Chapter 9

"Wait!" Chloe yelled, pointing. "The infected—they're everywhere!"

The soldiers turned. Infected poured from Car 5, Car 6, running fast. White eyes glowed in the smoky light. People fell, bitten, turning quick. "Fall back!" the leader shouted. He grabbed a radio. "Station's compromised! Send more men!"

Jennifer pulled free from a soldier. "We can't stay here!" she said. "They'll overrun it!"

The leader glared at her. "You're going to quarantine. Now!"

"No," Jennifer said. "We need to run. Hide."

Chloe held the baby tight. "She's right. Look!"

The infected reached the platform edge, grabbing soldiers. Guns fired, but there were too many. Marie hugged Kenna, scared. "Where do we go?" she asked.

Jennifer scanned the station. Tracks stretched left and right. A big building loomed ahead—glass doors, signs, stairs. "There!" she said. "Inside the station!"

The leader shook his head. "You're with us!"

"Then come with us!" Jennifer yelled. She grabbed Chloe's arm and ran. Marie followed, slow but steady. The soldiers cursed but moved too, firing at the infected behind them.

The station doors were close—fifty steps, maybe. People pushed through, screaming. Infected chased them, fast and wild. Jennifer reached the doors first, holding them open. "Inside!" she shouted. Chloe ran in, then Marie. The soldiers followed, the leader last. He slammed the doors shut and locked them.

Glass rattled as infected hit it. Cracks spread fast. "Won't hold," Jennifer said.

"Upstairs!" the leader yelled. He pointed to a wide staircase. "Quarantine's on the second floor!"

They ran up, steps shaking under them. The station was big—high ceilings, lights flickering. Below, the doors broke. Infected poured in, growling loud. Jennifer looked back. "They're climbing!"

"Keep moving!" the leader said. He fired his gun down the stairs, hitting two infected. They fell, but more came.

The second floor was a long hall—shops, benches, a big window showing the tracks. Soldiers waited there, guns ready. "Quarantine's set!" one yelled. "Get them in!"

Jennifer stopped. "Wait," she said. "The train—it's not done."

The leader frowned. "What?"

"The infected," Jennifer said. "They're still inside. If they get out, this won't stop."

"She's right," Chloe said. "We saw them climb out."

The leader cursed. "We'll handle it. You're safe here."

"No," Jennifer said. "We need to stop all of it."

Marie held Kenna tight. "How?"

Jennifer thought fast. "Uncouple the cars. Split them. Trap the infected."

The leader stared. "You're crazy."

"It's the only way," Jennifer said. "They're spreading. Look!"

The big window showed the platform. Infected ran wild, biting people. Soldiers fell, turning fast. The train sat still, but doors hung open, more infected climbing out. "We cut the back cars off," Jennifer said. "Less to fight."

The leader shook his head. "No one's going back there."

"I will," Jennifer said. "I've done it before."

Chloe grabbed her arm. "No! You can't!"

"Someone has to," Jennifer said. "You stay with Marie. Keep the babies safe."

Marie's eyes filled with tears. "Jennifer, don't."

"I'll be quick," Jennifer said. She picked up her pole from the floor. "Tell me how," she asked the leader.

He sighed. "Couplers are between cars. Manual release—pull the pin. Car 5's a good spot. Cuts off the worst."

"Got it," Jennifer said. "Cover me."

The leader nodded. "Two men with you. Rest hold here."

Two soldiers stepped up—young, scared, but ready. "Let's go," one said. They ran back to the stairs, Jennifer leading. The infected were halfway up, clawing the steps. "Shoot!" she yelled. The soldiers fired, clearing a path. Jennifer swung her pole, knocking one down.

They reached the first floor. The station was chaos—blood on the floor, bodies everywhere. Infected turned, running at them. "To the train!" Jennifer shouted. She swung her pole, hitting heads. The soldiers shot, keeping them back.

The platform was close. The train loomed, smoke thick. Jennifer ran to Car 5's door—open, empty inside. "Here!" she said. She climbed in, the soldiers behind her. The coupler was outside, between Car 5 and Car 6—a big metal hook with a pin.

