Mankind

Chapter Twelve

As the sun rose on the horizon, casting long shadows over the decaying streets of Steelton, Joan found herself leading a small team of Federation soldiers through the maze of crumbling buildings and abandoned alleyways in search of the elusive immune boy. The weight of their mission hung heavy on her shoulders, a constant reminder of the stakes at hand.

With each step, Joan's senses were on high alert, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement, her ears tuned to the faintest sound of footsteps echoing through the deserted streets. The city was eerily quiet, the only sounds the distant rumble of thunder and the occasional screech of a distant infected.

Beside her, the soldiers moved quickly, their weapons at the ready as they followed Joan's lead through the maze-like streets. They moved in silence, communicating through a series of hand signals and nods as they navigated the treacherous terrain.

As they pressed deeper into the heart of the city,

the soldiers moved with ruthless efficiency, their weapons cutting through the infected with deadly precision as they mowed down a horde with chilling ease. Joan watched in silence, her heart heavy with a sense of dread as she realized the true extent of the Federation's capabilities.

It was a sobering reminder of the world they lived in, a world where survival often meant embracing the darkness within oneself. And as they continued their relentless march through the city, Joan couldn't help but wonder how far they would go in their pursuit of the immune boy, and what sacrifices they would be willing to make along the way.

Beside her, Melody walked slowly. She was reluctant to join, she had been hatching her own plan to take down the Federation from the inside but Joan convinced her this is the better way, finding the kid and saving him from whatever were to happen.

This area of the city is dry, it's farther from the flood zone and makes the trek a bit easier. No one knows where they're going really but they were given a general area to search.

Suddenly gunfire erupted from a nearby building, chaos descended upon the team. One by one, Federation members fell under the relentless barrage of bullets, their bodies crumpling to the ground. Joan's heart raced as she sought cover, her senses heightened as she scanned the area for any sign of the unseen gunman

Amidst the chaos, a sharp crack echoed through the air as another member of their team was struck down by a well-placed shot. Panic gripped Joan as she realized the gravity of the situation, the odds stacked against them.

With each passing moment, the firefight intensified, the sound of gunfire and screams mingling with the wails of the infected that roamed the streets below. Joan's mind raced as she weighed their options, her thoughts consumed by the desperate need to survive.

But amidst the chaos, a glimmer of hope emerged as Joan spotted their assailant perched atop a nearby building. With grim determination, she raised her weapon and fired.

-

Cassie and Ryan made their way out of the flood zone, finally making it to the dry part of Steelton. Which isn't much better but at least she doesn't have sopping wet shoes anymore.

"Where's Jesse and Sam?" Ryan asks, cutting the silence between them.

"Back at Queen's Island. Jesse was shot by a group of cannibals that tracked me down." She stops walking and takes a breath. "You should've taken me with you. You took one of O'Connor's trucks and I had to walk."

"Yeah well it didn't get me far, only to Jeffersonville, and I wanted you to stay."

A sound forced them to take cover. Figures walked through the street with haste as Cassie and Ryan headed up a set of stairs and onto the roof of a small building. Ryan perched on the edge, his rifle clenched in his hands. He looks through the scope. Federation members, lots of them, and leading the pack is...Joan. He gulps hard.