The Unseen War

The tension in the air was palpable as we moved deeper into the underground facility. Every step echoed against the damp walls, and the air felt thicker, laden with secrets yet to be uncovered. Apollo was stabilizing, but the reality of our situation weighed heavily on all of us.

Zeke, always the first to break the silence, voiced what we were all thinking. "If the infection is contained to the state, why is it being kept a secret? Why haven't we received any external help?"

Lecroix's face remained unreadable as he led us through another corridor. "Because it benefits someone to keep it this way."

Steph, who had been quiet for most of the journey, glanced at Lecroix, her brown eyes narrowing slightly. "Who benefits from watching people die?"

Lecroix didn't answer immediately, his steps slowing as we approached what appeared to be the facility's control center. Rows of monitors flickered with static, but through the distortion, we could see maps and charts tracking infection spread—some localized to our state, others showing containment plans for the rest of the country.

It was Zeke who found the key piece of information—a data log, encrypted but not beyond his capabilities. His fingers flew across the keyboard, unlocking files with precision.

"There's more to this," Zeke muttered. "They knew… they planned for this."

As the files opened up, a flood of data appeared—documents detailing how the infection had been deliberately allowed to spread within state borders. There were orders, signed off by government officials, to keep it contained and allow the infected to spread unchecked. It was all part of a plan to experiment on how quickly they could control a small-scale outbreak before deploying solutions in other regions.

"They're treating us like lab rats," I whispered, the horror of the revelation hitting me.

Steph stepped closer to the screen, her fists clenched tightly. "This is genocide."

Apollo stirred on the makeshift cot we had laid him on, his voice weak but steady. "It's all about control. Always has been."

Lecroix nodded grimly. "We were never just fighting the infection. We've been fighting a system designed to let us fall."

The weight of the truth settled over us like a storm cloud. We had always been up against more than just the infected—this was orchestrated, planned, and executed by the very people we had trusted to protect us.

Steph stepped forward, her gaze steely. "We have enough evidence here to take them down."

Lecroix looked at her, something unreadable passing through his expression. "Evidence won't be enough. If we make a move, they'll shut us down before we can even go public."

Steph's lips curved into a determined smile. "We don't have to go public yet. We just need to make sure they know we're coming."

Her fierce determination was contagious, and for the first time since we had entered this facility, I felt a flicker of hope. We had a chance—however slim it was—to fight back.