Sailine City
8:30 am
They packed up their camp and set off once more, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. As they reached the 3rd mile, they saw a group of armed soldiers on the side of the bridge with 'Unit 8' on their vehicles and uniforms. Brian, who was driving, halted the bus, noticing the soldiers on the side of the bridge. The sight of them filled them with a mixture of relief and unease.
Ella looks at Brian, "Are those the soldiers Mom and Dad spoke about in their letter?"
"Yeah, I think those are them. Unit 8... That's the name they mentioned in the letter," he responded, scanning the soldiers.
Brian then parked the bus on the side of the bridge. Jason stepped out of the bus first, his voice steady as he called out to the soldiers.
"Hey! Over here."
The soldiers immediately turned their attention towards the group aiming guns at them. One of the soldiers, a tall man with a commanding presence, stepped forward and approached them, telling the others the cease their weapons.
"You kids from around here?"
Jason responds, "No, we are from Mariville. We've been on the road for 3 days now, ever since the outbreak."
Brian speaks up, "Do you know anyone by the name of Catherine and Mark Johnson?"
The soldier's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the names, and his expression guarded.
"Yeah, we do. They're part of our unit. Why do you ask?"
"They are our parents," Ella said quickly.
After asking more questions, the soldier spoke, "Ok, come with us," he instructed, leading them to a van.
One by one, the group of four climbed into the van, their hearts heavy with anticipation and a mix of emotions. They took their seats, not knowing what was to come next. The van doors closed behind them, locking them in a small, confined space with the soldiers. The mood in the van was tense and silent. The reality of the situation and the uncertainty of what lay ahead began to weigh heavily on everyone. The vehicle's movement reminded them that they were being taken to an unknown destination, and the soldiers escorting them remained silent, their expressions stoic.
Location 4: Unit 8
11:25 am
The van stopped, and the soldiers stepped out of the vehicle. The group's eyes widened as they exited the van and took in the sight before them. The facility was a large, metallic building surrounded by high fences around 30 feet tall. They were in the middle in no where. Just deserted land in the distance, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. The sight was in contrast to the small town they had left behind, and the teenagers exchanged uneasy glances, feeling a mix of nervousness and curiosity. They entered through the gates and security.
Ella whispered as she looked around, "This place looks high tech... I thought we were going to a shelter".
Jason responded, "Yeah, this isn't what I was expecting. Looks more like some kind of research facility than a shelter".
As they entered a large field, their eyes widened with surprise. In the field, they could see a group of around 400 people gathered there. They were all wearing similar uniforms, doing different things. Children were playing the the grass, some doing sports, adults playing board games, and more. As they continued to observe the scene, the group noticed three buildings: The Medical Sector, The Dormitory, and The Recreational Sector. It was a community of sorts, within the confines of the facility. They were currently in the Recreational Sector. The group couldn't help but wonder why all the people were confined like this. The sight was both impressive and slightly unnerving. As they walked across the field they felt many eyes on them.
Brian spoke to the soldier, "Where are our parents?".
The soldier glanced at Brian, his expression neutral as if he had expected the question. He spoke firmly, "They're in the medical sector. You'll see them soon enough."
Ella, Jason, Brian, and Claire were escorted to their dorm. The interior was bland; everything was gray and white. For the rest of the day, they were allowed to explore the facility under supervision, and they communicated with the citizens.
7:30 pm
That night, a soldier escorted Ella and Brian to see their parents in the Medical Sector. They walk down the brightly lit hallway, surveillance everywhere. Jason and Claire were playing with the children in the Recreational Sector. They nervously walked behind the guards to an area that seemed like a lab.
"Ella!, Brian!"
The twins suddenly turned to see their parents running down the hall towards them, dressed him lab coats. They ran into each other's arms and cried.
Ella spoke tearfully, "Mom...Dad, I'm so happy you guys are ok."
"I'm so happy you two are safe," her mom replied warmly.
They went to the lounge to eat, but upon reaching, Ella took a glance at the room her father just entered for a split second before the door closed. Her skin ran cold.
"Ella, you ok?" Brian asked, his hand on her shoulder.
As he touched her, she snapped out of it, "y-yea, I'm just...hungry."
Their mom took them to a lounge to eat and introduced them to the other workers. Brian looked towards a room the their dad was working, then looked back at Ella, who was sitting quietly, her eyes staring at the floor. The sign above it says "testing room". The windows of the room were very tinted, so he couldn't see what was inside. He could sense something was off.
"Mom, what are you and Dad working on in that room?" He asked curiously.
Catherine replies calmly, "We are working on a vaccine for the virus."
Ella suddenly felt uncomfortable, "May I use the restroom?"
"Yes, sweetie, it's down the hall to the left."
Ella goes to the bathroom while Brian sits there talking with his mom. In the bathroom, Ella panted heavily. She felt nauseous, and her hands were trembling as she held onto the sink for stability. She vomited in the toilet as cold sweat dripped from her face. At first, she thought it was a side effect of her pregnancy, but no. She witnessed something in that room that she could never unsee.
Ten minutes later, Brian knocks on the door, "Ella? You ok in there?"
Ella opens the door and nods. She looked like she had seen a ghost.
"More symptoms?" He asked, concerned.
She doesn't responded and walks passed him back to the lounge. "What is up with her?" He asked himself and he followed behind her.
After an hour, the soldier escorted them back to their dorm room and leaves. Upon reaching the door, an elderly man, probably in his late 60s stops them, and looks at then sternly.
"Listen, you two. Don't go to the Medical Sector past 9 pm. Everyone knows this. It doesn't matter how important you are; once you get caught, you're dead. Can't say I never warned you."
The man walks away without saying anything else, leaving the twins uneasy and confused. Brian gets irritated, "What the hell is going on in this place?"
Ella and Brian sat on separate beds, unable to sleep. Brian was worried about his sister and why she was suddenly acting so strangely. Jason and Claire enter afterwards and feel the tension in the room.
Jason spoke first, "Why are you two so quiet? Did y'all fight?"
Brian spoke, "Ever since we got here, things seem... off."
"What do you mean? We've been having fun playing with the children all day, and aren't you two happy to see your parents again?" Claire asked.
Ella spoke, "It's nothing, maybe I'm just being paranoid."
"Paranoid about what, Ella?" Brian gets irritated, "What is going on with you?! Ever since we came here, you have been acting weird. Aren't you even happy to see Mom and Dad again?"
"I am... I'm just scared-"
He cuts her off, "Scared of what? Telling them you're pre-"
Jason suddenly punches Brian, "That's enough!"
Brian gets up and glares at Jason, but before he can land a punch, Ella stops him.
"Brian...stop. Please don't fight."
He sighs and sits back down, "I just don't like it when you hide things from me. Tell me...what did you see in that room?"