Crane didn't like the utter silence from Kyle trudging after him as they entered the tower, face cast down to the ground as the man lead the kid to Lena to have his wounds treated. His shoulder and arm required stitches but Kyle hardly reacted drowning in so much grief it left him a shell, his face still wet from crying receiving questioning looks, Rahim poking his head in as did Brecken and Crane explained to them outside the door while Lena took care of Kyle.
"Hey, do either of you know how far that bomb is?" Crane lowered his voice to ask but not enough as Kyle's eyes widened on the bed and yanked away from Lena having one gash on his arm left halfway done as the boy tore himself away with a wince leaving the woman to wonder what it was all about along with everyone else in the room.
"You can't!" Crane whipped around to the boy grasping at his clothes with teary begging eyes. "You can't, what if my dad is down there when it blows?! Please, Crane you can't! I-I have to save him! I-I will find a way, please! You have to l-"
"Kyle! Snap out of it, look at yourself! Look at your arm!" Crane firmly but gently held the boy with a shake, arm held into his face dripping with the halfway stitched gash. "Your dad did this, he's a volatile now!"
"B-but-"
"Kyle, I don't want to blow your father to pieces but he can't stop himself. And before I let him hurt you again, I'll do what I have to. I'm sorry."
"But he's different! He doesn't act like the others! You saw it!" His voice was so frantic, bleeding with sorrow like his wound, pleading and crushed latching onto the tiniest sliver of hope desperately missing his parents.
"It's not enough! He aimed for your neck Kyle! You barely moved it in time! You need stitches because of what he did!" Crane tried to reason with the boy with tears welling up in his eyes again, the quiet cry starting as Crane pulled him into a hug as Brecken and Rahim watched ready to start crying themselves. It hit even harder because the boy had put on such a tough front when he had arrived, now shattered sobbing into Crane's arm with the cries so faint fro crying all night being a piercing dagger to the heart. "You have to let go." But he refused to, pleading again.
"Please just give me two nights! I'll come up with something! I'll trap him somewhere safe, please Crane! Y-you heard Zere, he thinks a cure is possible! You have to let me try Crane! I'll give up if I can't do it in two nights I promise! Please…" Crane glanced away with a silent snarl feeling himself cave in and it didn't help that Kyle had hunted a volatile successfully before but that was when he wasn't hurt and got ignored at least until he had landed the first blow on one and that was a huge advantage. Lena silently watched with a heavy heart glancing to Crane to see if she could finish up with the stitches on the sobbing boy looking at Crane with begging eyes.
"Damn it… two and that's it. You hear Kyle? Two. And you're not trying without me. And it's done with a careful, thought out plan, we're not taking any risks, understand?"
"Yes! Thank you Crane." The boy hugged tighter, arms around the man with small smile trying to reign in the sobs as Lena gently steered him back to the bed to finish up the stitches, Kyle finally looking alive again instead of a shambling shell but last night still haunted him and would set back in as Crane found out later with the blonde trying to come up with a plan. "What the fuck did I just agree to…" Crane quietly sighed, mumbling it under his breath with Brecken beside him.
"That nest needs to go!" Rahim exclaimed completely against it.
"Rahim-"
"No! This so unfair! People die because of that nest! And he always gets his way, every damn time! Why?! Oh wait, right, he's not human so he gets to do whatever he wants! He gets to run around and do things at thirteen because he's some half zombie now!"
"Rahim, that's enough." Brecken warned, Rahim's eyes softening just for a moment before narrowing again and stomping off. Lena glanced to the boy beside her with sigh, the small smile he had was gone replaced by an empty sad expression gazing onto the floor quietly on the bed as the doctor had finished up the last stitch moving to bandage it.
"Hey! Hey, Crane! Listen…" Rocket's eyes darted to Kyle's narrowed ones behind one of the claws on the fingers lifting a little making him nervous. "I don't wanna fight you and this not a trap to get the kid to Rais. I just want to talk. Will you hear me out?" Crane shortly glanced to Kyle exchanging looks and the blonde took a less hostile stance. "Okay, so, you've worked for Rais for a while, right? Which means you've heard of me. My name's Rocket. Yeah… THE Rocket."
