Fandom The Day The World Changed { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Daisy. She was such a good girl, and Hayden’s dad loved her so much. Sometimes they used to joke that Michael would go to the Smith house not to hang out with Lucas like he said but to be with Daisy. When she died, Michael was heartbroken. Went to see Daisy. If he was going to go anywhere, that would be the place. She died. He died. Everyone died. Were they dead? His fingers gripped the shirt on Josh’s chest as he fell onto him in something like a hug but more like a plea for support he didn’t know how to ask for since he didn’t even know what he needed. “Why?” How? Why was the world so broken?
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh felt Hayden’s fingers grip his shirt and he wrapped his arms around his partner. The moment he felt Hayden fall onto him, he held him tight. He finally was able to stop and think. They were safe for now, but he didn’t know where his brothers or mother were. If they were dead or alive. All he knew was his dad was still there, and Hayden. Oh. His heart ached for his fiancé. “I don’t know why. But I’m going to find out. I’m here for you baby. I’ll protect you and our families.” Josh told him, making that promise. He wanted to do whatever he could but the world was broken and reeling. He didn’t know what he could do, so he did what he could. He held onto his partner and tried to shield him from the terrible world outside these walls.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

They stayed like that, together, for minutes or hours. Hayden didn’t know. He couldn’t tell time anymore. He couldn’t tell anything anymore. He kept replaying the visions of people on the ground covered in their own blood and gore. Hey saw people running from other people that they should know or maybe they didn’t. People like Ken and Chase who were friendly neighbors. People like that little girl. Did they know her? Probably. They knew a lot of people. How many of those people were left? Soren popped his head in after loudly bounding up the stairs. It wasn’t his fault necessarily. Those boots were heavy clunkers. “I’m heading to base now. I appreciate what you did to get us here. That was good work. You still wanna help? ‘Cause from the phone call I just had with the Captain, I think we’re gonna need as much help as we can get. They’re setting up little camps and medical tents outside the hospitals. There’s a whole lot of problems going down there.” He pointed towards Hayden who mostly looked like a crumbling mess. “Mm, why don’t you figure out what’s going on here first. I’ll give you a call when I know more information. I don’t know if you’d want to walk away from him right now. And if you don’t hear from me, you call me, okay? Because either I’m dead or I’m gonna need help not being.” He laughed humorlessly. This was a stressful situation.
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh didn’t know how long he held onto Hayden, he wasn’t paying attention to the concept of time. The next thing he knew, was hearing those loud boots. Josh pulled his head away from where it had rested on top of Hayden’s. He looked at Soren with a heavy sigh. “Of course. And I do still want to help, but yeah, I’m not going anywhere soon. Hey! If you see Jacob, Logan or Claire Smith at the hospitals please have them call me. I know they worked at the big one, downtown. Um Lakehill Seattle is the name.” Josh said, before he nodded. “I’ll call you if I don’t hear from you. Be safe and thank you so much.” Josh told him before he went back to holding Hayden.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

“Jacob, Logan, or Claire Smith. Got it. I’ll tell my people to take a look around for me if I can’t make it there.” It was a small price to pay for getting someone capable on his side if they needed it, and he was absolutely certain that they were about to need it. “Stay safe, you hear?” Then he turned around and headed down the stairs, taking a detour to talk to Lucas first before revving up the engine of the truck and speeding off.

Jacob, Logan, Claire. Kyra, Emily. Lucas was here. But not Michael. He could see them all in a body pile in front of a broken door with sirens wailing around them like the soundtrack of their death by bat swung by Josh. His Josh. Hey batter batter. Crack! Everyone drops like Andy’s coming and we are all meant to be toys who only exist in his imagination. “Are you going to go?” he asked after another unknown amount of time that they stayed there. He felt like it had been days and weeks instead of hours? Was it even that long? How long did it take for the world to die?
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh nodded his thanks and agreed. “You stay safe too.” He told him as he watched the man leave. A few moments later, he heard the rev of the truck engine and Soren was gone. Josh returned to holding onto Hayden. He didn’t know how long it was but he eventually heard Hayden’s question. “I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re okay. And then, I need to help. I can’t just sit and watch the world fall apart. I want to protect our city. I-“ don’t want to kill them. I want to help. Josh sighed, rubbing Hayden’s back. ​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

