The cafeteria grew quieter as some people left, probably headed off to work, considering most were uniformed soldiers. Sabrina and Cyrilia's lively chatter filled the air, showcasing their close friendship.
Yet, a faint sense of unease lingered within me, as if something wasn't quite right. Perhaps this feeling was connected to why I found myself here or related to the aura network situation.
"Since I've finished my tray, we should head to the training grounds," Sabrina suggested, placing her utensils on her tray.
We hadn't visited the training grounds earlier due to Shakur's advice to take things slowly, although there wasn't much I could do with my paralyzed body.
"Agreed, let's get going," Cyrilia chimed in, collecting our trays and stacking them with a clank. "You two head there, I'll take care of these."
"Thanks a bunch, Cy. Make it snappy," Sabrina grinned, following behind me.
"No problemo," Cyrilia replied as she walked away with the trays.
The wheelchair jolted a bit as it backed away from the table, and then it turned to the left. Sabrina let out an "oops" before propelling the wheelchair forward.
As we moved out of the cafeteria, we entered another corridor, likely on our way to an elevator. The quiet halls of the hospital gave off a slightly eerie vibe, enhanced by the tall windows that revealed the expected scenery.
The city lay in ruins, its once-tall buildings now either charred remnants or reduced to rubble. Occasional cryptids fluttered around in the distance, keeping their distance from the hospital. Some dared to approach, only to be met with gunfire that cut them down.
I averted my gaze from the heartbreaking sight of the devastated city. Normally, I felt numb to it, but this time, something stirred within me. I shifted my focus ahead, taking in the sterile white walls, the bright ceiling lights, and the heavily armored figures moving about.
The military had clearly fortified the area, ensuring that no threats could breach their defenses. The absence of AI's blessings—information that Gustav had eventually revealed—was a detail I still couldn't place within my memory.
Conventional CCTV cameras were rendered useless by the Rapture, which fried most low-end devices, according to Gustav's explanations. Sabrina guided my wheelchair to the left corridor, where an elevator awaited at the far end.
The corridor looked familiar, yet this time, two armed guards emerged from a nearby room. They took positions beside the elevator, their helmets and goggles obscuring their faces. As we approached, they spotted us and turned to face the corridor.
"Hello, we're headed to the ground floor, per the orders of Sir Shakur Abdulrahman," Sabrina informed the guards, pushing my wheelchair closer.
Though their faces remained hidden, the guards gave us a nod. The one on the left gestured toward the elevator, while the one on the right pressed the button to summon it.
The digital display on the elevator illuminated, indicating that the elevator car was on its way up to our floor, though it still seemed to be stationed on the ground floor.
"So, he's awake," remarked the guard on the right, his gaze fixed on me. "When we brought you in, this girl was crying like you were dead." He snickered, sharing a humorous observation.
I glanced at Sabrina, who was now blushing. "H-hey, don't spill the confidential stuff," she protested with a pout.
A small smile escaped me, acknowledging her open concern for my well-being.
The guard on the left chuckled, "Judging by this young man's smile, it's not exactly confidential."
"Hey, don't bail me out," Sabrina admonished me with a mock frown, as the guards shared a hearty laugh.
The elevator's chime sounded, and the doors slid open to reveal a four-person squad. Their badges identified them as part of the Marine Special Operations Group, or MSOG, also known as MARSOG. With Sabrina quickly wheeling me to the side, the guards snapped to attention and delivered a salute.
These men were armed to the teeth, sporting battle suits similar to mine but less advanced, lacking the AI enhancements my suits provided. Despite that, they commanded respect. I knew that they were second only to the US Navy SEALs in terms of skill and lethality.
The quartet stepped out of the elevator, each giving us an acknowledging glance before continuing on their way. "Looks like the tall one made it," one of them remarked in a deep voice as they strode past us.
One of them glanced back at me, his gaze lingering. "Tough patootie, I guess," he quipped, his companions joining in a hearty laugh. "Though you're one strong kid," he added, his tone admiring.
We remained silent as they turned a corner towards the cafeteria. The guard on the right let out a sigh, "Damn, just being around them makes you feel safe."
The guard on the left nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I wouldn't want to be on their bad side."
"We should head out now," Sabrina declared, steering my wheelchair towards the elevator. The wheels clanked slightly as they skidded against the floor.
"Take care and stay safe, you two," the guard on the right bid us farewell. As Sabrina pressed the button for the ground floor, she replied, "Thank you, we will."
The elevator doors closed, and the car began its descent. "You know," Sabrina began, her voice tinged with unease, "those people were the ones who held off the mansion until the medical team arrived."
"They were just twelve soldiers. Two of them were Totoy and Victor, the guards we saw earlier. They didn't do much aside from checking on us and you," Sabrina continued, pausing momentarily.
"Those other ten MARSOG soldiers held their ground until 7 PM. We had arrived there at around 8 AM for our vacation, right? With some assistance from planes and helicopters, they fought tooth and nail, never losing any civilians or their fellow soldiers," she added, her voice filled with a mix of respect and awe.
It's not surprising, considering they're among the most feared soldiers in Asia. While special forces like the Scout Rangers and Light Reaction Regiment might excel in land assaults, MARSOG shines in versatility.
"They battled thousands of those monsters relentlessly. I assume all of them had that aura network activated," Sabrina's voice trailed off slightly, "But honestly, I wasn't paying much attention to that. My mind was preoccupied with worrying about you the whole time," she admitted, her tone a mix of flustered and concerned.