Chapter 15: Left For Dead By Cowardice

Eve's eyes dart between the failing machines of Blaze's monitors to the changed raccoon rampaging and prowling around in a twitchy bundle of strained muscle. His transition had acquired sensitive patches of moving armor that flexed and flashed muted reds, an indicator of his rage no doubt. And despite the lilac cat physically moving and generating noise, Perry's eyes remain fixed of the team outside the "cage" he was locked in.

Scourge growls as he finally pushes Eve fully out of the way and into Shadow as he cocks his gun in aggression. His furrowed brow a clear indication of his mind trying to think of something to do with the disease ridden mobian that could only be trapped momentarily at most. "Can any of you shut the door on his body to give me a clear shot properly?" He questions with clenched teeth.

Wordlessly, Ghost follows his command. The dark hedgehog braces against the weakening door, hand clenched around the knob and the other on his sidearm. Nickolai goes to cover Kit by the computers, who had stopped his inspection to watch the spectacle in fright. Dune jolts into action by covering the two hedgehogs willing to take down the infected raccoon, getting into position to fire if the enemy were to get out.

The ebony hedgehog pulls Eve behind him, also reaching for his sidearm with gritted teeth. With a few curt nods, Ghost begins to open the door enough for the raccoon to squeeze through, a dark expression on his face as he watches the shifty Perry move. The mutated mammal takes the route as soon as its available, snarling and scratching to get his whole body through as the weight of Ghost presses against it harshly.

HIs movements turn savage, squirming through the opening, both trying to pull back into the side room and break through into the main one. Deep claw marks etch into the door with his struggles as Scourge gets closer to the rabid researcher, not sparing another moment as he shoots point blank into Perry's skull. The lilac female immediately turns her head away from the now still carcass, her expression turned queasy. Things were easier when the bodies you saw were not people you knew, ones you saw living just the other day.

The atmosphere began to relax from the tension, it was quiet once more. All except the monotone noise from the machines hooked up to Blaze. Once it registered, Eve snaps her head back towards the cracked window into the side room. "Blaze!" She yelps, seeing the female sitting up and disconnected from her monitors. No concern as the sheet that covered her bare form floats gently to her lap, head twitching as she listens to the voices around her.

Her exclaim brought the attention of the rest of the team, particularly that of Scourge as he charges past the corpse of Perry, opening the door the rest of the way. Ghost and Dune following, unsure of what their goal was supposed to be.

Unsurprisingly, the cat was quicker than the raccoon, unleashing a hiss before throwing herself off the table she was previously resting on and crashing it into the three men coming after her to the opposite wall with great intellect. They let sharp exclaims of pain, the table hitting them under the lip of their vests and letting the air out of their lungs.

"Shit!" Shadow growls, pulling away from his position to help in the off room.

Blaze lets out a strange chitter in the back of her throat, tail lashing behind her before her head snaps over to the other female in the area. Strange electric yellow green eyes shift and dart over her form as the lavender hedgie pulls away from the window. The infected's eyes blow out wide before reducing back to slits as she focuses in entirely on the one in front of her. Her frightened blue orbs watching as the cat inhales deeply, throat croaking lightly.

"Ee..ve.. k-comme..." The crazed female beckons, like speech wasn't a natural process for her anymore. She held her position for a moment longer before a shot rang off, making her screech, head turning to the recovering males. Shadow snarls back at the infected, allowing the others to lift the large table off themselves.

The ruby-streaked hedgehog would've shot another round if not for the loud almost deafening cry the cat released, holding her arm as she pounces into the open vent on her side of the room with ease. Dark liquid spilling from the wound in her shoulder as her movements fade with her escape.

"ChaosDAMNIT!" Scourge yells, kicking over a now useless monitor before making a beeline for the shell-shocked doctor. Shadow following, a dark look in his eyes keep on Scourge, ready to interrupt at a moment's notice. "Scourge, you know this isn't on her."

"Like hell it isn't! Every little thing we've encountered has been pointing towards her, Shadow!" The acid green male scoffs, taking a moment to glare at his second in command. "Stop thinking with your cock!"

