AN: I'm am such a terrible person for neglecting this so long! I am so so so sorry! Feel free to kick my ass If I ever disappear for this long again!

I've also changed some of the formatting and errors in the previous chapters.

Thanks to Tanya Meridia for beta-ing.

Chapter Eight: "Walls"

By ObsydianDreamer

{Mikaela}

Six Weeks After

As she walked past the quarantine barricades, Mikaela wondered if anywhere else was safe from the virus.

There had been no communication from anywhere since the uninfected sector of Chicago went into quarantine lockdown. But still, Mikaela thought that in such a huge and wide country, there would have to be other safe pockets. Small rural towns away from any major cities, for example.

The only reason that Chicago had managed to survive the initial epidemic was because it was where the Autobots' had their main base set up. Because of that, the surrounding neighbourhoods had been properly quarantined, and the area had maintained some kind of order, even after other big cities had fallen.

The Autobots and their command had left close to two weeks earlier though, leaving the people inside to lead themselves. There was a tension in the air; nobody knew what would happen next.

Reaching out, Mikaela brushed her hand against the barricades that encircled the safe area. They were huge, and had been constructed out of whatever they could find; mostly abandoned and destroyed cars and other forms of debris. The walls were routinely patrolled by armed guards, to ensure that none of the Infected got in and no one got out.

Despite the safety Chicago offered, she often felt uneasy. Arguments over rations were becoming frequent, especially since the supplies couldn't last forever and there was virtually nothing coming in. That, combined with the large number of people with guns in such a small area meant the whole place seemed like a powder keg. It would only take a spark to set it all off.

The Decepticons had released the virus only six weeks earlier, but now, they were barely managing to hold on to order.

Mikaela took one last look at the mighty walls and wondered if she should take her chances on the other side. Between the uneasy vibe inside the quarantine and the thoughts of finding her loved ones, each day the idea of leaving became more and more enticing.

Sighing, she turned away from the barricades, and continued back to the garage where she worked.

It was mid-afternoon when the incident happened.

Mikaela was at a warehouse, where all available mechanics were helping to improve trucks and other strong vehicles for approved missions to leave the quarantine and scout supplies. It was the only job for someone of her trade, and it was mostly mindless work; welding together old parts of everything to make Franken-cars that would hopefully keep the Infected at bay.

She was interrupted from her work by the sounds of shouting in the street. It was a frantic and panicked shout, soon joined by others.

Then, there were gunshots. For a moment after, there was perfect silence, still and suffocating, only to be broken by pandemonium.

The gunshots continued, and Mikaela did the first thing they came to mind: she hid. She squeezed herself under a table, and tried to calm herself; it was only a few minutes later she realised she was hyperventilating.

She quickly lost track of time; it must have only been a few minutes, but it felt like hours had passed. Eventually, the gunfire ceased, and there was silence.

Mikaela only emerged a few minutes later, when she was absolutely sure it was safe. Following the other workers, she stepped out into the street, into the daylight. Straight away, it was clear there had been a shooting.

As she looked among the dead, she realised that none of them had been infected with the virus. It made her feel sick; it was only six weeks since they dropped the virus, and people were already turning against each other.

It was then that Mikaela knew it wasn't any safer inside the walls then it was on the outside.

Crouching in the darkness, dead silent, she waited for the guards to march past before making her move.

Since the massacre only hours earlier, those in command had stepped up the patrols. They said it was to stop people from leaving in panic, only to face the infected on the other side of the wall. Despite what happened yesterday, they said, it was still far safer on the inside.

But Mikaela had already made up her mind. If she was on the outside, not only would she be away from the tense quarantine zone, but she had the chance to do something. On the outside, she could maybe find the Autobots, and maybe they would know what to do, and maybe, just maybe, the world could be saved again.

She didn't have much to take with her on her journey. She had managed to scrounge out a few supplies from around the place, along with a metal baseball bat. All of it was inside an old back-pack, the bats handle sticking out from the top.

Adjusting the backpack, she looked both ways before stepping out into the open. The coast was clear.

Quickly, before the next round of guards would come, she went straight for the barricades, climbing up. The metal and debris was tough, cutting up her hands while it creaked and groaned underneath her. Pushing on, she reached the top of the barricade within seconds.

Sliding down the other side, she landed on the ground with a soft thud. Immediately, she was on her feet, silent, waiting for any noise to answer.

No noise replied.

Pulling out the baseball bat for safety, she began to move. Her heart began to thump in her chest, but she willed herself to stay calm. After all, the infected wouldn't be that close to the quarantine, would they?

Primus, she hoped she was right.

Minutes seemed like hours as she made her way through the cities labyrinth-like alleys and streets. It all felt surreal; it didn't seem right that the streets that had been crowded just weeks before were now abandoned and empty.

Turning out from an alley onto an abandoned main street, she heard a voice.

"What the hell?" Someone frantically whispered in the distance. Mikaela instantly froze, startled by the unexpected noise. She waited for the person to speak again.

"Stay where you are!" The person said, a few seconds later.

Obeying, Mikaela stood still, waiting. Seconds passed before the sound of a bolt-lock opening could be heard. A woman stuck her head out, looking around to see if it was safe. She stepped out slightly, before gesturing for mikaela to come over.

Mikaela went over cautiously, still gripping the bat in case it was some kind of trap. As she got closer, Mikaela could see that the woman had blonde hair, and wore glasses.

"What are you doing out here?" The Woman said, pulling Mikaela quickly in. As soon as they were both inside, she went back to bolting the doors shut. "Are you insane, wandering around the city at night? They feed at night."

The Woman took a deep breath, and turned back to Mikaela. "I'm Doctor Annabelle Watson. And you are?"

"Mikaela Banes," Mikaela replied.

"Nice to meet you," Annabelle said, her tone becoming more curious. "You from the Quarantine?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you leave?"

"There was a massacre…" Mikaela said, quietly. "I didn't feel safe there anymore."

Annabelle nodded, understandingly. "Well, I don't think there's anywhere left on this continent that is safe. Although I like to think that this place is better protected than others."

It was only when Annabelle mentioned it that Mikaela began to look around at the room they were in. They were in some kind of reception, with sterile white walls. The doors and windows had long since been reinforced with steel bars, and the door that led to the inside rooms was double bolted as well.

"What is this place?" Mikaela asked, intrigued.

"A Research laboratory," Annabelle replied, leading Mikaela to the large bolted door."The labs themselves are below ground. We were conducting our research on the Requiem Virus before we got cut off. We're still doing what we can, but it's difficult."

"The Requiem Virus?" Mikaela murmured, realisation beginning to dawn. "You don't mean…"

"Yes," Annabelle replied, a slight smile beginning to form. "We're working on a cure."

Reviews are always appreciated.

~ObsydianDreamer