AN:
Chapter 14: Cure
"So you never found them?"
Atbash shook his head, a sad, fake smile on his face, "Nope." The consequences of his previous actions ate at him ever since he enacted his justice upon Regulus. It's carnivorous nature stripped him to the bone until he was only a former shell of himself focused only on survival.
He was one of the few that still fought the fight even though he thought he had nothing to fight for. Perhaps he fought for humanity, but what difference would he make just avoiding the infected? No difference, that was the obvious truth.
After hearing his backstory, Subaru could only feel sorry for the man. But at the same time, he felt what Atbash did by going into the drug trading business only started what he felt sorry for. Maybe if he didn't have any reason leave the city he could've saved Ashley and Lindsay. Atbash's decision to make more money by illegal means was one he regretted making even before he was chased out of Bakersfield.
"I'm sorry, Bashur, but you never know, they still might be alive. You shouldn't believe they're dead just because you're not there with them."
These were the same words he wanted to believe about his parents. He wanted to find them and ask them so many questions. Why weren't they with him? Where had they gone? Do they miss him?
"You've seen what it's like out there," Atbash looked sadly at Sol and Charlotte, grim thoughts going through his head, "Cities are gone. People are dead and dying constantly. They probably never stood a chance. Ashley was a pretty face with no real skills that would help her here. She wasn't athletic really, she didn't have any sort of backbone that would give her the ability to kill, even if it was kill or be killed. It also didn't help that she was afraid of the dark. I just hope it was quick and painless. In our situation, that's like a gift from God. Too bad he probably isn't here anymore or else all this wouldn't have happened."
The chirping of desert crickets from somewhere inside the house sounded.
"There's only so much I can do, Subaru. I'm not gonna last forever. I might as well just throw the idea of a long life out the window. I'm not strong, or smart, or creative. Fuck it. I'm afraid of people." Atbash rubbed his face. "Can't place too much trust on anybody anymore. Nowadays, people'll look for any way to backstab you and screw you over."
Subaru commented, knowing what he was getting at, "I'm not like those people, and neither are my friends. You can trust us. We'll help in any way we can if it means making you comfortable with us."
The sound of desert crickets got louder. It was a quiet world, making it all the more soothing. The thought of Earth only being occupied by the crickets and them was a happy thought. But that was just it, a thought. Subaru could only hope that everything would just go away. At the same time, he also hoped he could just go away. He wanted to leave this place, but something kept him bound here. Something wasn't allowing him to leave.
After a minute, Atbash simply nodded. He took a deep breath and sighed loudly, knowing the night was not at all young and he needed sleep.
Atbash left, leaving the suffocating room and making to go to bed.
"Good night," Subaru said to himself.
The painful silence was cut off when Rem politely asked for more water, her voice coming from an open doorway.
So many thoughts ran through Subaru's head. Would he become like Atbash at some point? Hopeless for the future and on the verge of giving up? It wasn't a lie that he'd already committed suicide multiple times. But each time he had to force himself to pull the trigger.
So at what point would killing himself become easy? And at what point would he no matter care? What if he became an emotionless embodiment of himself that was stuck in the same loop over and over until he was granted true death. If he ever was.
His power, his ability to-
Return by Death.
His ability to return after his death and repeat a checkpoint; when does it end? Did it end? Does he want it to end? What if it never did and he was stuck in this world forever unable to move on? Unable to truly die and experience an afterlife, if there even was one.
He had no control over his ability. Or he thought he didn't. He found that his first checkpoint had been the moment he woke up the first night of the infection. Then his next checkpoint had been just been yesterday morning when he had woken up. Both times had been the moment he'd woken up. Maybe it had something to do with him waking up last or something else unknowingly decided by him.
Either way, he wouldn't know where his next return would be and that's what worries him. He had a power that gave him an undeniable advantage over this apocalypse. Now all he had to do was make sure no one died, and just ride this out until he found his parents.
But what about the walkers?
What made them in the first place? No, who created the virus that's changing people?
It's that stuff in them. That purple stuff that's turning them into monsters.
A virus that seemed to be passed on by saliva. Maybe it had something to do with the blood stream? Something had to stand out.
