A Threat

"You sure you won't regret it?" Shine murmured as they sat side by side in the military truck, crammed in with other Awakened Meteor Survivors waiting to be transported to a facility for clearing. In the end, he chose not to participate yet in the ongoing clearing of Metro Doctors Hospital despite the detailed and tempting benefits he and his family would have.

 "Isn't it better if you join the hospital clearing? I'm sure being part of that so-called AMSO will be good for you."

Theo didn't answer right away. His thoughts were elsewhere - his sister, his mom... their safety came first.

'I just need to make sure my family is secure first," he finally said, his voice low. "I need to get them somewhere safer. Maybe back in the province. Less crowded, fewer chances for infection to spread."

"Hmm," Shine hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Cities are packed with too many people… things will get bad fast."

Theo nodded. The chaos he'd seen today was proof of that. The infection wasn't just some isolated problem; it was spreading - fast. He couldn't risk his family getting caught in it.

For now, AMSO could wait. His family couldn't.

"That's a nice plan, lad, but you're worrying too much. I trust the government will solve this issue. You see how they strongly barricaded the hospital. I'm sure the infection will stop there," an elderly man commented.

"You're wrong about that. The government can't be trusted, that's why I didn't join them," a young man spoke up, his tone firm. "Let's wait and observe first. Let's see what happens to those who volunteered to help the military. It's not like they have a deadline to enlist for AMSO anyway. If I see they really provide what they promised and protect the families of those who join, then maybe I'll reconsider."

Theo inwardly agreed, it was too early to trust the government. He couldn't shake off the feeling that they were hiding something - something they didn't want the public to know. After all, he had seen firsthand how those soldiers reacted earlier, trying to eliminate Meteor Survivors without a second thought.

Their orders were clear: eliminate anyone bitten or infected, and yet… they were too eager to label Meteor Survivors as potential threats. It didn't sit right with him. No… he couldn't put his faith in the government just yet. Not until he figured out the truth behind all of this.

"Many still joined, though. I think there's a total of ten of them who were left behind," a woman pointed out. Theo couldn't help but think about the female police officer, Lexa, who also chose to stay behind and assist the military. 'Would she be alright?'

"Anyway, let's keep in touch, Chubby. Give me your mobile number," Shine suddenly said, breaking Theo's thoughts as she handed her phone toward him.

Theo blinked, confused, but eventually took her phone and keyed in his number. "There."

Without asking, Shine snatched his phone in return and quickly saved her number on his contact list. Theo watched as she typed something and returned it with a smug grin.

His brow furrowed as he checked the contact name she saved for herself. "Wifey?" he blurted out, his face heating up.

"Yeah, got a problem with that?" Shine smirked, tilting her head mischievously. "I mean, it fits, doesn't it?"

Theo's face scrunched in disbelief. "Since when did you become my wife?"

"Since I decided I like you," she answered nonchalantly, popping a chip into her mouth. "And besides, it's easier to call me 'Wifey' than 'Shine.' See? It has a nice ring to it."

Theo stared at her, dumbfounded. 'What the hell did I get myself into?'

Thankfully, the truck came to a sudden halt, and a soldier's voice rang out. "We're here!"

Everyone was ushered out of the truck and led toward one of the military barracks. Standing in front were a group of people clad in white lab gowns, clearly medical personnel waiting for their arrival.

Theo recalled the Commander's earlier briefing. He mentioned that those who opted to leave would undergo a quick health assessment before being fully released. The Commander assured them it wouldn't take long, no more than an hour.

Following instructions like everyone else, Theo lined up for the check-up. The medical staff examined them physically and collected blood samples. Theo didn't make a fuss about it, although he couldn't shake off the lingering uneasiness gnawing at him.

After finishing his assessment, Theo stepped aside, joining the others who were already done. It was relatively quick, just as the Commander promised. However, what caught him off guard was what came next. Soldiers began distributing small brochures to each of them. The cover displayed bold letters:

"Awakened Meteor Survivor Order (AMSO) – A Call to Protect Humanity."

Theo furrowed his brows as he accepted one. He flipped it open and scanned through its contents. The first page listed an encouraging message about how Awakened Meteor Survivors were humanity's best hope in fighting the Meteorborn variants and its infections, stopping the infection from spreading.

"The government recognizes the value of your new abilities and wishes to provide you with a purpose. Join AMSO and become one of the protectors of humanity. In return, you and your immediate families will receive lifelong protection, elite status, and substantial financial support."

Theo let out a dry chuckle. 'So that's how they're doing it, huh?'

Flipping to the next page, it detailed the AMSO class rankings - from Class 5, the lowest, to Class 1, the highest. It highlighted that those who performed excellently and showed superior strength would have the opportunity to climb ranks and earn higher benefits.

But what made Theo freeze was the last page.

"Any Awakened Meteor Survivor who refuses to cooperate with AMSO but is found to possess dangerous abilities or may pose a threat to public safety will be placed under surveillance or may face possible containment for public security purposes."

Theo's stomach dropped. So that's their real plan. Those who refuse to join and seem too powerful… they'd detain them?

"This is messed up…" he muttered under his breath. His suspicion about the government deepened. They weren't just forming AMSO to protect humanity, they were also doing it to control the Awakened Meteor Survivors. Anyone who became too strong or uncooperative would be treated as a threat.