Here we are.

Devin leaned forward as the truck rolled to a stop. He drummed his fingers on his knees and hesitated, almost bracing himself for the next blow. His head was muddled by everything that had happened in barely twenty-four hours.

I’m exhausted.

He lifted his head and looked at the hanging canvas cover, his thoughts going to Emily. He had tried to get someone on the radio during the last stage of their journey home. Nobody had answered. Fear clenched his gut. He needed to know Emily was okay.

“Wait.” Noah gripped Devin’s wrist when he tried to stand.

The recognizable wails of the infected echoed around them.

“Don’t worry.” Devin twisted his arm, freeing himself from Noah’s hold. He glanced at March as he got to his feet and drew his gun. There was a low thud against the side of the vehicle and March flinched. Fear crossed her face and she tensed.

“Hank,” he said low into the radio. “What can you see?”

“Five.” Hank paused. “Devin, they’re inside the gate, too.”

“Fuck.” Devin closed his eyes, tapped his gun against his thigh. The worst possibilities clouded his mind. He had to believe the people he considered family were okay. “We should clear them quickly. Signal the others.” He checked over his shoulder. “Stay here. Stay quiet,” he told Noah and March.

Cautiously, Devin pulled back the cover. There was nothing in sight behind the truck. He gripped the metal frame, and leaned out and around the vehicle. Two freaks were alongside the driver’s door. Hank had said there were five.

A gunshot rang out, then a second, from behind him. Devin figured Hank had made his move. Reaffirming his hold on the frame and his weapon, Devin took the shot, downing one of the undead. As the body hit the ground, the driver’s door flew open, smashing the other freak in the face. Mac leaned out of the cab and fired down on the dazed monstrosity. He withdrew back inside as a third freak rounded the front of the truck.

Devin lined up his shot, but eased off as Yara appeared behind the freak. She moved with purpose, grabbing it by its long matted hair and dragging its head back before delivering a swift blow with her curved ax. The corpse dropped to the ground beside the others and Yara surveyed the area.

“Clear,” she stated, wiping her ax on the knee of her pants, then hooking it on her belt. She smiled up at Mac when he swung open the driver’s door.

Hank came up behind her. “We’re good,” he confirmed, nodding in Devin’s direction. He side-eyed the gate and the trapped infected monster reaching through one of the gaps in the sheets of metal used to reinforce and obscure the view through the bars. A mix of curiosity and concern furrowed his brow.

There didn’t seem to be signs of anyone on the walls. Devin headed to one of the open sections of the gate. He kept his distance as he scanned the area beyond the gate. There appeared to be two of the infected freaks inside. The second drew closer. The skin of their outstretched arms was pale and weathered. They had turned long before today or even yesterday.

“They’re not ours.” He drew his knife and stepped closer, angling his strike to puncture the first freak’s skull via its eye socket. The second lunged for him through the gate. Devin flipped the knife over, using the butt of it to smash the freak on the top of the head. It groaned and fell forward, allowing Devin to jab the blade into the base of its neck.

Where is everyone? He narrowed his eyes, ducking his head to get a better view of the entrance to the garage at the other end of the driveway.

“Try them on the radio again,” Devin instructed Hank. He stood with his hands on his hips and looked up at the twisted, jagged metal on the top of the gate. On the chance power was running, he tried the keypad. Nothing.

“What do you want to do?” Mac asked, hanging out of the driver’s side door. He seemed more on edge than he’d been at the hospital as he scanned the surrounding area.

Devin considered the wall and the spiral of barbed wire. “Think you can pull the truck closer?”

Mac slid back into his seat. “Hang on.” A series of maneuvers later and Mac positioned the vehicle as close to the wall as he could.

“I’ll head inside. Check things out,” Devin said as he removed his jacket.

“I’ll come with you,” Hank said. He looked at Devin, seemingly knowing Devin was about to object. “I’m coming with you.”

Devin glanced at the back of the truck. He was uneasy about leaving Noah out here with people he didn’t know.

Mac jumped down. “Count me in.”

“No.” Yara stepped forward. “I’ll go.” She raised her eyebrows as she quirked her head. Her eyes met Mac’s in a determined stare.

Mac nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

Having shouldered her rifle, Yara walked past Hank. She took the lead and was the first to scale the cabin. Once on the roof, she examined the top of the wall, a few feet above her head. She glanced down at Devin as he released the straps on his bulletproof vest. “Give me a boost,” she said.

Devin passed up his vest, then climbed up beside her. He bent his knee, then offered her his cupped hands.

“Okay.” Yara grabbed for the wall to steady herself. She held the vest in her hand as she was lifted up. With a grunt, she threw the body armor over the barbed wire before pulling herself up onto the wall. She hissed, catching herself on the barbs as she pressed down the body armor to flatten the wire. She knelt, getting into a position to hoist Devin and Hank up.

Hank had joined Devin on the truck and offered his knee to Devin. Devin accepted and jumped up, grabbing Yara’s hand. Carefully, he climbed up and over her. After checking the courtyard was clear, he dropped to the other side, making room for Yara to help Hank.

The clouds overhead cast a grayness over the prison. Together with the eerie silence, it was unsettling.

Hank and Yara joined Devin on the ground.

Yara rubbed her forearm.

