One Ocean

Maybe it was the quiet of the ocean. Maybe it was the soft splash of the water against the boat from the mellow breeze drifting in, or prehaps it was the thought that she would never see them again that caused time to stand still when they pulled off the hood covering Alicia's face. As Alex glanced back and forth from Alicia to Travis she could read two emotions. Surprise and regret. Alicia was obviously surprised to see Alex after watching Strand cut the line from the yatch but Travis...Travis' face held the expression of a haunted man. Whether because he watched as Strand cut the rope or because he himself didn't end Alex's life that faithful day she couldn't tell. But that didn't stop her from feeling her emotions. Anger. No matter how she rationalized the actions from the individuals on the yatch she could never forgive herself for killing him. And since she couldn't forgive herself, the only outlet she had left was pure unadulterated hate towards the man looking at her.

"They remember you it seems." Marcus smiled and threw an arm around the shoulders of Alex staring at both Travis and Alicia.

"I remember them." Alex responded evenly.

Elyza looked between the brunette girl and Alex trying to access their relationship. From her stand point it seemed the girl Alicia, looked hopeful at seeing Alex. Alex to her benefit, directed her rage towards the tall man they had ziptied. After a few moments in the stare off Elyza stepped forward. "We should be heading back Marcus...sun's getting low. It's going to get cold out here on the water." She looked up to emphasize her point.

"Where's Eric?" Marcus asked looking around and noticing his absence.

"He's securing the boat." Jack responded, "He'll be catching up once he's done."

"Elyza, Alex take our guests downstairs." He used his head to gesture towards the steps on the small boat.

Elyza grabbed the arm of Alicia and Alex roughly grabbed the arm of Travis. Alex followed Elyza down the steps and to the room where she assumed that they would be holding both individuals. Elyza as per usual remained quiet guiding her 'guest' into the room while Travis attempted to plead with Alex.

"You don't have to do this." He whispered.

"Shut up!" Alex snapped back at him.

"You don't! You can help us. We can all get off this boat!"

"Who said I was trying to leave?"

"I'm sorry. About what happened back with Strand. Not everybody agreed with his decisions."

At this point Alex stopped and swinging Travis around slammed him, still zip-tied, up against the wall of the boat and forced her forearm inside the space between his chin and chest slowly applying pressure to his windpipe. "You keep talking to me and I will personally rip your goddamn throat out." She growled lowly.

"Alex!" Elyza, after situating Alicia in the room, turned around and noticed the scene between Travis and Alex occuring. "Let him go."

Seeing red at the fake sincerity coming from Travis Alex disregarded Elyza. Stepping forward Elyza placed her hand firmly on Alex's free shoulder and squeezed giving another warning. "Let him go."

Fighting internally Alex quickly thought over the pros and cons of a stand off with Elyza. Elyza was the only one who accepted her out of the immediate crew members. Elyza was close to Marcus and often acted as the moral center between Alex and the rest of the men about what to do with her. And finally, Elyza was had the potential to be physically threatening if provoked. It wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it. Shoving away from Travis she watched as he gasped and tried to swallow air.

"TRAVIS!" Alicia yelled moving to stand up.

"I'm okay Alicia. I'm ok." He reassured her hoping she would still comply with their captors.

Elyza still held onto Alex and gave a firm look at her companion. "Why don't you go upstairs? Get some air." Although it was a suggestion Elyza made sure she put enough authority in her voice to show Alex it was not to be questioned.

Looking one last time Alex huffed and walked up the stairs leaving Elyza with their captives.

As Elyza turned to leave herself she heard a small voice saying "thank you". She turned around and locked eyes with the girl on the bed sitting desperately close to Travis whom she could only assume was the girl's father and shook her head. "Bit of advice? Next time...stay low and keep your mouth shut. It'll go better for you in the long run." Elyza turned and walked up the steps leaving them in the darkness. Making her way back up stairs Elyza made it her mission to find Alex. Spotting the girl she walked behind her and stared out at the water.

