my lower lip. Heat and wetness pooled between my thighs. My gasp opened my mouth to him and he took advantage of the opportunity. Our tongues met and clashed. I was ravenous for a taste of him. Kissing him like this made me feel alive. It made it hard to forget about the world coming down around us. My fingers clutched at his shirt as he backed me into the patio doors. I could feel his arousal against my soft belly and it made me even hungrier. Finn definitely had above average equipment. I moaned into his mouth and my hips rolled into his. Mmmmm, he tasted so good. A loud sound from a balcony not far from mine startled us apart. We were both breathing heavily. Realizing how easily I had given into his kiss, a blush started creeping up into my cheeks. It was the end of the world and everything, but I had almost thrown myself at him. A minute ago I might have agreed to have sex with him. What was wrong with me? Probably the sex drought, the naughty part of my brain answered. Despite my sudden reality check, my body still wanted him. I felt a little bad for leaving him hanging. I smiled sheepishly, feeling a bit shy now. He returned the same smile, though a quick glance south confirmed my suspicions that he was still aroused. "Thank you," he said, out of nowhere. "For what?" I was puzzled, what could he be thanking me for? "I needed to talk to someone, even if I didn't say much. And for the hug..." What he left unspoken was that he was also thanking me for the kiss. He seemed almost as shy as I did now. Another small smile tugged at my lips. "You're welcome Finn, I'm glad you wanted to talk to me. You can always knock." I hugged him once more. "C'mon, we both need to get some sleep before breakfast in the morning. I'll see you then." We walked back through the room quietly. Out in the hall he hugged me for a final goodnight. "Sweet dreams Logan." "Same to you Finn." *** At 9:45 the next morning Jess and I were waiting in the dining room for the breakfast announcements. Not as many people were crying and chatting this morning. Most of the children in the room stayed by their mothers and fathers, but there weren't too many of them. There was no sign of my father or Rick yet, but Jessica's parents were with us. I kept looking around, trying to spot Finn but I didn't think he and his brother were here yet. Thinking about last night, I began chewing my fingernails nervously. Would he feel different about me this morning? Would he talk to me? Or was he one of those guys that only wanted to be close when we were alone? Why did my heart insist on beating twice as fast anytime I thought about him? At last he entered the room with his brother, and thankfully there was no Bimbo to be seen. Relief flooded me. His eyes scanned the room, and when they stopped on me, I knew I was what he had been looking for. Jessie must have notice too, because she leaned over and whispered into my ear. "I see you're starting to forget all of your objections about him huh?" I gave her a sharp look. They were walking over to our table. "Good morning Finn, how are you?" Jessie asked him. "I'm good, much better after a good night's rest." He answered her question, but his eyes were on me the whole time. I coughed gently. "I'm not sure if I introduced you yesterday or not, but this is Finn and his brother Tristan. And Finn, these are Jessie's parents: Mr. and Mrs. Swain. " I indicated the couple in their late 40s. "Make that Kathy and Jim," her mom said with a smile. "Nice to meet you," the brothers responded. "I hope you don't mind if we join you," Finn added. "No, not at all," I returned. They sat, and though Finn was quiet, his brother wasn't. Tristan's charm had everyone at ease as he chatted with Jess and her parents. Finn and I shared a smile before he slid his hand down to mine and held it under the table. I squeezed his fingers for reassurance. The news about his mother still had to be hurting him. Jess looked over at Finn, "so how did you manage to get rid of Carina?" Just the mention of her name made me see red, yet I found I was curious too. Finn just shrugged. "I got lucky. I think she found some other guy she'd rather stalk. I'm not going to question it; I'm just going to be thankful." Good, I thought. Now I won't have to kick that Bimbo's ass. When my father and the other men I had mentally dubbed 'chiefs' came in a hush fell over the crowd. They took up their positions in front of the room and the chiefs let my father step forward to speak. His deep voice filled the room. "Good morning Ladies and Gentleman. In case you don't remember, my name is Rick Hartley. If you have any questions or problems on this ship, you can come to me. I'll also reintroduce my fellow leaders here and give you their new titles." He walked over to Rick. "This is Rick Mackey, head of security aboard this ship," he moved along to the next man. "Joe Schaefer is the Captain of the ship, with Brian Cowan as his second in command. Marc Cuevas is in charge of ship operations. Will Covington will be in charge of supplies. I will repeat my statement from yesterday: If these men tell you to do something, do it. I trust these men to be reasonable and to keep the best interests of our group in mind. However, should a problem arise, I would prefer you come to me and I will listen to your complaint. If I feel there is an issue, I will resolve it. We do not take these positions as leaders seeking out power. We only strive to keep everyone on this ship alive and well, and to do whatever necessary to aid in that goal. Starting now we will ask that you do your best to conserve energy and all other resources on this ship. The longer we stretch the supplies we have, the more time we have before we have to dock and venture back onto land. Turn the lights on only when necessary, shut them off when you leave a room. Take quick showers, and try not to take them too often. We will not ration food unless dire circumstances should arise, but we will not prepare excess for group meals. A group meal will be held here three times a day. Breakfast will be at 9:00am from now on. Lunch will be at 1:00pm and dinner will be served at 5:00 pm. If you do not make it to a group meal, you will have to go to the kitchen. As I said, we will do our best not to ration food. However, we suggest that you try not to take advantage of that. By the same token, we all need our strength, so don't starve yourselves either. We do have the items required for growing fruits and vegetables on this ship, so we will be able to grow some of our own food. To keep us in shape, Rick will hold an optional