The sniper didn't lower their gun.
Ethan kept his hands where they could see them. One wrong move, and they were dead.
Blaze growled low, his fur bristling with static. Olivia shifted her stance, ready to draw. Noah muttered under his breath, "This just keeps getting better."
Then—the radio crackled again.
"State your purpose."
Ethan exhaled slowly. "We're heading to the tower."
A pause.
Then—laughter.
"Then you're either brave… or stupid."
The Standoff
More figures emerged from the shadows. Armed. Silent. Watching.
Survivors. But not just any survivors. These people were organized.
They wore tactical gear, their weapons too clean, too well-maintained to be scavenged from the ruins.
Ex-military? A private group? Something else?
One of them stepped forward—a woman with sharp green eyes, a rifle strapped to her back.
She studied them, gaze calculating.
"The tower isn't what you think it is."
Ethan's stomach twisted. "Then tell us what it is."
The woman tilted her head. "First… tell me what you know."
The First One's Secret
Ethan hesitated. But only for a moment.
"We know the tower is calling the infected," he said. "And we know the first one is waking up."
That got their attention.
The woman's expression darkened.
The others exchanged looks—like they knew exactly what he meant.
Finally, she sighed. "Then you're already in too deep."
She waved a hand, and her people lowered their weapons.
"Come with us. If you want to survive."
Noah blinked. "Wait, that's it? No fight? No threats?"
The woman smirked. "Oh, trust me. The fight is coming."
She turned toward the tower.
"And none of us are ready for it."
The Truth Beneath the Tower
They moved fast, weaving across the rooftops, guided by the woman's team.
Ethan fell into step beside her. "Who are you?"
She glanced at him. "Valerie."
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "And your people?"
Valerie didn't answer right away. Then she said two words.
"The last defense."
Ethan's chest tightened. That sounded bad.
And when they reached their destination?
It got worse.
Because inside the abandoned high-rise, hidden beneath layers of tarp and camouflage—
Was a war room.
Screens flickered. Maps covered the walls. Satellite images of the tower, surrounded by moving red dots.
Valerie grabbed a remote and hit a button.
A video began playing.
It was grainy. Night vision footage.
And in the center of the screen?
A cage.
A containment unit deep beneath the tower.
And inside it—a figure.
Twisted. Mutated. But still vaguely human.
Then—its head snapped up.
It stared directly at the camera.
And spoke.
"I see you."
The screen cut to black.
Ethan's blood went cold.
Valerie turned to them, eyes grim.
"Now do you see why we're trying to stop it?"