Two days go by criminally fast, especially when you don't want them to. We were now all getting ready to embark on an epic journey that would maybe kill us all, painfully. We had all gathered at the main gate of the town, all decked out in the military clothes they had given us. The only one who wasn't there was Emily, and we had had to do a lot of explaining before she left us alone. Sofia’s squad was pretty relaxed, and I was absolutely terrified. Donn was doing his signature stillness, meaning he was scared out of his wits, and Mary looked as if she was going to explode out of worry. It was the break of dawn, and there was the same military truck we had arrived in to the town the first day parked to one side, with a spray-painted eggplant on the side, confirming my beliefs that the name of the town was just a gag. It's kind of poetic that the thing that brought us to safety is going to be the one that brings us to imminent doom.

  Plague was nowhere to be seen yet, but it was expected. We had been told that the moment he arrived we would all go, so thank him he’s late. In all honesty, I had nothing to worry about. I was strong now, stronger than anyone there. I was able to lift the truck now, not to mention I had finally managed to bend things. I had managed to snap a stick in half with my mind, and it was a pretty girthy stick. But I still had to both stay alive and keep everyone else alive once we went inside the stupid complex.

  Off in the distance, I saw a man walk towards us. He was dressed in sergeant clothes and was carrying something large and round on his back, and my throat knotted together. Plague was slowly making his way over here, not slowly but also taking his time, which was torture for me. I couldn’t wait to start, and I also couldn’t start—what a paradox.

  “I can’t do this; I can’t!” Shouted Mary. We all turned to her; I put my hands on her shoulders.

  “Hey, listen up. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, ok? I promise I'll keep you safe; just stay near me.” She was biting her finger; her eyes were wide open.

  Plague finally made his way here. He was looking the most normal I've ever seen him. “Everybody ready?” He asked aloud.

  He then got into the shotgun seat of the truck, and Cooper was driving as he had been the first time. My brother followed, and then Firstimosa and Sofia. I took Mary’s hand; she was shaking violently. I guided her to the truck, and it almost seemed as if her body was moving for her. Poor thing, as soon as this was over, I was going to ask for her to be discharged from duty. After her, I got in too. Tyrone was the last one in, and it was a little cramped in the troop transport.

  The engine roared to life, and I remembered just why I dislike that truck. The metal made the noise bounce around and amplified it a lot. I looked over at Mary, and she had made two little metallic earplugs out of herself, and I signalled to her to make me some. I saw how the fibrous-looking streaks of her hands contorted and turned black. I had forgotten about that; when Mary used her powers, her hands turned black, like gloves. She handed me the little plugs, and I sighed in relief when the noise quieted down.

  The others were oddly calm. Firstimosa and Sofia were wearing actual military earmuffs, which probably had some radio or something. Tyrone was also in military gear, but he was listening to his own headphones. My brother was either screaming or moving his mouth, trying to get Sofia to read his lips. Probably screaming, but I couldn't hear him. The ride was bumpy and unpleasant; the heat from the engine and especially our bodies with our heavy clothes made us sweat like pigs. The seat was mesh, which was fine for the first five minutes, but then I really wanted to get out of it.

  All the while, I was thinking about everything that could go wrong, which so far was at least a hundred different ways to die. But I was mostly worried about Mary; she wasn't ready for this. She was really strong whenever she wanted, and she would stand up to anyone for any reason. But she was easily scared by everything. She was scared of dying, of losing me, of both... She had already gone through a lot, and this was probably going to give her some flashbacks to the horde that killed her brother. And she wasn't exactly powerful for this scenario. I don't really know why she was there in the first place; she was only going to suffer.

