Chapter 533: The Strolling Deceased

Chapter 533: The Strolling Deceased

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Driving for the entire day, the group's convoy pressed on, the sun sinking on the horizon. The highway stretched ahead, mostly devoid of the living. Occasional cars passed by, uninterested in stopping or interacting. Abandoned vehicles dotted the roadside, and sporadic zombies wandered aimlessly. The majority of the infected seemed concentrated in populated areas, sparing the highways from the full onslaught.

As they drove, they were lucky enough to stumble upon small storage trailers, hitched to abandoned cars in the road. Instantly, an idea struck Peter, and they hitched these trailers to the back of their SUVs, expanding their capacity for supplies.

Throughout the day, they made stops at rest areas to loot convenience stores and refuel. Although they had to clear these places of zombies first, the encounters were a far cry from the urban chaos they left behind.

On top of the normal supplies, they also scavenged fuel containers, filling them to the brim for later use. While gas was currently easy to come by with the power still on, Peter foresaw challenges in securing it in the future. At least for normal people without superpowers and magic.

Over the radio, they debated whether to clear the next rest stop and spend the night there or rotate drivers and continue, allowing everyone else to rest while on the move. As they deliberated, Peter's keen eyes caught a distant car, following at a discreet distance with its headlights off. He even recognized it as one of the few cars they passed earlier in the day.

"Joel," Peter radioed, his tone alert. "Keep an eye out for a car behind us. I think we've got a follower."

The occupants of Joel's car peered back, squinting in the fading light, struggling to confirm Peter's suspicion. "I don't see anything," Joel responded.

"They're there, and they're keeping their distance," Peter insisted. An uneasy tension settled over the group as the possibility of being targeted for their ample supplies hung in the air.

As they continued down the highway, Peter mulled over their options. "Next rest stop, we'll pull in for the night and see what they do. Stay vigilant."

Joel and Tommy exchanged unsure glances, but they trusted Peter's instincts. "Alright," Joel replied as he turned to Tommy. "Make sure the guns are loaded."

Pulling into the next rest stop, they prepared for the night. The group systematically cleared the area of zombies while keeping a watchful eye on the road for the mysterious follower. However, as time passed, the anticipated car failed to arrive.

Concern etched across their faces, they realized the potential danger. Peter, deep in thought, proposed, "They might be waiting for us to settle in. Let's give them what they want..."

Setting up for their guests to arrive and positioning themselves strategically, the group turned off all of the lights and waited to see who would show up. Only Sarah was hidden in the back room of the nearby convenience store alongside MJ, who offered to sit with her so she wouldn't do anything stupid.

The night grew darker, and the rest stop, once a mundane place for travelers, now held an air of tension and uncertainty.

...

As the night enveloped the rest stop in darkness, Peter perched comfortably on the branch of a nearby tree, his gaze fixed on the forest surrounding them. The anticipation hung in the air like a heavy fog, and the tension was palpable as the group waited for the enemy to arrive.

Joel was the first to speak. "Maybe we should just leave her behind and go? We don't have to kill her, but keeping her with us seems dangerous..."

Tommy nodded alongside him. "Yeah, but I'm fine with killing her as well. After all, she can't try to rob us again if she's dead."

They voiced their concerns, wary of the potential danger she might pose, especially to Sarah. Peter brushed off their worries, knowing that he could easily protect them. Though this did highlight a future problem.

'Maybe I should magically vet everyone that joins our group from now on?' Peter wondered. After all, betrayals aren't a rare thing in an apocalyptic setting, so it might be smart to make sure the people they take in are trustable, upright individuals.

Especially now that he knows this is a crossover universe.

"Look, we need answers before we make any decisions," Peter explained, glancing between Joel and Tommy. "I'm not saying we trust her, especially after she just tried to rob us, but questioning her might give us a better picture. She might even know some information that we don't."

Joel weighed the options, considering the potential risks. After a moment of contemplation, he agreed, albeit with a condition. "Keep her away from Sarah."

"Agreed," Peter responded, as he walked toward the entrance of the convenience store.

Inside the store, he gently placed Michonne down on a sleeping bag, securing her hands and feet with zip ties to be safe. As Joel and Tommy went to check on Sarah, MJ walked out from the back, freezing in her tracks at the sight of Michonne.

"Is that who I think it is?" MJ asked, turning to Peter, who nodded in confirmation.

"The one and only Michonne," Peter replied, echoing MJ's realization. "This world seems to be a combination between The Last of Us and The Walking Dead. Congratulations, you got a two for one deal this time around."

"What do we do now?" MJ inquired both excited and concerned. "Should we try to recruit her?"

Peter shrugged, admitting his limited knowledge of Michonne. "I know she's a badass with a katana. But beyond that, not much else. The walking Dead was good show at first, but after a while it kind of went to sh*t."

MJ paused, recalling bits of Michonne's story from The Walking Dead. "She had a family during the outbreak, but they died later on. Other than that, I don't know much either. I think her husband had some sort of drug problem?"

Peter nodded, acknowledging the probable motivation behind Michonne's actions. "She's probably trying to steal supplies for her family while her husbands at home getting high. Let's wake her up and find out."

Caution in the air, they decided to offer Michonne a chance, to see if they could extend their survivor camp.

Peter warned MJ, "Just try not to get your hopes up, okay? For all we know, Michonne could be evil in this universe. The multiverse is unpredictable that way." Although he didn't think that was the case here, he still wanted to warn her for future reference.

Waking Michonne with a tap on the head, Peter utilized a small bit of magic. She gasped, scrambling backward in a defensive posture. Her eyes darted around, searching for her sword, which was nowhere in sight.

"Hello, again," Peter greeted, while MJ offered a friendly nod.

A/N: 1800 words :)

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