"W... what in the world just happened out there?"

As soon as we returned home, it didn't take long for Rachel to understand that something significant had indeed occurred during our supposedly routine supply run. The evidence was written across our bodies and clothes. I mean, we were all coated in blood from killing infected—except for Liu Mei, who hadn't engaged in direct combat. But even she bore the marks of our ordeal. Her dress was torn in several places, probably from glass fragments when she'd jumped through that warehouse window, and her usually immaculate appearance was disheveled in a way I'd never seen before.

It shouldn't have surprised Rachel that we'd encountered infected and returned with their blood staining our clothes—that was an occupational hazard of any scavenging mission these days. But she clearly noticed something was fundamentally wrong with the picture we presented. This wasn't the aftermath of a routine encounter with a few wandering infected. This looked like we'd survived a battle.

Elena and Cindy turned their gazes toward me simultaneously, and Rachel's eyes naturally followed their lead, looking to me for an explanation. I was clearly in the worst state of all of us—my new jacket was torn in multiple places, dark stains covered my shirt, and I could feel dried blood crusted on my face and hands. My movements were also more careful than usual, betraying the injuries I was trying to hide.

I had already warned Elena and the other two not to speak about my fight with that electrical infected. There was no point in worrying Rachel and the others unnecessarily, especially when they couldn't have done anything to help even if they'd known. I would, however, need to warn them about these... mutated infected... at some point. The creature we'd encountered represented a new level of threat that our group needed to be aware of.

I had managed to defeat it, but I harbored serious doubts about whether Rachel and the others could do anything against such a monster, even with the abilities they'd received thanks to the Dullahan virus. Sydney might be able to outrun it because of her speed, but Rachel and Elena shouldn't even consider engaging with something like that, thinking their newfound abilities could protect them. As for the others—Daisy, Ivy, Liu Mei, Alisha—they should just run and pray to whatever gods might still be listening.

That infected... the memory of it sent chills down my spine even now. It had been running with impossible speed for something so massive. It had been strong and powerful beyond anything we'd encountered before. The intelligence in those blue eyes, the way it had adapted to my fighting style, the sheer resilience it had demonstrated—all of it pointed to an evolution in the virus that we weren't prepared for.

I really hoped it had been just a special case, an anomaly created by unique circumstances, and not a sign that more monsters like it would appear in the future. But deep down, I suspected we'd just witnessed the next stage in the infected's development.

"Hey, Ryan," Rachel snapped her fingers in front of my face, bringing me back to the present moment. "I asked you a question?"

I blinked, refocusing on her concerned expression. "Nothing major," I said, injecting as much casual confidence into my voice as I could manage. "We just happened to encounter more infected than we'd planned for, but we got through them and recovered all the devices Mark needed."

"Was that all?" she asked, her tone making it clear she wasn't buying my downplayed version of events.

I should tell her about the electrical infected, but not here, not now. Daisy was just behind Rachel, and if she heard about a mutated infected that could throw lightning bolts, she might faint on the spot and never consider leaving the house again, even just to breathe fresh air. I also didn't want to worry Alisha any more than necessary—she was already sighing with visible relief at seeing her sister Elena alive and unharmed alongside the rest of us.

Liu Mei hadn't said anything since we'd arrived. She simply stood there in silence, her usually sharp eyes distant and unfocused, lost in thoughts I could only guess at. The experience had clearly affected her more profoundly than she was willing to admit.

"Go treat your injuries," I said to her gently, noting the way she held one arm slightly away from her body.

Liu Mei paused in whatever internal contemplation had been occupying her, gave a small nod without turning around to look at me, and walked off toward her room.

"What happened to her?" Rachel asked me, watching Liu Mei's retreating figure with obvious concern.

It was clearly unusual for the normally arrogant and snarky Liu Mei to be this silent and withdrawn. But I supposed it couldn't be helped after she'd nearly died. If that massive electrical infected had caught her, there would have been no curing her, no miraculous recovery. That thing would have crushed her like an insect, and all her intelligence and sharp wit would have meant nothing.

"Just a bad day for her," I replied, not wanting to elaborate on the specific trauma she'd endured. "She'll bounce back. Liu Mei's tougher than she looks."

Rachel studied my face for a long moment, clearly debating whether to press for more details. Finally, she seemed to decide that pushing the issue right now wouldn't be productive.

"Get cleaned up," she said, her voice carrying the gentle authority she used when she was genuinely worried about someone. "All of you. Fresh water, clean clothes, and proper food. We can debrief tomorrow when everyone's had a chance to process whatever happened out there."

Elena nodded gratefully, hefting the equipment bags we'd retrieved for Mark. "I'll get these stored properly first, then clean up. Mark will want to examine them as soon as possible."

