The way the Zeds avoided sunlight worked in their favor. The streets were empty, letting Dylan drive the group toward the Golden City without trouble. Cars blocked parts of the road, but getting around them wasn't too hard. Still, there was an uneasy feeling about whether they were on the right path.
Hayley sat quietly, her face showing clear concern.
Logan noticed right away and asked, "What's wrong?"
"it's just… It's quiet. Too quiet. I can't hear gunshots anymore."
Logan paused for a moment, listening carefully. His wife was right. The gunfire was gone. Even so, he chose his next words carefully, trying to ease her worry. "Perhaps the fighting has ceased. After all, the Zeds have gone indoors."
He then turned to look at Lydia, who sat in the back row behind her mother. Her face was close to the glass, eyes fixed on the streets outside. Storefront windows stood dark and empty, their doors hanging open as if abandoned in a rush. A few Zeds wandered near the buildings but stepped back inside whenever the sunlight touched them, keeping to the shade instead of the open road.
"They're strange, aren't they?" Logan said to her. "They hide from the sun instead of chasing us. Makes you wonder if they're more than just mindless infected."
Lydia didn't answer his question. Her thoughts were elsewhere, still focused on whether they were actually headed in the right direction. She glanced toward the front, her words meant for Dylan. "Are you sure we're still going the right way?"
Dylan heard her from the driver's seat and gave a firm nod. "Yeah, I'm sure. I've been to the Golden City before." Right after he said that, the faint sound of helicopter rotors reached them. He let out a short breath, almost like a laugh. "See? Don't worry. I worked there for a while, so I've made this trip plenty of times."
Lydia leaned back in her seat, her shoulders easing as relief washed over her. The sound of the helicopters made her feel safer, like they were finally getting closer to the Golden City.
The mention of Dylan having worked there caught Senator Logan Monroe's attention. He turned his head slightly toward Dylan, his expression thoughtful. "What kind of work did you do there?"
"I was a mechanic near one of the entrances," Dylan answered. His eyes stayed on the road, but his tone carried a trace of pride.
"Did you help with the wall?"
"No, not the wall. But I did help some of the engineers with their cars when they needed it."
Their voices carried on as the van rolled forward, small conversations passing between them. For a little while it gave the group a fragile sense of normalcy, something to ease the tension of the road. As they neared the edge of a park, the view ahead opened wider. They still weren't at their destination, but the shifting landscape showed they were drawing closer.
From the back row, Aiden stared out the window. A few helicopters hovered in the distance, far enough that they looked small against the horizon. He kept his gaze on them until Julie leaned closer, trying to see what had caught his attention.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" she asked.
"The helicopters," Aiden said without turning. "I saw a few of them fly away, but most of them are still there."
Julie kept looking past him until she spotted them. "Ah, it looks like we're not that far away anymore. We're almost there."
"Almost there? What do you mean?"
"The Golden City is over there. That's why Dad reacted like that when we heard the helicopters."
Lydia overheard their conversation and shifted her gaze toward the same window. She spotted the helicopters too, still far in the distance. Seeing them now made her feel even more at ease than when she had only heard the sound of their rotors.
But that comfort vanished in an instant. A man ran out from behind a parked red car and into the middle of the road. His hair was messy and black, and his clothes were worn and dirty. With both arms raised, he shouted for help.
Dylan slammed on the brakes, the van screeching to a stop.
"Hey! I need help! Please! Can you help me?!" the stranger cried out, frantic and desperate.
The man stood frozen on the cracked asphalt, arms still raised but refusing to move aside. His wide eyes stayed fixed on the people inside the van. He could see their lips moving, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
The stranger called out again, his voice breaking as he spoke. "Look, I know I'm a stranger! I know you don't know me, but I swear I don't mean you any harm! I just need to get back to my wife! She's hurt, so I went out looking for medicine! She's waiting for me at home, but my car broke down and she's still a mile away! Can you take me to her?! Please!"
Julie craned her neck, trying to see past the seats in front of her, but she couldn't get a clear view. All she could tell was that someone was yelling outside. "Dad? Why'd you stop? Is everything okay? Who is that?"
Dylan's reply came gently, meant to calm her. "Yeah, everything is fine. Don't worry. It's just someone who needs help."
