Chapter 166: No Way Out

"Exactly! It was an emergency that day,"

"You confiscated our supplies and still haven’t returned them!"

A young team member stepped forward and accused them.

James Fletcher stopped his men and explained,

"I’d completely forgotten about that.

My sincerest apologies. But the zombies are here now,

and I think it’s more important we all focus on escaping with our lives."

"James Fletcher, if you don’t leave those supplies behind today,

don’t even think about leaving this place.

If we die, we’re all dying together!"

Julian Dempsey was furious, but also filled with deep regret.

He was the one who had insisted on bringing his people here.

He never thought it would bring disaster upon everyone.

Meanwhile, Holden Shaw, Pascal Paige, and the others had gathered in Nina Jacobs’s room.

"Eric Stone is right.

This is the best time to get out,"

said Chase Gallagher.

If all the zombies got in, staying here would be a death sentence.

"Then what are we waiting for?

Let’s grab Nina Jacobs and go,"

Pascal Paige said, knowing this was no time to hesitate.

Yvonne Willow was already at the side, starting to pack up the things in the room.

"Wayne Warner, you carry Nina Jacobs.

We’ll clear a path, alright?"

After Holden Shaw spoke, Wayne Warner nodded.

He gently lifted Nina Jacobs into his arms, determined to protect her from any harm.

Chase Gallagher nodded, planning to charge out with Holden Shaw and the others.

"I was just looking for you all.

Captain Stone wants me to lead you out through another exit,"

Molly Ulrich said, arriving just at that moment.

"Is there a way for us to break out from up there?"

Pascal Paige asked.

Their bus was still parked on the side of the road.

"I’m not sure,

but every second we save getting out of here increases our chance of survival."

Molly Ulrich said with a bitter smile, her face pale.

They had all anticipated this day would come, but she never imagined it would arrive so soon.

"If you really can’t get out,

you can hide in the building upstairs for now.

At least..."

’At least you’ll live a few minutes longer.’

"You can come with us."

The other exit was the nightclub’s back door.

There were no zombies on the other side of the door, but reaching the street level above required climbing several flights of metal stairs.

But Molly Ulrich shook her head.

"I have to get the others. You go on ahead.

And be careful."

With that, she turned and hurried back without a second glance.

Watching Molly Ulrich’s retreating figure, worry was etched on all their faces.

"Are they...

really going to be okay?"

Jessica Vance asked.

"I don’t think anyone can guarantee anything right now,"

said Chase Gallagher, already hearing the roars of zombies nearby.

Holden Shaw used his Speed Element Superpower to race up the stairs first.

The stairs led up to an alley.

Both ends of the alley were blocked off with abandoned vehicles and barbed wire.

To Holden Shaw’s shock, both ends of the alley were already swarming with zombies!

"I think... we’re trapped..."

Holden Shaw stammered, staring at the zombies in his line of sight.

He’d thought they could just kill a few and break through.

But now, charging out would be suicidal.

"Do what Molly said. Get into the building upstairs,"

Chase Gallagher reacted instantly.

A few zombies behind the wire fence had already spotted them.

He found a sliding window and nimbly climbed inside.

"This is actually Lockwood Squad’s territory up here.

It’s vacant and serves as a shelter for them, so it should be clear of zombies."

Chase Gallagher explained after helping everyone inside one by one.

Pascal Paige rushed to a window on the second floor and looked out.

The sight made her despair.

Zombies were everywhere.

"Take her to the top floor. It should be the safest place,"

Holden Shaw said to Wayne Warner.

If the zombies outside were going to break in sooner or later, the others could at least hold them off on the lower floors for a while.

Wayne Warner nodded and headed upstairs with Nina Jacobs.

"Chase Gallagher, where are you going?"

Pascal Paige asked, seeing him turn to leave.

"I’m going back down to help the others.

If it’s just us up here, we won’t last long,"

Chase Gallagher said.

The priority was to gather all their fighting strength inside this seemingly sturdy building.

"You’re right. I’ll go with you."

Pascal Paige quickly followed him.

There were still so many people downstairs.

When it came to killing zombies, the more people, the better.

Back in the underground hall, James Fletcher was forced to hand over the supplies that belonged to Eric Stone and her group.

"I’m afraid even if you’ve got them back now,

you won’t live long enough to use them!"

James Fletcher sneered, looking at Finn Hart’s group as they staggered in, looking battered.

Finn Hart had promised to trade supplies for a chance to take shelter inside.

Eric Stone had agreed to let them in.

But now, only fifty-odd people remained in Finn Hart’s group.

Although Finn desperately wanted to kill James Fletcher right then and there, he didn’t dare make a reckless move.

Surviving was the priority now.

After collecting all the supplies, Yara Garcia stuck close to Julian Dempsey’s side.

"You’re a Spiritual Element Superpower User?"

Eric Stone asked, looking at Finn Hart with a hostile expression.

’If James Fletcher was an unforeseen disaster,’

’then this guy was a walking catastrophe.’

If it weren’t for these two groups, her own people wouldn’t be in this mess.

"Yes."

Finn Hart answered obediently, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

"How many zombies are out there now?"

Eric Stone asked.

The question made Finn Hart hesitate for a moment.

But he still answered truthfully. "Over ten thousand. Maybe more."

As soon as Finn Hart said it, even James Fletcher’s legs went weak.

"We’re dead. We’re all dead."

"Look how few of us there are! Against more than ten thousand zombies? We don’t stand a chance!"

"But we still have supplies, right?

What if we just hide in here and wait for the zombies to disperse?"

"Yeah, let’s seal up all the exits!

Nobody goes out! It’s safe in here!"

"..."

The people in the hall murmured amongst themselves.

Eric Stone stood in the middle of it all, silent, until Kurt Garrison came to her side and tapped her shoulder.

"Excuse me, everyone.

I believe hiding in here is a dead end.

If you want to live, follow us upstairs. There might be a slim chance of survival,"

Eric Stone announced.

’She wanted to live, which meant she wasn’t going to wait here to die.’

They had already decided to fight for that slim chance outside.

As soon as Eric Stone finished speaking, the crowd fell silent.

"They’re too scared to go outside.

There’s no way they’ll follow us,"

Yara Garcia said, rolling her eyes.

’Even now, Eric Stone was still apologizing to these freeloaders.’

"Is there a way up from here?"

Finn Hart asked hurriedly.

Eric Stone looked at him and nodded.

"Once you’re up there, you have to fight the zombies with us."

She had her reasons for letting Finn Hart and his people in.

"Don’t worry, Captain Stone.

We’ll definitely work together.

At least, for now,"

Phoebe Vance replied, shooting a pointed glance at James Fletcher.

"Molly, take them upstairs,"

Kurt Garrison said.

Molly Ulrich nodded.

"Anyone who wants to come with us, move over here now."

Facing the members of the Lockwood Squad, whom she had lived alongside for two months, Eric Stone finally spoke, her voice choked with emotion.

"Stone..."

A middle-aged woman burst into tears.

"We... We’re not going.

Captain, you all... you have to be careful."

Another, rather scruffy-looking man said.

"Walsh, you’re coming with us, right?"

Eric Stone recognized Walsh.

He was usually nimble and always hardworking.

He didn’t have a Superpower, but he was a reliable member of the squad.