The sun is barely up in the sky by the time I make it to the front gate. There are at least thirty other people here, meaning that we still have to wait for the second half.

Getting up out of bed had been hard this morning. Viola had managed to climb halfway onto my chest, while Remy had buried himself into my side. It had been nearly impossible to slip away without either of them waking up, and there were a few close calls. Luckily, they were both pretty out of it, only snuffling a few times when the mattress had jostled.

Alena waves me over when she sees me, handing me a thermos when I lean against the wall next to her. Taking a tentative sip, I realize that it is some sort of herbal concoction. Tea usually isn't my go to drink, but I am grateful for the warmth. Despite it being the middle of summer, it is still chilly in the morning.

"The others better get here soon," Alena says, looking around the courtyard. "We are supposed to be heading out in fifteen minutes."

"They'll be here."

It would me more surprising if they did not show up. Everyone who is heading out today has lost someone to the people we are going after. If there is one thing this trip offers, it is a chance to see those monsters taken out of this world.

The sky is clear, not a cloud in sight. If everything goes as planned, we should be back before nightfall, all threats taken care of.

A few more people stagger into the clearing, and I notice Derek is among them. He is carrying a large wooden crate, taking it over to the truck closest to the gate. Another man takes it from him, nodding at what ever directions Derek is giving him.

Satisfied, Derek comes over to stand by us, handing me something. "Take this," he says, waiting for me to grab it. It's some type of vest. "Bulletproof vest. Just in case those bastards have any more guns."

"Thanks," I say, setting my thermos down so I can clip the vest into place.

"Anna would kill me if I let anything happen to you," he says, tugging on the vest before tightening it some more. "When we get out there, make sure to stay close to my men. They'll take care of you two while you get our people out of there."

"Of course."

Someone calls Derek's name, making my brother-in-law give my shoulder a tight squeeze before going to see what he is needed for.

Alena looks at her watch again. "Five minutes."

"Better get into place, then." Taking Alena's thermos, I place it on the bench next to mine. We don't have enough time to run it back to the house, and seeing as we will be back at the end of the day anyway, it won't be that big of a problem to leave them here.

We head over to the modified bus, the one we had used to come here. Delaney had kept the keys, so we were able to find them in the condo where he was staying. Hopefully, he won't mind that we are using it. But seeing as we are using it to get him and the others back, he better be okay with it.

The sides of the vehicle have been reinforced. Now, there are spikes along the side that can be released by a simple tug of a rope. Most of the windows are boarded up as well. Medical supplies are piled inside, along with some military cots. It is enough equipment for us to transfer anyone who is injured but not enough to sustain them for longer than it takes to get home.

Alena's boyfriend, Damien, climbs into the driver's seat. He, along with four other guards, are part of our group. Derek is part of the group that is in charge of taking out all of the invader's guards and all the scientists. The other groups are responsible for cutting the power and getting us in the building, and another one is dedicated solely to warding off the infected monsters.

Someone knocks on the door of the bus, and Damien pulls the lever to open it. Erica's husband, one of the guards coming with us, sticks his head in. "Heading out in one minute."

"Copy that," Damien says, waiting for the other guard to back away before pulling the door closed again.

The other vehicles are starting up, and Damien proceeds to do the same with the bus. There are eight in total, seeing as we are carrying a little over sixty people and plan on bringing back a good twenty more. Some of the other encampments had brought large trucks and vans, giving us more of an advantage.

The front gates are pulled open, and the first vehicle rolls out. The bus starts with a jolt before we are leaving the safety of our town as well.

It is a little over an hour away, and we will be stopping a half a mile back from the enemy asylum where the invaders had settled. We don't want to tip them off about our arrival, not wanting them to have a chance to make any type of defense.

The entire drive is nerve-wracking. This is it, this is that point in the movie that everyone has been waiting for. The climax in the comic books and the novels. Yet, as I sit here in the bus, watching the trees rush by, I dread the upcoming moments. It is going to test all of our sanity, driving straight into the belly of the beast. There are no other options, though. They attacked us first, taking our family and friends. That isn't something that goes unpunished. With these people thinking they are gods- and tarnishing the name of scientists everywhere- they deserve to be knocked down, to watch as those they think are below them end up destroying them.

The sun is finally starting to light up the sky by the time Damien brings the bus to a stop. Alena hands me the bat I had used weeks ago, giving me a feral looking grin when she does so. It is a little frightening, to be honest. Thank god she has someone else to direct the anger towards.

"Time to move," Damien says, strapping on his last few weapons.

A voice comes over the radio, calling for affirmation that everyone is in position. Everything is carefully planned out. If it isn't followed to the tee, we could all be in for some serious trouble.