group exercise in the gym each morning at 7:30am. It will run for an hour. It isn't mandatory, but we recommend that you go. Starting tomorrow, we are going to need you all to start helping around the ship. If you would like, you may join Rick's security team. Know that in doing so, the team may be sent to scout if we dock at a port. We will also need people to work in the kitchens, people to clean, volunteers to help with ship maintenance, and we will need help with inventory. You will start training and working tomorrow. If you know what job you'd like, you can contact me or whichever of us corresponds to the job. If you do not select your own, we will assign one to you. As you leave the room today, I'll be by the door to take down your names and room numbers, even if you haven't selected a job yet. For the remainder of the day you are free to use decks ten through fifteen. If you need a map, some are available by the door. You can swim, find something to do in the day spa, or even climb the rock wall. Is there anything else you want to know before we start breakfast?" Questions started popping up from all over the crowd. My father shook his head and held up his hands for silence. "We're going to try this a different way. Ma'am," he pointed to a woman, "what was your question?" The woman he indicated stood, "How do we know what's happening back home? Are there any televisions working? What about the internet?" "We've lost satellite reception for television, and only occasionally do we pick up internet. Most cell phones are no longer working. We have a radio that picks up the odd frequency every so often, but nothing of much value yet. We will keep trying." The woman sat back down, looking defeated. She pulled her child close to her and watched the rest of the meeting silently. A man stood up this time. "How DO we know what's happening back there? What were those things and maybe the government killed them all already. When can we go back?" Rick answered this one. "Do we know for sure what's happening back home for sure right now? No, but we do know some people were turning into inhuman monsters while the rest were drying gruesome deaths at their hands. We know that it was only getting worse, and that it was spreading. I know it sounds farfetched, but yes, we believe them to be zombies, or at least very similar. Many people we used to know are no longer with us, not really. They have turned into those creatures. I know it sounds harsh, but we have to be realistic about our situation. They were most likely infected by a virus from any of the numerous companies researching biochemical warfare. I'm sure most of you have seen 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, or Resident Evil. If you have, I'm sure you're thinking the same thing. Let's hope it isn't as bad as Resident Evil. We will go back when we need supplies. We will choose a port carefully, and only the security team will venture out onto land to look for new supplies." "When will we run out of supplies?" another man asked. Will Covington stepped forward. "Right now we have enough supplies to last us roughly a few months. We are carrying enough food and supplies to support the needs of an entire ship, while there are less than 200 of us here. Our most precious resource is fuel, which is why power conservation is critical." "What if we find survivors?" Rick grabbed this one too. "First, we will check them for signs of infection. If they appear healthy without bite wounds, we will do our best to bring them safely back to the ship." "What if zombies make their way onto the ship?" This time my father replied. "We chose this ship because it seemed to be the safest place under the circumstances. Anytime we dock, the security team will first leave in lifeboats to scout the area. Only if it appears safe and free of the infected will we dock. Once we've laid anchor we'll keep the ramp up until Rick gives the heads up that the team is coming back. We do have long range walkie-talkies that still seem to function. Once the team comes back we'll let down the ramp. Should Rick and I decide it necessary, we will keep the ramp up and his team will take the lifeboats and row them back into open water to wait for us. The ship is nearly impenetrable from ground level. The hull is made of steel and has no openings. The windows are all tightly sealed and will offer no entry. The only vulnerability would be the ramp, which is why we will only put it out if we are certain that it's safe. Should one of those creatures manage to get on board, we will have security members posted at possible entry points. They will be armed and given permission to shoot the infected in the head. If it is a survivor that shows no sign of infection, we will let them aboard. The intercom on the ship is still functional, we will warn you if there's a breech in security. That's worst case scenario. If you hear that announcement, you're to go immediately to your stateroom or the stateroom of someone else. The door will only open with a key card. They are thick wood, and the creatures won't get through. We will search the ship until we're sure they've all been exterminated." "What if it's someone we know?" someone asked. This gave us pause. "If they are infected, they will be eliminated. Hopefully we won't encounter that situation, but we have to do what's best for the group. Those people aren't who we knew once they've changed." The room was once against quiet. We'd just been given a lot to think about. It amazed me how much planning my father and the chiefs had put into this. Especially since they probably hadn't had much time. The plan was nearly foolproof expect for the scouting missions. But even then, our chances were better than the survivors in your average zombie flick. I felt Finn's hand hold mine tighter and it quieted my mind a little. Now all I had to do was pick a job to do. I didn't like to clean, who does? I did like to cook, and I would be good at taking inventory. I thought back to the Beretta locked in my room vault. Maybe I could join the security team. It was a dangerous job, but I trusted Rick, and it needed done. "Alright everyone," I think it was the captain speaking, "thank you for your cooperation. Breakfast will be in shortly." Conversation slowly started back up. In ten minutes a breakfast buffet was set up. Our table waited a bit before we went up. Jessie and I were urged in front of her parents, with Finn and Tristan following them. I took only two slices of bacon and a few pancakes. I felt a little guilty putting the blueberries on top, but I figured that our stock of them would go bad if it wasn't eaten soon. When a hand settled on my shoulder I jumped. "Hey Kiddo, didn't mean to scare you." I knew that voice; it belonged to Rick. