"So." Ahmed looked at them. "What are your thoughts? Staying or going?"
The group stood there. Nobody spoke.
Seconds ticked by. The hum of the lights filled the silence.
Ahmed shifted his weight. "I'll give you more time. Think about it. The Gazers. What's out there. What's in here." He paused. "You're free to talk to me whenever you decide."
More silence.
"Any questions now?" Ahmed asked.
Karan stepped forward. "If we stay. We get guns? Our own?"
"Absolutely." Ahmed nodded. "You'll be provided everything we have. Training. Weapons. Maps. Routes." He paused. "And I'll tell you something else. If you find survivors out there—other people—you're free to bring them here. Sanctuary's doors are open. You bring people, maybe you get different work. Less dangerous. But that's Advait's call, not mine."
Reyan spoke up. "Why do you all follow him? Accept his orders like that?"
Ahmed's expression didn't change. "He's done good things for us."
He went quiet. Then added, "And... also dangerous things."
"What exactly dangerous things?" Reyan pressed.
"I'm afraid I can't answer that." Ahmed's voice was firm. Final. "And for your information, I'm also new here. Before me, they only had Dr. Aggarwal. Still learning how this place works."
Vikram frowned. "Then why don't they send you outside? You said you're new too."
"Everyone has a role here." Ahmed gestured vaguely. "I'm a scientist. When this started, I was there. Ground zero. I had the vial. The original compound. I told them what I knew, what I'd seen. So they keep me in the lab." He looked at them. "But there are others who'll help you. They'll go with you on supply runs. You won't be alone out there."
He waited. "Any other questions?"
Nobody said anything.
"Okay." Ahmed motioned toward the door. "Let me show you where you'll sleep. Bunks are assigned by—"
"Wait," Ahmed stopped mid sentence. "Did you find my phone? At my house?"
Arjun remembered the phone he had taken from Ahmed's house.
"Yeah. In the bag. We took everything."
Something crossed Ahmed's face. Relief, maybe. "Good. I recorded everything on there. Observations. Patterns. It's important. Thanks."
Ahmed opened the door. "Come on. I'll show you the rooms."
They filed out of the lab. Through corridors. Past people working.
Ahmed led them up a staircase to the second level. The sleeping quarters were basic. Rows of bunk beds. Thin mattresses. Lockers at the foot of each bed.
"Men's dorm here," Ahmed said, pointing left. "Women's there. Families get private rooms if we have space." He looked at Reyan. "You and your daughter will get one."
Reyan nodded. His daughter hadn't let go of his hand since they left the lab.
"Bathrooms are down the hall. Showers run on a schedule—you'll get assigned times. Meals are in the cafeteria, three times a day. You don't miss meals." Ahmed's tone was matter-of-fact. "Questions?"
"When do we decide?" Karan asked. "About staying."
"Tonight. Tomorrow. Whenever you're ready." Ahmed looked at all of them. "But if you want my advice? Stay. This sanctuary needs you." He paused. "And you need this sanctuary."
He turned to leave, then stopped. "One more thing. When you go out on runs, you follow the lead runner's instructions. No exceptions. They know the routes. The safe zones. The timing. You don't know those things yet. So you listen, or you die. Simple as that."
With that, he walked away.
The group stood in the hallway. Looking at bunks. At lockers. At walls that weren't theirs.
"What do we think?" Taj asked quietly.
Nobody answered right away.
Advait sat in his office. Feet up on the desk. Chair tilted back.
The TV in the corner played something from a USB drive. Old sitcom. Laugh track echoing in the small space. He wasn't really watching it. Just having it on. Background noise to fill the silence.
A knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened. Nisha stepped inside. Closed it behind her.
Advait smiled. "Well. Who do we have here?"
She crossed the room. Didn't say anything. Just looked at him with those dark eyes.
He dropped his feet off the desk. Sat up properly. "How'd it go?"
"Fine." Nisha moved closer. "They're processing it. Ahmed's showing them the rooms."
"Good." Advait leaned back. "Think they'll stay?"
"They don't have a choice." Nisha stopped in front of the desk. "Where else would they go?"
"Fair point."
She walked around the desk. He swiveled the chair to face her.
"Your brother took it well?" Advait asked. "Seeing you again?"
