Assassination's note: I'm really sorry with how long it took to get this chapter out, and how it might not even be satisfactory to what you might be expecting. But, I swear, I did not intend to seem like I dropped this. I'm going to apologize now if the chapter sucks.


The BLACKLIGHT paused for a moment, turning his icy gaze to have it rest upon the man whom was now wounded, vaguely recalling where he'd met said male. There's been so many people, BLACKWATCH soldiers, monsters, infected...they all just seemed to blend. Furrowing his brows, Alex returned his attention to the 'Hunters' who seemed to have gotten over their mini argument.

Not that that mattered much, seeing as he had business with one of the bastards. Crouching down, ready to pounce, Alex furrowed his brows as he kept his sights intent on the infected before him. He grit his teeth, eyes zoning in on the one that had been previously chasing the other man.

There. That was the one the virus needed to consume to gather information on where a HIVE could be located. Just to lessen the damned Hunter and infected population and give the military a chance. Though that honestly didn't matter to him, much, but it would at least get rid of some of those bothersome bastards. Now, Alex wasn't targeting a small HIVE, more so like he was after a 'big gun.'

Altair, on the other hand, was fighting to stay concious. Just in case the BLACKLIGHT decided to take another swing at the little girl in his arms, whom he was holding onto tightly, protectively, without a thought about his own wellbeing at the moment in time. He glanced over to the gun he'd dropped somewhere along the way of his mad dash towards Ahda, too far to just reach out his shaky hand and grab it.

Shifting his hand, the brunet placed it atop Ahda's head to keep her from watching the scene that was playing out between the Hunters and the virus.

It was...

Intent on destruction. Proving the simple fact that Alex Mercer was a 'monster' and a 'killing machine.'

He watched as the man dodged a claw, rose his own clawed hand to block the other, turning to have the sharpened edges tear at the warpped flesh that the attacking Hunter possessed, and even thrust his foot forth to attempt to knock the other one away. In what appeared to be annoyance.

Though, what would the human know? Altair didn't have a way to know what the infected man was thinking, no way of knowing if he was safe or even if when one Hunter was dealt with then Mercer might leave them as 'Hunter Chow.' Swallowing thickly, Altair parted his lips to breathe in and out in a labored manner, still trying to stay awake for Ahda's sake.

Not his. The child's.

Alex grit his teeth with furrowed brows as he leapt back right when both monsters struck at the same time, placing a clawed hand upon the cracked tiling while looking up from under his hood to take in the status that both Hunters were in. They appeared to be wearing down, by the looks of it, with that as an upside he pushed off the ground to pounce atop the one that he'd been pursuing. The beast reared its hand back, about to swipe it to knock the BLACKLIGHT away, though the virus clamped his hand onto its face and gripped a bicep.

A small, satisfied, smirk tugged at his lips before trendils slid up from his form. Crushing the skull, the hooded man had the thin thread-like spindles coil around the Hunter and eventually jerked his body back once the being was consumed and flipped back to land on his two feet and let out a soft exhale as images flashed before his mind's eye.

While the virus turned his attention to the other Hunter, Altair grit his teeth as he slowly pushed himself up on his right elbow. His abnormal colored eyes locked onto the gun, flicking towards the standoff before him with a determind look crossing his features when he glanced down on the trembling child. Whom he was holding close, protecting. Yet there was no knowing if Mercer would leave them be, the tanned man reminded himself as he tightened his hold on Ahda.

He tapped her shoulder, glad that she didn't make a sound as she pulled back to peer up at him.

Altair gestured to the register with his chin, watching at she looked over to see where he was indicating. It was almost as if she knew what he was saying as her green hues widened. Immediately she began to shake her head, clinging to the Arabian, closing her eyes as if screaming, "No! No, you might die!" With a slow exhale he moved to place a hand atop both the small ones latched onto his hoodie.

"I'll be back." he whispered, tone soft before looking up to see that the Hunter had been flung into a wall like a simple toy. Gnawing his lower lip, Altair gently removed Ahda's hands, soon to then quickly relocate her to under the counter.

Altair slowly moved to stand, clapping a hand over his wound, quickly making his way over to the gun he'd dropped. He reached out for it, eyes widening once he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the Hunter lunging towards him. Its clawed hand extended back, swinging forth in an attempt to swat the young man like a fly. Quickly the brunet dove down, rolling and snatching the handgun in the process.

Wait...

If the Hunter had gotten past the BLACKLIGHT -

A roar rang out behind the tanned male. A pained one.

Grunting as he laid on his side, Altair peered up to see that Alex was standing there, blood dripping from his clawed hands. This had the wounded man pause, staring at the other man as if he'd grown two heads. Was this his second 'daily miracle' or did the 'number one terrorist' actually care?

No. That was nonsense. It was ridiculous. Altair tightened his hold on the gun as his golden orbs turned over to Ahda.

She was curled up into a ball, arms wrapped around her knees to hide herself further. Good girl. he praised silently before slowly getting himself to sit up.

Fuck. His arm was killing him. Sure, he had gotten hurt by a few Hunters before but this was just terrible. Closing his right eye, Altair grit his teeth. No...he couldn't pass out now, if he was determined enough not to before then he couldn't now. Not when he was still under threat of assault. Not while Ahda was still in danger. He soon bit the inside of his cheek harshly.

Lifting his left hand, which held the firearm, the tanned man pointed it towards the beast that glanced between he and the virus. As if contemplating which was the lesser of two evils. Wondering which one would be an easier target.

Altair scoffed on the inside. At least they were smart enough to choose whether to flee or risk their lives.

He was rather taken off-guard when the monster had stopped its motions, head jerking to the side almost like a child whose mother called for them. His eyes widened when it looked back at them, lips parting with an ear-splitting screech before it took off. Altair almost let out a relieved breath.

Almost.

The Arabian glanced over to Alex, whom was standing there. He watched with his stomach doing a nasty flip as he watched the claws flex, as the BLACKLIGHT turned to face him and locked blue with honey. Altair nearly cursed when he shifted away, pressing his hand against the tiled flooring with narrowed eyes, jaw clenching as his muscles tensed. He wondered if the other man noticed the little girl, if he was going to try and harm her again.

Another step had been taken, another twitch in his muscles.

Telling him that he couldn't possibly chase this man off like before.

Telling him he needed to get up, that he needed to run. That he needed to get Ahda out of here -

Altair's breath caught in his chest once he realized just how close Mercer had gotten while his mind had raced. The brunet felt his hand tighten its hold on his weapon, as if reassuring him that he had other options. Though limited in weapons, he at least had this. Although he figured it would be a waste of bullets, he'd seen how the man before him had taken down those monsters.

How the man, whom was once human, flung them around like they were toys.

A claw raising caught his attention, jerking his head back to look up at the face of New York's terror.