128 (Operation Armageddon: Book 1)

Chapter Fifteen: The Flash Drive | Part 1

"Well, then, could you care to tell me how he got injured?" the man asked plainly.

"He... he was attacked by one of the creatures..." Matthew admitted, shaking fearfully.

The man didn't answer immediately. At first, he seemed to be thinking of a way to phrase his upcoming statement. However, his response didn't seem like he had put a lot of thought into it. "Well, then he'll become infected if he doesn't die. We can't risk him infecting all of us," the man dissented.

Matthew also paused for a few seconds before answering. "We?" he questioned, realising that the man might not have been the only survivor present.

"Take a look for yourself," the man stated as he "welcomed" the group to the corridor of the third floor.

Megan, who was the first to walk out into the corridor, was also the first to see the massive amount of people sitting along the corridor. They were all covered in blankets, staring at the group and wondering what the commotion was about.

Matthew and Daniel then followed along and saw the significant number of refugees. All three of them couldn't even count the exact number—there were at least a hundred of them, spanning almost half the entirety of the west wing.

"If you'd like to endanger the lives of everyone here just to save your friend, then go ahead. If you'd like to be remembered by the loved ones of these survivors here as the selfish people that cared for one life more than for a hundred others, then go ahead," the man said.

All of a sudden, Jean came round, choking out some blood, however. He gagged a bit before murmuring some words quietly. Daniel himself, who was carrying him, couldn't even hear what he was muttering.

Matthew moved his ear towards Jean's mouth, trying to put together what he was saying. "What are you saying, brother?" Matthew asked, whispering calmly and gently, although he was crying inside.

"K-keep... keep Amelia safe..." Jean murmured. Matthew tried holding back the tears forming in his eyes, but he couldn't. How could he not feel emotional over such a tragic event?

He knew his brother wasn't going to make it. The man was reluctant to help him, and he was sure that the other refugees wouldn't be too keen either. Soon enough, Jean exhaled for the last time. His shoulders slumped, and his eyelids fell.

Matthew sobbed, and he stared at his brother's lifeless face. He knew he was gone, but he just couldn't let go of him. He wanted to cry out loud and mourn his brother's departure. However, he whimpered quietly instead, knowing that the other survivors already didn't like the fact that he was attempting to find treatment for his infected brother, risking the lives of everyone around.

Jean didn't regain consciousness anymore. Matthew laid his brother down on the ground, staring at his wounds as his tears fell on them. Matthew rubbed them away gently in an attempt to keep his brother's wounds clean.

Daniel and Megan couldn't watch the painful event. Even though Megan was the only child and Daniel had a sister, they could imagine their loved ones departing on such a fateful day. They just couldn't believe that Matthew had gone through so much pain.

His father had passed nineteen years ago, while his wife followed the previous year. His mother was now in surgery, and his brother had just died in his arms. It was so unfortunate that he had to lose all of his family members so quickly.

If only Yael hadn't unleashed the virus. Matthew would have had more time to care for his mother, and she might have gotten treatment earlier. Jean wouldn't have been attacked by the creatures. And he could have had some more family time instead of pursuing a corrupt corporation that they couldn't trace properly.