Episode 13

"Well, isn't this just one big happy family reunion," said Wess, walking into the cellar room.

Abraham and Dale sneered at the man, and Charlie hid his face in Dale's jacket.

"What do you want from us?" asked Abraham, and Wess grinned, looking at his sword.

"Oh, you'll find out as soon as we meet with a little bird."

Dale and Abraham exchanged looks, and Dale looked at Wess.

"What do you want with Bella?" he asked, and Wess rubbed the back of his neck.

"Now, we're asking the right questions. What do I want with our little mouthy fire-bird? Hmm, for starters, I want to know how she got some undead freak animals to attack my outpost and kill my people."

Dale scoffed, and Andy shook his head.

"We don't know nothing about no freak animals. Have you lost your mind?" Dale said, and Wess gave him a thoughtful look, pointing his sword at him.

"Now, Dale. You shouldn't lie to me. You know more than anyone how much I know about your camp and you people," he yelled, and Dale swallowed hard, looking at the end of the blade.

"Listen, we don't know how or where the animals came from. She just showed up with them," said Andy, and Sarah agreed.

"So, this kid shows up with these decaying monsters, and you don't find that odd? You all seem awfully calm, knowing these things are out there," said Wess.

"Of course, it's odd. Have you been living under a rock? The whole world is weird," snapped Bonnie, and Andy shushed her.

Wess chuckled and looked at Charlie.

"Does the little brother have anything to say?" he asked, and Charlie glared at the man.

"My sister is gonna kill you," he snapped, and Megan pulled him close.

Wess laughed, looking at his men, and the Bandits laughed with him. He crouched before the boy and gave him a thoughtful look.

"Here's the deal, kid. Your sister even thinks about trying anything like that. You'll be the first to go, or maybe I'll start with your mom," he said, rubbing Megan's calf, and she pulled her legs back.

Charlie sobbed and buried his face in his mother's chest. Megan glared at Wess, trying to comfort her son, and leaned against her husband.

"Geez, man. What the hell is wrong with you? He's just a kid," Dale sneered.

Wess ignored him, winked at Charlie, and left the room.

"I hope Bella rips his stupid head off," cried Charlie.

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Bella took a drag of a cigarette and threw it on the ground. She sat in the truck with her foot on the dash and took a sip out of a whiskey bottle. She changed into her ripped black jeans, a white tank top, and steel-toe boots. Waylon turned her boots into weapons by making a blade pop out of her heels and sharpening her throwing knives.

The afternoon sun beat down on the vehicle, making Bella sweat, and she wiped the perspiration off the back of her neck. She looked up, and her eyes widened, seeing two large decaying Jaguars walking toward her. Where did they come from?

Bella saw Jordan walking with them, but he looked different. She shook her head, blinking in disbelief, and froze. He continued toward the truck as the beasts ran off with the others, and she gasped.

Jordan had thick black stripes down his face, neck, and arms and dark circles around his eyes. His teeth were clenched, and his sharp canines were gold. His dreads were braided back, and he looked at her with glowing green reptilian eyes.

"What happened to you?" Bella breathed, sliding out of the truck, and Jordan grinned.

"Evolution, baby girl. You're looking at your Beta. An equal, though, and look, I've brought you an army," he purred, gesturing to the field, and she saw the Jaguars corralling a horde of new mutants.

"How is this possible?" she whispered, and Jordan took the bottle of whiskey from her grasp.

He took a sip, wrinkling his nose, and chuckled.

"Why question it? We have power, baby girl. We were chosen to become whatever we are. Maybe we supposed to change the world. We could change the world. Make our own population," he said, flexing his muscular striped arms.

Bella ran her fingers over the stripes on his bicep, and Jordan shivered. She placed her warm hand on his arm and looked at him with concern.

"Oh, no! The infection is getting to your brain. It's making you delirious. Did you really say make a population of our own?" she said, and Jordan chuckled.

"A man can wish, can't he?"

Bella scoffed, and he placed his hand over hers. They felt the calm wash over them, and he breathed deeply.

"God, baby girl. It's like you tame the beast inside with just a touch of your hand," he breathed as his stripes disappeared and eyes faded to brown and green.

"I feel it, too," she said, then raised an eyebrow.

"But if you start making strange noises, I'm taking my hand back."

Jordan snickered and gave her a clever look.

"You mean like this? Oh, Bella, keep touching me. Your hand feels so good on my arm," he yelled, and she snorted, pushing him away.

"Wow! Wow! You're unbelievable! Dale's so going to kick your ass when he gets back."

Jordan chuckled, crossed his arms, and ran his thumb across his lower lip.

"You gonna tell him I kissed you?" he asked, closing one eye, and Bella nodded.

"Yep. I think that deserves an ass whooping," she said, and he cornered her against the truck, giving her a thoughtful look.

"If Imma gets my ass kicked, I should make it worth it, huh?" he teased.

She snorted, crawling out from under his arm, and he hung his head.

"I think you just did," she snickered, and he laughed, running his hand down her arm.

"I hope you know I was only fooling."

Bella smiled and nodded.

"I know, but.."

Suddenly, the beast snarled from the field, and Jordan and Bella looked at them.

"What is that?" asked Jordan, shielding his eyes from the sun, and she rocked back and forth.

"Reinforcements."

Thousands of decaying mutilated creatures staggered into the field, and the tigers and jaguars led them to the intersection.

"I can't wait till that son of a bitch is dead," she growled, and he sighed, looking at her.

He knew if she killed the asshole out of revenge, it would destroy her, so he decided to ensure Wess didn't die by her hand.

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"Come on, folks. It's visiting hours."

Abraham, Megan, Dale, Charlie, Sarah, Mike, Andy, and Bonnie stood in a row, and the Bandits tied and gagged them. They put burlap sacks over their heads, and the group couldn't see anything. The Bandits led the group to the back of a van, shut the doors, and the vehicle started moving.

"Where are they taking us?" cried Charlie.

"Shsh, Charlie. It's okay. We're probably going to meet with Bella," whispered Dale.

The van stopped, and the group was taken out of the vehicle. The Bandits made them kneel and pulled the sacks off their heads. Wess walked toward Abraham and leaned into his ear.

"I hope your daughter is punctual. I don't like to be kept waiting," he said.

Abraham swallowed hard, hoping his daughter was on the way.