What We Deserve (Remake)

**"What We Deserve"** is the fifth and final episode of *Season 2: Remake* of *Strain Zero*, the remake of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the tenth episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*Determined to let go of the past, Henry makes a decision that could change everything.*

## Synopsis

Henry finds himself on a wooden boat in the middle of an empty black ocean. Sat across from him is Alex, his neck bearing the wound that killed him. Shocked, Henry asks if he is dead, and Alex reassures him that he is still alive and merely undergoing a psychological dilemma. Henry asks what choices he has, and Alex offers two: give into subservience and maybe keep on living, or fight back and risk everything. Henry says he knows what choice he wants to make before apologising to Alex for his death, Jess' death and the death of their child. Alex smiles and says he forgives him, before telling him to protect his new family at any cost.

Henry wakes up in the back of the bandit truck, his face still covered. Still on the move, he calls out to the group, who all reply that they are unharmed, for the most part. Henry reassures them that everything will be okay and he has a plan, but refuses to disclose any details for their own safety. The convoy eventually comes to a stop in a clearing at the foot of the mountains. After several hours, the truck is opened by Carter and his men, who split the group up into several wooden cages. Carter demands to speak to Henry alone and he is forced into Carter's tent, where he finds a tiny newborn in a crib marked "Lawrence". William begins by taunting Henry about his eye before complementing his fighting and survival skills, adding that he has been impressed by how many bandits Henry has killed. William offers Henry a role as a soldier and even medical care for his eye; in response, Henry remains silent and spits at Carter's feet.

Insulted, William repeats the monologue he gave to Henry three months ago before delivering a blow to his gut; this time, however, Henry is able to quickly recover and barely grimaces. William punches him again, causing Henry to squirm briefly before he stands up straight again. William prepares for another blow, but Henry is able to catch his fist. Holding Carter's arm in place, Henry throws his fist aside before delivering a two-fisted punch to William's cheek. Henry is quickly restrained by the guards and smiles as William stands up to reveal that the blow knocked out the metal prosthetic in William's mouth, causing his cheek and lips to collapse without the bone beneath. Henry laughs at the disfigurement, enraging Carter, who orders his men to take Henry into the forest and execute him. As Henry is dragged out, he shouts that Drew will finish the job.

In their cage at the edge of the bandits' camp, Drew and Holly survey their surroundings. Worried sick about Emma and Henry, Holly struggles to breath. Although Drew attempts to calm her, Holly rebuffs him, revealing she heard what he said to Becky back at the lodge. Drew quickly admits that Becky's child could be his or Carter's, and is ultimately the reason why Drew drove an arrow into Carter's face. Holly calls her group her family and says she will never abandon them or let them down, unlike what Drew is doing to Becky and his child. Stunned into silence, Drew begins brooding while Holly calls out to Ben and Justinas in the neighbouring cage. By whistling a morse code, Holly asks Ben if he can break the lock on the cage; Ben whistles back that he will do one better before revealing a multitool hidden in the sole of his boot. Using a trick she calls "The Jess", Holly shoves her fingers in her mouth, causing her to vomit and drawing the attention of the guards. With them distracted, Ben takes the chance to remove the screws keeping the lock in place.

Out in the woods, one of the bandits escorting Henry tells the others to leave. As they head further away from the camp, the bandit reveals that he was friends with several bandits killed by Henry. A defiant Henry taunts the bandit about his friends, calling them easy to kill, causing the bandit to force him to his knees. As the bandit begins ranting about his friends, Henry spots three figures - David, Emma and Boy - in the distance, having caught up with the convoy. Henry then asks the bandit to give him a dignified death by shooting him in the forehead; too angry to question him, the bandit moves in front of him and places his gun between Henry's eyes. He then lists the names of each of his dead friends, giving Boy the chance to rush forward and bite the bandit on the leg. As he howls in pain, the bandit is taken by surprise as Henry jumps to his feet and goes for the gun. David approaches and bashes the bandit over the head with a log, knocking him to the ground. Henry grabs the gun and gets to his feet; telling the bandit to say hi to his friends, he kills the bandit with a single shot to the head. Henry and Emma reunite and Henry thanks David for looking out for her and Boy. He suggests that the group escape in one of the bandits' trucks, and that he has one in mind.

