Author's Note: I know my updates are slow and sporadic at best. However I can say with certainty that is will be my first and only update for 2021. I will be unavailable for this year and will not be able to work on anything until at least some time in 2022. I am not sure of the exact time frame due to obligations of my chosen occupation. I apologize to any and all readers.

Mason quickened his pace moving down the street, his rifle loosely pocketed in his shoulder now. Since he hadn't seen any infected, he relaxed just a little thinking maybe that most had followed the horde out of the city. Only stragglers were left but he had seen their number. They were slowly approaching an intersection and Mason flicked his eyes back to McNabb who pointed left. Mason nodded before he started left and he saw a sign that said the airport was the same way he turned down. He then checked on Liz and saw her doing what he had taught her, shotgun pocketed in her shoulder scanning the area to his left. Still, he frowned wondering if she knew why she was doing that or if she was just going through the motions.

Mason turned forward again and that's when he saw him. An infected resting his head on top of a car that sat in the middle of the street. There were buildings on either side of the street, windows either smashed out or boarded up. Mason held up a fist as he stopped dropping to a crouch, McNabb, following his pointman, did the same. Mason quickly looked behind him to check on Liz. She was still walking forward but once they had locked eyes she wordlessly knelt down like Mason and McNabb.

Except she was just kneeling, not covering or watching his flank like a trained soldier would. She seemed to be off in her own world treating this more like a game then life and death. Mason supposed that she had nothing to really fear from the infected being one herself. This was like any other day for her, not life or death least as it was for him and McNabb. Still, if Mason noticed these things then McNabb could just as easily.

He looked back at him, but to his relief he was covering the left flank switching between looking down the rifle's scope to view far targets, to looking around it to make sure there weren't any close targets either. McNabb swept left to right, checking high roof tops and windows doing it right, the way they had been trained. Too busy watching his area to worry too closely about Mason's or Liz's. It was how a unit was supposed to fight, each member watching the other's back and knowing you didn't have to pick up your buddy's slack. Except Liz wasn't a soldier meaning he was going to have to pick up her slack to keep up the illusion.

He switched back to his area and the infected that still hadn't noticed them. He looked around at the buildings and all the doorways and windows and he couldn't see anymore. That didn't mean there weren't any around. He frowned for he could almost guarantee there were more laying dormant, and the shriek of that lone infected man or the gunshot to take him out would draw them all in. Still, he was going to notice them if they'd try to pass without dealing with him. Options quickly played through his mind.

"A suppressor, a suppressor, my kingdom for a suppressor," He muttered under his breath. He looked to the bayonet still fixed on the end of his rifle and nodded, it was all he had so it was going to have to do. He gave a short quick whistle, and McNabb looked over to him just like he wanted. Mason pointed to the infected, then to himself and finally drew a line across his throat. He then pointed to McNabb, to his own eyes and then out to the street. McNabb nodded understanding that Mason was going to deal with the infected man and McNabb was to cover him.

He then turned to Liz pleased to see she was looking at him. He held up a hand to tell her to stay there. She looked confused so Mason held up his hand and whispered just loud enough to be heard.

"Stay here," He said, his hand returning to grip his rifle. The look on her face said she wanted to do anything but stay there and let him go on his own. He narrowed his eyes at her, his lips pulled back into a semi sneer and her expression saddened but she nodded in understanding. He stood up from his crotch to move around the abandoned car he had taken cover behind. Mason moved into the street slowly, placing each booted foot with care. The thick and heavy leather made no noise on the pavement. A talent his drill sergeants went through painstaking effort to ensure him and all of them had learned. His finger twitched on his rifle's trigger while he crept up on the infected.

Mason swore inside his head while his heart hammered in his chest hard enough that he could feel his pulse in his neck. Why was he so keyed up? It's not like this was the first time he had to take down an infected quietly or face the consequences. He cursed that as well, getting so bent out of shape and not being able to place why. It wasn't until he was nearly in striking distance that the revelation hit him like a blow to the chest. All those other times he'd been alone, if he fucked up it'd just be his ass hanging in the breeze. While unpleasant a thought, it was only fair. His fuck up his, ass on the line. Now he had two comrades with him. Now if he fucked up it was not only his ass but theirs' as well. This thought did nothing to slow his beating heart.

