He could see himself drowning in blood, his lungs on fire unable to breathe closing eyes glimpsing the bits of flesh in the seemingly endless blood around him with no surface or bottom in sight, the red fleshy almost unbelievably sharp claws reaching out for the struggling hand reaching desperately, more air bubbles going to nowhere from the gasping mouth, pointy tips reaching closer and closer. Kyle's eyes shot open, sweat covering his body as he wheezed for breath, hand over his mouth instinctively burying the scream suffocating to a squeaked whimper curling up on the mattress trying to pull the blanket more over him. Crane's hand suddenly rubbed over his shoulder, the man having groggily out of bed noticing the whimper. "Can't really sleep either huh?"
"Just a bad dream, I'll be okay."
"How is life in the tower with a fan girl?" Rahim chuckled glancing to his sister, everyone nursing a cup of coffee having a meeting in the morning. Jade just rolled her eyes looking away.
"Gerritsen, why are you dragging me along? Aren't you supposed to rest your leg?"
"Ugh, don't start sounding like Lena now, one doctor is enough. Come on, aren't you curious?"
"It's a meeting. Probably about how long supplies last and what to look for in runs. How interesting can that be? You just want to listen in on Jade no matter what she's talking about."
"Sshhh!" Gerritsen inched closer to the door, Kyle with a sigh behind her. Her eyes shifted to the boy again after few minutes as he got up giving a questioning look.
"I need to pee." Kyle whispered, the girl listening back in not trying to stop him. The blonde got up turning away but swayed almost falling hit with a dizzy spell.
"Kyle, you okay?" She didn't try to be quiet concerned for her friend prompting the adults out of the room.
His hand pushed off having steadied himself on the wall, hand leaving from head running through his hair. "Had a crappy night, don't worry about it."
"You said you'd tell me when you aren't feeling well, come on we need to get you to Zere." Crane quickly closed the two steps between them, Kyle glancing away. He would never say it out loud but he was still scared and now even more with that dizzy spell. He had nightmares before but they didn't leave him with a sudden dizzy spell any other night he had one. The more he thought about it getting himself just a drop more scared, the more he drowned out his gut. No snarky remark came, no biting defense or cocky brush off, everyone surprised to see Kyle take the man's hand following him.
"Anything in particular you need?" Rahim raised an eye brow at Gerritsen with an amused smile, Jade hiding a sigh.
"Ah no! I was just curious, didn't want to interrupt!" Gerritsen glanced after Kyle again. 'Please be okay… I'm so sorry…'
"Hey Crane, I want to go for antizin." The Harran streets sprawled out in front of them but his voice had been low anyway, their stuff they always carried on them.
"You sure about it? You think you can turn after all?"
"I'm scared." Crane almost didn't hear it, so faint had been the reply.
"We're going to go get you a shot of antizin, don't worry. You're going to be okay." Zere's trailer lab quickly came into sight, the guards greeting them as Crane knocked on the door. The scientist answered with smile noting Kyle demeanor behind Crane. "Kyle felt dizzy, he needs antizin. He think he'll-"
"I'm bitten." Crane turned around, Zere stepping out as Kyle had unwrapped the bandage around his arm which he had refused to show the darker skinned man last night.
"Oh no, you poor boy. I'll prepare a shot, just a second. What horrors children see here… it's awful…" The man scurried back inside motioning for them to come in but Kyle didn't come in noticing the zombies slight direction in their movement seeming to target something though Zere didn't seeing it as the kid being shy. "It just a little jab, I can do it out here too." The guards surveyed the area wanting be extra sure, Kyle's eyes till glancing and narrowing at the zombies sitting on the stairs allowing Zere to gently take his arm instead of flinching away, Crane slowly noticing what Kyle saw.
'Maybe a surv-' His thoughts didn't continue as his entire body burst out in excruciating crippling pain, the kid's ear piercing scream of agony causing the zombies to rush to the fence. Everyone's eyes widened in horror as he yanked away like a wounded frightened animal holding his arm, the syringe empty and Zere horrified and guilty at having caused the pain, Kyle on the ground withering in misery and mind numbing agony, crying and screaming. If Zere and Crane could see past the skin right now, they'd see the kid's entire body absolutely and aggressively destroying the antizin within seconds. Crane rushed forward, crouching down pulling the twitching boy in his arms after the soul tearing screaming.
