Fools and Dead Men

**"Fools and Dead Men"** is the fifth episode of *Season 3: Remake* of *Strain Zero*, the remake of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the fifteenth episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*Trapped in a waking nightmare, our fractured group learn the origins of the Innocents as deadly battles await them.*

## Synopsis

At the Fort, a raging Bart, furious at Henry's escape, shoots a random Innocent in a fit of rage, briefly exposing his true self when he weeps over his own actions. He immediately reverts when Jane enters his office; driving himself further into his violent persona, he reassigns his sister to the Fargo Depot, believing the facility will be attacked soon and Jane will be forced to kill to defend herself. He also demands that Justinas, still unconscious at the Black Building, also be moved to the Depot.

Ben and the others, still covered in walker guts and mourning the loss of Charlotte, make their way through the ruined streets of Fargo northwest toward the Fargodome. They take a rest to wash their clothes in a stream, but are ambushed by Innocent soldiers. In the chaos, Carl falls behind and Mike goes back to rescue him, allowing both of them to be captured. A domer patrol hears the gunfire and Ben's group are picked up when one of them, Gideon, recognises Ben by his facial scar.

Henry, his face still swollen and bruised, wakes up in an unfamiliar room. Feeling a numbness in his right hand, he discovers that most of his ring finger has been surgically removed. He walks over to a covered window and finds what remains of a football stadium, the field now filled with tents and fires. Dressed only in underpants and bandages, he finds and changes into a new set of clothes - a set of black trousers, flannel shirt, boots and a bomber jacket - before leaving the room and exploring. Outside in the corridor, he finds Holly asleep on a bench, a bucket of vomit beside her. He kneels down to kiss her on the forehead, only to find her burning up.

Hearing footsteps nearby, he stands up to see Drew, a look of relief on his face. Henry approaches and the two shake hands, having not seen each other since Drew's fall from the bridge. Their handshake transforms into a hug and Henry asks if anyone else is here. Drew gestures to an open door down the hallway, from which Ben, Becky and Boy emerge. The dog charges toward Henry and licks him; Henry hugs Ben, who reveals Henry's axe, modified with a sharp weight on its broken end, a sharpened axe head and a rubber grip. He asks for Carl to check on Holly, only to realize both Carl and Mike are missing, along with Justinas. Henry says that they have to get them back, only to be interrupted by Garrett Feingold, leader of the domers.

Garrett takes Henry on a tour of the stadium, revealing the military used it as an evacuation site in the early hours of the outbreak and left behind weapons and vehicles. He goes on to say that he organized the construction of the Fort and was its leader for about a year, only for Bart to turn up and take complete control, installing a vicious regime. Garrett and those still loyal to him were forced to live in the sewers for months until they were able to clear out the Fargodome and use it as a highly defendable base. He finishes by offering an alliance between the domers and Henry's people to steal weapons and vehicles from the Fargo Depot, giving them both a fighting chance against the Innocents.

Henry agrees to consider the alliance before asking if a child matching the boy from the forest in among the domers. When Garrett does not recognise the description, Henry rushes to Drew and asks him the same. Henry decides to head out and rescue the boy despite his group's arguments that he needs more bedrest. At the stadium's entrance, Henry trades his pistol for a bike and two flares and prepares to head out; Holly approaches and demands to accompany him. Henry reluctantly agrees and they head out while Drew stays behind to get everyone else organized.

At the Fort, Bart orders Liam to launch an attack on the Fargodome. In downtown Fargo, Henry and Holly traverse the broken streets on the silenced bike, finally stumbling upon the boy's trailer. Searching the trailer, they discover a diary belonging to "Hector Granger"; halfway through, however, a new name appears: "Kyle Granger". Henry discovers several hundred diary entries written on blank pieces of paper and finds a fresh stack sodden from a leak. Deducing that the boy went to a nearby paper factory for more pages, the two head out to help him. Holly is sick in a bush before they head out, worrying Henry despite her pleas to let them continue.

The pair come across the wrecked paper factory but find no trace of Kyle. Despite Henry's protests, Holly decides to search the factory. Forced to crawl through debris, the pair discover two darkdwellers inside, resting. Holly's retches cause both creatures to wake from their slumber and begin searching, howling madly. As the creatures move, Henry spots Kyle passed out in their nest, bloodied and bruised. Henry ignites one of his flares and throws it toward the collapsed front of the factory, drawing the darkdwellers, and moves up to tend to the boy. Holly keeps watch as Henry wakes the boy, who screams in fear upon seeing Henry's face. His screams draw the creatures, who are briefly fought off by Holly, who proves too ill to keep them away. With no other option and believing the creatures possess some intelligence, Henry, the boy in his arms, roars and charges as the darkdwellers; to his shock, the creatures appear intimidated and retrea, forcing them into a sunbeam. The creatures shriek in agony and flee into the shadows. With Holly by his side, Henry maneuvers into the light, roaring and feinting to keep the darkdwellers at bay. Through sheer luck, the trio find their way to a large pile of debris and climb down it to the ground while the darkdwellers remain in their nest.

Outside, Henry calls the boy by his name - Kyle - and says he is safe now. He offers to bring Kyle to his group, who will look after him from now on. The boy hugs Henry tightly before Holly vomits against, falling to her knees to recover. Henry tries to comfort her and finally deduces that she's pregnant. He falls into silence out of shock as Holly confirms his suspicions, apologising for not telling him sooner. She apologises several times until Henry cuts her off, telling her this is a good thing and just another thing to fight and live for. Henry reaffirms his love for Holly as the three of them head back to the bike.

At the Fort, Liam assembles his forces, which includes several converted trucks filled to the brim with walkers.

## Deaths

* None

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