The atmosphere in the military base was tense. Inside the dimly lit meeting room, a group of high-ranking officials sat around a large table, their faces etched with frustration. Maps of the city lay strewn across the table, marked with red X's that symbolized yet another failed supply run.
Major Stevens leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "This is the third time this month we've sent out teams, and they've come back empty-handed. There's nothing left in the city. Not even scraps."
Lieutenant Davis, a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes, spoke up. "It's not just random looting. It's too organized. Whoever is taking these supplies is hitting key areas. They're moving faster than we can."
A murmur of agreement swept through the room. Rumors had been spreading for weeks about someone—or something—monopolizing the supplies. But nobody knew for sure who was behind it.
Colonel Harris, the oldest and most seasoned officer at the table, tapped his fingers on the map. "It's like they're systematically clearing out the entire town. And it's not just civilians. Some of our supply bases have been hit too. Smaller ones, for now, but it's spreading."
"What if it's rival human factions?" Major Stevens suggested. "There are plenty of survivors out there, and desperation can make people do crazy things."
"Maybe," Davis replied, her tone doubtful. "But we haven't seen signs of any large organized group. It doesn't add up."
The Colonel looked around the table, his expression grim. "Whatever or whoever is responsible, we need to find them. Supplies are running low, and if we don't stop this soon, it's going to turn into an all-out war over what little is left."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in. Little did they know, the culprits weren't human at all.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city, Jenna stood awkwardly in front of Carl, trying her best to seem serious. Her gang of zombies loitered behind her, growling at random intervals, while Carl watched her with mild amusement.
"So," Jenna began, her voice a little shaky, "I've been thinking... maybe we should, um, team up. You know, for, uh, mutual benefits or whatever."
Carl raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "Mutual benefits, huh? And what exactly are you bringing to the table?"
Jenna fumbled for words, glancing back at her zombie friends, who were doing absolutely nothing useful. "Well, uh... I've got my space! I can hoard all kinds of stuff—supplies, brains, whatever you need!"
Carl sighed, crossing his arms. "Jenna, we don't need supplies. We're zombies. The crystals, remember? That's what matters."
Jenna blinked. Oh, right. The crystals. She didn't fully get it, but she nodded enthusiastically anyway. "Yeah, crystals, of course. But, uh... what about the humans? I mean, if we take all the supplies, they'll be weaker, right? And then they'll be easier to... deal with?"
Carl chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You do realize I said that first, right?"
Jenna's expression shifted to blank confusion. "Oh... right! Yeah, totally! You did say that. I was just, uh, reinforcing the idea! See? We're already on the same page!"
Carl looked at her, torn between amusement and disbelief. "You're something else, Jenna. Fine, we'll work together. But you need to keep your eye on the crystals. They're what will give us real strength."
Jenna nodded vigorously, even though she wasn't entirely sure what Carl meant. "Yeah! Crystals! Got it. Totally focused."
Behind her, the zombies continued their groaning symphony, unaware of the partnership their leader had just fumbled into. Despite Jenna's scattered brain and odd obsession with supplies, Carl was starting to think there might be potential in this collaboration.