"Oh, "THE" Rocket. Yeah… Never heard of you."
"I'm Rais's best runner! The antennas job was supposed to be mine… I was just busy with something… more important. But never mind! How about a little challenge, eh? Just a short run. I wanna know if Brecken's best runner is anywhere near as skilled as Rais' ace. Which is ME. Well, let's find out. What do you say?"
"Okay, let's get this done. Crane's shortly shifted to Kyle sitting down against the shanty house, still not even a hint of a smile on his face only wearing a gloomy expression since having found his now volatile father. "Hey Kyle, how about a short run?"
"No. I'll wait here."
"Listen, you're still hu-" As if Harran itself wanted to show just how much it had enabled Kyle in a fight, a viral rushed around the corner, Kyle up on his feet having smelled it before the former male human had rounded the corner, one leg causing the infected to stumble as the right hand not wearing the claws rushed out and slammed the enemy into the wall of the hut opposite of them crushing the head into an unrecognizable mush, the boy gazing at the men with his hand dripping with the infected's blood. Kyle silently sat back down and Crane sighed knowing he had been refused and he couldn't get him to come along. Rocket and Crane took off as the boy stayed behind.
Rahim sighed sitting on the vent on the roof, thoughts back at what he had seen earlier today. The kid looked so crushed, bawling and begging at Crane to give him a chance at it. The bomb wasn't ready yet but Sa'id probably didn't need two more nights with it. He didn't mean to blow up like that no doubt having been heard by the blonde and hurt his feelings as if the kid didn't have enough of that already in Harran. He didn't hate Kyle or that he got to go out on runs despite being a kid since he was different, the frustration of being not allowed to do such things chewing on him and this time Kyle had paid for it without ever having done anything to Rahim. On one hand, Kyle was nothing like anyone else ever bitten and with no one knowing why, his bawled point of the possibility of his dad being different as well did have a stand. Actually with the fact as it had turned out as Crane had tried to talk out of hope to protect the kid from danger, even his mother had acted differently by still speaking clearly begging for her son to fight and survive for them even though she attacked him with deadly aggression and no restraint. Rahim's foot slightly kicked the vent in dangle with a scoff, another sigh coming from him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't go ahead with his plan and just take off with it without Kyle having the two nights to try trapping his father that he had pried out of Crane with heart wrenching begging and crying. Rahim found himself wondering if he would act any different if he had been the younger Kyle's shoes finding that despite what he told himself, he probably wouldn't have.
"Done and dusted. You happy now?"
"You're lucky, that's all. Next time it won't be so easy."
Crane turned back to Kyle taking the lead as he had picked out a spot, the man following the silent bout coming to a stop by a tunnel after a while. "Tunnel huh?"
"Yeah." As they headed further in, zombies dispatched having each other's back, Kyle continued. "I figured this room would be perfect, might have been storage. This door should work, it's thick metal and the rest is concrete."
"It should be sturdy enough; I see some things here that we could push in front of it too. Alright, so you have a place. If we really manage to get him in here, how will you deal with his… diet?" Kyle blinked at the man before glancing away fist balling against the concrete. "Kyle, how well did you think this through?" The man sighed.
"I can figure something out! I can… I can find dead bodies… from survivors that didn't get help in time…"
"And if you find some, how are you going to get it to him? Without you ending up in his path. You won't want to open the door constantly either, that should stay locked if we get him in." Crane pointed out closely watching the boy growing with frustration but his eyes softened at an idea crouching down.
"I'm going to make a hole. Right down here in the concrete and lean something against it when not using it. I'll make its small enough to shove chucks through and nothing else."
"How would you get such a precise hole…?" 'Please just stop having ideas…'
"I'll somehow chisel it in or something. And I'll have it done in an hour." 'Punching is not precise enough.' "Here, I'll get started on it and then we're ready. We'll just catch some sleep after this before night." Crane sighed but the blonde had one, he'd come up with something every time Crane had pointed out a hurdle, the two quickly getting to work having each other's back.
