Story 541: The Shadows’ Lair

The moon hung heavy in the midnight sky, casting an eerie glow over the abandoned industrial zone. Shadows stretched long across the cracked pavement as the faint shuffle of feet echoed through the chilling silence. The ZETU team crouched behind the rusting remains of a delivery truck, their breaths visible in the cold night air.

“Eyes up,” Marcus whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind. “They’re here.”

Riley adjusted her scope, scanning the shadowy figures shambling in the moonlight. These weren’t the mindless zombies they’d encountered before. Their movements were deliberate, their glowing eyes cutting through the dark like beacons of death.

“They’re coordinated,” Lila murmured, holstering her pistols and drawing a combat knife. “This isn’t normal.”

“Normal left the building when the Hive was activated,” Ethan said through the comms. “I’ve been analyzing their patterns, and these ones are working in packs. They’re not just wandering; they’re hunting.”