Unbreakable threads

Chapter Twenty: No Way Out

"Dr. Jenner," Rick said, his voice strong, though his eyes betrayed his fear. "There has to be an emergency exit, a code, something to override the self-destruct sequence. You have to help us."

Jenner shook his head, his face pale as he took a step back. "There is no override. I'm sorry," he said, his voice breaking. "I wanted to believe there was a cure, that I could fix this... but I failed. And now, it's all... it's all over."

Daryl turned from the door, his face twisted with fury. "So that's it? You're just gonna stand there and watch us die?" he snarled, his fists clenched as he advanced on Jenner, his frustration boiling over.

Rick stepped in front of Daryl, holding up a hand to stop him. "We're not giving up," he said firmly, his voice steady as he looked around at the group. "We've survived this long. We're not dying here."

Alyssa, still trying to control her breathing, looked up at Rick, his determination cutting through her panic. She took a shaky breath, clinging to his words, letting them steady her.

"We need to search this place, top to bottom," Rick continued, his voice filled with a new resolve. "There has to be a way out. If there's an emergency self-destruct, there's got to be an escape route."

The group exchanged hesitant glances, a flicker of hope breaking through the despair. One by one, they nodded, finding strength in Rick's resolve, clinging to the possibility of escape.

Together, they spread out, searching the CDC for any hidden doors, emergency exits, or overrides, their desperation fueling them. The clock was ticking, and as they raced through the corridors, hope and fear collided, each of them determined to survive, to defy the fate that had been laid before them.

Shane's face twisted with barely-contained rage as he began pacing the room, his boots echoing sharply against the tile. His mind churned with anger and frustration, each thought feeding his bitterness as his gaze flickered from one panicked face to another. He'd known from the beginning the CDC was a mistake, a hopeless, desperate gamble that Rick had pushed them into. And now, here they were—trapped, facing certain death.

"This... this is what I warned you about," Shane growled, his fists clenched as he shot a glare at Rick. "I told you! I told you this was a damn pipe dream. Fort Benning was our only real shot, but no, you had to drag us here, for what? A death trap!"

Rick squared his shoulders, meeting Shane's glare, his own frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. "I did what I thought was right," he replied, his voice steady. "We all agreed to come here, hoping for answers, for something. I didn't know it would end like this."

"'Hoping for something,'" Shane echoed bitterly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "That's the problem with you, Rick—you're all about hope, no damn reality! We're here because of your blind faith, and now look where it's gotten us." His voice rose, raw and furious, his words charged with months of pent-up resentment. "I was doing fine until you came back. I was protecting Lori, protecting Carl. I was making real plans to keep us safe. And then you show up, thinking you can lead us like you haven't missed a beat."

Rick's jaw clenched, his own anger flaring as he stepped closer to Shane. "This isn't about me. It's about getting everyone out of here alive. If you can't focus on that, then you're not helping anyone," he said firmly, his voice low but filled with conviction.

Shane took a step forward, his eyes dark and unhinged. "You don't get to tell me what's right or wrong, Rick. You weren't here. You don't know what it took to keep them safe." His gaze flicked toward Lori and Carl, both of whom looked away, uncomfortable under the weight of his stare.

The tension in the room grew thicker, the group looking between Rick and Shane with a mixture of unease and fear. Alyssa watched, her heart pounding as the men squared off, each blaming the other for their current predicament. She wanted to shout, to make them stop, but her voice caught in her throat, and she could only watch, frozen.