"Get out." Levi said to the woman sitting in the back of the van. She complied and he noticed her eyes had become red, but he didn't say anything and kept his cold gaze fixed on her.

"Garett, you and her begin taking the supplies inside. Get some others to help as well when you go in. I'll stay out here and deal with with infected," Levi said as he brandished his sword and decapitated an infected that came close.

The man nodded as he killed the engine and jumped from the vehicle and shouted to the woman, "We ain't got all day, start grabbing what you can carry and follow me." The woman flinched at his words and began to follow his orders as she grabbed a box and followed him obediently into the building he entered.

Levi remained on the street and cleared the stragglers that shambled towards him attracted by the earlier noise of the engine. Compared to the group Levi took out earlier, taking out the infected that approached him in small numbers was a cakewalk.

It didn't take long for most to be dispatched, although Levi could still see a few infected making their way towards him from further down the street. In that time Garett returned with the woman, whose name they still hadn't received as well as Ricky and Eddie.

They moved fast, and grabbed as much as they could, feeling exposed being out in the open on the street. And it didn't help that they could see the beheaded corpses of infected that Levi had killed lying on the floor near the rear doors of the van. Nor that they could hear the dragging legs and snarls of infected nearby.

But the pressure of death was an extraordinary force to make people work fast and soon they had all the supplies dragged into the apartment and the door closed once more. Everyone was happy seeing Garett and Levi return especially when they came back with so much food setting everybody's mind at ease.

Though there were a few curious glances from the others about the sudden new arrival, making the woman uncomfortable. Being scrutinised like a new exhibit at the zoo, but most of the faces were friendly, or at least tried to be.

Everyone helped drag the supplies up from the bottom floor, and place them in Levi's apartment where Levi could keep a firm control over the supplies. Making sure he told Maggie to take inventory of what was stored so they could ration the supplies to last longer. After all, he didn't want to go out anymore than was necessary.

The new woman attracted most peoples attention though, Elise sat and talked with her and she revealed her name was Abagail Winters. Levi regarded the woman with a small amount of caution, but as he watched her a bit from the side his caution was alleviated somewhat.

He moved and sat on the opposite couch apart from Abagail and his action caused any conversation between the two girls to stop. He met the woman's gaze and gave her a small smile, which she returned in a strained fashion, her eyes averting away struggling to maintain eye contact.

"Abagail was it?" Levi asked, making the woman's eyes return to Levi her hand grasping her wrist trying to stop it from trembling.

"Yes." She responded, trying to sound as clear as possible but her voice wavered making her seem like a cornered animal.

"Well Abagail, how'd you end up getting chased by that group of infected earlier?" Levi said, his eyes watching the woman's reaction with an icy calm.

"How i ended up getting chased?" she repeated frowning, her tone strained. "I. I live with my parents. My dad. He became one of them. He hadn't been well and was running a fever and next thing i knew he attacked mom, he tore her apart right in front of me." She said her eyes becoming watery as her voice hitched.

"I tried to stop him. I tried to get him off her. And he turned to me… And he came for me. But my mom… She stopped him. She was bleeding. She jumped at him. She stopped him from getting me…" She began breathing rapidly, and she began trailing off into mumblings.

Levi stopped there and got up saying, "She's hyperventilating. Elise calm her down. I'll leave now. I've got what I wanted. She doesn't have to speak about it again." and left the apartment leaving Elise to deal with Abigail's breakdown.

—

Later that day the group had managed to block of the lower floor and barricade all entrances on the bottom floor. Mainly the entrance to the stairs, to make the building easier to defend.

They didn't know how effective it would be, but they were hoping it didn't have to be used in the first place and the infected wouldn't bother them in the first place. None of them knew whether that would happen or not, so they all listened carefully when Levi told them how to react in the case the building was breached and they were overrun. So they could all regather in the case they were forced apart.

As the night crawled in everyone wind down, and everyone became quiet as they listened to the sound of cars screeching tires and the sound of gunfire that seeped in through the windows. But besides that the sound of the radio that Marcus played filled the room, it took their minds off the sounds outside.

Though the broadcasts didn't fill them with optimism, often just repeating messages for evacuation. It was better than filling with fear listening to the warlike sounds echoing throughout the city.

