In one of the upstairs rooms Kaori sat in front of a computer and watched a recording made by Dr. Koyanagi. She had been shocked to learn the disease effecting the fish could be transmitted to humans, as shown by Koyanagi's amputated arm, but seeing that Tadashi was all right filled her heart with relief.
She listened as Koyanagi described the origins of the walking fish. World War II experiments, a bacteria that caused the infected to swell up with foul-smelling gas, walking machine developed by the military to spread the infection that had been lost at sea. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes she would never have believed it.
Then she froze in horror, covering her mouth with her hand as the images changed to show Tadashi collapse to the floor. His uncle rushed over to him and said something but she barely heard any of what he was saying except for one word. Infected.
"Tadashi was… Tadashi was infected?" she whispered.
She stood up and turned to leave. A gleam of metal caught her eye and she picked up a set of keys from a nearby shelf. Then she ran from the room, heading for the basement. She was sure that was where the laboratory in the film was located.
Within moments she found a locked door in the basement. After trying a few keys she managed to unlock it and entered the laboratory. At once the disgusting stink of rotting flesh assailed her nostrils, much stronger than it had been outside. She gagged and covered her nose. Then she noticed something and the stench was instantly forgotten as she uttered a scream of raw anguish and horror.
In front of her was Tadashi, laying atop a version of the walking machines that had carried the fish. A small distant part of her mind registered that this machine was different than the others, shinier and more modern-looking, with white tubes instead of purple and the metal ribs replaced by leather straps. She didn't really notice any of that though because all of her focus was on Tadashi himself. His body was grossly bloated and swollen with numerous boils and his skin had turned a sickly green colour. Two thick white tubes filled his mouth and his cloudy eyes were vacant.
"Tadashi" Kaori said imploringly as she walked towards him. "Is that you Tadashi? You are Tadashi?" She stopped walking and sank to the floor. "Please answer me."
He did not respond.
"Why don't you answer me?" she cried.
"He's not conscious Kaori" said Dr. Koyanagi as he entered the lab, his empty left sleeve flapping behind him. "I wanted to keep this a secret."
"Professor" she said softly.
He walked over to Tadashi. "Look at this" he said and pressed a button on the machine Tadashi was strapped to. At once the machine came to life and began tottering around the lab with an awful squeaking sound from its joints, its movements erratic and jerky. Koyanagi began ranting something about wanting to make a walking machine for himself but Kaori didn't hear any of it, her mind too numbed by the horror of what she was seeing.
Abruptly Tadashi turned and looked right at his uncle, the walker coming to a halt. He then charged directly at him, leaped into the air and slammed down onto Koyanagi, the sharp tip of one leg impaling him through the chest. The scientist cried out in pain as the leg tore free and Tadashi fled from the lab, leaving Koyanagi laying on the floor in a rapidly spreading pool of his own blood.
"Tadashi" Kaori cried. She jumped to her feet and ran after him.
Bumblebee was contemplating whether he should just break into the house when he heard an odd squeaking sound. Something charged past him and fled into the city.
"What in Cybertron was that?"
"Tadashi!"
He turned to see Kaori come running out of the door. She skidded to a sudden halt. "Bumblebee-san! Tadashi needs help!"
"Wait, what…?" Then he recalled what had just ran past him. He glanced over and realised exactly who and what he'd seen was. "Come on!"
Immediately he transformed to vehicle mode and Kaori jumped in. Bumblebee's engine roared as they set off in pursuit of the fleeing Tadashi. He quickened his pace but Bumblebee easily kept up with him before accelerating and overtaking him. He screeched to a halt and Kaori got out while he transformed.
"Tadashi!"
Only then did he stop, the squeaking of his walker falling silent. He stared at her, his blank eyes unreadable.
"Let's go home" Kaori said tenderly. "Come home with me. Tadashi, let's go home together."
Speech was impossible for him but he managed to utter a low wheezing sound. The walker took several steps towards her and his eyes blinked, a spark of life returning to them.
"Tadashi, this is Bumblebee-san" she said. "His friends can help you."
"I promise we'll do everything we can" Bumblebee agreed.
The walker dipped down and then back up a few times. It was the closest thing Tadashi could manage to a nod.
"Tadashi" Kaori said, her voice filled with hope and joy.
The air was suddenly filled with harsh squeak and scratches of metal on tarmac. Kaori and Bumblebee stepped back in surprise as about a dozen infected humans emerged from around corners, all bearing the same signs of mutation as Tadashi. The walkers they lay on were larger versions of the ones that the fish had arrived on. Unlike the blank expression Tadashi had been wearing until a few seconds ago their eyes were filled with utter hatred. It took Bumblebee only a second to realise that the mutated humans weren't looking at him or Kaori. Their eyes were all fixed on Tadashi.
"We have to get out of here!" He transformed again and opened his door but Kaori hesitated as she realised Tadashi wouldn't be able to fit inside.
"It's okay, that walking machine won't get tired" Bumblebee pointed out. Tadashi's walker dipped again in agreement.
"Okay." Kaori got inside and Bumblebee zoomed off with Tadashi right behind them. The mutated human walkers gave chase, the scratching of their leg tips filling the foul air with a terrible cacophony of impending doom.
Bumblebee activated his communicator. "Optimus we're on our way back but there's a ton of infected human after us. We need help."
"Hold on Bumblebee. Help's on the way" Optimus replied.
The little yellow Autobot weaved around several abandoned cars as he drove through the deserted streets of Tokyo. It would have been unnerving to see such a normally busy city be totally empty but right now both of them had more pressing concerns. Kaori glanced in Bumblebee's rear view mirror and sighed in relief as Tadashi also scurried around the obstacles, not as smoothly as Bumblebee but he still evaded them.
That sense of relief faded as she saw one of the pursuing walkers close in on Tadashi and bring its lead leg down on his back. His eyes bulged and a spasm seemed to go through his body as the sharp tip sliced into his flesh, sending a spray of blood up into the air. He increased his speed and managed to pull ahead again but it was clear the walkers were catching up, their eyes burning with murderous rage.