CHAPTER 22

When some of the humans spotted us, they quickly paled in fear as they all shuffled back with their hands raised. The masks obscuring half their face not able to hide the apprehension in the eyes.

We jumped down from the van and spread out among the crowd, making our way around the vehicle towards the Control Center building to join Sir Locke.

The sight of the dusty pieces of Chinese lanterns hanging in the air from worn-out ropes, and rundown buildings bring to mind just how tragically everything has changed for everyone.

The living situation of the surviving few humans is growing more alarming day by day, the evidence of it on some of the rundown buildings crowding the street and the emaciated bodies of the humans surrounding us.

Despite having to jostle our way through, we made it up the stairs leading towards the only building still standing upright without a broken window or vine crawling up on a wall.

The 2-story building used to be a Chinese restaurant judging by the rusting metal sign hanging off the roof, but obviously, the restaurant is no longer running.

Turning to the team, I command through the protective mask strapped to my face. "Henrietta and Carter, you two are in charge. Divide the members and spread out, make sure the humans do not try to use force to barge into the building."

Turning to the other male silently standing by my side, I say reluctantly. "Kevin and I will be with Sir Locke inside. Understand?"

"Yes, Alpha." Henrietta nods, and Carter does so a second later after turning to her team leader for confirmation.

Considering his team and mine have no choice but to work together in such a situation, I didn't care that his team member automatically turned to him for permission before she adhered to the command of another warrior.

What I did mind though, was the fact that she did it in front of the recruits and though I couldn't see their faces, I knew in their minds they were puzzled by the show of disrespect considering I was appointed Team Leader by Sir Locke before we left the camp.

"What about me?" Dean stepped forward to ask, and I turned to him in irritation.

"You… should sit back and await instructions."

"What?" He asks in shock, steppe g forward to point a finger childishly at Henrietta who places the finger away in annoyance. "Dude, come on. Why does she get to be in charge and I don't?"

"Because I trust her because I don't need you causing trouble with your antics," I say through gritted teeth. "And... I simply trust her more." I sigh, slapping his shoulder with a roll of my eyes.

"You ass—"

"Enough chit-chat, let's spread out." The douche bag steps out of line by commanding authoritatively, but I let his actions go and nod for everyone to listen.

While the rest held their guns up with the mouth raised to the sky just to scare the humans into pushing back from the steps, Kevin Hatch and I made ours into the building.

The chaos within appears even worse than it does outside, people are running around from one cubicle to the other on the lower floor in states of panic.

Yells of frustration filling the room with tension from all areas, papers are thrown into the air, hearts are racing, and stress levels are rising. Turning to each other, we try our best to make it up to the second floor.

We found Sir Locke talking to some military middle-aged man who is in his uniform with his head shaved in a buzz cut and his skin wrinkled with stress lines.

We couldn't walk in and interrupt them, so we lined our backs against the wall while also standing at attention. Our guns tucked to our sides with one hand.

We silently watched both men through the closed glass door of the general's office, and they seemed to be arguing about something, before exchanging a cordial handshake.

We straightened in our positions when the both of them turned in our direction and made their way towards the door, stepping out the General smiled at us in a nice, friendly way.

"Boys, this is General Karl, he is the head of Control Center and the Supervisor for District 4." Sir Locke makes the introductions, and we stamped our feet on the ground before raising a hand in salute. "General, these two are Alphas of our finest Elite teams our Head Camp has to offer. Kevin Hatch and Alexander Ross."

"Morning sergeants, at ease." He nods, and we relaxed somewhat but spacing our feet and folding both hands behind our back. "I appreciate the help you guys are offering in fixing the situation here in District 4."

"It's no problem, sir." We replied simultaneously, before turning to glare at one another.