Disclaimer: This chapter contains mature content, including scenes of intense violence, graphic imagery, and horror elements. Reader discretion is advised. The content may not be suitable for younger audiences or those sensitive to such themes.

Dmitri's voice shot out like a bullet. "What just happened back there?"

Arjun's shoulders sagged, his voice weighed down by sorrow. "She... she was my fiancée." A brief silence followed as if the memory pressed heavily on his chest. "We ended things... on the day of the experiment."

The words had barely left Arjun's lips when Dmitri grabbed him by the collar, his knuckles white with anger. "So, you're the one who shattered her heart, huh? You scoundrel." The venom in Dmitri's voice was sharp, each word cutting deeper than the last.

Before things could spiral further, Serena stepped between them. "Enough," she said with a firmness that didn't invite argument.

Dmitri shoved Arjun away, disgust flickering in his eyes. He turned his back on him, clenching his jaw.

Serena crossed her arms and gave them both a hard look. "I said, that's enough. We're adults here. Start acting like it." Disappointment clung to her words like mist after rain. She exhaled sharply. "Now, let's focus. Tomorrow's mission won't wait just because we can't handle our feelings."

The room settled into uneasy silence.

"You both got that?" she pressed, her gaze flickering between them.

The two men straightened, their voices falling into line like soldiers answering a drill. "Yes."

Serena gave a curt nod and glanced at the rest of the team. "Alright. Here's the plan. Tomorrow, we head to an old Paladin Pharmaceuticals lab. Back in the pandemic, they produced vaccines there—lots of them. We're going in to recover any stock that might still be intact."

A flicker of unease ran through the room as she mentioned the mission's location.

"There's been a lot of creature activity around the area recently," Serena continued, keeping her tone steady. "Dee's squad managed to clear some of it out, so things have quieted down for now, but we don't know how long that'll last. Toxic levels have dropped too, so we need to act fast and get back before sundown."

The team exchanged nervous glances, but no one spoke.

"We'll take a vehicle to the suburbs near Long Island," Serena added. "It's a bit of a trip, so rest up. Any questions?"

The room stayed silent, the weight of the task ahead settling over them like a heavy blanket.

"Good." Serena's tone was final. "Take the rest of the day off. We meet at the gate at sunrise. Dismissed."

The team began to disperse, boots scraping softly against the floor. Just as Arjun turned to leave, Serena called after him and Dmitri.

"You two. A word."

They stepped forward, avoiding each other's eyes.

"I don't care what's going on between you," Serena said, her voice like a blade cutting through the tension. "Tomorrow, I need both of you sharp. No distractions. Understood?"

They nodded in unison.

Serena's eyes rested on Arjun for a moment longer. "It's your first mission, Arjun. Let me be clear—this isn't training. It's real out there. People die. I don't want to lose anyone. Keep that in mind."

Arjun swallowed hard and gave a nod, his head dipping slightly under the weight of her words.

"Good. Dismissed."

Just as the team was scattering, a figure stumbled into view—a man, or what was left of him. Arjun froze, his stomach knotting painfully at the sight.

The man's skin looked as if it had been stripped off in jagged patches, leaving raw, exposed muscle beneath. One of his eye sockets was hollow, the other eye glaring out of the ravaged face, wet and glassy. His gums were bare, teeth gleaming grotesquely through torn lips.

Dmitri's lip curled, and Zuri took an involuntary step back, the disgust clear in their faces.

The man staggered forward, his gait uneven, dragging his right side as if something had ripped apart the muscles inside. He stopped in front of Serena, panting.

"I'm Xie," the man rasped, his voice hoarse and desperate.

Serena gave a slight nod, the kind you offer when a face feels familiar, as if she'd crossed paths with him before.

Xie continued, "I overheard your mission. I can guide you. I know Long Island like the back of my hand. I can take you through the shortcuts."

Arjun couldn't help but notice the flicker of need in Xie's remaining eye—like a drowning man clutching at anything to stay afloat.

Serena's expression hardened. "Are you part of any raid squad?"

Xie shook his head.

Serena replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't take you with us."

Xie pleaded, "No... but please, take me. They won't let me guard the walls anymore. I need the quota. I'll be useful. I swear it."

Serena hesitated, her lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, she weighed the man's desperation against the risks.

"Fine," she said at last. "You can come."

Relief washed over Xie's mangled face, his shoulders sagging as if he'd just been spared from some unspeakable fate.

Arjun tore his eyes away from the man's wounds and trudged back toward his quarters, but his thoughts lingered on the past. Memories of Dee flooded his mind—her laugh, her touch, the promises they once shared. The weight of it all crushed him, and before he knew it, tears burned down his cheeks, carving a path through the ache in his chest.

He clutched his arms around himself, as if doing so might hold together the pieces of his heart that felt ready to shatter.