POV: Rick
The ridge was chaos, the air thick with the stench of blood and the deafening roars of mutants. Rick barely registered the pain in his arm as a mutant claw grazed him—he couldn't afford to stop. Their defenses were crumbling, and the group was seconds away from being overrun.
"Fall back to the center!" he shouted, his voice hoarse from yelling. "Form a tighter circle!"
The group obeyed, their weapons flashing as they regrouped around Jenna and her zombie gang. Rick glanced at her, his heart sinking at the sight. She was pale—paler than usual—and swaying on her feet.
"Jenna, can you—"
"Nope," she interrupted, cutting him off before he could finish. "Completely out of juice. My portal's on vacation, and I am two seconds from a full-on zombie nap."
Her humor didn't ease Rick's worry. He turned to Carl, who was fending off two berserkers at once. "We're out of time."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna clutched her crowbar, leaning on it like a crutch as her zombie gang formed a protective circle around her. They were snarling and snapping at the mutants, but even they were beginning to falter.
"This is bad," Jenna muttered, her voice trembling. "Like, really bad."
Carl appeared beside her, his sword dripping with blood. "Stay behind me."
"Carl," Jenna said, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "We're going to die."
"You're already dead," Carl replied without missing a beat, his sword slicing through a mutant.
Jenna blinked, then let out a hoarse laugh. "Fair point. But still—this is next-level bad."
Her gaze shifted to Kane, who was now advancing toward them, his glowing eyes fixed on her. Jenna's heart sank. "Oh great. Here comes Tall, Dark, and Psychotic."
---
POV: Kane
Kane moved with purpose, his controlled zombies parting to clear his path. The battlefield was his, the group of survivors cornered and exhausted. All that was left was to end it.
"Jenna," he said, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "You've fought well. But it's over."
Jenna straightened, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Wow. Big words for a guy who spends his free time controlling zombies. You should try yoga or something. It might help with the whole 'evil mastermind' vibe."
Kane's lips curled into a faint smile. "Your humor won't save you."
"Maybe not," Jenna replied, gripping her crowbar tightly. "But it makes me feel better."
---
POV: Carl
Carl stepped in front of Jenna, his sword raised. "You'll have to get through me first."
Kane tilted his head, his glowing eyes narrowing. "You're loyal. Admirable, but foolish."
Carl didn't respond, his focus entirely on Kane. Jenna, standing just behind him, glanced between the two men, her mind racing. "Uh, Carl? Not that I don't appreciate the whole knight-in-shining-armor thing, but maybe don't antagonize the guy who looks like he eats puppies for breakfast."
"Quiet," Carl muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.
---
POV: Rick
Rick was barely holding the line, his knife flashing as he fended off yet another mutant. He could see Kane advancing, his presence casting a long shadow over the battlefield.
"Jenna!" Rick shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "If you've got anything left, now's the time to use it!"
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna's hands trembled as she tried to summon her portal, but nothing happened. She was tapped out, her energy completely drained. "I've got nothing!" she called back, panic rising in her chest. "I'm empty!"
Her zombie gang growled in unison, their glowing eyes fixed on Kane. Jenna looked at them, a spark of desperation flaring inside her. "Guys," she said softly. "It's up to you now."
The zombies roared, launching themselves at Kane with everything they had. Jenna watched, her heart pounding as they collided with his controlled forces.
"Good luck, team," she whispered.
---
POV: Kane
Kane barely flinched as Jenna's zombies attacked. They were feral and strong, but they lacked the precision of his controlled forces. He dispatched them with ease, his movements calculated and deadly.
"You can't win, Jenna," Kane said, his voice calm. "You're outnumbered, outmatched, and out of options."
Jenna staggered forward, her crowbar raised. "Yeah, well… I've got one thing you don't."
"And what's that?" Kane asked, his tone almost amused.
"An endless supply of bad decisions," Jenna replied, swinging her crowbar with all her strength.