Chapter 1

"This is our last chance to evacuate! If we don't leave now, we'll all die here!" Several team members yelled themselves hoarse, attempting to pull Noah Black away from the exit he was blocking with his body.

"Esmeralda isn't here yet! Five more minutes won't kill us," Noah said coldly, refusing to budge.

"You'd risk every one of our lives just to wait for her? Don't be so selfish, Noah!" The team was frantic.

Right then, someone snapped and lunged forward to drag him aside.

However, the very next second, Noah raised his gun and fired. The bullet zipped right over everyone's heads, drawing a collective gasp. "Have you lost your bloody mind?"

Instead of backing down, Noah seethed, "You're the ones who are despicable, shameless, and selfish! Esmeralda isn't here yet, so no one is getting on that plane!

"You selfish cowards, you'd abandon a teammate to save your own skins! Do you think you deserve to live?"

After hearing that, the deputy leader shot me a troubled look. "Skyla, the military plane is about to close its hatch. If we keep stalling… We might not make it…"

I plastered a smile on my face and motioned for everyone to calm down. Then, I walked over to Noah and rested my hand on his shoulder. "Noah's right. Our team has always upheld the principle of leaving no one behind. Esmeralda might not have arrived at the meeting spot on time, but we can't possibly leave her behind."

As soon as my words fell, everyone's jaw dropped, unable to believe those words had come from me.

"Ms. Steele… Are you serious? You can't take Noah's side just because he's your boyfriend!"

"That's enough!" Noah raised his hand and fired another bullet into the air. "Skyla's made the call—we'll wait for Esmeralda and leave together! Why are you all still arguing?"

With both justice and me in his corner, he all but glowed with pride. He leaned in, his shoulder brushing against mine, and said softly, "I knew you weren't like the others, Sky. You never turn your back on your own!"

I grinned and ruffled his hair. "Esmeralda's my closest friend. How could I ever leave her behind?"

Little did he know, I didn't need to squeeze onto this helicopter at all. As a virologist, I could make a single call, and the military would send a special ops team and a private jet for me. Aside from Noah and Esmeralda, every member on my team was a leading name in the field.

If I hadn't risked everything to take Noah with me in my previous life, I could have chosen a safer flight and left for the base with the rest of my team. This time around, I vowed to see him suffer the fiercest retribution for his selfish folly and take with him into hell the childhood sweetheart he cherished, the very one who had time and again nearly doomed us all.

Noah was even more pleased with himself when no one dared to argue back.

Minutes ticked by as the dark horde of corpses closed in, until Esmeralda finally came running, late and out of breath. "I knew you'd wait for me, Noah!" she panted, eyes bright with excitement.

Considering her poor endurance, it was nothing short of a miracle that she made it from the east side of the city to the helipad.

At that exact moment, a deafening explosion thundered in the distance. The last line of defense had been breached by the horde.