Infections (Reboot)/S1E3

"Whatever It Takes" is the third episode of Season 1 of Infections. It is the third episode overall. It premiered on April 12, 2018.

Synopsis
"Monica and Vince struggle to find supplies one week into the outbreak; MacKenzie struggles to provide for the group."

Plot
The doorknob lock to Room 1-08 clicks as it slowly opens, Vince peeking through with a flashlight. When he sees the coast is clear, he slowly pushes the door all the way open, and beckons for Monica to follow. The two sneak into the room and Monica slowly shuts the door, locking it behind her. Silence fills the dark room as they stand still in the entryway.

After a moment, Monica flicks on the lights.

Vince shuts off the flashlight and heads for the kitchen. “Alright, coast is clear. You know the drill, same routine.”

“I know. Grab anything worthwhile and stock up for tomorrow. Wash, rinse, repeat…” Monica sighs as she begins to shuffle through various drawers. “All before the walkers can come…”

“If any come at all. And we do it at night so we have the least chance of being seen.” Vince says, pulling various boxes and cans of food from a cupboard and shoving each into his backpack.

“Vince, I get it. We’ve been scavenging this whole building for like a week.” Monica checks a utility knife, but the rusty blade falls off. She sighs and tosses the remains over her shoulder. “I haven’t forgotten how to do this. I’m used to it by now.”

“Well you remember the rest of it, right?” Vince turns around and looks at her. “The most important part?”

“I do. If we ever get separated…” Monica doesn’t pay attention to him as she pulls open a side table drawer.

“... if we ever get separated, we both get back to my hotel room. Regroup, go from there.” Vince smirks and opens the refrigerator. “Best chance of staying together.”

“And stay together, we shall.” Monica smirks, walking over to shut the fridge. “Don’t bother. Nothing in there is bound to still be fresh. It’s all spoiled since power shut down four days ago.”

“You don’t know that.” Vince leans against the fridge and smirks. “What, you the fridge queen now?”

Monica smirks and playfully shoves him. “Whatever, just get the food before I throw you out a window.”

“You’d never.” Vince laughs a bit and turns back around just as a small figure comes into view.

A snarl from an undead child fills the kitchen.

Monica looks back at the child, then to Vince. “You want to take this one?”

Vince shrugs as he turns his head to her. “Ladies first.” He says with a smirk, earning a glare from her. He sighs, stepping towards the undead child. “It was a joke.”

As the walker child snarls at Vince, he grabs the centerpiece off the table and raises it above his head before swinging it down, hitting the child’s temple. The young boy collapses to his hands and knees. “Heh, eat circle, bitch.”

“Vince, stop fooling around.” Monica says as she opens the drawer, pulling out a knife. “Just kill it.”

Vince turns his head to look at her, taking the knife as she offers it. He looks back down at the boy as he snarls up at Vince before the teen stabs the knife into his forehead, the boy’s snarls being cut off. Vince pulls the knife out, turning to look at Monica again.

“We don’t have time for joking around right now, Vince.” She says as she walks out of the kitchen. “Come on. Grab the food so we can go.”

Vince walks into the kitchen and grabs his backpack, leaving again to follow Monica out of the room. “Maybe we’ll have more luck in the next room.”

“This is the last room on the first floor, Vince. There’s not a lot of food left.” Monica says as they walk to the next room.

Vince looks to her. “Just stay positive. I’m sure we’ll find something.”

Monica doesn’t respond. She turns to the door they approach, pulling out the keys from Vince’s bag.

She opens the door, Vince shining the flashlight inside. “This one’s clear.” He whispers to her. She pushes the door open, the two of them entering before she closes the door behind them.

“Do you think we’re the last people left alive?”

Monica’s question hangs in the air. Vince locks eyes with her briefly before he walks ahead of her, observing their surroundings before leaning in front of a desk and opening the drawer. “No idea.”

Monica doesn’t respond. She walks ahead of him and enters the bathroom, scavenging the cabinets for medication.

The following day, a few walkers gather outside the main entrance of the hotel. They snarl and wander around aimlessly, before the front door opens. They hear the noise and begin to wander over towards it, picking up the pace slightly as a survivor steps out.

