For a few seconds, no one spoke. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant groans of the undead outside. Arjun decided to take the initiative.
"Are you two okay? I have some medicine with me," he offered, pulling out a small medical bag he had found at the pharmacy.
Shubash glanced at Janvi and gave a slight nod. Understanding his silent cue, she took the kit from Arjun, quickly scanning its contents before applying ointment to her wounds. She swallowed the antibiotics without hesitation, then handed some to Shubash. After they were done, she returned the bag to Arjun with a grateful look.
"Thanks, Arjun."
"You have a really powerful skill," Shubash remarked, his tone filled with admiration. "That transformation of yours… it's something else."
Arjun shrugged. "It's not that strong." His words weren't false modesty. Back on his planet—one locked in the Jurassic Age—there were countless creatures far bigger and deadlier than the wolf form he had taken. The wolf was simply the most practical for now—fast, agile, and useful in tight situations like this.
Shubash chuckled. "No need to be humble. Among the awakened, your ability would rank pretty high."
Arjun gave a small smile but didn't argue. Instead, he shifted the topic. "Can you tell me more about this stronghold?"
Shubash nodded. "Sure. The military established a stronghold in Whitefield, Bangalore. It's one of the less densely populated areas, making it easier to control. The entire place is under the command of the Southern Front's general."
Arjun absorbed this information, his mind racing. Whitefield wasn't too far from their current location. But if a military stronghold was set up there, why hadn't anyone come to rescue them? Had they been abandoned? He wanted to ask but held back, sensing there was more to the story.
"How many people are there?"
Shubash hesitated, thinking. "Around 500,000. It's the biggest stronghold in Bangalore right now."
Arjun's breath caught. Half a million? That number wasn't shocking because it was large—it was because it was too small. Bangalore was home to over 12 million people. Had only this many survived? His stomach tightened at the thought. The scale of the devastation was worse than he had imagined.
Shaking off his unease, he refocused. "Thanks for answering my questions. But I'd like to know more about the awakened. How does someone get stronger?"
Shubash exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, we don't know much. The scientists in the stronghold are still researching it."
Arjun frowned. "Not the science behind it. I mean—how do I grow stronger? What determines our power?"
Janvi and Shubash exchanged a look, but this time, Janvi spoke first.
"You need the serum to become stronger."
Arjun's brows furrowed. "Serum?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "It's a booster serum. The scientists developed it just a few days ago to help the awakened grow stronger."
His mind raced. A serum that could enhance their powers?
"How do you get it?" he asked.
"Inside the stronghold, you need contribution points."
Before Arjun could ask what that meant, Shubash answered, "You can earn them by completing missions or by providing essential supplies—food, medicine, clothes, anything useful to the stronghold."
Arjun glanced at him, sensing there was more to the story.
Shubash sighed and looked at Janvi. "We came out here to gather supplies… to trade for the serum." His voice trailed off, and he didn't say anything more.
Janvi lowered her head, guilt shadowing her face. Arjun didn't press them, but he could tell—something had gone wrong.
Just then, Shubash straightened in his seat. "We're here."
Arjun turned to look outside. In the distance, a military checkpoint stood tall, marking the entrance to the stronghold. Soldiers patrolled the area, their guns ready.
But something was wrong.
Gunfire echoed through the streets. Shouts filled the air, urgent and panicked.
Arjun's eyes snapped toward the commotion. His stomach tightened.
A hulking figure loomed ahead, a monstrous mutant zombie—one just like the one he had fought earlier. Only this time, it was facing off against the army.
A guttural, ear-piercing howl tore through the air. The creature's deformed face twisted in fury, saliva dripping from its gaping mouth. In its grotesque hands, it swung a nearly shattered lamppost like a club. The thick layers of fat on its body quivered with each movement, as if they could burst at any moment.
"Focus fire! Throw the explosives—now!"
"Ammo! I need ammo!"
"Ahhh! My hand!" A soldier's scream cut through the chaos as a flying car door sliced his arm clean off, embedding itself into a nearby wall.
The mutant roared, its rage exploding outward as it barreled into the defensive line.
The soldiers fought back, their weapons blazing, but they weren't well-equipped. Bullets peppered the mutant's flesh, yet the thick fat absorbed most of the impact, acting like natural armor. A few soldiers dove for cover as debris rained down around them. Others continued lobbing explosives, trying desperately to slow the beast.
Janvi's face paled. "Another one…?" she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. "How did it get here?"
Mutant pressed forward, as it bathed in the heavy fire. The situation was looking dire for the soldiers. While the bullets did affect Mutant movement, it was far from stopping him. The thick layer of fat was like a bulletproof vest, which stopped the bullets from penetrating through his skin.
