Hearing the voice on the radio, Andrea's gaze shot northward toward the distant glow. At this range, the radio shouldn't be able to reach — unless he was nearby.
"...Bryan?"
"That's me."
"You're close?" She pressed immediately. "I can see the fire to the north. What happened?"
A low chuckle came through the speaker. "You can see that from there? I'm impressed." Then, matter-of-factly: "I started it. Dealt with some problems. Should be fully engulfed by now."
Andrea connected the dots — the thinned-out golf course, the fire at the shopping center. "You killed all those survivors?"
"All of them? No. I kept three alive."
Bryan showed no surprise at her deduction, as if he'd expected her to piece it together. "Anyway — enough small talk. You can move out now."
"Move... out? What do you mean?"
"You'll see. Go."
He didn't elaborate. The radio clicked off.
Andrea stared at the device, then looked up at the four equally bewildered faces around her.
BANG!
A thunderous report split the night — sharp and distinct in the silence.
"Sniper rifle!" Corbin identified it instantly, his head snapping toward the sound.
"Someone in that guard post just went down!" Darcy called out, binoculars already pressed to his eyes.
Through the magnified view, he watched a guard inside the golf course's perimeter post crumple into a pool of blood, a hole punched clean through his skull. At the edge of the post, another figure crouched, turning to shout at someone behind him.
BANG!
A second shot. The crouching man jerked backward as if hit by an invisible freight train, clutching his chest, blood gushing from his mouth. Within seconds, he was still.
"Holy—" Darcy breathed. That round had punched through the cover.
Then, on the street below, twin beams of light blazed to life, illuminating the darkness. A modified military truck rolled into view, drawing every eye.
VROOOOM—!
Even from the rooftop, they could hear the engine roaring as the truck accelerated, barreling straight for the golf course's main gate.
"Open fire! Stop it!"
Rat-tat-tat—!
The guards inside spotted the charging truck and immediately understood its intent. Rifle fire erupted, bullets sparking off the truck's armor plating as it swerved and wove.
BANG!
Another sniper shot silenced the shooter mid-burst, punching through his skull before he could empty his magazine.
The remaining two guards, now fully aware of the sniper's presence, refused to expose themselves — cowering behind cover, shaking with fear.
VROOOOM—!
CRASH!
Unimpeded, the truck's driver floored it. The vehicle slammed through the locked iron gates with a deafening impact, smashing them wide open.
On the rooftop, Andrea and her group watched in stunned silence. From the first sniper shot to the truck breaching the perimeter — the whole thing had taken less than a minute. They hadn't even finished processing what was happening.
"Let's GO!" Unlike the others' shock, Corbin's face split into a wild grin. He was already sprinting for the stairs, trembling with the thought of his wife so close to freedom.
...
Inside the golf course.
The moment Bryan pushed open the truck door, terrified screams assaulted his ears. He frowned, scanning the squad members disembarking behind him.
"Wade — deal with the two hiding in the guard post."
"Kim — you said the leader gave up his private stash. Get it all. I want to see what we're working with."
"Mike, Elton — round up every person in this compound. I want them gathered and quiet. Try not to hurt anyone, but if they resist... you're authorized to defend yourselves."
"Yes, sir!"
The squad scattered, each moving toward their objective with practiced efficiency.
Bryan yawned, stretched, and spotted the cultivated fields to the south. After a moment's thought, he shouldered his rifle and strolled over.
Rows of neatly fenced plots stretched before him — cabbages, cucumbers, corn, a variety of crops, all lush and green. His stomach actually growled.
Shff, shff, shff—
Footsteps behind him. He turned to find five figures approaching — Andrea in the lead.
"Well, well — took you long enough. I've already wrapped things up here."
Andrea rushed forward. "Our people — did you find them?"
"Slow down." Bryan rolled his eyes, plucked a cucumber from the nearest plot, and took a crunching bite.
Behind Andrea, Corbin was practically vibrating with impatience. "Andrea, you chat — I'm going to find them."
He spun and bolted toward the cluster of buildings deeper in the compound.
"If you don't want to die, I'd stop right there."
Corbin skidded to a halt at Bryan's words, turning back with confusion.
Bryan walked over and spoke calmly. "My soldiers are still clearing that area. They don't know your face, and you're carrying a weapon. If they spot you, there won't be a conversation — just bullets. Stay with me."
He took another bite of cucumber, gave Corbin a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and walked past him into the compound's interior.
When Bryan and Andrea's group reached the main buildings, several dozen terrified survivors were already kneeling on the ground, hands on their heads, with Mike standing watch.
Behind them, headlights announced the arrival of the rest of the convoy. Wade brought the military truck around with two bound guards in tow, while the cargo trucks rolled through the smashed gates. Norman led the QZ civilians off the vehicles one by one.
Mike reported: "Squad Leader — forty-eight survivors total. Three hostiles killed at the guard posts, two captured. Nine unaccounted for. Elton's tracking them down."
"Copy. Tell Elton — if they've already made it over the walls, don't waste time pursuing."
Bryan surveyed the kneeling crowd. Mostly elderly, women, and children, with a handful of younger adults. They kept their heads down, faces etched with fear — though he could see something else burning in the depths of their eyes.
Hatred.
He smiled faintly and thought nothing of it. In this world, there was no right or wrong, no justice or evil. When you stood on different sides, you saw different truths. Winner takes all. That was the only law that mattered.
He turned to Mike. "Where are they keeping the prisoners? Did you get a location?"
"Yeah — underground, beneath that building." Mike pointed to a structure with a triangular roof, detailing the layout.
"Norman, you're with me."
Bryan beckoned the sniper leaning against the truck and, with Andrea's group in tow, headed for the building.
...
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