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. I shot a small smile his way. "Hey Ricky." "Your dad and I were wondering if you'd like to sit with us again." I thought about it, but I really wanted to stay with Finn and Jess. Finn. It was as if at the thought of him, my brain knew he was watching me. I got goosebumps, and then I felt my stomach flip again. "Thanks Rick, but I think I'll stay at our table. Maybe for lunch," I added. His smile dimmed a little. "Sure Kiddo, if you want to sit with us at lunch, just come on over." "Thanks Rick. If not I'm sure I'll talk to you and dad later." He walked away, and I had to admit he did look pretty good. I probably should have, but sitting with all of the chiefs seemed way too intimidating. I scanned the room for my dad and sent him a wave. "You must really like Finn," Jessie whispered. The look I gave her clearly said 'shut up'. "Rick is really hot, and the way he looks at you..." she shook her head. "Like I really want to sit with all the Chiefs?" "Chiefs?" "Yeah, all of the men in charge. I'd feel like a deer in the headlights. I'll see my dad and Rick later." Back at our table Finn gave me an inquiring look but he didn't press. I liked that he knew when not to ask. We ate breakfast quickly. Now it was time to figure out how to spend the day. "Well, what are you kids going to do today?" Jessie's parents asked. I wanted to explore the top decks and see what was around and I told them so. "That sounds like a good idea," Jess said. "Are you in?" "I think we're going to go relax in the pool darling, but we'll see you for lunch," Mr. Swain, Jim, spoke up. "We're in," Tristan said. My body warmed at the thought of being with Finn all day. Maybe he would try to steal another kiss. On our way out we gave my dad our names and room numbers. Well, everyone but Jess and I, ours was already there. I stepped over to my father and hugged him quickly. "Missed you at breakfast. What are you up to today princess?" "We're going to find our way around the ship, explore a little." "Alright, but be careful. You too Jess." Since the dining room was on the top deck, we worked our way down. Finn was near my side the whole time, and it felt good having him there. We would smile and laugh together, or when the weight of everything came crashing down, he'd grab my hand. I blushed the first time he did that, knowing that Jess and Tristan surely noticed. But nobody said anything about it. In fact, Jess and Tristan were pretty caught up in each other too. Both of the social butterflies hitting it off, imagine that. It was a good thing they got along though, because I was hoping to spend more time with Finn. *** Finn was amazed at how easily he and Logan got along. His brother was even getting along really well with her friend. It was hard staying positive when you thought about the zombies back home, but Logan helped distract him from that. And from his mother. Finn was still hoping that somehow, she'd survived. His phone wasn't working anymore, so it was impossible to know. A squeeze on his hand let him know Logan was there. Right now they were exploring the spa. The girls were delighted to find all sorts of lotions and sprays. They even found nail polish. It was nice to see Logan smile. They spent half an hour in there before heading back into the hall. "I think I'm going to go back to the pool and relax with my parents, does anyone else want to go with me?" Jess asked. Logan shook her head. "I want to look around a little bit more, but I'll see you at lunch." Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 03 Tristan shot a grin Jessie's way, "I'll go." Everyone looked to Finn. "I'm going to stay with Logan, but I'll be at lunch too." Logan smiled at him and the four of them split. Logan led the way back to the solarium, standing in front of the wide glass windows. The ocean stretched out in all directions. The water was a nice bright blue, and when he looked carefully, he could see what he guessed were dolphins splashing in the ship's wake. "It's so beautiful," she whispered. "How can the world be ending when everything looks so normal?" Finn stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Laying his chin on her shoulder, he replied, "because we were somehow lucky enough to get out. The plan they have is good, but being out here makes it easy to pretend that it's just a vacation. In a way it feels almost like everything else was just a bad dream, and that I'll be able to go home and see my mother when the ship docks." "Finn..." Logan turned in his arms and hugged him tight. Looking up into his eyes her heart clenched. Out of instinct, she lifted her lips and laid them softly against his. It wasn't clear to her why she did it, but Finn responded. He needed something to distract him, but Logan was still so much more than that. He pressed his lips more firmly to hers, teasing the corners of her mouth with his tongue. Her gasp was the opportunity he needed to taste her again, she was so addicting. Tongues met in heated passion. In that moment everything else fell away. With his hands on her hips, Finn pulled her closer and lifted her slightly against him. She was so soft against his hardness. He groaned into her mouth. Her hands slid into his hair, teasing his auburn locks. They alternated between pulling and scratching and it only served to turn him on even more. He felt like a starving man being served his last meal. The kiss would have turned into much more if someone else hadn't walked into the solarium only to cough at the sight of them and leave. Logan jumped away from him, smiling nervously. She almost looked like she felt guilty. Finn wanted to wipe that look off of her face with another heart stopping kiss, but he knew now wasn't the time. "Ummm, maybe we should go up to the pool with Jess and Tristan until dinner," she offered. Finn wasn't really ready to face everyone with his raging hard-on, but by sheer force of will he forced his cock to soften enough not to be too noticeable. Kissing Logan was worth it. "Alright, I didn't bring swim trunks, but I need to stop by my room to find something better to swim in. Maybe Tristan has an extra pair." Finn looked down at his cargo shorts. "That's okay, I have to go to my room for a suit too." Together they got back on the elevator and headed to Deck 10. Once there, they parted ways to change. *** In my stateroom I took a moment