Mason stood crouched behind the unaware infected, a plan hastily formed in his mind. First silence, second neutralize. Gripping his rifle by the barrel and where the stock met the receiver he drew it back. His eyes locked on his target, the back of the infected's neck. He could feel the war cry rising in his throat while he prepared to strike, quickly suppressing such a stupid action. Something they had to do in training was to scream when they stabbed the dummies on the bayonet course in basic training. To instill fear into the enemy, or at the very least make him think twice and throw off his guard. Both of which were impossible to do to this new enemy.

Mason thrust his rifle forward, the point of the bayonet entering the back of the infected man's neck and while it did not pass through smoothly or easily, Mason's strike carried the blade so it pierced out the other side, through his windpipe. Effectively neutralizing the infected's ability to shriek and alert any others that might have been close by. The force behind Mason's blow was such that not only did it stab through the man's neck but the point of the blade hit the car's window with enough force to crack it. The tempered glass held but it was sufficient to set off the car alarm.

Whomever had abounded this car had shut off the engine and made sure the lights and radio were off, ensuring there was nothing to quickly drain the battery. The bastard had even armed the car alarm. The lights flashing and the horn honking rhythmically in time with each other, letting everyone in the area know someone was trying to break in. The horn was loud and seemed to echo around the quiet street bouncing off the buildings.

"Fuck me!" Mason shouted just able to hear himself over the horn. He looked around the street, which was still empty, save for them but he knew it wasn't going to stay like that. A tug on his rifle brought his eyes to the man that was still skewered on his bayonet, ttill alive and trying to turn to attack Mason. Mason reacted by pulling his rifle's trigger, the barrel pressed into the back of the infected's head. The round forced his gray matter out the new hole in the front of his skull, splattering it all over the roof of the car. Placing a knee in the small of the dead infected's back, Mason yanked his rifle back pulling his bayonet from the man's neck. The body collapsed to the ground. He was just starting to look back to try and find McNabb and Liz when a sharp noise to his left drew his attention.

It was McNabb, who had slung his rifle and had slammed his hands on the car's hood with an open palm, and a knife hilt that was gripped tightly in his right hand.

"Pop ta fuckin 'ood!" McNabb shouted frantically. He pounded the hood again to get his point across. Mason could only nod before he jerked into action. At the time he couldn't understand what McNabb was doing but he trusted the older soldier as he learned to do in basic training. Mason raised his rifle once more and brought the buttstock down swiftly on the already cracked driver's window. The tempered glass spider-webbed and cracked but still managed to hold on. " 'urry ta 'ell up Mason!" McNabb encouraged, vocalizing the panic that had gripped Mason's chest since the alarm had started.

Mason swung his rifle butt into the window again, this time shattering the glass all over the driver seat. Not bothering to brush the shattered glass out of the way, he reached inside and unlocked the door. The only thing saving Mason's arm from getting sliced up was the thick BDU fabric of the jacket covering his arm, and the fact the tempered glass broke into less jagged balls instead of the shards like normal glass. With the door unlocked Mason yanked on the door handle, the door creaking open the hinges stiff. Holding his weapon one handed, he dove into the front of the car looking under the dash, frantically trying to find the hood release.

Except it wasn't there! Swearing, he looked in the next most likely place, between the driver's seat and the door. He was rewarded with a lever that had a picture of a car on it with an arrow pointing to the hood. Mason's fingers were already closing on it before he fully confirmed it was what he was looking for. He yanked it harder then he needed to, nearly snapping the plastic of the lever. Still, he could feel the stiffness in the lever's motion followed by the sudden release of tension as the hood was unlatched.

"Got it!" Mason shouted, pulling his head out of the car. He snapped up his rifle and started scanning the street and buildings around them. It was somehow still deserted and he couldn't imagine how. While it felt like hours had already passed, it had been only less than a minute. McNabb fingers curled underneath, yanked up on the hood with a grunt, only for the hood to raise a few inches before it ground to a stop.

"Wat ta fuck!" McNabb swore, trying to pry up on the hood with no success, the horn still blaring and lights flashing.

"It's got a second latch under the hood!" Mason shouted. Such a feature was not uncommon on newer model cars to keep the hood from flying open while driving if the lever for the hood somehow happened to get pulled while the car was in motion. McNabb shoved his left hand in-between the hood and the car groping around blindly trying to find the latch release. His fingers brushed something and as to figure out how to operate it. He tried pulling up at first, only for the latch to not budge. He pushed to the left, again nothing. He pulled to his right, the latch finally letting go. Feeling the hood was now free, he used his left hand to shove it up and hold it there. There was no time to try and prop the hood open.

