I've forwarded time a bit as writing fight scenes, in my opinion, is the most challenging part of this story so we are with Jessica.
Warning: this may be the final chapter hence the amount of words (if you're not bothered to count, it's over 5k). I'm trying to tie up all the loose ends on this and contact is to be revealed in the next ten seconds. Enjoy Reading! ;D
Chapter Twenty: ...Hell Breaks Loose
"She moves so fluidly," Levi commented as they watched the former assassin below fight a group of Evolved Children. "It's scary."
"You think you're ready for this?" the contact asked, walking silently from Levi to Katy, who was glaring at the contact. "Ready? We're one step ahead. And so are you," Katy touched his shoulder and he flinched slightly, dropping the firearm that was in his possession and rolling his shoulders, it revealed jeans and a jacket, preferably black leather. "Just hope this is the end," Alex said as he looked out to the horizon.
"Trust me," the Welsh woman said and the three infected looked back at her and the Australian woman next to her. "It is."
Jessica hacked at her last opponent's shoulder, grinding through his bone and cleaving him all the way, causing his frame to peel in two and fall either side. She looked at the bodies on the floor, admiring her destructiveness caused by her sudden uproar. She was impressed but she was panting harder than ever, watching her blood drip from the lacerations she received from the Evolved Children. They were faster and stronger but they were inexperienced, not being able to adapt when she fumbled through her biological arsenal. Pathetic. Even when some girl with four arms tried to attack her, she just yanked her on the floor and performed the traditional Curb Stomp.
Thinking the battle was on pause, a Whipfist smacked onto Jessica's torso and she was directed a couple metres back, tumbling on the ground and hissing as she sat up, noticing the abrupt change in weather; the rain had stopped incinerating her. "I've been waiting for this day, Jessica."
She looked and red eyes shimmered, analysing... Herself? This figure looked like her twin; same clothes, same hair, same everything. The only difference is that it wore this black fingerless hi-tech gauntlet, stretching up to its shoulder and the hoodie was sleeveless. Examining it better, an identical scar was seen on its left arm and its top was merely a thick leather strap covering its chest. Is this person actually taking the piss? "And you are?"
"I'm Orion: Phase Two... That's right; you're looking at the new and improved super soldiers."
"GENTEK..."
"And with your infected blood, they've just made a whole group of us."
"Dickhead's even got my voice..." She scraped the ground behind with her blade, oh blade, what am I gonna do without you? "Okay, bitch, time to die!" She went to grab it with her left hand but it pounded its fists together and the grip on her was lost in an instant. Just as she skidded on the floor, it jumped, tucking into a cannonball and launched itself at Jessica but she deflected it with her shields that entwined on its own. Changing her tactic, hands surged into electrified claws that sizzled with a death sentence and she lashed out, tearing through Orion's face. It groaned in excruciation, skins cells overlapping the bare flesh and her Hammerfist made painful contact to its nose, crushing it completely and blasting it off its feet.
When it finished somersaulting, Jessica bent over it, lips slightly parted as she stared in its blue inhuman eyes and its skull reshaped itself. "You alright there, Orion? 'Cause it seems I kinda fucked you up a bit. Where's your get up and go?"
"You've got up and gone, asshole," it latched onto her hoodie and using her as leverage, it kicked upwards and rolled backwards. When it was on its feet, it grunted as it flung her, causing her to make a trail in the concrete and she wheezed before stepping out. Familiar colours dazed in her face and Orion let out a yell before her frame vanished and a voice said "Fuck! Got the wrong person." It landed like a ragdoll beside her and she asked "Who was that?"
"Codename JUMPER."
"Whaa?"
"He teleports and does so quite fast. His codename is JUMPER because he 'jumps' through space and time respectively."
"Oh, okay..." Elias appeared mid step, combing his blonde hair with a hand and blue-silver snakes surrounded his arms, just in case. White hoodie rolled at the sleeves, revealing a bandage coating his right shoulder and a tribal tattoo encircled his wrist, casual jeans and sneakers. For some odd reason, what he was wearing suited him like a third skin. "I've always wished you'd be by yourself, let alone have a clone as your backup."