"He was shocked." Nisha's voice was flat. "Expected."
"And now?"
"Now he's confused." She sat on the edge of the desk. Close enough to touch. "Doesn't understand why I'm different."
"You are different." Advait's hand moved to her knee. Casual. Familiar. "You're alive. That's what matters."
She looked down at his hand. Didn't move it. "He kept asking questions."
"He'll stop." Advait's thumb traced small circles. "They always do. Once they realize asking gets them nowhere."
Nisha was quiet for a moment. Then she leaned down. Kissed him. Slow. Deliberate.
When she pulled back, Advait was smiling. "Missed me today?"
"Maybe."
"Just maybe?"
She kissed him again. Longer this time. His other hand moved to her waist. Pulled her closer.
The TV kept playing. Laugh track at something that wasn't funny.
The TV flickered. The laugh track played. The door stayed closed.
He kissed her hard this time. Hands moving up her back. She responded in kind, fingers tangling in his hair.
They stumbled backward. His hip hit the desk. Papers scattered. The lamp tilted but didn't fall.
"Careful," she murmured against his mouth.
"I'm always careful."
Her hands moved to his shirt. Started unbuttoning. One button. Two. Three.
He pulled back just enough to look at her. "You sure?"
"Are you really asking me that right now?"
He smiled. Kissed her again. Harder.
His shirt came off. Then hers. The desk creaked as they moved. The TV kept playing its canned laughter.
They moved from the desk to the couch against the wall. Old leather. Cracked in places. It had seen better days.
So had they.
But right now, in this moment, none of that mattered.
Just skin. Breath. The feeling of being alive when everything outside was dying.
Her nails traced down his back. He kissed her neck. Her collarbone. Lower.
Time lost meaning.
Could've been minutes. Could've been longer.
The lights flickered once. Power surge. Neither of them stopped.
Back in the sleeping quarters, the group had gathered in the men's dorm. Sitting on bunks. Standing. Trying to process everything.
"We need to talk about this," Karan said. "Actually talk. Not just stand around feeling overwhelmed."
"What's there to talk about?" Meera asked. She sat on a lower bunk, arms crossed. "We stay or we die. Pretty simple math."
"It's not that simple," Vikram said. "We'd be working for him. For Advait. Following his orders. His rules."
"Better than following infected into an alley," Taj muttered.
"Is it though?" Samir looked at his hands. "My sister. She's different. You all saw it. Whatever this place did to her—"
"She's alive," Reyan interrupted. "That's what matters. She survived."
"By becoming what? His soldier? His—" Samir stopped. Couldn't finish.
An uncomfortable silence settled.
Reyan's daughter sat on a bunk beside him, still clutching her rabbit. She'd been quiet through everything. Now she spoke.
"I'm tired, Papa."
Everyone looked at her.
"I know, baby," Reyan said softly.
"I don't want to run anymore." Her voice was small. "I just want to sleep. In a real bed. Without being scared."
Reyan pulled her close. "I know."
"Then we stay," she said simply. Like it was obvious.
Out of the mouths of children.
Arjun cleared his throat. "She's right. I've been running for days. Hiding. Barely eating. Drinking filthy water." He looked around. "This place has beds. Food. Clean water. Showers. Lights that actually work." He paused. "I'm staying."
"Me too," Dev said. He'd been quiet until now. "Karan, I know you're worried. But we've been on the run since day one. We're exhausted. We need this."
Ravi nodded slowly. "The boy's right. We can't keep going like we were. Eventually our luck runs out."
Karan looked at Meera. "What do you think?"
She was quiet for a long moment. "I think it's a devil's bargain. But the devil we know is better than the one outside." She met his eyes. "We stay. For now. But we stay alert. We watch. We learn. And if things go bad—"
"We leave," Karan finished.
"Exactly."
"What about you, Taj?" Vikram asked.
Taj adjusted his glasses. The new ones they'd given him. "I've been thinking. About my parents. About seeing them when they weren't there." He swallowed. "Those Gazers. They almost killed me. Would've, if you all hadn't been there." He looked up. "Here, we have the glasses. The knowledge. People who understand what we're facing." He paused. "I'm staying."
"Vikram?" Reyan asked.
Vikram was leaning against a wall. Arms crossed. Thinking.
