The RV rolled out of Manhattan under the harsh afternoon sun, around two or three. The city lay eerily quiet, skyscrapers looming like skeletons, their shattered glass scattering daylight in broken patterns across deserted streets. Burnt-out cars and debris lined the road as the RV navigated the wreckage, its engine's hum the only sound piercing the silence.
Past the city's edge, the highway stretched open and empty, framed by overgrown fields and silent, skeletal trees casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt. An old sign marked "Albany 100 miles," barely readable in the faded sunlight.
Crossing a rusted bridge, the RV sped over a stagnant river choked with debris, sunlight glinting off murky water. As it continued, the road became an endless strip through a silent, desolate landscape. Manhattan faded behind, the RV pressing forward, alone on its path northward toward Albany.
In the drivers cabin Tabitha could be seen commandeering the vehicle. A classic 1987 Fleetwood Bounder.
Adam could be seen in the dining area looking out the window.
Lachlan was lazyly lying in the bedroom area face down with his hand on the hilt of his black katana in fear of if anything goes bad.
*Flush*
Marcus was coming out of the toilet wearing his belt and tucking his shirt in when Lachlan sat straight up and said.
"Mate, did ya give birth in there or somethin'? Crikey, bro, what's that smell? You've stunk up the dunny somethin' fierce! Smells like horseshit… nah, horseshit'd be an improvement. This is like horseshit mixed with those bloody awful perfumes they sell for a fortune. Strewth!" He was covering his nose with his right hand and making a face.
With a sigh Marcus responded. " As much as I want to kick your ass right now I won't, cos' Adam here said you saved his life apparently so I won't cos' I we owe you one."
"Yeah you and Tabs over there owe me one,but.." Lachlan placing in head on his hand as if he was about to solve one of the worlds greatest mysteries.
Knowing the game he wanted to play Marcus indulge him. " What?" He answered hands on hip.
"About that bit where ya reckon you'll kick my arse-bit of a laugh ain't it? 'Cause i kicked yours earlier, mate." Lachlan said playfully with a grin.
Throwing his head back Marcus groaned in annoyance. "Ughhh, as much as I would want to wipe the grin of your face with a right hook I won't cos' we are all brothers in arms."
"I'm not a guy dickhead." Tabitha said in a playful manner looking back at Marcus.
Adam's head was rested on the dining table but he was laughing at all this.
"Fine and you did knock me on my ass I accept that." Marcus said accepting defeat.
As Marcus turned back to head to the dining area Lachlan teased him all the more.
"Yeah that's it ya little yank go hide." Lachlan said resting his back now with his left hand at the back of his neck.
Marcus turned to face him and stomped towards him.
He suddenly stopped and heaved a heavy sigh as is he was being relieved of a weight and he looked at Lachlan and shook his head.
"Oi, Marcus, mate! Ya fly's wide open, bud!" Lachlan said to Marcus who looked down.
And he saw that it was indeed open.
As he was trying to zip it up Tabitha pumped the brakes which caused Marcus to zip up some of the skin of his dong with it.
A sharp, searing pain shot through him, stealing his breath. The zip had caught skin, sending a fierce wave of agony that left him frozen in place, dreading even the slightest movement.
He sucked in a breath, eyes wide with shock as the pain struck like a lightning bolt. 'Great Scott!' he gasped, the words escaping before he could stop them, a desperate attempt to make sense of the sudden, blinding agony. It was all he could do as he fell to his knees, every nerve on fire, praying the pain would ease.
Lachlan laughed at him so hard that his sides began to hurt and his eyes watered up.
It was the way Marcus's eyes turned to that of a crosseyed that made him laugh.
Lachlan stood up still laughing as he walked towards the drivers cabin to see what was going on.
"Oi mate zip it down gently and you'll be alright" Lachlan said in empathy knowing that kind of pain.
Lachlan suddenly stopped seeing what made the RV halt it's march.
His eyes were hard, shadowed like deep battle scars, carrying a dark glint that spoke of blood and loss. They held the kind of look only a soldier could wear—a quiet, haunted intensity. He gave off an unsettling aura, like he carried the weight of every fight he'd survived, darkening the room with a silent, deadly calm.
Marcus saw this sudden change and he asked. "What's going on?"
"Oi, Marcus!" he hissed, his voice low and tense, like a predator stalking its prey. "Grab the Barrett .50 cal from the stash and haul your sorry arse up to the roof of the RV. We're on the brink of hell, and I need you ready to unleash it. Don't hesitate, mate. This is it." he told Marcus not shifting his gaze.
Marcus didn't ask any questions as he went into the storage unit and grabbed what he asked and passed through the toilet unto the roof of the RV
'Damn that Aussie how did we know we had that I haven't even shown Adam'
He readied the rifle and he looked through the scope and saw what made them stop.
Lachlan was already out of the RV with both Adam and Tabitha.
Five bikers stood like sentinels in the road, their engines silent but their presence menacing as they blocked the RV's path. The leader, a tall figure with a tattered black bandana and a weathered face marked by scars, leaned against his bike, arms crossed. A silver chain dangled from his neck, glinting in the fading light.
Behind him, the others exuded tension, their eyes narrowed and ready for a fight. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and they locked onto the RV, daring it to move forward. In this world, mercy had become a forgotten memory, and they were there to remind the intruders of that grim reality.