to breathe. What was it about Finn that made me feel like jell-o? Probably his impossibly good looks. And I loved the way he was usually the strong silent type, but had those occasional moments of vulnerability that were so endearing. Part of me was very ready to fall for Finn, but the other part was so confused with everything going on that I didn't want to let anyone too close. Being close to him fogged up my brain, but at the same time I really enjoyed every moment I got to spend with him. Heaving a sigh, I searched through my bag for a swim suit. Two bikinis: a white one, and one with blue Hawaiian flowers. I opted for the white. The bottoms tied at the sides and the top tied around my neck and my back. I had just finished putting it on when I heard a knock on the door. "Just a minute!" I called. At the door I peered through the peephole. It was Finn, in swim trunks. My heart started beating against my rib cage. Slowly I opened the door. "Hi." My voice came out barely above a whisper. I was curious about his lack of response until I followed his gaze. His eyes were devouring my curves and sliding over all of the bare skin on display. In that moment I wished for a one-piece, but I had always wanted to maximize my tan. "Hi," his voice came out a little gravelly. "I finished changing and figured I'd see if you wanted to walk up there with me." His intense stare finally went back up to my eyes. The look was smoldering. I blushed and backed up. It was almost as if he was the predator and I was the prey. "Logan, you're beautiful." Two quick strides had his body an inch from mine. He dropped the shirt he was holding. I could feel heat from him on my skin and his breath fanned my cheek. I knew he was going to kiss me unless I stopped him. Did I want to stop him? If I did, it was the minority, because the majority of me was as hungry as he was. Up close it was hard to ignore his broad shoulders and lean muscles. A lightly defined six-pack of abs drew my attention downward. As soon as my stare met his, he was kissing me. Teeth nipped, tongues licked, and my body melted into his. I didn't realize we were moving until I felt the bed behind my knees. The plush mattress caught me as I fell back. Finn wasn't far behind. His hot body was above mine, with him resting his weight on his elbows. He kissed down my neck, over my collarbone, and then the valley between my breasts. He took one hand and used it to caress first one mound, and then the other. I started to feel moisture seeping from my pussy and moaned at the arousal spiraling through me. Even if I had wanted to stop him, I couldn't. At this point I was lost. He moved the fabric of my bikini top to the side, exposing my full breasts and nipples. Strong fingers went to one nipple, gently plucking and rubbing, while his mouth settled on the other. When his teeth scraped my tender flesh I cried out. He suckled on my nipple and with each pull I felt a jolt shoot through me to settle between my legs. After giving a little more attention to that breast, he switched. My fingers slid through his hair, gripping and pulling. Soon his mouth was trailing down my soft belly, over my hips, and then to my hot core. I lifted myself onto my elbows to watch him, entranced by the sight of this Greek God pulling my bikini bottom off of me. Finn seemed awed by the vision of my shaved pussy right in front of him. One of his hands rested where the fabric had been, feeling my heat. I squirmed, my hips lifting upward into his palm. "Please," I begged. I wanted, no, I NEEDED him to touch me there. My body was wound so tight from all of the teasing that it was screaming for release. A helpless whimper left my mouth. His long fingers parted my folds and his tongue lightly probed my slit. "Finn!" Hearing his name only spurred him on. He began devouring me, licking my lips, thrusting his tongue inside me, nibbling on my clit. It was as if he couldn't get enough. I was almost there, so close. God, he knew how to use his tongue. When I looked back down and saw his eyes on mine, a wave of pleasure washed over me. Without warning, he shoved a finger deep inside me. I cried out and shattered around him. I moaned and screamed and writhed on the bed, riding out the powerful orgasm. My breath came out in pants until I finally came back down. When I did, Finn was beside me, pulling me into his arms. I could hear his heart pounding too. In the aftermath I started to wonder what had come over me. Had I really just let Finn eat me out? What about him? Would he expect a blow job from me now? Did he think I was easy? Would things be awkward now? I fixed my bikini so that it was back to covering all the things it should cover. So many questions had my head spinning. Now wasn't the time for me to get caught up in love life drama. So much of the future was one big unknown now. I looked away from Finn and instead at the clock. Almost a quarter 'til one. Lunch time. "Oh! We had better go up to lunch." I watched Finn as he checked the time too. "You're right. Maybe we'll get that swim in later?" The look on his face was hopeful. I was even more confused now than I had been 30 minutes ago. I didn't want to make promises. "Yeah, maybe. I have to go and talk to my dad after lunch." The hopeful light faded from his eyes but he nodded and smiled at me anyway. I got up and looked around for my cover-up. My pale pink sarong was in the bottom of the bag, and I hurriedly slipped it around me into the form of a dress. A piece of coconut shell held it in place. Despite the casual dress code around here, I felt underdressed. That, however, was better than Finn watching me change into something more suitable. Strappy white sandals completed the outfit. I'm sure with my unruly curls hanging around my face I must have looked like some savage native. Finn just picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head. Oh well, time to get to lunch. There was no small talk between Finn and I as we walked back to the dining hall. Once there, we walked over to the table where Tristan was sitting with Jess and her family. Upon seeing me and the look on my face, Jess had a big question mark on hers. Tristan too seemed a little curious. I forced a big smile. "Hey everyone, I wanted to say hi, but I told my dad and Rick I'd have lunch with them. But maybe I'll see you all later," I was hoping to see some of them later at least. Finn had left my head all jumbled. "Oh, okay sweetie. We're going back to the pool after this. It seems that some sort of computer tech or something found a way to play DVDs on the big screen. It's that huge flat screen on the smoke stack above the pool area. Hopefully you can come too. I think it's going to be that new movie with Reese Witherspoon and the two spies. It's supposed to be really good." Mrs. Swain had a huge smile on her face. