“You know Frank, this stunt really takes the cake,” Sam said, as she stood behind her vent. “You did crazy things before. But this is another level. After touching that. You're probably going to grow a third arm or something.”

“No I won't,” Frank said, as he walked back over. “And please I did crazier things than this.”

“Hey, why aren't they growing?” Hank asked as he peeped up from behind his vent. He pointed at the pea shooter. It was staring at Steven. “You said that one was a seed a few minutes ago.”

“Maybe they need zombie flesh to grow,” Frank said as he finished up. He stood and walked over. “Remembered I dropped that green seed under that pile-up. To know, before it was a pile.”

“We should test if the rest are dangerous. But not here.” Steven said, as he reached his shotgun and walked around the pile of bodies. “We're going to have a hard enough time getting back. ”

“Lead the way oh fearless leader,” Frank smirked, as they moved around the pile of zombie bodies.

“Sam where's my radio?” Steven asked as he readjusted his glasses that were falling down his nose. It had begun drooping after he stood up.

“Oh, I left it over there,” Sam said, as she pointed.

Before leaving the rooftop Steven gathered up his radio and joined the group by the smashed staircase door. The pea shooter watched them leave.

The staircase was clearer. After all, the zombies had no reason to stay on the stairs. When there were perfectly good humans on the roof. Steven lead first, the only person with full ammo. Then Frank, and Sam. Hank took up the back.

“Hey, Steven, why do you use a shotgun?” Hank asked causally. “Wouldn't a rife or something like Sarah be better?”

Steven glanced down the staircase and spoke. “It's because I can still aim a shotgun, even if I lose my glasses.”

“You two can be louder,” Sam whispered, with a growl. “It's not like we're trying to be stealthily or something.”

“Sorry,” Steven said. Hank remained silent.

After passing a few levels on the way down they came to the ground floor. Its door was smashed in and bits of it were covering the staircase floor. Sam peeked out and gave an all-clear. The faint sounds of gunfire were slowly growing as they passed through the now wracked barriers of tables and chairs. They reached the lobby and saw three zombies wandering outside. Their backs to them. They were heading towards the gunfire outside. Hank started shooting. Steven and Frank jumped as Sarah sprayed bullets across the three zombies. The first two drop outright, but Sarah starts clicking halfway through the third zombie.

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“Hell. I forgot to reload.” Hank shouted, as the third zombie turned and started limping towards them.

“Ow Hank! Don't just open fire like that.” Steven said as he rubbed his ears. Sam took aim and blasted the thing's head off. The zombie collapsed and bled green and red over the floor. “Thanks, Sam. Let's get out of here.”

“I hope more zombies didn't hear that,” Sam said as she rushed out the doors. The rest followed her.

The street outside was clear and the sun had barely moved in the sky. Down the street by the wall the zombie pile had gotten bigger and climbing atop the new pile was a large crowd of people. It was the other gatherer teams. Then they shattered. Each one going their own way.

“You know. We really didn't get the lay of the land up there.” Hank stated. “We still don't know where the hordes are.”

“Save it, Hank,” Steven said.

The clean-up team is going to really like that. Steven thought as he glanced over the pile. How long with this standstill last? Sure we got the guns, but if they keep coming like this. If we aren't careful.... he stopped himself. No, thinking like that will only slow me down and I need to focus. Anyway, that's why we're out here. To find more ammo. We can't call the day over yet.

“Sam, are you sure you want to call it a day? We could just stop by the quartermaster and get you more ammo?”

“What about those plants? Shouldn't we tell people about them...” Sam said, turning her head. “Hey, look who's coming.”

Steven spotted Tanner walking up the street. He was leading his group away from the crowd and towards them.

“Oh great. What does he want?” Frank commented, as they reached the other side of the street and stopped. Except for Hank who kept walking.

Where is he going? Steven thought.

“Hank don't wander off,” Steven said, as Hank approached an overgrown park bench and sit down.

“I'm not,” Hank replied. He a pull out his gun and check it over.“I just need to check over Sarah. She lost a lot of weight.”

“Lost weight?” Steven muttered.

As Tanner and his team got closer. A woman in the crowd of fifteen waved at Sam. Steven didn't know the woman's name. But Sam seemed to know because she waved back. Sam stopped waving when tanner approached

“Hey, Tanner,” Sam smirked, as Tanner glared at her.

“Don't you start? Not here. You made your point clear over the radio.” Tanner said.

Over the radio? Ok did something happen that I should know about? Steven thought.

“Hey Tanner, did you bring us down this way just to talk? We're burning daylight.” some of his team members.

“You guys can check the street ahead. I'll catch up to you in a few minutes.” Tanner said as the big man shrugged. The larger team started moving past. Tanner turned to Steven. “ So....”

“Hey, Sam.” The woman cut in, as she appeared behind Tanner. She wasn't following the group. “I'm so happy your ok.”

“You don't know the half of it,” Sam said with a tired huff.

“Olivia, I was talking. Go with the others.” Tanner said as the rest of his team was passing Hank and heading to check out the hotel's entrance.

“Come on Tanner, it'll be only for a minute. ” Olivia said, over her shoulder. “Sam, let's talk over here. Where it'll be quieter.”

Olivia almost dragged Sam across the street. Tanner watches them go. Steven seeing this chance cleared his throat.

“Tanner, I don't know anything about what happened over the radio. So bringing it up with me would be pointless.” Steven said. “You two can finish that conversation later after sunset. My team wasted enough time as is...” Steven was about to say something else then Frank jumped in.

“It wasn't a waste. Because we found those on the hotel's rooftop.” Frank said as he pulled a seed from his pocket. It was purple with pink spots.

“Frank no!” Steven barked as he grabbed Frank's hand in panic. “You shouldn't show him.”

“Steve! You jerk! ” Frank shouted angrily. He yanked his hand free. “Why did you do that? I just dropped it. How am I supposed to find it in all these fallen leaves? ”

“Steven, what is he talking about?” Tanner said confused. Frank started scanning the leafy sidewalk. “Was that a pill?”

“No it wasn't,” Steven said as he started scanning the sidewalk himself. He spotted the purple and pink seed. But something was wrong, the seed was splitting open. A tiny purple mass was emerging from the seed. “Oh hell. Run!”