Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 116:

Chapter 116: 116:

The hallway was dimly lit, the low hum of the overhead lights barely masking the tension around them. Evelyn, Bale, and Hayden strode forward, their boots clicking against the concrete floor as they followed the waiting soldier toward the control room.

As soon as they stepped inside, a wave of hushed voices and frantic movements washed over them. A handful of soldiers and technicians were gathered around a set of monitors, their faces pale and drawn. A single screen flickered in and out of static, showing the last transmission from the patrol team that had ventured into the mist.

"Report," Evelyn commanded, her voice sharper than usual.

One of the technicians, a young corporal with nervous eyes, swallowed hard before answering. "Patrol Squad Six went dark ten minutes ago. We tried radio contact, but there was no response. Just before we lost them, we got... this."He tapped a few keys, and the distorted footage began to play.

At first, it was just the patrol—five soldiers moving in tight formation, their silhouettes barely visible through the dense fog. They moved cautiously, rifles raised, scanning their surroundings. The mist swirled unnaturally around them, thickening in patches, shifting like something alive.

Then, out of nowhere, the horde emerged.

They didn’t lurch forward in a mindless swarm. They moved in unison. A perfect, synchronized march—limbs jerking in eerie harmony, heads turning at the same moment. No stragglers. No chaos. It was calculated.

The men opened fire on the creatures and the mist thickened, swallowing the zombies and the men. "That’s not normal," Bale muttered, his fingers tightening into a fist.

The corporal’s hands shook as he adjusted the feed. "Then there’s... this."The footage jumped. A blur of movement in the mist.

For a split second, a figure appeared—humanoid but wrong. Its proportions were just off enough to unsettle the mind, its movements too fluid, too precise. Its eyes, or what should have been eyes, gleamed faintly before the mist swallowed it whole.

Then the screen went black.

Static buzzed through the speakers. The room was dead silent.

Hayden exhaled slowly. "What the hell did we just see?"Evelyn’s grip tightened on the edge of the console.

Bale ran a hand down his face. "We can’t let this get out."Hayden shot him a look. "Are you serious? People need to know what we’re dealing with—"

"They need hope," Evelyn cut in, her voice firm. "If word gets out that the horde isn’t just evolving but being controlled—"

"It’ll cause panic," Bale finished grimly.

The silence stretched between them, heavy.

Evelyn turned back to the gathered soldiers and technicians, her expression unreadable. "This doesn’t leave this room. Not yet."

"You’re ordering us to keep quiet?" one of the younger soldiers asked hesitantly.

"I’m asking you to think about what happens if people lose what little trust they have left in our leadership," Evelyn countered. "Until we understand what we’re up against, we keep this contained. Understood?"

A slow murmur of agreement followed. The men might not like it, but they knew she was right.

The men exchanged uneasy glances, but no one argued.

Hayden exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "So what’s the plan? We can’t just leave them out there."

Evelyn nodded. "We’re going after them."

Bale straightened. "I’ll gather a team—small, fast, well-armed. We get in, find survivors, and get out before that thing knows we’re there."

Evelyn turned to Bale and Hayden. "Let’s move. Before we lose them for good."

Without another word, they left the control room.

The clock was ticking...

*****

Soft laughter filled the dimly lit room as Mike and Leo sat cross-legged on the floor, a scattered mess of toys between them. Leo, a bright-eyed three-year-old, waved a plastic action figure in the air, making exaggerated sound effects as he mimicked a battle scene. Mike played along, dramatically tumbling one of Leo’s toy soldiers to the ground with a groan."You got me, little man!" Mike declared, clutching his chest as if gravely wounded.Leo giggled, clearly pleased with his victory.At the small, slightly worn wooden table, the adults sat in a loose circle, their voices hushed despite the casual atmosphere, the glow of a single overhead lamp casting warm light over their tired faces.

Mike sat on the ground with Leo in front of him, playing with his toys.

Zara sat at the table, leaning slightly forward, her dark eyes sharp as she listened. Winter, sitting beside her, absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the table, his ever-present restlessness evident. Across from them, Richard smirked, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Hey," Richard nudged him with his boot. "Speaking of restless soldiers—never thought I’d see you cool down, Winters." His lips curled into a smirk. "Last I saw you, you were throwing fists and getting tossed into solitary like a rabid dog."Winter rolled his eyes. "I wasn’t rabid."

"Sure, sure," Richard chuckled, shaking his head. "Just saying, it’s weird seeing you not trying to kill someone for once."

