[A/N: Hello everyone.
Here's Ron's perspective on what he experienced this Friday afternoon.
I really enjoyed this chapter, and it even made me feel very sad when I wrote it.
Comment or donate power stones.]
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Friday, November 20, 2026, on the outskirts of the city.
Farther southwestern from the city, there was a private villa under development that was just a few weeks away from its grand opening and sales. However, a week ago, a wealthy man purchased an entire section of the villa in advance.
Since that purchase, the man, along with some of his employees, began modifying this section of the villa, improving its security. He also began purchasing a large amount of food, setting up some of the houses in this private villa as storage facilities.
At the same time, he stocked up on many other supplies, such as medicine, weapons, clothing, and other items. Many of the men working for him didn't know why their boss was doing this, but they were very grateful for the opportunity to live in one of those luxurious homes, and for the extra pay he was giving them.
They spent almost a week modifying the houses, purchasing things, and even adding several modified vehicles to their collection. The workers grew increasingly confused.
One day, they heard terrible news.
A group of people in a park on the outskirts of the city had been attacked by gang members, so the military, who had set up camp in the nearby stadium, had to intervene. However, their boss, Ron, began to speed up all the preparations, to the point of frightening them.
Everyone feared their boss, but soon they noticed why their boss was doing all these things. They saw the reports on the news, and some of them even noticed the changes in the city.
Now, with everyone's efforts and a common purpose, what was missing was quickly completed, and the only thing left was to survive whatever came for them. However, just as the chaos was erupting, trouble arose.
Ron's daughter, on a whim, decided to attend an event at her school, despite her father's warnings.
Ron thought the presence of his men would be enough to protect his daughter, but as afternoon approached, things began to turn very chaotic. The city's roads were blocked, and the military began to mobilize under the guise of suppressing the violent protests, but several soldiers guarded the city's exits.
On the news, reports appeared from different parts of the country, and the rest of the world, depicting situations like what the city was experiencing. Protests, military deployments, and even, in some cases, explosions and fires.
"Answer! Answer!", Ron said urgently as he heard the ringtone on his phone.
At noon, Emily had called him informing him that everything was normal and that the 4 p.m. event would still take place. His men, on the other hand, reported strange movements by the police and an odd atmosphere at the school.
The police, along with other emergency services, had been responding to countless calls from all over the city. Sirens could be heard constantly from Emily's school.
"That girl is hopeless!", Ron shouted angrily.
Two hours had passed since the supposed start of the event, but since his men's last call at 4:30 p.m., he hadn't had any further information about his daughter. He had considered going after her himself, but decided against it, seeing how congested the streets were.
Ron was completely scared, and all he wanted was to hear his daughter's voice. He deeply regretted allowing her to go to that event, knowing that Alex had warned her many times about the dangers that lay ahead.
"Alex, how did you know it would all start today?", Ron wondered worriedly.
Alex had come to him a few weeks ago seeking a favor. Ron, who had tried to recruit him as a driver for his business several times, held him in high regard as a professional, so he agreed to his request without much hesitation. If he didn't ask for things that could ruin his life, he would agree to the right price.
At that moment, Alex asked him for medicine in large quantities and even weapons, surprising Ron. "Why does he want these things?", Ron wondered.
Alex, trying to explain, told Ron something he didn't fully believe at the time. Ron told him, "A virus worse than the last pandemic is coming." Ron, incredulous, only gave him some advice and warnings about what he was doing.
However, Alex sounded desperate to get those things, so he decided to accept, but only on the condition that he visited him that same day for Emily's birthday. To which Alex agreed without argument.
After that call, Ron called a contact of his just to verify information about this supposedly new virus. His contact, who worked as a liquor smuggler, informed him that some large countries were mobilizing their armies. He recommended that he stay away from essential goods and, if possible, stay away from large cities.
Ron was shocked; this information confirmed what Alex had told him, which made him very worried. To confirm with other people, he called a corrupt police officer who worked in another city. However, the information he received was the same: staying away from large cities.
That afternoon, Alex arrived at his house after his request to be a companion for his daughter. When she saw him, she noticed that he was very distant and a little cautious. His outward demeanor seemed shy, but his eyes showed that he was thinking about other things, things that terrified him.
His demeanor remained that way while Ron showed him around his home and introduced him to his guests, but suddenly, Alex began to worsen. Only Ron realized Alex's state at the time. Ron watched as Alex looked around the party, his expression growing increasingly frightened.
When Emily appeared and began questioning him about his companion, Alex snapped out of his trance, though he still seemed shaken by what he had imagined. Later, they had a conversation in which Alex explained his concerns in more detail about what he thought would happen.
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[A/N: This story will be developed a little more in Emily's spin-off.]
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This confirmation, coupled with the information Ron had gathered previously, led them both to believe everything would be fine, and they decided to continue with the preparations. Ron would help him obtain some materials, and Alex would advise him on what steps he should take.
Ron, with the assistance of his friends and workers, was able to organize the villa they were in, following Alex's advice. He also prepared several cottages in case he needed to flee with his family. Like Alex and his friend David, he stockpiled a large number of supplies in different locations inside and outside the city.
