{|RE|} Road to Nowhere {|1-on-1 rp|}

Allie had lost track of the days that had passed. Some idiot had let something loose they were studying, something they’d brought in from outside the base, out in that overrun world. It had been that world that Allie had gotten away from momentarily in this place—safety for cooperation. Looked like that didn’t last nearly as long as Allie had hoped for.

She crouched down behind a large piece of equipment, what it had been used for was beyond Allie’s knowledge and now it didn’t matter. Only few things still worked here, running on the power reserves. How long until those failed? Before he’d gotten munched on by a group of those zombies, Ben had said something about another Umbrella based being contacted, that a team would be sent out to move survivors to the other base. Was that just a rumor or truth?

Nearby she could hear the shuffling and grunting of one of those things. Swallowing she peaked around the corner of the large machine. Its back was to her, giving her the opportunity to poke her head further out and peer around.

She only had a knife on her, the gun she did had at one point had gotten lost in a scuffle when one of the more dangerous creatures they’d studied here had came barreling at her. If she could find another… Allie shook the thought from her head. Going back for the one she’d lost might be a suicide mission.

Seeing no other creatures in the nearby vicinity she darted forward, remaining crouched low. Her muscles protested, sore with everything she’d had to endure. Allie was riddled with a number of small injuries and bruises but her ankle was still healing from when she’d twisted it awhile ago.

She froze when something clattering rang out in the far end of the room before Allie hurried to the next hallway. The door was only half closed and unless something forced its way through it it was just open enough for Allie to slip through. None of the zombies could follow after with the way they bumbled and lunged.

When she got through she paused long enough to inspect the room past that opening. Nothing seemed to have spotted her or tried to stalk after her. At least there was that. Only a few of those creatures they’d had stored away were smart enough to remain quiet when stalking after people. Allie didn’t like to get cornered by any of those, they were much, much harder to get away from.

’At this rate I’m gonna have to risk getting out of this place on my own,’ she thought, biting her lip as she started down the hallway again. There were only a few places she’d been able to dart around down here now that everyone else was gone but food was running low here and there wasn’t any ammunition left…

Things hadn't been quiet for as long as Krauser would have hoped. Somewhere, some idiot had set off an alarm. Whoever it had been, they were probably dead at this rate, careless enough to let the thing go of. All he knew and cared about was his souring mood, thanks to the onslaught of the walking dead he had put down.

Cleaning his blade, he ignored the corpses littering the floor. These were familiar sights to him having been involved with Umbrella for many years. Whatever happened to cause the out break, he could only assume at this point. Someone screwed up somewhere. He found himself less surprised by that fact more so now then when this all started.

Krauser twirled the knife easily before he sheathed it. If he needed it again, which at this rate no doubt he would, it would be close and assessable. Using a pistol in here wasn't the smartest move for the time, the noise drawing attention far too easily.

The thought was shoved aside as he started forward again. He had to find some way out of here though with the dead walking around and alert, it was becoming difficult. He shook his head at that, silently cursing whoever was stupid enough to set off that alarm.

His eyes scanned the area, looking for anything shambling about. For the time being, things were quiet. That was until something in the distance clattered to the ground again. Tense, he moved forward carefully. Was someone else in here and alive or was it just another of the walking dead?

He couldn't spot anyone around but if there was someone here, they would no doubt be hiding. He didn't want to call out just in case, not wanting to deal with any other zombies. Shaking his head, he decided against it. Allies were a rare thing and while a lot of people preferred to be alone out here, sticking with others had their benefits.

"Hey," he called out as softly as he could manage, "anyone out there? Come out now, not like there's much of a threat sticking around here."

Honestly, he'd gotten rid of most of the problems lingering about. That didn't mean others wouldn't come up with time. They didn't end, Krauser found, and until he or this person was out of this place, he doubted they'd be seeing peace anytime soon.

----[X]----

Penelope glanced around the area carefully, squinting once as if that would help her pick out any threat in the distance. It was quiet though most days, it had been now. Ever since the out break, quiet was something that she'd just gotten used to. Any form of noise, foreign or not, was what put her on edge.

Feeling the road was clear and lacked any threat, she started forward again. Most of her days had been stop and go, ducking around places or hiding when one of the walking dead was poking about. She liked to think that most of them had been confined to large and abandoned cities but knew that wasn't true. Any of them could be wandering the streets aimlessly, even in groups.

She slung the bag over her shoulder, the weight a familiar and comfortable feeling. Scouting for supplies wasn't a hard job, not when most people had left in such a hurry that they left everything behind. Many places had been picked clean but there was a rare few that still held useful items.

The group had spread out to locate supplies. They all did this every few weeks. Most food was home grown anymore but first aid kits or any form of medicine was handy. It wasn't as if they relied on aid from what was left of the government.

Penelope heaved a long sigh, sparing a glance upward. The sun was still high in the sky but clouds were pushing their way in carrying the threat of rain. She'd have to locate the others soon and head back.

Toying with the cross bow in her other hand, she started forward again. As long as things remained quiet, she had no need for it. If something reared it's ugly head however, she would drop the bag and fight back. It was a hard truth that she had to learn to accept out here. Being passive wasn't something she could rely on anymore. Zombies didn't listen to reason, after all.

She hadn't gotten far, stopping nearer to the opening of another room she'd run through a few times after the situation here had gone south. Allie didn't get far before she'd halted nearly tripping over a corpse that was in her way. The fact that it hadn't reacted, not a twitch or a lunge, caught her attention and had forced her to a standstill, crouching beside it. The counter scientists had once worked at provided adequate shelter for her to hide behind at the moment anyways.

Carefully she inspected the body in the dim lighting. There weren't any bullet wounds that she could see but the sharp twist of the neck was sickening to see and there was a giant stab wound in the chest. She couldn't tell if that wound was fresh or not considering the state of the body before it's end however.

Her thoughts halted the instant something clattered to the ground again, something outside of the room but near enough to hear nonetheless. Allie swallowed the lump in her throat, heart hammering loudly in her ears. Was something intelligent tracking her? Her hand strayed to her knife again. If it was a hunter or licker it would do her little good against it...

