A sharp crack of gunfire echoed from the treeline. The scream followed a second later.
"Sir!" A soldier came sprinting toward them from the eastern perimeter, eyes wide, chest heaving as he ran full tilt. "The town nearby— it's under attack! Mutated beasts broke through! People are running for their lives!"
Manas head shot up. He turned to Billy, eyes locked in an unspoken conversation.
"What do we do, sir?" the soldier asked, still catching his breath. "Do we warn them to stay away or—"
"We save them," Manas said, his voice like steel. His eyes never left Billy's. "We save them, Billy. That's not up for debate."
Billy snorted, wiping his face with his gloved hand. "You're not wrong, but if we go, Grant's gonna throw a fit. We're supposed to babysit this place."
