It had been a couple of months since Ellie and Joel returned to Tommy's settlement in Jackson County. The settlement had become richer thanks to the electricity coming from the dam located nearby and families were growing in size. A giant wall with barbed wire on the top surrounded the entire settlement, thus trapping the inhabitants like animals and keeping any infected out. No signs of infected had been reported since Ellie and Joel's return and everyone would love to crowd around them and listen to their adventures. None of them, however, were told about how Ellie's condition could amount to a cure. If they knew that, they would force her to return to the hospital and sacrifice her life for a cure. Of course, Ellie didn't know that either thanks to Joel.

One of the inhabitants that listened to their stories was a young woman in her early twenties named Jessica. Jessica could not remember a life before the infected, but from what both Joel and Tommy said about it, it sounded like heaven. Hearing that Ellie was immune, however, struck a cord for her. She too was immune from both the infected and from any spores. Jessica too had a bite from the infected on her right ankle that she received before coming to the settlement and yet, she never turned. She too was special like Ellie. She could help the world by being a cure for this inhumane disease. She didn't dare tell anyone, however. Having two immune girls could cause even more problems. Instead, she kept it a secret and would plan to eventually leave the settlement to find the hospital where Ellie and Joel were.

That morning was quite foggy and chilly, which kept everyone in their homes instead of heading outside. Jessica, however, was sitting on the steps to a storage house where extra supplies were being kept. A small group of dogs were sitting by her feet and Jessica would take turns rubbing behind their ears, [b]"How come those damn infected go after us, but not you dogs? It's unfair, I tell yah."[/b] Jessica mumbled as she continued to pet and scratch the dogs.