Chapter 28

As dawn broke, the group crouched in the underbrush, their eyes locked on the distant base. The low, fortified structures came into view—reinforced walls topped with barbed wire, guards patrolling the perimeter with practiced precision. It wasn't massive, but the well-organized defenses and constant patrols made it a formidable obstacle.

"This must be where they came from," Frank muttered, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes were focused, taking in every movement of the guards as they marched along the walls, switching shifts. He noted their timing, how they paused, the rhythm of the patrols. "Definitely not amateurs."

Alex remained quiet, his gaze lingering on the base. There was something unsettling about the place—how tightly it was run, how efficiently they moved. It reminded him of the military installations he'd seen before the world fell apart, but this felt different. There was no nation or cause left to fight for. Whoever controlled this base was doing it for survival, and likely something more.

"We need to gather more information before deciding our next move," Alex finally said, his voice edged with tension. The group had been on the run, avoiding direct conflict, but this felt different. If these were the people responsible for the attacks, for the death of so many innocents, they couldn't let it go unchecked.

Jack, standing beside him, scanned the base with a hardened expression. "There could be a lot of them inside. More than we can handle without knowing more," he said, his hand brushing against the hilt of his knife.

Eva shifted uneasily, her eyes flickering between the base and the distant tree line. The horrors of the previous night still clung to her, her movements tight with exhaustion and the trauma of what they had seen. She spoke up, her voice trembling. "We don't even know how many are there. It could be a small group, or it could be something much larger. We can't just rush in."

"We'll figure it out," Alex said with determination. His gaze never left the base. They couldn't afford to walk into another disaster. "We need to assess the situation thoroughly. We need to know what we're up against."

Hours passed in tense silence. The group stayed hidden in the underbrush, their bodies stiff from holding position as they watched the base's activity. Guards rotated, and a small group of soldiers exited the gates, likely on a patrol. There was a stark discipline to their movements, the kind that only came from months—if not years—of training. Whoever was in charge had clearly built something functional in the chaos.

"We need to count their numbers, check out their resources, and figure out the best way to approach if we decide to act," Alex said, his tone more calculated now. "Rushing in blind isn't an option. We don't even know what their priorities are, what they have inside."

Jack's eyes flickered toward the scavenger, bound and gagged, sitting nearby. His face was a mask of cold resolve. "We can't keep him. He's a liability, and if they come looking for him, it could bring us more trouble than we need right now."

Alex frowned. "We need to interrogate him first. He might have valuable information. Maybe something we haven't seen or considered."

The scavenger, now fully awake, looked up at them, his eyes wide with fear but still holding a thread of defiance. He was dirty, malnourished, and ragged from the escape the night before, but there was a hardness in his gaze. He wasn't ready to fold easily.

Jack crouched down beside him, his voice low and dangerous. "You're going to tell us what we need to know," he said, pulling the gag from the scavenger's mouth, "or things are going to get worse for you real fast."

The scavenger's lips trembled, his body visibly shaking, but he clenched his jaw and remained silent.

Alex stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Who's in charge here? What do you know about this place?" he demanded. His patience was thinning. They couldn't afford to waste more time.

The scavenger glanced between them, his eyes shifting nervously, but he refused to speak.

"We don't have time for this," Jack growled. "Start talking, or—"

The scavenger's eyes darted from Alex to Jack, fear finally overcoming his silence. "I... I don't know much," he stammered, his voice hoarse. "It's not like they tell us everything."

"You're going to have to do better than that," Jack replied, his voice deadly calm as he stood up, towering over the man.

"I swear! I don't know how many!" the scavenger said, his eyes wide with panic. "There's more than what you see here. They're spread out—there are other groups. Some are armed to the teeth. They're organized, dangerous."

"How many more?" Frank asked, his voice sharp.

"I don't know the exact number. Maybe dozens, maybe more. They keep moving supplies between different locations. I was just trying to survive, man," the scavenger said, his voice desperate now. "They're the only ones with weapons, food, everything. We had no choice but to follow them."

Alex exchanged a glance with Jack, who was clearly losing patience. The scavenger's vague responses and the growing sense of urgency weighed heavily. Jack's fist clenched as his resolve hardened.

"This is enough," Jack said coldly. Without waiting for a response, he grabbed the scavenger by the collar and dragged him into the trees. The man struggled for only a moment before the sounds of the struggle faded into the wind, leaving an eerie silence behind.

When Jack returned, his expression was impassive. "No more distractions."

The group resumed their watch, each of them keenly aware of the danger they were facing. The base, while not massive, was clearly a well-oiled machine, its guards disciplined and alert. Whoever ran it had created a solid foothold in this wasteland.

"We don't have enough information yet to make a move," Alex said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at him. "But we need to decide soon."

Sarah shifted next to him, her voice soft but laced with anxiety. "Do you think we can take them on?"

"I don't know," Alex admitted, his brow furrowed in thought. "Not without knowing more. It's a gamble, and it might cost us more than we're ready to give."

Frank scanned the area one more time before pulling back. "Then we wait and gather more intel. See if there's a weakness, a time to strike."

As the sun began to dip in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground, Alex signaled for them to retreat. They had gathered all they could for now, but the decision still loomed large in their minds—attack or retreat? Each option came with its own risks, and none of them were guaranteed to end in their favor.

As they moved back into the forest, Alex's thoughts raced. The base was significant, but without more knowledge, making an informed decision was nearly impossible. He glanced at his companions—the weariness etched into their faces. They couldn't keep running forever. At some point, a choice would have to be made.

"We keep moving," Alex said quietly, his voice carrying in the stillness. "We need to be ready for whatever comes next."

They quietly slipped back into the cover of the forest, seeking a secluded spot to plan their next move.