  The ride went as smooth as the road, which wasn't much. The engine broke down twice thanks to the flywheel rubbing against the clutch and causing the crankshaft to overheat. After we carefully hammered the flywheel in place, we continued for a couple of minutes until we had to stop again because Mary was having a literal nervous breakdown, so I had to sit her down on a patch of grass and hug her until she cried herself calm. Then we had the problem of the engine burning oil through a blown head gasket, so my brother and Firstimosa had to weld the gasket together with their zaps. But besides that, it was smooth sailing. I also got to see Cooper take off his shirt while he was fixing the engine, which was one heck of a gun show. His pecs were glistening with sweat. Sofia also took her jacket off and remained in a pale green tank top... Yeah, I didn't enjoy that at all; I actually felt uncomfortable being around those arms. My brother was ogling, as is to be expected from him. Once the engine was back to life, we continued the last thirty or so kilometers, ending the worst ever road trip I've been on. We were at the top of a hill; the complex was in sight. I expected it to be small; I was sorely mistaken. The complex was twice the size of Dongle town; it had two massive satellite dishes the size of a football field and a third one the size of a basketball court. Those antennas were probably used as radio telescopes, but I did see a field of just transmitting antennas, which weren’t our concern to take care of.

  “Holy shit.” Said Donn. “It’s big.”

  “Yeah.” I was looking at the building we were supposed to take care of, which was a quarter of the entire complex. It had about three floors above ground, and who knows how many running deep below the surface. It was the crack of dusk; soon the zeds would become more active.

  “Listen up, teams, make sure everything works now that we have time. The other towns will be arriving shortly.” Shouted Plague. I wouldn't be shouting if I were him; he was going to wake the horde up. But he didn't seem concerned by that, and I knew he was perfectly aware that the zeds were dormant.

  But he was right; we should be checking our equipment. I had brought the bare minimum; I didn't really know what else to bring. I had a rifle and a couple clips that would be as useful as a paperweight.

  While everyone was doing their thing, Plague walked up to me, holding something big and round in his hands. I couldn't see it properly from the lack of light, but once he came closer, I immediately saw it was a meter-wide saw blade.

  “Ayla, this is for you. I think you know what I mean.” He said. Oh, I knew perfectly! He handed me the saw blade, and I held it. It was heavy and thick, with what looked like sharpened carbide tips, the type that are used to work metal and a pain in the ass to manufacture and work. The saw was custom; he had gotten someone to make it. It made me feel happy knowing that he had gone through the trouble of having it made. I turned it around and saw it had an armature with what looked like two shield handles. “It’s a little prototype, made just for you. The blade detaches from the handles with this rotating lock, then you can do your thing.” He smiled at me, and I was excited for this. I took the leather strap and tightened it around my left forearm with the buckle, because I'm left-handed. The shield was held quite well in place, and after I twisted it, I saw it detach from the two pegs that held it to the armature. I had a Razor Frisbee now.

  “Thanks, Plague!” I exclaimed. I eagerly went over to Mary to show her. I was like a little child being told they were going to the circus. I ran to her, and then it hit me that it was quite heavy.

  “Mary, look!” I exclaimed. She had been sulking with the worst face I've ever seen someone put on; it was almost as if she thought she was going to be hanged at any moment.

  “Cool. Ayla, let’s run, just us; let’s get the fuck out of here.” She said.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Mary, just calm yourself down! We’re not going to die, I promise. Just stick with me, ok?” I put my hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.

  “I just can’t be calm! I honestly don’t understand how you can be this relaxed.” She answered. I pulled her into a hug. I stroked her hair with my free hand.

  “Ok, just don't be scared; I'm here. As long as I'm with you, nothing can happen to us.” I said.

  Suddenly, we were interrupted by another troop transport coming in to the hill with us. It was a similar vehicle, only a bit more modern. The truck pulled up next to ours, and about five burly men climbed out the back. The truck had a spray-painted crown on its side, similar to how ours had an eggplant. I assumed these were the Kingsveil guys.

  Sofia’s squad went to greet them as if they knew each other already, which was probably the case. The guys were strong, but Sofia was stronger, and not by little. Somehow her muscles were bigger. I can't take this anymore. How is she so goddamn ripped!? And why!?