You’re okay. Who’s okay? He bled and ached from his own fumbles, but he lived. Josh was quiet and calm and collected, and he lived. Soren seemed just about as usual as Soren was the few times Hayden saw him, and that probably meant that he lived too. Lucas lived. Being alive was one of those things that was supposed to be normal. Being alive was okay. Okay. You’re okay. Not his dad, though. He wasn’t okay. He was never going to be okay. Or maybe he was the most okay of all of them, somewhere else running around with Daisy and making jokes that shouldn’t even be that funny but are anyway. What about his mom? His sister? Were they okay? “Okay.” Okay. “Okay.” Okay. “Help. How are you going to help?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh heard Hayden, heard him repeat the word. Then the question he asked Josh made him think. “Soren’s people need help. I am going to join them. Create a safe place here in the city. Protect you, our families. Save us.” Josh told him. He had made up his mind, and he was going to follow through with it. His drive and desire to help and protect was surfacing. Keeping calm in such a disastrous time. “And then we’ll be safe again. Nothing will hurt us.” Josh told him. And he was going to do everything in his power to make that the truth.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren’s people. So Josh was going to do what he thought about before and ultimately decided against. He was going to join the military. Was there even going to be a military after this? Who was to say that Soren’s people weren’t unraveling at the seams like everyone else? Who was to say that they weren’t while sitting here? How did they know that they weren’t going to start wanting to chase after and eat people? How did they know that they were themselves still? “Okay.” He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it before either, and Hayden always wondered if that was one of the reasons Josh didn’t join originally. It wasn’t that he was against it. Hayden had nothing against people who wanted to protect their own. He had nothing against any of the militaries in theory. He just didn’t like the organizations. There were too many power hungry, violent people who gravitated towards that. He didn’t want Josh to get eaten by one of them. He slowly pulled his arms from where he crushed them against Josh’s chest and wrapped them around him. “But I hate it.” There was no use lying. “I get it, and I know I can’t stop you, but I hate it.”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh had originally decided not to join the military when they asked partly because of Hayden and partly because there was no threat to his people, his family. Now the threat was very real, very much there. He had to now, to protect his people. He heard the okay, and felt Hayden shift to wrap his arms around Josh instead of them crushed against his chest. “I know. I know you do. But I’m doing this for us, our future, our families. And don’t worry, I won’t leave you. I’ll be by your side as often as I can.” Josh told him. Kissing the top of his head, he pulled away. “Now, are you really okay? Because I’m not leaving this room until you are. I know today has been rough.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

No. I am not okay. We are not okay. No one is okay. Outside the world is literally burning. He could smell the fire from somewhere near. People were dying and killing, cars were crashing into one another, planes were tearing down buildings. It was more than a nightmare. Nightmares allowed people to wake up. There was no waking up from this. They were all already awake. “Yeah.” Because there was no reason not to lie. What was Josh going to do? Hide in this room with him forever? If he waited long enough, Soren would call Josh, and then he would be gone. Gone. Gone like dead. Maybe. It was better for him to just go. “I’m okay.” Okay. He sucked in a breath so that he didn’t sound as hurt as he was when he slid his arms from around him.
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Joshua knew that the world had changed, that it would never be the same again. He heard Hayden say he was okay, felt him slide his arms away from around him. Josh wasn’t going to leave until he was satisfied but he knew that they’d never be okay. He put both hands on Hayden’s cheeks and kissed him, deeply. He poured his love and affection into the kiss and then he pulled away. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Dad will protect you.” Josh told him. He reluctantly left the bed and made his way out of the room. He went downstairs, looked at his father and sighed. “Watch and protect him. Please?” Josh asked while Lucas nodded. “Here.” He handed a piece of paper over with Soren’s number and the keys to his truck. “I’ll keep him safe. You stay safe too.” Lucas told him. Josh nodded, hugged his father and then turned and walked out the door. He got in the truck, grabbed his phone and dialed Soren’s number as he pulled out. “Where do I go to help?” He’d ask if Soren answered. If not, he’d drive to the hospital.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines
Citizen of Seattle, WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Hayden gasped as he tried to breathe from the choking sob that came after Joshua kissed him. It felt like a last kiss. It felt like a final goodbye and not like he was just going to work. He was not going to be home after his shift so that they could work on Hayden’s studies and maybe watch a movie. They weren’t going to start planning a wedding or listening to their mothers plan it for them. His hand shot to his mouth as he realized that they would never have that now. He just knew it. There was no going back from everywhere and everyone. He slipped out of the room in time to watch Josh go.

