Episode 1

*6 Months Later*

Bella pulled her motorcycle up to a secure abandoned warehouse connected to what looked like a store, and Abraham parked next to her with Jordan and Andy in the truck. Abraham got out and walked toward his daughter with an impressed look.

"Do you see what I see, little bird?"

Jordan, Andy, and Bella looked around, and Bella shrugged.

"More dead land and abandoned buildings?" she said, and Jordan snickered.

Abraham sighed and gave his daughter a thoughtful look.

"Look harder and tell me what you see," he said, and Bella sighed, looking around.

She looked at the dead grass and the abandoned buildings but then noticed high cement walls with razor wire along the top, and the front entrance was blocked by a rolling double gate, which was the only way in or out of the area. She saw a couple of mutants dressed in uniforms, staggering in the back, but the place seemed overall safe and permanent.

Bella smiled and sighed.

"I see a home. Do you think we can make this our new camp?" she asked, looking at her father, and Abraham nodded.

"But what was this place?" Bella asked, leaning over the handlebars and looking at the buildings.

Jordan looked at the place, holding his hand to his chin, and gave Bella a thoughtful look.

"Looks like it was a military bunker. I toured a few back in my recruit days," he said, and Abraham clapped him on the back.

"I was thinking the same thing. Guess you can be useful after all," he teased, and Jordan chuckled.

"Yes, Bell. I think we might have found something permanent," Abraham added, and Bella grinned.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's clean this place up," she chirped, getting off her bike and grabbing a chopper.

Jordan pointed to the other weapon, and Bella nodded.

"Thanks, baby girl," he said, grabbing the chopper and quickly kissing the top of her head.

Bella wrinkled her nose, making a face, and Jordan snickered. Abraham and Andy laughed, shaking their heads, and grabbed their rifles.

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Abraham, Andy, Jordan, and Bella entered the warehouse and saw five decaying mutants in military uniforms. The clothing was stained with fresh and dried blood, and the creatures looked even more crazed than any of the other mutants they'd encountered before. The group swallowed hard and held their weapons at the ready.

The Gorey monsters looked at them, snarling and growling, and started twitching as they staggered toward Abraham and the others.

"Bella!" yelled Abraham, and his daughter shook her head.

"They're not responding!" she cried, and Jordan sneered.

"The hell with this," he snarled, grabbing one of the monster's heads and tearing it off its body.

Bella looked at him with wide eyes as blood splattered her shoulder and face, and Jordan grabbed the chopper and sliced through another mutant. Abraham and Andy killed the remaining creatures and walked over to them.

Jordan waved his hand in front of Bella's face, and she blinked, looking at him.

"You good?" he asked, and she only nodded.

She looked at the dead mutants, laughed, and wiped the blood off her nose with the back of her wrist.

"Well, that was weird," she said, and Jordan agreed.

"I agree. Why they wanna attack us like that?" he asked, and Bella shrugged.

"When I tried communicating with them, it was like they were pushing me out of their heads. Maybe next time we should show them our stripes?"

Jordan nodded, and Abraham and Andy looked at Jordan and Bella.

"Is that all of them?" asked Andy.

Jordan and Bella developed a new power over the last couple of months. Infrared vision. The living gave off a red-orange-yellow glow, and the mutants gave off a blue-yellow signature.

Bella and Jordan's eyes started glowing as they looked around, and they didn't see any signatures but theirs.

"All clear," said Jordan, and Abraham nodded, looking around.

"Guess you were right, kid. This place is an old bunker," he said, and Jordan nodded.

The building was disguised as a warehouse and store, but on the inside, it wasn't what they expected. The store was a storage room connected to a kitchen, a wide empty space, a room with a metal table screwed to the floor, and a second floor with small rooms lining the walls. There were three rooms on the bottom floor and a metal set of stairs that led to the second floor.

Bella thought the place was perfect and bumped Jordan with her shoulder grinning.

"I think we found a home," she giggled, and he smiled, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"I think you're right, baby girl."

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"Bella! Jordan! The store is clear, but there are six or seven freaks behind the store. They seem pretty docile, like the ones back home. Would ya'll do your control thing or whatever it is you do to get rid of them?" asked Andy as he and Abraham walked into the living quarters.

Bella and Jordan looked at each other and nodded. Jordan tilted his head back and forth, showing his growing fangs and black stripes appeared on his body. He looked at Bella with glowing eyes, and she stretched. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and her black stripes appeared. She looked at her father and Andy with glowing crimson eyes, and Andy raised his hands.

"Okay. I'll take that as a yes," he said, and Bella snickered.

"We'll try. The ones in here wanted to attack us. If the freaks out there are like them, they'll die with the rest," she said, and Jordan agreed.

Abraham and Andy nodded, and Andy gave Bella a questioning look.

"I wonder what made them attack you. I've never seen the freaks act like that before," said Andy, and Jordan rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb.

"You see, back home. We had some mutual understanding with them. These freaks, though? Nah. They're smarter, faster, and can smell mines and Bell's human side," he explained, and Abraham, Andy, and Bella looked at him oddly.

"How can you know that?" asked Abraham, and Bella searched Jordan's eyes.

"I don't know. Maybe intuition or a sixth sense."

Bella touched Jordan's arm, and he searched her eyes.

"What's wrong, baby girl?" he asked, and she shook her head.

The attraction between her and Jordan was more vital than ever, and Bella still fought her feelings but was starting to give in. She wanted him to pull her close and kiss her like she was the last person he would ever kiss.

Jordan wanted her just as much as she wanted him. He felt the intense energy pulling them together and knew it was only a matter of time before she gave in, so he waited patiently for the moment when he took her into his arms, kissed her soft lips, and made her his.

"Alright. Andy and I will go out there with you in case you need backup," said Abraham, and Andy nodded.

"Okay. Let's go," said Bella, and she, Jordan, Andy, and Abraham headed outside.