The other male is momentarily taken aback by his comment, rust colored eyes narrowing further as a grimace forms on his muzzle. "Like I said before, I'm not. Look at her right now." He motions with his hand, the female in question hadn't even registered them being around her, eyes still locked onto the empty side room, where Blaze had been.

Her face was pale and distraught, arms holding tightly to her shuddering body. Ears were flattened against her head as she mutters lightly under her breath. A far cry from the level-headed woman that walked in with the team previously to help them. She was utterly terrified.

Shadow scowls, turning away from Scourge and interrupts Eve's line of sight, putting up placating hands in her vision before talking lightly to her. "Eve, it's me. Let's sit you down and relax for a moment okay?" He murmurs, gently placing his hands on her jumpy shoulders. It takes a second for her eyes to focus in on the hedgehog in front of her, when she does, only a light nod is her response.

She casts much of her weight onto him to support her as they go off a grouping of desk chairs. The ebony male continuing to help her through her panic. The verde hedgie had been deterred for now from interrogating the female, although he had been humiliated in front of the rest of the group, as much as they were trying not to watch.

He flicks his ears back in agitation before turning away to check on Tails' progress with the cameras. "Kit, I need an update now. Nickolai, Dune drag the body back into the side room and watch that fucking vent. I don't want any surprises." He commands, not sparing another glance as he looks over the fennec fox's shoulder at the computer screen intently.

Nickolai and Dune wordlessly follow his order, still shaken by the tension between their commanding officers. On one hand, Scourge had reason to be suspicious of Eve, lots of things were strange and did involve the plum hedgie in some unknown way. And on the other, Scourge was still yelling at a civilian that had done nothing but help their squad.

It was difficult to pick a dog in this fight.

The sun kissed fox nervously swishes his tails as the ticked off hedgehog looks over his shoulder. His fingers start to shake lightly as he pulls the camera feeds. "W-well, I managed to find the feeds when we were rebooting the systems earlier." He states, showing the footage of their squad in the different locations before focusing on the one with Vector.

The feeds were darker on screen, but it showed enough detail for them to make out where the crocodile went. After the order was given to assist Eve, the reptile made a wrong choice. Chasing after shadows that lead him into the unknowns of the Genetics sector.

Tails barely leashes the hiccup in his throat as he watches the larger male get taken down by faster moving enemies, straining his attention. The gunfire made it hard to tell how many were around him and it seemed like the farther someone went into the Genetics sector, the shitty the connection was.

Scourge pinches the bridge of his nose, heaving a loud groan. "Fuck." He mutters before standing straight once again. "Alright guys, looks like we're taking a trip to Genetics." He states, looking back around at the varying faces.

"Ghost, Tails, stay here and keep this place secure. You three are coming with me, we need to figure what the hell that animal is and where Vector went for sure." The male huffs, organizing his gear before heading for the door. With one last look at the fearful doctor, Shadow follows suit with Dune and Nickolai trailing after quickly enough.

Ghost posts himself on the opposite side of the room, giving him the most advantageous view of the doctor, the rookie, the vent and main door into the room. He crosses his arms, but his ear continues to flick at the murmured voice of the lilac female.

Tails bites his lip, head switching between the computer console and disheveled doctor before typing a few things to load the active feeds and moving over to Eve. She looked so lost in thought, searching for something as she rocks lightly in place on the chair.

"W-where? Where have I seen those eyes? Why can't I remember?" She sobs, hands running through her hair in a panic.

"Doctor?" The fox questions, taking a seat in front of her. "What's going on?"

Eve looks at the young male, blue eyes troubled as she stops her fidgeting. "I-I don't know. But things are coming back to me in b-bits and pieces." She tells him, pulling her hands away from her head to rest in her lap. "Those eyes, the eyes that Blaze had, I-I've seen them before. I just can't remember w-where." A whimper sounds as she finishes her sentence, disturbed by her lack of knowledge. Lack of memory.

