Chapter 1206: Story 1206: Ergency Lockdown
INT. SURFACE-LEVEL ERGENCY HUB — NIGHT
A rusted access hatch burst open as Jason hauled himself up into the ergency transit center, yanking Lena through behind him. Dr. Rho followed, straining to lift Patient Zero’s pod over the lip before sealing the hatch tight behind them.
DR. RHO (breathing hard):
“That was too close.”
JASON (checking surroundings):
“Let’s pray nothing else knows this station still exists.”
The ergency hub was a forgotten pre-quarantine checkpoint—steel doors, broken monitors, and faded signage reading “ZONE 9 ISOLATION UNIT.” Lights flickered. A long hallway led deeper into the facility.
LENA:
“This place looks intact… Why was it sealed?”
No one answered.
They wheeled the pod forward until they reached a biotric door labeled “CORE CONTROL – ERGENCY LOCKDOWN.”
DR. RHO (in disbelief):
“This is it. If we activate this room, we can isolate the southern quarter of the city. Nothing gets in. Nothing gets out.”
JASON (darkly):
“aning we trap everyone still alive in there… with them.”
Dr. Rho hesitated. The moral weight lingered.
DR. RHO:
“We either burn the vein or watch it infect the heart.”
They entered the control room. Screens lined the walls, many cracked. A massive red switch in the center console read:
ERGENCY LOCKDOWN – CITY QUADRANT 9
WARNING: NO REVERSE ACTION. ALL CIVILIAN EXITS WILL SEAL.
Jason stared at the switch. Lena stepped to a terminal.
LENA (reading logs):
“There were survivors here. Dozens. Evacuees from the east sector. Says they waited for rescue… it never ca.”
Suddenly, the lights flickered, and a voice crackled from the overhead intercom.
“Unauthorized presence detected. Quarantine still in effect. Lockdown protocol initiating in 60 seconds.”
JASON:
“Did we trigger that?”
DR. RHO (alard):
“No. Soone else is still controlling the system.”
The screen flashed. Surveillance feeds ca online—grimy black-and-white footage of corridors filled with unmoving infected. But then… movent.
LENA (pointing):
“That cara. Sublevel B. Soone’s walking.”
JASON:
“Alive?”
The figure moved fast, erratic. Their body convulsed—almost human, almost not. It approached a sealed chamber and began slamming into it with unnatural strength.
LOCKDOWN IN 30 SECONDS.
DR. RHO:
“We have to decide. Now.”
Jason’s fingers hovered over the switch.
JASON:
“There are people still out there. Trapped. We seal this, we beco no better than whoever started this.”
Suddenly, the room jolted. Sparks flew. The door behind them slamd shut.
LOCKDOWN OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS… LOCKING ALL ZONES.
LENA (frantic):
“Soone’s doing it remotely! It’s not us!”
Dr. Rho ran to the console, typing furiously.
DR. RHO:
“We’ve been baited! This wasn’t a lockdown—this was a trap! They lured us here to trigger it!”
PATIENT ZERO (whispers from the pod):
“Now the cage closes. Now she feeds.”
Jason slamd the switch out of instinct.
Everything went dark.
FADE TO BLACK.
A final screen blinked:
ZONE 9: LOCKED.
EVACUATION OVERRIDDEN.
ALL SUBJECTS SEALED.
User Comments
0 comments from readers