Trigon by Red Hope

Chapter 4

K-Mart didn't expect to wake up before Claire and actually worried something was wrong. She was on her side so she reached over and touched Claire's shoulder. "Claire," she softly called. K-Mart wasn't sure about the time, but she knew it was after sunrise.

Claire jumped and grabbed her friend's warm hand. She relaxed after she realized it was K-Mart. "Sorry," she groggily muttered.

K-Mart held the leader's hand and mentioned, "You must have been sleeping hard."

Claire squeezed K-Mart's hand then let go. "Yeah... I slept pretty good." But that was only after Alice let her go last night. Brief memory flashes of Alice fucking her had heated her body. She pushed it down and asked, "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good too."

Claire smiled at this because K-Mart deserved it after the past week. "Good." She brushed her hair away and decided she needed to get moving since it was late for her.

"Maybe we can catch a bath at the creek today," K-Mart mentioned. She was getting up too.

Claire liked the idea and hoped for the same. "It'll probably be chilly." But she seriously doubted it and wanted to tease her friend.

K-Mart shrugged because she didn't care when compared to being clean. She and Claire quickly organized their things then went down below. Claire broke away from K-Mart outside the barn and started her normal routine. She was on the hunt for Carlos, like any morning. Claire discovered him and Chase in front of the diesel tanker. Claire instantly flushed and turned around before it was spotted by either of her managers. She waited for the cool air to scare off the heat.

"Are you kidding me?" Chase complained. He was pointing at the chrome dog on the tanker's hood. "How the fuck did that happen?"

Carlos was staring at the ground under his feet. He pursed his lips slightly and ran the tip of his boot across the impressions in the ground. He then peered up at the bent dog that looked like it was recovering from a hangover. Carlos was about to reply until he spotted Claire's backside off to his left.

"Claire," Carlos called.

Chase dropped his arm to his side and tilted his cowboy hat after Claire joined them. "Mornin', Claire."

"How are you, Chase?"

"I was riddin' tall 'til I saw this." Chase indicated the ruined hood ornament.

Claire furrowed her eyebrows and peered up at it. She put her hands on her hips and remembered exactly how that happened to the chrome dog. She bit down on her smirk and looked at the two men. "I guess something hit it last night." Claire shrugged and added, "It was pretty windy."

"Wind?" Carlos shook his head and pointed at a few distinct grill bars. "Did the wind bend these?"

Chase went wide eye once he noticed it too. He was beside himself about the damage.

"You can tell too that somebody tried fixing it," Carlos noted. He folded his arms and shook his head.

"I can't believe this," Chase complained and kicked the bumper, but he didn't notice the partial muddy footprint near the edge. He was too annoyed.

Claire sighed at the guys' concern for the diesel tanker. "It's an old truck."

Carlos pointed a thumb at Chase. "It's his iron horse."

Claire shot a grin at Chase and devilishly teased, "Well it looks like it got rode hard and put away wet." She left it at that and strolled off. There were checks to be done this morning.

Chase was nearly insulted by the innuendo about his truck, but he wouldn't say anything to the leader. He fixed his cowboy hat and muttered, "If I find out who did this then I'll shoot 'em in the ass."

Carlos was suspiciously watching Claire until she went behind the news van. He studied the damage again but really eyed the bent forward dog. He nodded once then stated, "I hope whoever got it last night that it was good." He smirked at Chase's dark glare. He left the cowboy to his fuming and wanted to get breakfast. He was pleased to find Alice doing the same thing so they joined together.

The survivors buzzed around the camp and in the barn before their leader ordered everybody to break down the camp. Like normal, K-Mart made sure to load her and Claire's items into the back of the Hummer. She also double checked that everything was in the right spot or else Claire would have her head. It was important to Claire that things were always in the same location, especially if they were attacked. Claire didn't want to waste time relearning where ammunition or guns were in the Hummer.

Soon enough the camp was broken down and survivors were making their way to the different vehicles. Claire decided to put off refueling the vehicles until they were at the former state park. She was marching to the Hummer and noted that K-Mart was in it already. What made her slot her eyes was that K-Mart was twisted around and talking to the figure in the back. Claire's knees went weak once she realized it was Alice in the backseat. She had meant to have Alice ride with Carlos or anybody else other than her and K-Mart.

Claire yanked open the door and stepped up onto the running board but poked her head through. She was about to order Alice out of the Hummer and to ride with Carlos, but K-Mart cut her off.

