CHAPTER 31: 31: THE WORLD IS FILLED WITH QUESTIONS

City B, November 10th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse

Zara’s breath clouded the air as she tugged Damon’s dark coat tighter around herself. Inside, Leo stirred faintly, his tiny body bundled against her chest. She felt his warmth through her layers and adjusted the collar to allow more air to circulate.

She had taken great care in remaining silent as she slipped out of the room. She needed this—she needed to act while the base was quiet and the guards, for once, seemed to have relaxed their patrols.

The alarms hadn’t sounded yet; most of the staff and guards were still winding down from the night shift, and the guards hadn’t begun their early patrols.

This was her window. Her chance to get closer to the depots Winter’s notes had mentioned.

She adjusted Damon’s coat collar around her shoulders again, trying to calm her nerves. Maybe she should have waited until sunrise when there were more people around. What would be her excuse now if she was found out?

Turning a corner, she paused, listening for the faintest footstep, any sound.

Zara couldn’t afford to take any risks. She had memorized the layout from Winter’s maps, but even then, each step was taken with extreme caution, a constant scan for any sign of patrols or unwanted attention. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she approached the intersection where the halls split.

The security patrols had been light in the early hours before dawn, but Zara wasn’t taking chances. She crouched low, slipping into a shadowed alcove as she heard the shuffle of boots nearing. She held her breath, flattening herself against the wall, keeping Leo as still as possible.

He was quiet as usual, though she could feel him squirming slightly in her coat. She dared not make any noise to alert the guards. Heavy and unhurried footsteps passed by. She exhaled, the tension in her chest loosening just a fraction before continuing.

A few minutes later, Zara arrived at the storage area. Of course, it was locked. Everything important here seemed to be locked away behind thick, rusted doors. She crouched near the entrance, her hand brushing over the cold, steel handle.

Her breath misted in the cool air as she listened for any sound inside. A dull murmur echoed in the distance, voices too low to make out but unmistakably close. Guards. She backed away from the door, her eyes narrowing.

She didn’t need to hear much more. As the murmur grew clearer, Zara eased closer to the nearest corner. She peered around it, just enough to catch sight of two figures in the dim light of the storage bay’s interior.

The guards stood at a distance, their words unintelligible at first, until one of them cleared his throat.

"Supply rotation’s coming up soon. The new batch’s supposed to be here by next week once they get the location. Heard anything about it?"

"Nothing concrete. But we’ve got to be ready," the other guard replied, glancing over his shoulder. "Those depots are more than just food and ammo, you know. Supplies are heavily guarded. And Nadine’s been looking to consolidate control, especially with Winter’s group around."

Zara’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Nadine. She focused harder, her hand tightening slightly around Leo to keep him still.

"I don’t like this," the first guard muttered. "Something’s going to blow soon, mark my words."

"Yeah, you’re not wrong," the second guard replied, a sigh escaping him. "If anyone’s getting screwed, it’s Winter. And the others will follow suit. You know that."

Zara didn’t wait to hear more. She’d learned enough. Nadine was up to something, and Winter’s group was smack in the middle of it.

She turned on her heel, eyes darting for an escape route. There were still too many unknowns—she needed more intel before acting. But she was one step closer.

Her mind was already working on her next move when the footsteps of another guard approached. She pressed herself into the shadowed crevice of the corridor and held her breath again, hoping she hadn’t been seen. The guard passed without noticing her, and her pulse finally slowed to a normal rhythm. She had to leave, regroup, and plan.

As she stepped out of the storage area, she checked the halls again. The way was clear, and she made her way back to her room, her heart still racing. Leo nestled against her chest. She couldn’t help but think about Winter—he was with that woman. From what she had learnt so far, she had some pull here in the base. What would she be putting them through outside the base?

That made her think about the danger he and the others were facing, and a tight knot formed in her stomach. If this Nadine had anything to do with it, they were all in grave danger.

Outside the Base: The Temporary Camp

Outside the base, the sun was starting to rise over an abandoned industrial site where Winter’s team had set up a temporary camp. The remnants of their last skirmish with the Hunter Zombies were still evident—bloodied and broken tools scattered about, and the stench of decay hung in the air. The ground was soft and uneven, with snow piling up overnight.

They had been outside the base for three days now.

Winter stood apart from the others, his brow furrowed as he surveyed the area.

Nadine approached, a sly grin on her face. Her eyes were fixed on Winter as she leaned into his personal space, her voice low, almost purring.

"You’re awfully quiet, Winter," she said, her tone dripping with insinuation. "A little too quiet..."

Winter’s jaw tightened. He didn’t show it, but he could feel her gaze, the way she tried to needle him, to rattle him. It wasn’t subtle. And it wasn’t the first time since this mission started.

What exactly did she want? He wasn’t in the mood to play games.

Her advances had been getting more irritating over the past few days, and with the way things were progressing, it might not be the weather or the zombies that do her in.

His grip tightened on his rifle.

"You’ve been on edge since we got here," Nadine continued, the flirtation obvious as she laid a hand on his arm. "You need to relax a little. Let go. All this tension isn’t good for anyone."

Maybe because they have been running around these godforsaken wastelands for days without any rest?

Winter didn’t respond right away. His attention flickered to Scar-Face, Felix, one of the other team members, who had been watching the exchange with quiet amusement.

"Tell me, Winter, do you always brood this much, or is it just your charm?"

