The atmosphere inside the base was thick with tension. Hruday, Hector, Troy, Roy, and Mark gathered around the common area, their faces set with determination. The plan they were about to execute was risky, but with Troy's sister still out there, they felt they had no choice. Hruday, although doing it for different reasons, was as determined as Troy.
Hruday: (spreading out a map) "Alright, listen up. We're taking the left at the junction near the bus stand and avoiding the hospital. It's a zombie hotspot. From there, we'll take the side route parallel to the highway until we reach the apartment."
Hector: "We pass the abandoned college and the church. Once we get near the apartment, we park a block away and go in quietly. No heroics."
Roy: "We can't take the highway. It's jammed with cars and too dangerous. Stick to the side roads."
Troy: (nervously) "And what about the zombies near the mart? Isn't that a problem?"
Hruday: "We'll deal with it when we get there. Our priority is getting your sister out."
Before they could leave, the scout leader and two criminals approached them in the parking lot, stopping their preparations. Their expressions were a mix of frustration and cunningness.
Scout Leader: (crossing his arms) "This is ridiculous. You're risking all our lives and our supplies for a personal mission. We can't afford to lose people or resources."
Criminal 1: (nodding) "Yeah, and what if you don't come back? We're left here to fend for ourselves while you're out playing hero," he said, giving a cunning smile and subtly threatening Hruday.
Hruday: (calmly) "We're going on our own, using our own supplies. This is a personal mission, and we wouldn't hesitate to save anyone in our base if they were in trouble. We're not asking for your approval."
Roy: (backing Hruday up) "We've made our decision. We're bringing her back. If you have a problem with that, you know where to find us."
The scout leader frowned but didn't press further. He knew better than to argue when Hruday and the others were so determined. Michael, who was usually eager to join, was reluctantly left behind.
Hruday: "Michael, you need to stay back with Mark and Tyler and manage the people here. We can't risk leaving the base unguarded."
Hector: "Yeah, someone has to keep an eye on things. You're the best person for that."
Roy: (grinning) "Besides, there's no room for you in the car. We need every inch of space, and let's face it, you're taking up too much."
Michael scowled, but he knew they were right. With a reluctant nod, he agreed to stay behind, watching as the group geared up and headed out.
The group set out, navigating the city's treacherous roads with care. They chose a route that avoided major roads and stuck to back streets, minimizing their exposure to potential dangers. Their base was located in the west, and its entrance faced east. Across the road was a chain of stores, and a little further back, a church. They took a left onto the road, passing the stores and heading toward a junction where four roads met. Here, they had to turn left, but near the junction was a bus stand, and opposite that, the familiar huge 200-bed hospital—a zombie hotspot.
Roy: (pointing to the junction) "We need to be careful here. The hospital and bus stand are crawling with zombies. If we lure them out, we'll be in trouble."
Hector: "We should stick to the plan. Turn left at the junction, pass the abandoned college road, and head toward the church. We avoid the school and police station that way."
Troy: (nervously) "But what about the highway? Can't we take that route?"
Hruday: (shaking his head) "The highway's blocked and jammed with cars. It's too dangerous. We stick to the side route that connects to the highway near your sister's apartment. It's the safest option."
As they continued, the group stayed alert, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. They passed the abandoned college, its gates rusting and overgrown with weeds, and the church, a silent sentinel overlooking the desolate streets. The tension in the car was palpable as they approached the junction.
They parked a block away from the apartment complex, the roads becoming narrower and more cluttered with abandoned cars and debris. The building loomed ahead, its windows dark and lifeless, a stark reminder of the world that once was.
Troy: (his voice trembling) "We're almost there... Sis, please be okay."
Hruday: "We will, but we have to be smart about this. No mistakes."
They moved cautiously toward the complex, entering through a side door to avoid the main entrance, where zombies could be lurking. The hallways were dimly lit, the air thick with dust and the stench of decay. They moved quickly and quietly, with Hruday leading the way with his weapon drawn.
As they ascended the stairs, the tension in the group grew. The building's interior was a maze of narrow corridors and locked doors, each one potentially hiding danger. Hruday's mind raced, calculating every step as they made their way up to Troy's sister's apartment.
When they reached the floor, Hruday noticed two things immediately: a PS4 and a PS5 lying abandoned near one of the doors. He quickly grabbed them, tucking them under his arm as they continued down the hall. It was a strange find, but in a world like this, every bit of technology could be valuable.