Back at the camp, Ben breaks open the cage, setting him and the others free. The team rushes the three bandit guards, two of which are held against the cage by Holly and Drew. The group swarm the guards and steal their weapons before knocking them out and locking them in the cage. As they ready their weapons, Justinas decides to set another prisoner free, revealed to be Mike Trapp. With guards aware of their escape, Holly comments her hopes that Henry's plan is working out. Meanwhile, Henry, David, Emma and Boy sneak back into the camp, killing or knocking out any bandits they find. By crawling under the trucks that make up the camp's perimeter, they quickly reach the supply truck, heavily laden with weapons, food, water and other supplies. However, they will need to hotwire the truck, a skill that Ben knows.

Grabbing some weapons, the four of them hear gunfire nearby. Discovering the rest of their group under assault by the bandits, Henry lights two Molotov cocktails and throws them behind the line of bandits. However, before throwing a third he is found by a bandit wielding a fire axe. Using the training he received from Mike three months ago, Henry is able to dodge the swinging axe and even disarm the bandit. Using the handle to choke him, Henry breaks the handle in half before running the broken shaft through his neck. Weighing the remaining axe in his hand, Henry decides to keep it. Throwing a third Molotov, he easily takes out bandits with his new axe. He is reunited with the rest of the group, and smiles upon reuniting with Mike. With the camp in chaos, Henry leads the group back towards the truck, which David has gotten running. Climbing aboard, the group are driven away by David, but not before a bullet hits the side of the truck.

The group drive for several hours into the wilderness, covering as much distance as possible, until the vehicle comes to a stop. Ben finds the radiator has been damaged by a bullet; the group take as much as possible from the truck before Henry slashes its tires. Moving through the wilderness, they discover signs leading to "Crescent Lake Camping Ground".

Coming across the camp, they agree to rest there and plan their next move. Henry introduces Mike to the others, calling him an old friend, before Drew begins shouting that they left a clear trail of the bandits to follow. Henry shouts back that there was little else they could do, but their argument is cut short by Becky, who says that her water just broke. With Drew still set on going north while Henry and his family will head west, Henry agrees to depart. With Becky panicking and even Carl unsure what to do, Drew hesitantly asks Henry and his group for help. Henry agrees and Holly begins tending to Becky, while Henry organizes the group. He tells Justinas to pick a team to patrol the area for bandits and walkers, before assigning him and David the task of finding somewhere safe for Becky to give birth. The others agree to take stock of their supplies.

Using a map of the campground to guide them, Henry and David spot a lookout tower nearby; they quickly choose it as an ideal place thanks to its height. As they approach, David spots a figure moving inside. Arming themselves, they slowly climb the steps up to the tower and find the door unlocked. Inside, they find a boy, thin and deathly pale, slumbed against the wall. The boy doesn't appear to even acknowledge their presence; checking him over, Henry discovers a bite mark on his ribs. David brings Henry to attention as a young girl, now older than 10, appears behind them wielding a revolver. The pair place their weapons down and try to reassure her, but she remains silent. When Henry beckons towards the boy, the girl suddenly snaps, shouting at them in a foreign language. Recognising it as Russian, Henry asks David to fetch Justinas. David is able to slip past the girl while Henry continues to try and calm her; with what little Russian he knows, he asks her name, and she shortly replies "Laika". He tries to ask if the boy is her brother, as well as how long they have both been out here, but receives only silence.

Minutes later, David returns with Justinas in tow; finally able to talk to her, they learn that Laika and her younger brother have lived on the campground since the dead first rose, living off scraps and dead animals. Justinas offers Laika a place in the group, but she refuses to leave without her brother. Knowing that her brother has little time, Henry offers to make sure he doesn't come back as a walker. Despite her protests, Justinas is able to calm her and tells her it is the right thing to do. Laika says a final goodbye to her brother before leaving with Justinas; Henry asks David for some space before kneeling beside the boy, who has seemingly died. Wishing the boy well on his way, he tearfully axes the boy in the head before carrying his corpse to the nearby river and placing him in its rapids.

