They go for the weapon cache.

"What?" Greg asked, pausing in his advance.

She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. “There’s a police checkpoint on the way here from where I crashed. Or, what’s left of it. Looks like the officers tried to hold out and failed miserably. It’s crawling with biters now. I’ve been dodging them since sunrise.”

“A checkpoint?” Noah asked, his brow furrowing.

“Yeah. Barricades, overturned cars, the works,” she said, shifting her weight. “But here’s the thing—there’s a weapons cache. I saw it. Shotguns, rifles, maybe even a few grenades. The dead has no use weapons, I guess. If we move fast, we can grab them before the biters figure out we’re there.”

Greg let out a low laugh. “You’re telling me you passed up on all that firepower?”

Eun’s lips twitched into a sarcastic grin. “Yeah, because digging for a shotgun while being chased by zombies sounded like a fantastic idea. Look, I’m good at staying alive, not taking stupid risks. But with you two? We might actually have a shot.”

Noah exchanged a glance with Greg. The promise of guns was tempting, a neccessity should they want to continue further into the infested town.

"Why help us? And what do you want in exchange? Food, meds?" Noah asked.

She hesitated, and for the first time, her tough facade cracked. “Because I can’t do this alone anymore. I lost all my friends in that crash." Her voice wavered, but she quickly steadied herself. “I’ve been surviving on scraps ever since, just trying to make it through the day without getting caught or infected. So you know what I want? I want to go back with you, to wherever your camp is. If you have a shower, some real food, and a safe place to sleep... that's enough. That’s all I want. Please.”

Noah felt for her, her words tugging at a part of him that was tired of the world's brutality. She was a stray dog, **** and feral, and the only kindness they could offer was a chance to join their pack.

"Fine. But we get the guns first, or at least make sure they're there." Noah said, reaching out a hand.

“Wait a fucking second,” Greg snapped. “You can’t just agree to that, we don’t—”

His words were cut off as Eunhwa grabbed Noah’s outstretched hand. Her skin was soft and warm. A deal had been made.

"Thank you. Thank you," she said, her expression a mix of relief and determination. "You won't regret it."

They walked for nearly an hour, navigating the streets and alleys. The girl led the way, her steps light and quick. At first, she moved like a wary animal, her eyes constantly darting between them and the road ahead, but as time passed, her guard lowered a bit.The sun beat down on the pavement, baking off the smell of decay that wafted through the streets. They passed abandoned cars and rubble, before Eunhwa pointed at a road leading out of town. "There, that's the road I was talking about. It's where the tour bus crashed."

Greg grunted. "And the checkpoint's just ahead, right?"

She nodded.

As they walked, Greg fell in line beside Noah, his expression tight with anger. "You're a real fuckin' idiot," he spat, glaring at him. "You think that little whore's worth your time? You've already got a woman back home, but here you are, picking up strays. You think we have food to spare? Water?"

"Shut it, Greg," Noah warned. "I let you into my house, didn't I?"

He pushed on ahead, leaving the scowling man behind him as he joined Eunhwa up front.

"That guy's a total dick," she remarked, her voice light. "How'd you guys meet?"

"He came up to the house that my wife and I was hiding in, injured." Noah glanced at her. "He's a survivalist, I guess. Knows how to hunt and live off the land. My wife patched him up. She's a nurse, before the world turned to shit."

She gave a small smile, her hand reaching out to his arm. “Guess you’re both good at rescuing people, huh.”

Noah felt his ears heat. “Something like that,” he murmured, turning his attention to the road ahead.

After a few more minutes, they reached the checkpoint. The area was a wreck, with squad cars haphazardly positioned in a makeshift barricade. Broken glass glittered in the sunlight, bodies lay scattered, motionless. Yet, the area was devoid of movement. There was no sign of zombies.

Eunhwa's voice was hushed. "I guess they're not here anymore. Maybe they got distracted or something. That's good."

"There!" Greg growled, pointing at a crate in the middle of a command outpost. "That's got to be where the guns are."

They approached the crate cautiously, though there was no movement. Greg pried open the lid with his crowbar, revealing an arsenal of weapons and ammunition.

"Holy fuck," Greg whispered, his eyes wide. "I've never seen anything like this. Rifles, a dozen shotguns..."