Gun
The broken door hung off its hinges.
Daniel stood just inside the room, the handgun still raised, his breathing finally slowing. The silence after the fight felt heavier than before, like the building itself was holding its breath.
Maya wiped her blade against a torn piece of fabric and slid it back into a firm grip. "That wasn't normal."
Daniel nodded. "None of this is."
"No," she said, glancing toward the hallway, "I mean them. They're changing already."
He didn't argue.
Because he had seen it too.
The way one of them had moved—faster, sharper, almost like it understood what it was doing.
That wasn't random.
That was something worse.
A faint sound echoed from above.
Not the wild crashing they were used to.
Something sharper.
Controlled.
Then—
A gunshot.
The sound cracked through the building, distant but clear.
Everyone froze.
"That's not us," one of the men said.
Daniel's grip tightened around the handgun. "No. It's not."
Another shot followed.
Then another.
Short bursts.
Measured.
Maya looked at him. "Someone up there knows what they're doing."
"Or they're just desperate," another voice added.
Daniel shook his head. "No. That's controlled fire."
Another shot rang out.
Then silence.
Maya stepped toward the hallway. "We should check it."
Daniel hesitated for only a second.
Then nodded. "Yeah. We move together."
The group didn't argue this time.
They were past that.
They stepped out into the hallway, moving carefully over the bodies. The air was thicker now, heavier with the smell of blood and something sour creeping in.
Daniel led, gun raised.
Maya stayed at his side.
They reached the stairwell.
The door was slightly open.
Daniel pushed it slowly.
No immediate movement.
"Up," he said.
They climbed.
Seventh floor.
Eighth.
Each step felt louder than it should.
Then—
A body lay across the ninth-floor landing.
Daniel froze.
The head was gone.
Not bitten.
Not torn.
Clean.
A gunshot.
Maya crouched briefly, examining it. "Straight through. Whoever did this didn't panic."
Daniel nodded. "Military… or trained."
They moved onto the ninth floor.
The hallway ahead was worse than anything below.
Bodies lined the floor.
Every single one down.
Every single one with a head wound.
No bites.
No chaos.
Just precision.
"Whoever's here…" Maya said quietly, "they're good."
A sound came from the far end.
A click.
Daniel raised the gun instantly.
"Don't move."
The voice was calm.
Cold.
Not shaking.
A man stepped into view.
Mid-thirties, maybe older. Solid build. Dark clothing. His posture was steady, controlled, like he wasn't even tired.
The gun in his hand didn't shake.
It was already aimed.
Straight at Daniel.
"Drop it," the man said.
Daniel didn't.
"Not happening," he replied.
For a moment, neither moved.
The air tightened.
Maya shifted slightly, her knife ready.
The man's eyes flicked briefly to her, then back to Daniel.
"You're not infected," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Daniel shook his head. "No."
Another pause.
Then the man lowered the gun slightly.
"Good," he said. "Because I'm running low on ammo."
The tension broke—but not completely.
Daniel lowered his weapon just a little. "You alone?"
"Not by choice," the man replied.
Maya stepped forward slightly. "What happened here?"
The man glanced around the hallway. "Same thing happening everywhere else. They came in waves. I cleared them."
Daniel looked at the bodies again.
That much was obvious.
"Name," the man said.
"Daniel."
"Maya."
The man nodded once. "Kane."
Daniel studied him. "Military?"
Kane didn't answer directly. "Experienced."
That was enough.
A low sound echoed from the stairwell behind them.
All three reacted instantly.
Kane raised his weapon again.
"More incoming," he said.
Daniel tightened his grip. "How many rounds you got left?"
"Not enough if we waste them," Kane replied.
Maya stepped closer. "Then we don't waste them."
The sound grew louder.
Fast movement.
Climbing.
Daniel's heart rate picked up again.
"They're coming up fast."
Kane nodded once. "Then we hold here."
He moved without hesitation, positioning himself at the end of the hallway where the stairwell opened.
Daniel followed.
Maya took position on the other side.
The rest of the group stayed back, tense but ready.
"Headshots only," Kane said. "If you miss, you fix it fast."
Daniel nodded.
He could do that.
He had to.
The first one burst through the stairwell door.
Fast.
Daniel fired.
Clean hit.
Drop.
Kane fired next.
Another one down instantly.
Maya moved in, finishing a third with a precise strike.
"More!" someone shouted.
They came in a wave.
Not scattered.
Together.
Daniel fired again.
Missed.
He adjusted quickly and fired again.
Hit.
Kane didn't miss at all.
Every shot—clean.
Efficient.
Like he had done this before.
"Watch the fast ones!" Maya warned.
One of them moved differently.
Faster.
Lower.
It dodged past a shot and lunged toward the group.
Daniel reacted instantly.
He stepped forward—
Fired at close range.
The head snapped back.
It dropped.
"Good," Kane said shortly.
More came.
But fewer now.
The wave slowed.
Then stopped.
Silence returned again.
Daniel lowered the gun slightly, breathing hard.
Kane checked his weapon. "That's the last of this group."
"For now," Maya said.
Kane gave a slight nod. "For now."
Daniel looked at him. "You've seen more of them, haven't you?"
Kane didn't hesitate. "Yeah."
"And?" Daniel asked.
Kane's expression didn't change.
"They get worse."
The hallway went quiet again.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
Daniel looked at his gun.
Then at Kane.
Then at the stairwell.
"Then we get stronger too," he said.
Kane met his gaze.
For the first time—
There was the slightest hint of approval.
"Good," Kane said. "Because if you don't…"
He glanced at the bodies.
"…you won't last long."