Jason moved methodically through the silent suburban streets, his footsteps echoing against empty driveways and abandoned cars. Each house he passed told the same story—curtains still drawn, newspapers yellowed on porches, some front doors left ajar by those who fled in panic or simply never returned. The silence felt oppressive, broken only by the occasional rustle of wind through untended gardens.
He'd been walking for nearly forty minutes when something made him freeze mid-step.
Up ahead, in the middle of the quiet suburban road, a massive Bengal tiger padded silently across the asphalt, two cubs trailing behind her. The mother's muscles rippled beneath her striped coat as she moved with predatory grace, her head swinging from side to side, scanning for threats or opportunities.
Jason's hand instinctively moved toward his rifle, but he didn't raise it.
"Wait… a tiger? What the hell is a tiger doing here?" he thought, his mind racing to make sense of the impossible sight.
"She must've escaped from the zoo," he whispered.
Nia's voice responded immediately in his ear, calm and analytical. "Panthera tigris tigris. Bengal tiger. Native to India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Critically endangered in some areas. This one appears to be a female, likely seeking food for her offspring."
Jason lowered his rifle. "They're dangerous... but I don't want to kill them. They're just surviving."
"Agreed. Alter course slightly east. Avoid provoking them. She's not hunting unless she has to."
He watched as the big cat guided her cubs toward a dense row of hedges between two houses. Despite how dangerous they were, he felt no desire to harm them. If anything, there was something reassuring about seeing life—any life—continuing in this dead world.
"I hope they find food that isn't human," he said softly, then moved on.
Jason altered his route as Nia suggested, cutting through a backyard and emerging onto a lower side street. As he rounded the corner, a large, modern home caught his attention—or rather, the three men standing beside its garden wall did.
His heart lifted for a brief, hopeful moment.
"People," he whispered. "Holy shit, there are actually people."
"Jason," Nia cautioned. "Proceed slowly. Don't reveal yourself yet. Let's listen first."
He ducked behind a tree, switching from his long rifle to his silenced sidearm. Using the training he'd practiced countless times in simulations, he crept closer, moving from cover to cover. His ears—now sharpened by the nanovirus—began picking up their conversation.
"I'm telling you, there were two of them," the tallest one whispered. "Both smoking hot. I saw them go in earlier."
"Well, duh," another replied, scratching at a patchy beard. "That's why we followed them, dumbass."
"It's been months, dude," the third added, adjusting his filthy baseball cap. "If we don't get some tonight, I'll fucking lose my mind."
Jason felt his stomach tighten as they argued about who gets "first turn," as if they were discussing a carnival ride. The casual cruelty in their voices made his skin crawl.
"We wait till sunset, then we kick down the door."
"Yeah," the tall one said. "No one's come out. Probably just those two. Easy."
"I'm starving, man. One more day and I'm gonna eat the bark off trees. We shoulda been in our own bunker, not wandering like this," Patchy Beard snapped, kicking at the gravel beneath his feet.
"It's your fault," the tall one barked, shoving him slightly. "Peeping on Mom and Ellie like a creep!"
"Bullshit," Patchy Beard argued, pushing back. "I wasn't the only one. You were jerking it to her yoga sessions too!"
"And who the fuck rats out their brothers to Dad?" Baseball Cap muttered, spitting on the ground. "You snitched and now we're out here eating moldy granola bars, perv."
"You were already doing it," Patchy Beard defended himself, voice rising before dropping to a harsh whisper. "I was just... less subtle."
Jason clenched his jaw, his grip tightening around the pistol. The cool metal against his palm felt suddenly reassuring. These weren't just survivors—they were predators.
"Charming family," Nia said dryly. "Do you still feel optimistic about meeting survivors?"
"Optimistic's not the word I'd use anymore," Jason replied darkly.
He took a deep breath, weighing his options. He could slip away, avoid confrontation entirely. But that would leave two innocent women at the mercy of these predators. The thought of walking away made his chest ache with something that felt like betrayal. The decision made itself.
Jason stepped out from behind the tree, gun raised. "Hello there."
All three spun around, hands instinctively moving toward concealed weapons.
"Drop your weapons." His voice was steady, authoritative. "Now."
They hesitated—Jason fired a round just above the tall one's foot. The bullet struck the pavement with a crack, sending fragments of concrete flying. Instantly, they tossed their pistols aside.
