The way the Zeds avoided sunlight worked in their favor. The streets were empty, letting Dylan drive the group toward the Golden City without trouble. Cars blocked parts of the road, but getting around them wasn't too hard. Still, they couldn't help but worry that they might not be on the right path.
Logan noticed the concerned look on Hayley's face. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's just… It's quiet. Too quiet. I can't hear gunshots anymore."
Logan paused for a moment and listened. His wife was right. The gunfire could no longer be heard. Even so, he chose his next words carefully, trying to reassure her. "Perhaps the fighting has ceased. After all, the Zeds have gone indoors."
The senator then turned to look at Lydia, who sat in the back row behind her mother. Her face was close to the glass, her eyes focused on the streets outside. The stores had dark, empty interiors visible through their storefront windows, with their doors left open as if they had been abandoned in a rush. A few Zeds tried to wander out of the buildings they were in but stepped back inside whenever the sunlight touched them.
"They're strange, aren't they?" Logan said to his daughter. "They hide from the sun instead of chasing us. Makes you wonder if they're more than just mindless infected."
Lydia didn't answer his question. Her thoughts were elsewhere, still wondering whether they were actually headed in the right direction. Instead, she spoke to Dylan, who was driving. "Are you sure we're still going the right way?"
Dylan glanced at Lydia through the rearview mirror. "Yeah, I'm sure. I've been to the Golden City before." Right after he said that, the faint sound of helicopter rotors reached them. Dylan laughed softly. "See? Don't worry. I worked there for a while, so I've made this trip plenty of times."
Lydia leaned back in her seat, relaxed. The sound of the helicopters made her feel safer, like they were finally getting closer to the Golden City.
Logan was curious about Dylan's experience at the Golden City. "What kind of work did you do there?"
"My family's business had a contract there, so I worked near one of the entrances," Dylan replied, somewhat prideful.
"Did you help with the wall?"
"No, not the wall. But I did help some of the engineers with their cars when they needed it."
For a little while, the conversations inside the van gave the group a fragile sense of normalcy, something to ease the tension of the road. As they neared the edge of a park, the view ahead opened wider. They still weren't at their destination, but the shifting landscape showed they were making progress.
From the back row, Aiden stared out the window. A few helicopters hovered in the distance, far enough that they looked small against the horizon. He kept his gaze on them until Julie leaned closer, trying to see what had his attention.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" the young girl asked.
"The helicopters," Aiden said, continuing to watch them. "I saw a few of them fly away, but most of them are still there."
Julie looked past him until she spotted them. "Ah, it looks like we're not that far away anymore. We're almost there."
"Almost there? What do you mean?"
"The Golden City is over there. That's why Dad reacted like that when we heard the helicopters."
Lydia overheard their conversation and glanced at the same window. She saw the helicopters too, though they remained distant. Now having seen them herself, she felt even more at ease than when she had only heard the sound of their rotors.
Suddenly, a man with dirty clothes ran out from behind a parked car and into the middle of the road. With both arms raised, he shouted for help. Dylan slammed on the brakes, the van screeching to a stop.
"Hey! I need help! Please! Can you help me?!" the stranger cried out, frantic and desperate.
The man did not move. He kept his arms raised, watching the people inside the van. He noticed their lips moving, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
Unsure of what they were discussing, the stranger tried to explain himself. "Look, I know I'm a stranger! I know you don't know me, but I swear I don't mean you any harm! I just need to get back to my wife! She's hurt, so I went out looking for medicine! She's waiting for me at home, but my car broke down and she's still a mile away! Can you take me to her?! Please!"
Julie leaned forward between the seats, attempting to get a better view. Someone outside was yelling, but she could not see who it was. "Dad? Why'd you stop? Is everything okay? Who is that?"
Dylan's reply came gently, meant to calm her. "Yeah, everything is fine. Don't worry. It's just someone who needs help."
From his seat behind Amanda, Senator Logan Monroe remained cautious. Dylan seemed willing to help the stranger, but Logan had his doubts. He felt sorry for the man, but he knew they could not simply trust someone they had just met.
Logan placed his hand on Dylan's shoulder. "How do we know this isn't a trap?"
"A trap? Come on, Logan. Look at him. The man's falling apart."
"All I'm saying is that he could be putting on an act. We can't just blindly trust people anymore. If I were you, I'd keep driving."
Dylan hesitated. He understood the risk, but the possibility that someone might really be hurt and waiting for help stayed on his mind. "But what if he's telling the truth? His wife could be out there, waiting for him. The Zeds aren't even coming out right now, so I don't think we'd run into trouble."
"It's not the Zeds I'm worried about," Logan countered. "And even if he's honest, we don't have the room for another person."
Dylan's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he thought about what to do. "We could make room. Julie could sit on Amanda's lap in the back. Oh, and if you're worried about him trying anything, we could have him sit next to me. You'll be able to keep an eye on him that way."
"Honey, don't be ridiculous!" Amanda blurted out. Her voice sounded nervous at first, but she took a deep breath to calm down. "We don't know him. Let's just go."
"It's just… Let me talk to him," Dylan said, loosening his grip on the steering wheel.