Maggie hurriedly walks over and grabs one walker by the arm, pulling it towards her as she thrusts her knife into its skull. She rips it out and lets the corpse limply fall to the ground before her. A second walker comes towards her, and she flips the knife and turns as she stabs it through the eye, killing it instantly.

A third walker stumbles towards her, and she turns to the door. “All yours.”

MacKenzie stands still in the doorway, nervously holding a knife as Maggie steps aside, letting the undead stumble towards her friend. Its maw flies about loosely on its torn face as it swings its arms at her. MacKenzie shrieks as it reaches her and she ducks away. Maggie quickly rushes over, pulling the walker back and shoving it to the ground, where she kneels down and stabs it firmly in the temple.

MacKenzie pants a bit as she slowly walks towards her best friend. “S-Sorry…!”

Maggie stands back up and wipes the blood off of her. “MacKenzie… it’s fine. But, you just have to be able to fight these things…”

“... but Maggie, they’re just… so damn terrifying…” She sighs and puts her knife away. “I’ll keep trying, I promise… but I just…”

“If you mean it…” Maggie cleans off her blade and heads back inside. “Try and kill at least one by the end of today… it’s safe if you’re capable. You have to do whatever it takes to stay alive.”

MacKenzie watches her go and sighs, sitting down on the ground in silence. Walkers pass by across the street, but none of them seem to notice her. She keeps an eye on every passing undead, making sure none of them notice her.

A sudden snarl startles her as a walker rounds the corner and notices her, coming right for her. MacKenzie shrieks again and gets up off the ground, unable to build the courage to draw her knife. The walker grabs her arm and pulls her and she screams again, reaching for the door handle. She pulls the door open and ducks inside, slamming the door on the walker’s arm, severing it from the body. MacKenzie locks the door and pants, backing up as she realizes she is safe once again.

Then she hears static.

Her head immediately turns, locking eyes with the front desk of the hotel. She slowly walks around it and looks for the source of the static, spotting an old radio on one of the shelves. She picks it up and stares at it in confusion, before she pulls up the antenna.

“''--afezone loc--ed at South Point Hi-- Sc--ol. Repeat. Safezone located at South Point High School. Military run. Supplies and electricity. All are welcome, all are encouraged. No infected. Safezone located at South Point High School--''”

MacKenzie’s eyes widen. She turns her head, looking for anyone else in sight, but no one else is in the lobby. She hurries into the office, finding Sarah and Abby sitting at the desk together.

“There’s a safe zone at the high school!” MacKenzie has a grin on her face as the two look up to her.

“What?” Sarah stands from her seat, walking towards MacKenzie. “Where did you hear this?”

MacKenzie leads the woman to the front desk. The radio is still repeating the words.

“They have electricity, supplies. Even the military is there! We should go!” MacKenzie exclaims, but Abby looks unsure.

“We don’t know if it’s really safe, though.” Abby crosses her arms, leaning herself against the doorframe. “I say we get the others to hear about this first.”

As she says this, Maggie returns from the bathroom, Jane also entering from the stairwell. “Hear about what?” Jane asks.

Abby looks to them. “MacKenzie had heard on the radio about a military safe zone at the high school. I was saying we shouldn’t make a decision without everyone here.”

“We need Monica and Vince here, too.” Jane says before walking towards the stairs again. “They might be upstairs. I’ll go get them.”

“Be safe.” Sarah says. “Actually, Abby, you go with her. I don’t want anyone to be wandering alone.”

Abby pushes off of the door, walking across the room to the stairs, following Jane. Sarah then looks to Maggie. “I need to go get Greg from the storage room, too. He’ll want a say in this.” She crosses the room to a door leading to a set of stairs to the basement.

With Maggie and MacKenzie alone now, Maggie turns to her friend with her arms crossed. “What did they say?” She asks, looking at the radio.

“There was a guy. He was repeating that South Point High School has been made into a safe zone by the military. There’s electricity and supplies.” MacKenzie explains as she turns to the radio, placing her elbows on the counter. “Vince has been telling me that he and Monica aren’t finding a lot of food anymore. Maybe the safe zone will be good for us!”