"So, do you ever… want to…"
"Eat someone? The way you're asking makes it clear, it's a weird topic and we just talked about my dad's problem." Kyle raised an eye brow shortly glancing away from making the hole, Crane in disbelief at the luck the kid had when it came to finding something suitable although it wasn't a chisel. "No, not really."
"Not really?"
"If I get hurt… Worse than that… I didn't ever eat someone Crane."
"I didn't think you had! So… you crave it when you're hurt?"
"Yeah, cuts are nothing by now, those gashes not really either but more than that it starts. Like a smashed leg would definitely cause the disgusting urge. I can fight it though and I'll never give in to it no matter how hurt I am. It doesn't take much to push it away and just not give in; it'd take a lot for me to struggle." After a two hours, the two stepped back checking the hinges on the door again, the hole done.
"So, what's the plan tonight?"
"I'm bait."
"Absolutely not!"
"There is no other way! Listen, you'll pack a duffle bag with UV flares and firecrackers to keep zombies away from you. I'll be the bait, I can fight off the others and with the firecrackers and flare you can back me up with a gun."
"I hate that plan. Alright suppose we get him in here, what's your smart idea to get back out?"
"I push him in by dodging a pounce right in front of the open door." Crane hated every bit of it but he had promised him two nights and didn't even want think of what could ensue if he broke it. The two guys headed back to the tower to sleep as much as they could shortly before nightfall.
"So what was your dad like?" Crane inquired curious as he knew nothing of the kid's parents or otherwise family.
"Pretty much the most average Joe you could think off. Office job lived most of his life in the city but my mom slept him off his feet. He was a little in some minorities though like he was against vaccines with my mom. My mom liked martial arts so he would practice a little with her sometimes."
"So your mom teach you any martial arts moves?"
"Yeah, she was the bigger adventurer of the two and knew a lot about plants and animals. You know I'm amazed dad still has that tie… I don't think I would've realized it without that thing still on and washed clean from the rain…"
"That tie is special, isn't it?"
"Yep, it was the tie my dad was wearing when he got a promotion allowing for the house I'd be born in and the same day mom and dad signed the marriage papers. My mom picked it out on a whim because my dad insisted to wear a suit and tie for a proper look that whole day. My mom had never slept with a guy before and was against the screwing around before marriage, she always said that was her biggest moment of weakness giving in to lust for my father but she's always said it with a smile saying it was the most beautiful weakness she ever had and would never regret it because she got pregnant with me. Actually, my dad's interest in general self defense and martial arts really grew more because of me because he wanted to be able to protect me and my mom no matter what. Apparently, it was so weird to everyone at his work that he grew interested in something like that, that running gags and jokes came out of it at work. He could never top mom in a duel though."
"Feels like I would've gotten my ass kicked for having failed at keeping you safe before…" Crane chuckled.
"No because I didn't let you. I tried to push you away so damn hard, I thought I could just stay cold… but I got my ass handed to me emotionally by you…" Kyle smiled at the man.
"Anything in particular to look out for when it comes to finding your dad?"
"Nothing you can do except keep an eye out for the tie. I can pick out his call from a distance. He doesn't really have a certain spot he hangs around. We have to just keep moving and searching until we find him." Two hours past the conversation, Kyle picked up the familiar roar that lured him so much and the duo rushed towards it coming face to face with the volatile turning to them with a snarl. The clawed finger slit over his kin, the infected's eyes shifting away from Crane to completely ignore the man in favor of his bleeding son staring back at him. Kyle took off, his volatile father right behind him and Crane at the rear ready with firecrackers in his hands, only seconds passing before the first viral skidding in front of Kyle got sliced in half swiftly.
"He's perfect…" The man smiled.
"Our little Kyle, Johnny." The woman smiled back resting on a bed in their house, their foreheads coming together in as snuggled as the mother cradled the baby gazing up at them, a crib lovingly out of wood sitting next to the bed. A tiny hand reached up and grabbed the offered finger by the bigger male.
"Da-dwad!"
"I got said first!" The man grinned with a cheeky smile, his wife giggling at the enthusiasm gazing her family lovingly.
