128 (Operation Armageddon: Book 1)

Chapter Fourteen: The Ward | Part 1

"Seven days? We won't even live beyond 24 hours if we're going to be confined within this hospital with those creatures in here!" Daniel wheezed, trying to catch his breath as he placed his right hand on his stiffened neck.

"Let's not panic. We obviously aren't going to sit here and wait the week out," Matthew said, already formulating a plan in his mind.

Megan tapped Daniel's shoulder lightly, attempting to calm him down as Matthew continued thinking through a solution to ensure their survival. Eventually, Daniel stopped hyperventilating and returned to his normal state, although he was nervous, just as everyone was.

Megan looked at Matthew, raising an eyebrow. "What do you suggest we do?" she questioned.

Matthew circled a small area of ground for a moment, thinking of how he should phrase it. However, before he could open his mouth to explain his plan, he realised that he shouldn't speak his thoughts so openly, considering the fact that they weren't alone. He moved closer to Megan and gathered the rest of the group together.

"I don't think I'll say it here, seeing how we're not the only ones here," he explained as he glanced around at the others around them, some aware of their conversation. As such, he gestured to the rest to follow him and begin moving briskly.

As the four walked through the corridors, away from the south exit and towards the east wing, Matthew began making his plans clear to his friends. However, he made sure that he himself was alert to his surroundings. Just because they had seen only three creatures so far didn't mean there wouldn't be more. There could be more anywhere.

"So, I thought that we—," Matthew said before cutting himself off and changing the subject for a moment. "Wait, where's Amelia?" he questioned Jean.

Jean sighed. "I couldn't bring here, could I? She wouldn't be happy to see her grandma so sick in the hospital. Plus, she's in surgery now, so there's no point in her being here," he said as he continued to sprint with the rest.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Megan stayed silent. They refrained from talking to conserve their energy as they ran, although the two brothers didn't seem to mind continuing the conversation.

"I sent her to a daycare centre," Jean elaborated more. "I'll pick her up once we get out of here... in seven days..."

The four neared the elevator lobby at the west wing. Hence, they slowed their pace. Matthew waited until they had stopped and caught a breather before responding to Jean's statement. "Jean, we're not going to complete the full quarantine. It's impossible to survive here for seven days. Yes, the hospital is huge, but so what? By dusk, at least a dozen people will be dead, and a few more will be infected. We can't afford to join the victims in this—"

"Matthew, I know, I know," Jean interrupted. "You're in the NYPD, so you're fearless and all that. But I'm not. I don't want to evade the quarantine and break the laws that the government has set for us. I would rather plan a way to make this place home rather than plan to escape. It's just too risky and reckless."

Matthew sighed. He couldn't believe what his brother was saying. After all, Jean was supposed to be the fearless one, not him. Had he forgotten about the camping incident regarding Jeffery already? Had he forgotten about how he bravely defended everyone else? It just seemed to Matthew that Jean had lost hope in himself.

"Jean, you're underestimating yourself. You can't possibly believe that you're not capable of fleeing from here. But you are," Matthew encouraged. "We can't stay here, Jean. We can't. If we don't leave, we'll all die. And Amelia... Amelia will have a broken family. Think about that. So please, let's all agree that we get out of here, alright?"