"Kyle! Kyle, talk to me! Come on! Doc I don't think he can breathe!"
"I must have something in my lab!" 'It's like an allergic reaction, an extreme and deadly one I must hurry!' the man rushed in desperately looking around as Crane shouted that Kyle just got worse dying in his arms. Zere rushed out again having a fresh needle. With the boy no longer screaming but going limp, his mouth like a gaping fish, the zombies stopped their frantic rushed going to wandering, the man no one noticed having been targeted and saved by Kyle's misfortune about to kill him rushed away using the opportunity finally able to move again after seeing the horrifying sight himself seeing Zere give something telling Crane it looked like an allergic reaction out of the corner of his eye. Zere and Crane watched with bated breath unable to do anything else, sighing in relief as Kyle calmed down in Crane's arms no longer struggling for his survival. "I-I'm so sorry, I-"
"I don't blame you." Kyle stopped him, his voice quiet and strained staggering to his feet with help from Crane giving him support, one hand going to the arm with the speck of blood from having pulled away so fast and frantically. "Damn it…" 'I'm such an idiot, I wasn't going to turn and if I hadn't freaked myself out I would've felt it in my gut.' "Well, now we know antizin is poison to me." The radio crackled to life, Lena's voice on the end informing Crane that Gerritsen didn't feel well either and had told about a water bottle that may have had bad water in it. "Of course it was the water bottle. It didn't taste great; I didn't know it was that bad."
"It doesn't seem too bad, but toilet trips might be unpleasant for a day or two. I have some general medicine at the tower." Lena offered. As soon as Lena was done, Jaffar came on next and with even worse news.
"Crane, Rais' men are shaking down safe zones looking for kid that claimed to want to join his gang. They just left and broke Zaid's arm. Though I'd warn you since that kid is with you they might try torturing you two for an answer before trying to shoot you. Watch your back Crane."
"You need some medical supplies?"
"We're taking care of his arm, you just make sure yours isn't next."
"Thanks Jaffar, think they'll come back?"
"If Rais is shaking down safe zones that hard he really wants the kid that made the claim, I'm afraid he won't stop until some kid shows up confirming the claim."
"Damn it… Thanks again Jaffar, take care. I'll see if I can find a thug of his, shake out some answers myself and if I'm there when they hit you again; you've got an extra gun."
"Thanks Crane, take care. Say hello to the kid from me."
"Hi Jaffar, you'll have two extra guns." The radio went silent again after another thanks from Jaffar. "Come on Crane, we have a thug to hunt."
"I do, not you. You just almost died from an antizin shot; you're staying at the tower or with Zere."
"I'm staying by your side!"
"You need to take it slow!" Kyle eyes narrowed as a smirk started playing on his lips, head turning to the fence spot. "Oh no, no, no! Kyle!" The blonde had evaded his grab, rushing away tapping into volatile speed to make sure to get away, through the fence in no time glancing back to Crane on a van. "No, don't! Stop shuffling away! Kyle, I mean it! I'll fucking spank you if I have to or lock you in a room! Get back here! Damn it! I know you have a lot of questions right now Zere but he's being an ass, I need to go after him. Sorry doc."
"I can wait for those answers when he's ready to open up to me. Now go, I have a feeling he's a very special boy."
"You have no idea." Crane chuckled dryly.
"Go, he needs you." Crane took off, Zere giving another encouraging smile watching them rush off, the thirteen year doing his best to keep Crane from catching up for a bit.
"Anything we can help with?" Having come close to the wheel station anyway, the duo stopped by walking to Jaffar's office.
"No but I think the fishing village has maybe some older kids there, could get even uglier than here. I don't think they even know who they're looking for, seems like a claim is all there is. They didn't stay for long; we got Zaid a little drunk to take the pain away."