"Alice was just telling me about this underground city near DC," K-Mart excitedly declared.

Claire's earlier purpose was lost, and she looked between the two. "What?"

K-Mart was buckled up, but she still managed to face Claire somewhat. "It's an underground camp."

Claire furrowed her eyebrows and peered back at Alice. "I've never heard of it."

Alice canted her head and replied, "Just because you haven't doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Claire grew irritated and felt like she and Alice were back on the same burning page like yesterday. If it wasn't for the smirk on Alice's face, Claire would have thought last night never happened between them.

"Alice was going to tell me all about it," K-Mart mentioned to Claire. "You've been there, right?"

"Yes," Alice promised.

Claire pressed her left arm against the door's seal and halted K-Mart's next attempt. "Actually, I was thinking Alice would-"

"Talk about last night?" Alice cut off. Her stomach fluttered at how Claire's face went from shock then to a force ten glare that was sharper than her kukris.

K-Mart was befuddled and tempted, "Last night?"

Claire was breathing hard. Her usually hidden anxiety was all too obvious for the first time. She wanted to strangle Alice and had believed that she wouldn't be put in this position.

"Mmmm," Alice softly replied to K-Mart. She looked straight at K-Mart and added, "It was a beautiful night last night." Her eyes cut back to Claire, and her arrogant smirk appeared. "The stars just... screamed at me." She was certain that Claire was fighting ever temptation to shoot her in the head.

Claire managed an almost calm voice except for a slight tremble from rage. "I don't wish to hear about your night."

Alice smiled, sweetly despite it was quite fake. "But maybe K-Mart would like to?"

K-Mart started leaning back because she was convinced Claire was going to erupt for whatever reason. She nearly reached for the door handle behind her except the seatbelt locked her in place. She desperately hoped to deflate the unspoken fight. "I don't want to hear about last night... really."

Alice heard K-Mart, but her smug look was on Claire. She was forcing Claire's hand if Claire thought she could control Alice. She waited for Claire to make her choice. She wasn't about to the leave the Hummer and be left to Carlos's onslaught. She'd already been grilled once at breakfast by him, and it took all her strength not to blurt out that she'd fuck Claire when he couldn't even get a kiss out of her. Now Alice wasn't going to accept being condemned to his truck just because Claire couldn't ride in the same space with her after last night.

Claire was dragging her nails through the Hummer's roof and scratched the paint job. She'd regret it later, but right now she wanted it to be Alice's face. She carefully released a strained breath and balanced her tone when she spoke again. "Maybe then Alice would be nice enough to tell us about that underground camp." Despite it wasn't a question it still hung in the air like one.

Alice leaned back in the seat after winning the battle. She inwardly soaked up the fact that Claire could be somewhat reasonable, when push came to shove. "I'd love to."

"Fantastic," Claire snarled. She loaded into the Hummer, slammed the door too hard, and yanked down on the ignition key.

K-Mart thought her friend was going to break the key. She instantly smacked the window's down button all the way so she could get some calmer oxygen in her lungs.

"Put that fuckin' window up, K-Mart!" Claire harshly snapped.

K-Mart snuck in a dire breath then slammed the up button, held it, and waited until it was half way. "It's going, it's going!" She leaned quite close to the door and wanted to escape despite the Hummer was rolling now.

Alice sat in the back, smiling to herself, like it was a Sunday car ride to church.

K-Mart didn't dare look at her friend and instead tugged the left side of her brim so Claire was hidden from her. She blew out a shaky breath as the cool air brushed her hot face. "Fucking Hummer," she muttered under her breath.

Claire had barely heard her friend, but she wasn't about to ask and instead gripped the steering wheel like it was Alice's neck. She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the convoy was following her towards the main road. But she also had a view of Alice's face, and a low growl escaped her thanks to that self-satisfied smirk on Alice's full lips. Claire certainly remembered how it felt to kiss those lips and right now she could smack them.

K-Mart shut her eyes while the wind continued streaming through the half open window. She sunk deeper in her seat and prayed she was any place than in the fucking Hummer. She even shut her eyes and imagined being back in the chain department store that Claire had found her in years ago. Right about now, that place seemed safer than in the Hummer with Claire on the brink of double explosion.

"So, like I was saying," Alice brought up, "this underground camp is located outside of DC."

K-Mart folded her arms and dipped her head forward. She prayed that Alice's talking didn't renew Claire's wrath. Why the Hell did Alice have to antagonize Claire? Why couldn't they all just get along? But she really didn't want to know right now what was going on between the pair.