From his seat behind Amanda, Senator Logan Monroe wasn't convinced. He had noticed Dylan's pause, the way his attention lingered on the stranger. While he felt for the man, Logan also knew they couldn't blindly trust him.
Logan reached forward, placing a firm hand on Dylan's shoulder. "How do we know this isn't a trap?"
Dylan met his gaze through the rearview mirror. "A trap? Come on, Logan. Look at him. The man's falling apart."
"All I'm saying is that he could be putting on an act. We can't just blindly trust people anymore. If I were you, I'd keep driving."
Dylan hesitated, weighing the senator's warning. He knew the risk was real, but he also couldn't shake the thought of someone hurt and waiting for help. "But what if he's telling the truth? His wife could be out there, waiting for him. The Zeds aren't even coming out right now, so I don't think we'd run into trouble."
"It's not the Zeds I'm worried about," Logan countered. "And even if he's honest, we don't have the room for another person."
Dylan's grip tightened on the wheel as he thought it over. "We could make room. Julie could sit on Amanda's lap in the back. Oh, and if you're worried about him trying anything, we could have him sit next to me. You'll be able to keep an eye on him that way."
"Honey, don't be ridiculous!" Amanda blurted out. Her voice shook at first, but she took a deep breath to calm down. "We don't know him. Let's just go."
"It's just…" Dylan said as he loosened his grip on the wheel. "Let me talk to him."
Ignoring Logan and Amanda's objections, Dylan opened the door and stepped out of the van. He closed it carefully behind him, leaving the others in uneasy silence as he turned his focus to the stranger.
Dylan approached slowly, trying not to sound tense. "Do you mind if I ask your name?"
"My name?" the man echoed. His eyes darted around the street, as if deciding whether to be this open with them. Then he seemed to remember why he had stopped the van in the first place, and the urgency in his face returned. "Julian… Julian Reed."
"Julian Reed?" Dylan repeated, as if testing the name out loud.
"Yes…"
"Nice to meet you, Julian. My name is Dylan, Dylan Sandoval. What about your wife?"
"My wife? Her name is Juniper."
"Juniper Reed, I assume?"
"Well… Yes, of course."
The stranger seemed to be gradually calming down. With each answer, he appeared more at ease than before.
"Does this mean you're going to help me?" Julian asked.
"Well, everyone else has to agree. Let me ask them."
Dylan turned away and headed back toward the van. He opened the door once more and leaned inside, trying to get his companions to reconsider.
"So, does he still sound dangerous to you?"
"Dylan, I'm telling you right now. This is a bad idea," Logan warned.
"Like I told you before, Logan, we can always have him sit next to me."
Amanda clenched her hands and shook her head. "This isn't safe, Dylan. It just isn't."
"Come on, hun. Just think about what he's going through," Dylan said gently. "He needs help. His wife needs help."
Lydia finally broke her silence, overwhelmed by how stressed the adults had become. "Dad! Let's just go! Please!"
The van door was still open, letting the voices inside spill out into the quiet street. Julian caught bits of the conversation, and a sick feeling rose in his chest. The thought of being left behind filled him with panic until he couldn't take it anymore. With a shaky breath, he pulled a pistol from the waistband of his pants and aimed it straight at Dylan. No one screamed. No one moved. Inside the van, everyone froze, their eyes fixed on the weapon like time had stopped.
Dylan didn't flinch. He raised his hands slowly and spoke with a calm, steady voice, like he was trying to talk someone off the edge. "Hey… hey, buddy, calm down… It's okay. You don't have to do this."
Julian's lips trembled as he said, "I'm sorry… I'm really sorry, but I have to get back to her… She's waiting for me at home…" His hand shook, but he didn't lower the gun. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone. He just didn't know what else to do.
Even with a gun pointed at him, Dylan didn't back away. He kept his hands raised and slowly took a step forward. "I get it," he said. "You're trying to help someone you love. But this isn't the way. You're scaring the kids."
"Kids?" Julian glanced through the windshield and saw three children leaning between the front seats. They had stood up to get a better look, their wide eyes filled with fear. His grip loosened a little. Seeing their faces made his chest tighten.
Dylan noticed the way Julian's grip had faltered. He spoke again, careful not to push too hard. "Look, we can figure something out. But you need to lower the gun."