'I got annoyed talking to him but the guy doesn't deserve that.' Crane sighed, the two checking on Zaid indeed a little drunk with his arm wrapped and in a splint. "Think it's a clean break?"
"Oh those psychopathic gorillas probably tried to break the bones into tiny pieces! And Rais that maniac will keep expecting merchandise!"
"We'll help you. Need anything now?"
"Sure, know a magical cure for broken bones?"
"Zaid"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm in pain. What kind of crazy kid makes a claim like that? I'm telling you if that maniac Rais ever finds that kid, he'll make the kid his dog if he doesn't murder him or her slowly. And if that kid has friends, they're all dead too." Zaid exclaimed looking at the bottle sadly. "Poor crazy kid…"
"Well I'm not gonna let it come to that or at least I'll try my damn best to stop it."
"You know the kid that made the claim?"
"No but if Jaffar is right thinking they only have the claim to go on then that's even ground."
"Good luck to you then and that kid out there."
"Thanks, here it'll help you stay drunk." Crane handed him an alcohol bottle, Zaid thanking him. "Let's find out how much damage is done in the fishing village."
'I heard the guy was a psycho but I didn't think he'd get so obsessed over my little lie and go so far. I have to make him stop; protect these people without getting Crane or anybody else more involved. I can't do anything big now; Crane would be on my ass about it.' Kyle glanced at the man, a zombie kicked away as they made their way to the village. 'I'm sorry… I didn't want any of those people hurt… I just… just didn't want you to be shot…'
"Did you hear about that demolisher?" The guard shuddered in the garrison.
"Fuck yeah, it had a fucking crowbar or something in its throat right?"
"Bent at the end pinning it!"
"I don't ever want to run into the zombie that can do that…" The guard's pal shuddered himself, his mind already trying to come up with an image of a very buff one. "Hey, did you hear? One of the two groups set on the kid, went down. Zombies chowed down so hard, could barely be recognized anymore."
"I think Brecken's runner will never give up that kid without a fight."
"Rais always gets what he wants sooner or later." Lips pulled into a smirk. "Kid can't hide forever behind people in Harran."
The older boy whimpered, Sophia gently putting the wet cloth back on the bruise to soothe it. "Fuck, they were here…" Crane growled coming into the village with Kyle, the thugs gone again but the reminder of their presence all over the place. His eyes landed on the most beaten up person, being the older boy Sophia tended to.
"The day Rais dies, all of Harran will party…" One of the men in the village growled.
"I'll kill him." Kyle promised out of the blue from behind Crane, the adult sharing the same name turning to the boy. 'If I hit him at night, he can't stop me even with his whole gang.'
"Hey, you're not going to just pick a fight like that! That guy is dangerous, even for you Kyle!" Crane protested, Kyle unimpressed. "Let's see where we can help now." The man started asking around, Kyle glancing to a little girl quickly glancing away whispering to another kid.
"Want to know where I got that?" Kyle sighed, the claws raised, finger slightly moving each blade.
"No, your eyes are so green!"
"I know."
"It's like the Prince of the Night!"
"The what?"
"Yasmina, before she left with Jamil and her mom, saw a zombie outside with glowing green eyes like no one else has ever seen!"
"That's just a story from her." The older boy commented with a wince.
"Well we don't care. We call that one the Prince of the Night because it must be different from any other zombie with those eyes. And I heard the scarier and different a zombie is the less others like it are around."
"And you're not scared that there might be another variation out there? Maybe even worse than volatiles?" Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"Nope, we're safe in here! You know, you would be a pretty prince!" The girl giggled.
"I would be a terrible prince." Kyle chuckled.
"I don't know you but I don't think so. You seem kind. You look like a hero from a story!" The girl smiled.
"You're not a monster, you're my hero!" Kyle stumbled away with a snarl and widened eyes, turning away and running off to the girl's confusion everyone else baffled as well, Crane quickly running after him barely catching him leave out of the corner of his eye. The blonde didn't run far, stopping by the closest dumpster, lips in a snarl and punching it with a yell, the dented blue metal groaning in retaliation.