"I can help with that," Cindy offered, though her voice was quieter than usual. The events at the warehouse had affected her too, though she was handling it better than Liu Mei.

"No," I said firmly. "Rachel's right. Everyone needs to take care of themselves first. The equipment can wait a few hours."

As the group began to disperse, I caught Rachel's arm gently. "We do need to talk," I said quietly, "but not tonight. Tomorrow, when everyone's rested."

She nodded, understanding passing between us. "Just... be careful, Ryan. Whatever happened out there today, don't let it happen again if you can help it..."

I wished I could make that promise, but we both knew how unpredictable this world had become. "I'll do my best," was all I could offer.

The hot water prepared by Rachel by heating it up felt like a luxury I'd forgotten existed. The warehouse dust and infected blood swirled down the drain, and the heat helped ease some of the tension from my abused muscles. But as I stood there, I couldn't stop thinking about that electrical infected and what its existence might mean for our future survival.

After drying off and putting on clean clothes, I made my way to Liu Mei's room. I knocked softly on the door frame—the door was ajar, and I could see light from a candle flickering inside.

"Come in," came Ivy's gentle voice.

I entered to find Ivy sitting on the edge of Liu Mei's bed, carefully bandaging cuts on Liu Mei's arms. Liu Mei herself was now wearing a simple white nightgown, her hair cleaned and brushed, looking more like herself than she had since we'd returned. But there was still something distant in her eyes, a guardedness that hadn't been there before.

"How is she?" I asked Ivy, though I directed my gaze toward Liu Mei.

"Physically, she'll be fine," Ivy replied in her characteristically neutral voice. "Some cuts from glass, bruising from... whatever happened. Nothing that won't heal cleanly."

Liu Mei remained silent, staring at the book in her lap without appearing to actually read it. Her fingers traced the edges of the pages absently, a nervous habit I'd never noticed before.

I pulled the canvas bag I'd been carrying from my shoulder and set it on the small table near her bed. "I brought you something," I said. "Books and poetry collections I found during yesterday's scavenging run. I thought you might appreciate them."

For the first time since we'd returned, Liu Mei looked up from her book to meet my eyes. There was something strange in her expression that I'd never seen before—a crack in the sharp and intellectual armor she usually wore.

"You told me not to come," she said quietly. "You said it wasn't some carefree outing. I should have listened."

I sat down in the chair across from her bed, leaning forward slightly. "You're right, I did say that. But you're also here, alive and safe, and that's what matters. You handled yourself better than you think you did."

"I nearly got you killed," she said, her voice carrying a weight of guilt that surprised me. "When I couldn't climb, when you had to carry me... if that thing had caught us..."

"But it didn't," I interrupted gently. "You found the strength when you needed it. You climbed, you escaped, you survived. That's what courage actually looks like—not the absence of fear, but action despite it."

I sounded like a philosopher but these were my real thoughts. I really became good with word didn't I? I thought inwardly smiling.

Ivy finished with the bandages and quietly gathered her medical supplies. "I'll leave you two to talk," she said, giving me a meaningful look before slipping out of the room.

Liu Mei and I sat in silence for several moments, the only sound the soft crackling of the candle flame. Finally, I stood up and moved toward the door.

"The books are there whenever you want them," I said. "No pressure."

I had my hand on the door handle when her voice stopped me.

"Ryan."

I turned back to face her. She was looking directly at me now, her dark eyes reflecting the candlelight.

"Thank you," she said. The words were short and curt, delivered in her characteristic style, but they were clearly full of meaning that went far beyond simple politeness.

I smiled at her. "You're welcome, Mei."

Back in my own room, I closed the door and began the process of assessing the damage from my fight with the electrical infected. I pulled off my t-shirt and examined myself in the small mirror that hung on the back of my door.

The injuries were worse than I'd let on to the others. Dark bruises covered my ribs where I'd been thrown into the car, and there were several burn marks on my arms and chest from the electrical discharges. The Dullahan virus was already working to heal the damage, but it would take time, and some of the deeper injuries would leave marks for days.

I was probing a particularly painful spot on my ribs when my door suddenly burst open without warning.

"Ryan, I knew it! I—oh!"

Elena stood in the doorway, her eyes wide as she took in my shirtless and obviously injured state. A deep blush spread across her cheeks, but her embarrassment was quickly overwhelmed by concern as she saw the extent of my injuries.

"I knew it," she said again, this time with more conviction. She held up a medical kit she'd brought with her. "I could tell you were hurt worse than you were letting on. Don't even try to tell me you're fine."

