Two months has passed since our battle with the Saiju. We spent all our time in the hospital rehabilitating. Everything was paid for by Grizzco, but our parents are still going to sue the crap out of company. I find it hard to believe that me and Leo's "parents" suddenly care about us. I know better. I know they're only using us as an excuse to get a lotta money from Grizzco.
It took a month for my arm and leg to grow back. Never in my life have I felt so uncomfortable. Sadly, I needed to spend a month exercising and control them. Newly grown limbs have no muscle mass and the nerves need to get used to being used.
Leo. Well. The good news is Leo was only blind for a month. The bad news is his left eye is gone. It was so badly damaged and infected that the doctors had to remove it. Worse news is unlike my limbs, his eye ain't growing back. He wanted to be left alone when he heard the news and respectfully I did. He never came by my room for a visit.
Physically, Nadine's alright, which I'm glad. Mentally, she's the most damaged out of all of us. The trauma with the mixture of guilt and shame for not helping us fight, plus seeing all three of us maimed, messed her up real bad. Her parents had to admit her to the mental hospital. It was a good one so she got all the help she needed.
Sarah. Sarah is in a coma. As expected, her organs and brain are damaged. The fact that she lived through it is a miracle. It took everything they got, but the doctors couldn't really do anything. They said that there's barely any brain activity in her. They also said that Sarah will never wake up. Her parents want to keep her on life support until they're ready to let go. Leo stayed by her side every single day. He refused to leave, unless the doctors basically force him to. Leo rarely said anything to me back when we were recuperating. Even when I visit Sarah he responds everything in grunts and short answers.
After our two months in here, we finally got discharged. I was back in tip top shape and Leo can see again, despite the eye. He walks out of the hospital with his aviators, only he has an eyepatch. I walk towards him and greet him.
"Glad to see you out bro!" I try to say in a positive tone. He then walks right past me. I follow him.
"Wanna get a Seanwich and go play Turf War?" He still says nothing.
"Leo. Look I get it. I know what you're going through."
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!" he shouts as he jabs his finger at my chest. "Nadine ain't the one dying! You ain't missing an eye! At least you can go and hug your girlfriend! Don't act like you know how I feel!"
Honestly, that hurt me. That hurt me more than it should. I didn't have anything else to say to him. Leo looked a little guilty and just kept walking. I just stare at Leo until he walks out of sight.
I called Nadine; just wondering if she got out yet. She didn't pick up. From what I found out from her school friends, the doctors discharged her, but wants her to have frequent visits to a psychiatrist. I can't really go to her house. Her parents despise me. Especially now. One time during rehab, they came to visit me. They screamed at me on how it's my fault Nadine's in a mental hospital and how its gonna cost them a ton of money. That she's too smart and prestige to hang out with an orphan. This was before they find out Grizzco's paying for it. Despite all that, they're right. If Nadine didn't meet me, she'd be fine. She would just be playing Turf Wars during Splatfests instead of hanging out with me in Salmon Run. I couldn't find Nadine and I decided to try again another time.
I went to Crust Bucket and ordered me a huge lunch. After the day I'm having, I needed it. I only now notice on how alone I am. All my friends have split. Splatisfaction might as well be done.
My thinking process got interrupted when someone called me. I can feel my gut tensing up when I look at the caller ID. Grizzo. I debate on whether I should answer it. I shouldn't be angry at him, but I am. Our lives are ruined thanks to Grizzco. But I decide to answer him.
"What do you want Grizzo?"
"Hey kid. Look, I know you don't want to actually talk to me, but hear me out."
""Don't wanna talk to you" is an understatement."
"Just hear me out. I got info on the Saiju that attacked the four of ya."
"How did you know that we called it a Saiju?"
"I heard Leo call them that when I offered to tell him about em'."
"Okay. Fine. Tell me whatever."
"Not here kid. Come to Grizzco and I'll tell you, Leo, and Nadine about it." And like that, he hangs up. I didn't know what to expect, but this seems like a good chance to at least get back with Leo and Nadine.