The five year old snickered at his father floored on the map as his strike was deflected and turned on him by his wife, offering a hand to help up with a smile. "It's funny, young man isn't it? You'll see, one day I'll win once against your amazon warrior mother."
"Me try!"
"Not yet sweety." The woman smiled, eyes shifting back to her husband. "Another round darling?"
"How can I refuse?"
The sun was shining brightly, the laughter of children on the playground as their parents watched them play. Kyle glanced an older boy pick on a younger one waving the taken toy in the air using the fact that he was taller with grin, the parents of both seeming not to notice as the younger boy asked for the toy back with tears threatening to come. "Hey, give it back."
"Or what freak eye?" The boy smirked, the younger glancing back and forth between the two.
"You don't want to know."
"You think you're tough? Hey guys, look at this guy, the weirdo here thinks he can tell me what to do!" The kid snickered, two other boys flocking closer with smirks. "Why don't you try?"
"You asked for it." Kyle sighed hopping down from the play structure. The three eagerly pounced, Kyle darting side and tripping the first one causing the kid to fall smack face first into the grass stumbling. Before it could keep going, a delicate but strong hand swiftly snatched the toy out of the leading kid's hand with a soft smile. The trio scattered, the leader head turning to the adults looking yup to Kyle's mother. The woman crouched down to the other child, Kyle's father lovingly ruffling his boy's hair proud of him to have stood up for the other child.
"Here you go, I believe this is yours."
"Thank you, lady." The boy beamed ta her and his eyes shifted to Kyle. "Thank you for standing up for me. By the way, uh, I think your eyes look really cool."
"I'm used to it, don't worry about it. I know they a little weird with how green they are."
"Hey, you want to come to my house some time? It's just down the street. If your mom and dad are okay with it. I'm Joey."
"Sure, they don't mind." Kyle replied glancing to his parents shortly giving smiles. "I'm Kyle."
"Joey? Everything okay?" Joey's father and mother walked over to them with worry but were relieved to see everything aright with their son.
"There were some mean kids trying to steal my toy but they stopped them. I invited Kyle to our house."
"Thank you so much. Would you like to come over for dinner?"
"You wear that lot dad… we're camping…"Kyle remarked, the man at the sore of the river fishing with his wife on blanket laid out behind them sipping some tea.
"How could I not? I and your mum never told you the story of this tie did we?"
"You haven't."
"We got married that day and I got promotion that allowed us the house you were born in. Your mother picked it and she was just got pregnant with you. It's reminder of the happiest day of my life when she told me we would have a baby, I married her and we could raise you in a house with wonderful big yard instead of an apartment." The man explained with a smile, an arm going around his boy in a hug, hugging back.
"We love you so much Kyle." His mother smiled.
"I love you too, mom and dad." 'When I'm bigger and stronger, I'll protect you, like you always protected me.'
"Can't sleep?" Jade glanced to her brother on the roof, Harran spreading out below.
"You know even though we have fights, we still have each other… Kyle was out there, all alone… I can't stop thinking about it…"
"Guess we have him both on our mind."
"Do you think they'll actually pull it off?"
"I just want them to survive; I think Crane shouldn't have given in to Kyle begging no matter how hard it is."
"Well, at least there has to be coming a cure soon huh? I mean doctor Zere has to find one with that blood sample from Kyle; the kid can't turn after all."
"Can't seem to turn." Jade corrected.
"I believe it, I believe him. I wonder what makes him so different…"
"Well, let's hope that something is found quickly."
