"Miss Ivy didn't come back?" I asked, surprised by the concern evident in Alisha's voice as I set down my scavenging pack in the main hallway.

Alisha nodded, crossing her arms against her chest. "She left this morning saying she needed to get medical supplies from the pharmacy, but she still hasn't returned. It's been over eight hours."

I scratched my hair, processing this information while trying to recall about Ivy. I'd left for my morning routine scavenging expedition at six o'clock as usual and had just returned in the late afternoon—a schedule I'd maintained consistently for the past month. This meant I wasn't always aware of what happened at the house during my extended absences, but eight hours seemed far too long for a simple pharmacy run, even accounting for careful movement and thorough searching.

"She went alone?" I asked, dumbfounded by what seemed like an obviously dangerous decision. "Isn't that incredibly risky for someone without combat training?"

Alisha's expression darkened with frustration. "It absolutely is dangerous, but no matter how much we tried to convince her otherwise, she wouldn't listen to reason. Rachel spoke with her directly, Elena offered to go along, even Liu Mei volunteered to provide backup. Ivy refused all offers of company and just left, saying she could handle herself and didn't want to put anyone else at risk."

I could understand Ivy's desire for independence—she'd always been somewhat stoic and self-reliant, preferring to solve problems through her own efforts rather than relying on others. But pharmacy runs were notoriously dangerous in our post-apocalyptic environment.

"I'll go check the pharmacy," I said, already mentally preparing for another expedition. "It should be the same one Rachel and I visited after we destroyed the Fire Spitter infected. If Ivy's in trouble, time is critical."

"I... I want to come with you," Daisy offered suddenly, her voice quiet but determined.

I turned to look at her in surprise. Daisy was typically one of the most cautious members of our household, preferring to stay within the relative safety of our established perimeter rather than venture into the dangerous outside world. She hadn't participated in any combat encounters since joining our group, and I knew she was genuinely terrified of facing infected creatures directly.

When she noticed my surprised expression, Daisy lowered her gaze somewhat defensively. "I know I'm not particularly useful in dangerous situations, but I want to help Miss Ivy if she's in trouble. She's... she's been important to me."

The explanation made perfect sense once I considered their relationship. Daisy wasn't just offering to help a fellow group member—she was trying to rescue someone who had provided crucial emotional support during her adjustment to our survival group. Ivy might appear stoic and antisocial to casual observers, but she'd proven to be genuinely caring toward people who needed help. She'd treated my various combat injuries with skill and patience, and I'd heard from Rachel that Ivy had spent considerable time helping Daisy cope with the trauma of losing her parents and everyone else close to her during the initial outbreak.

Even though Ivy maintained professional distance in most interactions, she was fundamentally a caregiver who couldn't ignore people in need of medical or emotional assistance.

"Alright," I nodded, understanding that Daisy's motivation went far deeper than simple group loyalty. "But you'll need to follow my instructions exactly, especially if we encounter infected. No heroics, no unnecessary risks."

"Ryan..." Alisha looked at me with obvious concern, clearly wondering whether taking Daisy into potential danger was a wise decision. "Are you sure this is the right approach? Maybe you should go alone, or take someone with more combat experience."

"Don't worry," I replied with perhaps more confidence than I actually felt. "I'll keep her safe and bring both of them back without incident. Nothing will touch either of them while I'm around."

The promise was somewhat exaggerated, but I wanted to reassure both Alisha and Daisy that I took their safety seriously. My enhanced abilities gave me significant advantages in combat situations, and I'd successfully protected group members during previous dangerous missions.

Daisy's face flushed slightly at my declaration, her mouth opening slightly in what might have been surprise or gratitude. Behind her, I noticed Elena watching our interaction with what looked like disapproval, though I couldn't understand why she might object to my offer to protect Daisy during a rescue mission.

"I'll wait while you prepare your gear," I told Daisy, who nodded eagerly and hurried upstairs to her room to gather appropriate clothing and supplies for the expedition.

While Daisy was getting ready, I began unpacking and organizing the items I'd collected during my morning scavenging run. The haul had been reasonably successful—canned goods, batteries, some useful tools, and a small amount of ammunition that would supplement our dwindling reserves.

Alisha approached me as I sorted through the supplies, her voice dropping to a whisper. "How are things progressing with the Screamer situation? Are we making adequate preparations for what's coming?"

"We've made good progress," I replied, keeping my own voice low to avoid alarming anyone else who might be listening. "Mark and I have identified a strategy for countering the frequency attacks, and we'll be prepared when the alien device finally makes its move."

"When do you think that will happen?" Alisha pressed, and I could hear the underlying urgency in her question.

