Part 2Dawn After the Blood Moon

I stared at him, completely baffled. “What are you talking about? Didn’t you get the distress call?”

Rhys blocked my path, his eyes filled with contempt. “You mean the distress call from your own impending escape? Captain Lena radioed me this morning. She told me everything. Told me to wait here and stop you from running away like a coward.” He spat on the ground. “And to think we all respected you, ‘Doctor.’ That serum of yours is a load of crap, isn't it? Just a cover for your getaway. You’re a real piece of work.”

I stood frozen, the world tilting on its axis. It took me a moment for his words to sink in. Lena had said something similar, right before she’d had me killed in my past life.

She said I lured the horde to kill James. That I stole his research to create the serum.

My heart plummeted. It hit me like a physical blow.

Lena… she’d been reborn, too.

That’s why Marcus couldn’t convince them. And now… she’d cut off our last lifeline.

Thinking of the desperate faces back in the basement, I pushed aside my shock.

“Rhys, listen to me! Get your team and follow me back to the Sanctuary right now. If I’m lying, you can do whatever you want to me! I swear on my life!” I grabbed his jacket. “There are hundreds of people in there. I would not joke about this!”

He just rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Nice speech. How do I know this isn’t another one of your tricks? And even if the horde did show up, Lena and her Vanguard are there. You expect me to believe they can’t handle a few zombies?”

I yanked him closer by his collar, my voice raw with fury. “Yes, it would be easy if Lena was there! But she’s not! She took her whole team to a birthday party for James!” I was screaming now, my face hot with rage. “Do you know why she called you yesterday, Rhys? She planned this! She sent you here to stop me, to make sure no one interrupted her precious celebration!”

For the first time, a flicker of doubt crossed his face.

“No… that’s impossible. Lena wouldn’t abandon her post, not for… personal reasons. She wouldn’t risk the entire Sanctuary.” He shook his head, trying to convince himself. “You’re lying.”

I looked at him, and all the fight went out of me, replaced by a wave of crushing despair. I used to trust her like that, too. Unconditionally.

We’d met in college. When the world fell apart, we’d survived it together, side-by-side. I thought she was the one person I could always count on. I thought we would see the end of this nightmare together. But that all changed the day James arrived.

She would snap at me, accusing me of alienating the “new guy” whenever James was in a mood, even though he was a worthless nepotism hire who knew nothing about real research.

She would find time in her packed schedule to cook special meals for him, fawning over him in front of everyone, making no secret of her affection.

While I, her husband, stood by and watched.

A familiar, bitter taste filled my mouth, but this was no time for self-pity.

If he wouldn’t help, I’d go to another outpost. Even a single squad of reinforcements could be enough to turn the tide.

I scrambled back into my jeep and slammed my foot on the accelerator.

Rhys immediately swerved his own truck, blocking my path. “You’re not going anywhere, Larry!”

I saw red. I didn't care anymore. I floored it, aiming straight for him. If I had to die today, I was dragging reinforcements back with me.

My move startled him. He reacted instantly, a wave of kinetic energy erupting from his hands, shredding the front of my jeep and killing the engine.

I slammed my fists on the useless steering wheel, my voice cracking. “Rhys, get out of my way! They’re dying in there!”

He ignored me, his jaw set, planting himself in front of the wreckage. “I’ll go with you. But if you’re lying to me…”

“Then radio your team!” I cut him off, my voice hoarse. “Tell them to get ready! I’m not lying!”

One man wasn’t enough. We needed his entire Vanguard.

Rhys stared at me, his resolve finally wavering. He pulled out his communicator.

The next second, the emergency broadcast channel crackled to life, a robotic voice cutting through the silence.

[ALERT. ALERT. SOUTHERN SANCTUARY UNDER CRITICAL SIEGE BY ZOMBIE HORDE. ALL AVAILABLE VANGUARD UNITS IN THE SECTOR ARE TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.]

[REPEAT: ALL AVAILABLE VANGUARD UNITS ARE TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.]

The color drained from Rhys’s face.