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll meet you guys there afterward." I waved and weaved my way through the crowd to the table my dad usually sits at. They were all still standing. I first walked over to my dad and gave him a hug. "Hey Daddy." "Hey Sweetie, what's with the dress?" he asked. "It's not a dress Dad, it's a sarong. It's like a beach cover-up, I was thinking of going swimming after lunch. "Well, it looks good Kiddo," Rick added with a grin. "I was wondering, if maybe we could have lunch without all of the other Chiefs today?" I really didn't feel like sitting with all of the head honchos. My dad and Rick were one thing. "The chiefs?" the men questioned. "Yeah, you know, all of the other men in charge of the ship." Both of them chuckled. "Sure," my dad answered, "I'll let them know. Most of them have friends or family here anyway." My father walked over to his friends for a quick chat. That left Rick and I standing together. "So might you want some company later when you go swimming?" The offer seemed tempting. Especially since swimming with Rick would mean seeing him shirtless. But I had already told the Swains and Finn that I'd meet up with them later for the movie. I was confused about Finn, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I chewed my lip for a moment in thought. "I was going to watch the movie later with my friends, but you could probably hang out with us." *** Rick was trying really hard not to stare at Logan in that outfit. She looked like an island princess. When had the little brat he knew turned into such a goddess? The funny thing was, it was as if she didn't even know it. Sometimes he felt guilty for thinking of her that way, but he wasn't THAT much older, and she was an adult now. Rick knew she'd had a crush on him when she was younger, back then it had been cute and silly, now he wondered if she still did. He saw the way that one guy, Finn watched her. And sometimes Logan would look back at him the same way. And yet, Rick was almost sure she slid those heated glances his way too. It wasn't as if she had claimed Finn to be her boyfriend or any such thing. According to her father, Logan didn't date much. Rick wondered why, but he wasn't going to draw attention to himself by asking her dad that. He wasn't even sure how his mentor would take his friend's newfound attraction to his daughter. He focused back on Logan as he waited for her answer. The way she nibbled her bottom lip when she was nervous was adorable, and it also made him want to kiss those full lips. "I was going to watch the movie later with my friends, but you could probably hang out with us." Rick wasn't really sure he'd fit in with her friends, so he made a joke of it. "You sure I'm not too old Brat?" "You're not that old, but Jessie's parents are even older than you, and they'll be there with us." Well, that was a good sign. She didn't think he was too old, but, she had just compared him to Jessie's parents. He did feel better about 'hanging' with her friends if the Swains were going to be there. "Sure Lo, we can head there together after lunch." Her smile lit up her face. God, she was gorgeous. "Wow, I think that's the first time you've called me anything other than 'Kiddo' or 'Brat'." Was it? "Well, I've also called you 'Doll' a few times to," he winked, and then he chuckled when she blushed. "Which would you prefer?" "I kind of like 'Doll'," she answered. Logan turned an even deeper shade of red with the admission. *** Was Rick flirting with me? It almost seemed like it. And the way he had looked me over earlier... My dad walked back over. "The 'Chiefs' are okay with eating apart for lunch. Are you two ready to eat?" We both answered in the affirmative and we headed over to the buffet line. I saw Finn watching from a few tables away and wondered what he was thinking. He turned and caught my stare, but I turned away. Back with my dad and Rick, seated at a small round table, we began to eat. Once we were about half done, we started chatting. "So Dad, do you want to come watch the movie later with us?" "Sorry Baby, I have some things to go over with Will and Joe." I turned my attention back to Rick, "but you don't have to go?" "Nope, I can still go watch the movie with you and your friends later." My dad looked to Rick, "good luck dealing with the teenagers," he chuckled. Would it be as bad for him as my dad made it sound? Rick had seemed excited to go. Then again, maybe he was just looking out for me the same as he had when I was a little girl. Wiping off my scraped knees and applying band-aids with precision. When he answered, most of my worries were put to rest. "Naw, it sounds like fun. And it's been a while since I babysat your brat and spent some time with her." My father seemed satisfied with that answer and finished his meal. Brat? I thought Rick had just said he wouldn't call me brat anymore. I gave him a cross look and finished my food too. "Before you leave Dad, I have something I wanted to talk to you about. Rick too." "What's that Sweetie?" "I was thinking about what job I wanted, and I think I may want to join Rick's security team." --- Well, what did you all think? Again, please vote and comment. Thank you, indianfire Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 04 Hello Everyone, I know it's been a long time since I posted and I'm very sorry. Last year I went through a difficult miscarriage, and I moved as well. After that I just kind of threw myself into my day job to keep distracted. I hope to be back from my hiatus, with this new chapter being only the beginning. If I start slacking, feel free to send me an e-mail of leave a comment. To all of my loyal fans: Thank you for your continued support. I hope this one doesn't disappoint. It isn't as steamy as usual, but I'm trying to build up the story. I hope for it to get much hotter soon ;). *** I was sitting at lunch with my father and Rick while the silence stretched on. Both of their jaws were slack and I swear I would've been able to hear a pin drop. "Hello? Dad? Rick? I said I think I want to join the security team," I announced a second time. My dad cleared his throat, "Now Princess, isn't there something else you might want to do? You're really good in the kitchen and there are a lot of mouths to feed." "It would be really dangerous," Rick piped in. My