There was a voice nearby soon after. It was quiet and sounded as if the person who'd spoken was hesitant to even do so. Allie wasn't sure what to do, if she answered was it someone who would be helpful? Was the guy even from this base or had he come in from another one? Allie didn't know and the thought left her hesitant on the matter. If it was just someone who'd stumbled into this place from the outside Allie wouldn't have any clue what he or she might be up to.

Taking her knife into her hand, ready to use just in case, Allie rose just high enough to peer over the countertop. Broken phials and other instruments she couldn't place the name to in her way. Because of this it took a minute to find the other person in the room a fair distance away. It was only due to the nearby emergency light that she was able to find him and even then she could only tell how large of a man he was.

Allie had to force herself to rise to her full height even after that. Her knife was hidden from his view just in case he tried anything. She at least hoped she'd be able to do anything if he had violent intentions in mind.

"Who are you?" she called, just loud enough for him to hear her. The last thing they needed was to attract something else. "What are you doing here?"

----[x]----

Leon wasn't sure how many weeks had passed since he'd been separated from the last group he'd traveled with. There had been a long month where he'd tried to find them but after he'd found no traces of them to follow he'd given up hope of seeing them again. He had to hope the kids who'd been with that group were still safe.

Shaking the thought from his head he scrounged through the small building he'd found, ignoring the small stuffed toy that had brought the thought to mind. It had to have been someone's summer house with the way there was so little left here. All the same Leon had tried to root around the kitchen but anything that might have been there was long gone, dust settling in place. He tried to ignore the signs of a struggle nearby, dried blood smeared over the tile floors like that.

"Looks like this place isn't going to be much use either," he muttered to himself, heading for the door.

His handgun was in his grip just in case. If there was one thing Raccoon City had prepared him for it was to never leave it out of hand, Leon never would have guessed that such instinct would need to be so wholly embraced though. Something was always hunting him it seemed, it wouldn't do anyone any good to lower his guard.

Outside his jacket helped to protect him against the chilly breeze. His hands and face were left unprotected but there wasn't much Leon could do about that as he set off down the path. He'd grown used to these things anyways.

He adopted a quick pace, he didn't like to linger in one place for too long if he didn't have to. Besides, up ahead the path would intersect on what was once a main road. Though it was dangerous to try to root through cities those were the areas were supplies would be hiding. Whether it be people or infected he had to face Leon had to find something to keep going.

Krauser waited quietly, watching for any movement around him, whether it be someone living or not. He couldn't take chances here, no one could if they were still alive.

A long few moments passed and Krauser was starting to second guess himself. Maybe there wasn't anything around here. Whatever fell could have just been knocked over by the wind or was loose already. These buildings were no longer kept up with when it came to maintenance, long since abandoned.

He stepped back when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Krauser froze, watching as someone poked their head up before retreating back to their hiding spot. He resisted a scoff at that. Whoever it was, they were as cautious as anyone else was out in this world. At least they weren't pointing guns yet, however.

Eventually the person stood fully, already eying him carefully. She was sizing him and and Krauser took the moment to do the same with her. The women was a scrawny thing, that was for sure, but somehow was managing to survive. It took all kinds out here, he'd long since learned.

"I could ask you the same thing, kid," Krauser shot back shortly after she'd spoken, "no need for the suspicion. I'm not out here killin' the living."

That was the truth though he knew she might not believe him. People who were still out here were easily put on edge. She could be much the same, lacking any real trust to put in others. Krauser couldn't blame any one person because of that. Most survived on their paranoia.

"My names Krauser, if that puts you off edge," he finally answered. "As for what I'm doing here, I was scavenging until someone set off the alarm." If there was annoyance in his tone, he felt it had a right to be there. He wasn't exactly looking to get killed by the zombies roaming the area.

Krauser waited then, watching the woman for a long moment. In the lower light, he could make out obvious scratches. Something tried to do a number on her or she got them running away. Either case was possible.

----[X]----

Penelope scanned the area for her group. It shouldn't have taken this long for them to meet up again. She gnawed at her lip, waiting at the intersection quietly, occasionally pacing or shifting her weight. If something happened, she could only wait so long. She had to get back to the main group before night feel.

She shuffled her weight before she leaned against an old guard rail. Her gaze shifted about, waiting on any sign of life or otherwise. She was getting anxious now, wondering where they could have gone.

"They might just be held up..." she muttered the reassurance to herself. She'd taken to talking to herself a lot these days, muttering out hopes to keep her going.

She toyed with the crossbow in her hand, making sure it was at least loaded. She had an old hunting knife with her as well, just in case. She wasn't exactly handy with a pistol but she was at least armed.

Penelope pushed herself from the guard rail and she heaved another sigh. She lifted her head, catching movement out of the corner of her eye. Her heart leapt and she lifted her head again, hoping that she would see one of the members of the group. Instead, she saw someone in the distance she didn't recognize.

She furrowed her eyebrows, taking a few steps backward. The man was drawing closer and she wasn't sure if he'd seen her or not. It wasn't like there were many places to duck out here on the road. Maybe a car but she'd gotten wary of those over time, infected sometimes still strapped into their seats.

Penelope swallowed hard, hoping this one was friendly. People had gotten paranoid or defensive with the times. For all she knew, he could been very much in the same manner of thinking. She kept her weapon close, just in case things turned ugly.

The counter was high enough that it hid the knife in her hand from view at least if he stayed where he was. Allie couldn't see if he had any sort of weapons on his person, at least loaded ones, though he hadn't pulled any on her when she'd stood either. If nothing else at least there was that to start off with. There were enough worries about the monsters lurking around as is.

This man's answer didn't shed much light on what he was doing passing through here. He didn't seem the type to wander like many did. Was she wrong on that assumption though?

"I'm waiting," she retorted after he first spoke up. At the very least he'd spoken up though he hadn't exactly given her much of an answer either.

He spoke up again after that, giving a name to call him by and explaining what he was doing here. Even now he kept his voice down something that Allie could appreciate. Then again most people did nowadays. His answer wasn't one she'd been hoping for. If he wasn't sent here from another quarantine zone or base that Umbrella occupied then would anyone on their way? Perhaps news hadn't been sent soon enough for anyone to be sent out to find anyone here and get them away to a safer area.

