Chapter 2

As the squad leader, his word was law. The guys nodded in agreement immediately, giving him more respect in two seconds than my screaming ever could.

Marcus grabbed me by the scruff of my jacket, forcing me to meet his eyes. "Now that it's decided, shut your mouth. Remember this: I never begged you to stay. You're the one who crawled into my bed to survive."

"If we're making a run for it, let's get one thing straight. Real or fake, the second we're out, we are total strangers."

I stared back at him. His eyes were cold and ruthless. I knew my words had cut deep, but after five years of surviving side by side, there had to be something between us.

Yet in that moment, survival was all that mattered. "Fine."

I gave him a crisp nod.

Marcus stared at me for a long beat, then let out a dry, bitter bark of laughter. "Cold as ice. Slept with me for five years and you throw me away like trash."

I shot him a cool glare. "Takes one to know one."

Fury flared in his jaw. He spun around and stormed out.

I inhaled deeply, steadying my trembling hands. This world was a sick, twisted trap. Marcus, the guards, everyone—I didn't care what they thought anymore. I just wanted out, once and for all.

Marcus huddled with his inner circle, whispering and plotting well into the night. I didn't bother listening.

The next morning, Marcus shoved my shoulder roughly. "Up. Move. Don't cause any trouble today."

I nodded, geared up, and fell into line.

Before we walked out, Marcus gave me an unreadable look. I kept my chin down and ignored him. At sunrise, the search parties marched out through the heavy steel gates. The morning air was tense, heavy with dread.

Dark storm clouds smothered the sky. A cold weight settled in my gut, an ominous premonition. The rest of the squad felt it too; even Leo, who usually never shut up, walked in eerie silence.

Halfway along the route, we hit an ambush. Walkers swarmed from the tree line. Marcus charged first, cutting them down with terrifying efficiency. I froze in terror. Leo suddenly lunged forward, shoving me to the ground as he drove a combat knife through a walker's skull. He barked at me, "Lynn! What the hell are you daydreaming about?!"

I snapped out of it. Viscous fluid from the creature's split skull had splattered across my cheek. I wiped it with my fingers, brought it to my nose, and paused.

Something was wrong.

I stared at the thick substance on my palm, then brought it to my tongue to taste it. Before I could, Marcus kicked my arm away!

"Are you insane?! That's poison!"

"I'm not crazy!" I gasped, scrambling back.

"It's been five years! Walkers don't have cores, and this... this smells sweet! Doesn't this taste like strawberry gelatin to you?!"

Leo rushed over, dipped a finger into the muck, and licked it. A second later, he gagged and spat violently onto the dirt.

"Gelatin my ass! That's rotting brain matter! Ugh, Lynn... gross!"

I stared at them, bewildered. Were their noses broken? There wasn't a trace of copper or decay—it smelled sugary, artificial.

Before I could inspect it again, Marcus yanked me to my feet by my collar. "Stop losing your damn mind!"

"If you want this escape to work, quit drawing attention to yourself!"

I swallowed my protest. We pressed on toward the coordinates, six miles out. With every step, the tension in my chest tightened like a vice.

Suddenly, a blaring siren ripped through the air, and Marcus's radio crackled wildly to life.

"Base under heavy assault! All units, fall back immediately! Requesting immediate backup!"

Marcus turned on his heel to retreat. I grabbed his forearm with both hands. "We're almost there! It's right in front of us! If you turn back now, we lose everything! Let's just go check it out first!"