"She's not..." Something snapped and she grabbed the recovering Orion from the floor, injecting it with her strain and whispered "I control you now... Orion." It squared it shoulders after taking in Jessica's certain infection, peered at Elias and rushed to him, reaching for his leg and dashing him at a building. "Jess," Anwen called out and she turned, smiling when the rest showed up; Alex has calmed down dramatically. "You alright?"
"Ah, never been better, Anny. And guess what I got?"
"What?" Lex squealed, grinning as she ran to the former assassin's side and the fighting couple fell out of the hole in the building, wrestling on the ground and Levi pointed "She looks exactly like you."
"It," she corrected. "And GENTEK finally made Phase Two. Still felt the same as Phase One, only it has boobs and is verbally a tough cookie. That thing even has my voice... Watch," she cleared her throat. "Need any help, Orion?"
"Not really..." It had its hands around Elias' throat and did hot hesitate to smash the back of his head on the ground quickly and repeatedly.
"Fucking hell," Katy said. "What on earth is it doing?"
"Attacking Elias... You know him right?"
"Yeah... And I wish he'd drop dead." They watched him try and strangulate Orion but it just tilted it's head and thumped a fist hard at his chest, barely missing the ground spike that made a bloody mess on his torso and he gagged, clutching it for support and it said "He's all yours."
She sighed as she walked up to him, touching the spike and it retracted almost instantly, and he gasped, body lazily regenerating itself. "Elias Dylan... You thought you'd win."
"Because... We did."
"That's where you're wrong. See, I've managed to tackle a whole wave of you guys and yet, you're on the floor, beaten and bruised by a successful GENTEK experiment. I'm not sure if I should laugh or feel sorry for you..." She burst out laughing and brushed off an imaginary tear. "Feel sorry? For you?! I must be going mad..." Katy pulled him up by his now red hoodie and restrained him on the wall, feeling a weak fist tap her face and she retaliated with a harder punch and his lip burst. "Oh, you in trouble!"
"Listen, you piece of shit," Katy started. "You made me how I am today and I can't be more thankful. But the process you put me through was clearly uncalled for. I saw how you created the rest... You just infected them but me?! You killed me... To bring out this Katy Storm. The real Katerina Storm is dead."
"Katy," Jessica said, going by her side. "Please tell me you're joking."
"No... I'm not. They took me through so much pain... I died in the middle of it."
"So... You're just like Alex and I... Another female Runner, eh?"
She shrugged, "Guess so."
Cold eyes stared in weak hazels and said "I don't care what you do to him anymore... He killed my parents so he suffers. Do your worst, Katy."
"Wait a second," Alex growled. "Did you say Elias killed your parents? This dick?"
"Yeah," she looked at him, haltingly diverting her attention to her boots. "I don't know how he got a hold of them but one of the Evolved Children saw what happened... What caused it."
"Aren't you gonna consume him?"
She shook her head, "No... I want to but I'm scared I'd see something that I'll regret... That's why I'm asking Katy to do it."
The former Child stopped punching him in his face and said "Oh, I thought you meant kill him softly... Okay, well, sorry Elias but I guess you weren't made for this shit." Cradling his skull, he let out his last cry of torment before she squeezed and pain washed over her as her tendrils feasted on him. 'Of course we're your friends, Elias.'
'So why did you have the audacity to embarrass me in front of everyone, huh? Do you think this is a joke?'
'You loved jokes,' Diana spoke coldly. 'Always laughed even when it's played on you.'
'Well, I'm sorry Diana for developing feelings!'
'Don't shout at her like that!' Anthony yelled, forwarding Elias with a threatening posture.
'Or what? You gonna... I don't know... Cut me open with a scalpel? I ain't afraid of you and I never will be so why don't you and your wife over here leave me the fuck alone?'
'We used to be close, Elias... What happened to you?'
'I'm a changed person...'
'Yeah,' Diana agreed. 'You changed so much, you don't even joke around with your friends anymore... Come on, Anthony, we have other stuff to do than waste our breath on this prick.'
Everyone was looking down at her when she snapped back into reality and Jessica asked distantly "What did you find?"
