Harem in a zombie apocalypse

[102] Friendly fire

We ran towards the hospital, but as we got close, the door guards fired at us.

"Ally! Ally!" I yelled. But it was no use, the guards continue to fire at us.

As the gunfire whistled past us, I yelled once again, "We're allies, dammit! Hold your fire!"

But my words were lost in the din of gunfire and chaos that had enveloped the area. The guards continued to fire at us, their fear-addled minds likely unable to register our intentions.

Just then, two shots rang out from Kaya's rifle, whizzing past the heads of the guards. The bullets embedded themselves into the wall behind them, leaving small plumes of dust in their wake.

A moment of silence fell between us and the guards, the close call effectively snapping them out of their panicked state. "Stand down!" Kaya commanded, her voice thunderous and clear against the backdrop of chaos. "We're not your enemy!"

One of the guards, a burly man with a look of utter terror on his face, stuttered in response, "We... we can't be too sure. Everyone's gone mad... "

"We've just come to get our friend from the hospital," Cassidy added, holding her palms out in a peaceful gesture. "We're not here to cause trouble."

The tension hung thick in the air as the guards regarded us, their fingers still hovering over their triggers. We watched them, our own weapons trained on them, ready to defend ourselves should they decide to continue their attack. It was a tense standoff, a test of nerves and trust in a world that had forgotten the meaning of either.

With my heart pounding and my hands held high above my head, I approached the jittery guards, doing my best to appear non-threatening. Kaya remained a few steps behind me, her hunting rifle pointed at them, her stern expression a silent warning. She was prepared to take them down at the slightest indication of hostility.

"We're looking for a nurse named Hazuki!" I declared over the chaos echoing around us.

One of the guards, a lean, scruffy looking man squinted at me through the dwindling light. His face remained stern and his grip on the gun did not falter. "Never heard of her," he retorted, his voice gruff.

I felt a prickle of panic. Had something happened to Hazuki? Was she no longer at the hospital? I took a deep breath, forcing down the fear that threatened to rise. "She's got long white hair," I tried again, hoping the description would spark recognition.

The guards exchanged glances, seeming to consider my words. "Long white hair?" the other guard, a woman with a hard, stern face, echoed, her gaze flicking over my shoulder to where Cassidy and Kaya stood.

"Yes," I nodded eagerly, hope fluttering in my chest. "She's got white hair, she's about this tall," I gestured with my hand to indicate Hazuki's height, "and she has these beautiful brown eyes that—"

"Alright, alright," the female guard interrupted with an exasperated sigh. "We might know who you're talking about. But why should we trust you?"

The tense silence that followed was abruptly punctuated by another round of distant gunfire. The guards' eyes darted nervously in the direction of the noise before returning to scrutinize us. It was a desperate gambit, but in this post-apocalyptic world, it was survival that trumped all else.

"I get it. You're scared. And you're right to be," I began, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. "Look around you. The mob is fast approaching, they're fueled by fear, desperation and probably hunger."

The guards' expressions didn't soften, but I could see their grip on their weapons loosening a bit, the edge of fear in their eyes replaced by a hint of curiosity. Encouraged, I pressed on.

"But consider this," I continued, nodding towards Cassidy and Kaya standing behind me, "you let us in, and you don't just get three more mouths to feed. You get three more hands to help, three more bodies to protect this place, and, most importantly, three more firepower to hold off that mob."

The guards shared a long look, the gravity of the situation seeping into their understanding. With the mob encroaching and their defenses insufficient, they were facing the risk of being overwhelmed. Our offer, as unexpected as it was, might just be the lifeline they needed.

"You can search us," I added, the desperation in my voice as real as the turmoil around us. "You'll see we're not here to cause trouble. We're here to help."

The female guard seemed to hesitate for a moment before she turned to her companion. After a whispered conversation, they both turned back to us, their expressions hardened, yet visibly less hostile.

"Alright," the man said finally, lowering his gun. "We'll let you in. But one wrong move and you'll wish you were out there with the mob."

Relief washed over me, quickly replaced by determination. Time was of the essence. Now we had a chance to get Hazuki and secure the hospital. Now, we had a chance to make a last stand.

Q: What would you do in this situation?