Walking Dead: Unlock the Umbrella Corporation Hive Begins with Hunting Chapter 106 106: 106 Bunos Chapter

The hallway of the prison was dimly lit.

Half the fluorescent tubes overhead were broken, and the few that still worked flickered intermittently, as though struggling to breathe.

Lori leaned against the wall and slowly made her way back to her room.

Her stomach was so large now that she couldn't even see her feet when she looked down.

Every step required effort.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

She counted silently in her head to distract herself.

When she reached twenty, she stopped.

Not because she was tired.

But because Rick had appeared at the other end of the corridor.

He saw her.

Nodded politely.

Then walked past without stopping.

He didn't offer to help.

Didn't ask if she needed anything.

Didn't even spare her a second glance.

Lori stood frozen, watching his figure disappear around the corner.

Her fingers tightened around the handrail.

She had long since lost track of how many days it had been.

Ever since arriving at the prison, Rick had beco a different person.

Gone was the man who had searched desperately for her after waking from his coma.

Gone was the husband who had once worried constantly about her safety.

Now, he never raised his voice.

Never argued.

Never blad her.

Instead, he treated her with cold, distant politeness.

Like a stranger.

Sotis Lori thought she would rather hear him call her a bitch than endure this unbearable indifference.

Slowly, she continued down the hallway.

Back in her room, she shut the door and sat heavily on the edge of the bed.

The mattress was soft enough to sink into, which only made her aching back hurt more.

She lay down and stared at the ceiling.

One hand rested on her swollen belly.

The baby kicked gently against her palm.

A mory surfaced.

Rick's expression months ago when he had first felt the baby move.

The surprise.

The joy.

The excitent.

Now, he wouldn't even touch her.

Not because he was avoiding her deliberately.

He simply no longer sought her out.

Turning onto her side, Lori faced the wall.

A crack stretched from the corner of the room all the way to the ceiling, branching like dried lightning.

As she stared at it, her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

To Sean.

Not necessarily to him as a person.

But to that period in the mines, when she believed Rick was dead.

There, she had been respected.

Protected.

The leader's woman.

And during those lonely nights, his embrace had allowed her to forget her fear, if only for a little while.

Lori closed her eyes.

She didn't want to think about it anymore.

Then suddenly—

A warm rush flowed beneath her.

Her eyes flew open.

She sat upright imdiately.

The bedsheets beneath her were soaked.

More fluid continued to trickle down her legs.

For a mont, her heart stopped.

Then it began pounding wildly.

"Soone! Help!"

Her voice echoed through the corridor.

"I'm going into labor!"

Footsteps imdiately thundered outside.

The door burst open.

Donna, one of the camp's logistics workers, froze when she saw the soaked sheets.

A second later, she spun around and sprinted away.

"Rick!"

Her voice echoed through the prison.

"Rick! Lori's in labor!"

Rick exploded out of his office.

A pen was still clutched in his hand.

By the ti he reached Lori's room, two won were already helping her into the hallway.

Her face was pale.

Her lips trembled from the pain.

Without hesitation, Rick tossed the pen aside and scooped her into his arms.

"Don't be afraid."

His voice shook slightly.

"I'm here."

Lori wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder.

She said nothing.

Rick carried her toward the infirmary.

His stride was long but steady.

Behind him, Carl ran as fast as he could.

His shoelaces had co undone, but he didn't even notice.

Dr. Stevens was already waiting.

The infirmary bed had been prepared.

dical instrunts sat sterilized on a nearby tray.

Scalpels glead beneath the bright surgical lights.

As Rick entered carrying Lori, Stevens pointed toward the bed.

"Lay her down here."

Rick gently lowered her onto the mattress.

Her hands were ice-cold.

They trembled in his grasp.

"Everything's going to be okay."

His voice sounded hoarse.

"Just hold on."

Carl stood beside the bed, gripping Lori's other hand.

Tears filled his eyes.

"You can do it, Mom."

Lori wanted to smile.

But another contraction hit.

A wave of agony ripped through her body.

It felt as though sothing inside her was being twisted apart.

She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

Stevens finished his examination.

His expression darkened imdiately.

He walked over to Rick.

"I need a word with you."

Rick looked at him, then bent down and kissed Lori gently on the forehead.

"I'm right outside."

She nodded.

Rick took Carl's shoulder and led him into the hallway.

The door closed behind them.

The corridor fell silent.

Rick sat on a bench.

His elbows rested on his knees.

His head hung low.

Carl sat beside him, clutching the hem of his shirt.

Then Lori scread.

The sound pierced through the door.

Rick flinched.

Every cry felt like a knife twisting inside his chest.

His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

Inside the infirmary, Lori grabbed Stevens' wrist with surprising strength.

"I have a scarred uterus."

Her voice trembled.

"I can't deliver naturally."

Stevens froze.

Lori continued.

"I need a C-section."

His face imdiately changed.

"A cesarean section?"

He looked around the infirmary.

"We don't have the facilities."

"No blood bank."

"No anesthesiologist."

"No surgical support."

"We barely have anything."

"Then save my child."

Lori interrupted him.

Her voice suddenly beca calm.

Almost peaceful.

"If I don't make it..."

Her eyes lowered.

"Tell Rick I'm sorry."

Stevens stared at her.

For several long seconds, he remained silent.

Then he nodded.

Turning around, he walked out of the room.

Rick stood imdiately when the door opened.

"How is she?"

Stevens removed his mask.

His voice was low.

"Lori has a scarred uterus. Natural delivery isn't possible."

Rick's face paled.

"She needs an ergency cesarean section."

Stevens hesitated.

"But we don't have the resources."

"No blood bank."

"Limited anesthesia."

"No obstetric surgeon."

"If we perform the surgery, she could bleed to death."

He paused.

"If we don't..."

His eyes lowered.

"Both mother and child will die."

Rick stood frozen.

His hands trembled uncontrollably.

He turned toward the nearby window.

For several seconds, he couldn't speak.

Finally, he asked,

"If we do nothing... how much ti does she have?"

"One or two hours."

Stevens shook his head.

"We can't wait any longer."

Rick slowly turned around.

His eyes were bloodshot.

Without another word, he strode back toward his office.

Grabbing the radio, he switched to the ergency frequency.

"CDC, this is Rick."

His voice shook.

"I need to speak to the Boss."

He took a deep breath.

Then spoke again.

"Boss, Lori is about to give birth."

"The prison doesn't have the dical facilities to save her."

"We need help from the CDC."

CDC – Third Floor

Wu Fan sat at his desk reviewing reports.

The ergency channel indicator suddenly lit up.

Frowning, he set down his pen and answered.

Rick's anxious voice filled the room.

After listening to the entire report, Wu Fan fell silent.

Lori was about to give birth.

The sa Lori who had died during childbirth in the original tiline.

The mother who had sacrificed her own life so Judith could live.

If he chose not to send help...

If dical resources were delayed...

If there wasn't enough ti...

Then Lori would die.

And the thorn that had long stood between Sean and Rick would disappear forever.

Wu Fan stared silently at the radio in his hand.

The room remained completely still.