They're having a sale on mattresses.

The seven of you pass a sign declaring 'BARGAIN PRICES on MATTRESSES! This SALE won't LAST!" and share a general feeling that honestly, humanity deserves to be replaced by gorgeous degenerate literal sex fiends. "So, any idea where they are?" you ask Amanda.

"Meg said they've got some sort of barricade set up at... yeah, there it is," she notes, gesturing to the Beddy-Bye Zone, a grotesquely decorated section for children's furniture which produces in you a deep desire to burn it down, which, as you believe there is a fire going on in another section of the mall, would probably be a bad idea. A group of bunk beds and dresser-drawers have been piled around the entrance, turning it from a typical shopping center open concept "stroll right in" sort of thing to something that looks like an impromptu military checkpoint. A muscular, good-looking teenage boy that you can't wait to get closer acquainted with stands there, a table-leg in one hand, a cross, you note with displeasure, in the other.

You share a look with your fellows, a look that shows you have all done the same immediate mental calculation. Be careful. Put these kids off-guard. Find out what they know, and what else they have. Amanda nods and steps forward, her father close behind. "Jake?" she asks, achieving just the right note of concern and familiarity.

"Shit, Mandy, you're finally here, what took...?" He sees Robert and coughs. "Ummm, hey, Mr. Jennings." He glances away nervously.

Robert gives him a warm, paternal smile. "It's okay, Jake. I understand that your nervous. As for took us so long... well, it's been crazy."

Maya snickers at that. "That's putting it mildly."

A girl who looks very much like Amanda--or more exactly the old Amanda--with darker, curly brown hair and slightly foxy features pops out. "Hey, Jake, is that...?" She sees her father and older sister and begins to grin wildly. "Dad! Mandy!"

"Hey, kiddo!" says Robert, smiling back.

"We're so happy to see you, Megan," says Amanda cheerily.

Megan glances around, checking for any of the Infected, and not seeing any, rushes out into her father's arms. Robert, showing an admirable restraint, keeps it at a hug, as does Amanda when her teen sister pivots to hugging her. "I was so worried," she says. She looks Amanda in the eye. "Did... were you guys attacked by them?"

"There's safety in numbers," answers Amanda smoothly, something that Megan fails to realize is not an answer as her eyes glance over the rest of the group. While she clearly doesn't recognize you or Jess, the casual acceptance of your being here on her features suggests she just thinks you're a couple of her sister's college friends that she hasn't met yet.

"Wow, it's going to be a tight squeeze in the van," she mutters. "Warren's got a little compact but..."

"My boyfriend and I have our own car," says Jess, which is technically true, since your own car's destruction, and also irrelevant, as said car is miles away.

But then, it's not like any of you will be driving away from this mall if all goes to plan.

"Oh, good," says Megan. "Come on! Everyone will be so glad to see you all!" She pulls her father and sister along with her as the rest of you follow, while Jake politely steps out of your way, in the biggest strategic blunder of this nature since the Trojans decided they had to have that big wooden horse in their city.