I arrive at Grizzco. The metal gates cover its doors. To my surprise, Leo and Nadine made it before me. They stood there, not making eye contact with each other. They both look at me.
"Hey." I said to both to them. Nadine gave me a hey back weakly. Leo looks away. I walk up to Nadine, but she looks down. Almost in shame.
"How ya doin' babe?" I said. Nadine backed away from me. Yeah, talking casually ain't a good idea.
"I've been trying to contact you for a while now."
"Sorry." she mumbles.
"Nadine. I know you feel bad for what happened at Rusty Rig. I know you're scared, but I'm here for you. I'll always be there for you."
I then hug Nadine. She doesn't say anything or hug me back. Leo's looking away from us. I don't know if my words reached her. The gate open with some guy in a black suit appearing. He gestures his head for us to come in. We warily walk into Grizzco as the gate shuts behind us.
We meet a second guy in a black suit and Grizzo's statue.
"You kids made it. I'm glad." Grizzo said in with gruff voice.
"Just get on with it. You're wasting my time. Sarah needs me more than I need to be here." said Leo.
"He's tough and focused. He's perfect." said the suit.
"The heck does that mean?" Leo asks as he gets madder.
"Kid, just ignore him. Alright. Let's get things started." Grizzo said as the computer monitors turn on. Showing pictures of the Saiju plus an anatomy. One was dated back thirty years ago.
"Wait, the Saiju existed before!? You knew that we'd fight the Saiju!?"
"Kid. Believe me. I didn't know it'll show up."
"But you did know about it. Right?" I said. Grizzo pauses for a moment.
"Yeah. I did know about it. In all honesty, I thought there's only one of em' back then. Recently found out there's more."
"A lot more!?" Nadine says with a look of shock. Grizzo was silent for a moment. Suit guy #1 takes a remote control and the show us pictures of an island. These look like old photos. Suit guy then begins to explain.
"A few decades ago, there was a nuclear irradiated island marked as GJ-54. On it was an ancient building, left behind by the previous civilization. One day, it just stop being irradiated for no reason. Government agents went in to investigate and found out that it became a was a hotspot for Salmonids to breed on. We call Mr. Grizz and he sent his boys in for clean up. Every single Salmonid was taken out, except one." The tv screens then show photos of the Saiju bursting out of that building. Half of those photos were horrifying. There was one with a guy wearing an older style Grizzco uniform dangling by his intestines from the Saiju's mouth. Another with the Saiju biting off two heads. Even the goriest horror movies have nothing on this. Nadine runs behind a box and pukes her guts out.
"Had to get the government to go in and fight. Took him down with at least a hundred soldiers." said Grizzo as more pictures pop up, showing actual soldiers running towards the Saiju and dying. A bunch of photos have the Saiju killed.
"Why are you showing us this!?" I shout, holding back the bile. We seriously could've ended up like them in the pictures.
"To show how seriously good or how unbelievably lucky you three are." said suit #1.
"You three survived and defeat a Leviathan by yourselves. A feat thought impossible." said suit #2.
"Okay seriously." Nadine said. "Who are you guys? You two obviously don't work for Grizzco."
"Believe it or not Ms. Hale, we work for the government." said suit #1.
"And the choice you three make will decide whether we become Grizzco employees or not."
"What do you mean?" I ask hesitantly.
"Before we and Mr. Grizz can tell you more about Leviathans, there's a catch." said suit #2. "You three are going to have to accept a job offer from Grizzco."
"Job offer!?" Me, Leo, and Nadine yell.
"To make Salmon Running a real job, where you kids can have a high paying salary, plus a whole lot of benefits. On one condition, you kids can't talk about this to anyone. Not your parents, your friends, online, not even to a stranger who doesn't care." said suit #1.
"You'll cause a worldwide panic. Anarchy, crime, and maybe even murders will happen. The government already have its hands full and last thing we all need is dealing with riots." said suit #2.
"Ya kids got a bright future ahead taking out Salmonids. If you kids take this job-"
"Go to Hell!" Leo shouts. His eyes are brimming with rage and hatred. "You guys can't just expect us to work for you after the crap we went through! It's because all of you that Sarah's hurt! We are NOT taking this job."