"Good. Now let's talk. Names?" Jason kept his gun trained on them, finger resting lightly on the trigger.
"Ryan," said the tall one, clearly the leader. "That's Cody." He pointed to Baseball Cap. "That's Travis." Patchy Beard.
Jason immediately thought of them as Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest, but with guns and rape fantasies.
"Lovely. And what bunker did you get tossed out of?" Jason circled slightly to keep all three in his line of sight.
"None of your business," Ryan snapped, a muscle twitching in his jaw.
"See this watch?" Jason said calmly, raising his wrist. "It's a lie detector. Every lie gets one of you shot. Still want to play?" He tilted his head. "Maybe start with your kneecaps."
That did the trick.
"It's about three or four miles that way," Travis said quickly, pointing. "Off Belview Avenue. Big iron gate, cameras. Our dad built it after 2010 riots. Paranoid bastard was right all along."
"And why were you kicked out?" Jason's eyes narrowed.
The three exchanged glances, and Jason could practically see the gears turning in their heads.
"Just a misunderstanding," Ryan offered, crossing his arms defensively.
Jason's watch suddenly glowed red, a subtle effect Nia had activated.
"Try again," Jason warned, raising the gun slightly. "Last chance for honesty before things get messy."
"Hey, where'd you get that watch?" Cody asked, eyes widening with sudden interest. "Could I buy it off you? I got some good stuff to trade—women's underwear, booze, pills—"
Ryan and Travis both shot him looks of disbelief.
"Shut the fuck up, Cody," Travis hissed.
"We got into trouble," Cody muttered, getting back on topic, his eyes on the gun.
"Define 'trouble.'" Jason's voice hardened.
"Peeking. On family," Ryan said reluctantly, shifting his weight. "Okay? That's all. Just looking."
"Is it though?" Jason pressed. "This kind of thing happen before the world went to shit?"
"Sure," Travis shrugged, a hint of pride in his voice. "Dad always got us outta that crap. Money helps. Paid off a few girls to keep quiet."
"Paid off a few—" Jason stopped himself. "Proud of that, are you?" Jason said, voice still pleasant but eyes cold. "And this house—you followed two women here. What exactly were you planning?"
"Fun," Ryan smirked, licking his lips. "Been a while since we had any."
"Forceful fun?" Jason probed, his finger tightening slightly on the trigger.
"Call it persuasive," Cody said with a grin. "Look, man, you know how it is. World's gone to shit. No rules anymore. Gotta take what you want now. You can join if you want—plenty to go around."
Jason smiled, a cold, dangerous expression that didn't reach his eyes. "Right. Gotta take what you want."
They relaxed slightly—thinking they'd found a kindred spirit.
Then Cody moved a hand toward his back pocket.
Jason didn't think—he acted.
Three suppressed shots, center-mass and forehead. All three men crumpled instantly to the pavement.
Silence.
"That was... fast," Nia said, her voice in his ear. "They didn't need to die yet. We could've gotten more from them."
Jason exhaled, staring down at the bodies.
"I know. But I've been so tense... I didn't even think. I just reacted."
He holstered his weapon and looked around. The street remained quiet. No one came running at the sound of the suppressed shots.
"The simulations were different," he said quietly. "I hesitated there. Thought things through. But here... it was like my body knew what to do before my mind caught up."
"The nanovirus enhances neural pathways related to survival responses," Nia explained. "Your reaction time is 0.4 seconds faster than before the procedure."
Jason looked down at the three bodies. "These weren't the first people I wanted to meet out here."
"No," Nia agreed. "But they were likely representative of what we'll encounter. The collapse would have removed many social constraints. Those with predatory tendencies before would feel even more emboldened now."
Jason knelt beside the bodies, checking for anything useful. He found a few protein bars, some ammunition, and a folded map with several locations circled in red marker.
"Their bunker location might be worth investigating later," Nia suggested. "If they were expelled, others might remain."
"Maybe," Jason said, standing up. "But first, we need to check on those women they were stalking."
He approached the house cautiously, weapon lowered but ready. The high garden wall that surrounded the property would have made it difficult for the three brothers to see inside, but it also meant Jason couldn't get a clear view either.
"This might be the worst day of my life," Jason muttered to himself as he moved toward the front gate.
"...and it's just beginning," Nia replied quietly.