For a minute Allie was quiet. In that time she could feel his eyes on her, probably sizing her up like she had him. Maybe he was even waiting to hear what she was doing here though would saying what she was waiting for a good idea or not? She didn't know what he was here for at all.

Allie finally said "that was probably Ben." She liked to imagine that Krauser's brow furrowed with the way he shifted and seemed to be waiting for clarification. "He's locked himself in the watch tower, sets off the alarm like an asshole when strange people wander through now."

She shifted, glancing around at the floor. It was hard to see but there were bodies there, unmoving. Had that been this man's work? He definitely looked like he was capable of it with the muscles that were easy to see even in this dim lighting so far into the labs.

----[x]----

Time passed as it always did, slowly. There was little to do as he walked but to keep an eye out on the area. Even the forests were infested now though not nearly as heavily as the older cities. Out here it was mostly bandits and other violent loving people that Leon had to worry about more. Zombies at least were not quiet when they saw someone to chase after.

The dirt path was a straight shot and up ahead he could slowly see the space where the old main road was. A large semi was even left abandoned, a good marker for him to judge the distance by now. Leon hoped nothing was hiding in the trailer it had been dragging at the time it had been left here. It wasn't until he'd traversed more distance did he see another, smaller shape.

His eyebrows knitted together, watching as this shape moved. It was clearly a human, a woman though whether or not she was infected was questionable. The thought was a worrying one though quickly disappeared the closer he drew to her. She stood with a crossbow in hand, those who were infected didn't have a need for weapons like that. That didn't mean he was out of potential danger, however.

He held up his hands, his gun still in one hand though pointing skyward now, when they were close enough that he could make out details of her clothes and face. She didn't look like she could do much against him but he'd been surprised before. Claire and Ada hadn't been intimidating and they'd both been more than capable back in Raccoon City...

"Not out to steal my things, are you?" he wondered under his breath.

He'd lost most of his things before he'd run into the last group. It was either that or his life and Leon wasn't so stingy that he'd choose the latter at any given time. If he hadn't run into Britt and her group Leon might not have been able to get a good meal for a long while after that incident. Yet again he had to shake thoughts of them away, all he could do was hope that they were safe wherever they'd ended up.

"The name's Leon," he introduced, nodding to the woman before him, "don't suppose it's too much to ask for a pretty girl's name in return?"

The woman was on edge though Krauser wasn't surprised. He'd had some pull weapons quicker, ready to be hostile before any words were exchanged. Such was the way of the world now even if Krauser put little stock into it.

Her answer didn't provide much to him. Who would be waiting in a place like this, already crawling with the undead? Seemed like too much of a risk, especially now that the alarm had gone off.

"Fair enough," he replied, regardless of his thoughts on the matter.

She was studying him again maybe wondering if he'd taken out the zombies here. Krauser was doing little to shed light on that fact. For the time being, his knowledge and skills were something he would hold closely to himself.

Instead of introducing herself after he'd done so, she mentioned some man named Ben setting off the alarm. Krauser scoffed in response, sparing a quick glance out of the window.

"Great plan," he responded sarcastically, "especially when you're own people are down here."

He was aware that it was a very 'one man for himself' world at times but this was going to the extremes. If this 'Ben' was lucky, the zombies hadn't piled up at his hiding spot yet.

"Don't suppose you're going to give my your name?" he inquired, eying the woman carefully. It only seemed polite, as rare a thing that was nowadays. Krauser had given up his own, after all.

While he waited, he kept an eye and ear out for any threats. He took out a great number of them but one ambush could end the both of them. Krauser would rather avoid that much, if at all possible.

----[X]----

For a long moment, Penelope remained rooted to the spot. She couldn't bring herself to move or dart away, unsure of where she would even go. Running off or back to the 'base' of sorts could only lead a potential threat to the others.

These thoughts were broken when the man raised his hands above his head. While one hand notably held a handgun, he was not using it in a threatening manner and genuinely seemed like he wasn't out to cause trouble. Penelope felt she could relax a little because of that.

"No," she answered his question, quiet as it was. Penelope took a moment to study him before she continued, "so I'm going to assume you're not here to steal mine."

Regardless of the answer, she felt a little more relaxed knowing this wasn't a thief. Most of them weren't afraid to draw weapons, threaten, and even kill others to get their way. The world had taken quite a turn and no one was ready for it.

She blinked when he gave his name, causally flirting when he asked for her own. That was something she hadn't heard in a while and it caught her off guard for a brief moment.

Penelope cleared her throat then, trying to gather herself, "Penelope," she replied, "or just Penny, if you prefer."

Penelope spared a quick glance around her, looking for the others. Still, they had not shown up and the sky wasn't getting any lighter. She didn't want to linger if it was going to start dumping rain but felt guilty if she did go. These feelings were a constant battle, ones she was finding very hard to win.

Shaking the thoughts, her attention fell back onto Leon. "Are you alone out here?" she inquired, if only to get some kind of conversation going.

Some people stuck with groups, others lost them or remained alone. She hated to say that she saw all kinds. Who knew what might have happened with him. She was already getting used to the horror stories. His might have been no different from others.

Allie couldn't tell what this guy might have been thinking, it was too dark in here to judge by his expression too. If he was just here scavenging then he wasn't the help she'd been waiting for. Allie didn't know where any other quarantine zones were located much less if there was any help coming. The thought left her conflicted about it all and second guessing the decision to stay here.

Soon enough Krauser relented to her answer and in the dark she could just make out the shrug of his shoulders. He didn't press for the why she was waiting and maybe that was best. She wasn't sure if he was sympathetic to Umbrella. Many had turned with the outbreak that had turned the world on its head. Many refused the safety of the QZs that were Umbrella owned because they felt betrayed by the company.