Claire was back on the road and the few minutes of silence seemed to calm her, slightly. When she spoke, there was a rawness in her throat from the earlier anger's edge. "You said you've been there?"

"Yes, once."

Claire was wearing her hat today and also played with the brim. "How long ago?"

K-Mart peered over her shoulder at Claire. She was actually amazed that her friend was being this civil just moments after the weird ass fight.

"Nine months ago."

Claire went a little wide eye and barked, "Nine months ago?" She shook her head and argued, "That damn place could be an undead graveyard by now."

Alice rolled her eyes then replied, "And have you been there?"

"No," K-Mart spoke up, quietly.

Claire glanced at her friend as if she'd appeared from nowhere. She let out a sigh at seeing K-Mart's distraught, twisted posture in the seat. Now that her angry fog was wearing off, she realized how much her temper and the hidden fight upset K-Mart. She grumbled, opened her window half way, and hoped the cool air would mellow her out the rest of the way.

"It's well fortified," Alice explained. "It's not like one these mom and pop camps you see that use to be a small town and had walls built around it."

K-Mart straightened out her legs and curiously posed, "How did they build it underground?"

Alice smirked at the teen's good question. "It was already built before the apocalypse."

Claire had a deep furrow in her brow now and peered up in the rearview mirror. She was glad Alice's smirk was gone. "Already built." She slotted her eyes. "Is it located in Reston?"

"Bingo," Alice replied. She patted the sheathed kukris in her lap. She was proud of Claire for hitting the nail on the head.

"How the Hell did an Umbrella facility get converted to a human survivor camp?"

K-Mart blinked once she realized what this meant. She twisted in the seat and looked back at Alice. "It's an Umbrella facility?" After Alice's nod, she leaned back in the chair and fathomed answers to Claire's question.

"Revolt," Alice explained. "Can you blame 'em?" She scratched her nose and muttered, "Greedy bastards."

Claire hadn't realized that'd happened and checked, "Are there other facilities like that?"

Alice let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'm not sure. I only know of the DC one because I've been there." Word didn't travel fast anymore now that the internet, cell phones, and even landlines were gone. Only Umbrella controlled the satellites that they'd launched in the skies decades back and that was the last speedy means of communications now.

"What's it like?" K-Mart tried. She wanted to hear about a human civilization that sounded like it not only survived but probably thrived in this Hell.

Claire had a thin frown at K-Mart's interest. She moved, uncomfortably in the chair as K-Mart grew more excited about what Alice had to say. She propped her left arm against the windowsill and leaned her head into her palm. K-Mart's intrigue left a bitter taste in Claire's mouth.

The short ride to the Yellow Creek State Park had gone more smoothly than Claire thought it would after Alice's stunt before they left camp. Claire's furry was under control but not forgotten either. She was amazed she could carry on a decent conversation with K-Mart and Alice during the ride. But she grew edgy again once they approached the entrance to the state park.

K-Mart's mood improved, and she looked forward to a nice bath in the creek. She was checking everything out on the ride through the park. She grinned at the creek that formed ahead of them. "Nice," she murmured.

Alice heard the teen, and she grinned. She really did like K-Mart's personality, which beat Claire's by twenty fold. But Alice couldn't let go of last night's memories that still excited her, greatly. Although she felt a thin layer of guilt for corning Claire into allowing Alice to stay in the Hummer. But it was for the best.

After the recon team investigated the creek and the surrounding area, the survivors began unloading and made plans to get cleaned up. The vehicles also had to be refueled before they left. So Claire told the convoy they had two hours to enjoy their surroundings. She then put Carlos in charge of hunting for fresh deer that could be eaten tonight. Carlos was happy to do so and picked out members to assist him. He didn't expect Alice to volunteer yet was grateful for her skill.

K-Mart had gone to the creek and would wait there for Claire. She didn't plan to bathe without her friend.

Claire had finished talking with Carlos, who reported the list for the hunting team. She was surprised by Alice's offer, but it also rekindled Claire's temper. She broke away from Carlos and immediately sought out Alice. Claire's green eyes darkened to a poisonous shade once she spotted Alice set away from the convoy. It was almost too perfect and invited Claire's anger further.

Alice stowed her shotgun on her back after checking it. She waited for the rest of the hunting team near a lone tree. She detected somebody approaching from behind so she half turned and raised an eyebrow at the leader. From Claire's stride, she knew it would be ugly.

