Chapter 28 : Back to Marcus

The trio moved cautiously through the crumbling remains of the mall. The shadows stretched long under the dim emergency lights, flickering sporadically. Every sound—distant groans, the creak of metal, the crunch of their footsteps on broken glass—kept their nerves on edge. Kate took the lead, gripping her crowbar tightly, while Chris brought up the rear, his rifle at the ready. Carl, now clutching the dented can of soup like a treasure, trudged between them, his head swiveling nervously at every sound.

The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating, until Kate finally broke it.

For a while, the only noise was the echo of their footsteps. Finally, Kate broke the silence, her voice calm but carrying a hard edge. "Carl, back in the pharmacy. That storage room. What the hell do you think that was about?"

Carl glanced at her, his face pale in the dim light. "You mean… the blood? The chains?"

Kate nodded without looking at him, keeping her eyes scanning the path ahead. "Yeah. That. You said you've been here for days. You had to have seen something, heard something."

"I didn't," Carl said quickly, his voice a little too high-pitched. "I swear, I never went near the pharmacy. I didn't want to risk it."

Chris let out a derisive snort from behind them. "Convenient."

Carl turned to look at him, his expression frantic. "It's the truth! I didn't even know there was anyone else in the mall until I heard you two in the convenience store."

Kate stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "That blood was fresh, Carl. Someone—or something—was using that storage room. Chains on the wall, a cot in the corner… That wasn't random."

Carl shrank under her intense gaze. "I… I don't know! Maybe it was the people I told you about. The ones I got separated from. Brent, or—"

"Brent's dead, according to you," Chris interrupted, stepping closer. His voice was low, steady, and laced with suspicion. "And the others either ran or got taken by walkers, right? So who's using the pharmacy as a goddamn torture chamber?"

Carl's mouth opened and closed like a fish, but no words came out.

Kate sighed, her patience wearing thin. ""Look, Carl, we're not accusing you of anything. But if you're hiding something, But if you've got any information—anything—about what's going on in this mall, now's the time to spill it."

"I don't know!" Carl nearly shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. He winced at the noise and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I don't know, okay? I've been hiding in that storage room for days, eating canned beans and drinking stale water. I didn't even know there were people left in the pharmacy, let alone… whatever the hell that was."

Kate studied him for a long moment, her gaze piercing. Then she nodded slowly and resumed walking. "Alright. But if there's something you're not telling us, it's going to come out eventually. And when it does, it better not bite us in the ass."

Chris let out a grunt of agreement as he followed. "If it does, you're on your own."

Carl swallowed hard and fell back into step, his shoulders hunched as if the weight of the world were pressing down on him.

The group reached a narrow corridor leading toward the station. Broken signs dangled precariously from the ceiling, and the walls were stained with dried blood. Kate stopped at a corner, peeking around it to ensure the coast was clear before signaling for the others to follow.

As they walked, Kate decided it was time to address the elephant in the room. "Carl," she said, her tone softer now, though still serious. "There's something you need to understand about our situation before we get back to the station."

Carl glanced at her warily. "What do you mean?"

Chris snorted, his tone bitter. "She means Marcus."

"Marcus?" Carl repeated, confusion and apprehension mingling on his face.

Kate shot him a look but didn't argue. Instead, she looked back at Carl. "He's the leader of our group. The station is his territory. We're part of his crew, and everything we do—including bringing you along—goes through him."

Carl nodded slowly. "Okay… so what does that mean for me?"

Kate continued, "the man who leads that group—Marcus—isn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type. He doesn't take well to strangers."

Chris scoffed. "That's putting it lightly. Marcus is a paranoid bastard who doesn't trust anyone he hasn't personally vetted."

Carl stopped walking, his eyes wide. "Wait… are you saying he won't let me stay?"

Kate sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "We're saying it's not up to us. Marcus makes the final call on who stays and who doesn't."

"But you brought me along!" Carl's voice rose in pitch, a mix of panic and frustration. "Why would you do that if you think he might kick me out?"

"Because leaving you behind wasn't an option," Kate said firmly, her gaze locking onto his. "You were alone, scared, and out of options. I wasn't going to let you die out there."

Chris added with a shrug, "Whether you stay or not depends on how Marcus feels about you. If he sees you as useful, you'll probably be fine. If not…" He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

Carl's face went pale. "What does he consider useful?"

Kate exchanged a glance with Chris before answering. "Skills. Strength. Anything that can help the group survive."