At the mention of Ben and his antics Krauser had scoffed, sounding as if he was just barely remembering to keep his voice down. It was Allie's turn to offer a shrug in answer. She suspected Ben had all but lost his mind at this point, maybe setting off the alarm was a bizarre way for him to cope. Or maybe he just had other intentions in mind, ones she couldn't begin to guess at.

The question of her name came about. Allie twirled her knife in her hand as she thought. So far the blade was useless though she felt safer with it in hand, ready to strike if she needed to. God, did she hope she wouldn't need to, not this time. Too often she'd had to fight and run just to survive in the last few weeks.

"Allie," she finally relented.

Anything she might have said after that was cut off by a sound in the hallway she'd slipped in from. Her attention snapped to it immediately however muffled the sound had been. Whatever it was was still at the far end, maybe behind all of that debris she had to maneuver around. If that was the case maybe it couldn't get through...

She'd tensed, hunkering down and readying her knife before she'd even realized it. There might have been safety for her here for a short while but it hadn't been long enough to erase the instincts she'd gathered before that time. Everyone who'd traveled outside the QZs or had survived the initial stages of the outbreak had them, after all.

----[x]----

Leon frowned when she'd spoken up. He'd muttered that to himself and he hadn't expected an answer. It was a habit he'd long since had, talking under his breath every so often in situations that might turn ugly. Nonetheless he tried to shake off the unease that had settled in him. People agreeing so quickly had ended up badly for him before, he'd keep an eye out just in case.

"Not unless you give me a reason to," Leon answered, louder this time. It didn't seem to do him much good if he muttered if her hearing was that good.

His hands were still raised. Though she hadn't aimed that crossbow at him it was still in her hands and ready for use, Leon couldn't be sure what might trigger her to turn it on him but he'd rather not find out. Until he felt it was safe he'd tread carefully.

A shrug was offered when she asked about any companions he might have. The last group was long gone, wherever they'd ended up Leon hadn't been able to find them. It wouldn't do much good to claim to still be part of that one so long after the fact. Still, he'd learned that just saying he was alone could end up troublesome too.

"I've been looking for my group," he said lightly, shrugging as he did, "lost 'em awhile back."

For a minute nothing was said and though his arms were growing tired he kept his hands raised. He didn't hear any sort of infected nearby though the trees and underbrush was still dense enough to hide in. For all they were aware of something could have been lurking around out of sight. Those thoughts were put on hold when the woman shifted from foot to foot.

"What about you? Waiting for someone?" he wondered.

It was quiet for a long while though Krauser didn't mind that. In the low light, it was difficult to make out any shapes so he relied mostly on his hearing. If there was something shambling about, he would know it quickly.

For the time being, there was nothing to be too alarmed of. He was still on edge however, tense just in case he needed to act. These places weren't exactly safe, anything could be lingering around.

Again, he had to wonder what she was doing here and why. Most people built their own places, cleared out the dead and worked with what they had. Krauser had run into many of those groups in the past.

When she finally gave her name, he lifted his head. He shifted before he nodded in a silent response. At least she'd spoken up. A lot of people had grown paranoid and refused to give information, even something so simple.

"Allie then," he responded, "mind if I ask what you're waiting for?"

The question barely slipped passed his lips when a sound in the distance hallway rang out. Krauser tensed, his head snapping in that direction. Carefully, he tucked his knife out of it's stealth. Out of the corner of his eye, Allie had already ducked away.

Krauser was already inching forward. He expected something small, one of the zombies wandering about like before. That much, he could handle for the time being. If it was anything larger, it would take a little more effort and who knew if Allie would be any help.

He spared a glance back, regretting asking how she handled herself out here. If she was going to act, she would do it. Krauser wasn't sure, however.

Eventually, he motioned for Allie to follow after him. If she wanted out of here, well, he could at least aid in that much. She might not have trusted him for the time being but he was sure he could gain it. Sticking together in this place would benefit the both of them for the time being.

----[X]----

Penelope was quiet for a long moment, mulling over what to do. If he was looking to hurt her, he would have done it by now. Eventually, she decided to lower her weapon, let it dangle at her side.

"It's a good thing I'm not looking for a reason to," she answered, relaxing a little.

She paused, shuffling her weight. She really wished there was still cell phone service. It was funny how something she'd never really used when the world was normal was something she craved to use now, just to make sure the others were safe.

He shrugged easily before he'd answered her question. A frown tugged at her lips hearing the answer. It wasn't something that was rare, people lost their groups all of the time and was a very real threat. Still, that didn't make it any less sad.

"I see..." she replied, trailing off for a moment.

A stretch of silence passed, strange for her now since she'd gotten used to the whole talking thing with work. People were easily on edge and giving away information just seemed too much of a risk for some.

When he did speak however, she offered a nod in reply. "We were looking for supplies," she answered, "they were supposed to be back by now. I'm afraid something might have happened."

Penelope was at a loss of what to do about it. Go out and search for them, risking her own safety and supplies the group needed or head back and share disappointing news. It left her torn on what option was best, in the end of things.

Krauser seemed to wait patiently enough for her name. Then again maybe he knew that impatiently rushing her for answers wouldn't get him far. Allie still wasn't sure about him, about what he was doing here at all. Most people avoided these places when they were abandoned. Umbrella didn't have a great track record for containing their mess ups it would seem.

Finally she fessed up to her name. There wasn't much point in giving a last name, not in this place and not when she had no one waiting for her anywhere else. A lot of people had given up last names, mostly those that traveled outside the quarantine zones anyways. Those thoughts were broken when he was asking what she was still doing here.

Allie had just opened her mouth to tell him that it wasn't much of his business to know that before the sound had rang out, muffled as it was. From the corner of her eye she could see him moving, reaching for something behind him. Only when she was sure nothing was darting down the hall after them—there was no telltale clacking of claws on metal that would indicate a licker or the thumping of a hunter's steps—did she see what he'd reached for. A large knife was in hand, the silhouette of it in the dark making it seem more menacing than it actually was.

Her attention hadn't lingered on him long, at least not until he started moving towards the sound. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest at that—what was he planning on doing? If he fought whatever it was the noise could bring something more dangerous their way. For a moment she was frozen in place, not sure what to do. Would following him be the better option or not? He looked like he could handle himself but still...