There were others still on the radio waves, other survivors or stations giving their own updates on the situation. Personal stories of encounters with the infected and those of others they had seen. Some were startling, like the story of how somebody had encounters the bisected corpse crawling towards them.

And although some in the group didn't believe it, Levi knew it was true. After all, he'd seen it for himself. These things were unnatural, whatever rules governed living beings these creatures didn't comply.

"Do you think everything will return to normal?" Elise asked, huddled in a blanket beside Abagail. They had become quick friends, they were the only woman besides Maggie and was around Levi a lot and they didn't feel comfortable approaching her when he was around.

"It has to," Eddie said, his eyes distant his words more for himself than her.

"They said on the radio the military have already begun clearing areas. They've set up refugee camps all across the city, I'm sure they'll take back control. We won't have to stay like this long." Elise said, hope in her tone but her eyes seemed uncertain.

"You're right, we just have to have hope." Maggie said, with her characteristic sincere smile. Levi looked at her, his eyes unjudging but when she met his gaze her smile faltered. Others might not have read anything from that look, but she'd been with Levi long enough to know. He didn't believe it. Not one bit.

"Hopefully, Seeing all the canned tuna we've got if things don't get sorted soon, tuna will become a staple part of my diet. And man do i fucking hate tuna." Ricky chimed in, getting a few chuckles easing the mood.

"Honestly, I'm surprised they had so much Tuna. Didn't you go to the local grocer's?" Maggie responded, directing her eyes towards Levi.

"Yeah we did." Levi said, "They said on the radio there was rumours and conspiracy theories about the disease online. Maybe the owner was someone who bought into the rumours and tried to prepare." getting a few thoughtful looks in return.

"Do you think it's true? That they've known about the disease for a while." Elise asked.

"Who knows. I wouldn't be surprised, this is the American government were talking about. Lying is in their DNA." Marcus said while fiddling with the radio on the table changing frequencies.

"I don't think so. It spreads too fast, I'd be surprised if its been around for that long. If so why hadn't it spread earlier." Refuted Ricky who didn't look convinced by Marcus, who scoffed and shrugged focussing back towards the radio.

"What you think Levi?" Asked Maggie, making Levi turn towards her and thinking for a second.

"What does it matter if it's true or not. It's spread now and that's all that matters, what difference does it make whether they knew earlier or not." He responded disinterested.

"It does matter," Elise responded, her voice raised. "If they knew before. Then they hid it from us. Kept us in the dark. They need to take responsibility for the lives lost."

Levi gave Elise a glace and said. "Do you honestly think things will stay the same after this?" getting a confused look from the rest of the group.

"Even if the situation is fixed. Everything going back to normal is a pipedream. Things will change and I doubt it'll be for the better. Most of you saw what the military did yesterday, don't think things will go back to normal if they're already taking actions like that." Levi said, his words making people frown.

"If this disease or whatever it is is sorted don't doubt for a second that the country will be irrevocably changed." Levi finished, making the room fall into silence.

"You don't know that," Elise said, glaring somewhat at Levi who ignored it easily.

"He doesn't, but that doesn't mean he's wrong. It's like the end of the world, things don't stay the same after something this big," Marcus said, chipping in once again.

After his words a silence settled. It was only broken when Garett entered the room, frowning as he said, "Levi and Rick, You're up." Prompting the two men to rise to their feet and leave for watch duty.

—

The two walked together for a moment before Ricky spoke, "You're going out to search for our people tomorrow aren't you?" getting a nod from Levi.

"Do you still think they're alive?" Ricky asked, uncertainty in his voice. Levi stopped and looked at Ricky. He had an unsure look about his face, doubts and uncertainty etched over all his features. Levi hadn't expected this, he'd seen ricky acting chipper and this was one of the only times he'd seen him so down.

But he didn't know what he expected. Of course somebody would be worried whether their loved ones were still alive when all this was happening. "I don't know. But if they're at any of the locations you've given me I'll find them." Levi said.

This wasn't the response Ricky had evidently wanted, but it was enough for the man whose whole mood shifted in a second and he gave Levi a smile and said, "I'm glad to hear that. I'll take over for Sergio on watch by the stairs, you take the fire-exit watch."

Levi nodded and shook his head as Ricky walked off. Before setting off for his watch for the night.