"What the hell are you looking at?" Angry green narrowed eyes glanced to the infected just standing there beside him, Crane coming to a stop a few steps away having witnessed the angry outburst. "You fuckers killed her…" For a moment, the eyes softened glancing away. "No… I did… I didn't protect her…" Narrowing eyes shifted back again. "What the hell do you want?! Go away!" The white in the eyes flushed bloodshot red, the zombie suddenly stumbling back with a frightened screech. "I'll never be like any of you no matter what! No matter what superhuman shit I can do! I'll never turn!" There wasn't just anger in those words but conviction. A self made promise, conviction so strong he'd rather die before turning and it shined in his eyes like a bright fire refusing to be doused in any way. Crane's recently found a sword he carried, the machete back at his room needing sharpening took care of the zombie, the man's hand gently placed on the kid's shoulder. The two stood in silence, Crane simply being there for him, the boiling anger leaving Kyle. "I saw broken stuff at the village, let's help them rebuild. I'll be okay."
"Sounds good."
His eyes glowed yet luminously again in the dark, the enchanting green only darkening the black pupil. The backpack that had started to lose things here and there casually left into the shared room was tightly packed containing all his things, machete and rifle snuggled in their spots with all other weapons back on his body onto their spots keeping the blonde armed to the tooth. His teeth sank into the lower lip to suffocate a sniffle already drowning a cry, it came so easy nowadays only a little harder through his time Crane and the tower people. The kid glanced back one more time, Crane asleep unable to just walk out throwing his arms over the sleeping man in a hug, two silent tears soaking the man's shirt staying asleep as the kid pulled away again. The hood of the found sweater was thrown over sneaking up to the roof, hopping onto the crane with its deadly height rushing over to the twin tower to start a fast, rough descent almost running down with volatile speed. Eyes gazed over the ground soon, body moving to enact the plan thought of all day and the green eyes soon narrowed on the prey being a volatile.
"Kyle? Must be hanging out with that girl…" Crane yawned pouring himself a bit of coffee.
"Growing up fast, don't they?" One of the roommates chuckled, Crane rolling his eyes.
"Don't your dad jokes get old?"
"You know, his nickname is 'Crane's brat' by now."
"It's just until he confides in someone else at the tower." 'It's not like he can stay with me forever, I'm starting to doubt the GRE a little but I'm still going after that file. Once this all over, he'll have to have found a new family to be with, I can't take care of him no mat- if I wanted to anyway. Damn…' He was already thinking like a loving father. But Crane knew he couldn't just hand him off to anyone making him confide in the tower residents or perhaps Brecken even more important. As much as he wanted a cure, he wasn't going to sacrifice a kid for it just as he wouldn't traffic Jade to Rais and the three vials put at least the latter problem away even if it was just a little.
"What's in the bag?" Osman asked, Nazim next to him meeting up Kyle in their set spot for when they left the sign for each other.
"Volatile corpse almost ripped three times now. You guys can hold on to it, I need a favor with a plan. This is plan B."
"What is plan A then when plan B has a volatile corpse?!" Nazim exclaimed.
"Killing someone. That's plan A. In plan B, I die." The boy smirked.
"How…" Osman shook his head with a sigh. "You've helped us a lot, we'll just trust you on this. What do you need us to do?"
"Hey Crane, have you seen Kyle?" Gerritsen hobbled over to the man with a yawn.
"You look too tired to be up. I haven't, actually I was going to ask you the same thing. Feel like I asked everyone in the tower and no one knows where he is. He's done this before, last time he came back with some zombies and beat them up out by the stairs. I was already out at the fishing village to check there to see if he got up early to help with the damages the thugs caused but I got nothing, he didn't even show up there."
"Kid is missing again?" Jade sighed.
"Yeah" Crane's eyes strayed to Ahmet nervously fiddling with his hands a few steps away.
'How do people drink that…' Kyle's face contorted, the bottle put away having sipped some alcohol while walking with a zombie, part to try drowning his own misery, part because he felt slightly nervous and part to actually be a little tipsy but not too much heading for the confirmed location of Rais thugs at the wheel station. "Bye ugly faces got a little lie to fix."