Soren answered the phone call on the third ring. “I’ve got a unit out at the hospital, because they are in dire need of assistance. I’m not sure how much longer we are going to be able to hold it together. Honestly,” his voice paused as he sighed on the other end of the line, “I’m not sure you even want to be there. It’s looking a whole lot worse than rough. It’s a whole lot worse than the madhouse I was led to believe it was. But that’s where I am right now, and I can be here to get you in some gear, get you loaded, and then we can see where we are needed the most. The answer’s everywhere. The answer, really, is I think we’re screwed. I have never seen anything like this in the very many years I have served this country. Some time to join up.” He let out another audible breath. “How’s your family?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua Smith
Citizen of Seattle WA | 24 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh heard Soren’s voice on the phone and sighed. “The hospital. That’s where the rest of my family is. I’ll be there as fast as I can.” Josh paused and sighed, listening to him. Fear wrapped around his heart. He was afraid for his family, afraid for Hayden. And he had to push that fear aside. He needed to do this. “It might be a bad time to join up, but I’m doing it because I need to help. As for my family. Hayden’s okay and dad is pacing the floor waiting to hear from mom.” Josh added as he pulled out of the driveway. He pressed his phone to his shoulder so he could skirt around crashed cars, people, and other messes. “I’ll see you in a few Soren.” He said before he hung up. Josh drove faster than normal, taking roads he’s known his whole life and then he was at the hospital. The smell was the first thing he noticed and then he heard the cries, the screams, the screeching of people turned into animals. He got out of the truck and looked around for Soren.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Lakehill Seattle Hospital was supposed to be a beacon of hope. That was what all hospitals strove to be. You became a doctor or a nurse to help people, and this hospital was full of those kinds of heroes. In fact, if you worked here, people knew you were going to save them and their loved ones. It was a wonderful reputation to have. Of course, that was before all of this happened. Soren raced through the crowds of people, pushing past his slower subordinates and found himself looking for only a very small number of people that he could trust. Weirdly enough, one of them was Josh who up to this point was that kid who could have been so much more. Now was he chance to be. When Soren caught sight of him, he detoured to find him. “Josh. Great. First thing’s first. Come this way.” He led him through the crowds and instead of stopping at the military pop up outside of the building, he moved around to another side where he opened the back of a big truck. He thrust a pile of clothing and accessories including a vest and a helmet towards him. “The Captain’ll have my head for this, but honestly, we aren’t in a position to argue about this.” He clapped a hand over a patch on his vest. “We aren’t your average military, Josh. You aren’t signing up to be part of the Army. Welcome to the Federal Disaster Response Agency. We were built for when something like this went down.” He shoved a much larger gun towards him. “You ready to save some lives?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Joshua had always thought of joining the army. Although he never did take that chance. Josh looked over at Soren, when he heard him and followed him to the back of a truck. His head cocked to one side as he heard that he wasn’t joining the army, and then heard what he was going to join. The Federal Disaster Response Agency. “Yes. I’m ready to save some lives.” He told Soren as he got dressed into the clothes he was given and held the gun as confidently as he could.

Meanwhile inside the ER and Trauma section of the hospital, overloaded and overwhelmed, Jacob was working as fast as he could to help those that were brought in. He didn’t know where his brother was, either of them. He had gotten a text from their mother early this morning saying she was going to pick them up, but he has yet to seen her. What he has seen was terrifying. People coming in with bites, and then they’re taken to surgery where he has no idea what happens but he hears a lot of screaming.

The smell of the hospital was usually sterile but it was overloaded with the metallic scent of blood. He saw men in military outfits outside, tents pitched to help with the overflow of people. Jacob was scared, but he kept doing his job. He just had to keep going, but the next gurney that came into the ER made his heart stop. Claire was on it, half alive and metal from a car stuck in her side. “M- Mom.” Jacob’s voice trembled as he brought her in. There was no way she’d survive, because what he didn’t see was the bite mark on her back. ​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