"Damnit," she muttered, darting after him. She wasn't so selfish that she could just let him head down a way she knew was infested alone.

It wouldn't be a long hallway to find the debris that she'd shimmied around to get through but in the dark it was hard to see. If it wasn't for the red lights at the end in the other room they wouldn't have been able to make it out at all from here. Krauser didn't seem bothered by this so much as he was moving carefully from what Allie could tell.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she muttered.

----[x]----

Leon spared a nod glad that she wasn't hostile. He'd had enough of that to last a lifetime and even then there didn't seem to be any sort of an end to all the fighting and surviving. Unless a cure was found... He shook the thought away for now, there would be plenty of time to brood later when he was in a more secure area.

Only when Penelope had lowered her crossbow did he let his hands drop back to his sides, muzzle of his gun pointing at the ground now. So long as neither were aiming at each other there didn't seem to be any sort of a problem between them. Leon was thankful for that, he'd rather face the infected than other people. At least with the infected they no longer had what had made them human anymore.

The topic of groups came up then, a common one anymore. She'd fidgeted when it came time for her to explain where hers might be at and Leon had to wonder why that was. There could be any number of reasons though an ambush didn't seem likely at this point. If that was the case they'd have hit him hard already the moment his guard was noticeably lowered.

An answer came eventually, one that didn't surprise Leon anymore. He glanced this way and that, unsure of where her group might be coming from or how large of a group it was. It was rare to see any larger than four or five traveling in groups this far out of quarantine zones or cities taken over by people who'd worked tirelessly for such an effort. Perhaps if this was a large group they were but a smaller portion of it.

"Well, why don't we go looking for them?" Leon offered. At the look he received he gestured to her, offering a small smile. "What? I can't let someone just run out on their own."

Penelope had done him no harm and so he'd do his best to help her if he was able to. Perhaps he might be able to find a niche in this new group for awhile if it was possible. Leon wasn't one who preferred to live so alone as he had the last few weeks.

Krauser positioned himself outside the hall, back pressed against it. He carefully peeked down it, hoping to catch a glimpse of what might have been lingering down the hall. Krauser knew it could be a number of things, having seen and dealt with the viruses many times before.

He paused for a long moment, unable to make out anything strange for the time being. Maybe it was wondering down hall further or had taken a turn. Krauser didn't linger on it for long.

His gaze wondered back toward Allie, watching her for a long moment. She looked tense and no doubt she had reason to be. This was her life on the line and he was suggesting giving that up for the time being.

As he started down the hall, he heard her hurried footsteps. He spared a glance behind him, noting the nervous and annoyed expression there. He shook his head at that.

"Don't worry," he muttered, "believe it or not, I know what I'm doing."

It was up to her whether she believed him or not. People felt no need to expel too much trust toward strangers now. It was a thought that he pushed into the back of his mind, carefully moving down the hallway. He could hear something shambling about the closer they got, a raspy sound ringing out as well.

"Sounds like a screamer..." he brought up quietly. "We'll need to be careful."

One scream could round in a hoard. He'd already gotten done with too many of them after the alarm rang out, he didn't want to deal with more. A scoff escaped him as he positioned himself carefully at the corner, peeking around it. There it was, oblivious to them as of the moment. If it would expose it's weak spot, they would be fine. For the moment, Krauser wasn't sure what their best move could be.

----[X]----

Penelope studied his features for a moment, noting the easy looking smile on his lips. He even seemed relaxed and for all she knew, he was. She couldn't say much about him for the moment, so for all she knew this could just be his normal personality.

She worried about what the others might think of him however. Everyone seemed overly paranoid and some weren't fond of meeting new people. She remembered some even holding onto paranoia long after people had joined up.

Eventually, she nodded in reply. "Yea...yea, that'll be for the best."

Even if they found no one or worse, found the small group dead, she could at least take back something. People needed some kind of closure even now, sometimes even more so now. She hated having to think in that manner but it was true for the 'times'.

Penelope nodded in the general direction they had split up at. Only then did she start forward, cross bow still dangling at her side. She would raise it in time, just in case something was hiding in the area.

"We should have stuck together," she brought up, sparing a glance back, "or at least separated into smaller groups of two. Never happens that way, some just want to get in and out as fast as they can."

Of course, splitting up all together could result in things like this, leaving her to wonder what might have happened. The world as it was now, risks were taken and people died but no one wanted to see that end. Penelope would have felt better if that could be avoided though sometimes it was unavoidable all together.

"I don't like being so careless," she finally explained, "so if you could assure me that you aren't going to pull any crazy stunts, that would be skippy."

Krauser had only spared a short moment where he'd seemed to stare at her before he'd moved towards the hallway and leaned against the wall, peering down into the darkness afterwards. For a long time neither moved and Allie was left warring with her thoughts on the matter. It was only after she'd approached him did he turn his attention to her once more.

"I'll believe that when I see it," she muttered back, careful not to be overheard by whatever might be nearby. She was sure that she heard him scoff as he'd turned away.

Movements were slow and deliberate and even though Allie had just come down this way she had no way of knowing where every piece of debris lay on the ground. It was good that Krauser was well enough aware of the mess and able to maneuver around it quietly without her help. In the darkness neither were at a great advantage against anything they might run into here.

Allie hovered near him, close enough that she could reach out and touch him if she felt a need to. In this way there would be plenty of room for him to duck back and, hopefully, not run right into her. From up ahead the sound was getting louder but still muffled enough that it wasn't in the direct area. Was it hiding in one of the other small hallways that branched off this one?

Krauser seemed familiar with the raspy sounds. Allie frowned at that. She knew that many of Umbrella's labs still tinkered with the viruses but had other labs gotten a hold of that virus and produced more of it? It seemed like that was the case or maybe the B.O.W.s that had been transported had gotten loose along the way and infected others afterwards. The thought was worrying. The last time she'd been outside of the safety of a QZ of Umbrella's they were predominantly T-virus infected running the world out there.

"There's not much back that way," Allie whispered, pointing in the dark towards the debris cluttered opening, "most of the areas lead deeper in or have been blocked off entirely. Can't we just double back the way you came in?"

