In a certain room on the middle floors, tension hung heavy in the air as a police officer barked orders, pointing a pistol at a group of civilians armed with makeshift weapons.
“Put your hands up where we can see them!” he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
One of the civilians, a man with anger etched across his face, lashed out. “Shut up! We heard it all! A helicopter will come and pick you up on top of the hospital. But looking at that thing, it's small. It can't fit us all! You guys are nothing but a selfish group with guns! We know you'll just use us as bait and leave!”
“What the hell are you talking about!? We saved you from the zombies! Is this how you repay us!?” another officer shouted, his shotgun trained on the group.
“Liar!”
“Selfish!”
“You'd use us as bait!”
The room descended into chaos as the civilians panicked, their fear and frustration fueling a riotous scene.
Amidst the escalating chaos, Lana, Ava, Aiko, and I burst into the room, catching everyone's attention. Lana swiftly assessed the situation, her voice cutting through the uproar.
“Enough! Everyone calm down!” she commanded, her authoritative tone demanding attention.
The civilians and officers turned their attention to Lana, their heated arguments gradually subsiding as they looked at her expectantly.
“We're here to get you all out of here safely,” Lana continued, her eyes scanning the room. “But we need to work together and stay calm.”
Ava stepped forward, her voice soothing yet firm. “The helicopter will come, and we'll figure out how to get as many of us out as possible. But right now, we need to cooperate and stay quiet. There's a horde outside, and any noise will draw them in.”
The tension in the room began to ease slightly as Lana's group took charge of the situation. The civilians and officers exchanged uncertain glances but nodded, realizing that cooperation was their best chance at survival.
“Okay, let's gather supplies and get ready to move quietly,” Lana instructed, her voice a steady reassurance in the midst of chaos.
As the group started to organize and prepare for their escape, the sounds of the approaching horde outside served as a constant reminder of the imminent danger they all faced.
Lana strode purposefully towards the officers, flanked by only five policemen and seven SWAT members. The stark contrast between our small, heavily armed group and the larger group of twenty civilians underscored the daunting challenge ahead.
“Lieutenant... that kid is wearing...” A SWAT member's voice trailed off as he noticed my body armor, unmistakably belonging to a SWAT personnel.
“He informed me about everything. Team Tiger didn't make it,” Lana stated solemnly, her words hanging heavy in the air.
The officers' expressions shifted from disbelief to regret and frustration as they absorbed the harsh reality of their fallen comrades.
"Did that kid also kill...?" Sanchez's voice trailed off, filled with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"He had no other option, Sanchez. Survival is paramount," Lana responded, her tone carrying a weight of understanding.
Sanchez nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of the situation.
Meanwhile, Aiko calmly placed the bags filled with guns we took from the gun shop onto the table where they were discussing.
"Make good use of these," she advised before leaving and joining me, hiding slightly behind me as she did so.
