Author's Note:
- Meant to be a direct continuation of TC5's story, except that since this is a zombie apocalypse AU, let's make Robert drop the zombie drug on the entire world instead of just New York. Yay~ :D
- TC5 has a million unexplained things, so expect much of this to be something I made up to cover the holes. (Luke and Marc's backstory and their relationship with Robert, Robert's reason for betraying the VSSE, etc.)
- Going to write with only the TC5 cast for now, but I might slip the others in if they're needed.
- A bit about Robert's line to clear things up:
English version: The world will meet its end with a drug from the hands pretending to save it.
Japanese version: 正義面した奴らが作った薬で世界は一度終わる (The world will end once by the medicine created by the people who are pretending to carry out justice.)
↑Apparently, the zombie drug was created by the VSSE, so we'll go with that.
- All chapter titles are anagrams ;)
【Chapter 1: Silent / Listen】
It was all Marc Godart's fault.
He had a clean shot at Robert, the last chance anyone had to stop him from ending the world with a zombie apocalypse, but Marc found himself unable to pull the trigger. Everything after that happened in a blinding flash.
A bright explosion, doom sailing through the skies in the form of zombie drug missiles, Robert's maniacal laughter as he escaped the factory, and a gut-wrenching sense of despair as he failed to stop the traitorous mastermind. Overwhelmed by the irreversible disaster, Marc dropped to his knees.
"What are you doing?! GET DOWN!" He heard Keith yell, pulling him behind cover. Wild Dog's surviving men had arrived to take them down. Luke rolled in after them, shooting away at their attackers.
"You alright, man?" Luke asked as he reloaded.
"Iー I didn't mean to," Marc stuttered, still in disbelief that he had allowed Robert to escape. His hand shivered as he held his gun.
"Guys, this way!" They heard Catherine hovering over them with their chopper.
"Get down!" Keith warned Marc and Luke, throwing a hand grenade at Wild Dog's men. Using the explosion as a distraction, the three made their way to Catherine's chopper, escaping the factory.
"We bring you the breaking news that there were sudden simultaneous explosions in various countries worldwide. The mysterious missiles landed in every major city and we suspect that this is the work of a major terrorist organization."
"A green mist has spread through the explosion site and the citizens in the area had displayed immediate aggression and zombie-like behavior."
"We have reports that people who were bitten began showing similar symptoms."
"Could we really be in a zombie apocalypse?"
Out of the barrage of bad news flooding out of the radio, Catherine looked at the team and told them the worst, unable to hide the quiver of fear in her voice.
"I can't contact HQ."
Considering Robert's main goal was to take down the VSSE, it was only reasonable if he had launched some of his missiles straight to their base.
"They must have all evacuated, then!" Luke piped in with a grin.
Whether he was trying to be optimistic or trying to look away from the harsh reality, Marc didn't know. Catherine, however, was unconvinced and began to sob. Luke tried to comfort her. Whatever happened after that, Marc didn't have the composure to process itーhis mind wandered back to the factory and replayed the scene where he couldn't shoot Robert. Keith's fist crashing against his cheek woke him up.
"I saw you throw away your chance!" Keith yelled in frustration, grabbing him by the collar. "Why didn't you shoot him?!"
"Iー..." Marc looked away. What could he say to excuse himself, especially to Keith? The man who had been most hurt by Robert's actions.
"Cut the crap!" Luke cut in, pushing himself between Keith and Marc. "Mom told me not to cry over spilt milk. I think we have better things to do right now than fight among ourselves?" He suggested.
"The news said that the whole world's overrun. Robert must be CRAZY! Just hovering randomly over here won't do us any good, though. What should we do?" Luke asked again. He looked to Marc like he always does whenever he wanted strategy and advice.
Difficult as it was, Marc got a hold of himself. He was a VSSE agent after all and he shouldn't lose himself when things went bad, he told himself in his mind. Taking a deep breath, he gave his suggestion.
"We don't know HQ's situation for sure. I think we should head to New York and see where we stand and if there are any survivors."
"Oh! Sounds great!" Luke agreed. "Heh," Keith simply grunted in annoyance, although he had no qualms about it being the most logical thing to do. He sat on one of the seats in the chopper, setting his weapons aside.
"I'll try to sleep and calm down. Wake me up if there's any development," he said, glaring at Marc one last time before folding his arms and trying to sleep. Luke shrugged at Marc, motioning for him not to think too much about it. He walked over to Catherine, who was still slightly sobbing.
"Hey, Cathy. You go get some rest, too. Marc and I will take over until NY!"
Catherine wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Thanks, Luke." She gave Marc a sad look as she walked past him. Marc avoided her gaze.
The chopper was silent as they flew over the seas.
Catherine and Keith were fast asleep, clearly exhausted. Luke had turned off the radio a little earlier, as the situation had worsened quickly and everyone had stopped broadcasting in order to evacuate. He focused on driving the chopper.
In that silence, Marc stared out of the side window at the vast seas below, half hoping that it would just swallow him whole for what he did.
"You aren't angry at me?" Marc asked, breaking the deafening silence.
"For not shooting at Robert? Well..." Luke thought for awhile, "Considering it ended up with him starting a zombie apocalypse, maybe a bit. Not that getting angry at my buddy will solve anything, though."
Marc couldn't help chuckling a little. "You're always so light and positive about everything it's funny sometimes."
"Huh? Isn't it better that way? I prefer doing that to being down in the dumps!" Luke grinned. "Still, though, got me curious. Why didn't you shoot him? If you have a problem, I'm always here to listen. You're always the more logical one of the two of us, aren't you?"
Marc was kind of glad that he had a friend who understood him.
"I don't know, Luke," Marc admitted with a sigh, "I joined the VSSE because I always looked up to its agentsーhow they're always bravely facing evil and upholding justice no matter how desperate the situation is. Robert was a legendary agent I particularly admire since my first days."
Thinking back to the incident in Wild Dog's factory, Marc frowned. Robert's words that caught him off guard rang loud and clear in his mind.
"The world will meet its end with a drug from the hands pretending to save it."
"But you'll learn the truth soon enough. There is more than just one right in the world."
The VSSE made the drugs? For what? And the truth. What was the truth? As far as he knew, Robert could be brash and impatient at times, but he wasn't illogical or insane. What could have pushed a veteran whom everyone looked up to to the other side? There were too many unanswered and urgent questions that made his head spin. Marc gulped as he told Luke what scared him the most.
"What if Robert was right?"
To Marc's grim question, Luke simply shrugged, easygoing beyond comprehension as he always was.
"Good thing that you kept the man alive, then! I guess we get to beat the truth out of him!"
Despite Luke's grin, Marc could easily make out the seething rage that boiled beneath. Marc nodded. He felt as though he wouldn't find any closure himself either if Robert had taken all the answers with him to the grave.
He needed to know that he was doing the right thing.