father nodded. Dangerous? Well no shit Sherlock, I thought. But it would be dangerous for a man too. "Is this because I'm a girl? It would be dangerous for anyone. And yes, I like to cook, but I'm also good with weapons thanks to all that training you gave me Daddy." I sent them both a 'kill with kindness' smile. The last bit seemed to catch my dad. "I just wanted you to know how to protect yourself Baby Girl." His tone was condescending, the same one he used on me when I was 5. My temper was starting to creep out. "And you taught me extremely well. So well, in fact, that I can probably protect myself better than most of the men on this ship. I could help," I pleaded. Roan Hartley's voice became firm, "Logan, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. You're my daughter and I want you to stay safely on this ship." "Oh really? But you're going to let Rick go out there and risk his safety?" I demanded. It was Rick who responded this time. "Logan, we would both worry about you too much. I'm in charge of the team, and I wouldn't be able to focus if I was more worried about keeping you safe. There are plenty of other things you can do." In a huff of exasperation I shoved my chair back and tossed my napkin on the table. "Fine. I'm done with lunch, so I'm leaving." With my head held high I soared out of the room. *** I looked over at Roan. "Sorry Man, I didn't mean to upset her." "It's alright Rick. My little girl has always been head strong. And she doesn't like being told she can't do something just because she's a girl. Her temper will cool." Roan looked satisfied with his analysis, but I didn't want her to be mad at me. "If you say so, but I'm going to go check on her just in case." "Alright, just make sure you're back early for dinner so that us 'Chiefs' can have a meeting," he chuckled. I tried not to look too rushed as I followed the path Logan had taken when she stormed out. It didn't take me long to find her in an alcove not far down the corridor. Her eyes flashed when she saw me. I raised my hands palm out to show I meant no harm. "What do you want?" she asked defiantly. "I just wanted to come see that you were alright." I tried to use a soothing tone of voice. "I'm fine as you can see, so you can go." I shook my head and sat next to her on the bench. She looked so cute when she was angry. Before I thought better of it, I reached out and gently tugged on a silky strand of her hair. "I don't want you mad at me. I know you would be a great member of the team, but if you were out there with me, I would be worried about only you. You're too close to me, and your father would never forgive me if something happened to you. I'll have a whole team to worry about." "And? Don't you think I'll be worried about you? Who's going to make sure YOU stay safe?" she prodded. I smiled that she was so protective of a big guy like me. "I've been taking care of myself since before you met me Doll, and I've been fine. And I won't be alone." It appeared that she was mulling it over and thinking of everything before she sent a haughty look my way. "Are we back to Doll? Because I could have sworn you called me a Brat to my father after we had our discussion." Damn, she had a good memory. But it wasn't like I could tell her the reason that I did that was to ensure that her father had no idea I was attracted to his spitfire daughter. "It slipped, I'm sorry Logan. I'll try not to let it happen again, okay?" She crossed her arms and gave a 'hrmph' in response. I couldn't help but laugh, and eventually she started laughing too. I pulled her against my side and laid a kiss on the top of her head. God, she smelled good. I wished I could kiss her a little more south on her soft pink lips, but I didn't dare. "I should probably go up to the pool that way if Jess and everyone gets there first they're not worried. You don't have to come if you don't want to." There was no way I could say no to her big doe eyes. "I'm going Doll." I stood and held out a hand to her to help her up. Her hand felt good in mine, but I let go quickly. *** We made it up to the pool deck before Jess and Finn. Rick was being quiet beside me. He looked like he was thinking awful hard about something, and I had a fuzzy feeling it had something to do with me. I didn't have time to ask because soon my friends arrived. Finn smiled when he saw me and settled on my other side. I smiled back at him, even though I was still a bit confused. "Hey Logan, we missed you at lunch," he said. "You better be eating dinner with us," Jessie chimed in. She was leaning in awful close to Tristan. I wondered if I had missed anything important at lunch. Soon the movie started. As it progressed, I mentally groaned. A woman stuck between two hot men. Ugh, how ironic. I spent the whole movie thinking about the Finn and Rick situation. It did help clear my head a bit. Rick was hot, but it would never work. He was too close to my dad and I was sure that would get in the way. I also wasn't sure if what I was feeling was just a rollover of a childhood crush. Now Finn, I knew what I felt for him was real. I liked spending time with him. And while it was a tiny bit complicated, Rick was way more complicated. Finn had the potential to be a real partner. I was on even footing with him, and the more time we spent together, the easier it was getting to fall for him. Occasionally I would feel Finn's eyes on me, and sometimes maybe Rick's too. By the time the movie was over, I was ready to get out from in between them. Rick made that easy. When he stood he gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry Doll, but I have to get back for a meeting with The Chiefs." He looked like he wanted to say more, but he didn't. "Okay Rick, see you later." He paused before turning and leaving. I let out the breath I was holding. "Sorry kids, but I think we're going to go too. We want to go figure out what jobs we'd like so we don't get assigned some. We'll see you all at dinner," Kathy Swain announced. That left just the four of us. Jessie piped up. "Why don't we go back to our room and we can all watch some movies? The TV had a DVD player and I managed to sneak some out of the library on the ship." "That sounds great," Tristan responded. It didn't take long to get back to the room and get situated. I was still feeling slightly disoriented toward Finn, but I was happier to be beside him after my revelation earlier. He was definitely the right choice for me. The butterflies in my stomach seemed to agree. Naturally Finn and I ended up on my bed, while Tristan and Jess ended up on hers. With the