"Oh my god..."
Jason stared ahead, stunned.
In front of them was a massive open square.A smoking tank sat abandoned in the middle, next to a crashed helicopter. Military pickup trucks and a big green supply truck were scattered everywhere — but every single one was wrecked and useless.
"This place must've been heavily guarded once," Jason muttered, his eyes narrowing."But it looks like... they lost."
He turned his gaze toward the CDC building standing in the distance, lips curving into a faint smile.They weren't here just for supplies.Jason had a different goal — finding Dr. Jenner and convincing him to join their team.With Jenner, they'd have medical expertise and real security.
"You sure there's still someone alive in there?" Shane asked, doubtful.He looked around at the ruins, disappointment heavy in his voice."After all this chaos? I don't buy it. The way this place looks... everyone's probably dead."
Jason chuckled softly."Some things can't be judged just by appearances."
If he wasn't sure someone was still inside, he wouldn't have risked bringing the team here.
As they crossed the battlefield, a group of zombies suddenly stumbled toward them, blocking the path.
"I'll handle it," Shane said eagerly, whipping out his machete.
With a swift swing — whoosh! — he sliced into the nearest zombie's head.A rotten spray burst out, releasing a stench that made everyone's stomachs churn.
"God, Shane , do you have to chop heads?!" Jason groaned, turning his face away."It's disgusting. What are you, a butcher?"
Fortifications from the original defense efforts were still visible — mostly just useless piles of debris now.Zombies swarmed the area, trapped but still hungry.When they spotted Jason's group — living, breathing humans — they roared and thrashed wildly.
Roar!
Jason didn't even flinch.He spun around and kicked a zombie square in the chest, sending it sprawling.Morgan rushed up behind and finished it off with a clean knife thrust.
After battling through the fortifications, the team finally stood at the base of the CDC building...Only one problem:There was no door.
"What kind of idiot designs a building with no entrance?" Jason said, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
He paced around — and then spotted something: a camera tucked into the wall.
Instantly, Jason's mood shifted.He walked right up to it and waved.
"Hey! I know you're watching. Open the door! We need to talk."
Morgan, Shane, and Moore exchanged looks behind him, feeling more awkward by the second.
Was Jason... losing it? Talking to walls now?
Inside the CDC command room, a giant screen flickered to life.
Dr. Jenner sat there in stunned silence, a half-eaten cup of instant noodles frozen in his hand.
He stared at the live feed.A living, breathing man — standing right outside.Talking to him.
"...What the hell...?"
Jenner hadn't seen another human in months.This place was filled with death — silent, decaying death.Now someone was standing right at his door, demanding to be let in.
Jenner hesitated, heart pounding.He was safe behind layers of security.No one could break through — not even with explosives.The solid doors would hold forever unless he personally unlocked them.
But in the end...The sight of a living face was too much.
With a deep breath, Jenner pressed the button to open the main entrance.
Ka-chunk!
Outside, the team jumped as the wall in front of them slid open, revealing a bright, welcoming light inside.
"What... what just happened?" Shane stammered.
Morgan and Moore stared, jaws dropped.
Only Jason smiled knowingly.He gave a little shrug, like it was no big deal.
"Open sesame," he whispered under his breath — and stepped forward.