The Great Invasion | 2023

Do or Die

**August 21, 2021 - 8:54 PM**

At the Zuckerberg San Francisco Hospital, Rick and Ross are in a desperate "life-or-death" situation. He had 2 choices. He could either give his USB, which contains crucial video footage of the Pier 26 explosion, to Tokisaki Kurumi, a sadistic person who tried to kill him or... Die along with everyone in the hospital, along with Dr. Khalil Cheung, Natalie, and Ross A. Gardner, if he refuses to give in her demands and try to flee.

He knew what is going to happen in several hostage situation training exercises, but he never anticipated that this would happen on such a large scale. Hundreds of lives are at his hands and just one wrong decision would spell the end of his, Ross, and his colleagues, along with hundreds of patients and hospital workers. He kept thinking to himself that he hadn't got to 2023 yet, the year the "invasion" will take place, but if he were to die now, he might never save everyone, as he, other than Ross and Natalie, is the only person who knows the whole situation. As they sat inside the closet for several tense minutes, he turned to Carlos on the phone, who was still waiting for Rick's response. He first looked at his watch, and the time is currently 8:58 PM. Then he said:

"Time is 8:58 tonight. If I do not make it back or If I don't call you back by 9:30, I need you to please send your men at the Zuckerberg Hospital."

...before he hung up on him. Ross was shocked.

"Wait, Lieutenant Hamilton!? Please... don't tell me what you're going to do?" he slightly stuttered.

"We're going to give the USB to this woman," he said grimly. 

"Why?" cried Ross.

"I wish I could. I... I know what you think, that we need to copy our USB files to the other one, but, without our computers and given the nature of this situation we are facing right now, it's not possible," he said. "We have no other options, and in this case, we have to face them head-on" he added.

"But if you were going to give them your USB or face them head-on, do you have a plan?" Ross asked worriedly.

Rick thought and thought for what seems like an eternity for Ross...

"There is... But you have to trust me. I need you to listen carefully. We're going to outsmart that woman. It's an extreme longshot, she must have several men waiting at the roof, and that's where we supposed to head there." he said.

(Ross): "So what's the plan?"

But before Rick begins to discuss his plans, the sadistic woman returned at the intercom.

"Rick, where are you!? I didn't see you! Hurry the hell up and give me your USB!" she fumed, and appears to be losing patience.

"I'm afraid we have to do this. It's now or never... Just trust me okay?" said Rick.

"Okay... I trust you," said Ross quite nervously.

"For Natalie, for Dr. Cheung! For the people of San Francisco... let's go!" he said before the two exited the closet, and began to walk briskly and as fast as possible towards the stairway leading to the roof. The duo walked briskly through every security camera they see along several hallways, feeling convinced that she's watching them in every move until it wasn't long until they reached the staircase leading up to the roof. He looked down at the stairs as he was on the 2nd floor after they entered the emergency exit, and moments later, they started to climb up. Rick was feeling fearless, but at the same time, he felt extremely anxious on the inside, but he knows he has to be ready for the inevitable. He was ready to give up his important piece of evidence, in order to spare his life, and others at the Zuckerberg Hospital.