Julian didn't move. His shoulders rose and fell with each shaky breath, and the gun in his hand wobbled slightly before snapping back into place. His tone stayed rough and tight, like he was trying to convince himself that this was the only way. "I can't… I'm really sorry, but… you have to get out of the car," he began, his volume rising with urgency. "Tell them to get out of the van. Get out or I'll shoot! I'll shoot you all!"
"Okay! Okay! Give us a second!"
Dylan looked over at Amanda, and their eyes met for a moment. She gave a small nod, already understanding what had to be done. She told the others to get out, and they listened without saying anything. The kids were terrified, but they copied the adults and did the same. None of them knew how scared the man really was. He just wanted to see his wife again.
"Thank you… Thank you. Again, I'm sorry. I had no choice. Please understand…"
Julian kept the gun raised as he slowly made his way toward the driver's seat. He told them to back away, and they did, moving with quiet steps.
Dylan stayed closest, not moving too far, watching Julian closely as the man neared the door. "Please, don't do this," he implored. "We need that van to make it to the Golden City."
"Stay back! I'll shoot!" Julian warned, his finger tightening on the trigger as he aimed the gun right at Dylan's chest.
Dylan stepped toward him, slow and careful, closing the distance one step at a time. Julian's hands were shaking, but the gun stayed pointed at him. No one else spoke. They just stood there, frozen, watching Dylan try to reach someone too desperate to think straight.
"If you want, we could take you to Juniper," Dylan calmly suggested. "She's waiting for you, right? Don't you think you both would be safer within the safety of the Golden City's wall?"
"Please… Stay away…" Julian pleaded.
Dylan maintained his composure and continued his approach. "I know you don't want to shoot me, Julian. You don't have to. We're on the same side here."
Julian, fearing for the safety of everyone involved, desperately urged, "Dylan, for the love of God, back off!"
As Julian's tone grew sharper, Amanda and Julie became more alarmed. They shouted for Dylan to stop, afraid something terrible might happen. But Dylan wouldn't stop. He believed he could still reach the man.
"Dylan, stop! He's going to shoot you!" Amanda cried out.
"No, he won't," Dylan assured her. "We're all friends here."
"Dad, please!" Julie added, barely keeping it together.
"It's okay, Julie. I just want him to see that he can trust us."
Dylan kept walking toward Julian, trying to show he wasn't a threat. However, despite Dylan's efforts, Julian felt trapped. He gave another warning to stay back, but Dylan smiled softly and kept moving. Now there were only a couple feet between them. The gun was still pointed at Dylan, and Julian looked ready to snap.
"Back off…"
"I know you want to trust us. Please, trust us."
Julian closed his eyes for a moment, trying to push away the panic in his head. His grip was unsteady, and the trigger sat beneath his finger.
Dylan finally stopped walking, now close enough to grab the weapon if he wanted to. But he didn't. Instead, he slowly held out his hand with his palm facing upward, as if waiting for Julian to place the gun in it. "Julian, please give me the gun. Let's go get your wife."
Julian's thoughts were pulled into the past, replaying the moment his wife had been hurt. He remembered how the Zeds had broken into their home and how he'd searched like crazy for his pistol while his wife screamed for help. She had tried to call the police, but the phone wouldn't work. He finally found the gun in a cabinet, but when he got back to the living room, it was already too late. The Zeds had gotten in. They had his wife cornered, their black-veined arms reaching for her. Without thinking, he aimed and fired, her screams echoing in his head.
The memory faded as Julian opened his eyes again. Dylan was still standing in front of him, but something had changed. Their eyes met for just a second, until Dylan slowly looked down at his chest. Blood had started to spread through the fabric of his blue mechanic coveralls.
That's when Julian realized what he had done. He let go of the gun just before Dylan collapsed, and the pistol hit the pavement with a dull thud near Julian's feet. Amanda and Julie rushed to Dylan the moment he hit the ground, shouting his name through their tears. Logan and Hayley weren't far behind, dropping to their knees beside him and trying to stop the bleeding. Lydia and Aiden stood farther back, unable to move. They could only stare in silence, frozen as they witnessed it all unfold.