McNabb hastily searched the inside of the engine compartment, finding the battery quickly. He placed the edge of his knife under the thick copper cable that was attached to the negative thermal of the battery. McNabb started to pull up while sawing with the knife as quickly as he could. He could feel the knife cutting through the battery cable, the cable made up of thin copper strands instead of just one solid piece of copper. Sawing so fast he bumped and dragged his knuckles against the battery hard enough to tear his gloves and draw blood, McNabb didn't care or slow for he had to silence this fucking alarm.

Mason was still scanning, looking for threats and still coming up empty, cursing everything. The infected, the bastard that owned this car, the army for placing him here, himself and even McNabb for going so slow. When the horn died, it did so just as abruptly as it started. The silence that followed was just as loud as the horn had been. Mason looked back at McNabb, who was still holding his knife and panting from both the rush of adrenaline and the effort to cut the battery cable.

The two soldiers looked around trying to see what damage had been done. McNabb placed his knife back into its scabbard so he could unsling his rifle and shoulder it. The only thing they could see was Liz slowly approaching them. Walking as if strolling through a park, shotgun pointed at the ground like Mason had taught her. Both Mason and McNabb locked eyes and they both seem to share the same thought. 'We got fucking lucky'.

Before they could enjoy that feeling a loud howl, which was echoed by many throats at once, cut through the silence. It seemed to come from behind them, where the trio had been coming from. McNabb and Mason turned towards the sound, weapons up. Liz turned her head and cocked it to the side. Mason could only see blurry movement as the infected horde was too far away from him to pick out clearly. McNabb saw all too clearly though his rifle's scope.

"Oh fuck!" McNabb groaned. Mason could see it as well. There were many infected sprinting for them, drawn in by the car alarm and now having spotted prey, they were committed.

"We gotta get the fuck outta here!" Mason shouted and started to back pedal, keeping his eyes on the horde. Then a shriek, much closer than the advancing horde. It seemed the ones hidden in the buildings and stores near the car had been roused. They stumbled out into the street awkwardly but broke into an out sprint to close the gap. They were coming out in twos and threes. Mason dropped the lead infected with a double tap, center mass.

"T'ere!" McNabb pointed at a building down the street. Just at a glance Mason could tell it didn't have the store front windows like all the other buildings around. Its door was made of wood and there was a fire escape that started on the second story floor and went all the way to the roof. Most importantly, there was no infected pouring out of it at the moment. There was an ear splitting crack as McNabb fired his bolt action rifle, blowing the head off of an infected woman that made a lunge for Mason.

"Stay right behind me!" Mason shouted at Liz and bolted for the building. It was maybe 200 yards away, just down the street. He ran down the center of the street, McNabb at his left and Liz, taking his words literally, followed right behind him. The infected were closing in on all sides with the horde at their backs. Mason pocketed his rifle into his hip, thumbing it to burst, and fired at a pair of infected that were coming at them head on. The first burst took an infected woman in the chest and dropped her, her momentum carrying her a few more feet before she collapsed. The second burst was a little off target, hitting the other infected in the shoulder spinning him but he kept coming.

Mason took aim again at the wounded infected when a blow to the left side of his head threw off his aim and caused him to grunt in pain. Not only that but it caused him to stumble, forcing him to slow down to keep from eating pavement. He jerked his head to the side and saw an infected had flanked him. Before he could react, the infected threw another punch, a wild haymaker that cracked across Mason's jaw. He saw stars explode into his vision and he took a step back, his run all but stopped now. Out of reflex he swung his rifle's buttstock which made a sickening crack across the side of the turned man's head. The infected stumbled back, Mason stumbled forward trying to keep his momentum. The infected recovered impossibly fast and Mason was only able to take a single step before it was on him again. Punching, beating and otherwise bludgeoning Mason.

Mason swung his rifle once more but in his dazed state it had less strength then the first blow. His rifle butt snapping the infected's head to the side but it didn't dislodge him. The infected snarled, spit flying from the man's rotted teeth and landing on Mason's face. Before Mason could try to swing again the infected rushed him knocking them both to the ground. His back hit the unyielding pavement and the infected crushed into his chest. The air was forced from Mason's lungs, momentarily stunning him, which allowed the infected to pin Mason's rifle between their bodies as it started to wildly throw blows at Mason's body.