"Ready," Damien calls over the radio. He moves over to Alena, his hand resting against her cheek as he leans his forehead against hers. Soft words are murmured to one another, and I have to look away from the tender moment, heart still not able to observe a gesture so full of love when my love is still in danger.

Someone clears their throat, and Alena leans up to give Damien a soft kiss before pulling away.

"Let's show those assholes who they are messing with," she grumbles, walking off the bus.

Damien has a wide smile on his face, giving a fond shake of his head before following his girlfriend off the bus. The other guards file off as well, leaving just one behind who is to guard the bus and bring it around when it is time.

"Be listening for my call," Damien says to the guard staying behind. "We're counting on you to get us out of there."

The guy nods his head, a neutral expression on his face as he climbs the ladder to the top of the bus. It gives him a better vantage point, allowing for greater safety and observation. Leaving our safety in the hands of someone who I do not even know their name makes me anxious, but I don't really have too much of a choice.

Damien checks to make sure everyone has their desired weapons and protection before motioning for us to follow him. He has been here a few times with the other guards, scoping out the place, making him the best person in our group to be in charge.

The half-mile passes quicker than I was expecting, Damien easily leading us through the forest. There are markers on the trees, little bits of ribbon tied to some of the tree branches. They create a path to follow, leading us to the asylum in a way that won't get us caught.

"Power has been cut," a voice calls over the radio. "Keys have been left in positions. Proceed to next step."

We reach the tree line by the time the radio call is finished, and the sight makes my breath catch in my throat.

It is clear that the guards in the asylum have noticed the power cut and have come to investigate. Our people are barely visible as they cut across the field, darting behind trees and broken down cars. They easily take out the guards who venture outside.

"Now's our shot," Damien says, silently stepping out of the tree line. The guards are too busy trying to find the other group that they don't notice us sneaking in the side entrance. With the power down, Alena is easily able to cut through the electric fence, creating a hole big enough for us to slip through. A key is dangling on the post, and I rush to grab it before ducking through the hole as well.

A few minutes later, an alarm is blaring, and more guards come streaming out of the building. Despite there being more of them, I don't worry too much. Our guys have better training and will be able to take them out with ease.

The only thing I worry about is the blaring alarm. The creatures are attracted to sound. With that alarm screaming through the morning air, it is only a matter of time before the creatures start to attack as well.

No time to think about that right now. We still have to find the others before I can even contemplate what will greet us when we exit the building.

The others step aside so that I can unlock the door. It takes a little bit of jiggling, but eventually, I get the door unlocked.

There are stairs leading up into a long hallway, and Damien goes first, me second, and the others following close behind. The hallway is eerily silent. No one is waiting for us, just an empty hallway with locked doors.

Alena quickly walks up to one of the doors, sliding open the eye hole and shining her flashlight inside. Something inside lets out a harsh screech, causing all of us to jump in the air in fright. The flashlight falls from my friend's hand, clattering loudly on the concrete flooring.

Damien rushes over, sliding the eye hole shut again before pulling his girlfriend away. He murmurs something to her, too low for me to catch, but she just gives a small shake of her head before pulling away.

"Everyone just check a room, see if there are any survivors," I say when Damien looks like he is about to rush Alena out of here. "We don't have long."

The other guards hurry to the doors, quickly sliding open the eye hole and checking inside. More screeches fill the hallway, and with each one, dread settles heavier in my stomach.

Why do they have all of these creatures? It seems like it would be dangerous to keep them inside. Besides, where are the others? They have to still be alive. The thought of the other alternative has my stomach turning.

Soon enough, all the rooms have been checked, no survivors found.

"Next floor up," Alena says, heading towards the stairs.

Damien follows close behind her, knife raised in preparation for an attack. The next floor greats us with a guard waiting behind the door. Before he has a chance to do anything, Alena kicks him in the gut, while Damien uses the butt of his knife to knock him down to the ground. The guard lets out a cry of pain, but Damien silences him by slitting his throat.

A voice comes over the radio clipped to Damien's hip, warning that the creatures have started to show up, and that we need to start retreating in the next ten minutes.

Adrenaline rushes through me, leaving behind a trail of heat. Pushing past Damien and Alena, I quickly start looking in each of the rooms. Just as I suspected, there are living people inside. Why else would there be a guard stationed here?

"Survivors," I say, motioning the others over.

Using the key, I start unlocking all the doors that have people inside. They slowly peek out, covered in grime and bruises. The sight leaves me sick to my stomach, especially when I see that most of them are children.

When all the rooms are emptied, we are left with four kids- a toddler and the rest school age- and two adults. None of them I recognize, which means they are probably from the other colonies that are here helping us.

"Hepler, bring the bus around," Damien says into the radio.

"Copy that, boss," the guard we left behind says. He should be here soon, and checking my watch, I see that we only have a few minutes left.

