The first sign came from the outer settlements.
Brayn was in the command center when Andrew's voice crackled over the comm, sharp with alarm. "Brayn, I'm picking up something strange. A signal from beyond the city walls. Someone's out there."
Brayn's blood ran cold. "Beyond the walls? That's impossible. No one's survived out there since the system fell."
Andrew's voice was strained. "I know. But the signal is clear. Someone's broadcasting. And they're calling for you."
---
The journey beyond the walls was dangerous.
Brayn stood at the edge of the city, his team assembled behind him. The wasteland stretched before them, barren and desolate. But there was a path, a trail of footprints leading into the unknown.
"Whoever's out there knows the terrain," Danielle said, her voice tight. "T
