Inside the hidden passage, Mack led the group deeper into the bunker with confidence. A bright fluorescent light lit their pat from the ceiling. The passage was dead quiet, leaving a slight cold breeze in the atmosphere.

Mack was happy. 'With this, my image should change in the face of the others.' He thought as he believed no one except the top official knew of this bunker location.

After a couple of seconds of walking, they arrived in front of a strong alloy door. Mack didn't dilly dally, he went to the side of the door where there was a small security keypad.

However, before he could start entering the security code a red blaring light flashed from the ceiling with loud footsteps coming from the other side of the alloy door.

"What the hell is going on?" Mack muttered in daze as he looked at the door.historical

Meanwhile, Justin and Merab watch everything with calm expressions. They wanted to see how Mack would handle the situation.

"Who are you and what are you doing here? Get lost immediately." A cold voice came from a small P.A system.

It took Mack a couple of seconds to recover from his shock. He took a deep breath and said slowly.

"I'm Mack from the Shepard family. The son of the current Army General." He tried not to be haughty in the presence but the proudness in his voice couldn't be more obvious.

For a couple of seconds, the passage was quiet. Merab glanced at Justin but saw no expression on his face. She sighed and shook her head slightly.

'Why is it so difficult to read his expression?' She thought.

After waiting for what looked like forever, Mack couldn't contain his irritation anymore.

"Who are you and how do you get access to this bunker?" He asked as his voice raised an octave.

This was a chance for him to redeem himself and be promoted back to his previous post. How could he allow nobody to take the chance from him?

"You don't need to know. All you need to know is this bunker belongs to us now. So son, advise you to take your leave." An elderly voice came from the other end.

"This bunker was built for the safety of humans and now all humans need it more than ever. So, we will like to enter the bunker with our group." Mack said after giving it some thought.

There isn't any safer place than the bunker. If they could join people inside the bunker. That would be the best result. But the cold ruthless word from the elderly voice shattered his delusional self.

"No. Are you kidding me? Who in the right senses shares such a thing? Besides, do you know the number of people inside with us? Do you know how many resources we are consuming each day to survive? Accepting you is bringing everyone to their doom. So, no."

Hearing the elderly voice, Mack knit his brow. 'I've heard this voice before.' He thought deeply. But no matter how he thought about it; he couldn't wrap his head around where he heard that voice.

He sighs and looks at Justin. The thought of fighting the people behind the alloy door never came to his mind because he knew how strong the metal alloy door was. Besides, the defense capability of the bunker was nothing to joke about.

As if Justin could guess his thoughts and he said calmly. "Let go."

Boom!

Just as the trio turned to leave. A vehement vibration shook the land, followed by a dreadful wind.

The three looked at each before they left the bunker entrance with a large step. Though Justin didn't know what caused the powerful vibration; he knew it wasn't something good.

As Justin and the others came out of the bunker's hidden passage. They turned their head into the distance and what they saw left their mouths agape.

Thousands of strange-looking creatures swamp the city as they destroy everything on their path. Up in the air, the bizarre best covered as the screech left the soul in trepidation. While the group was looking at the strange beasts a notification popped up in their eyes.

__Insectoid Race___

For a couple of seconds, the trio didn't bat an eye as they stared at the notification and the Insectoid race in the distance.

Merab and Mack's heart was in their throat as a bead of sweat dripped from their forehead. Their muscles tensed, their brains scalped and their breath quickened.

My God!

Can we fight against these monsters?

Myriad thoughts flew through their minds but none of them gave them a satisfactory result.

"Let go?" Justin's voice woke the duo from their stupor.

"Y-e-s... yes" they chorused as they rushed after the departing back of Justin.

Screech!

A deafening cry came from their back and the three turned their back. At once, they noticed the Insectoid with a bat wind, crocodile head had locked its yellow eyes on them.

"Not good. Not good." Mack murmured.

"Run!" Justin shouted.

Mack and Merab needed not to be told twice as they bolted in the direction of the tunnel. Yet, the dreadful screech of death echoed from their back as it got closer and closer every second.

Bang!

Justin and the others landed inside the tunnel as they rushed toward the group.

Back at the group.

Everyone had a pensive gaze as they looked in the direction where Justin, Merab, and Mack use to get to the surface. It's been a couple of minutes since the three left but they haven't heard any response from them and this frightened them.

Now, all of them were praying deep in their mind for their luck to be good.

"What took them so long?" Sam whispered to Lola.

"I don't know. But I know uncle Justin won't forsake us." Lola responded confidently.

"What if they were captured by monsters and zombies?" Sam said slowly.

"Shut up! Nothing will happen to them." Lola berated.

Since the moment he failed to kill the zombies previously. Sam noticed everyone didn't treat him like before. Grandpa Philip visited his room less frequently while Lola didn't have time to play with him. Justin was so much more difficult to see than the gods.

He felt abandoned. He cried in his room for many days and did not know what to do.

Many times did want to go and prove himself to be a strong person like Lola. But any time he got closer to the exit, his leg turned to jelly and perspiration filled his face.

After trying many times, he gave in to the thought as he lived quietly with other people on the same floor. But seeing Justin didn't return from his expenditure he couldn't but say something bad to vent the anger in his mind.

"If you say such nonsense again. I won't mind giving you the beating of your life." Grandpa Philip said with a solemn tone.

Sam raised his head and saw the solemn look on Grandpa Philip's face and shivered. He wanted to cry but held it back as he grit his teeth.

"The king is back!" A voice shouted in joy.

Everyone had been on the edge of the line all this while, praying. But now all their hope was up, waiting for great news.

Unfortunately, the great news they were expecting wasn't what they were going to hear. Suddenly, the defense team began to shout a series of orders, shocking the crowd.

"What the hell is going on?" A middle-aged woman shouted.

"I don't know. But the king has to move." One of the defense team angered as he moved down the line, telling everyone to get on their feet and depart.

Quickly, the line moved not toward their intended destination but in another direction entirely.

They could all feel the urgency in the air as the defense around the line was tightened.

"Move! Move!" A voice screamed, urging the line to move faster.

At the side, a group of people stood with solemn expressions. Everyone that saw their expression doesn't dare to look at it twice.

'What's our next course of action.' Susan asked.

'I don't know. I'm still working on it.' Justin responded.

Boom!

The tunnel shook as a loud screeching echoed throughout the tunnel. Fear gripped the hearts of the people as everyone wondered what the hell could make such a sound.

As the line moves further deep into the tunnel. Justin and the others breathe a sigh of relief as they look in the opposite direction.

"We're not fighting to kill the monster but to delay them," Justin said slowly.

Grandpa Philip and Sergio looked at each other without uttering a word. Among the group that waited behind, only three people knew what they were up against and not to establish fear in the hearts of others.

After a couple of seconds, an ominous presence filled the tunnel, almost choking the people.

Everyone gripped their weapons as they waited patiently for whatever was coming.

*****

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