act10d5

...Hold on, aren't you Zoya? What are you doing here?!

Uncle Valery!

What in the world is going on? Who the hell are these Reunion people? And where is everyone?

Let us through!

You have to let us out! They're killing people! You're the police, you have to know what to do!

Don't panic! Calm down. We're going to——

Uncle Valery!

I'm okay...

Don't push! Stop! I said calm the hell down!

What are the cops good for?! You useless shits, go put a stop to those Infected!

They're coming! They're going to kill us——

Hey! That's enough!

Get out of my way! I don't wanna die...

Stop them!

How could they do...! Uncle Valery, are you okay?

I'm fine. The people are all in a panic these days. We see this a lot. We're almost used to it.

But why...

Doesn't matter. I don't have much time to talk with you.

I have to stop these civilians. It's too dangerous up ahead. Those people out there are monsters. They're nothing like the normal Infected.

Anton, get your team over there!

Yes, sir!

Phew...

Anyway, what are you doing here, Zoya? And how did you get here?

I heard their warlord say that students would be kept locked up in their schools.

And yours is pretty far from here. How did... Never mind. Doesn't matter. You need to come with me. It's too dangerous here.

Wait, Uncle, you still didn't tell me what happened!

I came through the alleys, hiding from the bad men, and things just kept getting crazier the farther I went.

There were explosions everywhere. Buildings collapsed. So many injured people. I saw them setting fires. How could they do this?

My family... is Dad fighting Reunion too? Where is he? And where's Mom? I have to find——

Wh... why aren't you saying anything...?

Uncle Valery, are my parents...?

...Your father is safe.

Really?!

But——

Your neighborhood was one of the first to be attacked.

Those Infected, the Reunion people, they devastated every district they entered. We had no choice but to prioritize evacuating civilians in high-risk areas.

Your father and I... we both agreed on this.

We had to look at the situation and make appropriate judgments. It's our responsibility. There were trade-offs.

...By the time the rescue team reached your block, things were already beyond saving.

It was a disaster. It's hard to imagine how anything like that happened.

Everything had been melted. Grass, bricks, steel beams, everything. Not even snow could touch the scorched earth.

I won't tell you your mother might have escaped. You're a smart kid. I can't lie to you.

I'm sorry. We were too late.

You're lying. You have to be... that's impossible.

Zoya!

Zoya... Listen to me. I'm telling the truth.

You can't be. Dad said...

He said he'd protect us.

There's nothing to worry about.

I have the rest of the Guard garrison with me, and the Army is just outside the city too.

We swore to protect this city, and this home.

Zoya, what do you want to be when you grow up?

You want to be like your papa? Haha, really? It's hard work.

Once you grow up, you'll understand all that Papa does. If that doesn't change your mind, then I'm looking forward to working with you, Zoya.

It's true. He did say it.

His mission in life was to protect. To protect me and Mom, to protect the family, to...

'To protect this city.'

Don't cry.

You can't cry.

I want to be like him. I want to...

Zoya.

...I'm fine. Don't worry.

Keep going.

*Sigh...*

The point is, those awful Infected came out of nowhere, and there's too many of them.

Some of them seem to be restrained, but others are completely out of control, hellbent on razing the entire city.

The Army has not come. But our comms are working fine. We have no idea what's going on with them.

It's just us Guardsmen. There's not much we can do to stop them. But at least you'll be a little safer with us.

Oh, your father isn't with the squad now. He went over to Peterheim Middle School.

Peterheim...? Peterheim again...

What is he doing over there?

Haven't you heard? The Infected locked up another group of kids in Peterheim, just like your school.

It's weird. They don't seem to be doing anything to them. No movement out of there.

But there's been some news in the last few days. Reunion seems to be pulling out. No matter what they're up to, we have to have a countermeasure in place.

We can't spare much manpower. Only a few districts are calm, and others are so out of control that we could only send a small team to Peterheim.

Meaning, my dad?

He volunteered. Your father's experienced. I'm not worried.

And since you're safe and sound, he'll rest easy too. A shame we don't have a way to contact him...

We're short-handed everywhere. Damn it, what the hell's gotten into these Infected?!

Let's save the rest for later. We can't stay here any longer. There's no telling when the Army could show up... Where in hellfire is the Third Army when you need them?!

Anyway, Zoya, you take cover. Once the Army takes over, it'll be okay. This mob is no match for the soldiers of Ursus!

And don't you worry. As soon as we free up some manpower, we'll send someone to Peterheim to rescue the students and pick up your father. Not to mention your school, all the schools.

If... if no one else is free, I can go.

What?

I said, if you don't have any free hands, I can go get my dad!

Don't be stupid! That's way too dangerous! Absolutely not!

You want to go alone? What help could you be?!

Uncle Valery!

I can tell we're in trouble here. And it looks like things are... they're getting worse, aren't they?

We don't have time to waste. The situation is getting more dangerous by the second. And if help isn't coming, you're only going to need more hands. So why not take mine?

I've watched how they operate at my school. I know how they patrol, I know how many men they put in a squad.

It's a different school, but their tactics should be pretty much the same...

I've been to Peterheim before. I know the campus layout. And I managed to dodge Reunion all the way here.

I can do this. I can help——

It's not the same!

Listen to me. This isn't anything like what you've seen at the police station. It's not a drill. It's nothing like you think.

Zoya, I know you're strong, I know you're skilled. But you're still a kidl. Your life has value! This is not for you to do!

I know. It's making things worse for everyone, and I probably can't help much at all.

But, but I...

But what else can I do?