He turned, his face an unreadable mask. "Focus on the mission, Nadine."

She smirked, sauntering closer. Her movements were deliberate, her hand brushing his arm as she leaned in. "Bonding with your team is part of leadership, isn’t it? I’d say we’re overdue for some... cooperation."

"I dont remember being nominated as leader," Winter said calmly.

"It doessnt matter much, we all know who should be leading based on what he wahe seen so far,"

Felix, the actual team lead, perched on a broken beam nearby, snorted. "Careful, Nadine. He might take you up on that. Or maybe you’re counting on it?"

Nadine’s eyes narrowed, her smirk faltering. "Jealous, Felix? Not my type."

The rest of the team gathered around, and soon, the conversation shifted. The focus now was on the next steps: Should they push forward or retreat and regroup?

Both had merits, but there were certain things to consider. Would they be able to continue with the numbers they had? Their supplies were dwindling, too. But would they return to the base without any supplies?

Soon enough, the room simmered with more tension. One of the newer members, a younger man with sharp eyes and a quick tongue, spoke up, his voice laden with accusation.

"I don’t like this. I’ve seen what Nadine’s doing. You send the weakest of us to the front lines. You’re risking lives, and for what?"

Winter’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He didn’t know about the base dynamics before he got there, but that sounded like something this crazy bitch would do.

His words didn’t sit well with her, and they went into a shouting match. Winter didn’t care much, hoping they didn’t attract any attention to their location.

Instead, his thoughts drifted—to Zara. What was she doing right now? Hopefully, getting the load down on the deposit. She had been crying that morning when he left. Was she alright? Was she planning something? He didn’t know, but the nagging feeling in his chest refused to quiet.

"...Stop being dramatic. I do what needs to be done. If you can’t handle it, maybe you should’ve stayed back at base." Nadine scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Felix stepped in quickly, his voice low but commanding. "Enough. Nadine, hold your tongue. We’re all in this together, got it?"

The team fell into an uneasy silence, but Winter’s eyes lingered on Nadine. He didn’t trust her—not with the group, her ambitions, and certainly not with how she looked at him. He had to keep them together, but his mind kept pulling back to Zara. Did she know what danger she was in? Did she know how much he—

"Let’s move out, team. The coast looks clear," Felix called out, rolling the map.

Winter rolled his shoulder. They would be back in the base in a few days. Zara had better find the depots when they did.

They would be getting their supplies and dipping from the place.

He didn’t think he could stay a night in there without losing his mind.

*****

Midday arrived at the base, and Zara returned to her room, her mind buzzing with the information she’d gathered. As soon as she turned the corner, she saw Gregory standing by her door, leaning casually against the wall. A smirk was plastered on his face, his arms crossed.

"Checking in," he said, his voice smooth, casual. "You’ve been gone a while. Busy, I take it?"

Zara’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Just taking care of things."

Gregory stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "You know, I knew things would be a bit boring for you with your husband gone so I thought to keep you company."

"I appreciate it, but I dont need anything right now. Just rest." Zara tried to reach for the door handle.

Gregory grabbed her arm, surprising her. "Look, I could tell you were angry the last time we spoke. I’m sorry," he smiled with that same fake charm.

Zara tried to pull her hand back, but he only tightened his grip. "Let go of my hand," she hissed, trying not to look scared.

"Ah, I’m sorry, I’m sorry," he let go of her, smiling again as he raised his hands. "I just get worked up when I see a lady in need. I had a wife you know, before all this," he gestured vaguely.

Zara took a step back, rubbing her wrist slightly. It was starting to bruise. What sort of strength was he hiding? And more importantly, who would marry this lunatic?

"A wife? Where is she?" She tried to keep him occupied as she reached for the door.

Gregory shrugged nonchalantly. "She wasn’t strong enough for this world., but that’s not what we are here to talk about"

Zara’s stomach tightened at the callousness in his tone, a cold sweat prickling her skin. Leo stirred slightly inside her coat, and she felt the weight of his presence more keenly than ever. Her hand tightened protectively around the fabric.

Gregory leaned closer, his voice lowering as he tried to catch her eye. "You can tell me, you know. I’m always happy to help, Zara."

Leo’s small movements inside her coat were becoming more noticeable, and Zara’s heart skipped a beat. Sensing the change in her demeanour, Gregory smirked again, his eyes gleaming.

"You’ve got something you’re hiding, don’t you?" he whispered.

Zara stood there, frozen for a moment, her thoughts racing. She had to keep her composure. If Gregory found out... If anyone found out Leo was here...

She forced herself to speak, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling in her chest. "I am feeling a bit dizzy from my morning walk. Let me go and rest."

"You know," he continued, his voice low and calculating, "I think I know a little more about Winter than you do. His past, for instance. You ever wonder what he’s hiding?"

Zara’s hand froze at the door handle again. "What do you mean?"

Gregory leaned in slightly, his face too close, his voice laced with mock sympathy. "Oh, nothing. Just wondering if you’re aware of the kind of man he really is."

But Zara didn’t have time to respond. Leo shifted again, and this time, he let out a soft whimper. Gregory caught it, and his gaze darted to Zara’s coat, his suspicion growing.

"What’s that?" he asked, an edge of curiosity creeping into his voice.

Zara felt the sweat trickle down her neck but maintained her composure. "Nothing. I’ll be leaving now, dont wait here," she quickly entered her room and shut the door.