lights dimmed and the movies on it was slightly romantic. Well, except for the chatter from the other bed. I looked to Finn, my heart pounding at his close proximity. The heat from his body was seeping into my skin. His eyes were so deep and intense, glancing at my body as if he could see what was under my thin beach wrap. I felt my cheeks fill with color at his thorough appraisal. Glancing down from his gaze, my stare concentrated on his hard pecs. His white tee didn't hide his muscular body. Just looking at him made my mouth water. Finn licked his lips, and it made me flash back to our earlier encounter. Those soft, full lips between my legs. His tongue licking up and down my slit, probing gently inside me. Fuck, the images alone were making me wet and horny. I shifted restlessly and Finn's eyes picked up the motion. Tugging the blanket over us, he moved closer, molding our bodies together. I checked to make sure Jess and Tristan weren't paying attention. They weren't, they seemed to be as engrossed with each other as we were. I laid my head on Finn's shoulder, trying to muffle my moan. His hard body felt so damn good against my softer one. I couldn't resist rubbing my body against his, like a cat begging for attention. Finn didn't disappoint, his hands moved to untie my sarong, and I really couldn't bring myself to stop him. I so wanted to get lost in him, forget Rick, forget the ship, forget about the whole damn apocalypse thing. Those warm hands on my belly, my ribs, they were definitely distracting enough. I reciprocated in kind, sliding my palms under his shirt to feel the tantalizing muscle beneath. His sharp, indrawn breath made me feel empowered. I pressed my body closer to his and finally pressed our lips together. Finn's response was immediate, his tongue thrust into my mouth like he was a starving man and I was the last piece of fruit. A loud moan from the other bed ruined the heated moment between us. Suddenly the room was quiet until we all started laughing. "All right guys, I think it's time you went to your room so we can all get ready for dinner," Jess announced. Both men grumbled, earning some more chuckles. Finn leaned forward for a quick kiss before vacating my bed. "See you soon Beautiful," he whispered. When the door was shut and we could no longer hear their footsteps, Jess and I jumped out of bed and squealed. "EEEEEeeeeEEE!!" Jess squeaked. I covered my ears trying to keep a straight face. "Jess, you're ridiculous." "If I am, so are you. I know you and Finn were getting just as hot as Tris and I." "So it's 'Tris' now is it?" I inquired playfully. "Oh yes it is. And I'm glad, it works out since you warmed back up to Finn," she prodded. "I have no clue what you mean," I tried to play it off. "Oh come one, give it up Lo. You were giving that poor boy the cold shoulder earlier. I thought maybe Rick said something to you to change your mind." I blushed deep red. "There is nothing between Rick and I. He's my father's friend and he's too old to be interested in me." She gave me a pointed look. "Sure, that's totally what I got from him devouring you with his eyes during the movie." "He was not!" "Was too!" "Was he really?" Part of me was extremely flattered, but I knew that would never happen. It was just the leftovers from childhood hero worship. "Never mind Jess, that isn't going to happen. And don't get me wrong, Finn is a good guy, I think. But I don't really know him, and now is not the time to get involved with anyone. The world out there Jess, it's falling apart. People are... changing, turning into... we're not sure what." "Geez, I get that Logan, but we're all still here. For now we're safe, and it can't hurt for this ship of us to band together. And it's not a bad thing if you have feelings for Finn." *** Dinner was an interesting affair. It was Jess, her parents, Tristan, Finn and I at a table. The Swains were discussing jobs. "I think I'll work with the children and in the kitchen. They said I could do both and that they would just put me where they needed me, week by week," Mrs. Swain told us. "And I'll be taking inventory and helping keep track of supplies. It's probably the closest I'll get to accounting here," Jim Swain chuckled. Jess rolled her eyes lovingly at her parents. There was a hum of conversation around us, as if everyone else was thinking of the same thing: trying to find their new place in this new world. I still didn't know my place, which I meant I had to have another wonderful conversation with my father (eye roll). Until then I wanted to enjoy the relative peace around me. The smiles Finn kept shooting my way were making me feel warm and content. Every so often his hand would seek mine out under the table and give it a reassuring squeeze. It made me feel better about my feelings, although I still felt guilty for finding any happiness when who knew what was happening back on land. Once dinner was over I rose from my seat to go have the final conversation with my dad. Finn's eyes were questioning, but it was Jess who asked. "Where ya goin' Lo?" "I have to go talk to my dad and figure out what job I want," was my answer. Jess looked to Finn and then at me. I didn't miss the motion. "Will we see you later?" she asked. "Maybe we could watch another movie later?" Tristan piped in. "Sure, sounds good. I'll meet you at the room when I'm done." My gaze fell on Finn, and I was slightly disappointed he didn't say anything. Didn't he want to see me later? Or was he happy to be rid of me? My troubled thoughts continued as I sought out my dad, leader of the Chiefs. *** Finn watched her go, cursing himself for his silence. They were so many things he wanted to say, but for some reason he said none of them. He really wanted to see her again, to watch a movie with her, anything to be around her. But he wasn't quite sure where they stood. For starters, the way they met at college was unconventional. And now the world was ending. And yet, she had comforted him when he thought about his mother. He didn't want to dwell on that, he refused to believe she was gone yet. Damn, Finn, think of something else. Think of Logan. Man, she was gorgeous, like some entrancing gypsy. Her eyes, fuck he sounded like a romantic, but her eyes always pulled him in. He wanted to drown in them. And she was smart too, and had a great sense of humor. Not to mention that fiery temper of hers that got his blood pumping. His brother nudged him to bring him back to reality. Finn scowled but Tristan just continued to grin. He leaned in closer. "Dude, you've got it bad," he whispered. "Fuck off," was