Why had he had so much time before his second death to get from his house to Rem's while bitten? He was clearly infected, but it never kicked in until he was at her house long after. Then the next time when he was bitten by both Ram and Rem he had turned in mere minutes. Why? Why was there a time difference between the two?
The most logical reason the Subaru came up with was that his first injury to the faster walker hadn't been as serious at the one's Rem and Ram applied to his fragile body. While the man had only bitten him, Rem and Ram had tore chunks off and made him spill a lot more blood. Maybe someday the answer would become more clear.
The dark haze surrounding his thoughts disappeared when he was called upon by Sol, "Hey, champ! Whaddya doing over there by yourself still? Come on over and make yourself comfortable." Sol made his point clear by pulling up a chair to the table in the kitchen.
Subaru's previous thoughts were swept away by these words of kindness, returning to their collected state. In compliance with his request, Subaru got up and sat down with the others. It wasn't long until he found himself laughing along with the rest of them.
Subaru asked for medication if they had any, his mind hurting from all the thoughts rumbling about in there. Thankfully, Sol left the room to retrieve a backpack full of aspirins, sleeping pills, gauze, alcohol, various ointments, and various painkillers. It was a medical backpack filled with useful items of interest.
Sol happily removed the aspirin and tossed them to Subaru.
Subaru voiced his gratitude, "Thanks."
To Subaru, Sol seemed like a respectful man who seemed surprisingly collected in this apocalypse. Who supposedly spent every day as if it were going to his last which might've been. His wife, Charlotte, was more on the hesitant side when it came to her new environment. She was one of those people who would have surely perished in this unforgiving predicament hadn't it been for a helping hand like her husband to get her to safety. They claimed that their story was not one to talk about considering it was as normal as it could be.
"Now Bashur's story, that's an eye-opener. Although, it's not surprising since he seemed like that kind of guy."
This caught Subaru's undivided attention, "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, I've never met Bashur before the infection. Charlotte and I found him in a city close to Elko or more like he found us."
Quark leaned forward, setting aside a cup he held, "He found you? So what'd he do; try to rob you?"
Sol shook his head, "Nononono nothing like that. I don't know what kind of first impression he made towards you guys, but towards us he was helpful."
Charlotte nodded. "We were actually on our way towards Elko when he found us. We had run out of gas when he found us huddled in an abandoned liquor store."
"Sounds like a good place to hole up in," Quark commented.
Sol laughed, "You'd think so, but in reality, it's very bad. Charlotte and I learned that the hard way. If it hadn't been for Bashur, a couple of bandits would've wasted us and taken everything we had."
"Did he kill them?"
"Nah, just held a gun to one of their heads and told them to get lost before he started changing his mind." Sol shifted his position and gestured to Rem, Ram, Subaru, Quark, and Emilia. "Well, unlike us, you five seem to have a more reliable aura around you."
This made Quark chuckle, "Not entirely, we've had moments where we just barely survived by the skin of our necks."
"It's not very efficient, but it works," said Ram.
Subaru rolled his eyes, "Pffffft, pleeease. All you did was stay at the house and keep watch. Your dad and I went outside and did actual scavenging."
Ram scowled at Subaru, "It's called emotional support, Barusu. Perhaps you've heard of it?"
"Oh yes, I've heard AND done it! I think the word you want to use to describe what you've done is 'nothing'!"
"Nee-sama helps Rem go to sleep every night," Rem said, trying to stop them from arguing further. "It's getting really scary when I can hear the monsters, so Nee-sama calms me down until I fall asleep."
"It's the only way she'll go to sleep. I've tried helping her so she won't be afraid anymore, but that hasn't happened yet." Rem looked away with a guilty look, but then Ram hugged her. "It's a pleasure to accompany my dearest sister to bed though. She can be quite a comfy sleeping companion."
Rem blushed, "S-sister, please."
"Not that you'll ever know, Barusu." Ram stuck her tongue out at Subaru. "My sister is much too good for you."
"Oof. That hurt a lot," complained Subaru with fake pain crossing his face. He clutched his heart and fell back so that he stared at the ceiling.
Rem held her hands and brought them between her legs, "Nee-sama shouldn't be so mean to Subaru. He's been very brave. Maybe even more so than you."
