"Then come and fight," Ryan said. "Show me what you've gained by giving up everything that made you human. Prove that your betrayal was worth the price you paid."
A profound silence fell over the ruined landscape, broken only by the regular transmissions of the artificial screams that Mark's devices continued broadcasting throughout Jackson Township. The mechanical wailing formed a discordant backdrop to the confrontation, rhythmic pulses of synthetic sound that echoed off buildings and bounced through empty streets, serving their intended purpose of confusing the infected which was working very well.
Rachel, who had maneuvered the camping van backward to establish a safer distance from the confrontation, felt genuine surprise and concern blossom in her chest as Ryan's words registered. She'd known Ryan for months now—had fought alongside him, survived impossible situations with him, come to understand his personality and patterns and the way his mind worked under pressure.