Large metal shutters had blocked off many areas in a bid to contain the breakout inside though it had done little good in the long run. Allie wasn't sure what all passages had been barred but enough of them were that way that she'd feel better if there was some other way than venturing further inside and finding out a new path out.

----[x]----

Leon could only wait and take in this woman's demeanor. She was obviously nervous about something, she kept glancing down another path and biting at her lip as it was. These glances of hers didn't last long before she was back to watching him, probably still wary about him. Truth be told, Leon was still wary of her as well though he wouldn't be hostile unless it was needed. No allies could be gained that way, after all.

Eventually Penelope spoke up, looking more worried by the second. Leon shifted, unsure of how to go about this situation. Other than going out and looking for them what more could they do? Reassurances could get anyone frustrated sooner rather than later in these days.

Penelope finally answered, sounding uncertain about what they'd done. Splitting up was always a risky move out here but sometimes it was necessary and Leon couldn't begrudge anyone who chose to do so. Sparing a nod he gestured towards her, hoping that they wouldn't run into anything dire out there. Leon wasn't sure if she'd even accept his help and allow him to tag along yet either.

"A sound plan if nothing goes wrong anyways," he pointed out.

Penelope still looked unsure about his offer to help search for her friends. She was glancing down that same path and back at him again and again before she finally started them off. Leon followed after, keeping a respectable distance. He tried to make sure she could see him well enough as well, no doubt she'd be paranoid if he followed behind her the entire way.

Their pace was slow, as if Penelope still didn't know what she was doing just yet. Perhaps uncertainty kept her from acting more confidently on the matter. Just as he thought she'd turned to him, asking him again if he had any ill intent in mind. Leon resisted scoffing though he did offer a shrug.

"I doubt just saying that I'm not up to anything is going to ease your mind," Leon pointed out, "though I really don't have any intentions to attack you or anything."

It was quiet for a long moment. Krauser didn't expect her to reply at all, as hushed as her words were anyways. He resisted scoffing at her when she did speak her doubts. That left all the more room to show off if he had the chance.

He was aware of how close she remained nearby. He wasn't sure if it made her feel safe or what. Krauser didn't try to question it. For all he knew, it made her comfortable and if she wanted to dart away, she would. Most people were prone to running off rather then fighting.

Krauser had halted, watching the B.O.W carefully. It was one he'd seen once before but how this one came to be, he couldn't say. It had been a long time since he had any ties to Umbrella at all.

He backed away slowly, the creature not yet taking notice to them. If it did, a familiar scream would ring out, summoning zombies within the area. For the time being, that was best to avoid.

Allie was still standing closely to him. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper and he again found himself grateful that she had some amount of sense. So many were easily panicked and screamed or shouted. That would get them killed easily in this situation.

"We could try it," he muttered in return. "That thing will alert any zombie nearby if it screams. If there's one around, there might be more like it..."

He paused, hearing the thing shift suddenly in the hall. Krauser waited, glancing at it from around the corner. For a short moment, it looked around as if it had heard them. When the creature decided there was nothing, it began shambling away again.

"Ever handle a B.O.W.? before?" he inquired carefully, picking his way back. "Cause if that thing hears even the tiniest of noises, we're screwed."

Glancing down at her, Krauser saw little fear. More over, she was rather calm and looked to be processing the information. He had to wonder about that. People encountering these things, first time or not, were normally rather wary. What made her so different?

He couldn't stop and ask now however. They had limited time and as long as things were still quiet, they'd be fine. That was, if her friend didn't set off the alarm again.

----[X]----

Penelope was quiet for a long few moments as she moved down the street. The abandoned vehicles shouldn't have put her on edge so much. Only once had a zombie managed to lunge at her, still strapped in it's seat. Once had been enough and she was still wary of cars weeks after it had happened.

Her thoughts drifted and she had to wonder how good this Leon was with the gun in his hand. Anyone had to have some amount of skill to survive this long on their own. People stuck to groups just to survive, after all; it was the only way they made it.

Penelope wasn't sure how long he'd been on his own but it was safe to say it might have been a while. Whatever background he had, she could only guess. She tried to take some relief in it. At least he'd have her back when it counted or that was the hope.

"Truth be told," she said. "I just hope they're alright."

Things went wrong all of the time now, as much as she hated to think about it. The way things were now, it was unavoidable. Penelope tried to shake her mind of those thoughts, holding onto some hope that the small group had merely gotten caught up with something else.

She continued down the road, glad that Leon kept a respectable amount of distance between them. It wasn't hard to tell she was on edge, no doubt, and it was easy to pick up on.

Penelope spared a quick glance back at him when he spoke. If anything, it seemed like he was honest and picked up on her paranoia. Maybe he'd run into others much like herself in the past.

"A sound point," she replied. "At least you seem like the honest type."

She wasn't sure she could put her trust in him yet but his answers seemed genuine enough. With a pistol in hand, he could have easily taken her out earlier, after all. Why wait until this point or later still?

"I don't suppose you'd be any better than this then I am?" she asked, if only to fill the silence. "I was just a librarian before all of...this happened."

It might have been a little strange to stick so closely to some stranger's side but it was either that or be left alone down here on her own again. There was Ben up in that watch tower but he'd long since lost whatever empathy he had for anyone still down here. It seemed to her that he was out for his own gain anymore, a common thing to see nowadays when things got this drastic.

The thoughts didn't linger long, there wasn't a chance to brood on them now. With that screamer up ahead there was plenty to worry about as it was. If Allie let herself get distracted it could mean disaster for the both of them. Even if she was wary of Krauser he hadn't exactly done anything to warrant her wanting bad things to happen to him especially so when her safety was directly tied with what found the both of them now.

When she spoke up, just loud enough that Krauser could hear her, she wasn't sure if he would listen or not. The creature up ahead was still, probably listening for any kind of sound so it was hard to tell. With bated breath Allie waited for that screamer to start moving again. If it shuffled away they'd be fine for the time being and then maybe her pounding heart could have a break.

