Salvage Station 23

Chapter 3, Part 6

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The group resumed their careful journey through the hospital's dimly lit corridors, their senses heightened after the encounter with the Jack. Every shadow seemed to hold potential danger, every sound a possible threat. They moved as one unit, their formation tight and alert.

After what felt like an eternity of tense silence, Aiden spotted a sign for the stairwell. He gestured silently, pointing towards a heavy metal door at the end of the hallway. Olivia nodded, and they began to make their way towards it.

As they approached, Max suddenly held up a hand, signaling everyone to stop. He tilted his head, listening intently. The others followed suit, straining their ears in the oppressive quiet.

Then they heard it – a faint scratching sound coming from behind the stairwell door.

Olivia locked eyes with David, a silent conversation passing between them. David nodded, understanding the unspoken plan. He moved forward, positioning himself next to the door, his LED device held high. Aiden mirrored his stance on the other side.

Olivia raised three fingers, then two, then one. On her signal, David yanked the door open while Aiden flooded the stairwell with light.

The beam illuminated a horrifying scene. Three Jacks were clustered on the landing below, their heads snapping up at the sudden intrusion of light. Their permanent grins seemed to widen as they caught sight of the group.

"Hold the line!" Olivia hissed, her voice taut with tension.

The group reacted instantly, forming a wall of light at the doorway. The Jacks recoiled, hissing and clawing at their burning skin, unable to advance through the searing brightness.

Rosie's voice cut through the chaos, steady and determined. "We can't let them block our path. We need to take them out."

Max nodded grimly. "I've got an idea. Zoe, on my signal, switch your light to strobe."

Zoe's hand tightened on her device, her finger hovering over the strobe function button. "Ready," she whispered.

"Now!" Max shouted.

Zoe activated the strobe, and the stairwell erupted in a disorienting flurry of flashing light. The Jacks screeched, momentarily stunned by the assault on their sensitive eyes.

In that moment of confusion, David and Aiden struck. They moved with practiced precision, their makeshift spears finding their marks. Two of the Jacks fell quickly, their bodies tumbling down the stairs.

The third Jack, however, managed to lunge forward despite the strobing light. Its claws raked the air inches from Rosie's face. But before it could strike, Max swung his weapon in a wide arc, catching the Jack in the side of its head. The creature stumbled, off-balance, and Olivia seized the opportunity. She drove her barbed-wire wrapped bat into its chest, finally bringing it down.

As the last Jack fell, an eerie silence descended upon the stairwell. The group stood frozen, chests heaving, adrenaline coursing through their veins.

After a long moment, Olivia spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is everyone okay? Any injuries?"

A series of shaky nods answered her. They were rattled, but unharmed.

"Good," Olivia continued. "Let's move these bodies out of the way and keep going. We're two floors away from the pharmacy. Stay alert – where there are three, there could be more."

As they dragged the Jack corpses to a corner, Zoe spoke up, her voice trembling slightly but determined. "The strobe function worked better than I expected. We should use it more often."

Max gave her a proud smile. "Quick thinking, Zoe. That might have saved our lives."

But they pressed on, driven by necessity and the knowledge that their very survival depended on the success of this mission. The supplies they sought weren't just for comfort - they were essential for their continued existence in this harsh, post-apocalyptic world.

Two floors down, they paused at the door leading to the pharmacy level. Olivia looked at each member of the group, seeing the mix of fear and determination in their eyes. "Remember," she said softly, "we're almost there. Stay focused, stay together. We can do this."

With a collective deep breath, they opened the door and stepped out into the unknown territory of the pharmacy floor, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them in their quest for life-saving supplies.

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