The soldiers were out of solutions. Even the leader of the squad immediately sent out an order to approach the Mutant with explosives. However, the thick layer of fat was designed for more than bullet protection.
Although the waves of attack were not effective, the Mutant's movement was hindered by it. The Mutant could no longer make any advancements forward.
At that moment, a homing missile penetrated the air, as it cast a gloomy trial of death directly at the Mutant.
But the missile did not hit the Mutant. It skidded across the Mutant's face, as it impacted the building behind it.
Boom! Following the impact, a wave of the violent explosions ensued. The steel reinforced concrete broke into pieces as it left a massive hole in the building behind the Mutant.
It seemed to have sensed the danger, the Mutant's body of fat began shaking violently, as its power was even more explosive and fierce. Its bloody mouth opened wide, as if it was letting out an angry roar, but the roar was silent.
Another missile flew across the battlefield. Following the track of the first missile, this one directly penetrated into the Mutant's bloody mouth.
In seconds, blood, brain, and fat exploded into small droplets. The content of the Mutant's body filled the street.
The Mutant, without its head, fell to the ground. The soldiers celebrated their victory.
As the battle ended, soldiers slowly emerged from their cover. Some embraced each other, relief evident on their faces, while others rushed to tend to the wounded. The battlefield, once a scene of chaos, was now being cleared with military precision. The dead were moved aside, and spent casings and debris were collected.
Inside the vehicle, Shubash exhaled deeply, then started driving toward the checkpoint.
A soldier stepped forward, raising a hand. "Sir, you'll have to leave your vehicle here."
Shubash nodded without hesitation. He pulled over, turned off the engine, and handed the keys to the soldier. The military would repurpose the vehicle for their use—standard protocol in times of crisis.
Without a word, the three of them stepped out, their bodies aching from exhaustion.
Ahead of them lay the quarantine zone, a mandatory checkpoint for everyone entering or leaving the stronghold.
Rows of people stood shoulder to shoulder, crammed into long, slow-moving lines. Multiple counters had been set up to process arrivals, but despite the overwhelming crowd, no one dared to cause trouble. Armed soldiers patrolled nearby, their sharp eyes scanning for any sign of unrest.
Janvi glanced at Shubash, then pointed toward a separate line. Above it, a sign read: Awakened Only.
"This way," she said.
The two of them headed toward the empty lane, with Arjun following closely behind.
A soldier inside the booth greeted them with a professional, almost mechanical tone. "Identification, please. After verification, you'll proceed to quarantine for a full screening."
Shubash and Janvi wordlessly handed over their ID cards.
The soldier scanned them, then looked up.
"Ah, a new awakener?" He gestured toward Arjun. "Please register him."
Shubash gave Arjun a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Just follow their instructions. Here—take this number. Call us once you're free."
Arjun accepted the small slip of paper. "Thanks."
With a nod, Shubash and Janvi disappeared into the stronghold.
Arjun turned back to the soldier, who was already poised over a tablet.
"Name?"
"Arjun Mehta."
The soldier typed it in, then motioned for Arjun to follow. "Come with me."
The quarantine process was thorough.
First, they doused him in a chemical disinfectant, the cold liquid clinging to his skin. Then, they checked him for bites, scanning every inch of his body for infection. His fingerprints and iris were recorded, followed by a blood sample to ensure he wasn't carrying the virus.
After the screening, a different soldier led him into a vast open area.
A man in a lab coat stepped forward, his sharp gaze settling on Arjun.
"So, Arjun," the scientist said, his tone clinical. "Can you demonstrate your ability?"
Arjun gave a curt nod.
The transformation was instantaneous. His body stretched and expanded, bones shifting as thick fur erupted over his skin. Within seconds, the man standing before them was gone—replaced by a towering wolf.
The soldiers watching sucked in sharp breaths.
The beast before them was colossal, its size rivaling an elephant. Its fur gleamed under the harsh artificial lights, its razor-sharp claws sinking into the dirt. Its fangs, each as long as a man's arm, looked capable of tearing through steel.
"What the hell is that?" one soldier muttered under his breath.
A scientist standing nearby stared in awe. "It's… beautiful."
Another murmured, "It looks like a wolf, but… the proportions are all wrong. This doesn't match any known species from our time."
"The first recorded full-body transformation…" one of the scientists whispered, exchanging looks with his colleagues.
Their fascination was quickly interrupted by confusion.
One of the scientists frowned at his tablet. "This is… strange."
The chief scientist turned to him. "What's wrong?"
"There's no trace of the T-virus in his system."
Silence fell over the room.
Every scientist present turned in shock.
"What?"
"That's impossible."
"Run the test again."
The chief scientist's eyes narrowed as he studied Arjun, his mind racing.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"We need to investigate this further."
The others nodded in agreement.
Something about Arjun was different.
And they were going to find out why.