Ren has never been called a snake before. A cockroach? Obviously. A rat? Sure. But a snake? That's a new one. Is it weird that she's starting to grow a mental list of insulting nicknames?
Zero's knee presses into the center of her back, his hand holding her face to the ground. Gravel digs into her cheek, and her breasts are pinched between him and the ground.
"Get off of me!" She shouts, her dark eyes glancing to the dead that are pouring through the hole in the city wall. It feels like a fist is clenching around her heart. They're getting closer.
The sound of heavy boots captures her attention. Right. She can't forget about the militia, either.
How in the world did she get in this situation?! She just wanted some food, why is she being punished for that? Has Ren not been punished enough? Was being betrayed by her one and only family not enough? Was being devoured by the dead not enough? The universe just had to throw in getting captured by the government too? Because of some looney?
Why not just kill her? It'd be so much easier. Her problems can't follow her into the afterlife, can they?
Seth's face pops into her head. His smiling expression, at ease.
Mm, right. Revenge. He's still alive, right? He better not be rotting in some ditch or dragging his feet as a zombie. She'd kill him twice for that.
If only Ren could just be the timid type and let it go.
"Just remember that this is all your fault." Zero continues to hiss at her, his knee bruising her spine. "I wanted to go, but you wouldn't let me."
"It was for the greater good," She hurries to explain. The IM patrol turns the corner of the nearest broken down building and immediately takes notice of the broken wall and the dead crawling through the rubble.
"Leo, Lea, take care of the hoard." Markus nods towards the gaggle of dead pouring in through the wall.
Crap, crap, they're here! Ren tries her best to kick the guy off of her, filled with urgent vigor, but he's too heavy, and her position offers little room for movement.
"Oh my God, seriously," She begs, her eyes wide when an IM soldier turns their way.
"Look over there." Gerry taps Markus' shoulder and nods to the two civilians a few feet away. A zombie hobbles towards them, one foot dragging against the ground.
Markus' brows furrow as he tries to make sense of what's happening. "Gerry, search for any strays. Alert the other nearby patrols."
Gerry opens his mouth to complain but when Markus shoots him a withering look, he grumbles under his breath and breaks off from their group, returning the way he came.
"Let's check that out." Markus mutters to his last remaining team member. The two of them head towards the two.
Ren growls in frustration, hating the way her eyes water. "We could be running away right now!" she screeches at the man above her. She's hysterical, there's no way this is actually happening right now. "What do you mean, my fault?!" What the hell is wrong with this guy?!
When she sees two of the IM soldiers walking her way, she goes limp, giving up entirely. There's no way she's getting out of this now.
"I hate you." She mutters, glaring daggers at the people who draw closer.
"Ditto." He growls back.
"Now what do we have here?" Markus calls as he takes them in. "You both are just asking to get turned." He grabs the guy by the scruff of his shirt and yanks him off of Ren. He grunts at the heavy weight. "Okay, definitely not a civilian." Only an infected or a cyborg would weigh that much.
Before Ren can make a run for it now that someone isn't holding her down, Stephanie, Markus' partner, pulls her up. She's just as strong, if not more so, than Ren, so when she tries to twist her arm off, she fails. Damn it.
When she sees Zero in her line of sight, she leans her weight on the IM soldier holding her, and kicks him as hard as she can. Ren watches in satisfaction as he doubles over and coughs.
"Prick." she mutters.
"Oh wow." Stephanie chuckles, the sound vibrating into Ren's back as she holds her captive. "Haha! Having a lover spat? "
"She's to ugly to be my lover." Zero grunts out and glares at her. Ren sneers back at him. As if he's any nice to look at. Her face burns red, okay, that's a lie. Even with the scar on his face he's probably the most handsome man she has ever seen. But he doesn't need to know that. His ego is inflated enough as it is.
"Now that's not very nice." Stephanie laughs. "Definitely not the way to win her over."
"What?" Zero scoffs, "As if."
"Mm, you should listen to her." Markus nods, "She's good at these things."
"Mm, no." He tries to get out of Markus' hold. When he doesn't budge an inch he groans.
"A couple of unregistered IM's?" Markus asks. He pulls out two bands and slaps them onto Zero's wrists. They immediately lock together. Stephanie is quick to do the same to Ren.
Then Markus yanks the guys sleeves up but doesn't see anything.
"The mask." Ren helps him out. Zero kicks his feet at her but she dodges, pushing Stephanie back a few feet before she steadies herself. Ren sticks her tongue out at him.
When Markus pulls the mask back and sees the scar, he makes a face and puts it back into place. "One infected confirmed."
Stephanie lifts Ren's sleeve and frowns when she sees how many bites there are. The expanse of skin torn and ripped and healed over. When she looks at her, Ren gives her a mean smile. She hopes the soldier feels pity. It'll give her the advantage.
Ren lunges forward and bites her nose. Hard. Stephanie screams, blood bursts into Ren's mouth, the taste of copper makes her stomach churn.
For someone who's infected with a virus that makes people eat other people, she sure doesn't find it appealing.
"Oh she's definitely feral now." Zero mutters.