  Anyways, Plague went to talk with who I presumed was the squad leader, and I went to greet them. Cooper saw me and decided to introduce me to them.

  “Ayla, come. This is Bill, Will, Phil, Dill, and Nil.” He said while pointing at each of them.

  “And I suppose that's not just a coincidence, right?” I asked.

  “No, do you want the quick version or the long one?” Cooper asked with his angelic voice.

  “Long one, please.” I said.

  “They, Sofia and I, all come from the same college, the great Malashnikov school of covert operations. Every graduating squad from their class is the elite of the elite, the top of the top, and they have no name other than their codenames. Their squad is called the second wanker core.” He said.

  “What happened to the first one?”

  “They died,” said one of the members. “The greatest mercs to ever live, backstabbed by an employer. We want to honor them.” He said. There was little that distinguished him from the rest of his mates, and I couldn’t tell who he was. I was in between either Will or Phill; he had to be one of the two.

  “Cool, so you guys are going to have our backs, right?” I asked.

  The guy nodded his head. “Yeah, we will.”

  “Good.” I leaned in to whisper something to him. “Could I ask a favor?”

  “Yeah, anything.” He answered.

  “My girlfriend over there is absolutely terrified of this whole thing; could you please stay near her while our squads are together?” I motioned towards Mary, who was sitting on the ground looking at nothing. The guy looked over at her; he seemed sympathetic towards her. He smiled warmly.

  “Yeah, she can stay close.” He said. My chest heaved with relief, and I felt a big weight lift from my heart. “Hey, aren't you the one who knows the guy who started this whole thing?” He asked.

  “Yes, sort of. I only know his face, and not too well. I was there when everything happened... If only I had known what was going to happen, I would have done anything to stop it.” I said, regretting being there. After that, Cooper continued talking with him, and I went to talk with Plague and Tyrone. They were discussing something with whom I presumed to be the Kingsveil squad leader. He was the only one who was easy to identify; he looked older and had a scar on his left eye.

  “Plague, I don't understand why you don't want our help; we have all the time in the world. We can just do the antennas and then go and help you. It’s too big of a building for you to take on alone.” Said Bill.

  “We don't have all the time in the world.” Said Plague.

  “Why not?” Asked Tyrone.

  “I can’t tell you, and besides, the more we are, the more dangerous it is.” Plague answered. He was really tense, it seemed. It made me worry.

  “More dangerous? You lost your mind?” Exclaimed Bill.

  “Yes, thanks to her.” Plague motioned towards me, and my presence was made known to the three of them. “She is a wrecking ball, and the more of us there are, the worse she can do her job. And Bill, when you guys finish, you get out of this place, got it? Don't wait for anyone. That's an order.” Plague stared him down with the sharpest stare I've ever seen on a person. His eyes were cutting through his soul.

  “Yes, sir.” Bill turned around and walked to his mates. I went to ask Plague something important.

  “Plague, if they’re supposed to leave before us, could Mary go with them?” I asked.

  He looked stern and answered coldly. “No. Sorry Ayla, but she is crucial to us, as is your brother. I can’t let either of them go.”

  It hit me like a sledgehammer; it was almost as if he wanted them to suffer. I couldn't see any reason to have them come with us. Neither of them was as experienced as Sofia’s squad or as powerful as me. They were there basically just as moral support, which would still not be much, as I'd have to worry extra about them.

  “Ayla, the real reason you are here is more than just clearing out that building. I can't be certain, but I feel something really strong in the area, the type of thing you pray not to ever see. I’m sorry, but it’s for your own safety.”

  For my safety? How am I supposed to be safe when I have to worry about keeping Mary and my brother safe? Something was wrong, really wrong. I couldn't possibly imagine what it was, but I certainly knew something was cooking up. I had done so many drills with Plague that there was nothing we didn't expect. Whether it was structural collapse or a literal wave of undead, I was ready, and Plague knew it. Whatever he felt, it was worrying. I had to know what it was; I had to ask.