Infected rushed from Car 6, growling. "Cover me!" Jennifer yelled. She knelt by the coupler, pulling the pin. It was stuck, rusty. The soldiers fired, holding the infected back. One screamed—he'd been bitten.

"Pull!" the other soldier yelled. Jennifer yanked hard. The pin moved an inch. She hit it with her pole. It slid out. A loud clank rang out. Car 5 shook, free from Car 6.

"Done!" Jennifer shouted. She stood, but the bitten soldier fell, turning fast. His eyes went white. He lunged at the other soldier, biting his neck. Both went down.

Jennifer ran back to Car 5's door. Infected poured from Car 6, climbing over the gap. "No!" she yelled. She swung her pole, knocking them back. The train's back cars—6 to 16—were loose now, but infected still jumped across.

She climbed out, back to the platform. The station was overrun. Infected everywhere, chasing people. She ran for the stairs, pole ready. The second floor was ahead—Chloe and Marie waited there. She had to get back.

Halfway up, infected blocked her. Five, then six. She swung her pole, hitting heads. One fell, then another. But more came from below. "Come on!" she yelled at herself, pushing through. Her arms burned, tired.

A loud crash shook the station. The loose cars—6 to 16—rolled back, hitting a wall. Infected spilled out, trapped in the wreck. It worked. Fewer to fight now. Jennifer smiled, small and quick.

But the infected on the stairs kept coming. She swung again, knocking one down. Another grabbed her leg. She kicked, breaking free, but it slowed her. "No!" she shouted. She reached the top, the hall in sight.

Chloe stood at the edge, waving. "Jennifer! Here!"

Jennifer ran, panting. Infected chased, close. She tripped, her pole falling. "Damn it!" She grabbed it, rolling as an infected lunged. She swung from the floor, hitting its head.

Chloe ran down, a wrench in her hand. She smashed the infected off Jennifer. "Get up!" she yelled.

Jennifer stood, shaky. "Thanks."

They ran back to the hall. Marie waited with the babies, soldiers firing at infected breaking through. The leader saw them. "You did it?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jennifer said. "Back cars are off."

"Good," he said. "But we're not safe."

The big window shattered. Infected climbed in from the platform, fast. Soldiers shot, but there were too many. "Fall back!" the leader yelled.

Jennifer grabbed her pole. "We need to go!"

"Where?" Marie asked, holding Kenna.

"Out!" Jennifer said. "Past the hall!"

They ran, soldiers covering them. The hall led to a back exit—glass doors to a street. Infected swarmed behind, biting soldiers. The leader stayed, firing. "Go!" he shouted. "I'll hold them!"

Jennifer didn't argue. She pushed Chloe and Marie toward the doors. "Run!" she yelled. They burst outside, cold air hitting them. The street was dark, empty—cars abandoned, lights off.

The leader's gun stopped. Infected roared inside. He was gone. Jennifer slammed the doors shut, locking them. "Keep moving!" she said.

Chloe held the first baby, panting. "Where?"

"Anywhere," Jennifer said. "Away."

Marie limped, Kenna crying. "I can't go fast."

"We'll help," Jennifer said. She took Marie's arm. Chloe took the other. They moved down the street, away from the station. Infected banged on the doors behind them, but they held—for now.

The city was quiet, too quiet. Bordeaux was falling. Jennifer's legs hurt, her breath short. But she kept going. The babies were safe. The truth was out. She'd lost Ken, Monsieur Dupont, the leader. Too many. She wouldn't lose Chloe and Marie too.

They turned a corner, hiding behind a car. "Rest here," Jennifer said. They sat, catching their breath. The station's noise faded, but growls echoed in the dark.

"We made it," Chloe whispered.

"Yeah," Jennifer said. "For now."

Marie smiled at Kenna. "Thanks to you."

Jennifer shook her head. "All of us. And them."

The night stretched on. They were alive, but the fight wasn't done. Jennifer gripped her pole. She'd keep going. For Ken. For everyone.