Eventually the screamer started off, shuffling down another side hallway. Allie sighed in relief, her heart still drumming loudly in her ears. It was a miracle nothing else could hear it. The relief was short lived however, given they were still in a place where all kinds of these infected monsters were roaming.

Krauser didn't seem to have a problem with the plan to backtrack where he'd come in through. At the very least there was that. If it was less infested then they should be fine, assuming Ben didn't go off his rocker again and set off that alarm. The noise was enough to stir everything up in here. That was something they didn't need to deal with.

The question was something she hadn't been expecting. B.O.W.s were things she tried to avoid on principle. They were tougher and smarter than the typical zombie, shuffling about and trying to take a bite out of anything that moved too close to it. Now, the B.O.W.s were smarter. Glancing up at him she met his gaze as best she could in the dark hallway and shook her head.

"Not head on," she admitted.

----[x]----

The pavement under their feet was cracked, long since abandoned in favor of people setting up homes in safer places. There was little need for many roads like this and only those that convoys took to ship supplies from quarantine zones were kept up on anymore. Maybe one days roads like these would be repaired and reused but until then they were left like this, cars littering them.

They hadn't walked far before Penelope had spoken up, wondering about his intentions again. It was a little funny, considering he was wondering the same about hers. He kept quite on that though, no need to stir up trouble. He couldn't be sure if she was the fussy type and he'd rather not have a woman annoyed with him at the moment.

When he answered honestly, pointing out that there wasn't much he could say to change her opinion, did she let the topic drop. Leon shrugged as she pointed out that he was rather honest. He saw no reason to lie, that just took up everyone's time and he'd rather not deal with it. The hassle that came with lying was too much to be practical in these times if it could be helped.

"I don't see much point in going so far out of my way just to trick one woman," he said simply.

It grew quiet between them again. Around them he could hear the sounds of various birds though he wasn't sure what kind they were. If those sounds grew silent then Leon would be on the lookout. They tended to be great lookouts when something shady was in the area. For the moment everything seemed to be all right, however.

Leon offered a shrug in response to her next question. Sure, he'd survived through Raccoon City and down in South America when he'd gone after Javier but even now he was finding he might not be entirely prepared for what was out there. He'd heard rumors that Umbrella still experimented though he couldn't verify them. If that was the case what else would they unleash on the world?

Shaking the thoughts away for later he said "I had trained as a cop before I was taken in as a government agent."

If they stuck together longer he might end up explaining more about Raccoon or the Javier mission. Until then he'd leave it quiet. There wasn't much need for it now when they were out to look for her friends.

The screamer had moved down the room, leaving a steady amount of relief washing over the two of them. If Allie exhaled a sigh, he had missed it.

He started moving down the hall carefully, picking his way through the debris laying around. The building was a mess though most were. People left in a hurry and minded little of what they were throwing whatever they could to block the way.

Krauser's gaze flickered back toward Allie. She hesitated for a brief moment before she started picking her way toward him. Maybe she felt better following a stranger than staying with the nut job sounding the alarm whenever he felt overly paranoid.

His question remained unanswered for a long moment. Eventually, she did speak up, the answer very short. Krauser glanced at her again, rolling a shoulder as if he was preparing himself.

"Well, best prepare yourself for them," he informed. "One here means there could be others. I'd rather not be caught off guard and I might not be able to help you, kid."

The B.O.W's were dangerous and she at least knew that. If they ran into any, at least she would know being prepared was their best bet. He just hoped they wouldn't have to deal with any others.

"It may take about a half an hour or more to make our way back, depending on trouble," he explained quietly. "Hope you can make it that long."

Krauser couldn't say he knew her, what she was like or how long her endurance would hold out. If she'd made it this far, it was a safe bet that she would be alright.

----[X]----

Penelope snorted slightly at his answer, true as it was. She wasn't sure if he was just brutally honest or if she was being overly paranoid. It could have just been her. Penelope had long since learned that she was a little on edge most days anymore.

"I wouldn't be much to deal with," she joked in reply. "I've been designated a 'doctor', not a combat specialist."

She had only come to that 'rank' because of her knowledge on herbs. Most people didn't know what kind of plants could help a wound or a burn or what could bring a fever down. It was these old fashion methods that helped when supplies were so little.

The first few times she'd dealt with a wound, it made her sick. Now, it seemed more or less like second nature and she could deal with her queasy stomach at the sight of blood.

"Get hurt, I can at least patch you up a little bit along the way," she continued, "though I think we'd both rather avoid that much."

Penelope continued on, her pace a little bit quicker now. As long as things were clear, there was no need for such a slow pace. If she was honest with herself, she was anxious as well. She wanted the others to be alright, to see if they were fine. That was hard when she still couldn't see anyone coming down the road as she hoped they would.

When he answered her question, she blinked, sparing a glance over her shoulder. She had expected something but not a government agent.

"I can live with that answer," she replied. She had to wonder how he'd gotten wrapped up with the government but decided not to pry. That was his business, after all, not her own. If he wanted to tell her, maybe he would in time.

At her answer Krauser was quick to warn her about the things she already knew about, lurking in the shadows here. Outside it would be easier to spot anything around them but down here they had to rely mostly on sounds. Not all of those creatures were noisy though.

"I've been here for weeks," she hissed back, "I wouldn't be alive if I didn't know how to at least steer clear of those things."

She sniffed indignantly when next he spoke. Of course she could last half an hour, assuming nothing waylaid them out of the blue on the way back. She wasn't sure which way he'd come through and couldn't say what things might be hiding along the way. It would be even worse outside this place, Allie didn't know what might be lurking out there anymore. She'd heard word that a lot of convoys of Umbrella's carrying questionable things had gotten lost along the way to other QZs of theirs, after all.

Nonetheless she said nothing this time around. There wouldn't be much good in arguing when there were so many things that could overhear them, Allie had to keep reminding herself of that. It had felt like it'd been so long since she'd had someone to actually talk to though and now that there was someone here who was in his right mind she found herself a little indignant about his assumptions for the time being.