  “Plague, tell me what it is.” I said.

  “Promise me you won’t tell anyone; that’s an order.” He was as stern as one could be; his expression was rock solid.

  “I promise.”

  “I think there’s more than just zeds here. Something that's more than muties, mutes, or any of the standard ones.”

  How could he know?

  “But how do you know that?” I interrupted him.

  “I have a really good nose. And it’s telling me there’s a monster in this place. But we can’t call this off now, and besides, I trained you for this exact thing.” He then left me to go do whatever he felt like doing right then.

  I was beginning to feel sick. Zeds were one thing; monsters were another. The mutes Tyrone had spoken about when we first met sounded terrifying, unlike anything I had ever seen or heard, but this? Plague was making it sound like a dragon was going to swoop down from the sky and burn this place to the ground, or maybe Godzilla was going to stomp us to a pulp at any moment. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was underreacting, though. I had the feeling his description was coming up short and that we were going to find more than what we bargained for in there.

  I had to do something to distract me; the wait was killing me. I couldn't wait for everything to be over, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything then. I decided to go talk to my brother, who was comforting Mary a bit further away from the group.

  Mary was sitting on the ground, her head in between her knees. My brother had his hand on her shoulder.

  “Hey, are you doing well, Donn?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I'm starting to think this is a bad idea, but we’re in too deep now. No pulling out from this. You?” He sounded tired.

  “Same, Plague sounds more and more like a tyrant psychopath, but he is right on everything he says.”

  “You've spent a lot of time with him. Do you think he’s trustworthy?” He asked me.

  I hesitated to answer, not because I didn't want to say no, but because I had to find words to say it. “He’s a bit tactless and sometimes acts like a moron, but I would trust him with my life. He is an incredible tactician, and we have planned every little scenario with each variable; we have this covered. Trust me, he may not seem like it, but his heart is in the right place.”

  He seemed slightly surprised; I could understand that. Mary perked her head up and looked confused.

  “We are so dead.” She said. She was really pessimistic.

  “You're not helping, you know.” Said my brother.

  “So what? Should I get false hopes?” She asked back.

  My brother sighed before answering. “Have some faith in your girlfriend; she’s our magnum opus, our pièce de résistance!” He was praising me; that's a first. “Or not, either way she’s our best hope.” Well, it was nice while it lasted, for whatever three seconds it was. But I had hope. However bad it could go, I was sure I would be able to fix it; I had to, for her.

  Plague suddenly shouted the word "fuck" really loudly, loud enough to make the nearby birds rise and fly in fear. He then went to a rock and kicked it, chipping a large hunk off.

  “Fuck, fuck, and fuck again!” He picked up a rock and threw it at our truck, shattering the stone into sharp flakes. “Fuck you and your fucking engine! Graaahh!!!!” He screamed into the air.

  At that point everyone was worried and spooked; we were not expecting this. Sofia was closest to him and was sent to confront him.

  “What's wrong?” She asked.

  “The guys from Fishtail blew the engine! We have to call this off; I'm sorry.” He said. Well shit, that's not good.

  To be fair, it was a bit sad that we had gone through so much preparation and trouble for it to be all brought to a crumbling stop, but we couldn’t possibly hope to do anything with only three teams; we needed the other two.

  “Plague, let me and my guys take care of the breakers; I've studied the entire layout of this place. We’ve come this far; we can’t just give up like this.” She said she had a contagious sort of hope.

  Plague shook his head. “You promise you’ll be fine? I don’t want to go back short on men. Please just don’t die, please.” He spoke softly, and she nodded.

  This was not good for me. I was counting on their support to clear the building and to keep my brother and Mary safe. I can’t stress enough how worried I was for them.

  But I couldn’t do anything about it; they simply had to fix the arrays. It had to be done. Both the wanker core and Sofia’s squad wouldn't be able to help me once we cleared out the first push, which meant I had to work overtime.