Maggie nods. “I see where you’re coming from. I think everyone’s main concern is the fact that the school is about ten minutes away, and the location is pretty open. I don’t think they want to risk it. There could be tons of walkers on the way… hell, how do we know the military won’t freak out and shout outsiders on sight?”

MacKenzie lets out a sigh as the basement door opens, Sarah and Greg exiting. “The others aren’t back yet?” Sarah asks, looking to the stairs.

“It might take a while, depending on how many walkers they come across.” Maggie replies, shrugging her shoulders.

Greg sits on the bench. “We’ll give them a few more minutes.”

The four of them wait before they hear footsteps coming down the stairs, all of them looking to see the other survivors return. Monica and Vince look to MacKenzie and the radio. “So what’s this we hear about a safe zone?” Monica questions.

“The high school was made into a safe zone by the military. The man said they have food, water, electricity.” The younger girl says, looking to her brother. “I was just thinking it’d be safe there. I know you’ve been struggling to find food lately, but if we go there, we won’t have to! Plus we won’t have to defend ourselves from walkers!” Maggie looks disappointed in her friend, but just looks to the others for what they have to say.

Greg looks across the room to Monica. “Is it worth the risk? I mean, how much food have you guys found so far?”

Monica shrugs, looking to Vince for confirmation. “I don’t know. Maybe enough to last us… two weeks?” Vince nods to her, the girl looking back to the other survivors. “Three if we can find a little more, but I think we’ve found most of what was left in the hotel.”

“See? We’ll run out eventually. The safe zone probably has enough!” MacKenzie smiles, looking to Maggie.

The other girl steps towards her best friend. “I see where you’re coming from, but here’s the thing I’m concerned about. Not all of us are the best at self defense.” She says, putting an arm on MacKenzie’s shoulder. “It’ll take us some time to get there, and in that time we will have to fight off walkers. We’ll be out in the open out there and I think I speak for everyone when I say I don’t want to have to risk my life to save someone. If we’re going, then you’re going to have to fend for yourself.”

MacKenzie frowns, looking down in disappointment. She nods, looking to Maggie. “I… I can be strong. I’ll take care of myself out there, I swear.”

“I say we at least check it out if anything.” Vince says, looking to the other survivors. “Maybe it is safe.”

“Maybe it isn’t.” Abby interjects.

Vince shrugs. “Well, we won’t know unless we go.” He responds, looking over the other survivors. “So what do you say? Should we risk it here or risk it there?”

“Either way we’re risking it.” Greg says as he stands from the bench. “I say we go to the safe zone.”

“Me too.” Sarah nods, looking to her daughter.

“I don’t think I trust this too much. But Vince is right, we won’t know unless we go.” Abby says. “But we have to stay on alert. Just in case.”

Monica smiles, looking over the group. “Everyone go get ready and meet here in ten minutes.”

Vince shakes his head, turning to Monica. “No, we can’t go during the day. The walkers can see us better if we go now. We should wait until it’s dark.”

“Then the military can’t see us either, Vince.” Abby reminds.

Jane sighs with annoyance, looking up to the ceiling. “Fuck, this is so complicated.”

Greg crosses his arms. “Everyone… we’ll have to go out there sometime. Might as well let it be now.”

MacKenzie has a look of fear in her eyes, shaking her head slightly. “Oh no…”

“Look on the bright side. If this is legit, we have more people we can talk to. Maybe the military has answers as to what’s going on. Maybe they’re even working on a cure. They could be setting up safe zones all across the country, assuming this is beyond just Florida.” Monica explains. “But on the other hand… this very well could be way too good to be true. And this could be either fake trust and the military will kill us… or this could be a couple of assholes with big guns. And we won’t know unless we go. So we need to present ourselves in broad daylight. Show them what we’re made of. Not to mess with us.”

“It’s only been a week into this whole thing and you’re acting like you’ve been preparing for this for years.” Jane crosses her arms. “You calling yourself the leader of this shindig?”

“Well…” Monica looks for her words, before she shrugs. “Fuck it, why not?”

“Every leader needs a right hand.” Vince smiles.

“And a left.” Greg crosses his arms.