Claire moved right into Alice's space and snarled, "What the fuck do you think you were doing?" She fisted her hands. "I thought we agreed not to discuss last night."

"You said it... I didn't agree to it," Alice reminded. She canted her head. "But I don't have any intentions of telling your people your little secret."

"You had me fooled earlier," Claire hotly snapped. She was even more livid at the thought of K-Mart hearing about her late night fuck with Alice.

"It's not my problem if you can't look at me after I fucked you so much," Alice calmly stated. What she barely caught was Claire's breaking point, and Alice was surprisingly shoved against the tree. She raised her hands but more so to protect Claire than herself. "Don't do that again," she fairly warned. She shifted a step away from the tree. She hated being trapped, and her space was shrinking too quickly for her liking.

Claire wasn't threatened or worried and instead demanded, "Why the Hell couldn't you ride in another vehicle?" She watched the thoughts move through Alice's eyes, but she couldn't read them. Claire hated that fact.

Alice finally decided on an answer that wasn't a lie nor the full truth. "I like K-Mart."

Claire's heart nearly stopped then fiery rage broke free. She suddenly slammed Alice into the tree much worse than before and wrapped her hand around Alice's throat. "You're not fucking good enough!"

Alice lost air from her lungs, and the brief pain nearly caused her to do something quite regretful. She clawed her nails into the tree's trunk instead of hurting Claire. She could feel the beast rising up her chest, but she fought it back down.

"Claire, what the fuck is going on?"

Claire's head jerked to the left, and her anger faded slightly upon seeing Carlos. She instantly released Alice and backed off then snarled, "Nothing." She didn't look at Alice and stormed off.

Carlos watched in shock as Claire left. He couldn't believe it and went over to Alice. "Are you alright?"

Alice rubbed her neck and grinned. "Never better."

Carlos wasn't sure what was going on between Claire and Alice, but he wasn't going to dig into it unless he wanted to be on the receiving end of Claire's wrath too. "She's Hell on wheels when you make her mad."

Alice cleared her throat and nodded, firmly. "I noticed that." She straightened up.

"Did you tell her about Umbrella?"

Alice shook her head but didn't plan to elaborate on it either.

Carlos eyed her. He couldn't imagine what the Hell Alice did or said that set Claire off so badly. He looked behind when he heard others coming for the hunting party. "At least you'll be the Hell out of here soon," He joked. "I'm still stuck with her."

Alice ruefully grinned and poked, "Thanks for cleaning up the mess too."

Carlos huffed. But he would have a mess to clean up if Claire stayed so damn moody thanks to Alice. He took charge of the hunting party and guided them into the former park. They had fresh meat to kill and enjoy tonight.

Claire prayed she didn't look as pissed as she still felt once she neared K-Mart. She briefly imagined Alice touching K-Mart intimately, and it sparked her anger again. Claire never voiced her jealously about K-Mart's friendship with Mikey. It'd taken her time to conclude it was jealousy, but she left them alone and waited to see what K-Mart did with Mikey. So far it'd stayed as a friendship, but Claire understood teenaged hormones for a nearly eighteen year old and twenty year old. Still K-Mart's space from Mikey hadn't fully comforted Claire, and she disliked being jealous over her friend's happiness.

But the idea of Alice being with K-Mart was something different than Mikey and K-Mart. Oddly Claire found a twisted jealousy that hurt her head. She didn't want to think about it because by this afternoon it wouldn't matter. Alice would be gone from their lives, and they could go back to normal. Well as normal as life could be in this screwed up world.

"Hey," K-Mart warmly greeted.

Finally Claire felt a small smile that hadn't been there today. "Hey yourself." She neared her friend and teased, "Ready to get wet?" She admired the gentle flush on K-Mart's cheeks.

"Yeah. I found a great spot too." K-Mart wanted some space away from the other swimmers and bathers. She had some modesty still left in her.

Claire understood that too despite she preferred everybody to stay within sight. Being attacked while in the nude and alone was not the most forgiving end for anybody. But Claire had met K-Mart halfway with it and said she could get some space if they bathed together but still in yelling range to the convoy. K-Mart gave into her after some complaints.

"Lead the way," Claire softly ordered. She received her towel and clean clothes from her friend.

K-Mart had her towel and clean clothes along with a washcloth, soap, shampoo, and half a bottle of condition. But hidden between her towel was a shaver, which was a super special luxury now a days. She and Claire struggled to keep it top secret from the other survivors.

