Infected Population: 87%
Fredrick Douglass Bvld - Time: 10:51 AM

"It was all because of me. If I wasn't so gullible to believe and follow Luke, then maybe he wouldn't have known when to stop the cure and maybe everything would be back to normal, but that isn't happening now. Now, the city's become nothing but an infected warzone while both him and Zoe are seizing control of everything. Every single chance of stopping them are gone, and I'm slowly losing the powers I have at the worst times because of him putting the remains of Whitelight into my body. There was just no way I could stop them now...Unless I had to get rid of it. My chances..."

Still running away from the building of Gentek, Ashen is still running to the location he was needed in but he much slower than he did before while he still in pain from where he was stabbed into and passing through multiple Walkers, but he didn't bother with them due to his strength starting to dwindle more and more. When he finally made it to where he'll meet Rachel and his family, which was a small house that was at least three stories tall, he stops at the door and starts breathing heavily before knocking on the door.

"W-Who is it?" The voice within asked.

Knowing it was her, he tries to talk but is still trying to withstand the pain. "It's...It's Ashley."

By saying this name, the door opens to see the Black haired girl, who was still wearing her Black turtleneck and boots but now had Blue jeans with a pistol in hand. When she saw him, this relieved her. "Thank god you're ok." She quickly hugs him, which he does back ever so gently so he won't hurt her, then the two break it. "Get in. Both your mom and sister are here too."

Slowly gut surely, he walks in while she leads to the small apartment that holds his family, with them entering to see Taylor, who's just wearing a White dress up shirt and her Black business pants while Haley still wore her Blue dress. Seeing him, the sister smiles and runs up to her. "Ashley!" She instantly hugs him, with him slowly doing the same. "I knew you'd be with me and mommy again, you had to!"

The brother just smiles and nods in pain. "Y-Yeah...I had to." He gets up and looks at his mom now. "Hey Mom..."

"Are you ok? You look really hurt. Did something happen?"

"Yeah, you don't look like you're having fun." Rachel said. "What happened?"

Staring at them, he nods knowing he'll have to explain. "J-Just give me something to sit on. Doing just about anything with my arms or legs just hurt right now." By hearing this, his teenage friend quickly got one of the old but still working wooden chairs for him to sit onto, which he accepts. "T-Thanks. What happened is...I was infected with the cure to Blacklight, or at least what was left...L-Luke did it to me. I'm in so much pain right now and...I'm starting to lose my powers. But he...He tainted the cure Dr. Laker made to stop this but he just...Used him as a weapon and a pawn." He looks down now. "I wanted to be normal, but it hurt so much and...I can't be just a human again. Not...Not yet. I have to...Get them back somehow so I can stop him from doing anything else...And he's doing it right now because of...Because of me. Always tricking me while I was too stupid to realize it. I...Have to stop him before it gets worse." Then he looks at both his mom and friend. "...You two were right. You were always right about both Zoe and Luke...I was an dumbass to think otherwise...And...I'm sorry. For all the times I didn't listen and mistreated you guys. You...Deserved better."

They all share a moment of silence before his mother walks up to him and hugs him tightly. "Ashley...It's ok. I forgive you. We'll stop this somehow."

"Well is there a way to stop it? Both the infection and to help you? I mean...Dr. Laker's gone, right?" The teenager asks.

At that moment, Ashen remembered that he consumed him a while back, which means he now holds all of his memories. "...Yeah, there is. There's still time I think." Slowly, he gets up while withstanding the pain. "...Laker's a part of me, which means I have his memories on how to make Whitelight v2. If...If someone I could just figure out on how to use it to help benefit me and use it to stop this infection, all of this could stop. But...Luke and Zoe needs to be dealt with first out of everything, which means I need to get my powers back. But...I don't have the stuff to do it and on how to do that, both supplies and materials."

From that moment, the Black haired mother started thinking of something until she came to the conclusion that she needs to. "...I'll do it." This took the two teens by surprise. "I was a part of Gentek before I had you. I was focused more onto looking through substance to get an understanding of it so I can use it for the opposite effect, produce an antibody than anything. If you can get me the supplies and the sample from you needed to do it, then I can make the cure you need to cancel the one out of your body. You just tell me on all I need to make it, then I can do the rest."

"You can...Do that?"

"I was considered to be one of their best before I have to leave to take care of you. But...It was probably the best sacrifice I had to make, because I got to spend every waking moment feeding and taking care of you." She grips on his shoulder. "...Even as someone like Alex Mercer or James Heller, or no matter how many times you'll get into trouble, you're still my son. And I couldn't ask for someone that's more different than you."