"As if, Barusu!"
For the rest of the hour, the conversation took its own turns. Topics ranged from things as important to as who they thought was still alive
"I personally think and hope Bill Murray," Sol said.
As he got a few confused looks, Charlotte came in to explain, "He just loves really Bill Murray and his movies. It weirds me out sometimes when he insists we watch Ghost Busters for movie night every time."
"What can I say? It's my favorite."
Then the conversation turned to something as insignificant as what their favorite colors were.
"Pink," Rem blurted happily.
Ram smiled and sighed before answering, "Blue."
"Any reasoning behind those choices?" asked Sol.
Rem and Ram both shrugged.
"Do you think we'll find any other place safer than here"
"Honestly, Rem, this house isn't going to stand much longer. It's only a matter of time before things turn from bad to worse."
"So what's your guys' plan?"
Charolette and Sol exchanged a sad look. "Run. Run anywhere where they aren't. That's the only thing we really can do. We don't have any idea how to get across the country safely so we can only survive as long as possible until the government finds a solution."
Quark cleared his throat, "I'm sure they'll think of something. Even though this is something much greater than anything they'd ever dealt with I'm sure a plan of action will arise." He finished his glass of water and handed it to Sol. "And if not, then I think we can rely on good ol' Americans to go guns blazing on them bastards."
Sol smiled, imagining an army of American born citizens just blindly shooting into an equally large army of walkers. "Very amusing, but not likely."
"See you in the morning."
"Good night."
Sol and Charlotte both wished the group good night before retreating to their own room. Not before showing where the girls would sleep and where the boys would sleep, of course.
After the lights went out and the steady snoring of the others could be heard, Charlotte turned in bed to look at Sol.
She asked, "Bill Murray?"
Sol sighed like he knew this was going to be brought up. He spoke while a painful memory replayed in his mind, "I didn't know what else to say, alright? It's too soon. I-I don't want to think about it. I want to forget about it. But I don't want to forget about our son at the same time."
In response, Charlotte groaned while wiping a bit of sweat off her forehead. "I know. But I don't see why it's so bad to talk about him. We can just remember him as he was before this."
"Because I don't want to!" The sudden outburst shook Charlotte. It wasn't like Sol to be this mad, but she guessed that things changed when the world does first. Whatever hardships, losses, and pain the apocalypse had put them through already was enough for multiple lifetimes. And she wasn't sure just how much more they could take before the last threads of hope she had are severed.
Charlotte reached over to touch her husband on the shoulder, but she stopped and pulled back. Grimacing at a thought, she turned over to face away from Sol.
"Good night."
She didn't receive a reply until after she fell asleep.
"Sweet dreams, sweetie."
A man in full biohazard uniform studied a crazed man infected with the virus fight to free itself from restraints around its neck, ankles, and wrists that kept it firmly pressed to a wall. "Release him," the scientist said. A sharp snapping sound was heard as the cuffs holding the man suddenly separated and disappeared into the wall.
"GGGRRAAHHH!" The walker immediately rushed towards the man as soon as it was free, only to have a shield of glass to get in the way two feet later.
"Subject is male. He appears to be of average height, 5 feet eleven inches. Nothing abnormal about his physical attributes aside from some major injuries to his right arm and the left side of his neck. Testing should run smoothly."
The walker started banging on the glass that kept him separated from his succulent meal. It was a horrible scene that the man seemed extremely calm about. While the walker used tooth and nail to try and get to the scientist, the scientist tapped buttons on his tablet without a care in the world.
When the scientist was finished he set the tablet on a table and made sure the camera attached to his suit was still rolling. "Test subject is ready for direct contact."
Beep!
The ceiling panel above the walker slid to the side, revealing a few dozen minute holes. A green light turned on inside the room, making the walker look green. The light blinked three times before turning red for a few seconds and then disappearing.
The scientist nodded approvingly. It still wasn't too late.
"No new mutations are discovered in body. Testing will now resume." The scientist reached towards the table and plucked a vial half full of a green liquid. "Placing Cure Switch." The scientist pressed a button on a monitor that stood next to the container the walker was in. A small hole opened up on the table. Without a second of hesitation, the scientist slipped the vial into the hole. The hole closed back up and beeped.
