Two months had passed since the battle with the raiders. Dean sat on the fortress rooftop, a mug of hot coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Smoke drifted into the early morning air as he watched Marcus and his family begin their daily chores.
Robert and Emily worked in the barn, feeding the livestock and gathering fresh eggs from the chicken coop.
Marcus hauled a heavy bag of feed over to the cows and goats, ensuring they were well-fed.
Marcus' mother, Claire, tended to the vegetable garden, checking the soil moisture and removing weeds.
Emily also worked on the crops, ensuring the wheat and corn were growing properly.
In the garage, Marcus cleaned the vehicles, wiping down "The Beast" and checking for any damages.
Every evening, Dean and Marcus performed maintenance on the weapons, cleaning and reloading them to ensure they were always ready for combat.
Life in the fortress had become routine, a rare moment of stability in a world collapsing into chaos.
Dean pulled out his phone, surprisingly still connected to the internet thanks to his satellite network. Swiping through the news, he saw that governments were crumbling, struggling to contain the growing chaos.
"Officials are advising all survivors to stay indoors. Designated government-controlled safe zones have been established, but evacuation efforts are becoming increasingly difficult."
Dean scoffed, exhaling a plume of smoke. "Yeah, right. Those 'safe zones' are just waiting to collapse."
Then—
A scream.
Dean's head snapped up.
He quickly grabbed his telescope and scanned the distance.
His eyes locked onto a horrifying sight—a group of teenagers, aged 15 to 19, sprinting through an abandoned road, panic on their faces. Behind them, a group of nuns were also fleeing, their black robes flapping as a massive horde of zombies chased them.
"Shit." Dean immediately grabbed his walkie-talkie.
"Marcus!"
A crackle, then Marcus's voice: "Yeah?"
"Get to the armory and grab our weapons. We're heading out."
"On it."
Arming Up Marcus sprinted to the weapons room and quickly started gathering gear:
Dean's HK416 assault rifle with extra mags.
Dean's Glock 19 pistol for close encounters.
A tactical machete strapped to his back.
Marcus' own shotgun, a Benelli M4, fully loaded.
A backpack with grenades and flashbangs.
Dean arrived moments later, already wearing his tactical vest. He took his gear and checked his rifle.
"You ready for this?" Dean asked, loading a magazine.
Marcus smirked, cocking his shotgun. "Always."
Dean and Marcus jumped into The Beast and sped toward the scene, crushing stray zombies under its tires.
As they neared the group, Dean slammed on the brakes.
The terrified teenagers and nuns screamed as The Beast roared in front of them, its armored exterior towering like a metal monster.
"GET IN!" Dean barked, firing his HK416 at the approaching horde.
Marcus jumped out and opened the back, ushering them inside.
A teenage boy tripped and fell. A zombie lunged—
BOOM!
Dean shot it through the skull, blood spraying onto the asphalt.
Marcus grabbed the boy's arm and hauled him inside.
More zombies approached. The horde was closing in.
Dean pulled out a flashbang, yanked the pin, and threw it.
A blinding flash exploded in the middle of the zombies, stunning them.
"GO! GO! GO!" Marcus shouted.
Dean jumped into the driver's seat and floored the gas.
The Beast's engine roared as it plowed through the remaining undead, crushing bodies under its massive weight.
As they neared the fortress, Dean glanced in the rearview mirror.
The group of survivors were shaking, pale, and traumatized.
One of the nuns, a woman in her forties, vomited onto the floor.
Blood splattered on Dean and Marcus made the survivors look at them in horror. They weren't just men.
They were killers.
Dean pulled up to the fortress, parking inside the secure walls.
The group of teens and nuns stumbled out, still in shock.
Dean stood in front of them, wiping the blood off his face with a cloth.
He took a deep breath and looked at them.
"Who are you people?" he asked. "Where did you come from? And how the hell did you end up here?"