"Your parents were quite the bad-asses back in the day... They were chatting about how Elias used to love jokes and how he's a changed person. I think you should see for yourself." Her eyes turned red and searching in Katy's lime eyes, she found and played it, smiling proudly at her mother's comment but frowned when she found the reason. "He killed my parents... Because he thought it was a joke. Oh God..."
"How can someone do that?" Anwen asked.
"Someone like him, I guess."
Alex's ears picked up something and he turned, watching Jessica's little nightmare stand metres away from him with his black hair and brown eyes, lips in a smile. "And I had expected more of you," he said.
"Oh, there's more," Jeremy Shadow said, black ropes whipping behind him. "But for now, it's just me and you lot." The rest turned, looking at the Child in the centre and Levi whispered "Bring it."
OoOoO
Dana screamed, beating her fist against the front door and giving up, she slid to the ground, energy drained. All she was able to do was dent the door, not even snap the gold chain off. It pissed her off that everyone left her defenceless with a child who's much more resilient than her, and that there's no way out at all. Being very intellectual, Jessica and Levi sealed all the windows so nobody goes in, nobody goes out. Just like prison. Getting up, she travelled to Maya's bedroom, almost knocking on the door as she realised how silent is was in there. "Maya?" she called out. "Maya, you okay?" Given no reply, she cautiously turned the knob and let herself in, wanting to run out when she found her held hostage by this woman who had deathly-pale skin and a one-piece with a long cape, holding her blade on the black child's throat. "Dana..." she sobbed, not moving a muscle and Dana took a step closer, holding out her hands and the woman smiled. "Move any closer and this child dies."
She shrugged, "Fine." Dana purposely stepped closer and the grip on Maya was tightened, causing her to sulk under her breath and Dana crossed her arms. "You wouldn't kill Heller's daughter even if your life depended on it. Look at you; Sabrina Galloway, from CEO to a corrupt Child."
"That may be but I've much more stronger than before."
"Yeah, okay, whatever. Just let Amaya go and we'll pretend that we never met. At all."
"And what if I don't?"
"Then... Get grabbed out the window?"
"By who? You? I'd slice you before you'd get the chance."
"It was just a suggestion but I didn't say I was gonna do it. You do realise you left the window open." Sabrina was too late to realise; an arm was coiled around her torso and she yelped as she was pulled out off the window and blood was sprayed. Maya cried out loud, landing on her knees and falling on her face and Dana panicked as she watched her little shirt stain with crimson.
Outside, Alex threw her towards the concrete and as she prepared for the rough landing, the air was pushed and she was sent barrel-rolling, cracking her head against bricks. Landing like a feather, he silently walked to her, saying "You don't know who you're trying to play, Galloway."
"So I don't get a hi anymore?" she spluttered, the flickering light in the alleyway giving the vanishing trick a new meaning. One moment he was far from her, by the next flicker he was mere centimetres.
"Hi? Rather just shut up and die." He picked her up by the throat and she gritted her teeth when his eyes burned right through the back of her head. "Okay, before you kill me..." Her eyes changed colour but she was distracted by another smash to the head. "Do that again and I'll end up showing off your corpse to PARIAH. Now, he wouldn't be too happy about that, would he?"
He got received no reply and his grip tightened, Sabrina's eyes widening as she scratched at his hand. "N-no. I-I'll won't... Do it... A... Again..."
"Good girl." Her breathing was restored and she gasped, staring in his silver eyes. "Before you kill me, I have a confession to make."
"Speak up. You have at least half a minute, I can be very impatient at times."
"I joined the Children... Because I was jealous."
"Of what, exactly?"
"Of Jessica. You gave her more attention than you did me. I hate to say this but she is a pretty girl and is very lucky to be with someone like you but just this one time... This one time, can you just kiss me?" He looked lost and confused when she finished her sentence and getting angry just as her tears brimmed, she dropped her head and sniffed, feeling the most softest hand known to man lift her chin. Sabrina stared at Alex, who stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and she leaned in to his touch. Being her, she went up on her toes and stole a kiss and waited for him to react.