"Kid. Leo. Listen. I know its our fault, but we can fix this. Salmon Run ain't what it seems, I admit that, but its for a greater good."
"The greater good?" Nadine asks.
"Yeah. I'll tell you three this much. Since the first appearance of the Saiju, the Salmonids are breedin' faster than ancient seahorses. More so than ever. They're too many of em' and Grizzco and the government havin' too much trouble dealin' with it. That's why I made Salmon Run. Ta keep the population under control."
"And you need us, why?" said Nadine.
"Ever since the second Saiju's appearance, they're breedin' even faster now. They've been more aggressive with their attacks. There've been reports of Salmonids showin' up at beaches of dry land. Since you three's fight with the Saiju, I've been thinkin' you all can protect the world from the Salmonids. Keep their population down. Be heroes. So. What'dya say?"
"No. We're finished." said Leo. "We're officially done with Salmon Run. C'mon guys. Let's get the heck outta here."
Leo's about to walk out, until he notices we didn't move. I start thinking about this.
"I said c'mon guys!" he snapped.
"I'm in." said Nadine not even looking at Leo. Leo's jaw drops. To be honest, I'm a little surprised myself.
"No way. No. No. No. No. You cannot be freaking serious." said Leo.
"Yes I am. And I'm in." she said with conviction.
"You were scared out of your mind when the Saiju came. Me and Cayden fought it not you."
"That's why I'm in. I don't want other people suffer what I suffered." Nadine said that with barely contained anger in her voice.
"For pete's- Cayden. Help me out here."
"Count me in too." I said. Leo looked at me like I betrayed him or something.
"Leo. I'm sorry, but I agree with Grizzo. If we can use our skills to help everyone, to prevent the Salmonids from hurting everyone else."
"Damn it Cayden! You too Nadine! Can't you see they're just suckering you all in!?
"We can do this together Leo. We can help so many people if we take this job."
"So I guess selling out to big wigs and forgetting Sarah is totally worth it, huh?"
"Leo. Don't put words in my mouth."
"No. That's exactly what's happening. You both are betraying Sarah. She'll agree with me. Especially when she wakes up."
"Leo. You know Sarah's not waking up."
"No she'll wake up and she'll tell you exactly the same thing I said."
"Leo. Please. I'm sorry, but Sarah is never waking up. She's barely hanging by a thread."
"YES SHE WILL DAMN IT! SHE'S ALL I GOT!" tears flow down Leo's eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Leo. You still got me and Nadine. We're your friends."
"If your really my friends, you'd reject this deal."
"Leo please, you gotta see the bigger picture." Without another word from my mouth, Leo punches me. I don't blame him. Again I used the worst possible words.
"I'm done. WE'RE done. We're not bros anymore. I'm never going to speak to either of you ever again."
PRESENT DAY
"Those were his final words to us. I tried to call him, contact him online, bump into him in Inkopolis Square or Plaza. Nothing. Two weeks after our fall out with Leo, Sarah was taken off of life support. Leo was there holding her hand when they pulled the plug, comforted by Sarah's parents. We can only stand there and grieve. We went to her funeral at the beach. She was put on a raft with flowers and pushed into the sea. Leo swore revenge against Grizzco and swore that he'll make them pay. And that was the last time we saw him. We later found out from his adopted parents that he ran away. No one could find him. Not even the police."
Cora sits there quietly listening. She looks at me with really sad eyes.
"What happened to Nadine and what did Grizzco tell you about the Saijus?" she asks. I look at my phone to see its 2AM.
"It's getting late. I'm not ready to talk about Nadine yet and I'm already in trouble telling you this. So that'll be enough for today. When's your stop?"
"Umm. Right now actually." The train then stops at Flounder Heights and the doors open.
"Hey, Cora." I said. She pauses. I gave her smile. "Thanks for listening."
Cora blushes and gives a cheerful smile plus a nod as she happily runs off. Man, if we met her earlier, she would've been a great friend to hang with.