“We don’t exactly have a manual for what to do when people lose their shit and start tryinta eat other people, so I can’t really tell you exactly what to do. We don’t have time to train you, so I’m going to call this field training and say we fast tracked you up.” He laughed for a moment. “With the way the world is going down, who is going to tell me any different, am I right?” His laughter died away, and the awkward moment of just how much this wasn’t funny settled in again. He slammed the truck shut and pointed to another guy. “Gray, you’re with us. You too Gina.” He nodded to the woman beside him. “You see anyone standing around looking like they forgot how to do their jobs, you pull them over and I can send them inside too.” He groaned and moved again, assuming everyone was following. “Alright, this is what we know. There’s been some sort of outbreak. I was talking about infection before. Yeah, infected with like vicious, rabid something apparently. It’s literally everywhere, and people who didn’t look like they were problems can become problems in a heartbeat.” He paused and looked at each of them. “Any of us and ours start attacking each other unwarranted and you shoot us. We will not be what spreads this, understood?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked at Soren and then at the other two. He heard the rather terrible joke and a sigh pushed out of his mouth. He heard Soren say to look for people that looked as if they forgot their job. And he followed when Soren moved, holding the gun against his chest as he walked. Josh heard him explain and his heart was pounding against his chest. Infection? Turning people into rabid things that go after others? “Yes sir.” Josh replied when Soren asked if they understood to shoot anyone, regardless of if it was them or a civilian.

Jacob had gotten his mother cleaned up when he saw her veins protruding up and he froze. No. He rolled her onto her side to see the bite mark and he dropped her and backed up. “Mom?” He asked softly. Claire’s head snapped to the side, the infection having settled in already as she’d been bitten very early that morning. She screeched and moved off the bed, her injuries not slowing her down. Jacob freaked and bolted, he hadn’t yet seen an infected person, he saw injured ones and those with bites were transferred further down to containment. He ran out into the hall and towards the front doors, and she was right behind him. As he pushed the doors open, she followed him outside.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren didn’t stop moving as he heard the chorus of ‘Yes, sir’s behind him. As they walked, he pulled in several more of his officers and shoved a couple into other duties. “The best we can tell is that something is biting these people. Well, okay, people are biting these people. So don’t get bit, okay? Hey!” He called over to two soldiers who were at the tents and pointed out towards the parking lot. There was some sort of scuffle over there. “Deal with that and then help these people. I think we’re going to have to change the way some things are going down over here.” He whipped around and rammed the butt of his gun into the head of someone who came running at him out of nowhere. As the person stumbled back, there was enough time to see the blood and gore dripping down his face and covering his hands and arms. Then Soren shot him in the face. “I’m going to need some higher people to make some better decisions sooner rather than later.”

“Sir, sir, sir!” cried a lady who ran from what he could only assume was inside. “Containment isn’t working anymore! They’re getting loose and and and-“ The loud crash of doors opening broke her speech and they all turned to see the front door burst open.
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Jacob had kept running until a shot fired out over his head. He looked up to see a soldier with a smoking gun. It was about that time when the front door of the hospital burst open. Jacob scrambled away, chest heaving as he watched the men firing at the people coming out of the hospital. People with blood on their faces, their arms, hands. Their clothes ripped. Josh saw the doors burst open after seeing the doors burst open. He started firing at each person he saw attacking someone. He didn’t know what else to do. He just hoped that none of them were his brothers or mother. But what he didn’t know was that Claire had been dropped and killed a few minutes ago. Josh just focused on the front door, grabbing the arms of nurses and doctors flooding out of the building. The ones that seemed like they were okay, and ninety percent of them would be fine. “Logan!” Josh called as he saw his brother coming out, racing from a person trying to attack him. He shot the person and looked at his brother when he came close. “Did they bite you?!” Josh asked him as he focused on the people while listening. “No! I’m fine. W- Where’s Jacob? And mom?!” Logan asked and Josh shook his head. “I don’t know but the house is safe. Dad’s truck is at the blockade, keys are in it. Get safe.” Josh said. Logan took off, made it to the truck and made it home. He and Lucas were safe.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

