"Well, things have been pretty quiet," John said, his voice tinged with unease. "We haven't faced any attacks yet. Now that I think about it... it's a bit strange."
John spoke as a lingering sense of oddity weighed on him. He had faced the Amica before, witnessing their ferocious and highly aggressive nature, even if only for a short time. The fact that they hadn't attacked yet was unusual.
"Now's not the time to dwell on it. Let's settle into the tower first, then evaluate the situation and plan for the future," Henry
interjected firmly. Speculating about the monsters' motives served no purpose now. The immediate priority was organizing the group and establishing a secure base.
Philip and John led the group toward the tower. Alex followed, staying close as they entered the lobby alongside Henry, Joanna, and Mike. Terry, who was injured, was carefully taken to a separate room to rest.
Inside the dimly lit lobby, the group gathered in a loose circle. Philip and John rejoined them after ensuring everyone was settled. The lobby had been brought to life with light after some members managed to activate the backup generator. Despite the tower's deteriorated state, no one seemed to care much about the conditions.
"We have enough food supplies in the storage to last us for a while, but not indefinitely," John began, addressing the group. He had taken responsibility for inventorying their provisions and discovered that their supplies wouldn't stretch beyond a month at most.
"That's enough for now. Our current objective is to identify and eliminate any remaining threats within the campus grounds. Once that's done, we can focus on our next steps," Alex added, his tone calm but decisive. Everyone nodded in agreement, fully aware that the primary danger was the Amica, who could attack without warning at any moment.
Suddenly, a young man rushed into the lobby, his urgency interrupting their discussion. "Big brother! There are people outside who want to see you!" he said, addressing Henry.
After securing the interior of the tower, the group had stationed guards at the gates and key points around the area.
"Do you know who they are? And what they want?" Henry asked, his gaze steady on the boy.
"They're from Carlin's group... and some of the campus guards," the boy replied. Henry's expression shifted slightly as he ordered, "Bring them in."
"On it, brother," the young man said before hurrying back to the gate.
As he left, Mike leaned in closer to the group, speaking in a low voice. "What do you think they want, showing up now of all times?" His meaning was clear. Now that the immediate threats had been neutralized, it seemed suspicious for others to arrive so quickly. The most likely reason was that they wanted a share of the tower, which could complicate things for Alex and the rest of the group.
"Let's not jump to conclusions. We'll hear them out first,"
Alex replied, glancing at everyone. He was determined to avoid unnecessary conflict or infighting, especially when he and Henry had a larger plan to unite everyone under one banner.
Human nature, Alex knew, was a fickle thing.
When groups of people came together, it didn't take long for them to form divisions, perceiving outsiders as threats. He was all too aware of this reality.
The others frowned but remained silent. Henry cast a glance at Alex, a newfound respect evident in his eyes. He understood Alex's perspective, especially under their current circumstances, where survival instincts often overrode reason.
Mike opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could, a group of people entered the room. Among them were two familiar faces: Eva and Carlin. The other three were men wearing the uniforms of the campus guards, all in excellent physical condition. Their ages ranged from their late thirties to early forties, but the years had done little to diminish their vitality.
The man at the front was particularly imposing. Standing at six feet tall with steel-gray hair and a grim expression, his muscular frame and stern demeanor made everyone uneasy.
"I am Robert Adkins, here on behalf of Colonel Conrad. We bring news of critical importance to everyone on campus," he declared in a near-monotone voice, his piercing gaze sweeping the room.
Alex studied Robert, a subtle sense of danger creeping over him. It wasn't often that Alex felt threatened by someone, even slightly, which meant this man was formidable—stronger than most of the people Alex had encountered so far.
"Very well. Sit down, and let's talk," Alex said, his voice calm yet firm as he gestured for them to take a seat.
A. N. I'm back and the story from now on is going too be crazy