"No!" The bag slipped out of Crane's hand and into the water soaking the contents inside as the man stumbled trying to dash to the nearest roof as the infected changed their planned route here and there. Kyle's eyes glanced back to his infected father and the boy darted aside and to Kyle catching his stumble. Infected swarmed them including the boy's father leaping at Crane's throat as they tried to continue with the blonde cutting down a viral and with yell the kid moved closer to Crane again raking the pulled out terrifyingly sharp claws raking over the volatile's back as twisting to use the metal ones would waste time. Kyle's dad backed off with a screech bleeding as the his boy looked at him crying begging him not to make him choose as both Kyle's attempted to take off again trying their hardest to still lure the tie wearing volatile hot on their heels but with the firecracker distractions, the run turn more into desperate survival than a planned lure with night slipping away with every stride. Crane and Kyle fought and run trying to push the tide back in their favor heading to the spot, a safe zone cropping up. "Get in Crane, I have an idea." Crane darted in passing through the protective blue light as Kyle whipped around with bloodshot eyes causing the infected to come to a stop starting to look lost. The blonde tackled his father down and pinned the volatile with all his strength, the screeches irritating the others but slowly starting to disperse a at an agonizingly slow pace with Kyle trying to stop his warped parent from making noise. The mob thinner after two hours, Crane left the safe zone amazed at the boy still pinning the volatile but letting go now and the bloodshot red having replaced the white by the glowing green left causing head to turn back to the kid. The two took off making sure to have Kyle's a dad on their heels, hearts pounding as they dashed through the night with a plan falling apart, death just a mistake away especially for Crane.
Tears slipped down his cheeks, morning sun about to start peeking over, the route derailed away from the spot evident that they had failed and with other dark places closer he wouldn't like run to where they wanted him. "Go to a bolter spot, Crane."
"We still have a few minutes-"
"Tonight is done!" Kyle glanced to him with tears but those glowing greens were hardened leaving no room to argue, the pain of tonight's failure clear. 'It's too dangerous, Crane is tired and out of breath and even I… damn it!' Crane took the lead after the two hopped into a safe zone waiting a moment for the current mob to give and wander a bit, Kyle gazing after his volatile father leaving and disappearing into the night.
Kyle dashed forward without another thought like a cat pouncing on a mouse but the quick spurt faster than volatile came to an end with his lung stinging a few seconds in robbing him of breath as his fingers reached out, the metal claws rushing down into the running bolter's side as they both tripped and rolled forward, Crane behind them with a gun as the sun started coming out having caused the volatiles to scramble back for the nests just in time as they had converged on the pair. Crane aimed from a distance, quickly shooting rushing forward as fast he could with Kyle already holding flesh glancing over his shoulder to the man coming to a stop beside him. His face still carried misery and pain, the hunt having gone wrong. "No point in Zere for waiting on that bolter tissue because I failed to catch my dad."
"We failed Kyle. We're in this together." Crane said catching his breath, the morning sun coming up, the bolter barely found in time. It was amazing to see how fast Kyle had rushed after the bolter catching up to it even with a gap and bringing it down. The two rushed to the trailer both targeted by the infected evading their grasps and teeth. Zere was overjoyed thanking them for the sample certain with what he had now, a cure would be within reach quickly busy with the sample and the two took off again with Crane in the lead as Kyle didn't care at all where they went being in a very bad mood.
"Crane! How is the Tower's best runner feeling today, eh? Ready for a rematch?"
"I'm surprised you're asking… Racquet. Was it? Racquet right?"
"Rocket. It's Rock-et! So, CRANE… let's do it again. Same rules."
"All right, "Rocket". Prepare to eat my dust." A quick glance to Kyle showed that he wasn't interest in joining again already sitting against the shanty house with a grumpy expression.
"We'll make it out alive." The man smiled at his son, his wife beside him before giving a kiss and slipping out to distract the threats from his family..
"Always fight to survive." Her arms closed around him in a hug, as the tears slipped down her cheeks with a comforting smile. "You're strong."
"Don't say it like I'll lose you too mom!" Kyle cried out, hugging back as they huddled in the hiding spot.
"I'm sorry, we'll be okay. I love you so much. I can't lose you too. But promise to never give up okay? No matter what. Survive."
"Don't give up either mom!"
"Of course not sweetheart."
"You took my mom and dad!"Kyle erupted in a yell with a snarl jumping to his feet, leg splattering an infected against a wall as silent tears ran down his cheeks. 'Why didn't you survive mom and dad? You promised… why did you leave me behind?…' With a buried sniffle, the blonde sat back against the wall pushing down the grief as he didn't want to be seen crying.
"Well…?"
"You're good. For sure. But everyone can be beaten. See you next time, Crane."