New York Zero

By: Aubrie1234

Dear Readers, this is my first time in the Bandom, so I hope you like this. As it is, this is slightly AU-ish in the fact that MCR didn't break up, but except for that, I'll try to stick as close to the bands as I can. This is also set in the PROTOTYPE universe, right after the first game, and completely disregards anything else (since I have not read the PROTOTYPE comics or watched/played PROTOTYPE 2). And if anyone is a bit OOC, being that I'm still new to PROTOTYPE and what I know about the bands' personalities mostly comes from bandfics, please tell me what I need to fix and I'll do it. Now, on with the story!

Mercer never liked music, but Alex did. Mercer didn't seem to have a use for it, being jaded by the world, but Alex needed it. Music helped him overcome the voices in his head, like it was his drug. It never caused him harm or headaches, flashbacks or mind games. It just gave a single, pleasant voice to what he was feeling and he loved it. Music drowned out all the pain like morphine and Alex was happily addicted to it. It was because of this that he would never be able to let go of it. And it was because of his love for music that he had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to look at a large poster on a wall.

He put his hand on it as he looked, memorizing the details. On the poster, besides the information, were four album covers from four different bands. Save Rock and Roll, The Black Parade, Death of a Bachelor, Duality. Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! At the Disco, Set It Off. All were coming to New York, mostly the spot known as New York Zero a.k.a. Penn Station, to do a charity concert over a week now that the city was greatly recovering. It would be four days long with the bands headlining one night each. The concert could be extended if others came and played there own sets, but right now it was just going to be the four. And those four were Alex's top favorites.

Allowing himself to grin, Alex continued on his way with a spring in his step. The bands were supposed to get there by Tuesday of next week at the latest, and the virus couldn't wait to meet them. But, as he contemplated on how he would meet them, his grin faded away. He couldn't just go up to them out of the blue, they could recognize him. His face had been all over the place and Blackwatch was still after him, though they had been severely demoted after their nuke stunt. The first time to see them he could go as himself, he supposed, then he would keep changing his appearance every time after that. Nodding to himself to make sure of the idea, Alex continued on his way back to his apartment. He couldn't make them come any faster, after all.

"We must be insane."

"I suppose." Mikey shrugged, "But at least we're helping people, right?"

"We're heading right towards the home of the Mosnter of Manhattan and you say we're helping people?" Ray spoke, "I'd say it's more of a death sentence imposed upon us by your big brother."

"Maybe, but again, we're helping people. That's what matters." The two were on the tour bus, talking while it refueled. The other bandmembers were outside somewhere, but it didn't matter to Mikey Way or Ray Toro at the moment.

"He also managed to convince Pete, Cody, and Brendon to come along, not to mention their bands." Ray had a hand over his eyes as he tried not to think about how badly the concert series was going to go, "Gerard's a smooth operator."

"He's got quick wit and a charismatic tongue." Mikey was laying on the couch beside Ray, upside down. It was a change from the norm and he sort of liked it, if not for the part of blood rushing to his head, "He also got everything set up, which sent everyone into a frenzy."

"He's lucky that none of us are on tour right now."

"He also mentioned that, if the concerts are successful, we might be able to pull in other bands and singers to extend it."

"But we can leave after we've done our own set, right?"

"Yeah, but why?" Mikey turned over, still laying weirdly. While this position was less comfortable, with his chest on the cushions and legs laying on the back of the couch, at least blood wasn't running towards his head anymore. That, and he was getting dizzy and lightheaded.

"Do the words 'infected monsters' ring a bell?" Ray uncovered his eyes, "I'm just worried we might get caught up in the insanity of the city. New York might have gotten better, but the virus isn't gone."

"We're pretty insane ourselves just by going there, not to mention what's in the lyrics of our songs." Mikey turned his head to face Ray, "Wouldn't it be weird if the Monster of Manhattan actually likes us, though, like a person? What if it's our biggest fan? It might just try to protect us from the madness." Ray snorted.

"I doubt that. But, since we've only seen the news, who knows what the thing's like? What if it identifies itself as being a male and isn't as bad as people seem to think?"

