[Win – Forest Trail – 10:20 a.m.]
The trail widened ahead of us, the trees thinning into patches of sunlight that broke across the cracked pavement. My bitten arm still ached, but the strange itch was gone, leaving only the normal sting of healing skin. I told myself it was just a side effect of the transfusion—the first time my body had done something like that. Nothing more. Nothing to worry about right now.
Palm walked close beside me, our shoulders brushing every few steps. Mali led the way, her scalpel tucked into her belt, her pack slung over one shoulder. We moved in a quiet rhythm, the forest around us filled with distant moans but no immediate threats. The drone had vanished to the west, but the pull of Nexus Spire felt stronger with every step.
"We should reach the old service road soon," Mali said without turning. Her voice stayed steady, her attention on every shadow. "From there, it's a straight shot toward the city edge. Less cover for the dead."
Palm glanced at me, a small grin tugging at his lips despite the exhaustion in his eyes. "Hear that? Straight shot. No more carrying me like a sack of rice. Though I wouldn't mind if you tried again—just for the excuse to hold you."
I nudged his good arm lightly. "Keep dreaming. Next time you get feverish, I'm making you walk it off while I complain the whole way."
He laughed softly, warm and familiar. "Deal. As long as you keep looking at me like that, I'll walk anywhere."
Mali cleared her throat ahead of us. "Flirt later. We have company."
I looked up.
Three figures stepped out from the treeline onto the trail ahead, moving with the careful pace of people who had learned to watch their backs. The woman in front carried herself with quiet authority—leather jacket, gun at her hip, a scar cutting across her cheek. Behind her walked a guy with a camera slung around his neck and a girl with pink-streaked hair holding a phone like it was a weapon.
And beside them—
Kao.
She looked exactly like I remembered. Axe in hand. Eyes sharp and steady. The same girl who had saved us more times than I could count on the rooftop. The same girl who had been shoved from the helicopter while we watched.
"Kao!" I called, the word slipping out before I could stop it.
She froze mid-step, her axe lowering slightly. Recognition flickered across her face, followed by something raw and unguarded. "Win? Palm?"
We closed the distance quickly. Palm reached her first, pulling her into a quick, tight hug. She stiffened for a second, then returned it. I clapped her shoulder, relief hitting so hard my knees felt weak.
"We saw you fall," I said, my voice tight. "From the helicopter. Namtan pushed you and… we thought—"
"I survived," Kao said simply. Her voice was calm, but there was a new edge to it. She stepped back and looked between us, then at Mali. "I always do. But you… you made it out of the forest. And you have company."
Mali stepped forward, her expression softening as soon as she saw Kao. She reached out slowly, almost hesitantly, and brushed the back of her fingers against Kao's cheek. A tear slipped down Mali's face, catching in the dust on her skin.
"Lin loved you," she said, her voice thick. "Palm told me. She loved you deeply. I don't know how or when it started, but I know my daughter. She didn't give her heart easily. To her, you were family. To me… you still are."
Kao's breath hitched. For the first time since I'd known her, her eyes shone. She didn't pull away. "I loved her too," she said quietly. "More than I knew how to say. She made me feel when I thought nothing could."
The moment lingered—heavy, but not uncomfortable. Mali nodded once, wiping her face with the back of her hand before stepping back. "Then we carry that with us. All of us."
Palm cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. "So… who are your new friends? They don't look like they came from the rooftop."
Kao turned slightly toward the others. "This is Vitcha. She runs things. Saved these two when the streets got bad." She nodded toward the guy and girl. "Jay and Jane. They film everything. Call it 'Class Z: Can You Survive?' Apparently we're all stars now."
Jay lifted his camera with a quick grin. "Yo, fam. Live from the apocalypse reunion special. You guys look like you've seen some serious action."
Jane elbowed him lightly but smiled at us. "Ignore him. We're just trying to stay alive—and maybe tell the story right. Nice to meet the people Kao's been talking about."
Vitcha gave a short nod, her eyes scanning all of us carefully. "We're heading toward Nexus Spire. Sirin's tower. Word is she has tech that might help. And supplies. You?"
I exchanged a quick glance with Palm and Mali. We hadn't mentioned the transfusion, the immunity, or anything that could make us targets. Not yet. They seemed solid, but trust was still fragile.
"Same direction," I said carefully. "We saw one of my mother's drones earlier. Sirin… she's my mom. If anyone has real answers about what's happening, it's her tower."
Palm nodded. "We ran into each other at the right time. Mali found us in the forest. Saved my life, really. We were heading there anyway."
Mali kept her tone steady. "The hospital fell hard. I ran through the forest looking for Lin. Found these two instead. We've been moving together since."
Kao's gaze flicked to Mali again, something softer passing between them. "Then we go together. Strength in numbers. The Locusts are getting bolder near the city edge."
Vitcha adjusted the gun at her hip. "Agreed. We share what we know on the way. No surprises."
Jay raised his camera again. "This is gold. Group merge arc. Subscribers are going to lose it."
Jane rolled her eyes but kept her phone ready. "Only if we survive long enough to upload."
We started walking as one group, the trail opening wider ahead. Palm stayed close to my side, our hands brushing now and then in quiet reassurance. Kao fell into step beside Mali, the two of them speaking in low voices about Lin—respect and grief woven into every word. Vitcha took the lead, with Jay and Jane flanking her, their easy banter cutting through the tension like a reminder that not everything had to feel heavy.
We traded pieces of our stories as we moved—how the helicopter had lifted off, how Namtan had pushed Kao, how we had seen her fall and assumed the worst. Kao told us about the lake, the watching zombies, and how Vitcha's group had found her and given her a way forward. We shared what we'd heard of the camp attack—the screams, the chaos, the way the dead had broken through.
No one mentioned the blood. No one mentioned the bite that refused to turn me. Those truths stayed between the three of us. For now.
The trail curved toward the city ruins, smoke still rising in the distance. Nexus Spire waited somewhere beyond the haze—a tower of steel and secrets that might hold answers for all of us.
Then, through a break in the trees, we saw him.
A lone figure in a military uniform, rifle cracking as he fought a cluster of zombies blocking the path ahead. He moved with purpose, dropping Basics one by one without wasting a shot. Even from this distance, his stance felt familiar.
We all stopped at once, weapons ready, hearts pounding with sudden hope.
The figure turned slightly, and for a brief moment, his face caught the light.