The road ahead stretched endlessly, the gray clouds hanging low like a thick, smothering blanket. The SUV's tires crunched over broken asphalt, weaving through a graveyard of abandoned vehicles and shattered glass. Kate's hands were firm on the steering wheel, her eyes focused, though every now and then she stole a glance toward me in the passenger seat.
Shalltear sat quietly in the back, her crimson eyes half-lidded as she watched the ruined world pass by through the dusty window. For a while, the only sounds were the steady hum of the engine and the faint whine of the wind outside.
Finally, Kate broke the silence. "You're not from here, are you?" she asked suddenly, her tone cautious but curious.
I turned to look at her, amused by how direct she was. "No," I said simply.
Her grip on the wheel tightened slightly. "Didn't think so. You talk weird. You act like you've seen too much to be surprised by anything."
I chuckled softly. "You could say that."
She gave me a sidelong glance, her brow furrowing. "Then… where are you from?"
I leaned back in the seat, staring out the cracked windshield. "It's a secret."
Kate frowned. "A secret? Really? You're not even going to give me a hint?"
"Let's just say," I replied with a faint smile, "it's a place that doesn't exist anymore."
The SUV went quiet again for a moment. The way I said it—calm but heavy—made her stop asking. After a few minutes, though, she sighed and tried to change the mood. "You're a hard guy to read, you know that?"
"So I've been told," I said.
She chuckled weakly. "Figures."
For a while, the drive continued in silence, the world outside blurring into shades of gray and green. Then Kate spoke again, this time softer, almost to herself. "Before all this… I, Riri, and Kamala used to hang out after missions. We were always talking about the future—college, careers, normal stuff. Riri used to tease Kamala about her novel obsession, and Kamala would always throw something back about 'tech nerds having no social life.'"
Her voice cracked slightly as she smiled at the memory. "It feels like that was a lifetime ago."
I didn't interrupt. I just listened.
"Then this happened," she said, her tone darkening. "One day, half our world was gone, and the next… people were eating each other alive. Then, I died and became alive. I don't even know if they're still out there. Riri's smart—she might've built a shelter. And Kamala…" She shook her head. "She'd never give up on people. So maybe they're still alive. Maybe."
Her words lingered, heavy with the weight of loss and hope. I could see the exhaustion in her face, the kind that no sleep could cure. The apocalypse had taken everything from her—and yet, she still drove forward.
Shalltear, silent all this time, glanced up. Her expression softened slightly—not pity—well, I doubt she feels pity for anyone other than people of Nazarick—but quiet curiosity. "You still wish to see them again, even after this world has fallen?"
Kate's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. "Of course. That's the only reason I'm still alive."
I smiled faintly. "That's a good reason."
For the first time since I'd met her, Kate smiled genuinely, though faintly. "Yeah. Guess it is."
The road curved sharply, and I noticed the faint ruins of what looked like an old facility in the distance. Rusted fences surrounded it, and large satellite dishes jutted from the rooftops. The place was massive—government-grade infrastructure.
"There it is," Kate said, leaning forward. "The Ohio base."
But as we got closer, my expression hardened. The area was swarming. Dozens—no, hundreds—of figures moved aimlessly around the compound, their jerky motions unmistakable. Zombies.
Even from this distance, I could hear the guttural moans echoing through the valley, like a chorus of death. The gate was partially broken, and the entire outer yard looked like a feeding ground.
"It seems," I said calmly, "there are people there."
Kate blinked, confused. "People? You mean zombies."
I shook my head slightly. "No. I mean people. If there were no survivors, these creatures wouldn't be this clustered—they're reacting to something inside."
Her knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "You think… there are still people alive in there?"
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I looked at the writhing mass of undead blocking the main entrance. "Only one way to find out."
She glanced at me, then at the road ahead. "You're not seriously saying what I think you're saying."
"Oh, I am," I said, leaning back and smirking faintly. "Go full speed, crush those zombies, and take us straight to the entrance."
Kate's jaw dropped. "You want me to ram through that? That's insane!"
"Insane," I repeated thoughtfully, "but effective."
Shalltear's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "I quite like this plan, my lord."
Kate exhaled sharply, muttering something under her breath. Then she tightened her grip on the wheel, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Fine. But if we die, I'm haunting you."
"Fair trade," I said with a grin.
She slammed the accelerator.
The SUV roared forward, its tires screeching as it sped down the hill. The undead turned their heads as the rumble grew louder, their hollow eyes glinting in the dim light. Then—impact.
The front of the car slammed into the first wave of zombies, sending them flying into the air like ragdolls. The windshield smeared red and black as the SUV plowed through the horde, metal crunching against bone. The engine growled under the strain, but it didn't falter.
"Keep going!" I shouted over the noise. "OOOh Aaaayyyyyaaaa."
Kate gritted her teeth, driving straight through the chaos as Shalltear laughed with wild delight in the backseat. The undead clawed at the car, but the SUV's momentum was unstoppable.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of carnage, the vehicle burst through the last cluster and skidded to a stop near the entrance gate of the Ohio base.
The smell of blood and decay filled the air. Steam rose from the hood of the SUV. Kate's hands were trembling slightly, but she was grinning. "That… was insane."
I opened the door and stepped out, scanning the compound beyond. "And now," I said quietly, "let's see who survived."
~~~
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