NAMRU II

After a relatively short journey, the ambulance carrying Arya finally stopped in front of a massive gate with the words Naval Medical Research Unit Two inscribed above it. Beside the inscription was a shield-shaped emblem displaying NAMRU-2. Below the emblem, two crossed flags—Indonesia's and America's—were prominently featured, with an image of the Indonesian archipelago beneath them. The phrase Jakarta-America was also written at the bottom, making it clear that this institution belonged to the United States.

The perimeter walls weren't particularly high, standing at around 2.5 meters. However, CCTV cameras were mounted at every corner, and the strict security measures ensured that unauthorized entry was nearly impossible.

Arya observed as the ambulance driver presented his identification card to the security officer at the entrance. The guard had already stepped out of his post upon noticing the approaching ambulance. His gaze briefly met Arya's before shifting away. A black walkie-talkie was clipped to the left side of his back, still in hand from a recent communication. After receiving a response, he immediately signaled for the ambulance to proceed.

The barricade was lifted, and the gate automatically opened. A second later, the ambulance driver gently pressed the gas, guiding the vehicle through the newly opened entrance.

"Saya kira NAMRU sudah ditutup?" Fadli blurted out, not directing his words at anyone in particular.

***

The silence in the Presidential Office was abruptly shattered by the sound of knocking on the door. Without much thought, the President granted permission for the person outside to enter. 

With hesitation, the individual stepped in, stopping just a few centimeters from the door. It was then that the figure who had knocked became visible—a young man, 29 years old, dressed in a black suit with a neatly cropped haircut. A black tie complemented his white shirt, and a faintly visible white earpiece trailed behind his right ear. 

His eyes locked onto the President, who sat behind his desk, focused on several documents with a pen in his right hand.

"Pak, infeksi sudah menjalar sampai Sumatra."

The shock on his face seemed to express the words he wanted to say. Slowly, the President placed his pen down and walked toward the man, circling the presidential desk to get even closer. When the distance between them was no more than 10 cm, the President leaned in, bringing his lips right next to the man's right ear, and whispered. "Percepat penelitian. Apapun caranya, apapun resikonya, wabah ini harus segera dihentikan!"

***

Arya and Fadli were asked to step out after the vehicle they were in came to a stop in front of a large building with glass-dominated walls, marked with the letters BL3 (Laboratory). They were immediately greeted by five individuals dressed in full white protective suits, who gently helped them onto ambulance stretchers they had brought along.

Without any resistance, Arya and Fadli obeyed every instruction. They lay down in silence as the five personnel swiftly pushed their stretchers into the facility. They passed through several hallways, eventually arriving at an elevator. The doors slid open, and they were wheeled inside.

Upon reaching their destination, the elevator stopped, and the doors parted. Without hesitation, the team maneuvered Arya and Fadli's stretchers through another series of corridors. Arya was the first to exit the elevator, followed closely by Fadli. A few meters later, Arya's stretcher came to a halt in front of a room, while Fadli continued onward with three of the personnel pushing him further down the hallway.

Arya looked around, filled with silent questions, but neither of the two remaining personnel said a word. Despite the growing uncertainty in his heart, he remained compliant as they wheeled him into the room.

Once inside, a syringe was swiftly injected into Arya's left arm. Within seconds, his consciousness began to fade—slowly at first, then rapidly—until everything went completely dark.

In the dimly lit room, a man in a white hazmat suit stared at his colleague. His voice was flat, almost devoid of emotion.

"Kita mulai?"

His colleague, a woman with sharp eyes behind her protective visor, gave a slight nod. "Pastikan dia benar-benar tidak sadar." she said while adjusting her gloves.

The man glanced at the monitor beside Arya's bed. His heartbeat was stable, though slightly slowed due to the drug that had just been administered.

"Obat penenang bekerja dengan baik," the man said. "Tapi kita harus cepat. Tidak ada jaminan efeknya bertahan lama."

The woman took a deep breath, then picked up a syringe filled with a clear liquid from the tray nearby. "Kalau begitu, kita mulai sekarang." []