Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm



"Did I mention that I had no more fucks to give?" I grumbled as I started at the military soldiers that were preventing us from going forward… that were preventing us… me… from going home. "My fuck fuse has just blown; I've hunted for my fucks all day but they've upped and fucked off home," I hummed, trying to get myself into the good mood that that song was always able to put me in.

But I guess that the last few times that I hummed it, I wasn't in the middle of a standoff with guns pointed at my head. I tried to find a silver lining, I really did. But there was none.  I was tired, I was cranky, and I was pretty sure that my Aunt had just started. I was done for the day.

Step One: Let them all die.

I was about to take a step forward to implement my latest plan when Wang Chao grasped my shoulder a bit harder, not letting me move.

I looked at him again and raised my eyebrow. "Excuse me?" I demanded. I would not be held back like this. They wanted to stand in between me and where I wanted to be?! Then like the Alpha, they would quickly learn how foolish they were.

Liu Wei took a step in front of me, pressing me closer to Wang Chao at my back.  When Liu Yu Zeng and Chen Zi Han closed me in on my right and left effectively preventing me from being able to move, I let out a humorless chuckle. "Do you boys really think this will work?" I asked my voice in a low purr that caused goosebumps to appear on the back of Liu Wei's neck.

"Hush," crooned Wang Chao as his thumb rubbed back and forth on my neck, trying to calm me down.

Spoiler alert: It wasn't working.

I felt the four men around me stiffen as footsteps approached from the other side. I stretched my neck back and forth, my nervous/pissed-off tick out in full effect. Did they really think that pinning me between all of them really did anything? Did they really think that my fire couldn't burn a target 100 meters away?

I went incredibly still, a trick that I had learned in my past life from the zombies. I straightened my back and slowed down my breathing, concentrating on my heart, I even managed to slow down its beat. Wang Chao might be able to control time, but I had complete control over myself. I closed my eyes, prepared to disappear into my space as soon as Wang Chao relaxed his guard enough to allow it.

"Liu Wei!" Came the overly loud, joyful voice of the other side of the wall of men.  I saw Liu Wei nod in response, but he didn't say a word. "Wang Chao!" Said the voice again, every syllable playing on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. "I didn't expect to see you two here! And walking!" The chuckle that followed that sentence made me see red.

It was too soon from the battle with the Alpha for me to pretend to be human again. Even the ever-present pressure from Wang Chao's hand was doing nothing to help the mounting rage.

"But then again, I guess we are all walking now, huh?"

"Is there something we can do for you, General?" Asked Liu Wei in his perfect assistant voice that I had not heard for a while. A small smile managed to make its way out before I could recall it.  I had forgotten that when I first met the man he was only an assistant for Wang Chao. It seems like they have been part of my life forever.

Thinking about the boys allowed me to relax a fraction, my anger no longer as pressing as it was before. Just as I started to calm down even more, Fuck Face had to open his mouth and ruin it all.

"Oh Liu Wei, there are many things that you can do for me now," said Fuck Face.  My eyebrows rose so high that they managed to disappear within my bangs.

"General, I suggest that you hurry up and tell us why you have stopped us like this," interjected Wang Chao, hoping to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately for him, Fuck Face did not appreciate his efforts.

"What's the rush? It's not like there is any place to go right now. Why don't we all head into City B and sit down for a nice conversation."

He was going to die… maybe slow and painful, or maybe fast and furious… but he was going to die.  I was not stepping foot back into that city come hell or high water so he could tell us his problem now, or he could take his problems to the grave and maybe come back a second time to deal with them.

Whatever way they chose, I was done with this conversation before it even started.  I was supposed to be going home! In my luxury RV, with all of the cookies, cakes, and pies that I could possibly eat in the three days it would take us to make it here. I was not going to listen to some pretentious 'General' who knew the boys before the end of the world.

Read my mind: It. Was. Not. Happening!

I practically shouted my thoughts at Wang Chao and got a small sense of satisfaction when he flinched. Okay, so maybe I felt a bit guilty… but they said that there was nothing that would come up at the last minute… and this is definitely last minute!!!!!!!

I huffed in exasperation. I guess the sound alerted Fuck Face that I was there and he leaned to the side and tried to see me where the boys had me blocked off. "And who are you hiding back there?"

Have you ever heard a voice that just set off every warning bell in your head and caused you to shudder in disgust? Yeah, that was Fuck Face's voice.

"Someone that would be better if you didn't meet," said Liu Wei, the honesty practically ringing around him. I tried to figure out if I should be insulted because they didn't want me to meet him, but then again, he was saving me from interacting with a grease ball so I might as well go with it.

"Well, now, you have me mighty curious," replied the General.

"And you have 2 minutes to say what you need from us before we leave.  We are no longer with the military and as such, don't have to obey orders. Especially from someone that does not outrank me," snapped Wang Chao, clearly as done with this situation as I was. And I didn't know he ranked higher than General… that's kind of cool.

Somewhat impressed by the man standing behind me, I leaned back and let him take some of my weight.  The longer I was touching him, the better I felt so I didn't hold back anymore. Closing my eyes, I would let the men handle things and I would catch a few minutes of sleep.

"It's not like you to be this protective of something, Si Wang," said the General as he looked down on Liu Wei.

"Si Wang?  As in death?" I asked, confused. This man had so many names I couldn't keep up.  And I was pretty sure that Liu Yu Zeng had called him a third name.

"His birth name is Liu Yu Xuan, his everyday nickname is Liu Wei and his military code name is Si Wang," said Wang Chao as he tried to lessen my confusion. It was really not working.

"Just keep calling me Liu Wei," clarified Liu Wei while still staring back at the General. They had been out of the military for years, so I guess that calling him anything other than Liu Wei or Liu Yu Xuan was inappropriate. I just nodded my head in agreement.

"So you are hiding something from me too, Zhan Zheng." I swore to God, the man had a death with and, as I felt Wang Chao stiffening under me, I was pretty sure we were going to grant him his wish.

"And you are War?" I asked, this time trying to reign in his temper instead of the other way around.  I guess the best way of getting me out of a pissy mood was to annoy the boys.

"I'll have to keep that in mind," said Wang Chao as he forced himself to relax and ignored my previous question.

Removing myself from Wang Chao's embrace, I didn't try to escape the little box the four men had put me in.  If they didn't want me to deal with the man in front then I would respect their wishes.

"For the last time; what do you want?" Asked Liu Wei, not allowing any type of emotion to pass through the wall that he had erected. Assistant Liu Wei was a dick… just saying.

The General decided to ignore my presence and finally answered Liu Wei's question. "I don't suppose you boys remember Rear Admiral Zhou Gang Jia? Well, I guess he is Vice Admiral right now. Anyways, he was on base in City J three days ago and we haven't been able to get in contact with him since."

"Ah, fuck." I really should have seen this coming.