THE SURVIVOR

Oscar and the others are quickly heading to the state if Minnesota, they rode over 6 days as they also need to wait for the horses to rest. They passed by the ruined city of Minneapolis, they all look in shock of how desolated the city is. It remined them once more the grim desperation of humanity trying to save itself from something that they caused. They can all only look in horror as the eerie skeletons of human society stood before them. Shivers went down their spine as they moved into the city.

They looked over to the top of the destroyed buildings expecting to see something, but none. They continued into the cities, the same image of the other cities remained in front of them. Corpses, ruined buildings, abandoned vehicles, the whole environment is just a repetition of itself no changes nor signs of another community. After an hour or more so they all decided to rest as they all grew tired and weary, their little exploration bore no fruit for them.

They gathered under a destroyed home with its solid support holding the roof up, the whole building is exposed as the walls are gone. The cold climate of the city became an issue to them, as much as they need supplies they would not risk it. 4 men kept awake and looked over in different directions, they did not tire almost the whole night.

Among the snoring and humming of the group in their sleep Josiah cannot help himself but get up and do something on his own. He grabbed something out of his bag and left the group quietly. There were no lights the whole night as to not attract any unwanted guests, something that they would later on regret. The sun starts to rise and every one is awaken one by one. Half of the teams seems to have disappeared something that Oscar brought up to Kyle, the leader of the group.

"Yeah obviously, the father that was with you... when the men checked he was gone.."

"Gone, dead?!"

"No, missing... we heard a gunshot or something but we cannot assume that he really killed himself"

"We'll help with the search"

"Sure... just remember which direction is back here"

"Okay"

Oscar looked for leads that would bring him to Josiah, something that bothered him is that Emma is also not on her place. He did not bring this up to Kyle and started his search.

"If you are looking for my old man's bag... its gone"

"Well, shit.. know where it went?"

"Yeah, to kill themselves"

"Holy shit..."

Oscar's face turned to white as he looked over to Millie who can say those words easily.

"If you look closer you'll realized how fucked my parents were"

She then pointed to where her 2 younger siblings were, gone as well. Oscar starts to worry about Millie as she did not even break a tear. 'Don't be scared of me' She said with a calm voice as she packs everything that her family owned that is of significance. She starts to sing a lullaby which she sang to her little sibling. She walks passed Oscar and he followed her quietly. Just a little walk later they arrive at a crater where her Family killed each other.

Josiah and his wife has fully turned and is already devouring on one of their children's body. Oscar starts to feel sick down to his stomach and vomits, he hit his stomach as it felt painful because of the belching. The parents continued to feast on. A turned Josiah stood up slowly and walked towards them, snarling, his neck slit opened.

"Fuck.... everything went by so fast"

"Right"

She drew her gun and killed the 2 swiftly, the men heard this and they all followed where the sound ringed out. The run towards the sound and sees Oscar on his ass down on the ground and in clear shock. Millie killed her little sister that has turned. The men went down to Oscar. Millie loaded on more bullet and puts the gun on her mouth and pulled it. It looked too 'easy' for her, Oscar jumped but it was obviously useless, he only fell on his stomach and looked pathetic.

"Fuck... holy shit"

"I.. think... we... we need to bury them"

"...."

"Please?"

"...."

"Its all we can do"

Kyle nodded and with the help of his men they start to bury 6 feet deep hole in the ground using whatever they can use. They dropped the parents slowly first, then Millie then her 2 little siblings. All of them has doubted the concept of 'god' in this world, they just buried it and left an unmarked grave.

"The horses?"

"We'll bring them... the time will come when horseback will be our way of travel"

"Yeah"

"Oscar come on"

Oscar stood up and he cannot think of anything memorable to stay, but 'thank you'. He wiped his tears away and he rides one of the horses, 3 of the men got into the horses and they all slowly rode away from the building. The days went by so fast that the feeling of death felt only like it was an hour ago. Kyle and his men did not bother Oscar any longer for the rest of the trip.

"Well... will you look at that"

"...."

Oscar looked behind him and he realized how close they were to this base, they were under the remains of a mall near Maple Grove. Oscar jumped off and started to punch down on the dirt, Kyle and his men can only look at him as he is filled with fury. The base that was once used for extraction of healthy people now taken over by a part of SPECTRE. Their insignia were different to the others as the skull is facing sideways. Kyle patted Oscar on the back and tries to console him, but it was useless.

10 men came out and they start bringing the people in, Kyle stood near Oscar as a man approached him.

"I never knew you had emotions... shit"

"...."

"Come on... just cries?"

Oscar looked up and the silhouette of the man shone on him. He can barely make out the face of the man that seems to be 'friendly' towards him. The man grabbed his left arm and Kyle helped by grabbing his right. They carried him into the base and it is a military institution as well as a community. Skulls, all of the 4 variations of the SPECTRE insignia that he has seen, all of it were because of people not properly getting the same skull right, all they remembered that it is a skull.

He sat on the infirmary as he is being treated. The man earlier approached him with a bowl of something, a warm proper meal. He started to devoured the food as quick as he can.

"Slow down, you're not a biter are you?"

Oscar can only ignore as he is satisfying his wants, he almost chokes up on the food but the man offered him water.

"Th... thank you"

"You're welcome"

Oscar drank the water in one breath and the man is amazed.

"You want more, Alpha?"

"Ye... yes?"

"The name that was given to your squad.. Alpha, real name Oscar Hewing.. I'm Tobias Cramer... nice to meet you"

Oscar stopped and looked in shock upon laying his eyes on Tobias, he looks healthier than ever, his wounds has healed and he definitely aged.

"I kinda.. stole your beard... but I guess you shaved"

"...."

"Jeez can you a-"

Oscar punched Tobias directly and he fell to the ground.

"I deserve that"

Oscar continued to throw punches at Tobias who raised his hands on the men to not attack Oscar. Oscar lets out all of his pent up rage, and 3 people stopped him.

"Okay, see he is still a fucking baby"

"Calm down buddy.. hey"

"Alpha are you with us?"

"...what- what the fuck?!"

Foxtrot, Delta, and Bryce appeared, Oscar looked in shock and relieved such familiar faces.

"What the fuck?!"

He starts to cry down on the ground and the group can only hug him.

"All right.... send a word to Pierre, we need to start taking up arms"

Out of all the people that shocked Oscar, Bryce by far blew him away. Bryce then explained that he has been communicating with Foxtrot and the others who also headed to Minnesota, their common knowledge of the locations of their allies brought them all together.

"How the fuck are you alive Toby?"

"No idea.. but I have a theory, and we need Natalia to confirm it"