The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 87

Miles had earth–element gifts!

He wasn’t that powerful, seeing as he was just able to raise a small mound of dirt, but it popped up in the worst possible spot, right under Hayley’s armored truck, lifting it just enough to jam it in place.

Within seconds, Hayley could see through her front monitor as swarms of zombies poured in from every direction.

They spilled out of the cafeteria, stumbled from warehouses of all sizes, and even clawed their way down from the office building.

Most of them still wore grimy factory uniforms, frozen in the routines of their old jobs. If you ignored the rotting flesh, the buzzing flies, and the gaping holes in their faces, the whole factory almost looked busy again–as if it had come back to life in the worst way possible.

This place wasn’t a food plant anymore. It was a zombie factory.

Miles stood on the rooftop, laughing so hard that his voice cracked.

“Bet you didn’t know I had gifts, huh?” he shouted at Hayley’s armored vehicle, which was now surrounded by the horde.

That was what they got for leaving him behind.

“Serves them right!” someone yelled beside him, eyes gleaming with hatred. “They left us! Let them die!”

The others echoed him, their fear twisting into cruel excitement. If they couldn’t survive, no one else would either. But just as they were waiting for the zombies to rip the truck apart, a thunderous boom shook the air.

A cannon rose from the roof of the armored vehicle.

Roar!

A jet of fire exploded from the barrel, sweeping over the top of the truck and incinerating every zombie clinging to it. The ones that tried to climb up again were met with rows of sharp spikes shooting out along the vehicle’s sides. The ground trembled as the heavy truck roared back to life. The advanced suspension system kicked in, lifting its frame higher until the little dirt mound meant nothing.

Hayley slammed the gas pedal, and the armored truck tore through the zombie crowd like a beast unleashed. Instead of driving away from the factory, she turned the wheel sharply, heading straight toward the main building. To Hayley, people were never purely good or evil. In her eyes, they were either assets or threats. Saving people didn’t make her feel noble. Killing them didn’t make her feel guilty, either.

Had they stayed quiet and waited, she would’ve helped them–given them food, shelter, and a place in her growing base. But the moment they tried to trap her? They were already dead to her.

Hayley slammed her foot down again, and the armored vehicle rammed through the gates and skidded to a stop right below the rooftop where they stood.

Hayley lowered the cannon and let the zombies swarm over her armored vehicle. Then, she raised part of the roof to form a makeshift ramp.

+25 Bonus

The people on the rooftop stared at the car, still buried under a sea of zombies, but no one was laughing anymore. Just moments ago, when they saw Hayley and Leonard being surrounded, they’d actually felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.

Served them right! They hadn’t come to help, so if they died, so be it.

They wanted the two to be torn apart by the zombies right in front of them!

But now, those very zombies they had released were climbing up the ramp on Hayley’s vehicle, heading straight

for them.

A cold wave of fear hit everyone. They felt as if they’d provoked a demon.

Hayley never let go of a grudge, and she always settled it on the spot. Today, she was giving them exactly what they’d given her.

Before long, the zombies had clambered up the ramp and reached the rooftop.

The first one to make it over lunged straight at them.

The survivors tried to shove the zombie back down, but there were too many–an entire wave right behind it.

Panic broke loose. People scrambled and tripped over each other, trying to get away, but there was nowhere to run.

Behind them was a locked metal door full of zombies, and beyond that was a deadly drop.

They were trapped!

The rooftop was overrun within minutes.

Miles, desperate, grabbed a few people and shoved them in front of him as shields.

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