Mason, reacting out of instinct and training, covered up bringing up his arms to cover and protect his face; blocking and deflecting the blows that were aimed at his face and lessening the strikes that were aimed for his body. Luckily, the infected's wild and uncontrolled assault, while painful, was extremely unbalanced. This allowed Mason to bring his knee up between their bodies, and while pushing off with his leg and bucking his hips he managed to throw the infected off of his body. Now free, Mason reached for his pistol, but before his fingers could close around the grip, a deafening boom went off above him, one that made his ears ring. Mason saw the infected's head explode and he looked up to see Liz standing above him, her shotgun smoking.

Before he could do anything else she had already reached down, grabbed the front of his web gear, and with more strength then it appeared she had, she hauled him to his feet. She shouted something, that Mason could tell, but it sounded like he was underwater or she was very far away. It didn't matter, for she yanked him with enough force towards the building and his feet automatically started to move to keep from falling down. In a few moments he was running of his own accord, the sound of the world suddenly faded back in as if water really had drained from his ears.

"Move! Move! Move!" McNabb shouted from the doorway of the target building. The bolt open on his rifle as he tried to push rounds into the internal magazine as fast as he could. The roars and shrieks of the infected, both the scattered ones running at them at all angles and the advancing horde at their backs. The boom, followed by the 'click-clack' of Liz's shotgun reminded Mason to fire his own weapon. He hip fired his rifle in a near daze-like state, but the burst hit the oncoming infected anyway. They were running straight at them and nearly impossible to miss.

Mason dove through the open doorway collapsing to the ground, the quickest way to stop his momentum. Liz landed on the ground next to him, McNabb throwing the door shut and sliding the old, robust iron bolt into place to secure the door.

"Mason!" McNabb shouted. " 'elp me!" McNabb had thrown his shoulder against a vending machine and appeared to be trying to move it in front of the door. Mason got ungracefully to his feet and ran, shoulder checking the machine before throwing his weight into shoving it. The vending machine slowly started to move with a terrible grinding sound, that left deep gashes on the tiled floor. The two soldiers grunted under the strain and effort to move the heavy load, making slow progress. Then suddenly the machine moved easier and quicker catching them both by surprise. Liz had also joined them, throwing her weight and strength into moving it. The vending machine now moved easily as if it was suddenly lighter, and the trio was able to get it into place up against the door.

Just in time to as the wood started to rattle from the wild blows of the infected trying to get in. All three took steps back from the door, weapons aimed at the vending machine. The door rattled and the vending machine shook but both refused to budge. After a few tense moments of no progress being made by the infected the trio slowly lowered their weapons.

"That door won't hold forever," Mason said.

"Agreed," McNabb said. "Got any 'nades left?"

"Yeah," Mason said, eying the door. "Not worth it though. Could use them later and it won't slow them down. They don't care about casualties."

"Fair point," McNabb agreed once again. Now that they weren't in immediate danger they could look around the building they had entered. It was a small, square room that was oddly designed with no windows, while all three were thankful for. It also meant there was no light coming into the room. Aside from the door and the vending machine, Mason couldn't see much else. Mason clicked on the flashlight clipped to his web gear, the red colored beam cutting through the gloom of the room. McNabb turned on his own standard-issued flashlight. The room was bare except for the vending machine that was now acting as a barricade. McNabb's light beam landed on something on the wall and he pointed it out to Mason.

"Mailboxes," Mason said. McNabb nodded. "This building must be an old apartment building." McNabb nodded again. The pounding in the door was getting louder and the vending machine started to rock as more infected through themselves at the door again and again. Mason eyed McNabb and decided to address the elephant in the room. "We're trapped, it won't be long until that horde gets in…now what?"

"Old building like tis gotta 'ave a way ta da roof," McNabb explained. "Fire escape more ten likely. Da buildings 'ere are close 'nough we can move along roof tops. We get away from da 'orde and push towards da airport."

"That's pretty fucking thin," Mason grunted.

"Wats yar plan ten?" McNabb asked brow raised.

