Bodies of zombies scattered the pavement around the border. People were making sure all of them were definitely dead before picking up the bodies and dragged them off a bit farther from the border. No one from our group were hurt in the horde except for a few men that were in the gas station. 

That still confused me. Nathan's men all went rabid, but Nathan just strolled off with Max. He grabbed her and chugged along in his little Bug to God knows where. We ran to the bridge. trying to spot him after we took care of the horde, but he was gone. There was no sign of him or Max. We let our guard down and stepped on a goddamn landmine.

Ashley stood at the border next to me, staring at the street as if she was looking for Max to show back up. She hadn't said a word since Max was taken, only helped with the cleanup and make sure everyone was okay. Her hands were shoved deep into the pockets of her jacket, but I could tell that they were in tight fists.

"Ash." I tried to get her attention, which only caused her respond in a soft grunt. Deciding to keep going, I sighed before speaking, "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She responded. Definitely did not sound fine, but okay.

"You sure?" I asked.

Nodding, she hummed in affirmation. Turning, she watched as people dragged off the last few bodies of the dead. There was this stone behind her eyes that I did not enjoy. It reminded me of the old days in high school when she kind of hated us. 

I felt like this attitude was towards me, but I wasn't sure how to interact.

The fact that she just watched as the bodies were set on fire didn't exactly help. Fire reflected in her eyes and I was honestly terrified. 

"Alright!" Thor exclaimed, coming up behind us. He hooked his radio back on his belt, "I got someone to bring Grace and the computer so that we can pick up Max's signal and see where the hell she is."

"How long is the range?" I asked him. 

Thor shrugged slightly, "It's pretty large thankfully. Last time I used this thing, the signal went as far as two states over. We'll be alright."

"Will she?" Ashley asked softly.

Raising an eyebrow, Thor looked at her in slight surprise. Clearing his throat, he responded, "We know that she is valuable to him. Nothing bad will happen to her."

"How do you know?"

That was a good point. We don't know what exactly Grimes is planning. He could torture her or do experiments. We don't know what he wants from her besides trying to perfect his soldier idea. She is apparently the only subject that has had success within his experiment.

So, in short, we did not know for sure. We could only hope.

"Oh god." Thor breathed out, looking behind us in dread.

I turned around to see Grace storming our way. In one of her hands was the tablet Thor needed and the other held a pistol. That pistol was most likely for the off-chance that another horde may attack us, but I definitely did not want her to point that near me. Grace marched right up to Thor as Ashley and I took large steps back.

"Here is your damn monitor." Grace shoved the tablet into Thor's hands, "Now, find my fucking daughter."

Thor's mouth opened slightly to say something, but he thought against it and started up the tablet. I wouldn't try to talk back to Grace either. Especially with that gun in her hand.

"Let's see..." Thor muttered softly as his finger swiped at the screen. His eyes scanned the screen for a moment before his eyes lit up, "Aha! Here we go!"

He moved the tablet so that all of us could see it. The map on the screen was a dark green with lighter green buildings and obstacles. Curved down the middle was a yellow line that I perceived as the road. The map followed a red dot on the road as it pulsed slightly. The red dot was  moving fast along the road.

"Nathan is booking it." I breathed.

"If Max is unconscious due to Grimes, then Nathan isn't sure how long until she awakes." Grace said, rubbing her face. "Wherever the base is, it must not be too far from here. May I?"

Thor handed the tablet to her. Grace zoomed out of the map slightly and looked at the environment north of the car. Her eyebrows furrowed as she zoomed in on a place.

There was a look of realization on her face as she turned the screen to us, "Cobblestone University. It is almost two hours from here."

"Why there?" I asked.

"That is the university that we graduated from before going our separate ways for our PhD's." Grace explained, putting her eyes back on the screen. "There is a very large biochemical lab that could hold the machinery needed for his experiments."

Well there's a lead for us.

"We need to gather our supplies and get going." Thor said, "Get some food and some quick rest. Meet in the lobby three hours from now."

***

With two hours and thirty minutes until we had to meet Thor in the lobby of the hotel and Ashley was still very quiet. We sat together in the cafeteria, eating homemade chicken noodle soup. All I could really hear between us were our spoon clinking on the bowls. People around us were talking up and storm and laughing. Ashley only kept her eyes on the table.

"Hey guys!" Amelia came up to us with her own bowl and sat down with us. She opened up a pack of crackers and started to crush them into the soup. Without either of us talking, it was the loudest sound I have ever heard. After putting the crackers in the soup, she stirred them in. Mid-stir, she looked up at us and froze as she finally noticed how quiet we were. "Uhm, everything okay?"

"We're just a little stressed about Max." I said, letting my eyes go to Ashley, "Trying to be optimistic about it, but it's tough."

Sighing, Amelia put her spoon in the bowl and crossed her arms, "I'm sorry. I've been trying to be optimistic as well. I understand that it is different since I haven't known her very long. I owe her for saving me."

"We all owe her." Ashley spoke up. She put the spoon down and looked up at us, "Without Max, I don't I would have made it as far as I did. Maybe I'm selling myself short, but being around her and Steve made things easier. I wasn't alone. Now, she is."

"But not for long." I assured her, reaching across the table to put my hand on her's, "We are going to find her and we are going to stop this bitch-ass doctor."

Nodding, she looked back down to the table. Her fist clenched under mine and her eyebrows furrowed. Looking up, Ashley looked right up into my eyes, "Promise me."

There was a pinch in the back of my mind. If I promise that we save Max and take down the doctor, then shit will go down if we don't do it. A broken promise is the worst thing I could do in a position like this. How could I even promise to save someone like this?

"I promise." I said, my words leaving my mouth before I really knew it.

Amelia looked at me from the corner of her eye, and I glanced at her before looking back to Ashley. She nodded and let out a breath before leaning back in her chair.

"I'm gonna go up stairs to make sure Jeep hasn't completely driven Trish insane." Ashley stood up, getting her bow in her hand, "I'll see you guys in the lobby."

Ashley walked off, leaving Amelia and I together. I only glanced over at her, meeting her eyes before looking down at the soup. Even with things blowing up the way they were, I thought about Amelia. We had a moment before the shit hit the fan and I probably shouldn't be thinking about romance, but...

"Amelia, I-uh was wondering if-uh-" I coughed slightly to clear my throat. Why was I having trouble with talking to her? I was the guy who asked a different girl out each weekend. Why is this so hard?

Amelia smiled slightly at my stuttering, "Yes, Steve?"

Clearing my throat once more, I scratched the back of my neck before speaking, "Uhm, I know that now isn't the best time, but I was wondering if-uhm you would want to get to know each other better after all of this is done. Like, a movie or a milkshake or something?"

She laughed slightly, "You want to see a movie after a zombie breakout?"

I shrugged and smiled, "Why not?"

Amelia closed her mouth and her lips tightened as if she was hiding a smile. Her eyes went down to the table before they looked back up at us, "Alright, Steveyboy, I'll go on a movie date with you after all of this shit blows over. As long as it's not a zombie movie."

Smiling, I nodded before putting another spoonful of soup in my mouth, "Alright. It's a plan."