BANG!
The rusted door flew off its hinges, slamming against the concrete wall with a metallic screech. Dust exploded through the air like a fog, and through it stepped a figure — sharp eyes, short blonde hair, shotgun locked and ready. Alice.
"Hana!" she barked, her voice steel and smoke. "Step away from that man!"
Hana froze, her fingertips just inches from the cracked, half-faced mask. Her pulse roared in her ears as she slowly turned toward the voice.
Behind Alice, Leo leaned forward, his curiosity too loud to silence. His goggled eyes locked onto the man lying on the ground — still, but alive. Breathing. And that mask...
"No way..." he muttered, creeping closer. "That's one of them. One of the mythic five."
He knelt beside Haruka, studying the mask like a relic. "Where did you find him?" he asked, glancing up at Hana.
"I—I didn't," she replied, flustered. "He saved me."
Leo reached out.
But before he could touch the mask, Haruka's hand sprang up like lightning — gripping Leo by the throat, katana drawn in a blink and resting against his chest. Leo gasped, stunned.
Alice moved immediately, stepping in front of Hana, shotgun raised and steady. "Let. Him. Go."
Haruka's eyes narrowed behind the mask.
Hana took a step forward, voice trembling. "Please! He's with me. We're with Mama's Fangs. We're rebels."
Haruka's grip held for a moment longer… then loosened. Leo collapsed back, coughing, dragging air into his lungs. Alice lowered her shotgun slowly, shoulders still tight.
Then — a soft exhale.
She turned to Hana, eyes wide, and pulled her into a hug. "We thought we'd lost you," she whispered.
Before anyone could speak again—
THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...
The hallway shuddered with every step. Rhea appeared in the doorway, her cloak fluttering with her movement.
"We've got a problem," she said, cool and calm. "Big horde. Less than a minute out."
Alice nodded, all business now. "Alright, tell the others. We're moving out. We try to outrun them."
She turned to Leo. "How are you?"
Leo held up an 'okay' sign. "The sword left a mark. Kinda cool, actually."
Alice called out, "Mika!"
Light footsteps echoed through the rubble. Rhea crouched beside Leo, frowning. "What happened to you?"
Leo pointed at Haruka, now silently sheathing his katana. Rhea met Haruka's eyes for a moment — something unspoken passing between them.
"Lost soul. Lost cause," she muttered.
Mika arrived, messy ponytail bouncing, big round glasses sliding down her nose. A stained white coat flapped against her sides, and a rusty MP5 hung from her shoulder. Her short pants were layered over black tights, a satchel swinging at her hip filled with syringes and tools.
"Yes, ma?" she asked, snapping to attention.
"Take a look at Leo. He's bleeding," Alice said, then handed Mika a small bag. "You left these."
Mika nodded, crouching beside Leo. "Damn, Specs. Whatever happened to you?"
Leo responded with a middle finger. Rhea chuckled. "It was him."
Mika turned to Haruka. "Uhh... and who's that?"
"Long story," Hana replied.
"Hana!" Mika squealed, practically throwing herself at her. Leo toppled over with a grunt.
"That's right," Alice called. "We move now. Let's go."
Hana turned to Haruka, offering a hand. "Come with us."
Outside, the hallway opened to a high ledge overlooking a sea of writhing rot. Zombies filled the street below like a flood of flesh and hunger.
Alice approached a tall, armored teen standing by the edge — his Samoan features stern, burn scar etched along his neck. Jax.
"Ma! You find Hana?" he asked, eyes never leaving the horde.
"Yeah," Alice confirmed. "But we've got company."
Jax nodded. "We stay and fight?"
"Or we run," Leo chimed in, pointing toward a rusted delivery truck parked at the far end of the alley. "If Hana can hot-wire it, we can get outta here."
Alice looked between the truck and the oncoming horde. "Alright. That's the plan. Rhea, Jax — cover her. Leo, Mika, get ready to move."
The groans grew louder. The truck was their only shot.
And soon, they'd all find out whether Haruka would run with them... or fight beside them.