"Hey Ahmet, was it right? I need to know what Kyle talked about with you."
"Hey, leave him alone!" The thug paused, fist failing to strike the elderly man as all head turned to the boy on the roof who's lips slowly turned into a smile. "I heard Rais is looking for me. I'm here now; leave the people of Harran alone."
"Oh no… I've heard Rais is shaking down safe zones from other people here…"
"Ahmet, I need to know! Just talk!" His heart beat faster. 'I don't like where this is going."
His smirked stayed, green eyes reflecting a dangerous glimmer which failed the moment he leapt down and stumbled. 'I'm a lightweight, great.' "Don't you move, I'm getting up." 'Ugh, never again.'
"He wanted to know more about Rais or rather what his reaction would be like. I suggested to him to tell you or Brecken as well." A crowd had gathered around Crane and the man including Brecken, Rahim and Jade.
"Hey, I told you to stop." Kyle snarled, leaping in the way with stumble blocking the fist to Jaffar's face with his arm, eyes narrowed before his other hand took a throwing knife stabbing into the thug's arm stepping back with snarl letting go of Jaffar.
"He asked me what Rais would do if a kid claimed to want to join his gang and the claim would be all he had to go on."
"Damn it… the broken overpass when we found it… that's what he used as a distraction…" Crane growled, heart beating even faster, stomach churning as Gerritsen's eyes widened with sorrow.
The thug slammed his head on the counter, ropes tied painfully tight around the wrists, meaty fist slamming into his face, the kid thrown over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes, his eyes glancing to the claws taken from him carried by another thug with his stuff as his consciousness felt hazy. Jaffar waited wanting them to be out of eye sight, hand itching to reach for the radio.
"When Rais' men attacked us yesterday and we killed them, one of them muttered something about Rais being happy with Kyle brought back."
"But the boy said all Rais had to go was that claim… how could he know it was your boy?" All eyes shifted to Crane.
"I don't think that psycho knows. He's attacking at random, and Kyle sticks out, he might just be hunting him for that because Kyle hadn't shown his face before I brought him to the tower. Damn it! If I would've just woken up at night, I could've stopped him!"
"What do you mean Crane?" Rahim asked for everyone.
"I thought it was just something in a dream or something… I thought I felt something hug me and something wet… that was probably Kyle running off at night… and if that's right then I'm sure he's going straight to Rais so he'll stop attacking safe zones."
"Rais will never let him leave alive." Jade darkly remarked.
"I won't let him." Crane snarled, turning to the exit still decked out with weapons from going to the village.
"I'm coming along." Rahim tried to join but felt Jade's hand pull him back on his shoulder.
"You're staying here, this mission is too dangerous. I'm coming too Crane." Before Brecken could talk, Lena took his wrist but more tower runners stood up instead.
"I'm sick of Rais thinking he can just own anybody." One of the residents growled, gun ready and loaded.
"Since your face showed up in Harran, it's been even more chaos. I've been dying to meet you."
"Me too." Kyle smirked back at Rais sitting in front of him, Kyle tied to a chair, wrist ropes tight.
"I took the liberty of having my men put those claws of yours back on since well, you can't use them right know anyway. They look good on you soldier. I heard a little rumor that some kid with balls wants to join my gang." The man grinned already knowing the answer but wanting to hear him say it and Kyle humored him.
"You're looking right at him. Now leave the safe zones alone, you've got me now."
"Now why does a kid like you make that claim? And why do my men die when you do?" Rais was impressed, Kyle not even flinching once, expression staying a cocky fortress without a glimmer of fear and he loved it right now. Because he'd enjoy it even more when he did make fear appear.
"Crane, Rais' thugs were just at the wheel station and your kid came in. He said he's the kid with the claim and they took him away." Jaffar's voice through the radio took everyone's attention, Crane's expression darkening standing in the lobby.
"Thanks Jaffar."
"Take care Crane." Gerritsen's hand grabbed his wrist, the girl glancing away saying nothing but it was clear what it was about.
