As they waited for their clearance, the gates creaked open once more. A wave of refugees approached, desperate and dishevelled. The cries of infants and the low murmurs of frightened adults filled the air.
Suddenly, a man near the back of the group collapsed. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud, and the guards reacted instantly, raising their weapons.
"Stay back!" one of them barked, stepping forward.
The man groaned, struggling to his feet, but his movements were erratic. Zara tensed as the man stumbled toward a soldier, his arms outstretched. Before he could get any closer, two guards grabbed him, wrestling him to the ground.
"He's infected!" someone shouted from the group of refugees, panic spreading like wildfire.
The man thrashed and screamed as the guards dragged him away, ignoring the protests of those around him. The sight sent a chill through Winter, who instinctively stepped closer to Zara and Leo.
