The walkers were everywhere.
Their slow groans echoed across the ruined intersection as they surrounded the abandoned military tank. Dozens of them pressed against the metal hull, their decaying hands scraping uselessly against the armor.
Inside the vehicle, someone was alive.
Ghost could hear it now.
A faint metallic tapping.
Cole whispered behind him.
"You sure about this?"
Ghost didn't turn around.
"Yes."
Jackson nervously counted the walkers.
"Uh… I stopped at forty."
Ramirez sighed.
"Great."
Ghost stepped forward anyway.
The nearest walker turned toward him immediately.
Its cloudy eyes locked onto the masked figure approaching through the darkness.
Ghost moved first.
His knife flashed.
Walker Eliminated
+1 Supply Point
Another walker lunged.
Ghost sidestepped and drove the blade through its skull.
Walker Eliminated
+1 SP
Cole fired a suppressed shot.
Jackson dropped another.
But the noise attracted attention.
More walkers began turning toward them.
Cole cursed under his breath.
"Ghost!"
Ghost reached the tank and climbed onto the metal hull.
The walkers clawed upward but couldn't reach him.
He leaned down and knocked on the hatch.
Inside the tank, a voice shouted.
"Hello?! Anyone out there?!"
Ghost spoke through the mask.
"Yes."
Inside the tank, the man nearly jumped with relief.
"Thank God!"
Ghost opened the hatch.
Inside sat a man wearing a sheriff's uniform.
Sweat covered his face.
His revolver was empty.
For a moment, the man stared at the masked stranger above him.
Then he spoke.
"Who the hell are you?"
Ghost extended a hand.
"Get out."
The man hesitated.
Outside, walkers continued surrounding the tank.
But he had no choice.
He grabbed Ghost's hand and climbed out.
The moment he stepped onto the tank roof he saw the scene.
Dozens of walkers.
Four soldiers covering the streets.
And the masked figure who had saved him.
The sheriff blinked.
"Okay… that's a lot of dead people."
Ghost spoke calmly.
"We're leaving."
Cole shouted from the street.
"Now would be a great time!"
Ghost jumped from the tank roof.
The sheriff followed.
Jackson fired two quick shots to clear a path.
Ramirez kicked a walker away.
Cole pointed down the alley.
"Move!"
The group ran.
Walkers followed slowly behind them.
Several minutes later they ducked into a narrow alley and slammed a metal gate shut.
The walkers piled against it but couldn't break through.
Everyone caught their breath.
The sheriff leaned against the wall.
"…Okay."
He looked at each of them.
"Someone want to explain what the hell is going on?"
Cole chuckled.
"Welcome to the apocalypse."
The sheriff stared.
"…You're joking."
Ghost removed his knife from a dead walker and cleaned the blade.
"No."
Silence fell.
The sheriff rubbed his face slowly.
"This can't be real…"
Finally he looked at Ghost again.
"You saved my life."
Ghost nodded once.
"Yes."
The sheriff extended his hand.
"Rick."
Ghost looked at the hand for a moment.
Then shook it.
"Ghost."
Rick raised an eyebrow.
"That a nickname?"
"Yes."
Rick looked at the soldiers.
"You guys military?"
Cole nodded.
"Former."
Rick exhaled slowly.
"Well… I guess I owe you all my life."
Jackson grinned.
"You definitely do."
Rick suddenly looked around.
"Wait."
His voice changed slightly.
"My family."
Everyone looked at him.
"My wife… my son…"
Ghost spoke calmly.
"There's a survivor camp outside the city."
Rick looked stunned.
"You know that?"
"Yes."
Hope returned instantly to Rick's face.
"Then we need to go there."
Ghost nodded.
"We will."
But he didn't mention the system notification that had just appeared.
NEW STORYLINE EVENT
Key Survivor Recruited
Reward Pending