"Doorway acts as a fatal funnel," Mason said, using his rifle's barrel to point at the rocking vending machine. "Their numbers don't count for shit through that. We dig in and mow them down."

"Even if we knew we 'ad da ammo for dat," McNabb countered. "I've got a fuckin bolt action, she's got a scatter gun. We can't reload like ya can Mason. We can't 'old em!" Mason quickly looked at McNabb's rifle and Liz's shotgun and sneered at his stupid idea.

"Let's go, I'll take point," Mason said, heading towards the door opposite of the one they had just come through. It was the only place to go and when Mason eased the wooden door open his red color light showed a stairwell. It was even darker than the lobby they were currently in. His booted foot had just stepped on the first stair when he heard a noise even over the banging of the infected at the door. Mason froze upon hearing it, every muscle tense, his left hand flew off his rifle's barrel to cover the flashlight to hide the beam.

"Ma-," McNabb started to ask. Mason whipped around and glared at him and hissed out a sharp 'shhhh'. Mason's heart was hammering in his chest and he felt like the blood in his arms had turned cold, his fingers tingling in response. McNabb heard it then as well, soft sniffling and sobbing. Mason flicked his eyes to Liz and saw the recognition not only in McNabb's face but hers as well. There was one of those crying female infected nearby.

McNabb's hand slowly reached up and clicked off his flashlight. Mason held his breath to see if such a small sound would alert the infected. Once they all heard her continue to cry he reached up and clicked off his own flashlight. Once he did, the trio was plunged into total darkness, there was no outside light source in the stairwell.

"Where is she?" McNabb whispered.

"Unknown," Mason whispered, moving his hand slowly to a pouch on his left side. He pulled out his night vision device. "I've got NODs. I'll scout ahead. Stay here."

"Mason," Liz whispered, seemingly right next to him. "I could-"

"No!" Mason whispered harshly. "We can't risk it." He didn't know exactly what Liz had in mind, but he did know that it probably involved giving herself away as an infected and there was no telling how McNabb would react. Mason finished attaching the NOD's harness to his head and lowered them over his eyes. Once they were turned on he could see both McNabb and Liz's faces in shades of sickly green. "I'm going." Mason whispered. He carefully placed a booted foot on the first stair. The old wood creaked softly as it took the weight of a fully loaded soldier with rucksack. In retrospect he should've dropped the pack but now there wasn't time. He climbed the next stair placing each foot with care, every step drawing a creak from the stair it was placed on. Each time it did he'd pause, heart hammering in his chest waiting and hoping to hear the faint sob of the infected women.

Each time Mason still heard her crying, her sobs rising and lowering with, in Mason's mind's eyes, the bobbing of her head. The first landing and 90 degree turn up the next flight of stairs was quickly approaching. The sobs were getting louder as he approached. Three steps to go, two, just one more. Mason's left foot came down on the last step before the landing and it creaked out loudly, enough to echo around the enclosed space. Mason froze sucking in his breath as he was afraid to even breathe. The sobs stopped and a startled gasp reached his ears from somewhere ahead.

Mason tightened his grip on his rifle as he listened and waited. His heart thumped so quickly in his chest, sending so much adrenaline into his bloodstream, his fingers tingled. Floating towards his ears once more was the sounds of soft crying and sobs. He exhaled softly stepping onto the more solidly built landing to find it empty. He turned to start up the next flight of stairs when he froze, drawing in breath once more. There she was on the next landing, right in front of the stairs and impossible to get around.

In the view offered by his night vision Mason could not see her glowing eyes, nor could he see her pale skin and hands that were hugged to her chest hiding deadly claws. She sat on the floor, her body gently rocking in time to her sobs, the inhales and exhales. She was dressed in nothing but her underwear, not even wearing a shirt. Mason swallowed hard, there was no door on the landing he was on currently, the next door beside the one that led to the lobby was on landing she was guarding. There was no way around her and they couldn't leave the building either, because of the horde banging on the door.

"First flight of stairs is clear," Mason stage whispered back towards McNabb and Liz. He pointed his flashlight down the stairs and clicked it on to guide them since he now knew where the infected and the light wouldn't enrage her. "Come up to the second landing." Mason waited for them to approach not daring to move and breathing shallowly eyes locked on the form of the crying infected on the landing. "Avoid the last step to the landing." Mason informed them as he saw them getting close. Once they were on the landing he clicked off his flashlight once more and heard McNabb gasp.

