Chapter 49 The Price of Glory


    “For honor!” Graham sprang to his feet, pride gleaming in his eyes.


    “Honor, my *ss.” Theresa kicked him hard, sending him flying. “You think honor means charging around like a bunch of brain-dead fools, throwing your lives away for nothing, and not even getting a rescue at the end?”


    She stepped forward, her voice rising with fury. “You think honor means crawling back like strays, begging me to take you in? You think it means having nothing, getting nothing, and still being told to run headfirst into the fire like it’s some kind of privilege?”


    “I’m telling you now-whatever you thought honor meant, it’s already copsed. Once order breaks, it neveres back. From here on out, the camps will only grow more divided, more desperate, and more power-hungry. That camp you’ve been so loyal to? It won’t give you a d*mn thing. Not safety. Not supplies. Not even a promise you’ll live to see tomorrow.”


    Her voice turned cold, cutting clean through the air as sheid bare the truth she had lived through once already.


    The apocalypse had marked the start of a new age.


    All the old systems had shattered. When the machinery of the state fell apart, a few powers scrambled to salvage what they could-but the tide of change was beyond anyone’s control.


    Camps began rising across thend, and a new kind of civilization-one built on those camps-took hold. Anyone still trying to rebuild the old world was just spinning their wheels.


    There was no such thing as the end of the apocalypse. No such thing as order returning.


    Not until the zombie virus was gone for good. Until then, it was nothing more than a delusion.


    The future belonged to the camps. Their rise was the only glory that mattered.


    Theresa knew exactly what fate awaited these men if they went back. Nameless grunts at the bottom of Kl Camp’s food chain-not even worth a rescue squad’s time.


    Because in the eyes of Kl Camp, they weren’t worth sacrificing for.


    “But if you follow me,” she added, a fire burning in her eyes as a slow smile spread across her face, “you’ll eat real meat. You won’t bow to anyone. You won’t answer to anyone, either. If something pisses you off- or someone does-you kill them. Every inch ofnd I take will be a ce where you can live for free.”


    The men stared at her, wide-eyed, stunned into silence by her bold promise.


    Then, with a groan of heavy hinges, the bunker doors behind them creaked open. A low, steady voice rang out from the shelter.


    “Ms. Hall, I appreciate the offer.”


    Theresa turned. A young man stepped out of the shadows, wrapped in bandages, his clothes tattered and


    worn from the road.


    The moment the others saw him, they leapt up and sprinted toward him like a wave breaking free.


    “Lucas!”


    Only Kyle stayed where he was.


    His eyes lit up the moment he saw Lucas-alive, upright, healing. But even with the joy swelling in his chest, he didn’t move. He stood his ground, silently remaining by Theresa’s side.


    Lucas took a moment to reunite with his team, then made his way over with calm, measured steps. “Thank you, Ms. Hall,” he said. “You looked after my men while I was injured. For that, I owe you.”


    Theresa pushed herselfzily to her feet. “Don’t waste your breath with empty words. If you’re grateful, give me something real. Your men stayed here four days and nights, eating and drinking under my roof. Time to pay up.”


    Everyone froze.


    “Lucas, don’t listen to her! We’ve been working ourselves to the bone these past few days!”


    “Everything we ate, we earned! We didn’t take a d*mn thing for free!”


    Theresa cleared her throat loudly and gave them a look sharp enough to cut steel.


    “You really wanna say that with a straight face? Look around. You think you’d have eaten anything if I hadn’t taken you in? You could’ve worked yourselves to death out there and still starved.”


    Silence followed.


    Even the worstndlords of the old days weren’t this ruthless, but not one of them dared to argue. Faced with Theresa’s grip on their fate, they could only retreat behind Lucas like a bunch of schoolboys who’d been caught stealing lunch.


    Lucas looked at them, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his gaze. Then he turned back to her. “I’ll give you some supplies. Consider itpensation for your help.”


    “When?”


    “When we get back.”


    “Not good enough.” Theresa held out her hand. “I don’t do credit.”


    “But we’re low on supplies right now.”


    “Not my problem. If you want to walk out of here, you’re paying the toll.”


    The men stood there, stunned.


    So, this was what daylight robbery looked like in the apocalypse.


    Their fury burned just beneath the surface. If it had been anyone else, they would’ve drawn their weapons by now. But this was Theresa-and with her, they could only swallow the rage.


    Lucas’ face remained unreadable. He paused, then asked quietly, “Where’s my backpack?”


    “Here!” Graham quickly handed it over.


    Lucas unzipped the pack and pulled out a sealed, transparent bag. Inside, under the bunker’s harsh light, gleamed a collection of shimmering, clear crystals.


    “Will this do?”


    Theresa’s eyes lit up instantly at the sight of the zombie gleamstones. Without hesitation, she snatched the bag from his hand. Just a quick nce told her there were thirty-maybe forty-inside.


    “All right, I guess this’ll do. Barely.” She waved them off with a flick of her wrist. “You’re free to go.”