Claire followed the teen down the creek. She and K-Mart came to a quieter spot, and they deposited their things on a large rock. Claire turned her back to K-Mart and started undressing.

It'd taken K-Mart a long time just to undress near Claire. She found it a little harder again, but not from her modesty. Her mind drifted back to the other night in the Hummer. She blushed furiously so she went slower and thankfully heard Claire get into the water shortly. She last pulled off her hat, which she tossed on her boots then made a dash for the creek and dove into it.

"Did you bring the soap, genius?" Claire inquired after her friend surfaced.

"Oh ssshh.." K-Mart let her curse word fade off after Claire shot her a warning look for nearly cussing. She sighed because she obviously didn't want to get back out of the water. She brushed her wet hair from her face and hesitated to go to shore and show off her bare ass.

Claire rolled her eyes. "I got it." She grinned at her friend then hurried back to shore. She also placed the other items near the shore for later. She was glad to see the shaver too.

K-Mart and Claire spent half an hour getting bathed before they just enjoyed the water's still warm temperature. K-Mart swam around a little then came back to her friend.

"I'm surprised it's warm," K-Mart commented.

Claire was running her fingers through her long hair. "The water doesn't really get cold until late November or so." She had a soft smile at K-Mart's content look.

"I'm not complaining a bit," K-Mart murmured. She dove under water and swam up the creek some. She started coming back to Claire and popped up two yards in front of Claire.

The leader spotted the teen's devilish smirk. She quickly warned, "Don't even..." But she lost her words because K-Mart dove underwater again. "Damn her." She swam backwards, yet it did little to save her. She squealed just before being drug underwater. Claire had to shove K-Mart off before she could resurface for air.

K-Mart was laughing at her friend's ire. She pushed away slightly just to be safe.

"Jerk," Claire shot off. But a grin as on her face.

K-Mart stuck out her tongue.

Claire playfully growled then suddenly started splashing water at her friend.

K-Mart gave a surprised cry but hastily retaliated with her own splashing. Her and Claire's laughs carried around them and the nearby woods.

Off in the woods, closer to the convoy, Alice heard the women's laughter. She'd just finished the hunting, and they'd caught two deer rather quickly. But now Alice was curious to see what happened to Claire and K-Mart. She was becoming drawn to them lately. Now their laughter caught her keen ear so she juggled her apple one last time then walked faster up the creek. She had a slight view of Claire through the woods' thickness. Alice tilted her head back and grinned at the colorful trees.

With perfect skill, Alice jumped into the nearest tree that was fifteen feet up. She balanced herself then started moving through the trees towards the laughter. She made it close enough so that she could see them perfectly but still be hidden among the beautiful turned leaves. Alice sat down and became comfortable. She curiously watched Claire and K-Mart horseplaying in the water, and it made a smile appear.

Alice leaned back against the tree trunk, played with the apple once, and watched the friends another second. She finally grabbed her pocket knife clipped to her right jean pocket. She started cutting up the apple while she remained hidden in the tree. Alice had wondered where they'd gone to, and Carlos explained K-Mart's modesty issue. So Alice went on her way after getting away from Carlos. She didn't much like the idea of Claire and K-Mart being attacked by undead or human. She was sure Claire had a gun or two, and she was even more sure that the weapons were on shore. It just wasn't safe in Alice's opinion.

Alice quietly ate the juicy fruit and listened to the women chatting about this or that. She briefly heard K-Mart bring up the underground camp outside DC. Alice wondered if Claire would go to it. But it was hard to say by the blank mask on Claire's face right now.

After eating the apple, Alice dropped the core to the ground and put her pocket knife away. She swung her right leg, which hung off the side. She curiously studied the two friends, who were obviously close and comfortable with each other. Alice touched her neck where Claire had caught her earlier. She was proud of herself for not clocking Claire and containing her own reaction. She was even more proud of Claire for holding her own.

Alice lowered her hand to her lap and tilted her head. She thought about Claire's anger about what Alice had said in regards to K-Mart. Alice hadn't realized how her simple three words would be taken out of context by Claire. But now that she had time to replay it in her head, Alice wasn't exactly sure what pissed off Claire. During the heated argument, she didn't see any jealousy in Claire's eyes but just stark protectiveness for K-Mart. And Claire's harsh words were not that of a jealous lover. In Alice's opinion, Claire just didn't want K-Mart close to a dangerous, unknown stranger. Alice sympathized with Claire.

Alice was a threat to them.

Continued.