On the Way

The air was thick with tension as Kade gathered the warriors who would accompany him to the radio station.

They couldn't take everyone. The base needed defenders, and some people simply weren't fighters.

Miles had to stay. He was close to evolving—Kade could feel it. If he passed out mid-mission, he'd be useless. Besides, he was proving to be a capable shot with that slingshot of his.

Daniel, or "Crowbar Man" as Kade had mentally nicknamed him, volunteered to go. But Kade shook his head. "We need you here. You and Miles are our best fighters after Julia and me. Someone's gotta watch the base."

Daniel frowned but nodded. His daughter clung to his leg, giving Kade all the reason he needed to keep the man back.

Jin wasn't a fighter, not really. He had medical training—sort of. Enough to patch people up, which was more valuable here than out there. He was needed at the clubhouse.

That left Julia, David, Rachel, Miguel, Frank, and Elliot.

Julia was a given. She was their best sword, and she had already proven herself time and again. David, the ex-bouncer, had been training with an axe, and his raw strength was useful. Rachel had insisted on fighting—her drive was undeniable. Miguel, their mechanic, would be essential if they needed to hotwire or fix anything. Frank, the old vet, didn't need an excuse. He had the eyes of someone who had seen war before.

Elliot had to come. He was the only one who knew what to look for at the radio station. He wasn't fast, and he sure as hell wasn't a fighter, but without him, this whole thing would be for nothing.

"That radio message changes everything."

They had forty people out there, trapped. If it was a trap, then so be it—but they couldn't afford to ignore it, a radio station would be the first to receive vital information, the chances of that being true could be the difference between if they lived or died.

Adjusting his glasses, Elliot leaned over the table, tracing a finger along a rough map of the city. "We need to get to the station, but we can't haul all that equipment back on foot. You're gonna need a vehicle."

"Then we find one."

"Most modern vehicles are fried. Electronics got cooked when the resonance burst hit. But…" He paused, tapping the map. "Old diesel engines might still work. If we spot one along the way, that would help a lot!"

Kade nodded, a flicker of memory surfacing in his mind. "I think I might have an idea."

He thought back to his childhood, watching a parade roll down Main Street. Among the marching bands and elaborate floats, an old fire truck gleamed under the city lights, its vintage frame standing as a relic of a bygone era. He had watched in awe, thinking how incredible it would be to ride one, to be the kind of person who ran toward danger instead of away from it. That same fire truck had been a staple in every parade since, always parked at Station 14 when not in use. And Station 14? It was close—very close.

If they were lucky, if the truck was still there and intact, it could be exactly what they needed.

The group left the clubhouse with urgency, slipping through the subway tunnels before emerging into the ruined city. The streets stretched ahead, eerily still, yet alive with unseen dangers lurking behind every alley and shattered window. It wasn't empty—just waiting.

They moved swiftly, staying close to the buildings and keeping their weapons ready. Kade led the way, his senses sharp, scanning every movement in the shadows. Julia followed close behind, her rapier drawn, the others flanking them in a loose formation. The deeper they ventured into the city, the clearer it became that the monsters were adapting. The wretches no longer stumbled aimlessly; they hunted, moving in packs as food became scarce, watching from the ruined structures like predators waiting for the right moment to strike.

They stopped at a few bodegas along the way, slipping inside cautiously, weapons raised. Most had already been picked clean—shelves overturned, glass shattered, food long gone. But in the chaos, some things had been overlooked. They found a handful of supplies—dusty cans of beans and soup, a few half-crushed water bottles, a stash of protein bars hidden in a collapsed aisle. Miguel unearthed a medical kit beneath a register, its packaging yellowed with age but still intact. It was something. Not enough to sustain them, but enough to make the detour worthwhile.

Just as they were about to leave, the distant sound of scuffling drew their attention. Kade motioned for silence, pressing himself against the bodega's doorway as he peered out. A pack of wretches—six, maybe seven—were moving across the street, their twisted bodies moving with grotesque agility, sniffing the air like rabid animals. They hadn't noticed the group yet, but it was only a matter of time.

Kade glanced at Julia. "lets get this over with fast."

She gave a single nod. This would be the first time he saw her in action since she had evolved to a Riftborn

Miguel clutched a wrench in his hands. Elliot stayed toward the back, staying out of sight. The group fanned out with Elliot in the center. Kade struck first. He surged forward, his newly refined reflexes carrying him like a specter of death. His fist connected with the first wretch's skull, crushing it against the pavement with a sickening crack. Julia followed immediately, her blade slicing through the throat of another before it could react.