I sighed, partly from resignation and partly from the pain of movement. "They'll regenerate thanks to the Dullahan virus. Give it a few days and—"

"You shouldn't rely so heavily on your regeneration abilities," Elena interrupted, closing the door behind her and setting the medical kit on my nightstand. "Enhanced healing doesn't mean you should ignore proper wound care. What if there's glass embedded in some of those cuts? What if infection sets in before the virus can fully repair the damage?"

She had a point, though I was reluctant to admit it. "Elena, you don't need to—"

"Sit on the bed," she commanded, her tone brooking no argument. "Let me at least clean and dress the worst of these properly."

Shouldn't I see Ivy for this?

I wanted to ask but chose to keep silence to not refuse her kindness.

I nodded, settling on the edge of the bed and trying not to wince as the movement pulled at my injured ribs. Elena opened the medical kit, pulling out antiseptic, bandages, and various other supplies.

"Turn around," she said softly. "Let me see your back."

I rotated so she could examine the injuries I couldn't see properly myself. Her fingers were gentle as she probed the various cuts and bruises, her touch clinical but somehow comforting at the same time.

"Some of these are deeper than they look," she murmured, beginning to clean the wounds with antiseptic. "What exactly was that monster, Ryan? This doesn't look like damage from normal infected."

I was quiet for a moment, considering how to explain that. "Something new," I said finally. "Something I hope we never encounter again."

She worked in silence for several minutes, her hands steady and sure as she cleaned and bandaged the worst of my injuries. The antiseptic stung, but her touch was gentle enough that the discomfort was bearable.

"You know," she said quietly, "Alya and I will probably be leaving soon."

I fell silent for a moment before speaking.

"I see," I said, my voice carefully neutral.

I understood the logic of it, even as something inside me rebelled against the idea. Elena and Alisha would be safer with their father, would have access to resources and security that our small group couldn't provide. But that didn't make the prospect of losing them any less painful.

"That makes sense," I said, trying to inject some warmth into my voice. "Better opportunities, better protection."

Elena's hands had stilled completely now, and I could feel the weight of her gaze on the back of my neck. "Do you want me to stay?" she asked quietly.

The question hung in the air between us, loaded with implications I wasn't sure either of us was ready to explore fully. I wanted to say yes, wanted to tell her that the thought of her leaving felt like losing a piece of myself. But I also knew that my feelings couldn't be the determining factor in a decision that would affect her safety and future.

"I want you to be safe," I said finally, the words carrying more meaning than their simple surface suggested. "Your father has resources we don't, security we can't guarantee. If staying here means putting you at unnecessary risk..."

"That's not what I asked," Elena said, and I could hear the smile in her voice despite the sadness that underlay it.

I was quiet for a long moment, feeling the warmth of her presence behind me, the gentle pressure of her hands as she resumed treating my injuries.

"Yes," I said finally. "I would miss you. A lot."

Elena leaned forward, resting her forehead against my back, her breath warm against my skin. "I'll miss everyone here too," she said softly. "This place, these people... you've all become family to me."

"We'll miss you and Alisha," I replied. "Both of you have been... important to us. To me."

She stayed like that for several moments, her forehead pressed against my back, and I could feel the quiet sadness radiating from her. Finally, she straightened up and resumed her medical work, applying the last of the bandages with careful precision.

"There," she said, packing up her supplies. "That should help everything heal more cleanly."

She stood up and moved toward the door, but then paused with her hand on the knob. "Ryan, I don't want to bother you anymore, but this was urgent. I needed to make sure you were properly treated."

Then, to my surprise, she called toward the door: "You can come in now."

Several awkward seconds passed in silence. Elena's blush deepened, and she opened the door to peer out into the hallway.

"Cindy?" She called softly.

After a moment, she reached out and gently pulled someone into the room. To my complete surprise, it was Cindy, wearing a simple white nightgown that made her look younger and more vulnerable than usual. Her blonde hair was loose around her shoulders, and her blue eyes were wide with embarrassment as she took in my shirtless state.

"Cindy?" I said, genuinely confused by her presence. "What are you—"

Cindy was blushing furiously and keeping her gaze averted from my bare chest, her hands trembling slightly as she stood just inside the doorway. She seemed to be fighting some internal battle, caught between wanting to flee and needing to stay for reasons I couldn't fathom.

I looked at Elena questioningly, seeking some explanation for this unexpected development.

Elena moved toward the door, her hand gripping the knob as she prepared to leave. "Cindy needs to be stabilized," she said simply, as if that explained everything.

Before I could ask what she meant by that cryptic statement, Elena stepped out of the room and closed the door firmly behind her, leaving Cindy and me alone in the candlelit space.

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