After we finished clearing and looting the building, we immediately returned to camp. The words of that man still echoed in my mind, repeating again and again like a faint whisper I couldn't shake off.
But I forced myself to let it go — for now. There were more pressing things to focus on. Obsessing over a mystery I couldn't solve would only distract me from what I needed to do.
"Some truths are better left buried — at least until you're strong enough to face them."
After reaching camp, we stayed for a few more days. The Federation had imposed a kill quota — each soldier was required to take down at least five walkers before leaving. It was both a test of skill and a way to keep everyone sharp. Fortunately, they managed to complete it without much trouble.
Tomorrow morning, we'd finally be going home.
I also learned the name of the girl we rescued — France. That was the only thing she remembered. When I asked her about her past, she just looked down, eyes empty, lips trembling. The trauma must have done something to her mind. I'd make sure a doctor from the Federation checked on her as soon as possible.
At least, thanks to Angel, she started to smile again — even if just a little. The two of them spent their days playing near the tents, their laughter echoing faintly across the camp.
When night came, it was finally time for our final report. I entered the temporary meeting room and found Jessy and Troy already waiting for me.
"Marcus," Jessy greeted with a nod.
"Sir," Troy added formally.
I took my seat and said, "Alright, guys. It's finally time. Tomorrow, we go home."
Jessy grinned. "Finally! I miss my bed already."
Troy chuckled, but I stayed serious — and they quickly followed suit.
"Troy," I said, "report our casualties."
"Yes, sir. Out of the eight hundred personnel we deployed, we lost thirty-nine. A mix from both army and navy."
I nodded. "You brought their bodies back?"
"Yes, sir. Already done."
"Good. I plan to hold a special burial ceremony for them — they deserve to be honored properly."
Jessy nodded approvingly. "That's perfect. It'll bring peace to their families."
"That's what I'm hoping for," I replied quietly.
"This should mark the end of that operation, right?" Jessy asked.
"It should," I answered.
But Troy clenched his fists. "Sir… it's my fault. If it weren't for—"
"Enough," I cut him off. "Don't blame yourself, Troy. We did what we had to."
He only nodded silently.
"Jessy," I continued, "what about the survivors?"
Jessy sighed. "It's bad. Some are willing to live on… but others chose suicide."
I nodded grimly. "You granted their wishes?"
"I had no choice," he said, voice steady but eyes heavy.
I sighed. "Understandable. Most of them suffered torture, some had deep wounds… and the women—"
"Yeah," Troy muttered. "We'll make sure what they did to them happens to Kane."
Jessy looked at me. "And what about the ones who escaped? Their leader?"
I leaned back, expression dark. "We can't do much about that now. We'll go home… and handle it when the time comes."
I stood up. "For now, let's rest. Meeting adjourned."
Far from Marcus and the others, the seven people they encountered earlier gathered inside an abandoned church. Dust drifted through the broken windows.
"Why should we even go after them?" Lance asked, frustration in his tone. "This is just delaying our mission!"
"Shut up, Lance!" another snapped back.
"Hey, stop fighting!" Leah interrupted, her voice sharp enough to silence them. "You all know why we're doing this. You know why I want to go after them."
At her words, everyone fell quiet. The tension in the room thickened until even the sound of the wind outside felt heavy.
Their leader finally broke the silence. "Let's not waste more time. We'll finish this fast."
Leah nodded slightly. "Thank you, Leader."
"No problem, Leah," he replied with a faint smile before turning toward the exit.
Leo, who had been leaning against a broken pew, sighed. "This is so boring…"
"Shut up, Leo," Auswell muttered beside him, rolling his eyes as they followed the rest out into the night.
Mike, Jay, and the rest of the men were rifling through an old police station.
"Boss, this place is perfect — there are a ton of guns and ammo still here!" one of them shouted.
"Boss, you really are brilliant," Jay added, appearing at Mike's side.
"Alright, enough with the praise. Hurry up," Mike snapped.
"Whew — lucky we got out in time," another man breathed. "It's been days since we escaped. Our rations are almost gone."
"Jay, there's a camp not far from here. We can raid it and restock," someone suggested. Mike only nodded. He counted his men with a quick glance — twenty in total, including himself and Jay.
"Jay, how many people in that camp?" Mike asked.
"I checked with two others. Their population is over sixty," Jay replied. "That should feed us for months."
"What about their weapons?" Mike asked.
"They mostly use melee weapons. They might be hiding a few firearms, but I didn't see any," Jay answered.
"Didn't anyone spot you?" Mike pressed.
"No. Don't worry — no one saw us. With our firepower and manpower, we can take them. If quantity doesn't work, quality will," Mike thought, convinced his plan would succeed.
Unbeknownst to Mike and his men, seven figures moved slowly through the dark toward the police station — closing the distance with quiet, deliberate steps.
After a few minutes, bodies lay scattered across the ground. "Tsk. They deserved it," Garry said.
"Yeah, right," Leo replied. He and Garry stood near each other.
"This should satisfy you, Leah," the leader added.
"Thanks, Leader said Leah."
"Anyway, we should go," Anna — one of the two women in the group — said.
"Let's go already. I'm tired of this. I want to go home and take a bath," Lance muttered, then added, "Back to the UK."
The rest of the team shot him a look. "Shut up, Lance!" Auswell snapped, face flushing with anger.
"Blah, blah — you gonna lecture me again?" Lance shot back, ready to pick a fight. Auswell squared up, but the leader cut them off. "Enough. Finish the mission, then we go home."
With that, they left the police station.
Unaware anyone had survived, they didn't notice Mike and Jay lying motionless among the bodies. When Mike realized his men had been taken down so easily, he and Jay made a split-second decision to play dead. That ruse is why they both survived.
Once the attackers had gone, Mike and Jay checked their wounds — bullets had grazed their abdomens and torn into their legs.
"You heard them, right?" Jay asked, working to bandage himself.
Mike nodded, thoughts racing. A dangerous idea had lodged in his mind: was it them? The UK? Could they be behind this? He pushed the thought away and focused on getting up. If they didn't move fast, they would die here. At least, fortunately, the attackers hadn't grabbed any of their supplies or weapons.
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