Miguel and the rest had stayed behind close to Elliot, which had been a life saver because as soon as Kade and Julia had pushed ahead, from above movement was heard, snarl and a crash! A wretch had leaped out of a window to attack the back formation, Miguel was quick to act, his wrench bashing the wretch in the skull. He had been one of the more prolific survivors on their journey to the subway along with Daniel, showing his fearlessness once again. David, the Ex-bouncer followed up with a splitting arc, the axe pulling right through its body. They were safe for now.

The remaining wretches screeched in rage, turning on them in a frenzy. Kade ducked as claws swiped at his head, countering with a brutal elbow to the creature's face. His new mace like a weapon of mass destruction, obliterating the lowly wretches one swing after another. The impact sent them sprawling, unable to recover.

Julia danced between the remaining two with ease, her footwork impeccable. She impaled one clean through the chest, hitting vital points, twisting the blade free in a spray of black ichor. The final wretch turned to flee, but Kade wasn't about to let it go. He grabbed ahold of a wretch on the growned and tossed it with inhuman levels of power, toppling over the Wretch that was fleeing. and then dashed over in one fell swoop and drove his morningstar through the back of its head, pinning it to the cracked pavement like an art installation.

Silence fell.

Kade exhaled sharply, glancing at the others. "Good work. Keep moving."

They left the bodies behind and pressed on, the firehouse now looming ahead like a fortress in the distance.

The group quickly gathered the cores and pressed on, passing several blocks. Each block was like a mini turf war, clearing out wretches and reclaiming more of the city. Finally, after nearly an hour's walk they were getting past 18th and Broadway, and had made it near the fire station. 

It was an old brick structure, sturdy, untouched by the worst of the destruction. Fire stations had always been built to withstand emergencies, and this one still stood strong against the madness that had consumed the city.

And parked outside, covered in dust and debris, was their prize.

A vintage fire truck.

Miguel let out a low whistle, his eyes gleaming. "That thing's a beast. If it's still got fuel, we're in business."

Elliot ran a hand over the side of the truck, inspecting it closely. "No fried circuits. This model runs purely on diesel. If the tank's intact, it should run."

Before they could celebrate, a sound cut through the air—a fight.

Screams. Metal clashing. The guttural snarls of wretches.

Kade didn't hesitate. "Move!"

They surged toward the firehouse, weapons at the ready. Inside, the scene was chaos. A group of firemen—three left standing—were fending off a horde of wretches. Blood was smeared across the walls, overturned lockers and equipment littering the floor.

One of them, a broad-shouldered man with an axe, split a wretch clean down the middle, his expression twisted in rage and exhaustion. Another, a younger man with a firefighter's jacket draped over his shoulders, was holding up a wounded companion, his face set in grim determination. The third was pinned beneath a wretch, desperately holding its snapping jaws away from his throat.

Kade moved without thought.

He launched forward, his Morningstar swinging in a brutal arc. The spiked weapon crushed into a wretch's side, sending it sprawling. Julia followed, skewering another in the back, twisting her rapier before ripping it free.

Miguel and Elliot fought at the edges, finishing off the weaker wretches. The firefight ended in a matter of seconds, the last of the monsters crumpling at their feet.

The firemen stood, panting, taking in their saviors with wary eyes.

The one with the axe—Pauly, by the name stitched onto his gear—exhaled heavily. "Shit. About time someone else showed up."

Kade rolled his shoulders. "What's your situation?"

Pauly glanced at his injured comrade. "Been holed up here since the sky split. We were out trying to save people, but… we got overwhelmed. Made it back here, but the chief…" His voice faltered. "Chief held them off. Bought us time to get inside. He didn't make it."

The younger firefighter, Michael, gritted his teeth, clearly in pain. "We thought we were done for."

Kade scanned them, noting the resilience in their stance. Even injured, they were ready to fight. "We're headed to the radio station. Forty people trapped inside. We need to get them out and grab supplies, we need to borrow that firetruck outside."

Pauly's eyes hardened. "That's all I need to hear. We're in." The other two nodded in agreement in unison

Even Michael, despite his wounds, straightened. "Take us with you, we'll fight!"

Julia frowned. "You're in no condition to be swinging an axe. You ride in the back of the truck, save your strength."

Pauly hesitated before nodding. "Fair enough. But you'll be glad we came. We know the streets. Were strong... we just want to help save someone... anyone, we... we cant sit back while others die anymore..."

Kade nodded. "Good. Load up the truck with whatever is useful here, We leave in ten."

The firemen wasted no time. They grabbed whatever supplies were left—food, medical kits, tools. They filled the fire truck's water tank, knowing it might be useful later. They gowned a fire retardant suite and moved on. 

Finding the truck and having three new strong allies was already the best outcome they could have asked for, things seemed to be going too well!

They set off toward the radio station, their newly reinforced team rolling through the desolate streets.

But the road ahead was a little too clear.