Carter's support summon worked tirelessly alongside some of the survivors, reinforcing the ground floor, transforming the once-ordinary building into the beginnings of a fortress.
The cavemen had naturally split into roles—some patrolled the halls, others stood guard on the second floor, watching the courtyard below.
Their sharp eyes followed every movement beyond the building's walls, their knuckles white against the grips of their crude but deadly weapons.
The final squad was Carter's personal guard.
They moved in silent formation, escorting him to the rooftop of the seventh floor, breaking the rusted rooftop lock with a single brutal kick before fanning out to secure the perimeter.
Carter stepped toward the raised edge of the rooftop, his tactical knife resting snuggly in the sheath upon his lower back.
The city stretched out before him—an endless wasteland of fire, blood, and death.
Smoke of every color coiled into the sky—most of it thick black columns rising from collapsed buildings and burning streets.
Fires raged unchecked.
Civilians ran, their screams piercing the night.
And behind them…
Thousands of Walkers.
Carter's stomach twisted as he watched the undead hunt the living with terrifying speed, their feral snarls tearing through the air.
But what struck him as odd was the absence of the bigger threats.
Where were the hulking abominations?
The flying horrors he had glimpsed before?
Were they massing elsewhere?
Drawn to military bunkers?
Survivor shelters?
Carter took a step back, turning his attention to his warriors, who had already cleared the rooftop and taken defensive positions.
This high up, they would see any airborne threats before they attacked.
But there was nothing more to do here.
Carter and his warriors descended to the fifth floor—the floor he originally lived on, and was the only uninhabited floor, save for himself.
Unlike the other floors, this one was different, this would serve as his own personal floor, as would the one above it after he negotiated to move the other residents and make space for his new warriors to live.
The warriors were like a sea of muscle and mass, axes and clubs placed here and there throughout the various suites as the cavemen took a load off for the first time since being summoned, while still remaining ever vigilant for possible threats.
Carter stepped inside his own home, the only suite left in the entire building with a fully intact door and lock, though that didn't really mean much since any of his warriors could break it down in an instant.
8 was the last to return to his side, securing the door.
Carter's breath hitched slightly as he took in his home, it had only been hours and yet it felt like it was years since he'd last been here, looking across the room he spotted his smartphone sitting on the edge of his bed.
He had forgotten it in the chaos of securing the building, since survival was clearly more important than taking an item with him.
His pulse quickened as he unlocked the screen.
Two missed calls.
Both from his sister.
Carter pressed redial, raising the phone to his ear.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
"Brother?!"
Rachael's voice cracked through the speaker, trembling with raw emotion.
Carter tightened his grip on the phone, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Sis… yeah, I'm here. I'm okay. Sorry I couldn't pick up earlier, I—"
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Where are you?"
"I-I'm still in the same room,"
she replied shakily.
"With Denise, Angela, and the others… We've been hiding since it all started. We let a few people in, but no one's left."
Carter's jaw clenched.
They weren't alone.
That complicated things.
"Is the room secure?"
"Y-Yeah. We barricaded the door… there are no windows… but I'm scared, brother."
Hearing the fear in her voice sent a dagger through Carter's heart.
He had to get to her.
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay composed.
"I know you're scared, Rach,"
he said, his voice gentle.
"But you're doing everything right. Just hold on, alright? I'm coming to get you."
Silence.
Then—
"Y-You're coming here?!"
She sounded even more terrified now.
"Brother, you can't! There are too many of them—of those things!"
"I know it's dangerous."
Carter's voice was unwavering.
"But I'm not alone."
His eyes flicked to the cavemen standing guard, their towering forms silent, yet deadly.
"I've got warriors with me."
Not soldiers.
Not military.
But men from another time.
Men who knew how to survive when the world was nothing but chaos and death.
Even so… Rachael still hesitated.
"Even with help… It's still too risky."
Carter clenched his jaw.
He understood her fear.
But leaving her behind?
Not an option.
"Rachael."
His voice was firm—but reassuring.
"I will not abandon you, and neither would your husband. We will get you out—all of you. You just have to trust me. But it'll take at least a day or two to get there. Until then, you need to stay put. No opening the door. No noise. Do you understand?"
Silence.
Then, finally—
"…Okay, brother. I'll trust you."
Carter felt a swell of determination.
"That's my sis. Now, listen carefully. Do you have enough supplies to last?"
Rachael hesitated.
"We only have a few bottles of water—around six litres worth—and some snacks. But there are close to thirty of us. Even if we ration, it's barely enough."
Carter cursed under his breath.
That wasn't nearly enough.
"Alright. Ration it carefully. Make it last. I'll bring supplies when I get there."
"O-okay."
"And remember—stay quiet. Stay hidden. If someone knocks twice, then three times, it's us. Otherwise, don't open that door again."
Then, he paused, his voice dropping to a warning tone.
"And Rachael…"
She gulped.
"Keep your eyes on the others."
She didn't respond.
But she didn't need to.
They both understood the unspoken truth.
The undead weren't the only danger anymore.
Humans could be worse.
"Be careful, brother."
Carter exhaled.
"I will."
Carter lowered the phone.
His knuckles were white from how tightly he had been gripping it.
He turned to 1, the warrior standing closest to him.
"We need a plan."
1 grinned, baring sharp teeth.
"Then we hunt."
Carter nodded.
The fortress was secure.
Now?
They would expand.
They would take the fight to the dead.
And when the time came—
Nothing would stand between him and reuniting his sister with her family.