"If all goes well this time," the scientist said to himself, "then I may have just saved the world."
A green gas filled the small room the walker stood in. The beast stopped banging the glass and stared at the gas around him. The walker began to swing wildly as if trying to ward off the smoke. It gave off many loud roars before it suddenly stopped. The green gas was now so thick inside the small space that the scientist could no longer see the walker.
The wasn't any sign of movement. Had he killed it? Was it cured? Was it just not showing itself?
"Activating vacuums." The scientist pressed a button on the monitor. A fan began to remove the gas quickly.
Years of work led to this moment. Years of hiding this project from the government and the rest of the world. The gateway to a perfect world was cracked open, and it was his job to force humanity through. The creation of a new world was at his fingertips, and all he had to do was make sure all went well. The subjects, the virus, the cure. If all those worked as intended, then he would be responsible for the further evolution of humanity. He would be seen as a god. His achievements would no longer be unnoticed.
The gas cleared. The walker was limp on its back with closed eyes. Its hair was now green. It was silent. The beast was still as a rock.
"Test Subject is unmoving. It's showing no sign of aggression. Previous visual symptoms also seem to have weakened." The scientist kneeled down and observed the still body. A feeling of excitement overcame him as the purple tint in the skin of the walker began to disappear. "The virus is dying. It's dying! Discoloration of the arteries is next to gone! The cure is destroying the virus! But now the host. Let me see what is of the hos-"
"GRAHH!"
The scientist jumped back just as the walker suddenly woke up with a loud shout. The virus started to take over again.
"Damn it."
Shaken up, the scientist cursed and got to his feet. The walker followed him with his eyes, growling with hatred. The cure had no finished effect, just like all the other walkers that were tested on. It seemed the world would have to wait just a few more weeks before he could develop a potent cure.
A few minutes later, the man was now out of his hazmat suit and going over the results in another room that held only a desk and a few shelves. It may have been a disappointing experiment, but it did provide some information he needed to create a more effective cure. This one was strong enough to wipe most of the virus out, but not strong enough to kill it entirely.
Opening his hand, he looked disapprovingly at an empty vial that once held the cure. Sighing, he opened a waste bin with a biohazard symbol and threw it in there. He pulled out a few papers from his desk and began filling them out. Even when the world was at its end, work still had to be done.
A beautiful woman in a white uniform entered the room. Her long, white hair trailer down elegantly down her back, giving her an angelic look. Her uniform was kept crystal clean except for a small spot on her collar that seemed to be a blood stain. Her entrance went unnoticed until she said, "Betelgeuse!"
"Gah! Administrator!" Betelgeuse fumbled with his pen for a second before it fell to the floor and rolled away.
Satella stopped the pen with her foot and picked it up. Her voice was like honey, smooth and sweet, but commanding at the same time, "Any further progress, Betelgeuse? I haven't heard many promising things from your peers so I've decided to come visit you myself."
Betelgeuse scrambled to arrange the papers around his desk. Satella's sudden appearance was something he wasn't ready for. "I-I apologize, Administrator! I wasn't expecting to see you anytime soon."
Satella calmly placed the pen on Betelgeuse's desk, making him stop rearranging papers. "Worry not, Juice. I'm not here to punish you. We still have time, I just wish to know the progress." While her voice sounded kind, her face showed stern fierceness.
Betelgeuse noticed. "Well, A-Administrator, the latest solution is very effective. It just doesn't quite….." Betelgeuse paused, fearing what Satella might say if he told her it wasn't ready yet for the thirtieth time. "... get the job done. I just need two more months."
Smiling, Satella unscrewed the tip of the pen and removed the ink pen. "Alright."
Betelgeuse brushes aside some of his hair that was getting in his eyes. "Really, Administrator? You're not angry?"
"No, not angry," Satella said as she started dismantling the pen further. "Just impatient. I don't want to seem like an angry, unreasonable boss."
Betelgeuse smiled, meaning to flatter the woman. "Well, you don't seem all that bad to me, Satella. You're just a very commanding head of CEDA which is good since what we're trying to do. I envy that of you."
