Somewhere in Florida, inside a high-security lab, a patient lay unconscious on a bed enclosed by reinforced glass. Three people in white lab coats surrounded him—one monitoring the vital signs on a screen, another recording data on a clipboard, and the third collecting blood samples, several vials already filled.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and an older man in a white coat entered briskly.
"How's the patient?" he asked.
"Dr. Kurt," one of the researchers replied, "The vitals are stable, but we can't confirm if the procedure was successful."
"We'll need more tests to be sure," Dr. Kurt said, stepping closer to the monitor. "But we don't have time. The military has ordered a relocation. They've sent a security detail to escort us. We leave within two hours. Other scientists and researchers will be joining us at the new site."
"Why the relocation?" one of them asked.
"You don't know?" Kurt said grimly. "It's chaos out there. Wildfire is spreading like hell. The military's moving to contain it. We're in the middle of the city—if we don't get out before the bombings, we won't make it."
"Dear God… so many deaths," whispered the only female researcher. "At least our families got out safely."
"It's necessary," Kurt said. "It's spreading fast. Cities are falling. If we don't act now, it'll be total collapse. This man—he's our only hope. He's the key to stopping it. We might have to sacrifice him, but if it saves humanity..." He trailed off, turning toward the patient.
Then he froze. The man inside the glass chamber was awake, staring weakly, confused.
"How is he conscious? Didn't you administer the dose?" Kurt asked, alarmed, quickly preparing a sedative.
"We just gave it, Doctor," one assistant replied. "Looks like his body's resisting the drug."
"That means there's hope," Kurt murmured. "If his system is fighting it..." He stepped closer to the patient. "Wolfe… yes, you're alive. I saved you. You saved my life back then—and now, you might just save the world. Sleep now." The patient slowly drifted back into unconsciousness.
"Get ready to move," Kurt ordered. Moments later, soldiers arrived, bringing equipment to transport the patient.
Hours later, inside a military transport helicopter, Dr. Kurt sat with other researchers. Wolfe was secured on a stretcher behind thick protective glass. Two armed soldiers guarded them. Nearby, several covered bodies were strapped down on the floor.
Dr. Kurt glanced over and frowned. "Why are there corpses in here?"
"Orders from command," one soldier replied flatly. "Infected test subjects."
"You brought infected bodies on the same flight?!" one researcher exclaimed. "Are they restrained?"
"No need. They're dead," the second soldier replied. "We were told to collect cadavers only."
Silence.
Growl.
Suddenly, one of the 'bodies' lunged upward, biting a soldier in the neck and tearing out a chunk of flesh. Screams erupted. Panic filled the cabin. The second soldier opened fire, hitting the walker in the chest multiple times—but it kept advancing. A headshot finally dropped it.
The soldier exhaled in relief.
But then, another corpse sprang to life. It bit him from behind while a third grabbed his leg, tearing into his thigh.
Blood. Screams. Chaos.
Dr. Kurt scrambled forward, grabbing the fallen rifle. He shot the second undead in the head.
"So… it's the brain. A headshot kills them," he muttered, noting the discovery even amid the carnage.
Then—pain. A sharp, horrifying jolt.
The bitten soldier had turned and sank his teeth into Kurt's face.
The other infected leapt on the female researcher.
Within seconds, everyone in the rear compartment was dead.
The cockpit was next.
Hearing the chaos, the pilot panicked, abandoning the controls and grabbing his sidearm. He fired wildly at the infected as they charged. It was hopeless. They overran him.
The helicopter spiraled.
Inside the special containment bed, Wolfe remained strapped in. The reinforced glass shook violently as the aircraft spun out of control. One massive impact broke part of the casing. Cracks spread like a spiderweb.
Wolfe's eyes fluttered open.
He looked around at the carnage. Too weak to move, he sighed and closed his eyes again.
CRASH.
BOOM.
SILENCE.