"I didn't have anywhere to go before you all found me," he said finally. "Was just waiting in that apartment for the end. At least here, I'm useful. I can help." He nodded. "I'll stay."
Everyone looked at Samir.
He stared at the floor. "She's my sister. I came all this way to find her. And now that I have..." He trailed off. "I need to understand what happened to her. Why she's different. What this place did." He looked up. "So yeah. I'm staying. But not because I trust Advait. Because I need answers."
Karan stood up. "Alright. Let's make this official. All in favor of staying?"
Hands went up. One by one. Everyone.
Even the ones who were unsure.
Because what choice did they really have?
"It's decided then," Karan said. "We tell Advait we're in."
They found Ahmed near the cafeteria. He was talking to Dr. Aggarwal. Both looked up as the group approached.
"We've decided," Karan said.
Ahmed waited.
"We're staying."
Something crossed Ahmed's face. Relief? Satisfaction? Hard to tell.
"Good," he said simply. "Advait's office is on the third floor. End of the hall. Tell him yourselves."
They climbed the stairs. Found the hallway. Followed it to the last door.
Karan knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again. Harder.
Still nothing.
He was about to knock a third time when they heard movement inside. Something hitting the floor. Muffled voices.
Then footsteps.
The door opened.
Advait stood there. Shirt unbuttoned. Hair slightly messed. His expression was calm. Unbothered.
"Yes?"
Behind him, they could see Nisha pulling on her shirt. Adjusting her hair.
Nobody said anything for a second.
"We've decided," Karan said, keeping his voice even. "We're staying."
"Excellent." Advait smiled. Didn't seem embarrassed. Didn't apologize. Just stood there like he'd been caught doing paperwork instead of— "I'll speak with you all tomorrow. Go over assignments. Rules. Expectations." He paused. "Get some rest tonight. You've earned it."
"That's it?" Meera asked.
"That's it." Advait started to close the door. "Welcome to Sanctuary."
The door clicked shut.
The group stood there. Processing.
"Well," Taj said after a moment. "That was awkward."
"Come on." Karan turned away. "Let's go."
They walked back down the hall. Down the stairs. Back to the sleeping quarters.
Nobody talked about what they'd just seen.
Inside the office, Nisha finished buttoning her shirt. "You could've waited longer before opening."
"They knocked twice." Advait sat back down at his desk. Started buttoning his own shirt. "Any longer would've been rude."
"You don't care that they know?"
"Why would I?" He looked at her. "We're not doing anything wrong."
She walked over. Kissed him once more. Brief. "I should go. Check on my brother."
"Go." He squeezed her hand. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She left.
Advait sat there for a moment. Then there was another knock.
"Come in."
Ahmed stepped inside. Closed the door behind him.
"They're staying," Ahmed said.
"I know. They just told me."
"Good." Ahmed didn't sit. Just stood there. "They'll be useful. The military man especially. And the engineer."
"Agreed." Advait leaned back. "Give them tonight to settle. Tomorrow we'll begin proper orientation."
"Should I prep them on the routes? The supply points?"
"Not yet. Let them adjust first. Learn the facility. Meet the other runners." Advait paused. "Then we'll see what they're capable of."
Ahmed nodded. Started to leave.
"Umm... Advait."
He stopped. Turned.
"They asked about you," Ahmed said. "About why people follow your orders."
"What did you tell them?" Advait asked.
"That you've done good things. And dangerous things."
Advait smiled slightly. "Diplomatic."
"It's the truth." Ahmed's expression didn't change. "They'll learn the rest in time."
"And if they don't like what they learn?"
"Then they'll leave." Advait shrugged. "Or they'll adapt. Either way, it's their choice."
Ahmed nodded once more. Left.
Advait sat alone in his office. The TV still played its laugh track. The lights hummed overhead.
Outside, sixty people slept or worked or stood guard.
Inside, one man sat in the dark and planned for tomorrow.
For the runs. For the supplies. For survival.
For keeping his sanctuary running no matter the cost.
He reached for a folder on his desk. Flipped it open. Inside were maps. Routes. Notes in neat handwriting.
He studied them for a long time.
Then closed the folder.
Turned off the TV.
And went to bed.
Tomorrow would be a long day.