Chapter 22:

"Since when have you believed in Buddha anyway?" Katie asked as she felt herself recovering from the poison. Insanity still had a disgusted look on his face from the nasty blood. She'd have to make sure to thank him in a moment.

"I just picked someone." Trunks shrugged, "You feeling better?"

"A lot." Katie nodded as she stood up, "Thanks Insanity." She said, smiling at him. He nodded to her.

"Now we just have to get out of here." He said.

"We're in some kinda infirmary, right?" Katie asked, still getting her bearings after being out of it for so long.

"Yeah, why, you think you know a way out?" Greed asked.

"I don't know… but I've heard most old jail infirmaries had chutes that they dropped the bodies of dead prisoners down into."

"I wouldn't want to try it in this fucked up place." Greed said.

"Yeah, who knows what we'd find down there." Trunks agreed.

"I know, but think about it. Someone had to have operated the elevator. Someone wanted us on this floor, so we have to get out of here as soon as possible."

"And what if there's something big and nasty down there?" Insanity asked.

"There's already something big and nasty up here!" Katie shouted, "It was following us until we got in here… I couldn't focus enough to tell you guys…"

"And you're the only one who can see it?" Greed said suspiciously. Katie nearly growled, holding her head.

"I'm not lying, something attacked the two of you and threw you into the elevator with us."

"She has a point." Insanity agreed, "I say we risk it."

"Katie's going, so am I." Trunks agreed.

"Fine, but before we all decide to go, can we FIND the chute first? There may not even be one."

"It's probably back up there." Trunks said, pointing up to where they had just come from, "I'll take a look."

"Be careful." Katie said as he mate jumped up into the air. He hovered above them, nearly level to where the floor should have been. Katie watched intently, not taking her eyes off of her mate as he looked around.

"See anything?" Greed called.

"Nothing but these gross dead bodies… hang on." Trunks floated over to the side and disappeared from sight.

"Trunks…" He reappeared a moment later and landed in front of them. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

"Nothing." He said.

"Screw this, lets just try this Vegeta's style." Katie turned to the wall and formed a large blast between her hands.

"Katie wait!" Insanity called. She held the energy but turned back to him.

"Katie, you're still recovering from that… thing." Trunks said.

"I feel fine now." she replied.

"But what if that wall doesn't lead outside? What if there's something… big and nasty?" Insanity said.

"I happen to think this is a good idea." Greed remarked, watching, "Either she blasts the wall or I punch through it."

"It'll be faster if I blast." Katie said. Insanity and Trunks both sighed in annoyance.

"Let me do it then." Trunks said, taking one of Katie's hands and pulling her back from the wall. She lowered her hands and let her mate pass in front of her, "I can use enough power to blast through a couple of walls if I need to. I don't think you could right now Katie." Katie nodded, hating to have to agree with her mate.

Trunks put his wrists together and aimed his arms toward the wall. A bright white Ki ball formed and he didn't waste time letting it go. It hit the wall and exploded on contact. After the debris settled, they could see that the wall did indeed lead outside. It was still dark out there, but they all agreed it was better out there than in here. They took off outside, Katie managing to keep up as though nothing had happened to her.

They got out and quickly crossed the street, leaning against the building. All four of them were acting as though they had run ten miles from the stress. They turned to the old building they were in moments ago. It wasn't lit up like it had been, it was dark now.

"Well…" Trunks turned to look at his mate beside him, grinning, "That wasn't so hard."

Then in the blink of an eye, even before Katie could respond to her mate, his eyes grew wide and blank. Katie let out a scream, and Insanity and Greed looked over to see a large spike sticking out of Trunks' chest.

"Trunks!"

"Get…" Trunks coughed out blood, "G-get a-away from… the w-wall…" the spike in his chest retracted into the wall, and he fell to the ground.

"Trunks…" Katie knelt beside him, one hand on the side of his face, and the other below the wound, "You'll be okay… now that we're all together I could teleport us to the Lookout…"

Insanity and Greed watched from behind Katie. Insanity was more interested in watching his friends, but Greed kept looking around, hoping to find whatever it was that attack Trunks.

"The… wall…" he was shaking now, "The spike… c-came from… the w-wall…"

Greed looked at the wall as Katie held onto Trunks. After a moment the wall seemed to shift. Greed didn't like the way it looked.

"Come on, we need to get away from the wall, like he said." Greed said.

"I'm not leaving him." Katie said.

"Y-you know… y-you can't… t-teleport out of… you tr-tried…" Trunks said, "I'm… t-too far gone…"

"No!"

Whatever it was on the wall moved, and actually stepped away from the brick wall. It looked like a man, only his skin texture looked like brick.

"Katie… I love you…" Trunks' voice was shaky, and he was straining to keep his voice steady.

"Just shut up already, you'll be okay! You will!"

The strange brick-like creature lunged at Greed. He quickly formed his carbon shield over his hand and punched it. It fell backwards onto the ground, but it started to get back up.

"Dammit…" Greed hissed, "We have to go… now!"

"I'm not leaving him!" Katie screamed.

"T-take her… get her o-out of here…" Trunks said.

"Come on Katie." Insanity put his hand on her shoulder.

"No! I can't just leave him here!"

Trunks became quiet and still, even as Katie yelled and screamed, Insanity took her by her arm and followed behind Greed as they ran from the street. Katie fought Insanity, crying and screaming, eyes locked on her dead mate as Insanity held her arm tightly. Greed led them inside an old church, hoping that maybe some of those old stories were right and that a holy place such as a church would be safe.

"Trunks!" Insanity yanked Katie inside and Greed slammed the door shut and used one of the pews to bar the door, "Trunks… no…"

Katie dropped to her knees and stared at the door.