13 Brave Youths (1/2)
< Destination is 1.5 kilometers ahead >
The WAZE Voice Alert from Zack's phone shows that they were getting closer to USJ 5.
Approaching the residential gate, Zack noticed with his super sight, a crowd of people gathering outside.
”Hey Chai, that is the main entrance to your housing area, right? ” (Zack)
”It is. What's up with all those people cramping up the gate, tho? Damn, it's gonna take a while to get inside. Let me call up Mikey.” (Chai)
From about a kilometer away, Zack winded down his side of the car's window and focused his eyes and ears on that crowd.
Concentrating his hearing, he picked up words and speeches. The crowd's skin complexion looked normal too.
-----
”HEYY!! OPEN UP!!! LET US INN!!”
”STINKING GUARDS!! F*CKING LET US INNNN!!”
”HEY WE'RE PEOPLE TOO!! HEYYY!!”
Crowds numbering over fifty men and women, young and old were screaming on top of their lungs.
The USJ 5 Armed Security Guards act as deterrents to criminals that wished to break into this luxurious area, but the apocalyptic situation drove the innate survival instincts of the public to find a safe and secured place.
Right now, the barricaded and fortified USJ 5 was the best choice of shelter for these people.
”Mikey, there's people crowding up the entrance gate. What's going on?” (Chai)
”Crowd? I'm not sure what's going on, but where are you right now?” (Mikey)
”We can't go in. We're just a few hundred meters away from the gate, but it seemed like the crowd is rioting non stop and blocked the way in or out.” (Chai)
Michael frowned. This issue would consume more of their precious time. Every second was important for their survival.
Suddenly, a man in a soldier uniform approached Michael. He is Captain John, a 34-year old veteran soldier that recently joined the Chai Group's private troop as a commanding officer.
”Sir, it's an emergency. We have to leave immediately, or it'll be too late.” (Captain John)
”Captain, what are you saying? Emergency? What happened?” (Michael)
”We got info from the team guarding the choppers, that the Municipal is currently under attack!” (Captain John)
Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya, or the Subang Jaya Municipal Council in English.
The MPSJ headquarters is located north of the Fifth United Subang Jaya (USJ 5) where the Chai Family resided.
They are responsible for the public's health and sanitation, waste removal and management, town planning, environmental protection and building control, social and economic development and general maintenance functions of urban infrastructure.
Right now, the apocalypse has turned its Headquarters Building of more than 3,000 meter square area into a sanctum.
In this particular shelter, the total refugees seeking protection has reached a staggering number of 2,000 people!
The shelter has three gates, NorthEast Gate, NorthWest Gate and South Gate.
NorthEast Gate connects the commercial area of United Subang Jaya.
NorthWest Gate connects the residential area of United Subang Jaya.
Last but not least, the South Gate is the private and direct entrance of the USJ 5 residents to the Municipal Headquarters.
”Young Master Michael, we estimate that it will be less than ten minutes before the Municipal is going to overruned by those creatures. If we don't move out now, we might never make it to the helicopters.” (Captain John)
”WHAT?!! Captain, my youngest is still out there! Mikey, where is your brother?!” (Mrs.Chai)
”Madam Chai, we have contacted the Armed Security Guards to fetch Young Master Jerry. It seemed that they were overwhelmed...by a mob of people.” (Captain John)
”Zombies?”
Mr.Chai heard the commotion and intervened the conversation.
”No...normal civilians, Master Chai. They demanded to enter USJ 5 for protection. Conflict rose between them and the guards. They were supposed to fetch Young Master Jeremiah a few meters away from the gate to avoid the crowd...but they couldn't go out from the gate because of the mob's interference.”
The Chai Family member's face turned pale.
Mrs.Chai snatched the phone from Michael.
”Jerry! Don't worry baby, Mom is going to save you, okay?! Hang on!!” (Mrs.Chai)
”Dear! Don't be rash! We have keep calm in this situation!” (Mr.Chai)
Mr.Chai's manly voice sounded off scolding his wife.
”Then what are we supposed to do now! Our baby boy is out there by himself!! I don't care, I want to go save him!!” (Mrs.Chai)
Mrs.Chai had a hysteric expression on her facial expression. The loving mother will sacrifice anything for her child.
”DEAR! LISTEN TO ME!” (Mr.Chai)
He hugged his wife who was about to sprint towards the door.
”All of us wants Jerry to be safe! Trust me, I want to see my boy more than anyone do. Dear, I'll ask a few of our men to secure him and bring him back to us safely! We will wait for him in the choppers, we'll meet him there afterwards anyways!” (Mr.Chai)
Mrs.Chai calmed down.
Mr.Chai then requested to talk to his youngest son. Michael handed the cell phone to his father.
”Son, are you okay?” (Mr.Chai)
”Dad! Yeap I'm totally fine, Zack and Mel is here with me, you don't have to worry. We're just in a little pinch, we'll find a way to get inside.”