One dropped. Another. Another. Soren pulled up his gun and reloaded it with the ammo that they were very quickly going to run out of here if they were going to have to shoot down everyone like this. There was not enough ammo in the world to get rid of this many people. Maybe the rumors were right. Maybe they were right to make the decisions that they were going to have to soon. This was not why he wanted to be part of the emergency team. They were supposed to be trained to deal with this not incite more hysteria and murder. “Go inside, go! Secure it as best you can. You three over there! Yeah, forget setting that up. Those cots are gonna mean jack when we’re all dead. Inside, now.” He cursed under his breath before moving to Josh once Logan was gone. “We’re still missing your other brother and your mom, right?” A radio buzzed from hanging on him and he buzzed it to his earpiece, a luxury he did not have to give Josh at least not yet. He listened and nodded and sighed. “Got it. Securing the hospital is just as rough. Can you guys secure anywhere we can set up as a base?” He listened for a little while longer and groaned. “This is going to descend into martial law, I swear. Sorry, Josh. Are you okay?”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh had watched Logan go before he saw Soren come over to him. “Y- Yeah. Um. Yes. Just them.” Josh replied. He heard the radio buzz and saw him use an earpiece. His heart sunk when he heard those two words. Martial Law. He knew what that meant. The military or in this case probably FEDRA would have complete control and jurisdiction over Seattle. Josh was broken out of his thoughts when he heard Soren and nodded. “I’m fine. Let’s secure what we can.” Josh told him.

Jacob looked at the military men heading into the hospital. He stepped around the corpse ugh, of his mother and back towards the hospital. A man in military gear stopped him and he crossed his arms. “I’m a nurse! You have to let me in!” He said angrily. “Not until we secure the building again. We cannot risk medical personnel getting bitten. You are too important.” He said and Jacob tried to push past him, and the man shoved him back. “Hey!” Jacob was getting frustrated and annoyed. He needed to find Logan.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren gave him a curt nod, one that he really wished he could make softer and kinder for him in this time, then jogged around the side of the building. So far they had several units inside, but he was not sure how much they were actually getting done. “So, want to hear a fun fact?” Soren asked as he summoned another three people with a hand wave as he rushed towards the front doors. “FEDRA is based in Washington, DC. Well, the idea is, because we’re an offshoot of the US Army created as a relief force usually from natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and the like. We normally have to fly over a bunch of people to each disaster so that we can appropriately secure and clear out the damage and assist people getting back on their feet. We did not have that luxury this time.” As they reached the doors, he bypassed plenty of civilians who were demanding to go inside for one reason or the other. He nodded towards the guard at the front and moved his group inside. “So, in the coming days, if you make it to those coming days, we are going to need you to pull out all those reservations you have about jobs. This isn’t going to just be overtime. This is going to be your life.” Inside the hospital building, it looked like a massacre. “Holy…” “It’s really bad on the lower levels where they were taking anyone who was infected.”
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[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh swallowed hard as he listened to Soren. And he spared a glance at the civilians trying hard to get inside the building. He narrowed his eyes as one looked familiar but it was hard to tell. He didn’t hear the yell of his name as they entered the hospital. Not just overtime. His life was now this, managing this mess. “I understand.” Josh said as he looked around the hospital. His heart clenched painfully as he couldn’t help but wonder if his brothers or mother was part of this.. this massacre. The lower levels? “Where do you want me to start sir?” Josh asked.

Jacob growled under his breath as his voice wasn’t loud enough to get his brothers attention. He saw Josh in that military gear and knew that his brother was going into the mess of a hospital. Jacob had been on the first level, not being allowed to the lower levels. And he’d been thankful, but now his brother, no both his brothers were inside the hospital. Jacob huffed and smirked. He backed up and turned away, looking around before he snuck around the hospital. He was headed for the back entrance, the one staff usually use. Maybe that one won’t be guarded yet.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Between FEDRA and the US Army, there was a very large military presence at this hospital. They liked to think that this was the best way of dealing with this kind of crisis. Currently, the two different forces were working in tandem. The Army was running the overflow in the front courtyard and parking lot while FEDRA had taken over the pressure of making the inside safe. But it was looking like there was no safe anymore. What exactly were they accomplishing in here? What would it look like without them?

“Josh, can I be honest with you? I don’t have the foggiest of what we need to do about this? This is worse than just this morning. Jules, talk me through what you’ve already seen.” He gestured to the soldier who came up to them. “Lower levels are rabid, sir. Those people they brought in last week had to be put down after they um…” He didn’t need to finish that. “There’s a whole hell of a lot of the sick down there. A lot of doctors and nurses too. Harry’s team went in about an hour ago, but we haven’t heard from any of them since. Barker wants us to make sure we can get as much of the research out as possible. Sir. I think they’re gonna put this place on lockdown really soon.” “Well, isn’t that just great.” He turned to Josh and the handful of soldiers with them. “Okay, it’s a rescue mission. And possibly a mission to clear it out. Research is how far down?” “Basement laboratory.”
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