The high-pitched, hunting shrieks of the Runner Variants sliced through the oppressive air of downtown Atlanta, freezing Rick's small, battered group in their tracks. They had just navigated a series of choked alleyways, hoping to find a clearer path west out of the city core, only to emerge onto a wider, debris-strewn street where three lean, horrifyingly fast figures were now bounding towards them with predatory intent.
"Runners! Take cover!" Shane bellowed, shoving Andrea and Jacqui towards the rusted shell of an overturned car. There was no time for finesse, no chance for a stealthy retreat. This was open ground.
Rick, Ethan, and Glenn fanned out slightly, forming a desperate front line. Their handguns barked, Rick's Python, Glenn's scavenged .38, and Andrea firing from behind the car, but the Runners moved with an unnatural, zigzagging agility, making clean shots nearly impossible for the exhausted survivors.
[System combat analysis: Runner Variants (3) exhibiting coordinated flanking maneuvers. High speed and erratic movement reduce projectile weapon accuracy by 70-80% at current Host/group skill levels. Recommend focusing on crippling leg shots or utilizing environmental chokepoints if available.]
Ethan didn't need the System to tell him this was bad. His Danger Sense was screaming, a constant prickle of imminent peril. He gripped his machete, his knuckles white. His enhanced Agility (10) and Perception (10) were being pushed to their limits just to track their terrifyingly swift movements.
One Runner, a gaunt creature with elongated limbs and burning eyes, feinted left then darted right with blinding speed, launching itself at Glenn. Glenn, expecting a straightforward charge, was caught off guard. He managed to bring his pipe up in a desperate block, but the force of the impact sent him sprawling, his pipe clattering away. The Runner was on him in an instant, snapping jaws aimed at his throat.
"Glenn!" Ethan roared. He couldn't reach him in time with his machete. His mind raced. He had 124 Battle Points. The Shop. He needed something now.
[Survivor's Exchange: 'Flash Powder (Small Pouch)' - 30 BP. 'Noisemaker Trap (Minor)' - 25 BP. 'Adhesive Grenade (Single Target Immobilization, Low Tier)' - 75 BP.]
The Adhesive Grenade. Expensive, but if it could stop that thing…
[Purchase Confirmed: 'Adhesive Grenade (Single Target Immobilization, Low Tier)'. BP -75. Current BP: 49.]
The small, metallic sphere appeared in his System inventory. He mentally retrieved it, his hand darting to his belt pack as if he'd had it all along. With a desperate prayer, he hurled it with all his might at the Runner pinning Glenn. "Get clear, Glenn!"
The grenade hit the Runner's flank and burst, not with an explosion, but with an instantaneous spray of thick, incredibly sticky, fast-hardening resin. The Runner shrieked in surprise and rage as its limbs became instantly entangled and then immobilized by the rapidly solidifying goo. It thrashed, stuck to the asphalt and itself, temporarily neutralized.
[Adhesive Grenade deployed. Target: Runner Variant. Effect: Temporary Full Immobilization (Lower Tier). Duration: Approximately 60 seconds.]
Shane and Rick, seeing their chance, dispatched the other two Runners with a combination of desperate, close-range shotgun blasts (Shane's last few shells) and precise Python shots from Rick as the creatures were momentarily distracted by their comrade's predicament.
[Runner Variants Neutralized x2. Battle Points +10. Significant Experience Gained.] (Runners give more BP/EXP).
(Ethan's BP: 49 + 10 = 59. EXP towards L5 increases).
Ethan rushed to Glenn, helping him up, while Rick put a final, cautionary bullet into the head of the immobilized Runner before it could potentially break free.
"That… that sticky bomb thing, Miller!" Shane panted, staring at the resin-coated Runner. "Where in God's name did you get that?"
"Old riot gear I found in a cop car way back," Ethan lied breathlessly, his heart still pounding. "Lucky I kept it."
Rick just looked at Ethan, a strange, assessing expression in his eyes, but said nothing, instead turning his attention to Glenn. "You alright?"
"Yeah… I think so. Thanks, Ethan. Again." Glenn managed a shaky grin.
Just as they caught their breath, the walkie-talkie on Rick's belt, which had been mostly silent during their flight except for Dale's earlier check-ins, crackled to life with an utterly desperate transmission. It was Dale's voice, but strained, terrified, and almost drowned out by a cacophony of walker snarls, human screams, and what sounded like the high-pitched shrieks of more Runners.
"Rick! Shane! Are you there?! God, you gotta hear this! The quarry… the camp is under attack! Massive herd hit us… hundreds! And those… those fast things, the Runners… they're inside the perimeter! They broke through the west side! We're… we're being overrun! Amy… oh God, Amy's down! Jim's been bitten again, badly this time! Lori and Carol have the kids in the RV, but… but walkers are surrounding it! Daryl's trying to… trying to fight them off… but there are too many! We need help! If anyone can hear this… we need help NOW!"
The transmission ended with a horrifying shriek and then dead static.
A look of pure, unadulterated horror passed between Rick, Shane, Ethan, and Glenn. The camp. Lori. Carl. The children. Dale. Everyone they'd left behind. Under attack by walkers and Runners.
Rick's face was a mask of anguish. "Lori… Carl…"
Without a word, he turned and started sprinting, not west out of the city, but back east, then south-east, towards the quickest, most direct path back towards the quarry camp.
"Rick, wait!" Shane yelled, but Rick was already gone, a man possessed.
Shane cursed, then looked at the others. "Damn it! We can't let him go alone!" He started after Rick. Glenn, despite his near-death experience, was right with him.
Ethan paused for only a fraction of a second. His mission was to get to the quarry. Now, it was to save it, if there was anything left to save. He sprinted after them, his newly enhanced stats, his skills, and his secret System the only advantages they had against the impossible odds ahead.
The desperate race to save the quarry camp had begun.
Ethan Miller - Status
* Level: 4
* Experience (EXP): (e.g., 250/400 towards Level 5)
* Battle Points (BP): 59
* Core Attributes:
* Strength: 9
* Agility: 10 (Soft Capped at L4)
* Endurance: 7
* Perception: 10 (Soft Capped at L4)
* Attribute Points (AP) Unspent: 0
* Learned Skills:
* Basic First Aid (Active, Level 1)
* Basic Stealth Movement (Passive, Level 1)
* Featherfoot (Passive, Level 1)
* Danger Sense (Rudimentary, Level 1)
* Inventory Highlights:
* Survivor's Machete
* Filtered Water Bottle (critically low/empty)
* High-Energy Ration Bars (all gone)
* Basic First-Aid Kit (very low on supplies)
* Climbing Gloves (Enhanced Grip)