“Might as well be her.” Abby smiles. “We all trust each other at least. And Monica seems to know what’s best.”

“So that’s it then.” Maggie smiles. “That’s the decision we’ve made.”

Monica smiles and looks at everyone. “Pack up everything than can still be of use, meet back here in… fifteen minutes. South Point High is only so far away.”

Everyone nods in agreement, and the group disperses, going up the stairs to their rooms on the fourth floor. Monica exchanges a few smiles with Vince and Greg. Things seem to finally be looking up.

The streets of South Point are entirely quiet, and completely empty. Aside from the eight hotel survivors, that is. Monica leads the group down the cold, empty roads, the sun shining down on them. They all stay on alert, keeping an eye out for any and all infected that could surprise them. Vince and Greg stay on either side of the group, with the rest keeping center. MacKenzie stays in the complete center, not wanting to be too exposed.

Jane firmly grips the handle of her survival knife, constantly glancing left and right down various narrow alleyways. “Ya know, had a bit of a thought.”

“Shoot.” Monica mutters, carefully walking around a car, keeping distance to keep from being surprised and overtaken.

“My point exactly.” Jane smirks. “We know a hit to the head kills them… stab them, bludgeon them, just crush the head and they’re toast. Wouldn’t guns work too?”

“Jane has a point.” Abby agrees. “But where the hell are we gonna get guns? And wouldn’t the noise just attract even more walkers?”

“It’s just a thought anyways.” Jane shrugs, glancing behind the whole group. “I mean, let’s say the military trusts us and gives us guns to defend ourselves. We’d have to learn how to shoot, as fast as possible too, but in a real pinch where getting close would result in death, guns would be the best bet to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed.”

“As long as you know how to shoot.” Maggie adds. “Which none of us do.”

Monica smirks along with Greg. “Actually, Greg and I used to go to the shooting range when we were younger.”

Jane slightly gawks at the two. “You can’t be fucking serious.”

“Our dad used to be a cop, and he’d take us with him to practice.” Greg chuckles. “We sucked at it, but… after a while, we got used to it. Mom never approved, obviously, but it made for some damn good playground talk, way back then.”

“Seems like your father indirectly prepared you for all this.” Sarah says.

Jane eyes the two. “Where is he now? Sounds like he’d be such an asset right about now.”

The Evans siblings exchange neutral glances before continuing, as Monica speaks. “He died in the line of duty a year ago.”

Silence falls over all of them before Greg speaks up. “He got spared from all this. So it’s probably for the best he went out a hero in a world where it mattered, rather than unassuming in the middle of the end.”

Amidst the conversation, MacKenzie’s eyes wander to the left of the group as they pass an alleyway. Just barely between her brother and Maggie, she spots an infected stumble from the shadows, wobbling into broad daylight. Its thin, decaying neck turns its bloody head a bit before it ends up spotting the group.

MacKenzie’s eyes widen as it stumbles and scrapes itself across the pavement towards the group. But she knows that the group wants her to be strong, yet as she fumbles for her own knife, it falls to the pavement once she steps forward. MacKenzie trips past Maggie who steps back, and in a moment of haste, Maggie grabs Vince’s knife and begins to pull.

“What the-- MacKenzie, let go of my--!” Vince stumbles and grabs for the knife as he spots the walker.

“W-WALKER!” Everyone turns as MacKenzie yanks the knife out of its sheath, Vince pulling it back but stepping away as the undead nearly reaches him.

MacKenzie falls forward and the knife plunges into Vince’s abdomen, and she slides and rips it out as she drops it and runs.

“FUCK!” Vince clutches his sliced open stomach and falls back, just as Maggie plunges her knife right into the walker’s skull, killing it.

“Oh my god, Vince!” Monica runs to his side, kneeling beside him as blood pools around them both, staining the pavement. “Are you okay?!”

“F-Fuuuuck, this hurts…!” Vince hisses and punches one fist against the pavement repeatedly, the stinging pain of his wound too much to bear.

“D-Don’t shout Vince, we’re here to help…” Sarah kneels beside Vince and rolls up his shirt slightly. “Dear lord… that wound is deep.”

