James lay pale and exhausted on one of the makeshift beds inside the Camp's tent. His breathing was uneven, but his grip on the map never loosened—not even when the medic tried to pry it from his hands. He kept muttering about his squad, about the chase, until finally Marcus, Troy, and Max arrived to hear him out.
With trembling words, James explained the location of the enemy camp, the ambush, and the capture of his comrades. His voice cracked more than once, but he forced himself to finish, tears welling in his eyes.
When silence fell, Marcus stood tall beside his bed. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was sharp and heavy with authority.
"I commend you, James," Marcus said slowly. "You and your team showed bravery most men wouldn't. You've done your duty. But hear me now…" His gaze hardened. "…I will rescue your comrades—only if they're still alive."
James's face darkened at those words. His hope flickered, replaced with the shadow of despair. He clenched his fists against the thin blanket, silent but trembling.
"Troy," Marcus said without hesitation, his voice cutting through the tension. "Ready the soldiers. It's time."
"Yes, sir." Troy snapped to attention, then quickly left to begin preparations.
Marcus lingered for a moment longer, his thoughts heavy. Angel, the girl they had just taken in, was still the only new survivor to join their ranks. And now this. Another reminder of what humanity had turned into in just a few short weeks.
Disgusting, he thought bitterly. If this is happening here, what's happening in the rest of the world? Is it the same everywhere? More cannibals, more monsters in human skin…
His mind drifted to a memory from the Walking Dead he once knew—Terminus. A place that lured survivors in with promises of safety, only to butcher them like cattle.
He tightened his fists. If the world has already sunk this low, then I'd better be prepared. Cannibals won't be a one-time encounter. This won't be the last. And next time… I'll make sure none of them walk away alive.
Just then, Max cleared his throat.
"Ahem, sir. Looks like Angel was looking for you earlier."
That made Marcus pause. His thoughts about war and cannibals came to a halt.
"Where is she right now?" he asked.
"I saw her near the edge of the camp," Max replied.
"Alright. I'll go out first," Marcus said, his tone softer than before. Max only nodded in response.
On his way out, Marcus thought grimly about the preparations for war. But before stepping into that storm, he decided he'd spend a little time with Angel. She deserved at least that much.
He found her where Max had said—standing at the edge of the camp, close to one of the lookout posts. When the guards up top spotted Marcus, they immediately straightened and gave a sharp salute. Marcus waved it off casually, not wanting the gesture to make Angel uneasy.
"What are you doing out here, Angel?" Marcus asked as he approached.
She turned to him with her blonde hair catching the dim light, eyes filled with determination.
"I… I want to learn how to use guns," she said firmly.
Marcus sighed inwardly. The request wasn't a surprise, but it still made his chest tighten. She was just a child, and yet the world was already forcing her to think like a soldier.
"Hey, Angel," Marcus said gently, crouching slightly so his eyes met hers. "It's not the right time yet, okay?"
She stared back at him for a long moment, then her shoulders slumped. "Okay…" she whispered, looking at the ground.
Marcus reached out, took her small hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Come on, let's go."
As they walked back toward the heart of camp, he heard a faint sigh from the guards above. He didn't need to look to know what they were thinking. It was already obvious to everyone—Marcus wasn't just protecting Angel. He was starting to care for her like a father would.
Meanwhile
Inside a lavishly decorated room, three men could be seen. Mike sat casually on an ornate chair, while Jay and another man stood before him.
"So, he still didn't say anything?" Mike asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity.
The scar-faced man smirked. "Looks like he went crazy after I killed his teammates."
Mike frowned. "And yet he still hasn't spoken? How come?"
The scarred man scratched his chin, pretending to think. "Well… I think that's all of them, boss." His voice was uncertain, though he tried to sound confident.
Mike leaned back in his chair, studying him. "Good job capturing them. Now, what reward do you want?"
The man's eyes lit up immediately, and a wide grin stretched across his scarred face. "Heheh… can I take two women? Pretty please?" He even tried to act cute, which only made the request more disturbing.
Mike's expression didn't change, though deep inside he found the display disgusting. Still, he didn't show it. "Alright. I'll grant you that."
The scarred man—Kane—beamed with joy. "Thanks, boss!" He left the room with a skip in his step.
Mike let the silence linger for a moment before asking, "What do you think?"
Jay exhaled heavily. "Sigh… just as always, sir. Kane is… uncontrollable. If only…" He trailed off, shaking his head, then forced himself to continue. "I'll report it straight. Same thing as before. Kane tortured their leader, then made him watch while his men were violated and eaten alive right in front of him. After that, Kane dug out parts of their bodies and… played with them. Finally, he killed the others except for the leader."
Jay's face twisted with disgust. He despised Kane's cruelty, but his loyalty to Mike bound him in silence.
Mike closed his eyes briefly, then opened them with a hard glint. I already knew what Kane was doing. But for now… I need him. And at least, I can still control him.
"Turn a blind eye," Mike said firmly. "As long as he does his part, let him be."
Jay nodded reluctantly. "Alright, sir."
If not for Mike's explicit order, Jay would have killed Kane long ago, along with his depraved crew. But orders were orders.
Mike's camp had always been split. On one side were those who leaned toward brutality—men like Kane, whose savagery knew no bounds. On the other side were men like Jay, who only killed and ate to survive hunger. That uneasy balance held the group together.
Still, Mike couldn't ignore the looming truth. War was coming. They had killed and ambushed their people. Luckily, Mike thought, the enemy doesn't know where we are.
But oh, how wrong he was.
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