They reached Troy's sister's apartment and found her hiding inside, scared but unharmed. The group quickly gathered her things, with Hruday slipping the gaming consoles into a bag while Troy handed his sister a pair of sneakers and some candy. The brief moment of relief was heartwarming, with Troy hugging his sister tightly and tears streaming down both of their faces.
Troy's Sister: (sniffling) "I thought you forgot about me..."
Troy: (voice choked) "Never, sis. I promised I'd come back for you."
The brief moment of relief was interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing down the hall. Hruday motioned for the group to be quiet, his heart pounding as he listened. The sound grew louder, and soon, two men with shotguns appeared, cornering them.
Criminal 1: (sneering) "Well, look what we have here. You boys lost?"
Troy: (panicking) "Please, we don't want any trouble. We're just here to get my sister."
Criminal 2: (grinning wickedly) "You think we care? You're going to guide us to your hideout, hand over everything, and maybe—just maybe—we'll let you walk away."
Troy: (desperate) "We have supplies; we'll give them to you. Just let us go."
Roy: (thinking) "Idiot. You just made us a bigger target."
The criminals' eyes gleamed with greed, and it was clear they had no intention of letting them go. Hruday exchanged a look with Hector, both understanding the unspoken plan. Hector made a subtle hand gesture, signaling that they had to act fast.
In a sudden, swift motion, Hector pushed one of the criminals down the stairs, sending him crashing to the ground. At the same time, Hruday and Roy tackled the other two, shoving them aside and making a break for it.
Hruday: (thinking) "Time seemed to slow down, the world narrowing to a tunnel as they raced for their lives."
As they reached the stairs, a shot rang out. Hruday felt nothing at first, only a violent push. After jumping a whole ten steps, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. He fell to his knees but kept running. The adrenaline coursing through him dulled the pain, and he grabbed a PS4 controller lying nearby, hurling it at the shooter as a desperate distraction.
Roy: (shouting) "Keep moving! Don't stop!"
Hruday's body screamed in pain as he jumped the last few steps, but he pushed through, his vision blurring slightly. Hector grabbed him by the arm, helping him up as they continued down the stairs.
They burst out of the building stumbling on the underground parking lot, with Hruday staggering slightly from the pain.
hecter said Roy had already left taking Troy and his sister hruday frounded and looked around said gasping he trusts us to look there must be another car They found another car nearby that seemed to be marked by a piece of cloth on purpose, and without hesitation, Hector saw a car with the keys still in the ignition and used it.
Hector: (confused) "What are you doing? We need to head back!"
Hruday: (grimacing) "No, we lure them into the Costco. It's crawling with zombies. They'll slow down the bastards chasing us."
Hector nodded, gripping the dashboard as Hruday honked the horn repeatedly, drawing the zombies' attention. The car swerved as they plowed through the parking lot, narrowly avoiding the undead as they crashed through the gate.
With the criminals hot on their tails, Hruday drove recklessly, crashing through barricades and dodging zombies. The car skidded, crashing into the back wall of the police station. The impact jarred them, but Hruday pushed through the pain, urging Hector to help him inside.
Hruday: "Into the building, now!"
They stumbled out of the car, Hruday nearly collapsing from the pain. They ran through the police station's back entrance, the zombies and criminals hot on their heels.
They darted into an abandoned bungalow that was used by the traffic police to store wrecked cars, climbing the stairs two at a time. The bungalow was a labyrinth of dark corridors and decaying walls, but Hruday led the way, his mind racing despite the pain.
Hector: (panting) "We can't stay here. It's too open for zombies to arrive We need to find a safe spot." then they saw Roy in the distance running inside the police station by jumping inside from the roof
Hruday: (nodding) " the toilets."
They climbed up to the second floor, where a narrow passageway connected the bungalow to the police station. Hruday and Hector squeezed through, finding themselves in a dimly lit hallway. They quickly made their way to the toilets, barricading the door behind them.
Suddenly, Hruday heard a faint voice coming from one of the stalls.
Voice: (whispering) "Don't shoot... I'm not one of them."
Hruday cautiously approached, finding a man huddled with a revolver in his hand.
Man: (scared) "The police are criminals ... There's no escape."
As Hruday processed this, he heard shouting from outside.
Roy: (yelling) "You're not real cops, are you? You're criminals!" "shit let me goo you tricksters "
Troy please you guys need food right?
Hruday's mind raced, piecing together the truth. They had walked into a trap. He motioned for Hector to be ready, knowing they had to find a way out of this mess.
Hruday: (thinking) "We're in deep, but we've come this far. We'll find a way out."