"Given how dangerous the research institute is, our current weapon reserves might not be sufficient for prolonged combat," Cassian remarked after Zephyr briefed them on the dire situation. His calm gaze swept over Elara and Seraphina as he spoke candidly, "The ammunition and equipment we brought are mainly for emergencies and self-defense. If we're going to launch a full assault on an underground research facility surrounded by tens of thousands of undead, possibly guarded by powerful mutants, we'll be severely outgunned."
Zephyr, typically stoic, added with an uncharacteristic hint of resignation on his ice-cold features, "Our access to weapon resources is limited."
Elara was genuinely surprised by this revelation. She had always assumed that people like Cassian and Zephyr, who clearly had official backing and considerable power, would have unlimited access to weapons and ammunition. After all, in the early days of the apocalypse, military superiority meant control over both authority and survival.
"How can you be short on weapons when you're with the government?" she couldn't help but ask, confusion evident in her voice.
Zephyr's usually impassive face showed a rare complex expression - a mixture of frustration and what almost looked like... vulnerability? He explained concisely, "The apocalypse's onset was too sudden, and its scale exceeded all predictions. Most conventional military forces were devastated in the initial chaos. Even now, acquiring large quantities of standard weapons and ammunition from functioning military units or arsenals requires navigating extremely complex procedures and approvals."
He paused before adding, his voice carrying an unmistakable note of exasperation: "Those procedures are... particularly challenging."
Elara couldn't help but feel both amused and sympathetic watching Zephyr's almost childlike frustration as he tried to maintain his cool demeanor while essentially complaining about bureaucracy. This glimpse of humanity in the usually glacier-like man made him seem more... approachable.
Well, she could understand the government's constraints. Fortunately, she had her own "private reserves." While not vast in quantity, the quality was excellent, and the variety comprehensive. Combined with their evolving abilities, these weapons should sustain them through the initial phases of combat. More importantly, establishing connections with the military would secure more stable intelligence and resource support in the long run.
"I might be able to help with the weapons situation," Elara said thoughtfully, deliberately keeping her offer vague to maintain some leverage.
Over the next few days, everyone prepared for the imminent rescue operation at the research institute. Elara distributed part of her basement arsenal to Cassian and Zephyr, including several high-performance assault rifles, submachine guns, along with corresponding ammunition and tactical gear. Both men were visibly surprised by the military-grade equipment, far superior to what typical survivors could access, but tactfully avoided questioning its origin.
During a brief respite from preparations, Elara took some time for personal maintenance. The constant fighting and travel had left her looking somewhat weathered. Standing before the dusty bathroom mirror in the villa, she ran her fingers through her hair, studying her reflection - tired but still sharp-eyed.
"Hmm... it's gotten too long. Becoming impractical," she murmured. While her long hair could be tied back, it still sometimes interfered during intense combat.
Seraphina eagerly volunteered as an impromptu hairstylist. Armed with a sharp pair of scissors, she carefully transformed Elara's shoulder-length hair into a sleek, short cut. The new style made her appear more streamlined, the clean-cut edges framing her face like crisp book pages, drawing more attention to her striking honey-brown eyes.
Time flew by, and six days passed in what felt like moments.
According to Zephyr's intelligence, the military's "reinforcements" were expected to reach S City tomorrow. They needed to rescue the trapped researchers before these reinforcements arrived - not only to save precious time but also to secure a stronger negotiating position in future dealings with the military.
On the eve of their mission, all preparations were complete.
Elara carefully loaded her "Bubble" orchid into the SUV's trunk. The plant had recovered significantly and seemed more vibrant than ever, likely due to absorbing energy from the crystal cores. She also brought along the mutant vine in its special container - still establishing its roots in the pot but noticeably more robust than before.
Jorah, despite his persistent nervousness, had been half-encouraged, half-"threatened" into joining the team - Elara had made it clear that the alternative was being left alone in the villa to fend for himself. Though timid, Elara recognized that his plant-growth ability held immense potential if he could overcome his fears. She even arranged to transport the giant roses he had enhanced, carefully transplanted into sturdy large pots, loading them onto the modified cargo truck Cassian's team had provided.
