Rudy observed the intense battle, a symphony of chaos echoing from the third floor. Amidst the swinging blades and stabbing weapons, the kids began their descent down the makeshift rope. Cob, positioned on the second floor, eagerly awaited their arrival.
"Slow and steady!" Rudy instructed, his gaze shifting between the kids and the approaching biters. Toby, hesitating, eventually focused on the descent, driven by the urgency to escape the undead menace.
Sarge, a seasoned fighter, demonstrated his prowess. A swift kick to a biter's knee sent it sprawling, and a merciless stomp ended its unlife. His pistol, a relentless instrument of survival, dispatched another biter at the stairwell's edge.
Cob efficiently guided each kid over, providing reassurance as they approached safety. "I got you. Go down to the lobby with the main group," he ordered, watching the kids follow his instructions.
As the last child left the third floor, Sarge turned to Rudy. "Climb down now. Meet with Cob." Rudy nodded and commenced his descent, the pipe groaning under the strain. With each inch, the structure protested, the pipe threatening to break free.
Upon landing on the second floor's windowsill, Rudy felt Cob's firm grip, pulling him to safety. "I got you, buddy," Cob reassured him with a smile.
Jackal assessed the situation, biters tumbling down the stairs relentlessly. Urgency echoed in his words, "We need to go; the biters will follow us and fall out the window eventually." Sarge, always ready for a fight, agreed, "I'll cover ya," as he aimed his gun and dispatched another biter.
Stalker, still holding the line, swung his axe, backing up slowly. "Alright! JACKAL, YOU MOVE FIRST!" he commanded, kicking a biter aside.
Jackal, prepared for his descent, grasped the rope. "Don't die," he warned, to which Sarge replied, "You too," before charging into the oncoming biters. A swift strike with his handgun sent one to the ground.
Jackal began his descent, nearing the second-floor window. Suddenly, the lower pipe gave way, causing the rope to fall rapidly.
Reacting swiftly, Jackal released his grip on the rope, seizing the windowsill ledge and grunting under the sudden strain. Cob, witnessing the close call, pulled him up. "You good?" he inquired, and Jackal nodded in response.
Stalker rushed to the windowsill, concern etched on his face as he surveyed the perilous situation. "Everyone good?!" he bellowed, awaiting updates. Cob, positioned on the second floor, peeked out and reassured, "Jackal's fine! Find a way out!"
Determined, Stalker nodded. "We'll find a way!" Gripping his trusty axe, he prepared to lead the group to safety. Just as he was about to issue the command, his voice faltered, his eyes widening at the distressing sight.
Two biters had cornered Andrew against the wall, while another grasped Sarge's leg and arm, threatening to pull him down. Panic surged through Stalker as he watched Andrew struggle, the biters inching closer to his neck. Sarge, caught in his own dire situation, urgently shouted, "I GOT IT! HELP HIM!"
Reacting swiftly, Stalker sprinted towards Andrew, grabbing one biter and forcefully pulling it off, causing it to crash to the ground.
Without hesitation, he swung his axe, intercepting the other biter and saving Andrew from the impending danger. "I got you, brother," Stalker reassured, his gaze filled with concern. Andrew nodded gratefully, "Thank you."
Turning towards Sarge's predicament, Stalker urged, "Let's go!" But his eyes widened in horror as the biter gripping Sarge's leg successfully dragged him to the ground.
Sarge, resilient and defiant, aimed his gun despite the desperate situation. The trigger clicked, his ammunition depleted. "Piss off," he grunted, delivering a powerful kick to push a biter away.
"Go, you two!" Sarge commanded, his voice strained. Determined to stay behind and fend off the encroaching horde, he tried to rise.
However, a sudden twist of fate unfolded as a biter sunk its teeth into his leg, eliciting a pained scream. Another biter clamped down on his arm, causing him to wince.
Stalker's eyes widened in horror as more biters circled around Sarge, the situation growing dire. "NO!" he roared, his heart sinking.
Andrew, reluctantly tearing his gaze away, clambered onto the windowsill, grabbing onto the edge and beginning his descent. Stalker, grappling with the weight of the moment, followed suit, stealing a final glance at the scene.
In the fading light, he could faintly perceive a biter sinking its teeth into Sarge's neck, the gruesome reality of the unfolding tragedy.
Stalker and Andrew landed on the windowsill, leaping out with a sense of urgency and fatigue clinging to their every move. Cob, positioned below, anxiously awaited Sarge's descent, ready to pull him in.
Stalker, his expression somber, shook his head at Cob, who instinctively looked to Andrew for confirmation. Andrew mirrored the negative gesture.
"So he's dead then," Cob muttered, a heavy weight in his voice. Jackal, grappling with the news, directed his frustration towards the wall with a subdued punch.
Stalker sighed, the burden of loss evident. "Let's head back to the others. There could be others still stuck up there," he suggested. Jackal, nodding in agreement, began walking away, the echoes of grief lingering in the air.
Raven, stationed with the group, cast a scrutinizing gaze at the returning duo. "Everything good?" he inquired, his eyes settling on Stalker. Stalker's response, delivered with a heavy heart, hung in the air. "We lost Sarge. He's gone."
Marcel, Julie, and Cody absorbed the news with a mix of sorrow and resignation. "He was a tough son of a bitch," Marcel remarked, glancing away. Julie offered a consoling pat on Marcel's shoulder. Cody's gaze fixated on Stalker as he sought answers. "Who attacked you guys?"
"The military did. We thought they were friendly," Stalker confessed, a shadow of disappointment clouding his features. Raven, piecing together the puzzle, shared his insights. "It has to be the military. No one else would have gear like that, especially with the modification of biters."
Ed, taking charge, refocused the group. "First, we have to find Cody and Aya's parents before we even leave," he declared. The daunting task of clearing the debris from the stairwell loomed ahead. Stalker addressed the challenge, "We don't know how long it will take to clear the stairs."
Ed, fueled by determination, stood up and stretched before ascending the first set of stairs. His strides quickened as he reached the second floor, halting at the third-floor stairs. Gathering rubble, he began the arduous task of clearing the passage. Cody and Aya joined in, tossing debris aside.
"It's gonna take us a while," Ed acknowledged, concern etching his expression. Cody, driven by the desire to contribute, hesitated. Ed, recognizing the need for caution, addressed him sternly. "You're injured, sit down." Cody sighed, but Ed reassured him, "You already are. Now go sit. Aya, keep an eye on him, and get Mr. Peterson to stick with you two."
As Dogface and Ed collaborated on the cleanup, Dogface voiced his grim assessment. "You know their situation is bleak as hell." Ed, however, chose hope over despair. "I know. But let's not think about that, let's have some hope." The group, though battered by recent events, rallied together with the flicker of hope guiding their efforts.