He didn't, he just breathed out through his nose, put his hands around her waist and kissed her back, more deep and passionate. She melted instantly, arms around his neck and lips smacking together and just as she was getting hot, he stopped. Leaning towards her ear, he whispered "I'm sorry, Sabrina," and she found herself clutching her chest as biomass ruptured throughout her body, while he started walking away from the scene. "You don't deserve to die a quick, painless death. You deserve to die a gullible person."
She found it hard to speak as she tried to hold it in. "I... You-We... You k-kissed me..."
He stopped, "Maybe, but that doesn't mean I liked it, I'm actually quite disgusted. I just wanted you to shut up. Completely." She let out a growl and a cry of displeasure, just before she exploded into thick, strong tendrils that whizzed past Alex as he turned out of the alleyway.
OoOoO
Anwen blocked another swipe with her blade, parrying it and lashing out with another counter. Jeremy was quick, she'd hate to admit, but realised he doesn't like close combat. So when it came down to her, as the rest were being mind-controlled, she thought on her feet and got her katana out. She hasn't managed to drop it or miss him once despite the fact that she was versing a much more stronger and thicker blade. "You've been taught well," Jeremy agreed, trying to hit her but she dive-rolled and his Whipfist zoomed to her, spiralling around her wrist. "But just not as fast as you thought you were." Her katana was dropped and she was yanked towards his muscular frame and she breathed rapidly when his face was dangerously close to her's. "Let go!"
"Or what? You gonna try and kill me? You're not even infected."
"Is that a problem? No, I don't think it is."
He shook his head, "Such a waste... Goodbye, Harper." Everything went by too fast for Anwen to register and when she could, she looked down with a blank look, finding Jeremy's claws in her torso. But from that moment, she wasn't herself anymore and the symbols she had days ago reappeared and smiled, not realising that she'd almost died. "See, it's times like these when you say the wrong thing at the wrong time. This is definitely one of those times."
Jeremy glared at her in disbelief, cutting through her flesh and watched it repair itself in split seconds. That's when he noticed her red eyes and pulled out his claws, feeling her blood sizzle through his hand. "It's people like you to need to realise that you're not stronger than us... Stronger than me more like, and when you're on your knees, begging to leave you alone... You'd realise that humans like myself will always find a way to get power back."
"Go to Hell." He went to rake her across the face but she flipped backwards and ran towards her blade, that simply flew into her grasp. He saw it grow in size, he saw it change shape and now that he thought about it, he really doesn't wanna fuck about with her. Anwen looked up as if she heard something and when Jeremy followed her, he was easily cleaved in two and Levi, Katy and Jessica were shaking their heads with Lex popping up next to them. "Hey... Oh, you guys don't look well at all."
"We nearly died," Katy admitted, coughing before being helped up by Levi. "Lex, you know when Anwen goes all godly like that, how does she do it?"
"What?!" Lex spun around, and started muttering under her breath, "No... No, no, no..."
"No? What's wrong?"
"For the Angel's Blood to revive Anomaly, I had to give her a massive shock of energy that would activate the drug. That amount of energy needed is the equivalent of the amount of energy that can destroy the fucking world. Literally. Think of thousands of nukes combined."
"Holy shit..."
"So I hid that power in the farthest reaches of her mind, only to be used when she'd near death or impending doom..."
"There's a downside, isn't there?"
"Sadly, there is. See, if she stays like that for more than 5 minutes, she detonates, using the power within to let out a massive shockwave, possibly killing everyone in the radius."
"Guys," Anwen said, getting her blade that lay next to Jeremy's pieces. "They're coming." Alex landed next to Lex and Jess asked "Managed to kill her?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, thank God. She was getting annoying." Someone pushed her and the two rolled until she was on top, ready to punch her opponent in the face and she tilted her head. "Blake Daniel?" she smiled, "I should've known the Evolved went to join the Children. Quite sad, really. What did they make you, huh?"
"Stronger than you," He slapped her across the face and she was sent spinning in the air but she recovered before landing and got out her blade. "Let's dance."