Ignoring Logan and Amanda's objections, Dylan opened the door and stepped out of the van. He closed it behind him, leaving the others inside worried as he turned his attention to the stranger.
Dylan approached slowly, trying not to sound tense. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"
"My name?" The man wasn't sure whether to tell them until he remembered why he had stopped the van in the first place. "Julian… Julian Reed."
"Julian Reed?" Dylan repeated, as if testing the name out loud.
"Yes…"
"Nice to meet you, Julian. My name is Dylan, Dylan Sandoval. What about your wife?"
"My wife? Her name is Juniper."
"Juniper Reed, I assume?"
"Well… Yes, of course."
The stranger seemed to be calming down. With each answer, he appeared more relaxed than before.
"Does this mean you're going to help me?" Julian asked.
"Well, everyone else has to agree. Let me ask them."
Dylan returned to the van. He opened the door once more and spoke up in an attempt to convince them.
"So, does he still sound dangerous to you?"
"Dylan, I'm telling you right now. This is a bad idea," Logan warned.
"Like I told you before, Logan, we can always have him sit next to me."
Amanda clenched her hands and shook her head. "This isn't safe, Dylan. It just isn't."
"Come on, hun. Just think about what he's going through," Dylan said gently. "He needs help. His wife needs help."
Lydia finally joined the conversation, overwhelmed by how stressed the adults had become. "Dad! Let's just go! Please!"
Since the van's door was still open, Julian was able to hear them talking. Their words made him increasingly anxious. Panicking at the thought of being left behind, he pulled a pistol from the waistband of his pants and aimed it straight at Dylan. No one screamed. No one moved. Inside the van, everyone stared at the weapon, unable to look away.
Dylan raised his hands without making any sudden movements. "Hey… hey, buddy, calm down… It's okay. You don't have to do this."
"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry, but I have to get back to my wife… She's waiting for me at home…"
Julian's hand shook, but he didn't lower the gun. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone. He just didn't know what else to do.
Even with a gun pointed at him, Dylan refused to back away. He kept his hands raised and slowly took a step forward. "I get it. You're trying to help someone you love. But this isn't the way. You're scaring the kids."
"Kids?"
Julian glanced through the windshield and saw three children leaning between the front seats. They had stood up to get a better look, their eyes wide from fear. His grip loosened a little. Seeing their faces made him feel guilty.
Dylan noticed Julian's finger relax against the trigger. He spoke calmly to avoid making Julian more nervous. "Look, we can figure something out. But you need to lower the gun."
Julian breathed heavily as the gun in his hand wobbled slightly. "I can't… I'm really sorry, but… you have to get out of the car," he demanded, making his voice more threatening so they would listen. "Tell them to get out of the van. Get out or I'll shoot! I'll shoot you all!"
"Okay! Okay! Give us a second!"
Dylan turned to Amanda, and their eyes met as she nodded, already understanding what had to be done. She instructed everyone to leave the van, and they did so in silence. The kids were terrified, but they followed the adults out of the vehicle. None of them realized how desperate Julian had become. All he wanted was to reunite with his wife.
"Thank you… Thank you. Again, I'm sorry. I had no choice. Please understand…"
Julian kept the gun raised as he slowly made his way toward the driver's seat. He told them to back away, and they did without protest.
Dylan didn't step back as far as the others. He stayed close, watching Julian as he approached the van's front door. "Please, don't do this. We need that van to make it to the Golden City."
"Stay back! I'll shoot!" Julian warned, his finger tightening on the trigger as he aimed the gun right at Dylan's chest.
Dylan walked toward Julian, careful not to move too quickly. Julian's hands trembled, but the gun remained pointed at Dylan. No one else tried to interfere. They just stood there, frozen, as Dylan attempted to reason with a man who could no longer think clearly.
"If you want, we could take you to Juniper," Dylan suggested. "She's waiting for you, right? Don't you think you both would be safer within the safety of the Golden City's wall?"
"Please… Stay away…" Julian pleaded.
Dylan maintained his composure. He continued advancing toward Julian, one step at a time. "I know you don't want to shoot me, Julian. You don't have to. We're on the same side here."
Julian, fearing for the safety of everyone involved, frantically urged, "Dylan, for the love of God, back off!"
Amanda and Julie were growing more alarmed by how agitated Julian was becoming. They shouted for Dylan to stop, afraid something terrible might happen. But Dylan wouldn't stop. He believed he could still convince Julian to lower the gun.
"Dylan, stop! He's going to shoot you!" Amanda cried out.
"No, he won't," Dylan assured her. "We're all friends here."
"Dad, please!" Julie begged, struggling to hold back her tears.
"It's okay, Julie. I just want him to see that he can trust us."
Dylan drew closer to Julian, trying to show he wasn't a threat. However, despite Dylan's efforts, Julian felt trapped. He gave another warning to stay back, but Dylan smiled softly and kept moving. Now there were only a couple feet between them.
"Back off…"
"I know you want to trust us. Please, trust us."
Julian closed his eyes for a moment, tightening his grip on the pistol. This left him vulnerable, which could have allowed Dylan to easily disarm him, but instead of taking advantage of the opportunity, Dylan held out his hand, as if waiting for Julian to place the gun in it.
