Puck,
Muldoon,
Carl, and
Victor clear Outpost Sixteen, a safehouse overrun by infected, employing military precision to secure the area room by room. A tense moment arises when Carl is nearly overpowered by an infected that Victor had failed to spot, fueling Carl's mistrust of Victor.
Robbins arrives just in time to save Carl, adding a touch of humor amid the chaos.
Inside the secure room, the group meets two survivors,
Hugh and
Violet, who reveal that the infected outside became less aggressive once the safehouse
generator lost power, implying a potential behavioral shift. Despite suspicions, the team decides to bring the newcomers back to
the Colony.
Back at the Colony, Carl remains shaken by his near-death experience, while Muldoon privately voices concerns to
Michael about Victor's competency. The chapter transitions to a Colony-wide celebration for
Datu's 33rd birthday, a rare moment of levity with a Western theme. The chapter ends with Carl unveiling a discovery in CJ's library: a map that aligns with the rumored location of the gold, pinpointing the town of
Hackberry, Arizona.
