As Arlo prepared to depart, Sakshi approached him with a plea, "I hope you will return. Please don't leave us here alone."
Arlo smiled and reassured her, "Do you think I would abandon all of you? Besides, where do you think I would go?"
Sakshi expressed her uncertainty, "It's just a hunch that you seem to know more about the outside situation than the rest of us. But I can't figure out how."
Arlo probed, "Can you tell me why you treat me differently from the others?"
Sakshi replied, "I have personal reasons for not trusting men."
Arlo smiled and replied, "I understand that you must have your reasons, but remember, not all individuals are the same."
With his backpack in hand, Arlo made his way to the hotel's main entrance. He retrieved a car key from the reception and instructed Sakshi, "Open the door slowly and stay behind me. I will take care of these two zombies."
Inside the hotel, everyone observed two zombies through the open door. Arlo stepped outside, catching the scent of putrid decay in the air. Moving cautiously towards the zombies, he muttered, "Activate Armor."
Though he could feel the invisible armor enveloping him, it remained unseen by others. Approaching the first zombie, Arlo swung his bat, swiftly dispatching it. As the second zombie heard the noise and began to approach, Arlo moved quickly, delivering a powerful blow to eliminate it as well.
He then started the car and skillfully navigated through the horde of zombies. As he drove, the true state of the outside world became apparent. Empty roads devoid of human presence, occasional zombies meandering about, broken windows in buildings, and scattered wreckage of crashed cars painted a desolate picture. The surrounding silence amplified the eerie atmosphere.
During his 15-minute drive, Arlo crushed 15 to 23 zombies beneath the car, finally arriving at the police station. He drove the car up to the main entrance, closed it, and proceeded to inspect the zombies.
Entering the office, Arlo discovered three zombies feasting on the remains of another officer. Without hesitation, he swiftly dispatched each one. Although he found guns, he was unable to locate any ammunition.
Moving to check other rooms, Arlo encountered and eliminated another lone zombie. In the process, he obtained four pistols and 87 rounds of ammunition. He packed them into his backpack and left the police station behind.
North Ex Mall
Within a grocery store, three individuals—a man and two high school girls—found themselves trapped. The man was the girls' father.
The man voiced their predicament, "We can't leave; there are at least 50 to 60 zombies in the mall. If we make any noise, they'll be alerted and come after us."
One of the girls interjected, "But, Dad, we need the asthma inhaler for our sister."
With a somber expression, the father responded, "I know, my daughter. Let's wait for an opportunity. When the zombies move farther away, I will go and retrieve it."
The other girl chimed in, "Dad, I'm fine for now. There's still some medicine left in the inhaler. It should last me at least three more days."
Aware of their need, the man resolved, "I understand, but we still need it."
After an hour had passed, the zombies had distanced themselves from the store's entrance, presenting an opportunity. The man steeled himself and announced, "Let's open the door slowly.
This is our chance to retrieve the inhaler."
Both girls nodded and urged their father to be careful. Armed with a metal rod as a weapon, the man began to cautiously open the grocery store's door. Just as it was about to open fully, a gunshot rang out from the mall's main entrance, prompting them to quickly close the door.
Frustrated, the man exclaimed, "Who is this reckless fool? Don't they realize that the sound will attract all the zombies?"
Indeed, all the zombies in the mall began to converge on the source of the noise.
Arlo stood at the mall's entrance, patiently awaiting the impending horde. He had strategically fired his weapon to attract the zombies. Killing them individually would have consumed too much time, and he couldn't afford to wait.
As the first zombie entered his line of sight, Arlo swung his bat with precision, swiftly eliminating it. One after another, zombies approached him, yet he remained unfazed. Within moments, he dispatched more than fifteen of them, with the horde still advancing.
Occasionally getting bitten and occasionally employing his gun, Arlo continued his onslaught. As he fought, all the zombies congregated on the ground floor.
Taking advantage of the situation, the man on the mall's second floor ventured out to retrieve the inhaler. However, upon witnessing the scene below, he stood frozen in shock. He believed that the man before him would meet his demise. Yet, the opposite proved true—all the zombies lay lifeless in a macabre mound, and a solitary figure stood atop it.
The two girls emerged from their hiding place, curious as to why their father was so astonished. When they too witnessed the spectacle, they were rendered speechless.
Arlo, having finished his battle, felt the gaze of others upon him. Spotting the three human figures, he smiled and called out, "Hey, please wait. I'll join you."
As he approached, Arlo finally distinguished the two high school girls and the middle-aged man.
Smiling warmly, Arlo introduced himself, "My name is Arlo. And you are?"
The man, recovering from his shock, replied, "I'm Jitendra Nadig."
"These are my daughters, Sanjana and Dipti," he added, pointing to the girls.
Both girls greeted Arlo simultaneously, "Hello."
Arlo nodded and said, "Nice to meet you all. Now, let me gather some items. If you choose to live with us in the hotel, where I used to work, it would be safer for you."
"It's your decision."
Having conveyed his proposition, Arlo set out to collect the necessary supplies. After a short while, he acquired everything he needed and proceeded to the clothing store to change into a black lower, black tie-shirt, and white hoodie. Once he had packed all the goods, he returned to meet the others.
Arlo inquired, "Jitendra, have you made your decision?"
Jitendra hesitated momentarily and asked, "Arlo, may I know the name of the hotel?"
Arlo responded, "It's the Regent Grand Hotel, Block 54."