All equipment, supplies, personnel, and even the restless plants were now in position.
The night was pitch black, with an eerie silence hanging over the villa, broken only by occasional distant moans of the undead - a grim reminder of their world's brutal reality.
Standing beside the SUV, Elara performed one final equipment check. The night breeze rustled through her newly cropped hair, carrying a hint of coolness. She lifted her gaze toward the eastern district where the research institute loomed like an ancient predator waiting to devour its prey, emanating an aura of menace that made her heart skip a beat.
Taking a deep breath, she let the cold air fill her lungs, steadying her slightly elevated heartbeat from pre-mission tension.
"Let's move out," she said to Cassian and Zephyr beside her, her tone composed but her eyes burning like stars in the darkness, bright with unwavering determination.
The thick darkness, like undiluted ink, engulfed S City in deathly silence. The SUV and modified truck sped silently through the empty streets, their dimmed headlights casting faint beams that barely illuminated the path ahead.
As they approached the National Institute of Biological Genetics in the eastern district, the oppressive atmosphere grew increasingly intense. The institute's modern architectural complex loomed like a silent steel beast in the darkness. The once-prominent metal letters spelling "S City Central Virus Research Institute" on the main building's facade were now buried under thick snow and frost, barely discernible outlines hinting at former glory.
The closer they got to the institute's core area, the more numerous the undead became. Unlike the scattered, aimlessly wandering individuals they'd encountered in the city, these moved in organized groups, flowing like tides around the institute's perimeter and roads.
"Their movements... seem systematic, like they're patrolling," Elara observed from the passenger seat, frowning as her space-time perception clearly detected the unusual movement patterns. These undead weren't simply attracted to sound and human presence; they were following fixed routes as if executing predetermined orders.
"The intelligence was correct - these undead show clear signs of being controlled," Cassian noted gravely from the back seat.
Vespera, who had been concentrating on establishing mental connections with the undead, wrinkled her small nose and typed on her phone, producing a mechanical voice: "The ones outside are weak. I can make them move away briefly."
Through dedicated practice and combat experience, Vespera had grown increasingly proficient with her abilities. She could now sense undead at greater distances and even briefly control small groups of weak-willed, lower-tier undead, influencing their movements.
As Vespera extended her mental influence, the "patrolling" undead ahead suddenly became sluggish. Their once-orderly "formations" began to break down. They turned in confused circles, as if suddenly purposeless, before slowly wandering away from their patrol routes in the opposite direction.
"Well done, Vespera!" Elara whispered approvingly.
Seizing this brief window, Zephyr swiftly drove both vehicles into a relatively concealed parking area near the institute's perimeter and cut the engines.
"Move out!"
They quickly disembarked, efficiently scaling the institute's modest perimeter wall and infiltrating the grounds silently.
Inside the institute, the darkness deepened, broken only by weakly flickering emergency lights that carved the surroundings into distorted patches of light and shadow. The air carried a strong scent of disinfectant mixed with... a faint metallic tang of blood.
Unlike the stiff-limbed, slow-moving, bluish and partially decomposed lower-tier undead outside, the ones inside the institute were markedly different. They moved with greater agility, almost matching human speed. Though still pale, their skin showed no obvious decay, and their eyes held a hint of... savagery.
"Are these... evolved ones?" Seraphina watched in alarm as an undead lunged from the shadows with startling speed.
Amily kept a protective grip on Vespera's cold little hand, staying at the rear of the group. Her nerves were on high alert, vigilantly scanning every potential hiding spot for danger.
Suddenly, a sharp gust of movement struck from their diagonal rear - too fast to react!
Amily's pupils contracted in shock. In that split-second, with no time for effective evasion or counterattack, pure maternal instinct drove her to clutch Vespera tightly against her chest, using her own back as a shield against the unknown threat!
"Watch out!"