Many thanks to my betas, MadameWinter and TigreMalabarista, for proofreading this! Love having another set of eyes to keep my brain on track!
Hope yall enjoy!
The glow from their torches bounced off the cave walls, sending odd shadows around them. Gordon decided this was definitely not a kids game anymore. The sounds were amplified around them. Drips of water, falling rocks, and even the occasional bat would send a shudder up his spine as they walked. Then came the distant moans.
"There aren't any monsters in this game, are there?" The aquanaut kept his voice low as he caught back up with the others. They were currently in the process of mining ore from the wall to be used for more advanced tools. Right now, Gordon was wishing they'd gone with the house building idea.
"You're not scared are you, Gordo?" Alan's teasing voice echoed around them. A laugh and he continued. "They should have it set to peaceful until we get the hang of the controls. No monsters."
"Sure." Gordon turned back to the dark void behind them, the warm breeze from outside replaced by an unwelcoming chill. Weird. "Hey, professor?"
"Yes, Gordon?" The rhythmic pounding continued behind him.
"How complicated would this system need to be for me to actually feel a temperature change?" He brought the torch closer to his hand, feeling the fires warmth.
The banging stopped and Gordon turned to see the woman watching him, seeming to just now realize she could actually feel the environment around them. "That would be…" She picked up a rock off the cave floor, rolling it in her hand. "Extremely complicated. I don't see why they would need this programmed in, especially when paired with the more violent games."
Now, he found himself wanting to test the limits of the program, his hand up to the fire again. One finger drew closer to the warmth until he had to pull it back sharply.
Alan had joined them, eyes wide as he watched Gordon flex the appendage. "That hurt?"
Jaw tight with concern, the aquanaut began twisting his forearm, searching the controls for the exit command Sandra had told them about. "We need to leave. There could be something wrong with the system."
The others started fiddling with the controls, trying to locate the menu. There was a hint of concern in Alan's voice as he spoke. "I can't find the commands."
"Me either. This isn't right. I clearly remember the instructions." Moffat had started walking back up the path that would lead outside again. Maybe in the daylight they could get the programmer's attention on the screens.
Gordon went to follow and stopped as a deep groan emitted from the depths yet to be explored. "What was that?" He looked at his brother expecting an answer, only to see his earlier concern amplified.
"A zombie…" Alan was grabbing Gordon's arm, encouraging him to move with the professor. "We need to get back to the surface."
The aquanaut nodded, the arm dropping as they caught up with Moffat. This game was decidedly no fun anymore.
OoOoOoO
The throbbing headache was the first sign that he was waking up. The slight nausea was the second. John was finding it difficult to think, his eyelids twitching as he tried to command them to open. Something was wrong and he needed to know what. He attempted to bring his hand up to rub at his face and froze. The metallic crinkle of a short chain met his ears and he quickly forced his eyes open.
A metal floor replaced the soft carpet from before and he realized he was laying on his side, the tubes holding his brothers and the professor not far away. There was a steady vibration shaking through the panel beneath him. His confusion was remedied as the room lurched sideways. We're moving…
John drew in a breath, rolling onto his stomach. His forehead rested on the floor as he fought to push the nausea back after the movement. He was quickly up on his knees once his stomach settled.
"Welcome back." The calm voice made him spin, wincing as his aching head caught up. "Just in time for the fun. It appears they've realized the extent of the devices effects on their nervous system."
"What-" John said, confused, but then followed the Hood's eyeline to the screen above Alan. They were still in the cave, but appeared to be moving back the way they had come. A speck of daylight was showing in the distance. "Let them out, Hood, or I swear-"
"Hold your tongue, boy. You'll do nothing except sit there and watch." The villain's eyes bore into him, before he returned to the view on the display. "You know. I had originally planned on you entering my device, as well. However, I do believe I will enjoy watching you witness your brothers' deaths."
He wanted to scream, the Hood's words sending a flurry of fear and rage through his gut. His eyes shifted back to the screens and he suddenly became aware of what the villain had been talking about. The trio had moved past a secondary tunnel, hidden in the shadows. John was helpless to watch as a grotesque figure stumbled out, into the glow of the torches and grabbed hold of Gordon's arm.
OoOoOoO
Alan wasn't fast enough. His brother had been a step in front of him, but there was no time to stop the monster from sinking in its putrid teeth. Gordon's pained cry still echoed off the walls as he brought the pickaxe down on the creatures back, the metal spike burying into ribs with a wet thwack. The zombie grunted, releasing its prey. The astronaut pulled back on the weapon just as a torch was slammed against its head. With a groan, the monster stopped and vanished.
Alan quickly looked into Gordon's sweat-covered face, his eyes dragging down to the blood-soaked wound in his left arm. Moffat was at his side a moment later, looking pale and frightened. Not safe! Go! His mind was screaming for him to move, pushing away the desire to triage.