Hearing this made him realize that no matter who or what he was, he was still her son, which made him hug her tightly, with her doing the same. "Thank you...I couldn't have asked for a better mom." He lets go and attempts to turn his right arm into the Claw so he could start marking the table, which scared Haley a bit knowing of what he just did, and begins writing down formulas and directions to create the second version of Whitelight, but when he did so the powers just kept going out on him to show the cure was starting to make him lose it more and more, though he was still able to get it down regardless. "I've got it."

She looks over the markings he's made and nods. "Alright, I've got it. I think the first thing you should do is get back to Gentek and try to get as many equipment as you can so I can do this. After that just hand them to me. I'll take care of it."

"Thanks...Mom. I mean it." Then he looks over to Rachel. "...I want you to...Take care of Haley for me while I'm gone...Can you do that, for me?"

His friend nods. "Yeah, of course I will. You just get yourself better again."

"Right...I will." Afterwards, using the strength he has, he hugs her, with her embracing him with equal force. "...I'm sorry...You were right, like always..."

"Ash, don't worry about it. Just...Get going." He looks at her after breaking the hug, nods, and slowly walks out of the house with his body still in pain.

Infected Population: 88%
Gentek - Time: 2:49 PM

After running through the streets as much as he could do with the only powers he had left and to make sure he wasn't hit or bitten by any of the infected, he was able to get near the large building, which as partially destroyed but those in Blackwatch were able to not only keep it into one piece but they were still able to still use it as a base for them, and turned into a one of the soldiers while also grabbing one of the assault rifles that was abandoned by anyone in the military so he can walk in without any suspicion. Now within the area, he walks into the building to search for any of the equipment needed to help create the cure, but along the way he started to cough harshly due to the cure, which was strange to him; How could he be feeling worse if what's in him was to kill off the Blacklight in him to prevent his powers? It strange to him and he knew he needed it to be looked at soon.

Regardless, he needed to get into one of the labs to get what he needed, so when he was near one, he hid himself to disguise himself as Laker since he consumed him before, and headed in there so he could blend in. But when he entered, one of the scientists took notice of him. "Dr. Laker! I thought you were done for when Jacobs chased you down! Thank goodness you're alive."

Mimicking his voice, he nods. "Yes, I am. I'm surprised I'm still alive."

"Yeah, I am too. So...Are you going to attempt Whitelight v2?"

"Yes, that's correct. I'll recreate the cure, and this time it should work. It has to. N-Now if you excuse me, it's time I get to work." Allowing him to leave, he starts towards one of the desks to look at the work station. But when he was about grab one of them, he's put into a coughing fit, which becomes harsher and harsher to the point where he spit out blood, pure blood, while those nearby took notice. "N-No...Not now!" He continues to hack while, out of his control and will, he returns back to normal, but looking much more paler and small veins appeared on his face.

"OH FUCK! IT'S JACOBS! SOMEONE GET OVER HERE! HE KILLED LAKER!" One said while they panicked, with sounds of boots running to the room.

Needing to get what he can quickly, he grabs as many vials, beakers, and tools as he possibly could before they came through the lab. When they did and started firing, he jumps out the window with the supplies in hand, landing on the ground while a crater was formed, which also hurt his legs since he was losing his powers more and more, with all the soldiers of Blackwatch taking notice and started firing, with him running as fast as he possibly could to get out of the area of Gentek with the tool and glass containers in arms, but also had no available ones now.

While running, not only were soldiers now following him through multiple trucks while trying to shoot him so they could kill him, but his speed was starting to dwindle over time more and more and becoming a normal person again, but also became sicker than before. He made immediate turns so he could lose them to the best of his ability, but they just kept following him and made accurate turns to catch up to him, with more trucks following him now than ever. The Black haired boy was soon to make a sudden turn to the right, but a tank was in the way to stop him, which cause him to run the other way but another one of the metal vehicles were in his way once more. Knowing there was no other direction for him to go to since both directions were blocked.

Now trapped with no other direction he can go, they all prepared any weapons to shoot him down for good until a pack of Brawlers suddenly came out of nowhere and started attacking them, which they all directed towards them and begun shooting at him, which were also followed by a Juggernaut there to start smashing their tanks. Knowing he could use this time to his advantage, he runs towards and past the tank that wasn't being attacked, but saw something that shocked him and the living with him greatly. Rushing towards them was a large beast that was at least sixty feet tall that held a Black armor-like body around its torso, a large club on the left arm, a large Blade on the right that, a large body that holds a sinister Black face, and small legs.

