Chapter Text
The only sound that could be heard in the whole block was the low thumping of Castiel’s hammer on the window planks. He wanted to make sure that the clinic was securely locked down before he left for Rowe’s Quarantine Zone.
Doctors were always needed, he was sure he would be let in no matter their previous history. The fresh grave in the clinic’s small backyard was a constant reminder that he needed to do this. There was nothing left in this clinic that stopped him now.
After checking every window and making sure his bag was secured on his back he started walking down the block. He didn’t have any weapons but he was sure this area was clear of infected. Castiel hadn’t seen any walking around in weeks.
It had been five years since the world had come to an end. The virus had spread throughout the continents and taken over the world. No one knew where it had come from or who had created it but it had spread uncontrollably throughout cities and urban areas all around the world.
The first couple of years had been the hardest. No one knew what was going on or how to fight the infection, and yet Castiel had been successful in convincing Meg and Lee, two of the nurses he worked with, to stay and help him care for the few patients abandoned in the clinic. In the end, that decision had saved their lives. They had their own small vegetable garden and an unimaginable amount of canned food they had secretly taken from the food pantry next door.
It had worked well until General Rowe’s soldiers had come for them.
-
Castiel slowly worked with Mildred on her physical therapy when Meg barged in the room. She looked excited, so Castiel wasn’t instantly worried.
“They are here!” She said, her brown eyes large with happiness like Castiel hadn't seen in years.
“Who is here, darling?” Mildred asked from her bed, her soft voice tired from the soft workout they’d been doing.
“The military! They are here to save us! Finally!” Meg had always had the hope that the government or the military would come for them if they lasted long enough. Castiel hadn’t held much hope for either but apparently he had been proven wrong. After months of no communication with anyone with authority, who could blame him for thinking they’d been abandoned?
Meg hurried out of the room, Castiel could hear her talking to Lee and the other patients. He turned to Mildred and helped her sit up in the bed.
“Do you want to accompany me to the lobby?” Castiel asked her.
“I am too old for all this excitement, Dr. Novak. You go and tell me what they say afterwards. I’ll take a nap while you young ones hash out the details.”
“Of course.” He helped her get comfortable and turned off the few candles he’d been using before leaving the room.
He made his way to the clinic’s small lobby, where the door’s wooden covers they’d used as protection had been removed and five men in military gear stood. Meg was standing there with Daniel and Fred sitting on their wheelchairs.
“My name is Captain Caleb Fells. By orders of General Raphael Rowe we’ve come to take you to the Quarantine Zone.” Castiel could see around a dozen more soldiers in a military convoy outside. None of them looked friendly or official.
“Who is General Rowe?” Castiel asked them before anyone else could agree or disagree with them. “Does he work for the Government?”
“General Rowe is in charge of everyone at the Quarantine Zone. She has requested we pick up every able bodied person and bring them into the Quarantine Zone where they will be given a job to help bring back society.”
‘That’s a no, then.’ Castiel thought.
“We’ll go!” Meg answered without hesitating, and pulled on Lee’s arm. “Right?”
The man nodded at the same time Castiel turned to look at her.“Meg, wait!” She had been telling him for weeks that she wanted to leave the clinic, but Castiel didn’t want to leave Mildred, Daniel and Fred, their geriatric patients, behind.
“What Clearance? We've been stuck in this fucking clinic for years. We’re leaving with them whether you want to join us or not.” She took Lee by the arm and walked towards the soldiers. They nodded at them and let them through.
“Nurses and Doctors are always welcome. Your work is essential to our community’s survival.” Captain Fells smiled, pleased with Meg and Lee’s decision to go with them. “Doctor Novak, can we expect the same cooperation from you?”
“I can only accept your ‘generous’ offer if the patients at the clinic can come with us.” Castiel had the feeling that these soldiers had no intention of taking three geriatric patients that needed around the clock care. “Otherwise, I will stay here until I am no longer needed.”
“Are they able bodied?” Captain Fells clearly knew the answer to that question and Castiel instantly knew he was not going.
“They are geriatric patients in need of constant care.” Castiel explained, letting them infer an answer on their own. “This was a hospice clinic, before.”
“Unfortunately we can only take with us people that are able to contribute to life within the Quarantine Zone.” The mood in the room turned from hopeful to dejected in a second.
“You don’t mean to leave us behind?” Fred asked, he did his best to push his wheelchair a few inches forward. “That’s inhuman.”
“I’m sorry but General Rowe has very strict rules. Only able bodied individuals are accepted into the QZ.” Captain Fells said coldly.
