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The gunner needs to be taken out without drawing attention from the zombies in the area. To do so means a close-combat attack. You watch the gunner and wait for him to turn away so he doesn't spot your approach. If he notices you, he'd have an easy shot with the machine gun, and you'd have no way to make it to cover. Time passes as you observe him from a distance. He can't stay in that same position forever, but you're the one working against the clock. Jaime could be found by the bandits at any moment, or the zombies might find a way to reach him on the roof.

A sudden low howl cuts the air from the basketball court, but you see no sign of movement from the zombies. The gunner blows a stream of smoke into the air and turns his body toward the undead group. While he looks away, a clear path opens to the side of the building. You stand and run across the parking lot, keeping low to remain out of sight. After forty feet, you make it to a waist-high stone wall and use it to keep out of the direct line of sight from the gunner.

The gunner turns back in your direction, and you duck below the wall. You're still too far away to attack, so you're forced to wait again. The air shifts, carrying with it a strong odor of earth and decay—the stench of death. You've become used to it in the past few days, but such a pungent smell must mean a large number of undead in the area. You try not to focus on thoughts of the undead and instead stare at the gunner, who's watching the front of the school like a bored security guard.

A gunshot rings out, and a window explodes on the third floor of the building, raining shards of glass at the far corner of the building near the basketball court. The noise riles up the zombies, but none of them move, though they do draw the gunner's attention again.

With the gunman distracted, you break away from the wall and race towards the building, sticking to the perimeter lined with shrubs and blooming flowers. You keep to the gunner's back and run the remaining sixty feet to the front entrance of the school. You hit the long row of steps and slow your approach to creep behind the jeep.

You dash toward the back of the jeep and switch to your backup weapon, the cavalry sword. With the gunman's back exposed, you sneak behind him and leap to the back of the jeep from the steps of the building, swinging your weapon as you descend. The blade slashes deep through the flesh of his back in one long swipe. He arches his body and twists from the blow, and a high-pitched squeal hisses from his mouth. Blood pours from the deep wound, and his legs buckle. The gunner slumps against the side rail of the jeep, eyelids fluttering as he tries to rise.

You jump from the jeep and climb the wide stone steps up to the front doors of Chipper Ridge High School. The doors are unlocked, and you swing one open to reveal an empty school lobby. You look back to the gunner, who's now leaning against the side rail of the jeep, alive but unable to stop you any further. Your eyes glance to the zombies on the court, and several are trotting towards the jeep now.