"So." She paused for a minute then faced her companion. "You wanna tell me what the hell was that?" She hissed venomously making sure she kept her tone low.

"He deseved it." Alex answered bitterly.

"I didn't ask whether or not he deserved it. That's not how we do things."

"We?" Alex scoffed unbelievingly.

"You got us the boat, you've earned some respect here." Elyza answered casually.

"Gee thanks. What were my other options?" Alex snapped sarcastically.

"Look." Elyza's voice dropped to a lower level indicating her annoyance. "If you're trying to get yourself kicked off of this boat before we get back to dry land you should keep doing stunts like the one you pulled downstairs."

Alex shifted gripping tighter to the rail. "Why did you bring them back?"

"I followed orders." Elyza responded simply. "Marcus wanted Travis because he has skill with boat maintaince and we brought the girl along to keep him in line."

"They'll run you know. The first chance they get they'll run."

"They won't have any place to run to." Elyza confided in Alex. When Alex's face showed confusion Elyza continued "They were blindfolded until they got on the boat. Marcus has them secluded downstairs so they can't see any landmarks. Marcus will probably have them blindfolded when we reach camp and Eric is taking care of their friends on the boat. They won't have anyone."

"Is he going to kill them?"

Elyza shrugged her shoulders and breathed deeply "You can never be sure with Eric. But even if he dumps them off on shore isn't that as bad as killing them?"

"No. It gives them a chance. A chance to find someplace safe."

"There isn't."

Alex whistled "And Strand?"

"He wasn't on the boat when we got there. I swear to you he wasn't. I would have brought him back for you."

"You know I would have killed him."

"Maybe it would have made you feel better. You'd be able to get some of the shit you're carrying around off your chest."

"So what do we do now?" Alex asked.

"We go home."

Home for Elyza and her crew was a small stationed port with two or three large boats and several small personal speed boats. Alex breathed deeply as Eric and Jake dropped anchor and the other people at the port helped pull out the ramp which will provide a safe walk from the boat to the cobblestone. Alex looked around noticing what appeared to be trailers and tents placed around pits where they could light fires to keep warm. A singular large building lay off to the side with people running in and outside of it. The only rationale she could think of that would describe the level of activity she saw around the building was that it had to be the common meeting place. A few men and women were walking around the perimeters of the port armed with small firearms and secondary weapons such as knives attached to their hips.

"You just going to sit there and stare at it or are you going to hop off with me?" Marcus asked as he rounded the corner and walked off the ramp calling back to Jack and Elyza "Don't forget to bring our guests with you off the boat."

"Nice place you got." Alex commented following behind Marcus.

"Takes a bit of work to keep up but yeah. It's nice here."

"Like what?"

"Supply runs, taking care of the infected when we see them getting close to our borders and trying to get our little space of heaven as normal as possible. Cleaning clothes, cooking food, survival lessons etc."

"So you just take people in?"

"People that benefit us yeah. We all have a part to play here."

"So where do you want me?"

"We'll see where your skills are and place you where we could use you most."

"I want to go on supply runs. I want to help protect this place and earn my keep. I'm not afraid to kill Marcus." She grabbed his forearm trying to get him to stop walking and acknowledge her.

"So I heard." Marcus stopped giving her the attention she wanted folding his arms over his chest "Elyza told me about your scuffle with our new friends."

"You talked to Elyza about me?"

"You suggest I asked Eric or Jack if I should let you stay?" He raised an eyebrow.

"So what'd she say?"

"We don't doubt you could kill. The question is if you can follow directions." Looking back at the boat he noticed Elyza and Jack bringing his cargo from the boat. "Listen, I've got some things to take care of around here now that I'm back. Take some time to yourself and find me later. We'll discuss this then." He clapped Alex on her back and headed in the direction of the meeting hall leaving Alex to fend for herself.