When it saw them, the beast started charging at him with the club. "Holy shit that's a-A FUCKING BEHEMOTH!" A soldier screamed. "FALL BACK TO HEADQUARTERS! FALL FUCKING BACK!" Even though he call it, the charge easily destroyed all of the tanks and trucks, and killed off both of the infected and the soldiers, except for Ashen since he was running for his life since it depended on it and needed to find a direction for him to escape through while the buildings behind him were getting destroyed one by one. Though he finally put an end to the running when he saw an alleyway, which he took and stayed there for a bit so the new monster, Behemoth, just rushed off to destroy the city.

When he finally escaped, he took a breather and rest for a bit, but was glad that all of the equipment he got was still safe and sound. After resting for a minute, he gets up slowly and begins to make his way back to where Rachel and his family was, but he suddenly received a call on his phone, which he put some of it down and took out it out to see it was from 'Unknown'. "An unknown number...Who is it?" Regardless, he answers it. "Hello?"

"Yo, A.J. How are ya ol' buddy? Still adjustin' to bein' a normal again in a shithole like this?" The voice said, revealing it was Luke. "...Feelin' a bit sick lately? Come across my newest beast? Love it, don't ya? I made 'em just like my Evolved to help ya get to fall right into my hands for you to lead me to the cure. It was so fuckin' simple, like ya."

"...You've got a shit ton of nerve to bother talking to me after what you did."

"Aw, don't be like that Ashy. You're actin' like we're not friends anymore. Ya know I was just jokin'"

"That's because we're not anymore! You put this SHIT into my body and took everything away!" His anger rose. "...Why did you do it, Luke? I thought we really were friends."

"...Like you would understand. If ya only got what I had to deal with, you'd understand. But...That's for 'nother time. Let's talk again sometime, because it's sooner than ya think."

The call was then cut off, leaving him standing there wondering on what he meant that it'll be sooner than he thought. But he decided to let that be a problem for another time and started to take the supplies to the house.

? - Time: 3:10 PM

"...And you truly think that this will work?" A general asks from a screen that holds multiple people on it, showing at least four people of the same rank and the president, who was just an African-American man that has Greying hair.

The Colonel nods. "Yes, because this has to get done. Dr. Laker failed to cure the infection of the Blacklight virus, and it shows that it won't work now. It's the only way to CONTAIN this virus!"

"Now question, Colonel Randon, if I may." Another one asks. "...Do you know of the record of which Dr. Laker has? How has he been in terms of stopping sicknesses? How much has he failed to make a cure?"

"...Not once until now."

"Then this must mean two things; Either it was a dud or it was rigged on him! Do you truly see someone with high statistics to fail something as this?"

"This means nothing now! Even if there was a record, the results of it still stands!" Randon says.

"Yes, it does! If he's truly alive, then he can make another cure to stop this mistake!"

"Yes, I agree!"

One of the other ones shake his head. "I agree with Colonel Randon. As painful as it maybe, we can't let this virus spread any longer." The fifth one just stood silent.

"Then that means you'll be killing more than Ten Million people! TEN MILLION OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE! Is that what you want Randon?! Are you this young and brash?!"

"It's...A sacrifice we have to make for the greater good."

Afterwards, the president finally decided to say something. "Gentlemen, we must take this into thought. Nobody can come to an agreement and we're running low on time as we know it. Once New York Zero is infected, it might spread out into the other states. We have to figure this situation now before it worsens."

"...So how do you propose we settle this?" Randon asks.

"...Through voting. The option with most votes will be used. Yay to go through with it, or nay to wait for the cure from Dr. Laker." They all stay silent by hearing this. "...Start this...Now."

"Yay." The young colonel states

"Yay."

"Nay."

"Nay."

Once the voting started, nobody heard from the final one. "...Colonel Harris, what is your vote."

After thinking for a bit, he finally came up with one until the door opened on Randon's side, revealing it was a Blackwatch soldier. "Colonel Randon! I bring you horrible news!" Hearing this distraction angered him and was about to yell at him until he heard what he was about to say. "Dr. Laker was found. But...We was killed and consumed by...Ashley Jacobs." This caused everyone to stay in silence.

"...My lord...The only one to stop this disease...Gone." One of colonels said in shock, along with everyone else, knowing their only chance to stop it was killed. "...On second thought...I want to change my vote...Yay."

"...Yay."

Everyone waited for Harris to vote, but one thought was clear now. "...Yay."

The president nods slowly. "Then...I'll allow this project to go through."