Night had fallen by the time the scout team decided to stop. Rhea slowed the vehicle, Strider, and brought it to a halt beside a rocky outcrop.
"We should set up camp here," she said, flipping a few switches on the dash.
Vinn gave a nod and stepped out. "Rhea and I will scout the perimeter. Kato—cooking duty's on you."
Kato groaned. "Why do I always get stuck with that when I'm with you two?"
"Because you're the only one between us who can actually cook a decent meal," Rhea replied with a smirk, grabbing her rifle.
"She's right," Vinn added. "You're great at it. Honestly, you should've become a chef."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm the miracle cook," Kato muttered. "Fine. I'll whip something up—again."
All three dismounted from Strider. Weapons ready, Vinn and Rhea moved out to check the area.
"Clear on my side," Rhea called back over the comm.
"Same here," Vinn replied. "No signs of movement. Looks safe enough."
Kato's voice crackled over the radio. "Good. Now get back here and help me prep dinner."
They returned and helped Kato set up a small campfire and heat packs. The meal was simple but warm—exactly what they needed after a long day.
Once they'd finished eating, the conversation shifted to shifts.
"I'm not taking first watch," Kato said quickly, stretching out on his bedroll. "I cooked, so I get to sleep first."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "I drove all day. Vinn, it's your turn."
Vinn sighed and unshouldered his rifle. "Fine. I'll keep first watch. Kato, you're second."
Kato sat up. "What? But I just—!"
"No buts," Vinn cut him off. "Rhea's got a point. She did all the driving. Now stop whining."
Grumbling, Kato laid back down. "I'd like to see you talk to anyone else like this."
Vinn turned his head slightly. "What was that?"
"I said fine, I'll take second shift," Kato muttered.
Rhea gave a small chuckle as she laid down, and Vinn took his position by the edge of the firelight, scanning the dark horizon as the others drifted off to sleep.
Elsewhere. Inside the military quarantine zone…
Milo Renn jolted awake, heart pounding. His eyes darted around the dim quarantine room.
A shadow moved across the wall.
He shot upright, scanning every corner—but everything was where it should be. No alarms, no noises, nothing out of place.
He let out a shaky breath and turned to climb back into bed—
—but froze.
Standing in front of him was a Hollowed Saint.
No glow. No sound. Just the looming, translucent figure of Shrikecoil – The Executioner, its form flickering like smoke.
It stared at him with hollow eyes.
Milo couldn't move. Couldn't speak. His throat tightened as he tried to call for help, but not a sound came out.
He thought this was it.
He thought he was going to die.
So, he closed his eyes.
And then—
"Make more followers.
Find the one.
Kill everyone close to him."
The voice echoed inside his skull, distant but undeniable.
He jolted again—
—this time for real.
Morning light spilled into the room.
He was in bed. Alone. Awake.
He sat up slowly, glancing at the clock. It had just turned 07:13.
"A nightmare…?" he whispered, wiping cold sweat from his brow. "Yeah. Just a nightmare."
A soft knock came at the door. Lieutenant Asha Relin entered with a nurse, clipboard in hand.
"Morning, Milo," she greeted. "We're here for your daily checkup."
The nurse moved to check his vitals while Relin asked the usual questions:
"Any fever? Nausea? Dizziness? Burning sensations? Hallucinations?"
"Nope. I feel fine," Milo answered with a tired smile.
The nurse looked up from the monitor. "Blood pressure's a bit high."
Milo scratched the back of his neck and muttered, "Might be from the nightmare I had."
Relin gave him a look. "Nightmares?"
He gave a tired shrug. "Yeah… had a weird one just before I woke up."
"Hm. Could be nothing. But let us know if anything changes."
As she turned to leave with the nurse, Milo called out, "Lieutenant, may I request something?"
Relin paused. "What kind of request?"
He hesitated. "Could I have my drone? The unfinished one. And some tools? It's too quiet in here—I need something to keep my mind busy."
Relin looked at him for a second, then sighed. "Fine. But only the drone and the essentials. Don't make me regret this."
Milo grinned. "Thank you, Lieutenant."
She and the nurse left.
An hour later, a soldier arrived, delivering the disassembled drone and a small case of tools. Milo thanked him, rolled up his sleeves, and sat cross-legged on the bed.
He placed the drone in front of him, the pieces scattered like a puzzle. He hummed quietly to himself and got to work—his burned hand moving with surprising precision.
But somewhere in the back of his mind…
The voice still echoed.
"Make more followers…"
Rhea woke the others just after dawn. Vinn groaned as he sat up, and Kato stumbled toward the water canister to wash his face.
"Ugh… morning already?" Kato mumbled.
"No," Rhea deadpanned. "I just enjoy waking you up for no reason."
Kato rolled his eyes but cracked a grin. "Fine, fine. I'll cook."
Within a few minutes, the scent of a quick camp meal filled the air—simple, hot, and just enough to shake off the sleep. The three of them sat by Strider, quietly eating.
After finishing, Kato stretched his arms and stood up. "Alright, I'll drive for a while. Rhea, you should get some more sleep."
Vinn nodded, brushing crumbs off his lap. "He's right. You did the longest shift. Get some rest while we've got clear skies."
Rhea didn't argue. She slid into the passenger seat, eyes already growing heavy.
Kato climbed into the driver's seat and fired up Strider's engine. The vehicle rumbled back to life, rolling forward across the cracked earth.
Vinn checked the tracker again. "Signal's still steady—same spot as yesterday. If the terrain holds, we'll be there in three to four days."
Kato drummed his fingers against the wheel, uneasy. "Still don't like this. Finding Angelo… it's like volunteering to dig our own graves."
Vinn didn't look away from the horizon. "Yeah, well… none of us are thrilled. But we've got our orders."
Silence settled in again, broken only by the hum of Strider's engine as they moved deeper into the unknown.