Chapter 11:Into the fire

James knelt beside the injured man, applying pressure to the wound. He was panting, his body trembling from blood loss.

"Where did they take them?" James pressed.

The man coughed, his face twisting in pain. "North… old factory… they made a camp there.".

James caught Maria's gaze. They'd been searching for a typical supply run, maybe doing an in-and-out rescue of a few survivors. What they'd found was bigger in nature.

"We need to move," Maria said. "If the raiders took people, they won't be holding them alive forever."

James nodded, glancing to the rest of the crew. "Carter, Riley, get him squared away. The rest of us are heading north.".

Carter scowled. "Are we seriously attacking an entire raider camp?"

James's grip on his rifle hardened. "We're not leaving those people behind."

Maria grinned and chambered a round in her shotgun. "Good. I was getting a little bored." Scouting the Enemy

They went on with speed, taking side roads to remain concealed. As they climbed to the factory, James placed his finger against his lips. They climbed a small hill, gaining a good view of the raider camp.

There were barricades of a sort around the factory—scrap metal, ruined cars, and piles of garbage. Gun-carrying raiders walked the outside, rifles on some, machetes on others slung over their backs.

Within the camp, a cluster of survivors were penned in a fenced-in section, their faces etched with terror and fatigue.

James gritted his teeth. "We need a plan."

Maria shifted her scope. "I see at least fifteen raiders, possibly more inside."

"We can't fight them head-on," Logan whispered. "We'll be torn apart."

James studied the layout. They needed to divide and conquer.

We create a diversion," he said to her. "Lure some of them out, get them outside. Then, once they are fewer in number, we attack and rescue the hostages."

Maria smiled. "I like it. Who gets to be bait?"

James smiled. "I do."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Just like you." The Ambush

James strolled around the factory and discovered a gas station close to it that had been abandoned years ago. He picked up a rusty old metal pipe and hurled it into a car close by, triggering its alarm.

The wailing filled the streets.

The raiders inside the factory sat up.

"Someone's outside!" one cried.

Three of them ran towards the noise, rifles held high.

James plunged in, knife gripped. When the first raider spun around, James charged—his knife slashing the man's throat.

The second raider spun around, but Maria's rifle cracked—a headshot.

The third raider just stood there with wide eyes. Logan stabbed him in the back before he had a chance to react.

James nodded curtly. "Three down."

The diversion had been a success. More raiders were abandoning the camp, so the prisoners were more lightly guarded.

"Now's our chance," James said. "Let's go." The Rescue

They skirted the perimeter, the shadows hiding them. There were just two guards remaining with the prisoners.

Maria aimed down her rifle. "I got left."

James nodded. "Right."

Both of them fired simultaneously—both raiders dropped before they even knew what had happened.

James ran to the cage, unlocking it with his knife. The prisoners—men, women, even some children—stared at him in disbelief.

"We're here to help," James called out. "We're taking you to Haven."

A woman stepped forward, eyes wide with wonder. "You're… you're rescuing us?"

James nodded curtly. "Yeah. And we need to get out, now."

As the prisoners swarmed out, a shot whizzed past, ordering them back.

A raider materialized on the rooftop, gun trained on them.

"INTRUDERS!" he yelled.

The camp burst into chaos.

"Go!" James ordered the prisoners. "Head for the ridge!"

Maria, Carter, and Logan fired, providing cover for their retreat as more raiders streamed out of the factory.

James killed two raiders before joining the group. Bullets flew around him, hitting the ground close to him.

They had made it out of the camp—but the raiders were close behind. The Final Stand

They reached an abandoned highway just outside town, the prisoners breathing hard. The raiders weren't far behind.

James turned to his team. "We hold them here."

Maria checked her ammo. "Sounds fun."

Logan smirked. "I always wanted to go out in a blaze of glory."

James narrowed his eyes. "We're not going out at all."

The raiders charged, yelling as they fired.

James and his team held their ground, fire for fire into the advancing enemies. Raiders dropped one by one, but still they came.

Then—

BOOM!

A tremendous blast tore across the air.

A group of warriors from Haven emerged from the woods, Evelyn at their lead.

"Thought you'd need some support!" she shouted.

Supported by Haven, the raiders were soon driven off. Those that were left fled into the wilderness.

James exhaled, allowing his gun to drop.

It was finished.

They had won.

Again. A New Beginning

At Haven, the survivors they rescued were fed, watered, and tended to their wounds. Some cried in gratitude. Others simply sat in shocked silence.

James was on the wall again, watching their numbers grow. With each person they saved, they were one step closer to starting anew.

Maria was at the railing beside him. "You know… if we keep this up, we just might have a shot at something real."

James nodded. "Yeah. We just might."

Below, the people of Haven worked together—stronger than ever.

The world wasn't lost.

Not anymore.

They were going to take it back.