The ship hadn't even cooled from leaving when the next order came.
"This is Supervisor Command."
No one reacted this time.
They just listened.
"Primary objective complete. Scientist successfully delivered to Aurius Space Station."
A pause.
"Secondary objective now active."
Alysium reappeared on the screen.
Sector 12—dense. Blinking. Unstable.
"Remaining civilians detected. Evacuation incomplete."
"Incomplete?" a soldier muttered.
"You are to return and extract all remaining survivors."
Silence filled the ship.
They had just escaped that planet.
And now—
They were going back.
Akane slowly stood.
"Understood."
The descent felt heavier this time.
The city was darker.
More structures had collapsed.
More fires burned without control.
"…It's spreading faster…" Aira said.
Akane didn't reply.
He was watching.
Looking for movement.
And Signs of life.
The ship touched down in an empty street.
No civilians ran toward them.
No voices.
Just silence.
"That's no good," the squad leader muttered.
"Search teams. Move out."
They split into groups.
Akane stayed with Aira's unit.
They moved building to building.
Door to door.
"…Anyone here?"
"If you can hear us, respond!"
Nothing.
Rooms were abandoned.
Tables left mid-meal.
Signs of people leaving in a rush—
Or not leaving at all.
A faint sound echoed towards them.
"…Help…"
Akane rushed toward it.
A collapsed hallway.
Under debris—
A man.
Barely alive.
"Don't move" Akane said quickly.
He worked fast—
Clearing debris.
Stopping bleeding.
"…Others…" the man whispered.
"…downstairs…"
They found a small group hiding below.
Exhausted.
Hungry.
Terrified.
"…We thought no one was coming…" one said.
Akane nodded slightly.
"…We're getting you out."
Deeper into the sector—
They found it.
A fortified block.
Vehicles stacked.
Metal welded.
Doors reinforced.
"…This is where most of them held out…" Aira said.
They entered carefully.
Too Late for Many 💔
Inside—
Silence.
Then—
Bodies.
Civilians.
Some looked like they had been fighting.
Others.
Just waiting.
"…They held this place…" a soldier muttered.
"…Until they couldn't…" Akane finished.
A few survivors remained.
Weak.
Barely conscious.
Akane dropped to his knees immediately—
Working on them one by one.
Hope Arrives
A voice came through comms.
"Extraction ship inbound. Hold position."
Everyone froze.
"…They actually sent one…" someone whispered.
Hope.
For the first time—
Real hope.
The ship descended into the street outside.
"…Move! Move!" the squad leader shouted.
Civilians were carried out.
One by one.
Akane helped the last group up.
"…Almost there…"
Aira suddenly looked up.
"…Akane…"
Something moved above.
Fast.
Too fast.
From the rooftops—
Shapes launched into the air.
"…What the—?!"
They landed on the evac ship.
Hard.
Claws piercing metal.
"They jumped that high?!"
The creatures tore into the hull.
The ship's guns fired—
Too late.
One of them slammed into the engine—
Explosion.
The ship tilted—
Then crashed.
Right in front of them.
Silence.
Then screams.
"…No…"
Reality Hits Again
The only way out—
Gone.
Akane stood still for a second.
Then—
"…We're not done."
"Huh how?" Aira asked.
He showed a map that's projecting through his helmet.
"There's Abandoned hangar… several miles out."
"No time to waste, let's move," Akane said.
No hesitation.
They left the wreck behind.
Carrying survivors.
Walking.
Miles.
Through a dead city.
Hunted Again
They didn't rush this time.
The infected watched.
From rooftops.
From windows.
Following.
Guided Movement
Every path they took—
Something blocked another.
"They're controlling our route…" Aira whispered.
Akane nodded slightly.
"I know."
Fatigue
Civilians slowed.
Some collapsed.
Akane carried one.
Then another.
His breathing grew heavier.
But he didn't stop.
The hangar appeared in the distance.
"…There…" someone said.
Hope again.
Fragile.
The infected attacked.
All known types.
Leapers from above.
Tank from the front.
Draggers from the sides.
"GET THE CIVILIANS TO SAFETY!"
Gunfire exploded.
Civilians were guided.
However.
The soldier who was repairing the ship
Discovered the ship needed energy.
The nearest generator was far from the ship.
A soldier turned back knowing he'll never make it out alive.
"…I'll hold them."
"No—!"
He didn't wait.
Gunfire.
Then silence.
Akane pulled the last civilian in.
The doors slammed shut.
Departure
The ship lifted.
Leaving Alysium behind.
Again.
Akane looked out.
On a distant structure—
The infected watched them.
Still.
Then—
It turned away.
Akane closed his eyes.
"…They knew we'd lose the ship…"
Aira looked at him.
"…Then why let us escape…?"
Akane's voice was quiet.
"…Because this isn't about stopping us…"
A pause.
"…It's about learning how we survive."