“Then I regret to inform you that I will stay with my patients until they no longer need me.” Castiel tried to keep his voice from trembling in fear. These soldiers were following the orders of an unknown general and he had no idea what they were capable of doing. The soldiers walked to stand behind Fred and Daniel.
“If these gentlemen are stopping you from coming with us then we shall get the obstacles out of the way.” He gave a subtle signal to one of his men and the soldier didn’t hesitate to unholster his gun and shoot Fred in the back of his head.
Before he could even scream at the man to stop, Castiel felt warm blood splatter on his scrubs and face. He heard Meg scream from the other side of the room, and turned to see her hide her face on Lee’s chest.
The soldier moved to stand behind Daniel, who turned to look at Captain Fells and pleaded with him. “Wait! You don’t need to shoot me. I can work! I can work! Please!” The older man did his best to stand but he struggled to even move his feet off the footplates of his own wheelchair.
Castiel didn’t even hear the second gunshot over the ringing in his ears. He stared, wide eyed at the two men he’d spent the last two years taking care of. Men he’d come to care for and look up to. These so called ‘soldiers’ had come in here and killed his family.
“Now that that has been taken care of, please make sure you bring all your medical supplies with you. My soldiers will help you pack—-“
“No.” Castiel interrupted Captain Fells coldly.
“Excuse me?” The captain asked.
“I said no.” Castiel repeated. “You think you can come in here, kill my patients and ask me to join you?” It was probably a bad idea to refuse whatever these armed men wanted him to do, but he would never join a group that killed innocent people in cold blood. “You must be out of your mind.”
“Once we take everything in this clinic that might be even remotely useful, there will be nothing left for you here. You will come with us.” Captain Fells threatened.
“There is nothing you can do or say that will make me agree to go with you. We were almost out of food and we only had a few boxes of bandages left. Feel free to take them and leave.” Castiel hoped he didn’t look or sound as scared as he was really feeling.
“You cannot expect me to believe—“
“It’s true.” This time it was Lee who interrupted the Captain. He was standing with the soldiers, eyes wide with horror, holding Meg in his arms. “We were getting ready to go out looking for supplies. And the medicine ran out months ago.” He knew Castiel was lying. They had enough food to feed an army and medicine to last them for years. He wasn’t sure why Lee was helping him now, but he was grateful.
“Is that so?” Captain Fells, for some reason believed Lee. “Then there is nothing keeping you here, Doctor. If you please?” He motioned for everyone to leave the clinic, including Castiel.
“I’m not leaving.” Castiel repeated. It was probably not a great idea to deny the soldiers with guns that had just killed two men in cold blood, but he really did not want to go with them, and Mildred was still sleeping in the other room.
“Listen here Doctor—“
“You don’t need him.” Meg was the one who interrupted the Captain this time. “He’s a drug addict who can’t even clean a cut or set a bone correctly. Why do you think we don’t have any more of the good drugs?”
“Is that so?” Captain Fells turned to look at Meg, who did something with her body that reminded Castiel of that time she tried to invite him into her bed.
“It is.” She insisted.
“Mmm” Captain Fells stared at her for a few seconds before returning his gaze to Castiel. He was grateful that he’d decided not to shave in the past few days and his hair was always disheveled. His dirty clothes helped too, making it easy for Captain Fells to believe Meg. “Very well. Don’t say we didn’t give you a chance to join us.”
*
Castiel had never understood how people could be so cruel, killing innocents in cold blood. He hadn't left with them then, or any of the other times they’d come looking for him. He’d stayed with Mildred and enjoyed a very peaceful existence.
The infected rarely came close to their little safe haven and they never ran out of food or medicine. With Castiel’s gardening and Mildred’s low appetite they’d made what they had last.
However, the elderly woman had peacefully passed away a few weeks ago and it was finally time for Castiel to move on. QZ seemed to be the only large, safe area around there. So he could either drive around looking for other people, live by himself in the clinic, or join General Rowe’s QZ. Even thinking about joining someone like General Rowe made his stomach churn with disgust, but it was a better option than taking his chances with unknown groups of people.
Strangely enough soldiers had not been around for their usual visit, so he’d decided to adventure out of the clinic and look for them. Before he left, he made sure to prepare the clinic’s pick up truck with gasoline, food and water. He had decided to keep it hidden and ready in case the QZ proved to be too dangerous to live in.
Having the truck as a backup plan made him feel better as he got ready to walk to the QZ. Once he was sure that everything was secure and well hidden he climbed the garden’s fence and stepped into the outside world. He had a long walk ahead of him.