Chapter 3: Night of the Deadly Infant Purge
The moment the clock ticked past midnight Universal Standard Time, "Operation Infant Purge," or as it was covertly codenamed among the operatives, "Omega Crisis," commenced simultaneously, as if controlled by an unseen hand.
In the sprawling metropolis of New York City, an assault team clad in black nano-armor rappelled from a stealth helicopter onto the rooftop of Manhattan General Hospital. They moved with the silence and speed of phantoms, neutralizing security personnel and any medical staff who crossed their path with high-efficiency silenced weapons before storming the neonatal intensive care unit. The faint screams that escaped were quickly muffled by the sound of shattering glass and the dull thuds of stun grenades.
On the other side of the globe, a children's hospital in Tokyo was surrounded by special forces in optical camouflage suits. They generated a high-frequency electromagnetic field, cutting off all communication signals and electronic systems within the hospital before small, lethal drones were dispatched to "deal with" targets in the critical infant care unit with cold precision.
London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, New Delhi… no capital city was spared. Every hospital with a maternity ward became a miniature battleground. The sounds of machine guns, explosions, and screams echoed, creating panic among patients and relatives in the vicinity. Rumors of religious extremist groups seizing hospitals or botched bioweapon experiments leading to leaks were disseminated through tightly controlled mainstream media. Cleverly edited news footage showed personnel in hazmat suits "evacuating" people, while behind the scenes, a systematic massacre of innocents was underway.
In the newsroom of a global television network, a beautiful news anchor reported on the situation, her face grave, her voice trembling slightly. "…And according to the latest reports, the cause of the unrest occurring simultaneously in numerous hospitals worldwide is still unclear. However, several governments have issued a joint statement suggesting it may be an attack by transnational terrorists using a new type of biological weapon. The public is advised to remain calm and closely follow official government announcements…" Behind her composed façade was a confusion and fear that she herself could not comprehend.
At a leading private hospital in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand.
The atmosphere in the obstetrics and gynecology department was still calm, typical of the late night. Dim light from wall-mounted lamps cast long shadows down the empty corridors. A night-shift nurse was checking patient records in her station, while in a private room, Akkee and Thara were taking turns admiring the tiny face of Ar-Chin, their son, born only a few hours ago. The exhaustion of childbirth had momentarily faded as they gazed at the clear, bright eyes staring back at them as if memorizing everything.
"Look, Thara… his cheeks are so chubby," Akkee gently poked his son's cheek with a loving finger.
Thara smiled softly. "His life force is incredibly strong. He must have gotten his strength from you, my dear."
Their small family's happiness was short-lived…
The alarm suddenly blared! Red emergency lights flashed insistently, bathing the entire department in an ominous glow. The heavy thud of multiple pairs of boots echoed from the fire escape, accompanied by shouts in an unfamiliar language.
Akkee and Thara jolted upright, their warrior instincts instantly awakened. They exchanged a look, their eyes alert and grim. "Intruders!" Akkee said in a low voice, his fists clenching unconsciously.
Before they could react further, the door to their private room was violently kicked open, the hinges snapping! At least five imposing figures in black tactical armor, heavily armed, stormed in. Each held an automatic machine gun equipped with a crimson laser sight. Every barrel was aimed directly at the bed where Thara lay with Ar-Chin.
"The target is the infant! Take them out!" one of the black-clad men barked in a strangely accented English.
Akkee didn't hesitate. His body blurred, positioning himself in front of his wife and son in an instant. Coppery-gold flames suddenly erupted around him, the temperature in the room spiking until the air conditioning unit whined erratically. "Who are you! What do you want!"
The black-clad group recoiled sharply at the sight of the strange flames, but their discipline held, and they quickly raised their weapons, ready to fire.
"Power user! Switch to Plan B!" their team leader shouted again, before one of them fired a high-voltage electric net at Akkee.
Thara clutched Ar-Chin to her chest, her eyes wide with shock, yet within them burned a fierce determination. She knew this was no ordinary robbery or kidnapping. Their target was her son's life, and these attackers knew that this child's parents were no ordinary people!