Chapter Thirteen

No Choice

Caleb and Turner clash in a brutal, animalistic fight—Turner consumed by rage, Caleb overwhelmed by grief. With every blow, Caleb sees more than an enemy; he sees a brother lost to madness. When Turner lunges one final time, Caleb reacts on instinct and opens fire, unloading a burst from his rifle into Turner’s chest. Turner’s final words are a twisted promise—then silence. The church falls still, and the weight of what just happened presses down on the whole team.