A Refuge

Zane's breath caught as the officers didn't make a move, their guns still trained on him. He tried to keep his cool, but every second stretched longer than the last. The longer he stood there, the more the silence seemed to press in on him. His mind raced, and despite the calm exterior, he felt a sharp unease.

"Guess I wasn't the first one to get a little creative today," Zane muttered, trying to crack a joke to deflect the tension, though the dry humor didn't quite reach his eyes. He kept his hands raised slightly, a silent offer of peace, but the officers remained motionless, their eyes cold, calculating.

He glanced at Kade, seeking some reassurance, but the look in Kade's eyes was full of the same wariness he felt himself. Kade didn't speak, but his stance was guarded, his hands flexing by his side, ready to react if needed.

The silence stretched on. Zane's breathing sounded too loud, reverberating in the stillness. This was real. The world was upside down, and all the normal rules had vanished. In the space of just a few moments, everything he had ever known had been thrown into chaos.

Finally, the stillness was broken. A deep voice cut through the silence, coming from somewhere inside the building.

"Put the weapons down," the voice said, calm and measured, but carrying an authority that immediately made Zane's muscles tense.

The officers hesitated for only a moment before they lowered their guns, though their eyes remained fixed on the group outside. Zane let out a long, quiet breath in relief, his chest unburdening just slightly.

A man in his mid-forties, tall and broad-shouldered, stepped into view from behind the barricade, his eyes scanning the group. He was dressed in a police uniform, though it was worn and slightly askew from the chaos that had engulfed the city. The officer had a grizzled look about him, his face lined with the kind of stress that only months of struggle could etch into someone. His nameplate read Sergeant Ward.

"Who are you?" Sergeant Ward asked, his voice firm but not unfriendly, giving Zane and the others a once-over. He paused, noting their unease but still keeping his distance. "What's your business here?"

Zane stepped forward, making sure his hands remained visible and his movements slow. "I'm Zane. This is Kade, and that's my mom, Evelyn. We were hoping to find some answers… maybe find my father. I think he should be here, somewhere," Zane said, though his voice faltered slightly as he thought about the chaos around them. "We saw what happened here, and we're trying to survive, just like everyone else."

Sergeant Ward studied them for a moment before nodding, his jaw tight. "Your father? And you said you're here for answers?" His gaze shifted to the chaos surrounding the police station, the barricades, the wreckage. "What happened here... it's not something anyone can prepare for."

He paused for a long moment before adding, "Alright, I'll talk to you. But you need to meet us at the back door. We don't let anyone inside unless they're already cleared. We'll get you through, but things have gotten... complicated. Stick close."

Zane felt a sense of cautious hope, the tension in his body easing slightly. Kade nodded, signaling for the group to follow Sergeant Ward. Evelyn, still shaken but composed, kept close to Zane's side as they made their way to the back of the building.

As they turned the corner, the back door to the police station came into view. The door was heavy, reinforced, and slightly ajar. The place was much quieter back here, and Zane noticed that the officers at the back seemed far more relaxed, though their eyes still scanned the surrounding streets with caution.

Sergeant Ward led them inside, and the cold, sterile air hit them as they crossed the threshold. "You're not the first people to find shelter here, but you're the first ones to get this far. We're keeping things under control... for now," he said, voice lowering as if trying to keep the weight of it from his words.

Zane took in the dimly lit interior. It didn't look like much. Just an ordinary police station that had been hastily transformed into a temporary fortress. As they walked through, the scent of stale air mixed with a hint of something metallic, almost like old blood.

"Where are they?" Zane asked, his voice tight. "My dad... Elara, Kade's mom... we need to find them. They could be here."

Sergeant Ward led them through a narrow corridor, past the remnants of police desks and abandoned equipment, until they arrived at a hidden, reinforced door. "Downstairs," Ward said, nodding to the door. "We keep the survivors there. It's safer than being upstairs, especially with the situation outside."

Zane's heart hammered in his chest. Could they finally find his father? Kade's Mother ? Were they still alive? The door opened with a low groan, and Sergeant Ward led them down a long flight of stairs. The air was cooler down here, and the atmosphere felt even more oppressive. The faint hum of voices carried up the stairs.

They descended into the underground part of the station, where Kade's eyes were met with the sight of several people huddled together, looking worn and tired. Among them, he saw familiar faces. There, standing in the corner, was his mother, Elara. She looked up as they entered, her face lighting up in a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"Elara!" Zane's voice cracked as he rushed toward her. His mother opened her arms, and he embraced her, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

Zane stood still for a moment, watching the reunion. It was almost surreal, seeing Kade reunited with his mother. His thoughts shifted to his own father. Where was he? What had happened to him?

Sergeant Ward gave them a moment before speaking again. "We have supplies, food, water, and a place to stay. But this... it's only temporary. We're trying to figure out what comes next." He turned his eyes to the group. "You're safe here, for now."

The silence hung heavy in the air, the unspoken question still lingering: What came next?