Everything was prepared, but fate had a surprise in store.
Ring, ring… Ring, ring, ring.
"How are you? How's Emily feeling?", Ron quickly asked, answering the call from one of the men he'd sent with Emily.
"Sir… we have a… problem", the man replied, gasping for air. "Most of the city streets are blocked off, and we had to stay at the school with the young lady. However, those creatures Alex mentioned have already appeared, and there are some in the school attacking people", he commented as he tried to catch his breath.
"Bloody hell!", Ron shouted angrily. "Have you been bitten?", he asked in anguish.
"No, sir", the man replied, shaking his head. "However, the situation is getting complicated. With the streets impassable, we can only stay here, but more of those creatures appear at the school every minute. I recommend we stay here, but leave by dawn", the man suggested doubtfully. "Will they be able to hold out?", Ron asked, worried.
"I don't know, sir", the man replied, truthfully.
"I'll try to go and rescue them", Ron told the man. "If necessary, I'll pay the soldiers to accompany me", he added angrily.
Ron headed quickly toward the city center, but when he reached his usual route, he saw a group of vehicles blocking the way, and further ahead, a group of soldiers stopping anyone who approached.
The only way he had left to access the city center was to take a detour that would waste more time, but since that was the only alternative, he and his team decided to take another route.
As they reached a new military checkpoint, Ron felt himself plunged into despair. Without thinking, he began to swear at the soldiers monitoring the road. By the time he calmed down, it was too late to convince them that he needed to rescue his daughter.
He quickly tried to find another entrance to the city, but the situation was the same. This time, he sought a more diplomatic approach, but the soldiers' orders were strict, and none of the offers Ron presented managed to persuade them to let him through.
Night was beginning to fall, and every flicker of light that faded on the horizon represented a piece of Ron's hope fading. He continued trying to contact them, but the lines were jammed; even some media outlets had interrupted their programming and only broadcast an announcement about the curfew.
Circumstances had worsened, and Ron was in a state of distress. The most discouraging thing was that fate would continue to torture him.
Ring, ring… Ring, ring, ring.
"What happened? Did you get out?", Ron asked anxiously as he answered the call from the man he'd sent to protect his daughter.
"We couldn't get out, sir... I'm so sorry about this", the man replied in a subdued tone.
"What's wrong? How's Emily?", Ron asked, noticing the man was behaving strangely.
"The young lady is fine... Tony's looking after her", he replied, his voice becoming labored.
"And you? Why do you sound like that? Were you bitten?", Ron asked sadly.
"Yes, sir... I'm afraid I won't be able to continue working for you", he replied, holding back a seemingly imminent cry.
"Hang in there... I'll get a doctor to help you", Ron said, feeling a lump in his throat.
"Sir, we both know Alex warned you there's no cure for this... I feel like I don't have much time left... Sniff", he expressed with palpable resignation.
"But... There must be some way to save you", Ron insisted, though he was also beginning to doubt his own words.
"Ron", the man said in a serious tone, which surprised Ron, as it was the first time he had ever used his name. "I need you to look after my son... That's all I ask", the man begged, desperately holding back tears.
"Sniff... I will, believe me!", Ron replied resolutely.
"Rony loves chocolate... however, whenever he consumes too much of it, it upsets his stomach... He aspires to become a teacher in the future... but he also has a desire to be a pilot and a firefighter... I hope you will assist him in achieving those goals..." the man expressed, deeply moved by the moments he would miss with his son. "Although I realize that, with the current changes, it may not be feasible", he added, his voice filled with anguish.
"I'll take care of it", Ron replied determinedly as his hand turned pale.
"Rony is very stubborn… He got that from his mother… even though she says she got it from me… hahaha", the man laughed, trying to feel some calm during the disaster. "You must be very strict with him… Only then will he be a great man in the future… Tell him it's his duty to protect his mother… He's the man of the house now… Please tell him his father loves him very much, and that he's now with the rest of the heroes who protect people… Tell him I'm sorry to leave him alone… but I know he's strong enough to protect himself and his mother…" the man said, crying, as a gun being loaded sounded in the background.
A couple of clicks and a few bangs sounded near the man. The desperate tone of his voice showed that he was in a desperate situation and didn't have much time left.
"I'll tell him everything you told me… He'll know his father is a hero… And I'll try to make him a great man just like you", Ron said through tears as he listened to the scratches, grunts, and thuds in the background.
"Boss, did you know he owes me a holiday?", the man suddenly asked. "Looks like I'm going on a long holiday now…" he said without waiting for a reply.
Bang! … Smack.
The phone was still ringing, and Ron heard everything clearly. In the background, the scratches, grunts, and thuds could still be heard, and now they could hear a few people desperately approaching the source of the sound.
"He died", Ron muttered, holding the phone to his ear, staring into space.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Thank you all for reading.
I hope I made you feel the same way I did when I wrote it.
Emily's perspective will be developed in her spin-off.
This will be the first of several chapters where I'll show some of the characters' perspectives in the story.
Comment if you liked it.
Read my other novel called Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.
You can find it on my profile.]