As soon as Jessica and Blake started fighting, so did Katy and Carlton, who really didn't stand a chance and got instantly slaughtered just as easily as Blake. Alex waited for his moment to shine, and it shone it's brightest when he saw Heller bullet-drop, cracking the cement and sent debris flying. PARIAH landed next to him, the remaining of The Children behind the two and the six stood in a line; Orion died due to being broken by Jeremy's excessive mind-control.
When Alex smiled, Heller smiled with him and when Anwen shuffled the blade in her grasp, PARIAH clicked his neck. "This is it, I guess," Jessica started.
"Are you ready to surrender or do you still want to make a fool out of yourselves?"
"Who wants to surrender when we've got the strongest people on our side?"
"And who would be that strong person?"
"That would be me," Anwen said and taking her jacket off and not caring about her scars at this time, the symbols glowed and blue smoke danced on her sword. "What can you do?" Heller mocked, "Except make me a sandwich?"
She strained her head to the side, "Stereotypical bastard." Everyone either clenched their fists, rose a brow or just waited for the right moment to attack and when it slipped by, the street was already doused in the blood of others. Blades were singing, abilities were clashing and frames were dropping every couple of seconds. Anwen launched herself at PARIAH, who tried to pull her apart with tendrils but she moved to the side, punching him in the abdomen. He doubled over and she grabbed his hair and kneed him in the face, having him fall back and he struggled to get up. She laughed once, "And you call yourself the strongest? Please, you're exaggerating yourself."
"Shouldn't you be killing me?"
"Maybe, I just wanna see you get up. It's funny when you can't."
"Suit yourself." Anwen reached out a hand and he took it, only for him to drag her down but it backfired, and she pulled him up and over, using her energy to rocket upwards and jump to where he landed.
Alex and Heller shared grunts as they were at each other's necks, slicing and cleaving away but Alex begun to notice that he was getting tired and just like that, he dropped on one knee with his red eye dimming in brightness, panting as he found it hard to look his creation in the eye. "What's up? Feeling exhausted?"
"Shut the fuck up, Mercer."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll kill you."
"Then proceed to try your best." Getting up, he morphed his hand to claws and darted to Alex, who shifted into Armour Mode and smiled wickedly as he drove his blade into his chest. Having no effect whatsoever, the black guy stomped and he was redirected in an arc, despite the weight of the metal coating him. He had to deactivate it; it was too hard to manoeuvre, jump and flee and when he was on solid ground, he was snatched and thrown about again.
Jessica was having a blast as she slashed at The Children, who she thought was stronger that her. They're like trees that don't wanna be cut down, unless they're forced to and she ended up doubling over when a blade cut through her stomach. Finding blood on her fingers, she got mad, gritted her teeth and let off a Devastator, ripping most of the Children to limbs and Katy rolled off a tendril to kill the Child that was running away from her.
Lex was tackling some tall, massive guy, trying to split his skin but every time, it'd regenerate and there would be no point. Until Jessica came to the rescue and charged his mind with a thousand volts and the brute just dropped like a boulder.
Anwen started feeling a bit weird after a couple minutes and by then, PARIAH was completely bruised and beaten. Broken nose, cracked ribs, punctured lung, torn muscles, chipped teeth, damaged brain and yet, this guy was still moving like a snake. She wobbled and fell on her side, feeling PARIAH lean over her and cold metal was pressed on her neck. "It's over," he laughed, hoisting her by the throat. "It's over. We've won, you've lost. You can never beat me... Beat us."
"Go ahead," she spat out, going up on her knees and looking in his blue eyes. "Kill me. What are you gonna achieve from this, huh? Tell me... Tell me!"
He struggled to get the words out his mouth and when he ordered them correctly, he spoke "Mercer killed Elizabeth Greene; my mother. He didn't have to, I mean, he could've put her in GENTEK custody again but he didn't. Instead he consumed her, just like the cold-hearted bitch he is. I aimed to kill him and everyone that stands beside him... And you're the first to die." The warm metal slit her throat and her hands were brought up to the wound, blood spraying out and dribbling down the corner of her mouth. At that same moment in time, Levi was finally held down and Katy cried his name when she was also restrained, squirmed to freedom but got the wind knocked out of her when she was punched in the gut. "Katy!" Levi called out, gritting his teeth in anger when he was dragged away from her and just when Jessica thought she'd killed the rest of them, PARIAH blurred and coiled his pale fingers around Anwen's chunky handle.