"There is only one floor left," I say. "Someone needs to stay behind with them while we check the last rooms.

"I will," one of the guards says, going to stand next to the rescued prisoners.

"We'll be back in a few minutes," Damien says to the other guard, who just nods his head in response.

It is obvious that the children are scared, with how they are trembling and holding each other. Everything inside me is screaming to check that they are okay, but I can't waste the time right now. I have to find Finn.

"Come on," I say, voice coming out harsher than I intended.

The third floor has two guards this time, but still, Damien and the others are able to take them out with ease. That's what happens when you have years of training, instead of just being a narcissistic asshole who totes around a gun they barely know how to use.

My hands are shaking from the rush of adrenaline as I quickly open the doors. My hope is starting to wane as I don't see Finn or Mary, but I keep going. It is only when I reach the last door that my breath catches in my throat.

"Oh God," I croak, keys falling from my hands as I rush over to the bed. Finn is completely black and blue, covered in bruises. His left arm is swollen, telling me that it is most likely broken.

"Finn," I say, brushing his hair out of his face.

A low moan comes out of him, but his eyes don't open at all. Even if he is awake, he probably can't manage to pry his eyes open, since they are both completely swollen and bruised.

"I need some help in here!" I yell over my shoulder.

My eyes catch on the person lying on the bed against the opposite wall. Alena comes running in before I have a chance to check the other person out.

"Oh, thank god you found them," she says, crouching over the other person. "Mary, wake up, we're getting you out of here."

That's when it finally clicks who the person is. My mind was so wrapped around finding Finn, that I hadn't even recognized Mary, even with her swollen midsection.

Alena curses when she reads the name of the medication that is being pumped into Mary through an IV. With the efficiency only a doctor could have, she pulls out the IV, patching the puncture with a band-aid in the first aid kit lying next to the bed.

"Time to go," Damien calls from outside the room. The bus is here.

"I need someone to help me carry him out," I say, quickly standing up.

Damien calls the other guards over, and with their help, we are able to get Finn and Mary out of the building. The other survivors from the second floor are climbing onto the bus by the time we make it outside.

It is complete chaos out here. Our guards are fighting with the other guards, while the infected monsters attack anyone they can find. Luckily, they don't seem to notice us. A familiar body comes running over to us as we load the last few people on board.

"Knew I recognized this bus," Delaney says, his voice sounding smugger than I have ever before heard.

"Where were you being kept?" I ask, climbing onto the bus.

"Basement level, where the ones with a higher flight risk are kept."

"Are there others down there?" I ask, not wanting to leave anyone behind.

"None who are worth saving."

"Delaney," I say, hand catching on his arm to still him. "We can't just leave them there."

His face twists into something ugly, and if I didn't know him better, I would be backing away.

"The only ones left down there are the brothers who betrayed us. They deserve to rot down there."

"One minute until detonation," a voice calls over the radio. "All guards are to retreat immediately."

My hesitation must be clear on my face because Alena comes over to keep me from stepping off the bus. "We don't have time, and even if we did, they don't deserve to be saved with all the people they are responsible for killing."

"We have to leave now," Damien says, turning the key to the bus so that it roars to life.

It feels wrong to sit down and watch as the asylum gets smaller as we drive away. But I know the others are right. Danny and Jacob are responsible for the deaths and traumatization of a lot of people. We shouldn't risk our lives to save them.

But it is Finn letting out a pained groan that truly convinces me. By the looks of him, they put him through hell. They deserve whatever is coming to them. Alena steps away from my boyfriend, moving to work on the bottom half of his body so that I can grab his hand.

"It's gonna be alright, Finn," I whisper, brushing the matted hair from his face. "We're getting you out of here."

"Alden?" he says, words coming out garbled.

"Yeah, it's me."

"R'my an' Viola?" he says, hand tightening around mine.

"They're safe at home, waiting for you."

Alena prods something particularly painful on his leg, causing him to cry out in pain. It makes me wince, but I know that it is necessary. I am just grateful when he passes out again. Hopefully, he will stay that way until we get him all fixed up.

"They really did a number on him," Alena says, brows scrunched in concentration. "But, he should be fine until we get back home." She looks over at Mary. "Same for her. Looks like they put her on a sedative. Can't imagine how she will react when she finally wakes up."

"Let's just hope that we make it home before either of them wake."

The radio crackles again, causing all of us to fall quiet. "Detonation in three... two... one."

A loud explosion comes from behind us, and a few of the people we rescued let out cries of fear. Looking out the back window, I watch as smoke fills the air and debris flies into the forest. Hopefully, the others were able to clear the area in time, but a sense of relief comes over me when I realize that we are finally done with those guys. At least this obstacle- these enemies- are here no longer.