Chapter 9: Blood-Red Night, Camouflage Plan, and the Final Decision
The late-night wind that swept through the ruins of the renowned private hospital in the heart of Bangkok was chilling, thick with the stench of blood, burning, and death. Amorn, a petite night-shift nurse, clutched the little infant "Ar-Chin"—who had just miraculously survived—tightly to her chest. The old but durable leather bag she had found beside the child was slung hastily crossbody over her shoulder. Inside, it held a legacy and secrets she didn't yet fully comprehend, knowing only that it might be the sole thing that could sustain her and this child.
Escaping from the special patient room that had become a small battleground, through the dark and terrifying secret tunnel used for transporting corpses, until she successfully emerged into a narrow alley behind the hospital, was like fleeing one circle of hell… only to be confronted by a larger, more brutal one.
When Amorn navigated her way to a main road with some light, the sight before her nearly stopped her heart. Bangkok, once vibrant and full of life, now resembled a city under siege. Sirens blared from every direction—not just ambulances or fire trucks, but the deafening sirens of countless police cars and military armored vehicles racing about with frightening speed. Flashing red and blue lights from official vehicles crisscrossed with the orange glow of flames engulfing several buildings. Armed helicopters circled overhead, periodically casting down searchlights as if hunting an unseen enemy.
Panicked citizens ran chaotically, some trying to get back home, others attempting to flee the city. Screams, cries, and shouts mingled in a horrifying cacophony. Soldiers in camouflage, heavily armed, stood guard at major intersections, and strict checkpoints had been established. The atmosphere was thick with an unprecedented level of tension and fear.
Amorn tried to take cover by the roadside but couldn't avoid hearing the announcements from military broadcasting vehicles passing by intermittently: "…All citizens, please remain calm! A 'terrorist situation' has occurred in several key areas throughout the Kingdom! Especially at numerous medical facilities! For your safety, please stay in your residences and strictly follow the instructions of military and police officials! Violators will be dealt with decisively under martial law!"
"Terrorism at medical facilities?" Amorn felt the blood run cold in her veins. The men in black and the monstrous creatures that had invaded her hospital… could it really be happening in multiple places simultaneously?
She decided to slip into a convenience store with a shattered storefront, its door broken and ajar, and no staff present, to find some baby formula and clean drinking water. While she was selecting items, her eyes fell upon a small television the owner had left on. It was broadcasting a live feed from the Television Pool of Thailand for Special Affairs. Several high-ranking military officers in full dress uniform were seated at a press conference table, with a large Royal Thai Army emblem as a backdrop.
The voice of a field reporter (who was also in military uniform) announced in a sharp, authoritative tone: "…To all respected Thai citizens, due to the 'terrorist situation' that has occurred simultaneously in many key areas throughout the Kingdom, targeting medical facilities, specifically obstetrics-gynecology departments and newborn units in all major hospitals nationwide—an act of extreme audacity and the gravest threat to national security—the current government is no longer able to control the situation and maintain peace and order in the country. To prevent the situation from escalating beyond control, the council of military commanders and the national police chief have found it absolutely necessary to take control of the country's administration, effective immediately. We hereby declare martial law throughout the Kingdom indefinitely, until the situation returns to normal…"
"The National Command Council (NCC) requests all citizens to remain calm, not to believe any false rumors, and to fully cooperate with military and police officials in the performance of their duties. All affected hospital areas will be cordoned off and controlled to strictly carry out 'victim assistance' and 'security measures.' Relatives of patients are advised not to travel to hospitals at this time and to await further official announcements…"
Amorn stared at the screen, her heart pounding furiously! "Obstetrics-gynecology departments and newborn units" were explicitly emphasized! This was no coincidence! The actions of the men in black in her hospital terrifyingly aligned with what the authorities were announcing. Or was this a massive "staged event" to cover up something else entirely?
Amorn's personal mobile phone vibrated non-stop with messages and social media notifications. When she quickly and furtively checked it while hiding by the roadside, she discovered a truth even more horrifying than the television news.
In the Line group chats with fellow nurses from hospitals across the country, messages were filled with panic and chilling rumors: 'Hospital X (upcountry) was hit too! The pediatric ward is a mess! Soldiers are everywhere!' 'A friend at Hospital Y (another province) messaged that a group in black broke into the delivery room! Then gunshots rang out!' 'Can anyone contact Hospital Z (another one in Bangkok)? Rumor has it, they were hit the hardest!' 'Someone on Facebook posted that the military isn't allowing relatives to claim the bodies of babies born last night! Claiming it's a special controlled area!' 'What on earth is happening?! Why are pediatric wards being targeted everywhere?! This is too suspicious!'
On Twitter, the hashtags #HospitalAttack, #WhatHappenedToNewborns, and #SuspiciousCoup were trending rapidly. There were blurred photos of soldiers cordoning off various hospitals, audio clips of sirens and gunfire from many areas nationwide, and messages from people trying to piece together the story, all noting the "abnormality" that this "terrorist attack" seemed to deliberately target "newborn infants."
One post, from someone claiming to be a relative of a deceased person in one hospital, recounted that before the military arrived, a mysterious group in black had "swept" something from the pediatric ward, and there seemed to have been an internal fight before the soldiers came in to "control the situation" later. This post was shared rapidly but was deleted shortly after.
Amorn read these messages with trembling hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. Everything was becoming terrifyingly clear! This was no longer just terrorism or an ordinary coup; it was a "war" with newborn infants as its target! And Ar-Chin… was undoubtedly one of them!