Returning to the main camp, Henry learns that Becky is three weeks early and that Drew has left the campsite to patrol further away. Holly asks Henry to bring Drew back, and he reluctantly agrees before informing them of the lookout tower. Mike asks to accompany Henry and the two set off. In the trees, they realize that Emma is following them, with Boy beside her. Despite Mike's protests, Henry agrees for her to join them, if only to practice her archery. As they walk, Mike bonds with Boy while Emma asks Henry if she can ask Drew to teach her to improve her accuracy. Henry points out how brave Emma has been, and she replies that she has simply been watching him and Holly. She then adds that she misses her parents, but has accepted that they're dead. Henry asks how she managed to do so, and she replies that he made it easier, giving her the strength to move on and accept the world for what it is.

Humbled by her, Henry hears Mike whispering his name and they turn to see Boy sniffing at a crude path in the trees. Deciding to follow Boy as he tracks the scent, they spot a few walkers dressed in hiking clothes and swiftly kill them. Mike finds a stray arrow of the same type used by Drew and gives it to Emma, before Boy barks nearby. Heading over, they come across a crack in the ground, within which they spot a motionless Drew beside a dead walker. They call out to him to no response; while Boy and Emma stand guard, Henry and Mike jump down into the crack to find Drew has hit his head on an exposed root, having fallen in after being grappled by a walker from behind. Henry tries to shake Drew awake and he stirs, groggy and confused.

With no option but to carry him, Henry grasps Drew's shoulders while Mike grabs his legs; just as they lift him aboveground, they hear a gunshot on the wind. Recognising it as the sound of a rifle, they quickly pull Drew onto the leafy ground. Above, Emma informs them that walkers are approaching; Henry tells her to keep them away, even if she has to use her gun. Walkers begin approaching from behind them, drawn by the gunshot, and Mike moves away to deal with them. Henry continues to try and wake Drew, calling him a stubborn bastard that shouldn't give up now, especially since Becky needs him. Drew begins muttering that Becky is strong and doesn't need him, and that he is terrified of fatherhood, especially if the kid isn't his. Henry tells him that it shouldn't matter and that his family needs him, flaws and all. Spurred on, Drew manages to stir awake and rise to his feet with Henry's help. With his eye still covered by a bandage, he tells Drew to stay awake and watch their flank. With Mike, Emma and Boy escorting them, Henry and Drew limp from the trees and back to the path.

Returning to the campground, Drew is able to walk unaided but is told to rest by Carl, who checks him for a concussion. Henry asks what the gunshot was, but no-one at the camp has any idea either. Suddenly, Justinas and his team of Leyton, Ben and Stephan emerge from the trees, screaming at the others to run. Behind them, a column of walkers and runners emerges from the trees, drawn by the smell of Becky's childbirth.

Henry directs David and Justinas to organize everyone and move them to the lookout tower. However, the sheer volume of zombies leads Henry to organize a defence. Under his direction, a small team gathers into a circle covering all flanks; using guns on the runners and melee weapons on the walkers, the team easily dispatches the bulk of the zombies and move towards the tower. Holly helps Becky up the great number of steps and onto the floor, while Henry leads the defence of the stairs outside. With the walkers still coming, Henry breaks the first few steps on the stairs, preventing the walkers from climbing up. Despite struggles, including the baby being born breach, Becky gives birth to a girl, who remains silent upon being born. Henry quietly begs "not again" before the girl coughs and finally cries. The group gathers around, relieved and exhausted.

In the night, Henry wakes up from a nightmare and finds Becky sitting across from him, her baby in her arms. She asks Henry what he was dreaming about; reluctantly, Henry describes a recurring dream where he finds himself in the middle of a black ocean that slowly erupts into fire, setting Holly and Emma alight beneath the waves. Becky says that black water can mean two things: power and authority, or overwhelming confusion. Henry asks what name she has picked for her daughter; Becky replies that she never had time to think about it and asks Henry for suggestions. After a few moments, he suggests "Sarah", as a "strong girl needs a strong name", which Becky likes, officially naming her daughter "Sarah Stanton". Becky asks him if he wants to hold the newly christened Sarah; when he does, he begins to cry. Before he can hand Sarah back over, he realizes Becky has fallen asleep on his shoulder.

