***

Why were they making camp here? Adam wasn't tired, the Zombies certainly didn't need to rest, and there was no need to wait around or be 'sneaky' now that Jacob had already found them.

However, Jacob was quite insistent that they wait until morning to finish their journey to wherever it was that they were going now. Natta didn't protest the request, and Adam didn't really have any say in it.



So that's how he found himself following the familiar routine: Unpacking his bag, collecting firewood, finding what he could to eat for dinner. It was a cycle that he had completed numerous times, yet suddenly it was so different. It was obvious why.



He was around.

Things had been changing ever since Jacob showed up. Adam and the zombie girl used to collect firewood together, but this afternoon she'd hung back with Jacob. They hadn't stopped talking since their first encounter that day. They were always just a little bit farther ahead of Adam, discussing things in hushed tones, or telling amusing zombie jokes that Adam didn't find funny.



It was obvious the girl already trusted this new-comer, but Adam was not convinced at all.



He bent down to collect some pieces of timber off the ground. The muffled noise of the zombie girl talking to Jacob back at camp reached Adam's ears.

He could hear her laughter; it was hearty and sincere- the kind of laugh you gave when you were genuinely happy.



Adam suddenly decided that he'd gathered enough firewood for the moment, and quickly made his way back to the camp.

Sure enough, when Adam returned, he found the two zombies had already started the fire, and were sat jovially around it. They were both smiling and chuckling about something. 

Adam wasn't sure how he felt, but If he was honest honest with himself, he'd admit that he felt replaced. 



It was going to be a long night.

***
The next morning, much to Adam's relief, Jacob was gone. He had left early to 'announce their arrival', whatever that meant. Natta and Adam would follow as soon as they were all packed up. Adam's first thought was that this would be their best opportunity to run.

"Can I talk to you about Jacob?" Adam approached the zombie girl.

"Of course," she smiled, "He's great isn't he? We're really lucky we found him. I don't know how we'd have made it this far into Sector 1 without his help."

The way she spoke of Jacob made it obvious to Adam that even if he told her his plan, she'd never go along with it. It wasn't only that she trusted Jacob too much... She just seemed so happy with Jacob around. Unlike when she spoke to Adam, there was no sarcasm or underhanded jabs-

I'm human and he's a zombie, Adam thought, He's a friend and I'm... food.



"O-oh, uh, yeah," Adam abandoned his escape plan and quickly thought of something else to ask, "I was wondering about... Tanks. You never really explained what they were."

She looked at him oddly for a moment, as if she could tell that wasn't what he really wanted to say.



"Well, I'll put it this way- if a Witch is an entirely different strand of the virus, then a Tank is just a mutation of it. To become one, all you need to have is the right physical and mental state when first infected with the original strand of the virus."

"But how does it make you stronger?"



"I don't really know the specifics, You're the scientist here. Though, the way I understand it, we all have the potential to evolve into tanks, it's just that our bodies are rarely strong enough to sustain the mutation. It puts a lot of stress on the body. So rather than kill everyone infected, the virus adapts to each body's unique limitations. A zombie is classified as a tank if they're able to exploit the full power of the virus."

"So could someone become a regular zombie first, and eventually become a tank too?"

"Not likely. I've heard rumors that the leaders in the different hordes have tried creating tanks, but as far as I know, none of the attempts have been successful. Generally however you are when you're bitten is the strongest you're going to get. You'd have to fight a lot and eat really well to keep from becoming weaker. It's a natural side effect of the virus, and only a healthy diet can prevent it."



Adam cringed.

"Oh, I forgot, you're still grossed out by my favorite food," she mocked.

"I am not," Adam returned defensively, "I just think it's weird. You eat brains."

Natta sighed, but she was in too good of a mood to get mad like she normally would, "Come on, we should probably get going. Leave your bags here. We'll come back for them later."

***


Jacob stood before what looked like an abandoned mineshaft, "About time you two showed up."

"The human overslept," she shrugged as she and Adam took their place next to Jacob.

Jacob motioned to an unseen hand within the mine and suddenly the barrier began to shift, widening the gap so they could enter.



"Stay close to me, unless I say otherwise," Natta instructed as they waited for the barrier to finish opening,  "Keep to yourself... And for God's sake, let me do the talking."

"Why? Where are we going? What is this place?" 

"You said you wanted to know where the zombie headquarters was... well here's your chance."




***
After a few minutes of walking, the old mineshaft faded into a much newer tunnel. Impressively new, actually, nicer than the military base where Adam used to live anyways.

"You've been here before?" Adam asked.

"Yes, once, back when I was first infected. Sector 1 likes to inspect all new recruits," She said solemnly. She had been so pleasant until she entered the mine. Her sudden change in demeanor worried Adam.



"what is this place anyways? What is this doing down here?"

"Some sort of bunker. A rich fanatic built it thinking the end of the world was coming. He wasn't exactly wrong," Natta answered grimly, "I think he died a year or two before the outbreak. I doubt he left it to  the zombies

 in his last will and testament, but they inherited the bunker nonetheless."

"I knew they were hiding underground," Adam marveled at the underground structure. The tunnel they'd been walking through widened into a long room. He could tell there were zombies just out of sight, lingering in the dark corners of the room, obscured by heavy curtains. 



As they got deeper, they enterer more long rooms, each one a bit darker than the last. Some of the curtains were open. Adam could feel the hungry eyes of the undead following him as he made his way across the room.

"This is it," Jacob finally announced, "Are you ready?"



"Ready for what?" Adam asked.

"To meet the big guy," Jacob replied, opening the door. He motioned for them to enter first.

"Remember," Natta whispered, "Let me do the talking. No matter what you see or hear, don't speak- or make eye contact."

There was something in her voice that Adam wasn't used to hearing. Was it... fear? There was no time to speak of it further; they had already reached their destination.



"So good to see you," came a voice from the front of the room.