The night fell unnaturally fast. An eerie silence blanketed Zombieland, broken only by the distant hum of engines. Then — the sirens wailed.
"Positions!" Ethan shouted, already in the tower with his rifle aimed toward the treeline. Lyra, now a skilled scout, sprinted across rooftops calling out enemy markers. Elena armed herself, face set in stone. And Alina clutched Aurora close, her heart pounding.
From the trees, they emerged.
The Reclaimers moved like shadows — swift, brutal, and organized. Their eyes glowed faint blue, enhanced by the same serum that created the first infected. They weren't here to destroy Zombieland. They had one mission.
"Secure the hybrid," one of them hissed into a comm.
Explosions hit the east wall. Smoke spread. Chaos began.
Alina was rushed into the bunker beneath the medical bay, protected by Kai and two others. Aurora screamed, sensing the danger. The baby's cries echoed like a war drum.
Outside, Ethan fired. One Reclaimer went down — only to rise again with unnatural speed. Elena fought beside him, blade in hand, taking down another with a vicious strike to the neck. Lyra, from above, took out two with perfect aim.
And then they breached the wall.
Three Reclaimers burst into the inner courtyard — one lunging toward the med bay. Kai slammed the door shut and locked it from inside. "You're not taking her!" he shouted, drawing his blade.
But they were relentless.
One managed to reach the entrance of the bunker, hand on the scanner — until Ethan tackled him from behind and shoved a blade through his spine.
The battle raged for what felt like hours. Then — a signal. A whistle in the air.
Retreat.
The Reclaimers vanished into the trees as fast as they'd come, leaving behind their wounded and the haunting echo of their message: "We'll be back for the child."
In the silence that followed, the survivors stood bloodied but alive. Elena's hand was bruised. Ethan's shoulder was bleeding. But when they opened the bunker — Alina was still holding Aurora, tears running down her cheeks.
"She's safe," she whispered. "For now."
But everyone knew the truth — this was just the beginning.