“You have to save him!” Monica begs. “Vince, Vince, it’s gonna be okay…”

“I-I know, I know…” Vince nods slightly, trying to smile for her but all he can do is hiss in pain once more, before his head slams back into the pavement.

“... Vince?” Monica stares at his unmoving body before she smacks his face. “''Vince! Vince, GET UP!''”

“Monica, stop shouting!” Sarah scolds her, rolling Vince’s shirt back down and picking him up. “His chest is still rising and falling, he’s unconscious. We have to get him somewhere so I can get him sutured up.”

“We better get to the school fast!” Greg looks around frantically as various infected begin to stumble out to the street. “We’ve got company!”

Monica stands up and looks around, readying her knife. “E-Everyone, come on! Keep going down the street, make sure you cover Sarah! We gotta get to the school!”

As they progress away from the walkers, fighting the stragglers who manage to catch up, Maggie storms over to a fearful MacKenzie, who keeps her distance.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing?!” She grabs MacKenzie’s knife and rips it from her hands. “Oh, now you’re trying to defend yourself?! You just sliced your brother’s stomach open!”

“'I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I’m--'” MacKenzie screams as she is cut off by a walker tackling her, sending her to the street. She fights to push it off, screaming for the others to help her. MacKenzie presses on its shoulders but to no avail.

Maggie fumbles with the knife and goes to stab it in the head, but a rusty crowbar suddenly lodges itself in the back of its brittle skull.

A teenage girl rips it out as MacKenzie pushes the corpse off of her, screaming again as she scrambles back, gasping for air. The crowbar girl looks to MacKenzie, then to Maggie, with a stern expression. “''Well?! Move your asses!''”

The people stare at her before MacKenzie screams again, another walker grabbing at her from behind. She manages to wriggle away and get up, running forward and pushing past the new girl to run down the street.

She falls and drops the crowbar, as it clatters across the pavement and right under a sewage opening in the sidewalk. The walker clambers atop her before she can get away, but Maggie stabs it in the head quickly, saving her. The girl pushes it off as Maggie helps her up and hands her MacKenzie’s knife.

“Who the hell are you?!” Maggie asks, stabbing another walker that stumbles towards them.

“Does that really matter?!” When the girl only gets a nod in response, she sighs. “Don’t be such an amateur with strangers… it’s Sarah Nixon. Now come on!”

Sarah pulls Maggie along down the street as two other survivors suddenly show up; a teenage boy, and an African-American woman. The boy angrily rushes over, glaring at her. “Sarah, what the fuck! You can’t just break away from the group!”

“Dylan, these people were about to die!” Sarah gets in his face, pushing him back. “I’m trying to save some lives here!”

“Do you even hear yourself?!” The boy known as Dylan throws his hands in the air. “God fucking dammit, this idiot’s kindness is gonna get everyone killed.”

“Fuck right off why don’t you.” Sarah shoves the knife to his throat, almost piercing it as he stumbles back. “Kaya, you gotta help. One of them is wounded.”

The woman known as Kaya looks around the other survivors before her eyes fall on the unconscious Vince, being hastily carried by Sarah Walters. “Jesus Christ, Sarah, what the hell did you get yourself into?!”

“He’s been gutted, Kaya! We have to get off our asses and help!” Sarah argues, turning to stab another walker in the skull.

“Don’t start arguing with me, we can’t break away from the others like this!” Kaya grabs her by the arm. “Wait til Mike gets a load of this. Just what do you expect us to do for a bunch of strangers?”

“Whatever it takes to save them!” Sarah yanks her arm away and tackles an oncoming walker, stabbing it right in the temple. “Dammit, everyone go! Get to the school! Hurry!”

Kaya helps Sarah up and the two follow the group down the street, fighting off more and more walkers as they pile up and form a small herd. Dylan continues to tag along, looking over his shoulder as the mass of undead pool towards them.

“Aw, fuck me…”

Co-Stars

 * Rowan Blanchard as MacKenzie Jameson

Uncredited

 * None

Deaths

 * None

Trivia

 * First appearance of Sarah Nixon.
 * First appearance of Dylan.
 * First appearance of Kaya Dutch.