"No, that is just their heightened senses," Abbas simply dismissed and elaborated. "Their heightened senses explain the increased congregation of zombies. They're instinctively drawn to noise and movement in densely populated areas. It's not about organization, it's just survival behavior on a massive scale."
Sandeep frowned but nodded. "That could explain some of it, but we still saw abnormal patterns near the stairwell. They surged in larger waves than usual, almost like something was guiding them."
Advik Bhardwaj processed both points of view and raised his hand, silencing further debate. "Both possibilities are worth consideration. Whether it's instinct or something more, we need to stay prepared. For now, we'll assume that in high-traffic areas like universities, condominiums, the horde response will be faster and more aggressive than expected. For now we rest and conduct an operation in the future dates. The operation will be about us gathering as many resources as we can in order for us to be self-sufficient."
"Yes sir!"
"That will be all—dismissed!"
Advik Bhardwaj stood outside Priya's room at the Leela Palace Hotel, his mind racing with thoughts of everything that had transpired. He took a deep breath and knocked gently on the door. After a few moments, he heard footsteps approach, and the door opened to reveal Priya. She was dressed in clean clothes simple but comfortable, a far cry from the ragged and torn attire she had worn at the condominium complex.
"Advik?" Priya's voice was soft, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Hey."
"Hey," Advik Bhardwaj greeted, offering a small smile. "Mind if I come in? Just wanted to check on you."
"Of course, come in," Priya said, stepping aside and motioning for him to enter.
Advik Bhardwaj walked inside and took a brief glance around the room. It was spacious and well-furnished, with modern decor. The air conditioning hummed softly, keeping the room cool and refreshing. A tray with remnants of a meal, a lamb steak, mashed potatoes, and vegetables sat on a small table near the bed.
"Comfortable?" Advik Bhardwaj asked, turning back to her.
Priya nodded as she closed the door. "Yeah. It's... really nice. Honestly, it feels surreal after everything. The bed's soft, the hot showers work, and the air conditioning is a blessing. I did open the windows at first, but the smell outside…" She shuddered slightly. "It's awful. The air is thick, like death is clinging to it."
"I can imagine," Advik Bhardwaj said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "You've been through a lot. No one's expecting you to get used to things right away."
Priya walked over to the table and sat down, her eyes flicking toward the meal tray. "Even the food here is incredible. It tastes like something out of a five-star restaurant. I'm not used to eating like this."
Advik Bhardwaj chuckled lightly. "It should taste good. That's Vexus Roadhouse. We've got access to their kitchen and chefs. Figured we should eat well when we can."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Seriously? I thought it was just some fancy catering. No wonder it was so good."
He smiled but quickly grew serious. "I'm glad you're comfortable here, Priya. But I need to talk to you about what happened at the condominium complex. I need to know all."
Priya's expression darkened, and she sighed, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. "We... thought you were dead, Advik. This happened two days already. There were more and more zombies outside, and we started losing hope. The fear got to us. We thought if we stayed there, we'd just starve to death or get overwhelmed eventually. Some of us believed our only chance was to leave and look for other survivors."
Advik Bhardwaj's gaze softened as he listened. He had expected some form of this answer, but hearing it still hit him hard. "I get it. Fear does things to people. So you left... and then what happened?"
"We found a group," Priya said, her voice trembling slightly. "At first, we thought they were good people. They had weapons, supplies, and seemed organized. They promised us protection, said we'd be safe with them. But it wasn't long before we realized how wrong we were."
She paused, her hands tightening into fists onher lap. Advik Bhardwaj remained silent, giving her the space to continue.
"They were monsters," she said quietly. "They weren't like you or your team. They were just... men who thought they could control everything through fear and violence. They had rules. If you wanted protection, you had to obey. And forthe women... it meant something worse."
Advik Bhardwaj clenched his jaw. He didn't need her to elaborate. He had seen it with his own eyes during the rescue. The rage he had felt then began to resurface, but he kept his composure for Priya's sake.
"They... they told us that if we didn't comply, they'd throw us out," she continued, her voice cracking. "Bhoomi, one survivor she refused. She fought back when they tried to force her. They didn't care. They dragged her outside and locked the doors. We heard her screaming... and then it stopped."
Priya wiped at her eyes, her breath shuddering. "She didn't deserve that. None of us did."
Advik Bhardwaj took a step forward and knelt beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Priya. I'm sorry you had to go through that. If I'd gotten there sooner."
"No," she interrupted, shaking her head. "You did get there. You saved us. You saved me. If you hadn't come when you did..." She swallowed hard, her voice dropping to a whisper. "They would have done the same to me. I told them I'd rather be thrown outside like Bhoomi, but they didn't care. They were going to..."
Her words faltered, and she squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. Advik Bhardwaj's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, grounding her.
"You're safe now," he said firmly. "No one's going to hurt you here. Not on my watch."
Priya sniffled and nodded slowly. "Thank you. For everything. I thought I was going to die... or worse."
"You don't need to thank me," Advik Bhardwaj replied gently. "Just focus on healing. You've been through hell, but you're not alone anymore."