"Dr. Eugene is a scientist? He's researching a way to stop this disaster?" Maggie repeated, showing just the right amount of surprise.
"And you're heading to Washington to look for a federal government and scientists who might not even be there anymore?"
"It's our responsibility!" Abraham growled.
"But what if," Maggie said, slowing down and speaking patiently, "what if I told you there's a place where top researchers are already studying the walker virus?
"They have experts from the CDC, leading professors in the field, fully equipped laboratories, enough security to protect the research, and... they've already made some progress."
Abraham and Rosita both froze.
Even Eugene, who had been muttering and complaining to himself, suddenly looked up. His small eyes widened with disbelief and panic.
"What did you say?" Abraham turned toward her, his voice urgent. "Where? Who?!"
Maggie met his gaze without flinching. "Rock Fortress. My home!
"Our commander, Calista, has been paying attention to this since the beginning of the disaster.
"She has senior researchers from the Atlanta CDC working under her, a biochemistry professor from UTK, and graduate students in related fields.
"On top of that, we have a Defense Force made up of Special Forces personnel and National Guard soldiers.
"We're systematically collecting and studying everything we can find about the virus."
She paused, then dropped the most important part.
"We even have some... unique samples and data that no one else has."
Maggie was referring to whatever was inside the Singularity Polymers Plant in Block D.
Only a small number of people who had directly taken part in the operation knew the details, but teammates who spent every day around them had inevitably heard a few vague rumors.
Maggie herself didn't know the full truth, but what little she knew was more than enough to sound convincing.
Abraham's breathing grew noticeably heavier. "CDC experts? A functioning lab? Armed protection? Are you telling me the truth, Maggie? Because if you're lying..."
His fists clenched until his knuckles cracked.
"You can see it for yourself!" Maggie said calmly. "Take me to where that helicopter landed and find our commander. Ask her yourself. See with your own eyes what we have!
"That's a lot more reliable than traveling all the way to Washington and searching through the ruins of a city that might be completely empty, looking for research facilities that might not even exist anymore. Isn't it?"
Her words struck Abraham's insistence on the "Washington mission" one blow at a time.
"T-this is all very sudden..." Eugene abruptly cut in, stammering as his face went pale.
"The facilities in Washington are unique. They have a specific... uh... collaborative research environment that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
"My theory requires a particular verification process. Arbitrarily changing our destination could disrupt the continuity of the data... And besides, who even knows whether this Rock Fortress is real..."
His words became increasingly jumbled.
He was clearly panicking.
Actual government experts?
If he met real professionals, wouldn't they expose his entire act almost immediately?
Abraham and Rosita would beat him to death.
Especially after Abraham had already lost several companions along the way because of the excuses Eugene had invented.
Rosita immediately noticed how unusually nervous Eugene had become.
She frowned and looked toward Abraham.
"Abraham, this really does sound like an opportunity. But what if it's a trap? Or what if Rock Fortress isn't nearly as good as she's making it sound?"
"A trap?" Maggie gave a bitter laugh. "You think I'd use my husband's life and my friend's life to set a trap for you? Just to trick the three of you? What would be the point?
"Listen, I'm running out of time! Every minute we waste means Glenn and Dr. Caleb are in more danger inside that hospital!
"Our commander has already arrived with her best people. She must have a plan.
"Join us, and you can help eliminate the threat at that hospital and save innocent people. At the same time, your 'Dr. Eugene' gets access to a better research environment and people he can work with. Everyone benefits."
She watched the conflict in Abraham's eyes and delivered one final push.
"Or would you rather cling to some faint hope of reaching Washington while ignoring a real opportunity right in front of you?
"Ignore an actual chance of finding a solution to the walker virus?
"Is that what you call 'responsibility' and 'hope'?"
The words hit Abraham hard.
At the heart of his decision to escort Eugene was a desperate hope that somehow, some way, this walker catastrophe could still be undone.
The post-apocalypse had taken everything from Abraham.
If he hadn't been clinging to the hope of solving the walker virus, he might have given up long ago.
And if there was a more direct, more realistic path right in front of him...
Eugene became even more frantic.
He turned and grabbed Abraham by the arm.
"Sergeant Abraham! We cannot deviate from the established route!
"The risk factor is impossible to calculate!
"My brain... my knowledge requires a stable environment!
"This fortress she's talking about sounds like some kind of warlord stronghold! They could simply be trying to seize the knowledge in my head!
"We should follow the original plan, avoid unnecessary conflict, and proceed to Washington!"
By the end, Eugene was practically shouting.
His desperate show of confidence only deepened the suspicion in Rosita's eyes.
Abraham abruptly shook Eugene's hand off.
Then he stared at Maggie as if trying to see straight through her.
Several seconds of silence stretched out like an eternity.
"You swear," he finally said, his voice hoarse, "that this commander, this doctor from the Atlanta CDC, and this biochemistry professor are real experts? You swear you're actually conducting research?"
"I swear to God. If I'm lying, you can kill me yourself."
Maggie solemnly made the sign of the cross over her chest.
It was the strongest oath she could give.
Abraham looked at Rosita again.
Rosita remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
"It sounds more reliable than Washington. At the very least, it's worth making contact first. And..."
She glanced toward the hospital.
"If that place really is a slave camp like she says, then our search for supplies in Atlanta probably won't go smoothly either."
That was the final push Abraham needed.
"All right!" he said, making his decision. "We'll go with you and find your commander. But!"
He pointed at Maggie.
"If I find out you've lied about any of this, or that Rock Fortress is some kind of scam, I'll break your neck with my own hands and then continue on to Washington. Understand?"
A tremendous weight lifted from Maggie's chest.
She nodded firmly. "Understood! Now, can you untie my hands? I can't move quickly like this."
Abraham gestured toward Rosita.
Rosita drew her dagger and cleanly sliced through the plastic restraints.
Maggie rubbed her reddened wrists and immediately straightened.
"The helicopter noise faded toward the southeast. They'll probably establish an observation point before doing anything else.
"We need to approach carefully so they don't mistake us for enemies. The Commander's people... react fast."
"Let's go," Abraham said curtly as he stepped on the gas again.
Eugene opened his mouth, still wanting to say something.
But under Abraham's stern stare and Rosita's increasingly suspicious gaze, he could only swallow both his panic and the excuses he had prepared.
He felt as though he were being dragged toward a trial where every lie he had told would be exposed.
And right now, there was nothing he could do to stop it.