CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The Stalkers' Deception
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The sky was painted in hues of crimson as Jace, Kunle, Jane, Reed, Colonel Wallace, and a team of New Order fighters approached the abandoned prison. Silence lingered in the air, a dreadful prelude to the carnage about to unfold. The compound stood eerily still, the iron gates wide open as if welcoming them in.
Kunle: "This doesn't sit right with me."
Jane: (gripping her rifle) "They wouldn't just leave. Not like this."
Colonel Wallace raised a fist, signaling the team to halt. He gestured for a few men to scout ahead, their footsteps barely audible against the concrete.
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling screech echoed from the far end of the courtyard. A horde of unnaturally fast walkers poured out from the corridors, their grotesque forms twisting unnaturally as they sprinted towards the team.
Wallace: (yelling) "AMBUSH! FALL BACK! FALL BACK!"
Gunfire erupted, flashes of muzzle fire illuminating the approaching monstrosities. The first wave of walkers crashed into them with unrelenting force. Jace swung his machete, cleaving into rotting flesh, but the undead did not falter. One lunged at Kunle, who barely managed to shove his shotgun into its mouth before pulling the trigger, splattering its decayed brains.
Reed: "We need to retreat! They're too fast!"
Before anyone could react, bullets whizzed through the air from the surrounding watchtowers. The Stalkers emerged from the shadows, opening fire. Soldiers dropped like flies as chaos consumed the battlefield.
Jane: (gritted teeth) "They played us."
Jace ducked behind an overturned supply crate, reloading his pistol. The battle was relentless—walkers tore through men, soldiers fired blindly, and the Stalkers picked them off from above.
Wallace: (on radio) "Base, we are under attack! I repeat, we are—"
A shot rang out. The Colonel crumpled, blood pooling beneath him.
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Meanwhile, back at the New Order settlement…
The first explosion shattered the gate.
Boom! The front gate exploded into splinters, sending debris flying. Stalkers stormed through the flames, throwing grenades into the defensive posts and slaughtering the few remaining guards with ruthless efficiency.
Inside, panic erupted. Women and children screamed, running for shelter. Those who fought back were gunned down instantly.
Mosun: (grabbing Ayanfe's hand) Come with me! We need to hide."
She threw open the trapdoor beneath their staircase, shoving her son inside just as footsteps thundered through the house. Heavy boots stomped through the rooms above. She held her breath, clutching Ayanfe close, praying they wouldn't find them.
Across the settlement, Miss Okafor and her daughters had taken refuge in an abandoned storage shed. But their luck ran out quickly.
The door was kicked open, and rough hands yanked them out.
Stalker 1: (grinning) "Well, look what we have here."
Bisi screamed, but Chioma clung to her mother, tears streaking her face.
At the far end of the fields, Sheldon and his friends tried to escape through the tall grass. They never made it. A Stalker spotted them and fired two shots. One of the boys collapsed immediately.
Sheldon: (panting) "NO!"
They were surrounded. Guns raised, captives kneeling, the settlement had fallen.
A Stalker, masked in black, stepped forward.
Stalker Leader: "You thought you could hunt us?" (pauses) "Now you will pay the price."
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Back at the Prison…
The last of the fighters were overwhelmed. Jace, Jane, Kunle, and the survivors were forced to their knees as their weapons were kicked away.
Blood dripped from Jace's forehead. He turned to Jane, her face bruised but her expression unwavering.
Jace: (hoarsely) "We walked into their trap."
A towering Stalker stepped forward, smirking as he cracked his knuckles.
Stalker Commander: "Welcome to hell."
A rifle butt slammed into Jace's head.
Darkness consumed him.
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