"Don’t tempt me."

Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "If we’re done reminiscing about Winter’s glory days, we should talk about what we’ve heard."

Zara sighed, straightening. "Sam, you’ve been at the hospital. Any whispers?"

Sam exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. The med bay’s been getting more cases than usual. Not just combat wounds, either. Some soldiers have come in with fever, confusion, and in one case... violent outbursts." He hesitated before continuing. "It’s not an infection, at least not one we can identify. But some of the doctors are worried it’s linked to whatever’s happening beyond the walls."

A hush fell over the group. They didn’t have to say it—everyone was already thinking about it.

"The mist," Mike muttered grimly.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Engineering’s been quiet... too quiet. Usually, we’re dealing with maintenance requests, but today? It’s like no one wants us anywhere near certain parts of the base. Security’s ramped up in places that don’t need it. Feels like something’s being hidden."A beat of silence followed.

Richard frowned. "There are rumours spreading through the barracks too. Some of the scouting teams have been returning off—silent, dazed, like they’re not fully there. A couple of them have gone AWOL after coming back, just... disappeared in the night."

Winter’s fingers stilled against the table. "That’s not normal."

"No shit," Richard said. "The officers are keeping it quiet, but everyone knows something’s wrong. Some of the men are saying we’re dealing with something worse than just the usual hordes. Something—"

A sharp knock at the door made them all freeze.

The playful sounds Leo made continued on the floor, oblivious to the tension that now gripped the room. Zara and Winter exchanged a look before Winter rose smoothly to his feet, his hand instinctively brushing against the hilt of the knife strapped to his thigh.

He approached the door and pulled it open just enough to see who was there.

A young soldier stood stiffly on the other side, his uniform crisp, his expression carefully neutral—but his gaze flickered past Winter’s shoulder, trying to see into the room.

"Sergeant Winter," the soldier said. "You’ve been assigned to a mission. Report to the military station in fifteen minutes."

Winter didn’t move. His sharp eyes caught the way the soldier’s brow furrowed, the way his gaze tried again to slip past him.

With a subtle shift, Winter blocked his view, gripping the edge of the door casually but firmly. "Got it," he said coolly.

The soldier hesitated, his expression unreadable. Then he gave a curt nod. "Don’t be late."

Winter watched him go before shutting the door, locking it behind him. When he turned back to the group, their expressions mirrored his own concern.

"That was fast," Zara said slowly. "Almost like someone knew we were talking about this."

"You think someone’s watching us?" Mike asked, his voice hushed.

Sam exhaled sharply. "I wouldn’t rule it out."

Richard leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "It’s too damn convenient. A mission, right now? What are the odds?"They all knew the answer.

"Let’s not do anything reckless," Zara said, her gaze flickering toward Leo, still happily playing on the floor. "We keep sharing what we learn, but we stay smart about it."

Richard nodded. "We should head back to our rooms before we draw more attention."

One by one, they stood, murmuring quiet farewells as they slipped out of the room.

When the door finally shut behind them, Zara turned to Winter, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I don’t like this," she admitted.

Winter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Neither do I."

She moved toward the small storage cabinet, pulling out his travel pack. "You might be gone for a while. I’ll pack extra just in case."

He watched her for a moment before stepping closer, placing a hand on her waist. "I’ll finish this quick and then come back to brainstorm with you. Figure this out together."

Zara sighed, her fingers tightening around the strap of his bag before she let go. "Just don’t get yourself killed out there."

Winter reached for her then, his calloused fingers brushing the side of her face before he leaned in. The kiss was brief, but heavy—warm and deep, stealing the breath between them. He lingered just a second longer than he should have as if memorizing the way she tasted, the way she fit against him.

Then he pulled back, his lips barely ghosting over hers as he murmured, "Don’t miss me too much."

Zara snorted, though her voice was softer than usual. "You’re too proud."

A small tug at his pant leg made them both look down.

Leo stood there, his chubby fingers grasping Winter’s pants, his wide eyes peering up expectantly.

"Kiss?" the toddler asked, his voice sweet and innocent.

Winter huffed a quiet laugh before scooping the child up in one smooth motion. Leo shrieked in delight as Winter tossed him into the air, catching him easily before pressing a firm kiss to his chubby cheek. "Keep being a hero for your mom while I’m gone, okay?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!"

Zara took Leo from his arms, resting him against her hip. "Be careful," she murmured.

Winter slung his pack over his shoulders, securing his rifle against his back. He gave them one last nod before turning toward the door.