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The smoky haze blanketed the horizon, a grim reminder of Zara Kincaid's sacrifice. Andre sat by the edge of the cliff, his gaze fixed on the smoldering ruins of the hive. His hands trembled as he lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag, though it did little to calm his nerves. Callum paced restlessly behind him, while Mia leaned against a nearby boulder, her face pale, a hastily wrapped bandage on her side.
"She's gone," Callum muttered, his voice cracking. "Zara's really gone."
Andre exhaled slowly, letting the silence stretch. "She did what none of us could. She saved us—and everyone else out there."
"But at what cost?" Mia whispered, her voice raw with grief. "We left her down there, alone. We could've—"
"She chose this," Andre cut in, his tone sharp but heavy with emotion. "And now we have to make sure it wasn't for nothing."
Callum stopped pacing, his fists clenched. "Then what's next? We go back to the settlent and tell them the great Zara Kincaid is dead? That the creatures are gone but so is our leader?"
Andre stood, his broad fra casting a shadow over Callum. "We don't go back to mourn her. We go back to finish her mission. Zara didn't just fight to destroy that hive—she fought to give humanity a fighting chance. And that's exactly what we'll do."
Before Callum could argue, a faint tremor rippled through the ground. Mia straightened, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her knife. Andre dropped his cigarette and crushed it under his boot.
"What was that?" Mia asked, her voice tense.
The tremor grew stronger, the ground vibrating beneath their feet. From the direction of the hive, a deep, guttural roar pierced the air. The three of them froze, their blood running cold.
"That can't be..." Callum whispered, his face draining of color. "The explosion—it destroyed everything. Everything."
Andre grabbed his rifle, his eyes narrowing. "Clearly, not everything."
Erging from the thick smoke was a towering figure, its monstrous form silhouetted against the fiery remnants of the hive. Its jagged, bone-like armor glinted in the fading sunlight, and its glowing red eyes locked onto the trio. It was unlike any of the creatures they'd faced before—larger, more intelligent, and radiating pure malice.
"Is that—?" Mia began, her voice trembling.
Andre nodded grimly. "The Alpha."
The creature let out another earth-shaking roar and began advancing toward them, its heavy footsteps sending cracks spiderwebbing through the ground. Andre raised his rifle, his hands steady despite the fear clawing at his chest.
"Run," he commanded.
"But—" Callum started.
"Run!" Andre barked. "Get to the settlent. Warn them. I'll hold it off."
Mia hesitated, tears welling in her eyes. "Andre, you can't—"
"Go!" he shouted, cutting her off.
With no ti to argue, Callum grabbed Mia's arm, dragging her away. As they disappeared into the trees, Andre squared his shoulders, staring down the Alpha. His jaw set with grim determination.
"This one's for you, Zara," he muttered, aiming down his sights.
The fight wasn't over—not yet.
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