"I will." His finger left the button. "I'll bring him home Gerritsen."
"Then let's not waste any time." Jade smiled, Crane glancing over his shoulder to see the whole with encouraging faces. Kyle had stuck the whole time with Crane but still charmed the tower despite trying not to.
"I just made a dumb claim; I was struggling on the streets. Didn't you ever say something you didn't mean at thirteen? I highly doubt it. I ran when somebody started shooting."
"Well, I have. You are right; I don't think there's anyone here that hasn't said something they didn't mean as a kid. But you see that was back out there and in Harran when it wasn't like this. Times have changed kid; you can't just make a claim anymore. We take those serious, don't we boys?" Rais glanced behind with a smile causing the garrison to cheer. "Applications are taken very seriously." Tahir's meaty hand dug into the blonde's hair tilting his head back as Rais brushed a knife over his neck with a smile. "Throw me a bone here; didn't you see any face from the shooter?"
"No" The knife swiftly changed position rushing down into his leg above the knee but Kyle didn't cave glaring at the man barely moving his leg. 'It's time I start making my move.'
"Why do I keep feeling like that Crane guy was involved? Touching friendship by the way. But that's about to end. Let's figure out these details later. I think you'll feel more like opening up to me once you're really a part of the gang." The man's grin grew more sinister, head turning to a thug. "Take them from that prisoner. I don't know if you have heard about it but we have a… tradition… To join my gang you'll eat- a pair of human eye balls, these right here." His eyes shimmered with sadistic glee holding them in his fingers handed to him, the fresh drops of blood still on them, Tahir yanking back a little more with the other hand grabbing the kid's jaw, the men laughing as Kyle tried yank away instinctively.
"Come on Kyle…" Osman mumbled, the brothers on edge waiting for the cue.
"Go to hell." Kyle smirked, ropes ripped in the blink of an eye freeing his wrists, boot slamming into Rais face driving him back, eyeballs dropped in the dirt and Tahir's fist missed the blonde's face dodging and grabbing the wrist belonging to the hand still in his hair loosening the grip with a crushing grab throwing the massive man aside like a ragdoll. The chair got thrown within seconds slamming into the thug with his stuff, the kid dashing forward grabbing his backpack with the weapons attached, the thugs unsure if they should shoot but taking aim quickly ordered to hit his limbs. Kyle slashed a hook inhumanely possible leaping on and off walls, outrunning bullets with only two grazing him not even past the skin. The blonde leapt up to the platform with the two guards, hands changed to fleshy claws in the blink of an eye causing ice to run down their spines, eyes widening even Rais choking on a yelled order. The claws tore into the men, sagging down and toppling off with ripped open guts, Kyle wearing grin faking a dizzy spell stumbling off the platform. Rais and his men rushed forward, the zombies below erupting into more noise, Rais managing to give the order to shoot letting the bullets rain down on the running boy catching himself keeping the claws out as Nazim and Osman readied themselves in hiding. Hearts pounded, Crane, Jade and four other tower members skidding to a stop on the roof seeing the bullets fly, Kyle stumbling being hit in fatal places darting behind a car, his blood splattering onto the ground, eyes widening in horror at the whole sight including fleshy razor claws that the blonde had instead of hands, Osman and Nazim's hands letting go. A car groaned slammed by a demolisher obscuring the sight and gas tank zombie zipped over the ground further causing distraction hit by the hail of bullets, all eyes instinctively shielded and quickly opened again, car rolling to a stop. The gas tank zombies exploded and where Kyle had fallen before gone from everyone's vision for a moment laid now a dead volatile in the pool of his blood mixing with more blood from zombies almost coating the entire street in front of the garrison into a carpet of red. Crane couldn't stop himself screaming out, Rais' men still so rattled they didn't react and right now even Rais didn't react still staring at the scene. A hand slowly raised, stopping the men from trying to shoot at Crane and co from a distance, a cruel smile of Rais lips, Jade the first to collect herself and grab Crane's shirt to snap him out of it telling to get back to the tower ushering everyone else into movement.