The sky was just starting to lighten when Rian nudged Leah awake. She stirred, blinking against the dim glow filtering through the broken windows. Bran was already up, checking weapons with his men, while Marcus adjusted his transmitter again, hoping for any signal stability.

Lucky let out a soft whine, nosing at Milo’s hand. Zara stretched out her legs, rolling her shoulders to ease the stiffness from the night watch. Devika stretched out her stiff limbs, a faint glow still pulsing in her fingertips as residual energy from the tower’s disrupted signal slowly faded.

Leah rubbed her eyes. “You think the scavengers will hit us before we move out?”

Rian shook his head. “Doubt it. They’d wait until we’re on the move. Easier to ambush a traveling group than a fortified spot.”

Bran approached, holding a worn map. “The caves Kira mentioned are about two klicks north. If we keep to the low ground and avoid the main path, we might stay out of sight.”

Rian studied the map, then glanced at Leah. “We’ll move in groups. I’ll take point with Zara and Milo. You cover the rear with Bran, Kira, and Devika. Marcus, take the middle with Josh and the rest of your men. If anything goes wrong, we regroup at the cave entrance.”

Leah agreed. “Better to move staggered. Makes us harder to hit all at once.”

The group gathered their gear, making sure nothing was left behind. Kira, looking pale but determined. Marcus muttered something about the signal being “too quiet,” but Rian pushed down the unease and led the way out of the tower.

They moved through the foggy dawn, feet crunching on the loose gravel path that wound around the ridge. Milo kept his eyes on the ground, following Rian’s footsteps, while Zara scanned the surroundings, her spear gripped tightly.

Lucky suddenly perked up, ears twitching. Rian signaled for a halt, dropping to one knee to listen. In the distance, faint shouts and the sound of metal clattering echoed through the trees.

Zara whispered, “Sounds like a fight.”

Marcus adjusted his transmitter, trying to catch any stray signals. “Nothing on the comms. Either they’re too far or using short-range bursts.”

Leah moved up to Rian’s side. “If it’s scavengers fighting each other, we might slip past. But if they’re attacking survivors…”

Rian made a quick decision. “We’ll scout it out. Stay low and quiet. If it’s trouble, we keep moving.”

They crept forward, the noise growing louder. As they broke through the underbrush, they saw it — a small group of survivors pinned behind an overturned truck, fending off both altered and scavengers. One of the survivors fired a flare, the bright light momentarily blinding the attackers.

Bran cursed under his breath. “Damn idiots. Flares will just bring more of them.”

Rian scanned the scene. “We can’t leave them. If they’re convoy stragglers, we need them.”

Leah nodded. “We’ll flank from the left. Draw the altered away first. Bran, your group covers the survivors and clears the scavengers.”

Bran grunted in agreement. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”

Rian signaled to Zara and Milo. They moved in a wide arc, keeping to the thicker brush. As they closed in, Rian raised his gauntlet, hoping it would respond. The faint hum reassured him, and when he activated it, a shockwave pulsed out, staggering two of the altered. Zara moved in, striking with precision, while Milo kept Lucky close, eyes wide but focused.

Devika and Leah moved from the opposite side, sending quick bursts of energy to disorient the scavengers. One of them yelled, “They’re coming from the woods! Fall back!”

Bran took the opportunity to advance, his group laying down suppressing fire. The remaining scavengers broke formation, some retreating while others tried to regroup around the truck.

A wounded man behind the truck spotted Rian’s group and waved weakly. “Help us! They came out of nowhere!”

Rian moved quickly, checking the man’s injuries. “Where’s the rest of your group?”

The man coughed. “Split off during the attack. Some went toward the caves. We thought the tower was safe…”

Zara exchanged a glance with Rian. “If more survivors went to the caves, they could already be compromised.”

Marcus jogged up, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Signal’s flickering. Something’s interfering again.”

Rian nodded. “We’ll check the caves. Help this group get on their feet.”

Leah signaled Bran, who approached cautiously. “What’s the damage?”

Bran shook his head. “Lost two more. A few injuries. Morale’s low.”

Rian took a deep breath. “We’ll push to the caves. If the signal’s coming from there too, we’ll need to secure the area before nightfall.”

As they regrouped, Kira approached, her eyes darting nervously. “The caves… they say people started acting strange in there. Heard voices. Saw things.”

Marcus muttered, “Great. Another signal anomaly.”

Leah took charge, setting up a quick formation. “We’ll move fast and quietly. If the caves are compromised, we fall back to the ridge and reassess.”

Rian gave one last look at the survivors they just saved. “Stick with the convoy. Stay close and don’t break formation.”

As they moved out, Lucky stayed close to Milo, occasionally looking back at the struggling survivors. Rian felt the weight of leadership pressing down harder. The tower had been a temporary refuge, but the caves felt like a deeper unknown — and the growing sense that something was guiding the altered left him uneasy.

They reached the mouth of the cave just as the sky brightened, the light filtering through the mist like ghostly fingers. Bran whispered, “No signs of movement, but that doesn’t mean it’s empty.”

Devika stepped forward, touching the stone wall. “The air feels… heavy. Like the energy’s pooling here.”

Leah nodded. “If that signal’s amplified by the stone, it might be why people are losing it inside.”

Rian motioned for quiet, stepping into the cave’s entrance. The darkness swallowed the light, and an unsettling hum vibrated through the stone. Whatever was drawing people here, it wasn’t just safety — it was something that resonated deep within the rock, and Rian feared they were walking straight into it.

End of Chapter 18.  Enjoyed the chapter? Get the next one early on Patreon!"