The alley reeked of blood and rot. A thin mist curled through the air, carrying the stench of something ancient… and hungry. Evelyn wiped sweat from her brow, her breath shallow. They were boxed in. The creature—a nightmare of muscle, claws, and a writhing tongue—stalked them from the shadows. It wasn't alone. The growls grew louder. More of them. Closing in. "Move!" Reaper growled, dragging his injured leg as the group sprinted down the alley. Behind them, the beast shrieked—a piercing sound that vibrated through bone. A signal. From the rooftops, another one dropped down, landing with a sickening crunch. They were surrounded. The creatures were different. Faster. Smarter. Meaner. Their elongated limbs twitched unnaturally as their heads bobbed like snakes, tracking every movement. Lucas raised his rifle. Bang! A direct shot to the head. The monster staggered… but didn't fall. Instead, it smiled. Leon clenched his jaw. "Bullets aren't stopping them." Evelyn's mind raced. These weren't like the others. The Devourer's mutation was accelerating. It was learning. And now… it had new hunters. The first creature lunged. Reaper shoved Samantha aside, bringing his machete down in a brutal arc. The blade sliced through muscle, but the creature barely reacted. A low, guttural sound that sent ice through Evelyn's veins. Reaper flew backward, crashing through a rusted door. Mia fired point-blank into its chest. The thing barely flinched. Its tongue shot forward, wrapping around her wrist. Bone snapped. Leon rushed in, swinging his crowbar with all his strength. The impact sent the creature stumbling—but only for a second. It was toying with them. Evelyn grabbed a broken pipe from the ground and swung wildly. It jammed into the creature's side— black ichor spilling out. For the first time, it shrieked in pain. Evelyn's eyes widened. The wounds were slowing it down. But could they kill it? Lucas yanked Mia free, dragging her toward the fire escape. They had to go. Reaper coughed blood but forced himself up. "We're not winning this fight." Evelyn backed up, gripping the pipe like a lifeline. The creatures weren't chasing. And Evelyn realized something far worse. They weren't stopping them from escaping. They were leading them somewhere. Leon cursed under his breath. "This isn't over." Evelyn nodded, her stomach twisting. No. This was just the beginning.