Chapter 9: Peace
The answer to everything lay beyond that big hole; Brandon was sure of it. So he inched towards it with Cerberus between his teeth, staining his clothes red with his reopened wounds.
Before he managed to reach the crevice, his aching body demanded him to stop. His handgun slipped out of his mouth, allowing him to breathe more easily.
As he gasped for breath, a grey-haired woman walked towards him. Sara... But after looking down at him, she simply turned away and headed towards the opening. Brandon didn't need any words to understand why she ignored him; if she helped him, she would only accelerate her son's death.
Taking a moment to rest refreshed his body, albeit, only slightly. His breathing remained light and fast, but his wounds hurt less now. After picking up his handgun with his teeth, he continued crawling. As he reached the cleft, though, he collapsed again.
Not yet. He had to reach Charles first before he could rest. And a woman's wail coming from beyond the hole gave him the drive to move again.
Brandon continued his physical struggle to reach the entrance, the toil causing his chest to tighten each foot he managed to drag his body. A brick wall - small for those who could stand, big for those who couldn't - blocked his way, but it only took a punch to tear it down. Path cleared, he pressed on.
Inside, a crying Sara sat beside a straight-faced Charles. His gigantic body, rigid like a steel beam, rested in her arms. His skin had turned into a shade of dark yellow. No blood pooled around where his left leg used to be. He has no more blood, Brandon concluded, taking the handgun from his mouth. He's going to die.
But how did Charles lose his leg? What problem did the necrolyzer outside have with him?
Looking at Brandon, Sara begged, "Help him. Please help my son. His body is so cold." Brandon remained silent, but Sara insisted, "I know he's done many horrible things to you, but please forgive him."
With an expressionless face, Charles groaned.
"His facial muscles have gone stiff," Sara sobbed. "His condition worsened very quickly since a necrolyzer attacked him."
Must be the necrolyzer I met before... "Did he tell you anything about that?"
Charles groaned again, but Sara spoke for him, "Charles needed help, so he necrolyzed the owner of this house."
Brandon's eyes widened in shock and anger. The victim of the necrolyzation was the very man who attacked and robbed him a few days ago, but... If Sara hadn't been here, he would've smacked Charles in the face with Cerberus. Without a renewal therapy, something a civilian couldn't possibly afford, a necrolyzer would die a slow and painful death.
"But then, the necrolyzer noticed his stiff movement." Hearing another whimper, Sara stroked Charles' head. "So he went mad and attacked him, because he necrolyzed him without saying anything about the side effects."
"Why did you do that?" Brandon snapped at Charles.
Although it took a while, a word finally escaped from Charles' mouth, "Revenge."
Brandon snarled. "Just because I made you lose your job by accident?"
"Because...that was the start of everything," Sara replied. "He couldn't earn much money since you destroyed Millennion's research facility, so he created the hellhounds."
Growing calmer now, Brandon asked, "How is that supposed to give him money?"
"He thought he could sell them as guard dogs." Sara took a deep breath. "But then, an accident happened. His new hellhound attacked him and led the others out of the lab. He didn't want his creation to terrorize the town, so he necrolyzed himself. At the same time, he thought of getting his revenge done."
Brandon stared at Charles. "Did vengeance get you anything?"
"Just...pain..." Charles moaned amidst his slow and shallow breathing.
"He's learned his lesson," Sara muttered. "So I beg you. Forgive my son. And help him."
Brandon only growled as he glowered at Charles. Killed many Millennion men and necrolyzed a civilian... Unforgivable! Placing his gun between his teeth, Brandon turned away, only to return seconds later. What would letting Charles die in pain yield? Maybe only guilt. So he crawled closer to Charles, took the gun from his mouth, and pushed the muzzle against the necrolyzer's forehead.
"You're killing him!" Sara screamed. "Please, he's had enough!"
Trigger finger ready, Brandon shook his head. "My intention of killing Charles is to free him from the pain. As you've said, Ma'am, he's learned his lesson and had enough." Although he actually doesn't deserve such leniency. I bet that's what everybody in Millennion thinks, except Mika.
After a moment of silence, Sara stood up. "My son, is this the best for you?"
A smile somehow appeared on Charles' face. "Yes." Tears welling in his eyes, he murmured, "Grave... Thank you."
Bang.
Dragging a swivel chair towards Brandon's bed, Mika asked, "You shot Charles because you didn't want him to die in pain?" She looked down with a crumpled face. "I know that's the best for him, but how did his mom feel about this?"
"She was fine with that, but it still broke her heart," Brandon answered, his voice muffling through his oxygen mask. "It's understandable. Charles is her only child."