Tails lays his ears back in worry. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She bites her lip, standing up to pace close by, going over her options. "Could you open my medical files, find out if I had any incidents involving head injuries? O-or maybe there was something in my room, something about eyes? Yellow green? Maybe a report about me in the system?" Eve lists off, looking more hopeful with each passing suggestion.

"There was nothing in your room." Ghost interjects, eyes cutting over to the female with no real aggression in them.

"A-and I could probably search the system for anything with your name!" The golden mammal adds, rushing back over to the computer. "It might take some time since all the sectors have different firewalls, like they didn't want to breach any info with one another." He mentions with a huff.

"Anything is fine Tails. I just want some answers, even it's just that I'm imagining it." The lavender hedgie states, going over to the yellow fox to watch him work.

Ghost watches over them, feeling more settled now that Eve was in higher spirits, but this news was concerning as he is pulling out the burned notes that he had Scourge before. It was likely it wasn't an imagination.

xXx

It was difficult to start up a conversation with the situation as tense as it was. The dual-colored fox just kept motioning between the two hedgehogs in front of him to the dark wolf beside him. "It's like they're in the middle of a dick measuring contest and every time it's been loss for both of them." He whispers with a slight groan.

Dune rolls his eyes, pulling at his collar lightly. He was sweating in his uniform and his wounds were aching a bit but nothing that pain medication wouldn't fix. "Dude, just shut up and focus." He sighs, watching the passage towards the Genetics sector with wary eyes.

The corridor in Genetics was dark, despite the lights being returned as they were broken. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what did it either.

Scourge scowls, eyes flicking every direction before kneeling to investigate the trail of still fresh blood. The area had signs of a scuffle, no doubt this was where Vector had been attacked. "Be on guard." He murmurs, gaze following the streaks that lead deeper on still. Ammunition shells scatter around the blood furthering the evidence that this was where their lost member had gone, and then the rifle the reptile carried was haphazardly strewn against the opposite wall.

The midnight male tracks the trail, taking point as it leads down another hallway on his side. The group begins to follow him as they go deeper, watching as they breach the previously locked down area in the sector.

All was quiet and calm, only noises were coming from their steady gait, going completely off nonverbal communication and gestures as they follow the ever-growing blood trail.

"I think we should head back Scourge. It's becoming obvious that Vector didn't make it." Shadow sighs, looking back at his commander. Dune and Nickolai signal varying levels of depressed agreement behind them.

But it shouldn't have been Shadow that had stated it, the acidic hedgehog took it as a challenge, furrowing his brow defiantly. "We don't leave until we see a body." He says lowly, glaring at Shadow heatedly. He shoulder checks the other hedgie as he pushes pass, continuing to follow the crimson liquid staining the metallic floor.

With no choice, Shadow grits his teeth, nodding to the confused duo to comply with their irate leader's orders.

It wasn't much longer that the blue-eyed devil stops mid walk in front of the three. Flashlight pointed onto a severed forearm, drenched with the blood, more than likely from the exposed tissues at the less than clean cutting point and serrated edges making it impossible to ever recover the limb.

The ebony male didn't have to say anything at this point, merely places a hand on hip as the commanding officer has his silent fit in front of them. The position was getting to the green hedgie and it didn't take a genius to realize this, or that he was not ready for this type of position in the first place.

Beside him, Dune leans against the wall, fanning himself lightly and looking haggard. Nickolai flicks his tail nervously, looking at his comrade before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey bud, you doing okay? I know my body is hot and all, but you shouldn't be getting this bothered." He chuckles weakly, dropping the smile he had.

Shadow looks at the wolf, watching the sweat bead up against his muzzle. "What are you feeling Dune?" He questions, placing a hand on his chin and turning his head side to side, even looking at how blown out his pupils were.

"I'm pretty sure I have a fever. Feels like I'm in a blizzard and a volcano." Dune murmurs, having a hard time keeping his eyes open, throat becoming raspy and dry. "Feeling like I'm weak and numb in the knees too."