They conversed for a little more. Chai found out that the Municipal's NorthEast Gate has been attacked, and the defense would not last any longer than ten minutes.
As they are running out of time, they agreed to meet in the compound located between the South Gate and NorthEast Gate where the helicopters are located.
”Son, I'm going to send a team of men to escort you. Dad promise, you will be here with us safely!” (Mr.Chai)
”Thanks Dad! Dad, you guys gotta head to the choppers now. The police base I was in collapsed in a matter of minutes! You gotta take off now with Mom and Mikey to safety!” (Chai)
”Son, we will not leave without you, okay. We'll leave together as a family.” (Mr.Chai)
In his whole life, one of his heroes is his father. He was a loving family man who would do his best for his loved ones and his subordinates. He couldn't let his old father's safety being jeopardized.
”Dad, I know you guys would wait for me. But trust me, these crazy monsters would stop at nothing to kill people. You have to make sure you get off the ground immediately! I'll find a way to reach you guys.Okay, if I'm not there in the next five minutes, please go on without me!” (Chai)
”Nonsense! Don't be reckless, Jerry! We will fly off together when you reach here!” (Mr.Chai)
”NO DAD! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU MUSTN'T STAY AROUND ANY LONGER!! YOU HAVE TO GO NOW! Please, I beg you, dad. If you love me..you'll do as I say! I'll manage, okay?” (Chai)
At this moment, flashbacks of the police Inspector who sacrificed his life for Chai surfaced inside his mind.
He couldn't bear to let his family take the risk just because of his selfishness. No, he would never forgive himself if anything happened to them because his family waited for him.
”Even if things go south, I still have Zack and Mel here, and we have a car, some guns and food. We'll reach Putrajaya eventually..so please Dad, go. I love you, Dad. Tell Mom and Mikey I love them too, okay.” (Chai)
Mr.Chai stood silently with the cell phone in his ears. His eyes were shut closed, his teeth clenching hard.
He looked at his first child and his wife. With a heavy heart, he disconnected the phone call.
”John, arrange a team of men to escort Jerry. Make sure he gets to Putrajaya without a scratch, do you hear me!” (Mr.Chai)
”Affirmative,sir. We'll send our best men to secure Young Master Jerry.” (Captain John)
Mrs.Chai was crying, wondering about her youngest son's fate. The situation was getting more critical as time passed. A sinister smile formed between Abigail's lips.
Abigail, Michael's fiance then comforted Mrs.Chai. At the same time, nobody noticed that Abigail was secretly texting somebody on her phone.
It says 'GET TO WORK' and was sent to a private number.
She then spoke to Michael.
”Michael, please...think of Mother and Father. Jerry will have a team of soldiers escorting him, please stay calm. You have to be safe, you are too important for our family's future.” (Abigail)
Michael was torn between the two choices. To wait for his younger brother and risk getting his whole family being attacked, or board the helicopters first and hope that his brother would safely return to their embrace.
He consciousness would never tolerate these kind of choices, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
…
”Guys, my family's personal soldiers would be here escort us here. We'll then rush straight to the helicopters.” (Chai)
Zack and Melissa nodded.
If they went to the gate and forced their way in, which they are very capable off, that'll risk the residence being invaded by the undeads.
Three minutes passed by.
There were still no signs of the Chai Family's personal guards.
”F*ck! What the hell is taking them so long?! Don't tell me Mikey pranked me-”
As Chai was talking, loud gunshots clamored in the air!
Sh*t! It came from the gate!
The trio turned their attentions to the gate.
It seemed that they crowd were ducking in fear, afraid of being shot to death. After all, it is a period where rules and laws were useless, and power is everything.
The trio saw a few shadows with rifles behind the gates. Angry howls was heard from inside the gate.
”Zack, could you hear what the people inside is saying?”
Melissa knew that Zack's [Super Senses] skill is an amazing danger radar.
”I have to get closer.” (Zack)
He couldn't hear the conversations clearly, so he decided to go nearer.
Zack told Melissa and Chai to cover him. They nodded and ejected themselves from the car. They immediately scanned the surroundings for threats and got into a bi-directional defense position.
Zack slowly stepped out from the car. He walked a few meters ahead, and he could start to hear people yelling.
”YOU BASTARDS!! GET AWAY FROM THE GATES OR WE'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!!”
The voice sounded a bit dulled, indicating that it originated from inside the wall.
It was the Armed Security Guards of USJ 5's Residential Area.
”Please!! Have mercy!! We have some sick and disabled among us!! Please!!”
”You snobbish monsters! You rich people think you own everything?!! Open up right now!! We have as much right to get protected as much as you good-for-nothing bastards!!”
Verbal fights flared off between the gate. The group of people consisted of humans in every form; adults, seniors, teenagers, children, toddlers, babies, pregnant mothers, men, women, healthy, handicapped, Chinese, Malay, Indian.