As Krauser took them back down the hall they'd just come from, Allie took the time to reach up and swipe at her forehead. Blood that had dried there flaked off at her touch though it did little to stop her head from pounding. She'd need to get the cuts she'd sustained cleaned at some point but in this darkness it was impossible to manage that. Would Krauser even have any kind of medical know-how to help patch her up? Allie found she didn't know as she trailed after him.

"I hope you remember the way," she muttered.

----[x]----

Leon wasn't entirely sure what she was referring to when she said she wasn't much to handle at this point. Even a doctor could be easily tricked as far as Leon knew. Maybe she assumed that any trickery he might have had in mind would have involve violence at some point. Leon shook his head but otherwise said nothing.

At the very least if something happened she might be able to help aid him. Leon had learned some basic combat care when he'd been taken into the government but he hadn't had to put any of that knowledge to use yet. For the most part the groups and quarantine zones he frequented had their own doctors to tend to that. Leon wasn't even sure if he remembered all of what he'd been taught anyways.

"Well, that's a load off my mind," he admitted, "can't say I'm any good at that sort of thing."

It was easy to tell when Penelope picked her pace up, Leon followed suit to keep up. Getting left behind wouldn't do them any good when they were aiming to find her friends, after all. Maybe she was eager to find them or get off this desolate excuse for a highway. Leon knew there were a fair few zombies that might still be trapped in the cars even now. Whether or not that were so rotted that they couldn't do much than moan was the question.

Now that he was paying attention to her stride Leon took notice at how she avoided the vehicles as much as she could too. He resisted shaking his head at that; he'd had his own scare with zombies trapped in vehicles at the start of this mess after all.

When she asked what he'd been capable of she didn't pry for further answers. For the moment Leon was glad, he didn't want to think about those days when things were more normal. The thought that chasing after B.O.W. threats was once normal compared to now wasn't a completely calming thought though.

"How far off did your friends go?" Leon finally wondered.

Krauser waved off her reply easily. If she spoke true and she'd been here for weeks, she could handle herself. If not, he'd be needing to keep an eye for the both of them. Either way, it seemed like a risk anymore.

"I'll hold you to that, then," he answered simply.

He was finding that she was a confident one despite the fear that ran through her when he'd stumbled across her. If anything, that kind of confidence would do wonders down the road. Too many people didn't seem to have a back bone in these situations and were too afraid to fight.

The thought was shaken off as he strode down the halls carefully. Conversation was little but they both knew the risks. Even hushed voices could be heard by the creatures that lingered about the area. It made him wonder why she settled down in a place like this.

"Interesting place to stay," he finally mentioned. "Any reason why you'd hole yourself up in this place for weeks on end?"

It had already proven to be unsafe and crawling with the dead. Most people would stay clear of places like this, if only to keep themselves and others safe.

----[X]----

"Admittedly, it was never something I wanted to be good at," Penelope answered easily, "but given the circumstances, I suppose I'm thankful for the skill."

When she had first tried to help someone, her stomach had churned so much, she almost threw up. It took a long time to get used to those kinds of things. Sometimes, it still threw her off.

Conversation died down for a short time after. Penelope had picked up her pace and headed in the general direction the others had gone. Every time they came out here, it seemed like they had to go further and further out for supplies. She was beginning to wish the group would pick up and move to the next abandoned area in hopes of better things.

Leon finally inquired how far they'd gone. Penelope could only shake her head in reply. "They seem to go further out every time we root through areas for supplies," she said. "If they haven't run into trouble, it shouldn't be far now."

That was her worry however. If they had, they could have scattered or been hurt. If the latter was the case, she might be returning with someone new rather than the people the group expected.

"Can I ask you what happened to the B.S.A.A?" she finally inquired in the brief lull. "The might I've heard is rumors since the radios went dead."

Allie didn't answer Krauser, didn't see much need to. If he was expecting her to be able to at least hold her own then they would be fine, she could do that much. Nonetheless she stuck close to him, well aware of just how easily she could lose sight of him if she didn't. This place was full of hallways and rooms, though much of the paths were covered in debris or corpses making it a dangerous maze. The lack of proper lights in this building nowadays didn't help either.

Though he was moving quickly Allie made sure to follow a little more carefully, taking care not to trip over anything. There was no way of telling what bodies on the ground were still animate or not anymore without paying attention. Her gaze flickered to his back when he spoke up again, questioning her on why she'd remained here for so long.

It felt as if her heart skipped a beat, unsure of how to answer that. She couldn't say what kind of group he was with and why, if any. If she explained the why would it be something he'd be interested in or would he call her a liar? She shook her head despite the fact that he couldn't see it.

"I don't think now's the time for a Q and A," she shot back quickly enough, "besides I could ask you why you'd come to this kind of place too."

From some of the blocked off rooms Allie could hear shuffling and scraping. She didn't want to think about the possibility that it might be someone still alive and trying to get to safety in there, most likely it was just one of those creatures. Neither thought was exactly comforting.

----[x]----

Leon nodded, well aware that many people didn't want to grow used to this kind of a life and what it entailed. He did have to wonder why none of her group had gone to the nearest quarantine zone but maybe they'd been turned away. Leon had heard stories of people being neglected to try and keep those in the quarantine zones safe from the infections running rampant outside their walls.

"Better than nothing, I suppose," Leon pointed out all the same.

News that Penelope's group had to keep going further out wasn't comforting. If that was the case they'd have to relocate eventually or try for a quarantine zone again, if they hadn't already. He shook his head, Leon's thoughts wouldn't mean much to the group in a whole, he was sure of it. Still, he might still need to bring up the option. Baffling as it was not every group was aware of the QZs, news having gotten lost somewhere in the mix.

Only when he was asked about the BSAA did he glance her way for a moment before offering a shrug. "I heard they run a couple of quarantines where they can but I haven't run into any to ask," he answered, "maybe they're still regrouping after all these years."

It was a sad thought but a viable one all the same. From the sounds of it even Umbrella was scrapping together though Leon had only run into smaller convoys of former Umbrella employees. It was usually simple to get in and out to sabotage whatever they were up to but other times Leon had gotten caught and things had gone south. It had been one such occasion that had lead him to the group he'd been with weeks ago.

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