I understood why she was asking. Elena had insisted that they wait until the Screamer threat was neutralized before contacting their father and leaving our group to join him. Alisha had agreed to this condition, but it had been over a month since that decision, and she was obviously growing impatient with the delay. I couldn't blame her for wanting to reunite with her father who could provide full security with resources.

"Soon," I said as honestly as I could. "Probably within the next week or two. Mark's countermeasure devices are nearly ready for deployment, and we're just completing the final installations."

"Are we really prepared for the horde attacks that will inevitably follow?" She asked, her expression showing genuine concern for our survival prospects.

"I've prepared defensive positions in the fields surrounding our perimeter," I replied, referring to the wooden stakes, steel spikes, and razor wire obstacles I'd been installing over the past several weeks. "But nothing is guaranteed when we're facing an entire army of infected creatures. The numbers could be overwhelming."

Alisha was quiet for a moment, processing the implications of what I'd said. Finally, she asked the question I'd been dreading: "They won't attack randomly, will they? The infected will target this house specifically because of you... and possibly the others with enhanced abilities?"

I remained silent for a long moment, knowing that my answer would carry significant weight for her decision-making process.

Initially, the large-scale infected attacks had begun before we'd even arrived in Jackson Township, which meant they'd been targeting someone at the Municipal Office rather than our household. At that time, we hadn't been particularly concerned about becoming primary targets ourselves. But I'd be foolishly naive to think the alien intelligence hadn't noticed another symbiotic host—namely me—after our encounters with the Fire Spitter, Frost Walker, and recently the Screamer device.

The aliens would have definitely detected my presence by now, but they seemed to be remaining hidden and operating through intermediaries rather than revealing themselves directly. Maybe they didn't consider it necessary to show themselves personally, or maybe they believed the Screamer device was capable of eliminating all human resistance without requiring additional intervention.

"Yes," I said finally, meeting Alisha's gaze directly. "They'll come for us specifically. My abilities, and probably the enhancements that Rachel, Elena, Sydney, and Cindy have developed, make us priority targets. The alien intelligence wants to eliminate anyone who might be capable of significant resistance."

Alisha nodded grimly, apparently having expected this answer despite hoping for something more reassuring. "Then Elena and I need to make our decision soon. If staying here means we'll be in the center of a major assault..."

"I understand," I replied. "And I won't try to convince you to stay if you think leaving offers better survival prospects. Everyone needs to make their own choices about risk and safety."

Though I said it, I clearly felt like swallowing a bitter pile.

Alisha was going to leave and especially Elena…

Before our conversation could continue, Daisy reappeared from upstairs, wearing practical outdoor clothing and carrying a small backpack. She'd changed from her usual casual house clothes into dark jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy boots that would be appropriate for navigating dangerous urban terrain. Her hair was tied back securely, and she'd brought the steel rod that Elena had helped her select as a defensive weapon, though I doubted she'd be able to use it effectively in actual combat.

"I'm ready," she announced, though I could hear a slight tremor in her voice that suggested she was nervous about what we might encounter.

"Good," I said, shouldering my own pack and checking my weapons one final time. "Remember, stay close to me at all times, follow my instructions immediately, and don't take any unnecessary risks. Our priority is finding Ivy and getting everyone back home safely."

As we prepared to leave, Elena appeared in the hallway, her expression showing concern mixed with something that might have been disapproval.

"Be careful out there," she said, though her tone was more formal than usual. "Both of you."

"We will," I assured her, though I sensed there were things she wanted to say that she was keeping to herself.

The afternoon sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon as Daisy and I left our house and began making our way toward the pharmacy district. The timing wasn't ideal—we'd have perhaps three hours of good daylight before needing to consider the increased dangers that came with darkness—but waiting until tomorrow could mean the difference between rescuing Ivy and recovering her body alive I hoped.

"Tell me about the pharmacy we're going to," Daisy said as we walked, her voice slightly breathless from nervousness and exertion.

"It's a medium-sized facility that Rachel and I cleared two months ago," I explained, keeping my enhanced senses alert for any signs of danger along our route. "When we were there before, it had been partially looted but still contained significant medical supplies."

"Why would Miss Ivy go there alone instead of asking for help?"

I considered the question as we navigated around an abandoned car that blocked most of the street. "Ivy's always been independent, maybe to a fault. She probably thought she could handle a simple supply run without risking other people's safety. She's also the most qualified person in our group to identify and collect the right medical supplies—she'd know what to prioritize and how to use everything properly."

"I hope she is fine…" Daisy said worried.

"She will be," I replied to her reassuringly.

There was no way anything could happen to Ivy.

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