Hearing footsteps nearby, Henry looks up to see Drew, his head covered in a bandage. Drew sees Becky sleeping on Henry's shoulder and walks away. Carefully standing up, still holding Sarah, Henry approaches him to ask if he is okay. Drew replies that he is watching for lights and expresses his annoyance that the group isn't more prepared to run. Henry asks if it's the right thing to keep running, especially now they have something to lose. Henry then admits that he lost a child a year ago and knows what the pain is like, and that he wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. With Henry's encouragement, Drew is finally able to hold Sarah. Henry boldly tells Drew to not squander his daughter, or Becky, before walking away to stand guard. Drew watches him leave before caressing Sarah's cheek and welling up, happy.

Henry quietly descends the stairs to the broken portion of the staircase, now clear of walkers. He passes Emma, sound asleep on one of the steps, still holding Drew's arrow. Slipping past her, he finds Holly at the edge of the stairs, smoking a cigarette. He sits down beside her and she shares her cigarette, asking him about his dream. Henry replies that the dream was the same as ever before revealing that Becky has named her daughter "Sarah". He then thanks her for giving him the strength to confront the world again, and admits he was foolish for keeping them secluded in the forest, away from the world.

Holly takes a drag of her cigarette before reassuring him that their time in the forest was ultimately good for them. She then remarks that everything they have been through, no matter how painful, was worth it, for it has made them stronger, both as people and as a family. Expecting him to argue otherwise, Holly is surprised when Henry says he agrees, adding that a part of him is glad that Jess' child did not live to see the horrors of the world. He adds that he is worried for Becky's child, and comments that he wants to keep helping them, having grown attached to the group. He says that he hasn't stopped thinking about "Greencole" for the last three months, and that he believes "with every fibre of my being" that it could become their home. He adds that he sees it as his duty to make a better world - if only a better home - for those that are still to come, and that this responsibility should be shared across all those who knew what the world once was. Holly remains silent in her thoughts before saying she has something important to tell him.

Henry stops her mid-sentence as he suddenly becomes alert. Scraping the cigarette against the wooden stair, he watches the dark horizon carefully. He stands up, alarmed, upon seeing several sets of lights in the near-distance; seconds later, Holly joins him, asking him if he can also hear the faint rumble of engines on the wind. Henry tells her to wake Emma up before rushing back upstairs to warn the others.

Hours later, the group have abandoned the campground and, with Laika in tow, are now trudging through the snow as they retreat back into the mountains. Carrying Sarah in her backpack, Becky struggles to keep up. Henry offers her his bloodstained coat to warm her.

The group's march comes to an end as they approach a steep slope blocking their path further up the mountain. Seeking a way around, they stumble across a large mountaintop research station. Unable to walk further, Becky falls to the ground, causing her daughter to cry. Holly suggests they seek shelter in the station, but others demand that they find a way back down the mountain, for the bandits will quickly find their tracks and ambush them. Stricken by a brainwave, Henry suggests that they *allow* the bandits to catch up; he elaborates that the research station is a highly defendable position: elevated with a narrow corridor on all sides, with a steep drop to the left of the building. He ends by saying it is time that the group stop running and finish the fight once and for all.

After a final face-off between Henry, Drew and Carter, the group declare victory and return to the bandit camp to collect supplies for the road. While there, they discover Carter's young son, Lawrence, and, refusing to leave him behind, Bethany decides to raise him as her son. The two groups decide to band together permanently and head west to find a new home, with Henry as their leader.

## Characters

### Main

* Henry Edwards
* Holly Parker
* Emma Goode
* Justinas Garin
* Ben Appleby
* Drew Stanton
* Becky Grace
* Carl McKenzie
* Bethany
* David
* Mike Trapp
* William Carter

### Supporting

* Leyton Jones
* Stephan Lee
* Kate

## Deaths

* Dirk
* William Carter
* At least six unnamed bandits

## Trivia

* First appearance of Laika
* First appearance of Sarah Stanton
* First appearance of Lawrence Carter
* Last appearance of William Carter
* Last appearance of the Iron Bandits

## References

 **Season 5: Remake** | "Blood" • "Rules" • "Dissent" • "The Game" • "The Coming Storm" • "Brotherhood" • "Call to Arms"