A quick glance to the cage filled Lea with heavy emotions. Her fellow Hybrids had looks on their faces that were a mixture of anger and resignation. Of course, it was obvious that they felt the same betrayal as she did.

Their achievements were nothing to laugh at, and yet, they were treated worse than the undead who roamed the outskirts of the West Yamanashi Stronghold.

"This isn’t over. Once I get the chance, I’m going to kill you." Lea threatened, her empty threats going into the captain’s ear and out the other.

A saddened smile appeared on the captain’s lips, his expression unchanging. "I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Natsuki Lea. You’re far stronger than any of us. I hope this phase two would yield great results"

It didn’t take long before Natsuki was led into the cage with the other hybrids. Not wasting any time, Natsuki started recalculating her plan. If this was the phase two of their Hybrid experiment, then this would be her phase two of concocting a plan of escape.

She and her squad faced impossible odds before, and they were able to overcome it. They had done it once, and they could do it again. With her squad and the other Hybrids now in the picture, they would find their way to break free and reclaim their lost lives out of the West Yamanashi Stronghold.

—

Finally free from her chains (not entirely free however, since she was already in the cage with the others), Lea twiddled her thumbs while staring at her fellow Hybrids. They were all tense, their expressions a mix of anger and determination. The revelation of their true purpose had shaken them to the core, but it had also solidified their resolve.

Albeit treated as lab rats, they knew that deep inside, they were Hybrids— a small category of the undead who didn’t turn into a mindless roamer. They had survived a zombie bite and came out of it stronger, what’s the worse that could happen?

The cage was cramped, the air heavy with the scent of sweat and frustration. Lea silently observed her companions, noting the flicker of defiance in their eyes. They had all been through so much, and now they were being treated like prisoners.

"We need a plan," Lea whispered, her voice barely audible. "We can’t just sit here and wait for them to use us again."

Yumi, the agile Hybrid, nodded. "I’ve been watching the guards. They change shifts every six hours. There’s a small window when the security is lighter."

Hiroshi, the burly Hybrid, grunted in agreement. "And we know the layout of this place. We can use that to our advantage."

However, Lea already knew that the windows of opportunities were just an illusion, a bait that the captain had so carefully crafted so he would force them into submission once again.

Then again, Lea was aware of this, and she knew that they could get around it, provided that they had ample time set preparations in place.

Cautiously, Lea’s mind raced as she considered their options. They needed to act quickly and decisively. "We’ll make our move during the next shift change," she said finally. "Be ready."

"Next shift change? Isn’t that too soon?" Yumi worriedly called out.

However, Hiroshi responded with a shake of the head as he gestured for Lea to keep her peace first. "That’s exactly why, the sooner we strike, the more they’ll get caught off guard. They wouldn’t expect us to attempt an escape as soon as possible, right?"

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

While the clock ticked, the tension in the cage grew. In total, there were twelve Hybrids in that cage, each of them possessing the strength level of Lea, if not more.

Lea’s muscles tightened, her senses going haywire as she shifted into high alert. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and her body was ready to spring into action.

"Oi, it’s time to end our shift. Let’s get out of here." One of the Hybrid guards jerked his thumb out of there.

"That’s a relief, I can’t take their stares anymore." The other Hybrid guard heaved a sigh of relief as they got out of the large room.

Since this was in the center of their base of operations, they were confident that the Hybrids wouldn’t attempt an escape as soon as they could. Honestly, they were expecting something like that, but they knew that that wouldn’t be their problem since their shift had just ended.

On the off chance that the Hybrids tried to escape, that would be the problem of the Hybrid guards in the next shift. And even then, if the Hybrids were able to get out of godforsaken room, there were still precautions put in place, making their escape from the stronghold nigh impossible.

Click. The guards finally got out of that room to call for their next shift.

"..."

"..."

Finally, the moment came. The guards shifted, leaving a brief window of opportunity. Lea signaled to her companions, and they sprang into action.

Yumi moved first, her lithe form slipping through the bars of the cage with ease. She landed silently on the ground, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger. Hiroshi followed, his powerful muscles flexing as he squeezed through the narrow opening, enlarging it just enough for the other Hybrids to slip through as well.

Lea went last, her body hardening into its defensive form as she slipped through the bars. She landed beside her companions, her heart pounding in her chest.

All according to plan.

"Let’s go," she whispered, leading the way towards the exit.

With their renewed teamwork, the group moved swiftly and silently through the maze of corridors and stairs. Their coordinated movements were precise and purposeful, with the sole intent of avoiding detection at all costs. Every step brought them closer to the outside, and ultimately to their complete escape.

"There! The main door!" Lea told everyone, pointing at the large pair of doors in front of them.

With a last burst of speed, the group quickened their pace. Lea’s heart soared with anxiousness. They were almost there.

Footsteps.

Just as they reached the final corridor, a group of guards appeared, blocking their path.

"They’re trying to escape!" one of the guards shouted, raising his weapon.

There was no turning back. Skidding into a halt, Lea’s eyes turned bloodshot as she activated her Bulwark abilities. "Fight!" She screamed at the other Hybrids.