"My point exactly. I think we should give the monster a chance because we're all monsters ourselves."

"Not in the way it is, though." Ray sighed, rubbing his face, "This is going to be a long week."

"You're being crazier than usual to do this."

"I know."

"But you don't care, do you?"

"Nope." Dallon Weekes sighed.

"It's times like these that I hate being a touring member." He watched as Brendon Urie tapped away at his phone. He had just arrived on a plane to New Jersey where he had met up with his friend, who said they had some events to preform at. Brendon hadn't mentioned, however, that they would be playing in the deadliest city in the world until he had arrived. But now that Dallon was there, there was no turning back.

"Who are you texting?"

"Jon." Dallon's eyebrows shot up.

"Why? I thought it was just going to be the two of us again."

"I know, but I thought it might be nice if he and Ryan joined the charity concert series."

"You just want to see them again."

"That too." Brendon nodded, "And have you been able to talk to Spencer lately? I tried texting him but I haven't heard anything."

"I'm sure he heard you, but I don't think any of them are coming." Dallon spoke, "It's just going to be us again."

"Don't be so pessimistic." Brendon argued, "They might be sentimental, you know."

"I think you're the only sentimental one here, Bren." Dallon stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. They were on their own tour bus towards New York, "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up late."

"I'll try not to." Brendon murmured the words so quietly Dallon almost didn't hear them.

"And going to New York with the Monster of Manhattan around... You've got guts, at least." The tour-only member knew his friend had been terrified when he had first heard about what was going on in NYC, with the almost-carbon copy of the monster from the Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time music video roaming around.

"I know." Ever since he had gotten on the bus, Dallon had noticed Brendon's hands were shaking. They had been shaking for hours, even though his fingers were steady as he typed.

"The other bands will be there to help out, too. Don't think you're the only crazy one."

"Yeah, but at least their music video monsters don't come to life." Brendon had a small smile on his face, but Dallon could hear the gritted teeth in the frontman's voice.

"Just don't freak yourself out before we get there." Dallon then left the room, wondering if Brendon had made a mistake when he had accepted Gerard's offer.

"You're crazy if you think we're going with you to New York."

"And yet you're on the tour bus heading there with me." Pete Wentz pointed out. Patrick Stump sighed, wondering once again how the other man had conned him into doing this, let alone Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman. The four were on their own tour bus heading for New York and all were nervous, even Pete. Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a text.

"Oh boy. Looks like Cody and his band won't be able to make it until the last two days."

"Lucky them." Andy spoke.

"I wonder what's in store for us in New York." Joe said, "Besides the concert and the almost inevidable encounter with the Monster of Manhattan, I mean."

"Nothing else except that will happen, I'm sure of it." Patrick said, "It would be just our luck for him to come see us right when we get there, wouldn't it?"

"You're worrying too much!" Pete gave him a smile and a pat on the shoulder, "Besides, you don't wanna jinx it before we get there, do you?"

"No, but I've got a bad feeling about this..."

Panic! At the Disco were the first to arrive two days before the series was supposed to begin and the techies were setting things up by the time My Chemical Romance's bus pulled in. The concert was going to be held just outside Penn Station, where the outbreak had began, and they were hoping to pull in a lot of money to hep the city and its citizens. Alex watched everything from the crowd he was hiding in that had gathered outside the subway station, his enhanced vision and hearing picking everything up though it was hard to see through the crowd and hear with all the cheering.

"Looks like we're here!" Alex heard Gerard Way speak in a shout to his bandmates over the crowd as they left the bus, hurrying inside, probably to catch a train elsewhere. Alex knew that the station couldn't be closed down for long since it was one of the veins of New York, so things would be probably set up while people walked in and out of the station. After all, it hadn't been closed long after Mercer died and the virus released. This would probably also drum up more popularity for the concert with so many people going by all the time.