She saw it coming but was too slow and she took a steady step back, blood flowing out her mouth as she held onto the sword, dropping on her knees. "I'd never thought," she hissed, unable to regenerate as her biomass had been spilled. "It'd come down... To this."
"Well, it has. I'm sorry, Miles, but you've lost this battle." She fell back, falling in Lex's lap and glaring in her now green eyes, she whispered "Why?"
"I... Don't know, Jess... Alex is still out there still fighting Heller. Do you want me to-"
"No! No... No, don't... Anwen... She might be the solution. If she kills me, she kills Alex and PARIAH, saving Manhattan in the process... Does she know that?"
"She's about to find out," she brushed the hair from Jessica's face, smiling down at her and saying "It's not over yet... Her mental blocks are down, you have a way of helping her."
"I don't think I can anymore... I don't think... Think..." her eyes shut sluggishly and the Australian had to shake her to keep her awake. "Don't you dare die on me, Miles! I'm warning you."
"For a spirit, you're quite fucking scary."
"Well, at least your eyes are not shut... I'll be right back. I have some unfinished business." Picking up the Prototype and propping her up against the wall with the sword lodged in her stomach and out her back, she walked coldly to PARIAH and Anwen, who still had blood spewing out her throat. "Anny, there's something you should know."
"At least 2 litres of blood have left my body, I should be at least tired but I'm not. Which is quite weird..."
"You're the weapon... You're the only person that can save this city, maybe even the whole world." The man didn't approve and wrenched Lex's shoulder and she lashed out, spearing his cheek with a rock spike before she was forced to support her limb. "You liar!" Kicking her, she was launched off her feet and struck the ground headfirst, tumbling on the floor and didn't get up. "Lex?"
She was still and the redhead crawled to her, already realising that her temperature was deteriorating by the second, so was her heartbeat. "You fucking asshole!" she shouted, standing up and the symbols burned ferociously, scars lighting up, marking the word RIOT on her arms. "You killed the closest person in my life. You killed her! You hold Levi and Katy hostage, stab Jessica with my sword and leave Alex distracted. But what about me? What are you gonna do about me?"
"I intend to kill you."
"Because you can't. Your mind has been fucked with ever since I hit you. Now you say you can kill me? You can't, PARIAH, you've just lost."
"That's where you're wrong, Harper. I've won and always had."
"You know, I've realised people have done many things for each other. Give to receive, right?" She smirked, hands trembling now and the etches on her skin becoming more noticeable. "I was made to be Anwen Harper. And if that means saving my hometown, then tell Alex I'm gonna miss him." Jessica managed to get herself off that blade and as she lost blood, she stumbled to Anwen, trying to stop her but the girl smiled, saying "Look after him for me, will you?"
"You can't-"
A tear dropped on her tinted cheek, "I'm gonna miss you too." She threw her head back and screamed as searing hot pain pierced her spine and spreading her arms, the buildings shook around them and all they saw was a small speck of white light in her eyes before she exploded, enveloping everyone in the bright shockwave. The earth shook vigorously, car alarms going off and trees lost their leaves. Alex and Heller, amazingly, didn't falter in speed and strength anymore and found out they were just playing each other so when they stopped, Heller pointed out a shockwave and it washed over the two, sucking them in and coating them in unbearable heat and force. Dana looked down at Maya with sorry eyes and felt the floor wobble and just as she looked out the window, she saw this white expanding sphere hit the apartment and with her silver eyes sparkling, that was it.
That was it.
A bit rushed, I'm not gonna lie, but that's it! The final chapter has been done on a rather depressing note. Massive thanks to CardiffRift for helping me with this, seriously couldn't have done it if Anwen had to be a bad-ass and Lex being able to slow down time.
Had an awesome time writing this (although this is quite a late update ) and I hope you enjoyed reading this. Will still do more Prototype fics and I'd love it if you can give your thoughts about the whole story. Maybe it was good, maybe it wasn't; there isn't a wrong answer in this case. And as always, stay classy Infected!