“You okay?” Hank asked.

“It’s nothing,” she insisted. “Trust me. I’ve had it worse.”

Hank raised his rifle and cast his gaze across the tops of the buildings. “I can’t see anyone. No one on watch.” He wrinkled his nose.

Devin scratched at the growth on his jaw as he looked at the second set of gates. “We’ll go first,” he told Yara. “Familiar faces and all that.”

With a nod, Yara fell in behind them. “Sure. Lead the way.”

They walked the length of the driveway in silence. Devin gripped his handgun, scanning the area as they headed for the next gate. He stopped when they reached the entrance. He screwed up his mouth as he debated what to do. Exhaling a shaky breath, he banged his fist on the panel. The sound of his hand on the metal produced a hollow echo. He waited praying for someone to answer. Was it wrong he was happy to accept silence over the gut-wrenching shrieks of the undead?

There was no reply.

“Help me get this open.” Devin ran his hand across the gate. He pressed his fingertips into the slight gap where the gates met.

Between them they managed to part the gates enough for them to slip through.

“Christ.” Devin brought his hand up to his mouth as he came to a stop. The smell of blood hit the back of his throat.

Yara passed him and eyed the line of bodies. “Your people?”

With a grim expression, Hank walked the line. Some were covered with sheets, others lay exposed and bloody. “Sixteen,” he stated. He pointed the end of his rifle at the body nearest to him. “He’s one of the men Lukas came in with.”

Devin pressed his fingers against his brow as he gazed from body to body. Some of the uncovered faces were ones he knew, people he’d lived alongside for months. “These have bites.” He noted the blood around their mouths. What had happened? Had they missed something, a bite, infection with one of the new people they had brought in? How?

The sick boy? Could this be down to him?

“Devin, you need to see this.” Hank had lifted one of the sheets with his rifle.

“The hell?” Devin eyed the withered remains of the freak they’d had locked in the cells. The monster Emily had named John. There was fresh blood smeared across its face and down its neck.

They should have put the damn thing down the second they had returned from Chicago.

“I don’t…” Devin swallowed back his guilt. He had gone against his better judgment, letting that thing survive.

Yara cleared her throat. “Guys, we’ve company.” She raised her hands, holding them away from her body and weapon. “Yours, I hope.”

“Devin.” There was relief in Kerry’s voice as she approached. She hurried her final steps, knocking him off-balance as she rushed to pull him into a hug. “Thank God.” She tightened her fingers, gripping the back of his shirt.

The curls of her loose hair brushed against Devin’s cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist, closing his eyes as he took comfort from the feel of her body pressed to his. It had only been one damn day, but it felt like so much had happened, changed. He opened his eyes. “Emily?”

“She’s okay. Shook up, but okay.” Kerry glanced over her shoulder to the group of armed individuals who had accompanied her. “We’re all a little shook up, to be honest.”

“Not to break up the reunion but…” Yara waved a hand in the direction of the bodies.

Kerry leaned back, lowered her arms, releasing Devin from the embrace. She eyed Yara with a curious expression. “Things got a little crazy.” She looked up at Devin. “You were right.”

Devin curled down his mouth. “About what?”

“The men Lukas brought in.”

Devin let out a breath. “Damn.”

“They let John out of his cage last night during supper. Used the chaos to steal weapons, food.” She folded her arms across her chest. Her attention was on Yara. “Or they tried to.” There was an edge to her tone that sounded very much like a threat, a warning for Yara’s benefit.

Yara was unfazed and mirrored Kerry’s stance, folding her arms across her chest.

“Where’s Jack?”

“He’s okay. Pissed. He’s been trying to get the radio back up and running.” Kerry rubbed her hand over her cheek. Her features were darker than usual. “Assholes ripped the shit out of it.” Kerry paused. Her eyes widened as a realization hit. “Noah. Where is he?”

“He’s fine or will be. He’s outside with friends.” Devin glanced at Yara as he said the word. Her shoulders dropped, the tension she’d held easing.

“Friends,” Kerry repeated. “Okay.” She gazed at the dead. “We lost eleven of ours.” She lifted her head and met Devin’s eyes. He knew what question her gaze held.

Devin did his best to ease her concerns and put his hand on her shoulder. “I trust them.”

Kerry brought up her hand and rested hers over his. She nodded. “If you’re sure.” She went to walk away.

“We passed some vehicles on the way here. Three of them.” He tilted his head, scrutinized Kerry’s expression as her jaw tightened. “They’re not coming back, are they?”

“Conroy?” Hank said.

Kerry nodded. “If it makes you feel any better, he pretty much saved my life yesterday. Emily’s, too.”

“Not really,” Hank said. “What did they take?”

“Guns, food. I don’t know. I didn’t argue. I let them go. Some of the others joined them.”

Devin massaged a circle at his temple. “How many?”

“Thirteen in total, I think. Everything’s a mess.”

Drawing his hands over his face, Devin composed himself. With eleven dead and thirteen others gone that was nearly a third of their number. “Right.” They needed to deal with one thing at a time. “First, let’s get everyone inside.” He’d feel better once Noah was safe.

“And then?” Kerry asked.

“Honestly?” Devin shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Kerry looked uneasy.

“But we’ve come too far to let this break us. We will figure it out.”