As they began to plant the explosives, the floor shuddered. A Harvester, a towering multi-limbed behemoth, smashed through the ceiling. It didn't fire; it reached. It wanted John alive. The machines had realized that killing the leader was one thing, but capturing him and breaking his spirit would end the war forever.
In the distance, the roar of a Hunter-Killer drone signaled that the war was far from over. But as John led the survivors back toward the hidden bunkers, he knew that salvation wasn't a destination. It was the simple, stubborn act of refusing to stop fighting.
"We saved today," John said, gripping Marcus's shoulder. "And today is all we need to get to tomorrow."