"Íosa milis," McNabb whispered in his native tongue. Mason didn't know what McNabb had said, but he did know that he only reverted to his native language when things looked grave.

"We can't go around," Mason whispered. "And the horde has us trapped. We have to deal with her. Suggestions?" No one said anything for a long moment.

"We 'ave found ah few ways ta deal wit dem," McNabb whispered. "Concentrated fire from 50 cal n above." That wasn't particularly helpful Mason thought for they didn't have any 50 caliber weapons with them. "40 mike mike grenade fired into dem before it can arm." Closer. "Last ditch effort. 12 gauge point blank ta da 'ead." Mason turned to look at Liz and the shotgun she was holding. He could feel NcNabb's gaze shift as well. "And aye mean 'point blank'. Da muzzle gotta be kissin' her fore'ead." Mason took his rifle's sling from his body and handed it to McNabb.

"Hold this," Mason ordered. McNabb took the rifle and Mason approached Liz.

"Mason," Liz whispered when they were just inches apart. "You don't have to do this. I can talk to her. Get her to move."

"And when McNabb see's you do that?" Mason asked as he grabbed the shotgun by the breech and tried to yank it from her grasp, except she was stronger than she looked and her grip held firm.

"So what?" Liz asked, her face determined. "So what if he knows what I am? You trust me. I rather he knows than you get hurt."

"If he knows and tells someone," Mason said again, trying and failing to tug the shotgun out of her grip. "They're going to lock you away and experiment on you!" Mason whispered harshly. "And I won't let that happen!" There was but a thin sliver of air between their two faces.

"Mason," Liz started. However, just then a faint but distinct bang rang through the stairwell. It came from the direction of the lobby and caused Liz to jerk her head in that direction. It also drove home the point that the horde was still outside, but most importantly it allowed Mason to wrench the shotgun from the distracted Liz's grasp. Without a word he stepped back, lowered his NOD back into place and pulled the shotgun's pump back just far enough to ensure a fresh shell was chambered.

"Mason," McNabb whispered as he passed. "Go mbeadh an ghaoth ar do chúl." Mason nodded. He knew the phrase, McNabb had used it several times when they had been in basic training. The translation had been something along the lines of 'The wind be behind you' basically meaning 'good luck'. Mason started up the stairs shotgun aimed squarely at the crying infected. Mason moved even slower and more carefully than he had before, feeling like any noise he made at all would mean instant death. Mason was just three steps away from the landing when she gasped suddenly. She looked up, her eyes catching his NOD's light amplifier just right to glow brightly.

Mason's instincts told him to freeze but instead he took another step closer, now he was two steps away. A low growl from the back of the infected throat replaced the sobs that had been filling the stairwell. Mason took yet another step, just one away from the landing. The infected woman growled louder, slowly rising to her feet. Mason took another step, it would only take one more until he was on the landing. The infected's face twisted into a sneer, the growl becoming louder, more threatening. She turned to square up with Mason, dropping her arms to her side exposing her bare chest to him and allowing him to see her long claws. Her eyes appeared to be looking through his NODs right into his. His own eyes were fixed on hers and the end of the shotgun's barrel which was pointed right between her eyes.

Mason stepped onto the landing, the only distance between them was created by the shotgun as the barrel was about touching her forehead. Mason's finger tightened on the trigger, but did not pull it. The infected woman's sneer became a snarl, showing pointed teeth. Mason knew what was coming and braced himself, he had to time this right. Her jaw dropped and she let out an ear splitting shriek that made Mason grit his teeth and McNabb to clasp his hands over his ears out of reaction. The woman raised her claws, reaching out for Mason and lunging forward. As she did Mason felt the shotgun bump against his shoulder when her forehead was pressed against the barrel. The moment it did Mason pulled the trigger.

The shotgun's report drowned out the scream of the infected and echoed for much longer, bouncing off the wall. The infected's forward momentum met with the shotgun's blast stopping her dead in her tracks. She was not thrown backwards, force of the shot enough to cause her to slump to the ground where she stood. She collapsed and lay still, Mason quickly racking the shotgun and switching aim to the fallen infected. She did not move and her eyes no longer glowed. In the middle of her forehead was a hole the exact size of the shotgun's barrel. What shocked Mason was the lack of gore.

