The World Ends In 27 Days

"Behind the inner barrier," Jingwei replied, turning toward Hanchuan. "But they haven’t opened the gate yet. Give the work we put into this place a chance to do its job."

He hadn’t meant the last part to sound defensive.

Unfortunately, watching strangers take a tool to something he had secured brought out a surprisingly personal kind of resentment.

Hanchuan looked at him for a moment before returning his attention to the screen.

"Then tell me when that changes," Hanchuan instructed. He lowered the rifle slightly, although nothing about his expression suggested he intended to put it down.

Jingwei set his own weapon beside the controls and enlarged the feed. Outside, the soldier working on the gate stopped long enough to inspect what he had accomplished. His companion bent beside him, then looked back at their captain.

The gate remained closed, and Jingwei would have enjoyed that more if they hadn’t immediately gone back to work.

"Shichen, stay here and watch the other cameras," Jingwei instructed, picking up his rifle again. "I’m checking the entrance from our side."

"I’ll come with you," Hanchuan replied, already turning toward the corridor.

Jingwei didn’t argue. He glanced at Zeyu instead, finding his friend staring at the screen with the same fixed attention he had given Zhiyi’s bed.

"Check on Qinghe," Jingwei told him. "Tell him what’s happening before he hears something and comes looking for us."

Zeyu nodded, visibly relieved to have something to do.

As he moved away, Jingwei caught the way his hand tightened around the weapon he carried.

None of them had looked particularly young before today. Now Jingwei couldn’t stop noticing how little experience they had with any of this.

He led Hanchuan toward the inner entrance, their footsteps sounding too loud in the corridor.

The shelter continued humming around them. Someone had left a light on in an empty room, and a pair of shoes stood neatly beside a doorway.

Jingwei found himself irritated by how ordinary everything looked. Armed men were trying to break into their home, and apparently the lights intended to carry on as usual.

At the inner barrier, he stopped and checked that it had closed properly. He had watched the confirmation appear on the screen himself, but his hand still went to the door.

Hanchuan waited beside him without commenting.

"They’re going to realize this won’t be quick," Jingwei muttered, more to himself than his friend. "They came to collect a patient. They didn’t come prepared to take apart a shelter."

"They can send for more equipment," Hanchuan replied. His gaze settled on the door beneath Jingwei’s hand. "Don’t confuse being delayed with giving up."

Jingwei let his arm fall. He knew that, although he would have appreciated being allowed to enjoy the delay for another few seconds.

Before he could answer, Shichen called through his phone.

"They’ve stopped cutting," Shichen reported, his voice tight enough to keep Jingwei from feeling relieved. "The captain wants to speak with Hanchuan."

Hanchuan held out his hand and Jingwei gave him the phone. He remained close enough to hear when Shichen connected them to the entrance.

"Mr. Pei, you’re making this unnecessarily difficult," Captain Du announced. Irritation had replaced the professional courtesy he had arrived with. "We have medical personnel waiting in this heat."

"Then put them back in their vehicle," Hanchuan replied. He spoke without raising his voice, looking at the closed barrier as though the captain stood on the other side of it.

Jingwei pressed his lips together. Under different circumstances, he might have laughed. The captain had brought people onto their property and somehow decided Hanchuan was responsible for their discomfort.

"Allow the doctor to examine her," Captain Du insisted. "You can be present throughout. Nobody needs to get hurt over a medical assessment."

Hanchuan’s expression changed at the final sentence. Jingwei stepped closer, suddenly conscious of the rifle resting against his friend’s body.

"Your men are damaging my gate," Hanchuan replied. "Stop pretending you’re waiting for permission to help."

There was a pause before the captain answered. Jingwei could hear voices outside, although none were clear enough to understand.

"Our orders concern Qiao Zhiyi’s safety," Captain Du responded. "If you continue preventing us from confirming her condition, we have to consider whether you’re acting in her interests."

Jingwei felt his own anger rise before Hanchuan moved.

He thought of his friend sitting beside her bed, afraid to leave long enough to eat. This man had spoken with him for a few minutes and decided he could use Zhiyi’s welfare to threaten him.

"Her doctor is with her," Hanchuan replied, his voice becoming very quiet. "And you’re keeping me from joining them."

Hanchuan ended his side of the conversation and handed the phone back. Jingwei accepted it, uncertain whether the captain understood how little patience remained available to him.

"Go back to her," Jingwei urged. He glanced toward the corridor they had walked down. "I’ll stay here. Shichen will tell us if anything changes."

Hanchuan hesitated, his attention returning to the barrier. Then he nodded and turned away, carrying the rifle with him.

Jingwei watched him leave before calling Shichen again.

"What’s happening outside?" Jingwei asked. He shifted the phone against his ear, listening for anything beyond the door.

"The captain is speaking to the medical officer," Shichen replied. "The others are putting the cutting equipment away."

Jingwei leaned back against the wall.

He wanted that to mean something good, but Hanchuan’s warning remained unpleasantly clear in his head.

Through the phone, he heard Shichen draw a sharp breath.

"What?" Jingwei demanded, straightening before his friend answered.

"Two soldiers just left the vehicles," Shichen replied. His voice had lost its earlier uncertainty. "They’re heading toward the western entrance."

Jingwei went cold.

He could see the damage in his head, the fallen material, and the place where Zhiyi had disappeared beneath the ceiling.

"Keep them on the camera," Jingwei ordered, already moving back toward the main room.

Shichen interrupted him before he reached the turn.

"Jingwei, they’ve stopped beside the collapse," Shichen reported. "One of them is pointing into the opening."