Chris chuckled darkly. "And not being a liability. That's the big one."

Carl's grip on his can of soup tightened. "I—I can help. I'm not useless. I've… I've survived this long on my own, haven't I?"

"Barely," Chris muttered under his breath.

Kate gave him a warning look before turning back to Carl. "We'll vouch for you. But if you want to stay, you'll have to prove yourself. That means pulling your weight and earning Marcus's trust."

Carl nodded quickly, desperation etched across his face. "I can do that. I swear."

Kate's gaze softened slightly, though her expression remained serious. "Good. But remember this, Carl: Marcus isn't the kind of man you can lie to. If he even suspects you're hiding something, you'll be out on your ass—or worse."

Carl shuddered but nodded again, his voice barely above a whisper. "I understand."

The trio continued walking, the station growing closer with every step. The oppressive weight of the mall seemed to lift slightly as they approached their destination. Still, the tension between them lingered, unspoken but palpable.

As they reached the final stretch of the corridor, Kate glanced back at Carl. "You've got a chance here, Carl. Don't waste it."

Chris smirked, though it lacked humor. "Yeah, don't screw it up. Marcus might not be as forgiving as we are."

Carl forced a weak smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Thanks. For… for not leaving me behind."

Kate nodded, her expression softening for the first time since they'd met him. "We've all been where you are, Carl. Lost, scared, unsure if we'd make it another day. No one survives this world alone—not for long."

Chris sighed, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as they approached the station's entrance. "Just remember, this isn't a free ride. You want to stick around, you've got to work for it. That's the only rule that matters."

Carl nodded, his grip on his can loosening slightly. For the first time, he seemed to stand a little straighter, a flicker of determination in his eyes. "I will. I promise."

Kate offered him a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Good. Now let's see what Marcus thinks."

With that, they stepped into the station, leaving the uncertainty of the mall behind—but knowing full well that the real test was still ahead.

As they approached the main entrance, a familiar figure stepped out to meet them. Marcus was tall and broad-shouldered, his presence commanding without effort. His sharp eyes took in the trio, lingering on Carl. His dark beard was flecked with gray, and his arms were crossed over his chest, a machete hanging at his side.

"Well?" he said, his voice deep and steady. "What's this?"

Kate stepped forward, meeting his gaze. "His name's Carl. We found him in the mall. He's been surviving on his own for days. Figured we'd bring him back, let you decide if he stays."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Carl. "Is that so? You've been out there on your own all this time?"

Carl nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. I—I didn't have anyone. Just kept to myself, tried to survive."

Marcus studied him, his expression unreadable. "And why should I let you stay here? You think I'm running a charity?"

Carl hesitated, his mouth opening and closing as he scrambled for an answer. "I… I can help. I'll do whatever you need. I'll pull my weight, I promise."

Marcus took a step closer, towering over Carl. "You look like you'd snap in half if I gave you a shovel. What exactly can you do?"

Kate stepped in, her tone steady but firm. "He's not useless. He survived the mall on his own, which is more than most people could manage. He's resourceful, and he's willing to work. That's worth something."

Marcus glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "And you're vouching for him?"

Kate hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. He's green, but he's not dead weight."

Chris chimed in, his tone more measured. "He's not a fighter, but he's not completely helpless either. We could put him to work somewhere."

Marcus considered this for a moment, then looked back at Carl. "Fine. You'll get a chance. But understand this: I don't tolerate freeloaders. If you don't contribute, you're out. If you're a liability, you're out. And if I catch you lying or sneaking around, you'll wish you were out. Got it?"

Carl nodded fervently. "Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you."

Marcus leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near-growl. "Don't thank me yet. You've got one shot. Don't screw it up."

Carl's face was pale, but he nodded again.

As Marcus walked away, Kate let out a quiet breath and turned to Carl. "That's the hard part over. Now you just have to prove yourself."

Carl nodded, still clutching his can of soup. "Thank you. Both of you. I mean it."

Chris rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

Kate gave Carl a small nod. "Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll figure out where you fit in."

Carl managed a weak smile. "I'll do whatever you need. I won't let you down."

As the group dispersed, Kate lingered for a moment, her gaze following Marcus as he disappeared into the station. She couldn't shake the feeling that bringing Carl here might've been a mistake—not because of Carl himself, but because of what they'd seen in the mall. The chains, the blood, the cot…

Something was wrong, and she had a sinking feeling they hadn't seen the last of it.