After a moment of silence, Mika continued, "Do you think it was possible to resolve this without killing him?"
"It was impossible. Nobody could provide him the renewal therapy he needed." Mika nodded her understanding, and Brandon continued, "But at least, Charles died in peace."
"How do you know?"
"His mother told me that his facial muscles had gone stiff, but he somehow managed to smile as he died."
All of a sudden, gentle knocks came from the trailer's entrance. Mika immediately stood up, walked towards the door, and pulled it open. Standing before her with a smile, William held up a vial of golden liquid - the refined necrolyzation serum.
"Doctor, that's awesome!" Mika's voice brimmed with excitement. "But I don't think that's enough to restore Brandon's legs."
William stepped into the trailer. "It can only restore his ribs and ankle."
"At least, I can see him without an oxygen mask and a cast again tomorrow." Mika closed the door. "How did you get that?"
"From Mr. Norton."
"What?" Mika growled. "I bet he wants something in return."
"He wants Brandon to search the town tomorrow and kill any hellhound he sees."
A broad smile found its way to Brandon's lips. Great!
But Mika didn't agree with him. "That old fart." She hissed. "You should've asked Mr. Biscoe for the serum, Doctor. He must be willing to give it for free."
"Boss wasn't there when I visited the office." Approaching the trolley beside Brandon's bed, William continued, "He had some important matter to deal with."
"What happened?"
"Somebody spread rumors about Millennion's involvement in turning Dr. Charles into a necrolyzer."
Brandon's smile faded at the news; thoughts of breaking the culprit's jaw fleeted in his mind. But he calmed down as soon as he heard a rip from beside him. William had put on a pair of rubber gloves and taken the syringe out of its wrapper.
He could fight again soon.
"The more you rest, the faster you'll recover."
William often told him that, so Brandon had decided to spend the whole afternoon napping. However, something just jolted him out of his slumber. Mika didn't have anything to do as he slept, did she? Recalling how she reacted towards Norton's request, Brandon thought she might've tried negotiating with him.
He scanned the trailer for Mika as he sat upright, but he couldn't find her anywhere. She must've gone to the office. Then, he saw the wall clock pointing at six, which relieved him a little. But still, he had a hunch that Mika might've visited Norton before getting her dinner.
He could only hope for the best now.
Minutes flew by with him sitting still, staring vacantly at the trailer's entrance. Since Mika hadn't returned, his weary body told him to resume his sleep. But his mind fought back. He had to do something in case his fear came true.
Brandon never liked arguing, especially with Mika. However, if she managed to persuade Norton not to let him hunt the hellhounds, he just had no other choice... Wait! He knew what he had to do. As long as he could go out, he could do his job. Maybe he could suggest stopping by Sara's house for a chat.
Suddenly, the trailer's door opened, and Mika stepped in with a plastic lunchbox in her grasp. Closing the door, she smiled as she took off her slippers. "You're up already? I have good news."
Bad news, Brandon corrected in his mind, smirking.
Putting the container down on the desk, Mika said, "I met Mr. Biscoe earlier."
"The issue about Charles' necrolyzation?" Brandon asked almost in an instant.
"It's resolved." She opened the lunchbox. "I told Mr. Biscoe about Mr. Norton's request and your condition. He didn't like Mr. Norton's idea either, so he talked to him. You're free."
Brandon nodded. I knew it.
"But I'm still a little suspicious about Mr. Norton." She dragged the swivel chair towards the steel desk. "He suggested us to go to Mr. Arnold's funeral tomorrow, and you have to bring Cerberus."
At this, relief overtook Brandon's body and mind. Although he could guess Norton's intention, he only said, "There's nothing suspicious, Mika." He smiled. "You think we can reach the graveyard without seeing a hellhound?"
Sitting down, Mika blinked. "I'm not sure."
"What if a hellhound attacks you, and I don't have Cerberus around?"
After a moment of silence, Mika muttered, "I understand." As she picked up a chicken drumstick from the lunchbox, she said, "I wish necrolyzation hadn't disabled your digestive system. Do you miss eating?"
Unsure about what to say, Brandon only replied with a nod. He often thought of smuggling a blueberry pie into his stomach, but what for? It wasn't worth it; leaving undigested food inside him would damage his body, while nothing could sensitize his dead taste buds.
"If you could eat, the first thing I'd do would be learning to bake pies. Like Mom." Mika laughed softly. "You loved Mom's pies, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
When Mika began eating, Brandon's eye felt heavy again. She would never speak as she chewed her food. But Brandon didn't mind. He had taught her not to talk while eating, because she had a risk of choking herself with the food in her throat.
He decided to lie back down and end his day.
