Chapter 18

Alley was working late at the Association. She has spoken with Rimuru and Drax on who they saw in the Neo Heroes, going as far as probing their minds to get the visual of them as well. Since then she has worked on compiling data and information on them, so far she has managed to profiles most of the Neo Heroes, but there are many who are not quite connecting with her.

"Okay, so we got Suiko, so I know what to expect from her. Accel and Raiden we have complied data on, the former S Class heroes." She paused as she came to the criminals. "Serial killer A is what he is known as… multiple crimes against the people of the city, currently under Neo Hero protections as long as he cooperate. Then there's Ryumon. Gang leader of 400 strong…"

"You collected all this data already just by what the two told you?" asked Yuki.

"I probed their minds as well for proper visual." She explained.

"Sis… this is getting serious isn't it?"

"It is, and those are just beginners on the list here. I got some data on Webigaza… if you thought Amai Mask fans were bad, these ones go rabid!" she explained. "She is going to be of concern to me. Well, her and Infelsinave, a cult leader with 900,000 strong followers. His church is of the otherworldly reincarnation, never heard of them until now, but I don't dare wish to know how far they will go for the sake of their leader or their cause… whatever the hell that is."

"Anyone else?" Yuki asked.

"Well typical wealthy investor, Zaedats. He has stores, shops and businesses all over the supercontinent. No doubt he is the money bags in this with special privileges…"

"Still amazing sis, you haven't met most of these people, but have already broken down who they are and probable connections… not to mention the trouble they are going to give us…"

She nodded in agreement. "Until I get more information, this will have to…. GAAAH!" She suddenly grabbed her head in pain. Tears began to fall from her eyes as he began to feel the emotion of a close family member.

"Something's wrong…"

She turned as Yuki also cried. He cleared the tears but wondered why he was sobbing. "What's going on?"

Alley suddenly began to glow, then, her eyes widened. "GENUS!"

#

She rushed him to the hospital in City W. When Alley came in with Dr. Genus, she paused. There, Eclipsa sat in the waiting room, covered in blood. But her eyes… they were empty of emotion as the tears fell. "Eclipsa?" Alley called gently.

Slowly her sister turned, the blood on her face said it all as she shook her head. "I… should have walked home with him…" she whispered.

Genus was already at the front desk, he got the information he needed and called for Alley to join him. "Down the hall, room 5!" he said.

Alley convinced her sister to stand up, she had to guide her down the hall to room five, but she couldn't bring herself to walk in. Alley sighed as she went in but saw Genus trembling. The doctor in the room was explaining what happened. "He was stabbed with a blade, covered in an unknown substance. We have done all we can to stop the bleeding, but the stitches won't hold."

"Who…" Genus demanded as his fists clenched in anger.

"Four men have been incapacitated…" the doctor said as his eyes drifted to Eclipsa. "She brought them in after bring in the young man in the bed here. The four will never walk again, in fact. They are paralyzed from the neck down… if they make it through the night."

Alley froze as she turned to her sister who shied away.

Eclipsa was capable of doing such a thing?

"We already called the police on the matter, all four of the men had blood splatter on their white garments indicating they were the ones who attack first. They will be detained if and when they wake from their induced coma. As for the young man here… I don't know what to tell you."

The doctor left the room, Alley came in as Genus was looking over Jason. "Son… can you hear me?" he asked gently.

Jason's eyes opened weakly. "Hey dad…" he whispered. "I… don't know how it happened… or why… the man just said… 'Be reincarnated once more…' then I passed out."

Genus sobbed as he looked at wound. Alley saw how large it was and at the moment frozen to prevent the blood from escaping him. "I need to get you home!" Genus decreed. "I can save you, I can do everything possible and I will make you whole again!"

"You sure that's the right thing to do doc?"

Alley froze as Zombieman lingered in the doorway. He looked down at Jason and tried to smile to him. "Shit kid…"

"I heard… the other guys… look worst."

He was gasping for air, Alley could tell if something isn't done soon, Jason will die. "Wait… a blood transfusion!"

