The helicopter blades sliced through the air as Robert piloted the chopper back toward the fortress. Below them, the ruined city stretched endlessly, a wasteland of abandoned buildings and roaming undead. The flight was smooth, with Marcus keeping watch through the side window while Dean checked the ammunition on his rifle. As they neared the fortress, a group of kids and the nuns stood outside, waving eagerly as the chopper approached. The sight brought a rare smirk to Dean's face.
As soon as the helicopter touched down on the helipad, the oldest nun, Sister Agnes, hurried over, her worried eyes scanning Dean. "How did it go?" she asked.
Dean stepped out, rolling his shoulders before answering. "It was a mess. We found this senator, and as expected, he was running a slave operation. We took him out and freed the captives. But we couldn't bring them all back yet. We need a bigger vehicle."
Sister Agnes sighed, nodding in understanding. "Thank you for saving them."
Dean waved a hand dismissively. "We rest for now. We'll go back in the morning when there's light. It's too dangerous to travel at night."
After a much-needed meal and some quiet time, everyone retreated to their quarters. The night passed uneventfully, and as the first rays of sunlight broke over the fortress, Dean was already awake. He made his way to the underground bunker, where he found Marcus deep in conversation with one of the teens—Lucas, the eldest of the group.
"I said no, Lucas," Marcus was saying, his voice firm. "It's too dangerous."
lucas's fists clenched. "I've been training with you for weeks. I can handle myself. I want to help."
Dean leaned against the doorframe. "Let him come."
Marcus turned to Dean, disbelief in his eyes. "Are you serious?"
Dean nodded. "He needs experience. If he's going to survive in this world, he needs to learn what real fights look like."
Lucas's face lit up with determination. Marcus hesitated but finally sighed. "Fine. But if things go south, you listen to Dean and me, got it?"
Lucas nodded eagerly.
They armed themselves. Dean took his signature machete and a modified M4 carbine, Marcus strapped on a shotgun and a combat knife, and Lucas, though nervous, selected a Glock 19 pistol and a steel baseball bat. After double-checking their gear, they made their way to the garage.
Inside, Dean surveyed his collection of vehicles before settling on the "The war rig," an armored military-style truck with reinforced plating and mounted defenses. It was the perfect vehicle for large-scale extraction.
As they rolled open the fortress gate, Dean turned to Robert. "Stay here and protect the fortress. We'll be back."
Robert nodded, gripping his rifle. "Be careful out there."
With that, Dean floored the accelerator, and the war rig roared to life, tearing down the road toward the city and the survivors waiting for their return.