"Yes, well, I hold too many responsibilities now. It's best for me not to lower my guard." Satella placed the dismantled pieces of the pen in front of Betelgeuse. "Now, you say you're having a problem with creating the cure, yes?"
Betelgeuse nodded. He was starting to get nervous again.
Smiling still, Satella said, "I see. Well, in that case, I want you to fix this pen for me." She plucked the spring from the assembly pile and stretched it so it could never be fixed.
"Um." Betelgeuse scratched his head and began putting the pen together, not quite getting why Satella was asking this of him. He had almost finished when he realized he needed the spring to finish it. "Administrator, I need the spring you took."
"Oh, that little thing? No, you don't need that."
"What do you mean?"
"Like the cure, I so need for this virus, Juice, I just need you to finish it. As long as it does what it's supposed to then I'm happy. I don't expect amazing results, Juice, just acceptable. We don't need it single out just some people. Perhaps, cleaning everything should be easier for the both of us.
Betelgeuse topped the pen with the tip. It was finished, just not complete. With the ink still able to come out of the pen, some would say it was still usable in that condition even though it wasn't proper. And according to Satella, it was all she needed.
"Good," she said. "Now, what can you tell me about your research so far?" She leaned forward, anticipating a good answer.
Betelgeuse hesitated before answering. "I-It'll be ready soon." He didn't like it. Satella wanted something greater, more effective towards the cure. She wanted something that would rid the world of the virus and everything else with it. But he knew he had to. It would save the world. He would be a hero. All he needed was time.
"I know it's hard, Juice, to be working alone during hard times like these." Pushing away from the table, Satella brushed some dust from her perfect uniform. "But desperate times call for desperate measures, I assume you already know that. Plus, you have yet to fail me and I hope this won't be your first." Betelgeuse watched, with unwavering eyes, Satella open the door to leave. "Okabe is already finishing up his side of the project. I can only hope you will soon, as well."
Betelgeuse stood up, wanting to ask something. "Wait!"
Satella stopped in her tracks and asked without turning, "Yes, Juice?"
"W-What has become of Emilia? Is she safe?" His voice was full of concern. He truly wanted to know if Emilia was safe, only then could he finally relax a little.
"Yes," Satella tapped her fingernails against the door frame. "She's safe for now, but it's best she stays out there for now. You understand why?"
"Of course, Administrator." Betelgeuse sat back down. "Thank you."
"Mhm." Satella walked out and closed the door behind her. "Now," she said to herself, "... time to visit the lovely couple."
[LB]
"Wake up!"
Suddenly afraid and scared, Ashely woke up after having her face doused with ice-cold water. She scrabbled to scoot away from whoever had yelled at her to wake up, and who most likely was also the person that threw the water. She rubbed her eyes, trying to at least see her surroundings.
"Lindsay!" she screamed, trying to locate the little girl. However, Lindsay didn't answer. "Where are you?!"
A male voice to her right said, "Ah fuck, she's a screamer." He sounded more pissed than disappointed.
"Then gag her already," came a female voice to her left.
Ashely was just barely able to make out who the people were, but then she suddenly found a towel shoved in her mouth. Then her loud screams were silenced.
"Ah, much better."
The guy that stuffed her mouth grabbed Ashley's face. "You think she's the one? She looks kinda ugly when she's crying."
"Even if she isn't who he's looking' for we can still probably get rewarded if he likes her."
All three of the goons nodded. Ashely stayed silent, looking for any way to get out, but nothing came to mind. By the sound of it, the people seemed to be giving her to someone for some sort of reward money? But what would anyone want with her?
Finally, Ashely made out her surroundings. She and the three of the goons were inside a small little office room. There was one window. Looking outside, all Ashely saw were walls made of rusting metal, and a ceiling of the same material. Most likely, she was in a warehouse. What was outside the warehouse, Ashely didn't know and was scared she never would know.
"Here he comes," said the woman, who was looking out the window.
The door opened and a fairly average looking young man stepped in. He looked at Ashely and smiled. Somehow, the smile made her feel uncomfortable even though there was nothing weird or scary about the guy.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes,' he began, "My name's Regulus. You may not know me, but I know a lot about you."
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