None of this was a problem at all, except for Alex himself. Seeing two of the bands he loves right in front of him got him as giddy as a child on a sugar-high (and he almost transformed into one), which was extremely unusual for the emotionless body-snatcher. He couldn't wait to meet them, but he also couldn't blow his cover. Maybe he would have to leave for a while before going over to meet them so he wouldn't set them off (pun not intended). But as Fall Out Boy's bus also pulled up, all of his thoughts went out the window with two simple words: Fuck it. He then walked through the crowd to get a glimpse of the band, carrying some of the albums he had gotten (both with his own money and from those he consumed) and hoping he might just be able to get an autograph.

"Hi guys!" Pete was waving to the crowd with a huge smile on his face while the rest of his bandmembers just smiled and waved. Unlike their friend, they weren't as enthusiastic to be here. And when Alex managed to get to the front before they could go into the station, the virus was sure his own face was lit up with a grin. This was the closest he had ever been to the bands he had grown to love and now, he felt a stab of doubt surge through him about getting an autograph. He could easily get one at anytime, he knew, but he was nervous. And that nervousness ramped up when Joe made a gesture to the others and pointed Alex out. The monster was afraid that they might freak out at the sight of him, as his face was all over the place (Mercer's was, at least, which is what Alex used all the time unless he was disguised and he wasn't right now), but they only smiled and came over, causing the crowd to cheer even more.

"Hey there!" Joe was the one who greeted him, "Saw you had a copy of Save Rock and Roll for record! What's your name?"

"A-Alex. Alex Mercer." Alex was being so unnaturally nervous the he stammered and let his name slip. However, it didn't seem to affect the band or the people around him, so he saw that as a good sign.

"Well, Alex, do you mind if we give you an autograph?" If it wasn't for the fact that the virus didn't need sleep or could become truly unconscious, Alex was pretty sure he would have fainted.

"N-not at all!" he handed the album over with a grin and watched as they signed onto the inside. After they gave it back, they took a few pictures with fans and Alex snuck away, transforming into a child by the name of Howard Juniper as he did so. He clutched the signed album to his chest and his eyes were bright as he made his way home, skipping down the sidewalk without a care in the world.

"What took you so long?" Brendon asked after Fall Out Boy had arrived at the hotel. Because of the series, the bands were renting rooms at a hotel a stop north of Penn Station on the blue line. Inconspicuous enough where the paparazzi doesn't know where to look and so they can have some peace and quiet.

"We met a fan near the station." Patrick said, "He had a record of Save Rock and Roll tucked under his arm, along with The Black Parade, Duality, and Death of a Bachelor. He only got to the forefront of the crowd when we saw him, so we gave him an autograph for his trouble before taking some photos with fans."

"Wow. This concert series must be his dream, then." Frank Iero pointed out, as the bands were chatting in a hallway between their rooms. All of them had rented rooms on the same floor so they could speak with each other on details for the concert.

"Did you get his name?" Bob Bryar asked.

"Yeah." Andy nodded, "He said it was Alex Mercer, I think. Name rings a bell, but I don't know where." Brendon went white at that and ducked behind Dallon.

"Oh god, he's already here..." the frontman whimpered.

"Who are you talking about?" Ray spoke.

"The Monster of Manhattan! Who else?"

"Just because he has the name Alex Mercer and lives in New York doesn't automatically make him the Monster of Manhattan. He could just have had the luck of having the same name and living in the same place." Dallon pointed out to his bandmate. Brendon growled.

"Pull up a picture on the Internet! I dare you!" Andy did so and the men strained to see what was on the small screen.

"That's him, alright." Joe said, a hint of fear in his voice as a picture was pulled up that looked exactly like the man, death-white skin, bright blue eyes, and all that the four members of Fall Out Boy had seen.

"Then that means he knows about us and the concert." Mikey put in. At that, one word managed to cross all of their minds at the exact same moment.

Shit.

Usually I like to block out curses in my stories, but I decided not to go that way in this one and see how it goes. And it's Iero with a capital I and not a lowercase l or anything, right? It's hard to tell sometimes when the I isn't pronounced. And as I said above, if corrections need to be made, specify them and I will do so. Now please, read & review!