The tall figure walked towards Adam and the others and raised his arms up in a sign of surrender but the same couldn't be said about his crew.
Adam gave him a head nod and he understood as he whistled a tune and they brought thier guns down.
He pocketed both his hands and also gave a head nod to Adam and he brought his gun down.
Tabitha was a bit reluctant but she brought hers down but didn't holster it the same with everyone.
"Hey you the Samurai let go of your sword." the tall figure said.
"Oi, mate, what're ya on about? Last I checked, a blade ain't a bloody gun, yeah?"
"Fine have it your way, Hey I'm Dickson Greenwood."
"Hang on, hold up a sec—what'd ya say ya name was again?" Lachlan asked curiously.
"Dickson Greenwood that's what I said."
"Oh, mate, bloody hell—nah, no way! That's the dodgiest name I've ever heard!" Lachlan laughed.
"Yeah very funny, I'm here to make a deal with---"
"We don't want your deal." Tabitha interrupted.
"Don't interrupt me again." Dickson said in an annoyed tone.
"And what if I do." Tabitha fired back
"Then we'll have to get rough."
"Fuck off." said Adam anger in his voice
"See I thought you were reasonable folks but I was wrong."
"Ok then let's hear your deal" Adam asked.
"Now you're talking." He said with an evil laugh. "You give us anything and everything you have and we don't kill you."
"Not gonna happen." Adam said quickly.
"You won't live to regret it." Dickson said coldly.
As soon as he finished his sentence his hands which had. been hidden in his pants pocket came up and he was holding two SIG P238's
Marcus whose finger was on the trigger saw this and fire the weapon.
The Barrett .50 cal roared, it's shot ripping through the air and striking its target between the eye brows with brutal force.
His crew members seeing this opened fire while taking cover behind thier bikes.
Adam and Tabitha were quick enough to get out of the rain of bullets and hide behind the RV.
Lachlan was no where to be found and Marcus was pinned down on the roof by other attackers in the woods.
Adam readied him self and raised his gun up and fired shots as shots were fired at him.
Tabitha was on the other side of the RV was also firing but she noticed something.
Adam was kneeling holding his head. She called to him.
"Adam are you okay!"
He couldn't hear her over the noise of the richocheing bullets coming of the RV.
Adam's head was ringing something about the smell of the gunpowder and the blood spoke to him. He felt at home.
Adam gaining his footing had a completely different aura around him and he shouted to Tabitha over the gunfire.
"You take the ones on the right leave the ones here to me."
Tabitha sensed the change in his voice and she followed suit.
----
Lachlan hearing the rolled into the woods. He knew there were others in the forest and he was going to find them.
He saw the ones that were firing at Marcus and called out to them.
"Oi, Two, don't ya reckon that's a bit unfair?"
As he said that three others emerged from behind with guns as well.
"Oi, five to one! That's a 1v5 jumpin', c'mon, let's be fair dinkum. You drop the shooters, I'll drop me katana, and we'll go at it, hand to hand!" Lachlan said with a grin.
The five of them laughed and dropped thier weapons thinking they could beat him but little did they know, they had fallen into his trap.
'Nice I'll kick all ya arses.' Lachlan thought smiling inwardly.
He stood in the center, surrounded by five opponents, his stance low and ready. Feet planted, light and agile, his elbows and knees close, poised like weapons. Eyes narrowed, he shifted with calm focus—Muay Thai embodied. Each movement was lethal, a predator ready to strike from all sides.
With a sharp exhale, he launched forward, his elbow slamming into the first man's jaw with a sickening crack. Without pause he pivoted, his knees driving into the ribs of the second folding him to the ground. Another lunged at him but he ducked, grabbing the man's arm and twisting behind his back, a quick kick to the back of the knee sending him sprawling. The fourth came at him with wild fists, but he sidestepped, his shin connecting brutally to the man's thigh, dropping him. The last one hesitated, but he closed the gap instantly. A final blow to the temple ending it. He stood alone breathing steady surrounded by the fallen.
---
Adam charged forward, bullets whizzing past his ears. He grabbed the nearest attacker's rifle, using the momentum to slam him into the wall. A swift knee to the stomach, followed by a sharp elbow to the jaw, sent the man crashing down.
Adam spun toward the second attacker, tackling him to the ground. In a blur of motion, he pinned the man's arms beneath his knees and delivered rapid, precise strikes to his face.
The attackers lay motionless, Adam standing over them, chest heaving. He hadn't thought; he'd just reacted.
Tabitha had also taken down her targets but it wasn't as graceful as his. It was almost as if he was dancing, a deadly dance of death.
Marcus through all the action was inside the RV crouching not moving an inch. This was because he was stunned by what Adam had performed.
Lachlan came out of the woods with two of the forest attackers heads and he raised it up as a way to show where he had been to.
Tabitha was the first to snap out of the trance Adam put them in and said. " Come on we gotta go here's not safe, every infected for miles would have heard those shots. We better get moving towards the woods, our campsite is not that far anymore."
"How many more miles to go?" Adam asked
"About ten miles we can trek it"
" Ok let's go for it" Adam said assertively
----------
In the woods where Lachlan fought his battle a mysterious figure watched along as they packed up their belongings and headed for the camp.
"Well well well, it seems I have some roaches in my cupboard." the mysterious figure said laughing wildly.
"Let's see how far you fly."