"What! Richard's dead too?!"

In the center of the Safe Zone, inside a high-security room, Victor Harlan shot to his feet, eyes wide with disbelief. He stared down at the trembling man kneeling before him.

"Three hundred Tier 3 and Tier 4 Enhanced—wiped out by half?! You told me they only had seven people!"

"They… they did. Just seven," the man stammered, voice barely above a whisper.

"Seven?! Seven people did this to you? What the hell were you all doing—eating dirt and playing dead?!"

Victor's fury boiled over, his voice echoing off the steel walls. His son was dead. Now his brother too. The rage clawing at his chest was barely containable.

"Sir… they had a Tier 6 Awakened."

Victor froze.

"A Tier 6?" he repeated, stunned. "That's impossible."

Even the Harlan family—backed by wealth, power, and government ties—didn't have a single Tier 6 Awakened. Neither did the government itself, as far as he knew. And now some ragtag group of seven nobodies had one?

"It's true," the man said, swallowing hard. "Not just one. They've got multiple Awakened. The weakest among them is Tier 5. We… we never stood a chance."

Victor said nothing.

He didn't want to believe it. But he knew the man wasn't lying. No one would dare.

"How the hell did someone reach Tier 6 this fast…" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

This battle hadn't just cost him men—it had shattered his illusion of control. The Harlan family had thought they were ahead of the curve, leading the charge into this new world.

But someone else had already broken through the ceiling.

And they hadn't even seen it coming.

Across the Safe Zone, in another fortified room, Mayor Marks was in a similar state—pacing, seething, fists clenched so tight his knuckles had gone white.

He'd sent Alicia as a formality. A gesture. She wasn't supposed to be in danger.

Now she was gone.

Dead.

Alicia wasn't just another operative—she was one of his few Awakened. Loyal. Efficient. Trusted.

And now she was gone.

"Unbelievable," he growled. "They really think the apocalypse means they can do whatever the hell they want? They think they can kill a government official and walk away?"

He turned to his aide, voice low and dangerous. "When Colonel Reyes gets back, tell him I need a word."

"Yes, sir."

Marks didn't say another word.

But the storm behind his eyes said plenty.

...

When Colonel Reyes returned to the Safe Zone, escorting a large group of survivors, he was surprised to hear that Mayor Marks had summoned him. Curious, he made his way to the mayor's residence.

"You wanted to see me, Mayor Marks?"

"Colonel Reyes, perfect timing. Come in, have a seat."

Reyes sat down, still a little puzzled.

"How's the rescue work going lately?" Marks asked, voice calm but with an edge of something else beneath it.

"Fairly smooth," Reyes replied. "Ever since that Tier 6 zombie disappeared, we haven't taken any major losses. But survivors are getting harder to find. Some days we don't even come across a single one."

"That's to be expected. The longer this apocalypse drags on, the fewer people are left alive."

Marks leaned forward slightly. "That Tier 6 zombie you wounded—still no sign of it?"

Reyes shook his head. "Nothing. We searched for days in the direction it fled, but it vanished without a trace."

"You think someone else might've finished it off?" Marks asked, eyes narrowing.

Reyes raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden interest in that zombie, Mayor? Something happen?"

Marks's expression darkened. "We ran into a Tier 6 Awakened at Lakeview Estates."

Reyes shot to his feet. "A Tier 6 Awakened?!"

He knew better than anyone how terrifying Tier 6 could be. That zombie had nearly wiped out an entire battalion—and even after they'd blown a hole through its skull, it still managed to escape.

"Who the hell's strong enough to take down something like that?" Reyes asked, stunned.

"A group of young punks with no respect for law or order," Marks said grimly. "If I had to guess, I'd say they stumbled across the wounded zombie and finished it off. Got lucky."

Reyes nodded slowly. "That's… not unlikely."

"If that were all, I wouldn't be this concerned," Marks continued. "But these people—once they got power, they went completely rogue. Yesterday, they killed Ray Harlan—Victor Harlan's son—and dozens of others in his luxury home. Today, when the Harlan family tried to confront them, they slaughtered hundreds more."

Reyes's face hardened. "That ruthless?"

"They're a cancer," Marks said, voice low and furious. "We can't let them keep growing. I want you to take a team to Lakeview Estates. Bring them in."

Reyes hesitated. "Mayor, you know we're stretched thin. Starlight City still has survivors waiting for rescue. We don't have the manpower to spare."

"I understand," Marks said, tone softening just a touch. "But these people are just as dangerous as the infected—maybe more. They've already shown they don't care about the government. If we let them keep growing, we might not be able to stop them later. And with their temperament? They'll be a disaster for Starlight City."

Reyes frowned, thinking it over. After a long pause, he nodded. "Alright. I'll take a team and check it out. But if they've got any brains, they're long gone by now. We might not find anything."

"Even so, see if they left any clues behind. I trust the National Guard's tracking skills. If they're out there, you'll find them."

"Fine," Reyes said with a sigh. He stood, took the files Marks handed him, and left the room.

Back at his quarters, he immediately began assembling a team and prepping gear.

A Tier 6 Awakened wasn't something you walked into lightly. They needed to be ready.

As he reviewed the mission plan, Lieutenant Park stepped up beside him, voice low.

"Colonel, I've got a feeling the people Mayor Marks is talking about… they're the same ones we ran into last time."

Reyes nodded. "I've been thinking the same."

"They didn't seem like the type to kill indiscriminately," Park said, brows furrowed. "But they weren't soft either. If someone crossed them… I can believe they'd wipe out hundreds."

Reyes didn't respond right away. Then he gave a slow nod.

"Yeah. I believe it too."

Park hesitated. "Sir, be honest—do you really want to go after them?"

Reyes sighed. "Hell no. But we gave our word. So we'll go, poke around, make it look official. That's all."

He turned to the rest of the room. "Gear up. We move out in thirty."

"Yes, sir!"

Reyes muttered under his breath, "Damn it. Like I don't have enough to deal with already…"

Just then, a voice called out behind him.

"Uncle Reyes, I'm coming too."

He turned to see Mia standing there, eyes steady.

He considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. If we do run into them, your ability might be the only thing that gives us a shot. Let's just hope they're already gone. I really don't want to tangle with a Tier 6."

He didn't say it out loud, but the truth was clear in his mind:

If it came to a fight… they might not walk away.

...

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