"Julian, please give me the gun. Let's go get your wife."
Julian's thoughts were pulled into the past, replaying the moment his wife had been injured. He remembered how the Zeds had broken into their home and how he'd searched like crazy for his pistol while his wife screamed for help. She had tried to call the police, but the phone wouldn't work. He finally found the gun in a cabinet, but when he got back to the living room, it was already too late. The Zeds had gotten in. They had his wife cornered, their black-veined arms reaching for her. Without thinking, he aimed and fired, her screams echoing in his head.
The memory faded as Julian opened his eyes again. Dylan was still standing in front of him, but something had changed. Their eyes met for just a second, until Dylan slowly looked down at his chest. Blood had started to spread through the fabric of his mechanic coveralls.
That's when Julian realized what he had done. He let go of the gun right before Dylan collapsed, causing the pistol to fall onto the pavement near Julian's feet. Amanda and Julie rushed to Dylan as soon as he hit the ground, crying as they shouted his name. Logan and Hayley weren't far behind. They got on their knees beside him and applied pressure to the wound to help stop the bleeding. Lydia and Aiden stood farther back, too shocked to react.
Even with the gun no longer in his hand, Julian couldn't stop shaking. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
Julie yelled at him, sobbing uncontrollably. "Just leave!"
"You can have our van!" Amanda joined in, wiping some of her tears. "Just leave us alone already!"
Julian didn't argue. Overwhelmed by guilt, he entered the vehicle and drove off, unable to forgive himself for what had happened. No one went after him. Everyone stayed near Dylan, worried about his condition. Amanda and Julie remained beside him, pleading with him to stay awake while Logan and Hayley continued doing what they could to keep him alive.
"Dylan, Dylan, you're going to be okay. You hear me, honey? You're going to be okay."
"Dad, please don't die…"
Logan and Hayley glanced at each other, both understanding that nothing they said would help. Dylan needed to hear the voices of his family, the only thing that might keep him conscious.
Aiden and Lydia weren't far from the others, but they did not know what to do. That changed when the low sound of helicopter rotors reached their ears. They both turned to look at the source of the noise. For the first time in what felt like forever, it seemed like their long-awaited salvation had finally arrived.
Lydia waved her arms high, trying to make herself visible. "Over here! We're over here!" she shouted, hoping to catch the attention of whoever was flying the helicopter. As the aircraft descended, she ran back to the others and knelt beside Julie. She placed her hand on Dylan's shoulder, her eyes full of encouragement. "They're here to save us! You're going to be okay, mister! You're going to be okay!"
The helicopter landed just a short distance away. As the doors opened, two soldiers stepped out, carrying a stretcher between them. Without wasting a second, they hurried toward the group. One of them checked Dylan's condition while the other kept watch, scanning the area for threats. Once Dylan was stabilized, they carefully lifted him onto the stretcher and took him to the helicopter, followed by the others who boarded the aircraft afterward.
Amanda sat next to her husband, gently holding his hand as the helicopter rose into the air. She leaned in close to her husband and spoke softly, trying to sound calm, even though her face showed how concerned she really was. "We're safe now. Just hang in there a little longer."
Dylan smiled at Amanda despite how badly he was hurt. He then turned his attention to Aiden. The boy had been quietly watching him since they entered the helicopter.
Dylan's tone was strained as he endured the pain. "Hey, Aiden. How are you holding up?"
Aiden opened his mouth, but no words came out at first. He lowered his gaze, struggling to find something to say. "I… I don't know…"
Amanda silently motioned for her husband to stop talking. She wanted him to save his strength until they made it to the Golden City. However, Dylan didn't respond. He simply kept his eyes on Aiden, as if he knew there might not be much time left.
"Aiden, listen… I know what I'm asking is selfish. I don't know what kind of relationship you had with your parents, but you were strong enough to keep moving forward after they passed away."
What Dylan said caused Amanda to react. She tightened her grip on his hand as tears began forming in her eyes. Beside her, Julie was already crying. Everyone else focused on Dylan, waiting for him to continue.
"Amy, please take good care of our daughter. I'm sorry for working long hours. I never spent enough time with either of you," Dylan told her, his voice growing faint but full of love and regret. "Julie, please listen to your mother," he went on, weaker than before. "I'm proud of how well you've been doing in school, but your rebellious phase is just around the corner. I hear a daughter's teenage years are the hardest for a mother."
Julie sat still with her hands pressed against her knees. "Dad…" she whispered, her cheeks wet with emotion.
Dylan looked at Aiden again as he resumed from where he had left off earlier in their conversation. "Aiden, please protect my daughter. I hope you and Lydia will continue to be friends with her."
Julie glanced at Aiden, her breathing shaky and uneven. Lydia, too, had started to cry as she listened quietly. The helicopter's door remained open, allowing Dylan to see outside from the stretcher. They were approaching the Golden City, their long-sought refuge.
With a gentle smile, Dylan's consciousness faded as his life came to an end, his final words marking the end of their journey.
"We finally… made it…"