As calmly as he could muster, he turned to the professor. "Get Gordon out of here. I'll cover your backs." The craft window was already open and in mere seconds, he was holding a crud, metal sword. His brother looked ready to argue, but simply grit his teeth against the pain in his arm and staggered up the slope with the raven-haired woman. Alan followed closely behind, listening for any of the monsters that could appear from the darkness.
A shuffling of feet alerted him to the zombies as the monsters moved out of another tunnel. They were far enough away for the group to pass, Alan putting himself between them.
As they moved over a lip of fallen rock, the sun was enough to make him cry out from sheer relief, spinning to see the professor lowering Gordon to rest against one of the trees. He was gasping through clenched teeth, his arm tucked against his abdomen.
Alan joined Moffat, gazing around the open area, expecting some kind of change signaling that the outside world was aware they needed help. "They should have pulled us by now." Alan growled. They should know something's wrong! Where's John?
"There appears to be something wrong with their system." The scientist turned to him, looking shaken as she spoke. "Either they don't know we're in trouble, or they can't get us out."
Alan nodded, reluctantly. It made some sense, but it did nothing to settle his nerves. "John and Brains are there. If anyone can fix this, it's them."
She nodded, sending a quick glance to Gordon. "I'll get a shelter set up. It'll be dark soon." Without another word, she was off, leaving him to his own task.
The younger blond knelt down next to the older, gentle hands resting on his back. "We're safe, Gordo. I need to see the wound." He really didn't want to, but his brother needed him.
Seeming to steel himself against the pain, Gordon offered the arm for full view. The bite ran across his forearm, just below the elbow, blood continuing to drip from the edges. Alan felt the bile rise in his throat.
"Alan?" His brother's voice was strained and filled with an uncertainty that the younger blond had never heard before. "How is this possible?"
He tore his gaze away from the bite, meeting the worried look. "It's gotta be the neural connection." He continued after the confusion crossed his brother's face. "It's possible the sensors are making you feel pain as though the bite is real. The-" He paused, feeling his stomach turn. "The wound itself isn't real."
"Sure feels like it is." Gordon pulled his arm back against his chest. "How do I make it stop?"
That was the pressing question at the moment. He ran through the options he had, knowing that bandages weren't a part of this game, nor painkillers. "Food. You need to eat something."
"Seriously?" He winced, pulling his right arm away to activate the inventory screen. The left slowly came up to grab the apple. Alan watched the item appear and then disappear as his brother put it up to his mouth. Instantly, the torn flesh repaired, leaving behind a slight green tinge over the skin.
"Better?" Please tell me that worked. Alan let out a breath of relief as his brother nodded, rubbing his hand over the healed spot.
"Pains gone, but…" Gordon took the younger blond's offered hand, getting to his feet. "I still feel terrible."
Alan frowned, eyeing the shade of green on the arm. The knot in his stomach twisted. He knew what was happening and the implications were more than he wanted to admit. Denial, however, would do nothing to save his brother.
"What is it?" There was no escaping Gordon's gaze.
"It's part of the game." He sighed, not thrilled with his train of thought. "You've been infected."
His brother took a deep breath through his nose, clenching his jaw. They'd seen enough zombie movies to understand the implications. "How long?"
Alan's throat was suddenly tight, mouth opening and closing silently. He felt the pinpricks of tears trying to form and he couldn't look at Gordon anymore. The truth was, they didn't have long. He knew there was an antidote, but it required a great deal of materials to create. They just didn't have the time.
A pair of strong hands surrounded his face, turning it up to face the unwavering amber. "It'll be okay, Alan. It's still just a game, right?"
"You'll become a zombie, Gordon… In the game, the only way to bring a person back is to kill them." His emotions were betraying him as a tear slid free. "I don't think I can do that. What if you don't come back?"
"Hey, I could also get out of this thing." He motioned in the air around his face to indicate the devices they were trapped in. "We can get through this."
A soft sound drew their attention, signalling the professor's return. They quickly followed her back to the site she had chosen to build. The shelter wasn't anything spectacular, but it held the necessary qualities for keeping a lookout. She had also equipped it with a fireplace and beds. There was just one more thing Gordon had requested.
"We have to." The aquanaut pleaded once more. Moffat had found a spot on the floor to stare at, her hand covering her mouth. Alan couldn't blame her. His brother had requested they build a room they could lock him in if or when the time came. "I can do it, if you show me how."
And that was it for the astronaut. "No, I'll do it." His voices was a rough whisper as he quickly stepped outside. He stood in the late day sun for a full minute, unable to place the first plank. The door opened quietly and he wasn't surprised by the hand that landed on his shoulder.
"Any way to build a pool?" Gordon squeezed his shoulder as he twisted at the comment. The lighthearted smile that greeted him made Alan forget his task for a moment. But only a moment.
"Gordon…"
"Okay, no pool, but I would like to help." The hand left his shoulder as Gordon moved to stand next to the house. He was lifting his arm to view the craft screen, the infection ever present as it spread farther over the appendage.