Even with the gun no longer in his hand, Julian couldn't stop shaking. He repeated the same words again and again, eyes locked on the others as panic and guilt took hold. "I'm sorry…" he said softly. "I'm sorry…"
Amanda screamed at him to leave. Julie did too, crying harder with each breath. Julian didn't argue. Still in a daze, he turned toward the open driver's side door, climbed in, and shut it behind him. Then he drove off, whispering those same two words to himself, over and over, even after no one could hear them anymore.
The van disappeared down the road, its rumble fading into the distance. No one ran after it. No one even looked that way. Everyone remained near Dylan, the horror of what just happened still sinking in. Amanda and Julie stayed close, their voices trembling as they pleaded with him to stay awake, while Logan and Hayley focused on the wound, trying to hold back the bleeding with their hands.
"Dylan, Dylan, you're going to be okay. You hear me, honey? You're going to be okay."
"Dad, please don't die…"
Logan and Hayley exchanged a quiet glance, both understanding that nothing they said would help. Dylan needed to hear the voices of his family, the only thing that might help him hold on.
Aiden and Lydia stood nearby, unsure of what to do. But when the low thump of helicopter rotors reached their ears, both of them turned toward the sound. For the first time in what felt like forever, it seemed like help had finally arrived. Could this be their long-awaited salvation?
Lydia waved her arms high, trying to make herself visible. "Over here! We're over here!" she shouted, hoping to catch the attention of whoever was flying the helicopter. As the aircraft descended, she ran back to the others and knelt beside Julie. Her eyes didn't leave Dylan's face for a second. With as much hope as she could muster, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "They're here to save us! You're going to be okay, mister! You're going to be okay!"
The helicopter landed just a short distance away. As the doors opened, two soldiers stepped out, carrying a stretcher between them. Without wasting a second, they hurried toward the group. One of them checked Dylan's condition while the other kept watch, scanning the area for threats. Once Dylan was stabilized, they carefully lifted him onto the stretcher and carried him back to the helicopter. The others followed close behind, sticking together as they boarded one by one.
Amanda sat beside her husband, gently holding his hand as the helicopter lifted into the air. She leaned in close to her husband and spoke softly, trying to sound calm, even though her face showed how worried she really was. "We're safe now," she told him. "Just hang in there a little longer."
Amanda's concern was plain to see, and Dylan could tell she was trying to hide it. He gave her a weak but affectionate smile before turning his head toward Aiden. The boy hadn't looked away since the moment they boarded. He sat stiff and quiet, clearly shaken by everything that had happened.
"Hey, Aiden," Dylan murmured, his voice low and strained from the pain. "How are you holding up?"
Aiden opened his mouth, but no words came out at first. He looked down, struggling to find something to say. "I… I don't know…"
Amanda gently motioned for her husband to stop talking, hoping he would save his strength until they made it to the Golden City. However, Dylan didn't respond. He simply kept his eyes on Aiden, as if he knew there might not be much time left.
"Aiden, listen… I know what I'm asking is selfish. I don't know what kind of relationship you had with your parents, but you were strong enough to keep moving forward after they passed away."
Those words were enough to draw a reaction. Amanda squeezed Dylan's hand a little tighter, trying to hold back the tears that had already begun to well in her eyes. Julie, sitting just beside her, was already crying. No one else spoke. The helicopter cabin had gone completely silent, every pair of eyes on Dylan as he continued.
"Amy, please take good care of our daughter. I'm sorry for working long hours. I never spent enough time with either of you," Dylan said, his voice growing faint but full of love and regret. "Julie, please listen to your mother," he went on, his voice even weaker now. "I'm proud of how well you've been doing in school, but your rebellious phase is just around the corner. I hear a daughter's teenage years are the hardest for a mother."
Julie sat still with her hands pressed against her knees. "Dad…" she whispered, her cheeks wet with emotion.
Dylan looked at Aiden again as he picked up from where he had left off earlier in their conversation. "Aiden, please protect my daughter. I hope you and Lydia will continue to be friends with her."
Julie glanced at Aiden, her breathing shaky and uneven. Lydia, too, had started to cry as she listened quietly. The helicopter's door remained open, allowing Dylan to look outside as he lay on his back. They were approaching the Golden City, their long-sought refuge.
With a soft smile, Dylan's voice grew faint as his life slowly slipped away, his final words marking the end of their journey.
"We finally… made it…"