Any bullet when it entered the body would exit with a hole at least double in size. He wasn't sure exactly why but knew it was the effect. He also knew that a shotgun caused even more damage since it fired several projectiles at once. Fired at point blank range it should've literally blown the back of her head off. However not only was her skull intact, but there was a distinct lack of blood except around the entry wound, proving that none of the pallets had enough force to punch out the back of her skull. Meaning her skull had to be insanely strong, inhumanly so and it was the only thing that could possibly explain why they were so hard to take down.

"Mason?" McNabb called in a low voice above a whisper. "We good?"

"Clear!" Mason shouted back. Just as he heard booted feet rapidly climb up the stairs a loud boom from the lobby echoed through the stairwell. "That'll be the vending machine!" Mason shouted. "They'll be in in here soon if they aren't already." Mason flipped up his NODs and clicked on his flashlight once more. He charged up the stairs with Liz and McNabb at his back. "These should lead to the roof?"

"Should!" McNabb shouted back as they ran. "I don't know!" It didn't matter, they were committed now. Mason charged up past the second floor, then the third and still there were stairs that lead up. He had been fighting for his life when he had entered this building so he didn't actually know how many floors it had. Though he had not seen many apartment buildings that had more than three floors, he allowed himself to hope when he saw more stairs past the third floor. As he rounded the next landing, he saw the last flight of stairs ended in a door with no landing and his flashlight beam illuminated a sign that simply said 'roof access'.

"It does!" Mason shouted, relief flooding his voice. He was the first to reach the door, and not to his surprise the door was locked. He didn't hesitate and pressed the barrel of the shotgun into the door where the wood met the metal hinge. He fired, blowing a hole into the wood and twisting the hinge into useless metal. Mason pumped the shotgun and fired once into the middle hinge and then the bottom. He then drew his foot back and booted the door, the door coming off the frame and landing on the roof. The trio rushed onto the roof. "Now what?" Mason asked looking around and finding nothing up here but the ventilation system.

"Fire escape!" McNabb cried, pointing at the metal ladder that was behind the doorway they came out of. Mason didn't say anything, and only ran for it. He dropped down onto the metal grating platform that the third story windows lead out to. He charged down the metal stairs passing the rest of the floors. They trio made it to the ground and were dumped into an alley behind the building. It was clear of infected as they had seemingly been drawn into the horde which was now entering the building. "Tis way!" McNabb said, leading them down another alley. Mason turned to check Liz was there and then followed.

McNabb led them at a dogtrot down allies and side streets. As far as Mason could tell they contained no infected, but all he could see was McNabb. The only thing he could think about was his ragged breathing, the weight of his rucksack as it bit into his shoulders, and the way his legs and feet protested their overuse. Mason had to stop suddenly as McNabb led them to a fence topped with razor wire and concrete barriers at the base.

"Go! Go! Go!" McNabb shouted, lifting up a section of the fence from a barrier for them to climb through. Mason pulled the quick release on his rucksack letting the heavy bag fall to the ground. Without breaking stride he slung the shotgun over his shoulder, picked up the heavy pack, and with all the strength he could muster he tossed the pack over the fence. He turned waiting for Liz to catch up and ushered her through the hole first. Once she was through he passed her the shotgun, butt first. He then climbed through, pausing just on the other side so he could take both his and McNabb's rifle from the other soldier. He then held up the section of fence so McNabb could climb through. Once he was through he let the section of fence fall back into place.

Mason handed McNabb his rifle and made a beeline for his rucksack. He picked it up by a strap and just kept running, not having the time to put it back on. The three ran down a grassy hill away from the fence and only once they reached the bottom did Mason risk a glance back. He saw no infected at the fence and it caused him to slow his stride. He looked over at McNabb who happened to be looking at him and he nodded. Both soldiers coming to a halt bending over to rest their hands on their knees panting. Liz remained upright not even breathing hard.

"We fuckin…made it boyo!" McNabb said between pants.

"What…do you…mean?" Mason asked. McNabb didn't say anything, just pointed in the direction they had been running in. Mason followed the finger and saw that they still had what appeared to be an acre of open field ahead of them, but in the distance he could see a control tower and paved runways of the airport that had been his goal. "The FOB!" Mason cried.

"W'at's left of it anyway," McNabb said straightening up. "We can finally get da fuck out of tis city."