The monochrome fox shifts his gaze between the hedgehogs and wolf, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe we should head back, we found Vector, or what's left of him and you don't look so good Dune." He hesitates to say, ears flicking back. "Sir-"

A few clicking growls echo, cutting the black-and-white male off from his request. The whole team seizing up from the tension and Scourge stepping back to regroup with the rest of the team, weapon at the ready. A frenzied mobian skitters out before unleashing a piercing cry, gaining more in return from farther down the hallway. More pounding feet begin to come closer, growing louder as they do.

Rust colored eyes widen as Shadow begins to push Nickolai back the way they came, even shoving Scourge back too. "Come on, we have to retreat. We don't have the numbers for this!" He hisses to the verde hedgehog, getting a snarl in return.

"Who's in charge here Shadow, me or you?!" He pushes his hand off before shooting the scout that had echoed their arrival.

"We don't have time for arguments Scourge, if we don't move, we will die, there's no other way. We still don't know what's happening here to just go up against with no game plan, it hasn't helped us yet!" Shadow bickers, once again shoving the leader back where Nickolai looks on in worry.

"Don't worry about Dune, I got him." Shadow announces, pulling the wolf off the wall and starting him back towards the entrance. He lets the weak wolf use his shoulder for support when he stumbles beside him.

Scourge scowls before turning toward the fox, a grimace on his face. "Shadow is right." He forces out, the words physically paining him to state. "Go back now, make sure the way back is clear." He huffs, watching the fox nod and turn away.

Then the green hedgie turns to Shadow, narrowing his eyes in a venomous look. "When we get back, we're discussing your ineptitude for following fucking orders." He points his finger at the other male and then lightly jogs ahead of the two, leaving the hedgehog and wolf behind.

"Wow, he's really on your case Shads." Dune murmurs softly, suppressing a shudder that racks through his body. His tail subconsciously goes between his legs from his weakened state.

Shadow smiles, propelling the both further with his strength. "Well, he doesn't seem to be most levelheaded in this situation." He glances behind them, finding no critters coming after them, their clicking seeming to be further back and stopped.

Dune lets out a small yelp, grasping at his bandaged forearms, even wrestling one away from Shadow and once again, leaning against a wall before sliding down. He heaves deep breathes as he leans his head back. "I'm a liability Shadow, you know this."

"Shit, Dune don't think of that. We need to keep moving." The ebony hedgie growls, forcing the wolf back on his feet, taking even more of his weight to keep them moving forward from the aggravated infected.

It all happened so fast, one moment the duo had caught up with Scourge, the green hedgehog barely giving them a glance back and then the next, Dune was on the ground, seizing up and unresponsive. The wolf whimpers, fingers clenching desperately as Shadow tries in vain to help him regain his mental faculties.

"What the fuck Shadow?" Scourge yelps, running back towards them before freezing in place, quills straightening reflexively at the sign of danger, of a predator. Shadow's quickly doing the same before the large beast, the Hound emerges and snaps up Dune's shoe, wanting to make off with the easy meal.

The ebony hedgehog curses loudly, grabbing onto Dune's arms and planting his feet in the metallic floor as best he could, struggling to grab his holstered weapon. "Fuck off! Scourge help me with this!" He shouts, sweat beading down his forehead at the intensity of the situation.

The creature hisses, yellow eyes dilating in anger before its body scales flex. A group of infected coming to assist with the large beast's meal, some swiping at Shadow and grabbing a limb of the incapacitated wolf.

Shadow only spares a second to glance at the other hedgehog, panicked mind wondering where he was and why he wasn't helping with Dune. He could see the tear tracks muddling the wolf's muzzle, but when he turns back, he could only see the hide of the male as he ran away from the situation.

Leaving him with the abomination that had let go of his friend's foot. The large beast brandishes snarling fangs dripping with saliva and this up close the hedgehog could see the rugged flesh where muzzles and chains had lay on its body, restraining it.

Ughh, I've been waiting forever for this cliffhanger! This is like the halfway point in the story, where everything is just progressively worse than the first.