the response he got. "I heard how hot and heavy you were in her room you know." "I could say the same about you." They let the subject go while the group started disbanding. "Alright kids, we're off. If you need anything, you know where to find us," the Swains said. "Thanks Mom and Dad," Jess began, "we'll be heading out anyway." "Movie time?" Tris asked. Jess smiled flirtatiously at him. "Of course." Together they made our way back to her cabin. It sucked for Finn to watch his brother and Jess together with Logan absent. However, that he would get to see her again soon was his consolation. In her room, he took her bed while his companions took the other. He fought the urge to pull her pillow close so he could inhale her scent. Finn shook his head, thinking how silly he felt. A sigh escaped him as he laid back to wait. *** Finding my father wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Getting him away from the other chiefs was more challenging. When he did finally break away, it was with Rick. "Hello Sweetheart," my father said with a smile. I didn't smile back, still fuming a little about his earlier prejudice. "Hello," I replied to them stoically. Rick cleared his throat. "Logan, your dad and I discussed your request after lunch and I think we've come up with a pretty good compromise." My heart started beating hopefully. "Really?" I asked hopefully. "Yes," my dad answered happily. "We'd still like you to work the other jobs where you're needed," Rick said, "but when the time comes for the team to go on scouting missions, we'll allow you a guard position on the ship, to watch for anyone, or anything, coming or going. You can even train with us if you'd like." I ran the words through my head, trying to understand. Okay, so it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it was a step in the right direction. I squealed in excitement and threw myself at my dad to hug him, and then Rick. Strange that the hug with Rick seemed... different, but maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I really had to stop that. "Thank you thank you thank you!!" It came out in a rush I was so happy. I bounced around a bit like a little girl who just found out she was getting a pony. "I'm glad you're not mad anymore Honey. I have to get back to the other chiefs. Be careful. Are you coming Rick?" my father asked. "I'm going to brief Logan on her new schedule and then I'll be back Boss." An awkward silence ensued once the two of us were left. Rick was the one to break the ice. "I'm glad you're not mad anymore Doll." His crooked grin was very endearing. "You know me Ricky, I have an awful temper, but it never lasts long." His chuckle echoed in the hallway. "Yes, I definitely do know. Do you remember how mad you were when Katie G. down the street from you pushed you in the dirt in front of your friend Jimmy? I swear your whole face turned red and then the next thing I knew you were making that poor girl eat a mudpie!" "Hey!" I objected. "She was NOT a poor little girl. SHE was the one who pushed ME. It wasn't my fault Jimmy liked me instead of her. She deserved to eat all of the mud I fed her!!" Rick was laughing so hard he had to pause every few words. "Your poor dad... Katie's mom... came looking... for you. And she blamed your dad for letting you force feed her daughter mud. You're dad had seen the whole thing and he was about to scold you when that fat woman came marching up to the two of you. She called you a dirty little delinquent and your father turned beet red. He started yelling for that 'fat cow to teach her daughter some manners' because her daughter started it. By the time they were done having it out I thought your dad was going to feed HER a mudpie." We laughed together at the thought. Oh those were the days, when everything made sense. Except for boys that is. "So what is this new schedule we're going over?" "Mind if I walk you to your room while we go over it? Or were you heading somewhere else?" "That's fine, we can walk and talk." "Good." His smile made me feel warm and feminine. I blushed and looked ahead. "Anyway, the fitness class for the ship is at 7:30am and will last an hour. If you want to be a part of the team, you have to attend that class at least four times a week. In addition, there will be a training class Monday through Friday at 10:30 in the morning. There will also be a weekly meeting on Sundays at 3:30 in the afternoon." "Sounds good! It's been a while since I practiced martial arts anyway. I won't let you down Rick." I was so happy to be included that I would happily do everything that he asked. He stopped in the middle of the stairwell (the elevators were now for emergencies and the disabled only to conserve power). He looked down at me with those deep eyes and pulled me into another hug. "I know you won't let me down Doll." He laid his cheek briefly against my hair before stepping back. I didn't know how to respond, so I continued on my way while going over what just happened. What was that about? Was Rick having... feelings for me? Did I want him to? Sure it was an ego boost, but after considering it, I still wanted to see where Finn and I were going. "Thank you for convincing my father. I know he's where I get my stubborn streak and temper from." "You're right about that. But he does want you to be happy, and he knows that you're growing up. He doesn't like it though." Zombie Apocalypse Ch. 04 I laughed, "Of course he doesn't. I'll always be his 'baby girl.'" "You're his only." We stopped in front of my door. Rick hooked his thumbs in his pockets to keep from reaching out. "Well, I guess this is goodnight Doll. Tell Finn and Tristan if you see them that I'll go over the rundown with them in the morning, unless you want to tell them? Our first meeting will be day after tomorrow since it's a Sunday." His words didn't make sense at first, and then they started to process. I put a hand up in front of me, "Wait a minute, what are you saying Rick?" His expression was puzzled. "All of the new members of my team need to know their schedule. That includes Finn and Tristan Kendrick... you didn't know?" "No, I didn't." *** The three inside of the room were silent after hearing the conversation through the door. While Finn didn't like hearing anyone else call Logan 'Doll', he liked even less the way that her conversation with Rick had gone. In that moment of clarity it occurred to him that he had never shared his decision to join the security team with her. Shit. *** Thank you all for reading. Please vote/comment/send feedback, it is all much appreciated!! -IndianFire