"What?" demanded Genus and Zombieman. Eclipsa appeared to have hope in her eyes for the first time.

"We know for a fact that there are proteins and special atoms within the blood of Zombieman. If we do a transfusion…"

"His he could possibly gain healing abilities." Genus said as his eyes widened. "Brilliant Alley!"

"I refuse."

The room froze to his tone, Zombieman peered down at Jason, who merely nodded to him in agreement. "Jason and I had this talk a long time ago, he said if push came to shove in life or death… he would take death."

"What! Since when!" Genus demanded.

"Dad…" Jason whispered weakly. "It's… true."

Genus had to sit down, Eclipsa rushed into the room though and cried. "No, please, take the transfusion!" she begged of him. "Jason… I can't lose you… we went on one date… ONE, but you are the one for me… I know it in my heart, please… please fight!" she begged.

He smiled to her. "Eclipsa… how can I live… if I become just like him?" he asked. "Zombieman… and I already talked… I don't want to live like him… what if I outlive you?" he asked weakly. "No… dad can clone me…"

"But you won't be you!" she protested. She took his hand and held it to her face. "Please… Jason…"

Yet his eyes were growing heavy, he was too weak to talk any farther. Alley tried to cox her sister away, when Zombieman left the room. Eclipsa was quick to chase after him…

#

"SAVE HIM!" she shouted. "YOU'RE A HERO GODDAMN IT, DO YOUR DAMN JOB AND SAVE HIM! I KNOW YOU CAN!" she had followed him out of the hospital when she started to yell at him.

But he didn't appear to care. Zombieman turned to her and said. "I am saving him!" he protested. Yet as he turned to walk away, she grabbed his shoulder roughly, she didn't control her strength as she tore his jacket clean off. In her desperation, one of her serpent struck him in the arm, grabbing hold tightly with its mouth.

"SAVE HIM RIGHT NOW DAMN IT!" she ordered.

In that bite, Zombieman turned and took out a dagger, he slashed the creature off his arm and severed it from Eclipsa. She hissed and recoiled back, but then realized what she had done, a small chunk from his arm was now missing. "Oh God… I didn't mean…" she wept.

Eclipsa broke down, falling to her knees she cried to aloud. "I don't want him to die… I just got to know him better… he… he… I want him to be with me… always"

Zombieman took a knee, gently he had her look up into his face and said. "He wanted the same, but, if I were to give him my blood, it wouldn't be enough. Genus would have to experiment on him to heal his wound, even tap into his old research to do so… he may end up like me, or something completely different. You forget to take into factor… he is really weak. And wouldn't survive the testing anyways."

Eclipsa sniffled as she tried to calm down. "But… if it did work?"

"He may not become the Jason you remember… for I don't remember how I was before this happened to me." Zombieman confessed. "Do him a favor, support him. Accept his choice in the matter, and remember the good times you had with him. Unlike Jason… I won't ever die with the feeling that someone cared so much about me, they were willing to risk everything."

She froze to his word.

They weren't nonsense words, they were truly from Zombieman's heart. She looked up and merely nodded her head. Slowly, Eclipsa picked herself up off the ground. "I… I'm sorry for how I acted."

Zombieman forced a smile. "I wouldn't have expected anything less." Peering down, his harm already healed over. He picked up his torn jacket and left.

Eclipsa turned and saw her sister and Genus waiting for her. "Little sis…" Alley whispered as she pulled Eclipsa into her arms. "Come on, let's go home…"

"But Jason…"

"He is tried, let him rest, if he survives the night I may be able to find something to heal his wounds by tomorrow. For now, it's best we let what happen, happen."

Eclipsa sighed and nodded in agreement. "Dr. Genus… I'm sorry I wasn't there to help him…"

Genus merely smiled. "Had you been there, despite being the daughter of Garou, he still would have protected you from the attack."

"I'll be at the lab first thing tomorrow Genus, Yuki maybe able to help too."

He nodded as he began to trek back home.

"He's not going to stay?" Eclipsa asked.

"Visiting hours are over, we will have to seek in tomorrow if we can find something to help him."

She merely nodded to her. "Take me home please Alley."