Unsatisfied as Bucky was, he had to agree to that truce. crimson was right, this is not the time to have conflict, when they have so less of it. Besides, his family was at stake here. If he can save his sister because of this, then he would gladly come to a compromise with this bastard.
"Okay, I'll agree to the truce," Bucky's men were dissatisfied with it as well. However, they were ready to die before coming here, so, they believed their lieutenant made the right choice. saving innocents takes priority over gunning down the guilty.
"Good. then-"
"But , I'll need to see the people inside first."
Crimson needed that Bunker code and Bucky seems to realize that. Neither of them trusted each other anymore than they have to, and Bucky wasn't ready to give away his code that easily. He can't escape without his family and Crimson can't either without his consent. so they were in a deadlock they both agreed on - a truce where both sides held equal cards.
Unless both of them honor their word, they'll die here anyway.
"Alright. we have everyone gathered at the main hall."
Bucky was adamant on this before they proceed, so Crimson agreed. Not long after that Bucky was brought theain hall. And just as he expected, the people were surrounded by the wanderers. Even at that distance, these awakened could cause kill more in a second than it takes a monster.
And the reason? These individuals were trained to kill. Bucky could sense that.
These are no ordinary group of wanderers.
However, most importantly, Bucky scanned the crowd for his sister. It was surely a large group of people, doctors in white collars and injured soldiers in matte-gray combat suit streaked with blood and bandages, clung to their frame like a second skin. The armored vest on their chest bore the faded crest of theur unit. His redhead sister stood out in a wheelchair handled by a soldier. He was relieved to see that.
"Now that you've seen this, can we proceed next to the bunker. You know, we need it open sooner to get out. And don't feed me any bullshit to wait for every civilian to cross, okay?"
Crimson could vaguely gues what they would do once they get out, fight once more with their fewer survivors. As much as he would love conflict, even Crimson didn't want to waste anymore manpower on this poinless fight.
He was wrong, though. Bucky was loyal to his people, but not as much as he thought. After seeing Scarlett, who was still unconscious. His first priority was to get her out with him.
"Alright. I'll open the bunkers, you get everyone here out to the site, some of my men will go back and gather the ones still there in the quarters."
More than half of them were killed by you, anyway. He swallowed those words.
Crimson nodded and they begM moving everyone outside the hall.
Everything was in place, in a few minutes, the bunker would be open and they will get out. Hope was not so far from the reach. And everyone in the infirmary seemed happy at knowing that. However, what most of them failed to realise is that, neither Crimson and nor Bucky didn't give two sh*t about the survival of civilians. Both of them had their own agenda. Bucky needed to keep appearance to maintain power over his troops and Crimson, his teammates.
As long as the people important to them, survives, nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, among those held hostage, Kai was assesing the situation.
Now, everything was in place, the army guys just needed to open the bunker and all the people will be able to get outside.
But... Fate never rolled that easily in his favour.
Just as things seemed hopeful, something happened - a wave of blast came through the first floor.
A small tap of footsteps followed, a second later each sound, through the main entrance of area four.
In the control room, Valer was typing away on the keyboard over the digital screen furiously. Her focus half concerned over the camera footage on her left.
'shit, they're close. I need to hurry up.'
Every second they wasted here, the monsters with plague got closer. Their horrid features shift from the hairless head to tailbone visible on their back. Fangs sharper than hounds, salivating for their next victim. Their white, colourless, dead eyes entering through the destroyed entrance.
By then everyone will die.
'Dammit,' Valer had to make a crucial choice at that moment.
She was aware of what was happening in the main hall and the truce they were coming to, and she realised what others in there didn't.
'The people on the quarters, like William and family were their least priority right now,' she thought.
And she came here to prevent just that.
The screen flashed a messege.
[Admin access: Granted...
Overriding lockdown protocol... Successfull.
Would you like to proceed?]
"Yes," she exclaimed in relief. "I need to get out of here now."
She quickly began walking out of the room and Koul who was watching all that and stood there frozen stiff until she was out of sight.
Crimson was one of the screens. He was glancing at one of the cameras, wondering how his side was doing but Koul didn't know what to report him.
'If that girl does something to get in his way, this will turn into a bigger problem. Boss will have my head for this.'
***
There were quite many things happening so suddenly all around him. But Kai was sure process it later when he gets to that safer place.
By observing as a hostage among the mob, he was witnessing a truce taking place between the lieutenant Bucky and Crimson the scorcher.
Now, both of these men would never be the kind to agree on something, seeing they live on different principle ls, but when the question is survival, everyone does.
"He what's happening?" A voice echoes on the crowd, followed by some more.
"Now attention please, until the truce holds some of you will be held hostage by our custom made bombs which only I have access to. Only to make sure your superiors won't get any funny ideas."
'now, I see,' Kai thought.
While Crimson agreed to hurt no one until he gets out, but he needed backup to make sure Bucky delivers on his promise.
And Bucky likely agreed to compromise on this. ' He's probably thinking sacrificing a few to save the many'.
"Now only select few of you will be strapped to bombs while leaving others as price of our cooperation."
While Kai had no problem with that as long as he got out, he had one as soon as he was among those 'select few'.
"You. Come here." One of Crimson's men ordered him.
Kai did wear a hood to hide his face, it doesn't guarantee his safety.
'I'll be caught if they recognise me.'
I mean, of course they will. He was their primary target.
With fear gnawing at his thoughts, he stepped in. But surprisingly, no one recognised him. Not even Crimson didn't, when he got in front of him and got some C4 decorations on his neck.
What's happening? Why isn't he recognising me?
"Now, do me a favour, and keep these toys in my sight," Crimson said to Kai. "And everyone will get their happy ever after, okay?"
Kai didn't know what was happening, and this was the first time he was actually face to face with Crimson. Speechless, he nodded.
"Good, now shall we move out lieutenant?" Crimson said, smiling.
"Yes." All Bucky cared right then was how his sister not being among these select few. Now he only has one less thing to worry about.
Did you do something?
It was the only possible explanation. Since Kai did not have his powers now, there is no way Crimson's group would sense him, but his face was still on their hit list. Daksha was still a magical beast, maybe he did something, like casting an illusion to unrcognise his face.
Daksha did this many times in the past, but it will drain a lot of the beast's energy, making him vulnerable during a fight. And since, he was always with him and dangerous situations, Kai made a note to not use it too much.
'he is probably around me.' and since it's not easy to detect a magical beast by the awakened. They are both safe for now.
"We will open the bunkers and get everyone out." Bucky said, announcing to the crowd. "We have get everyone in the quarters too."
"Wait, now..." Crimson interrupted, his smile fading, "we don't have time enough wait for everyone. I suggest you get to opening the bunker while rest of your crew gathers the civilians."
"...Right."
That works for Bucky as well, seeing his sister unconscious below on the corner of his eye. To the members below, they saw an exchange where leaders were getting upper hand but on the inside...
While holding a facade of truce, both of these men were just waiting to snap the other guy's neck.
And ironically, the neck stuck between them, was Kai's.
'Yeah, I'm getting tired of asking this question again, but, Why Me?"
===