Alan watched him fiddle with the controls, awed by the calm his brother was showing. Although, his jovial attitude was present, he could see the calculating maturity behind it. He was trying to keep them safe. He was taking the hit for what it was and still trying to help his little brother through it. When they made it out of this, he'd make sure his family knew.
"You'll need some materials." The blond stepped up to his elder, opening his inventory and pulling out a stack of wood and stone. Gordon took it with an appreciative grin. "You need to combine them into a wall and then place it."
The aquanaut complied, making the pieces needed. After a good few minutes, they had a decent room that would serve their purposes. Another bed had been placed inside just in case. In case he gets worse and you have to lock him in before he…
And as darkness fell, that's exactly what happened...
The low groans continued to echo through the small window connecting the inside of the house to the small room. Occasional cries would float in, calling for his brothers and father. Once, Alan had heard him cry out for their mother. That was the point in which Moffat had moved over to sit with him. She placed a gentle hand atop his, giving it a light squeeze. He didn't miss the tremor that ran through her arms.
The sickness had progressed so fast after they had finished the room. The ill feeling from earlier turned into intense nausea, headache and muscle cramping. Moffat had tried everything she knew about mental distraction to help ease the pain, going as far as to try hypnotism. Even breathing exercises did nothing to lessen the aches. She had finally given up, admitting that the neural sensors were creating a pain beyond control. It had been Gordon's decision to finally go into the room.
"Are you sure you don't want me to-" The professor's voice was soft, giving Alan something to focus on past the voice in the other room.
He shook his head, eyeing the sword that leaned against the bed they were sitting on. "I can do it."
She left out a sigh, her hand squeezing his again. "You know," Her voice was calm regardless of how she truly felt. "Logically, the one with the least attachment should have the responsibility. Less of a traumatic experience."
Alan gave her a nod of understanding. He had tried to imagine what he would do when the time came, but would always have to stop. His mind wouldn't let him think about it. All he knew was he needed to be the one. He needed to make sure whatever pain his brother was in ended as quickly as possible. "Just- stay close… just in case."
The professor nodded, opening her mouth to speak, but stopped, her brow creasing with concern. He was about to ask what was wrong, when he noticed it too. Gordon's room was quiet.
A burst of adrenaline and dread surged through him and he grabbed the sword, standing with Moffat. Their eyes fell on the door that linked the two rooms, Alan stepping forward. The scientist came up just behind him. For a moment, they stood frozen, listening for movement, anything that could tell them what was happening inside.
He needed to do something. "Gordon?" The call hitched with the emotions coursing through him. No answer. Please, let it be fast. He reached out a trembling hand to grasp the door handle, listening to the creak of metal as it turned.
An explosion of force and noise assaulted him as he found himself hurtling back on the floor of the larger room. The bang of the door hitting the wall echoed around them. Shock and pain mixed as he pushed himself up, looking for their assailant.
Gordon… His features were distorted by the green decay covering his face, matted hair falling in patches of dull blond. Pale eyes darted between the two prone figures hungrily, finally falling on Moffat as she tried to regain her footing. His brother lunged, clawing at the air as she moved, growling in frustration.
Instinct and the urge to protect took over as Alan pushed himself off the floor, sword in hand. He watched as Gordon's hand finally found purchase around Moffat's ankle, pulling her back to the floor with a started cry. The sword raised as his brother grabbed hold of her blouse.
The sharp impact sounded, followed by the muffled thud of his brother's head colliding with the dirt floor. For a beat, no one moved.
And then everything broke.
The sword fell from his hands as he collapsed, his breaths choking past a throat tight with grief. Moffat was moving, the body gone, vanished into the ether. She crawled to his side as he buried his face into shaking hands, enveloping him into a protective hug.
OoOoOoO
John wanted the throw up, but more than that, he wanted to tear the joyous grin clean off the Hood's smug face. Beside him, Brains' was shaking, eyes glued to the containment unit holding Moffat. He'd woken just in time to see them locking Gordon inside the small room. John had given him a short explanation through gritted teeth.
"Never, in my entire life, would I have expected to see a Tracy kill one of his own!" The pure contentment was dripping from his mouth, eyes still glued to the screens as they watched Alan quake with violent sobs. "Simply brilliant!"
He snapped, rage blurring his senses as he pulled his foot up, pushing off the metal floor and launching towards the demon gleefully watching his brother's pain. A sudden jolt surged up his arms and he came crashing back to the hard surface. Flashes of white filled his vision, electricity running through him. John was vaguely aware of the cry emitting from the engineer just before the pain stopped.
"Let that be a warning." The Hood's voice was dark above him.
Hands gripped his arms, pulling him off his stomach and tossing him back to his previous spot. Brains was bent over him, looking more anxious then he had ever seen him.
"I'm okay." John grunted, pushing against the floor to prop himself up against the wall. The fight was gone, replaced with a deep ache for his brothers and friends. They were helpless victims. He could only hope the rest of his family would figure out something was wrong before it was too late.
His attention was drawn back to the monitors as the shelter's door swung open and in walked Gordon, very much alive.
