A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF LAST OF US OR YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS OF BOTH!
Chapter 16: Vaccine
They waited for a few hours. The twins had gotten a couple hours of sleep but none of them could sleep; if at all, for long. Slowly, Luna asked quietly, "Do you think, if Yusei's right and he has to die for the cure, we should let him?"
They all looked down. After all they had seen and what they had heard from others, they weren't sure if they wanted to stop the cure to be made. But they didn't want Yusei to die either. However, they also knew Yusei had known that this would probably happen to him and it didn't sway him on getting back to the Fireflies base where it would most likely happen. And they also knew that if they tried to stop it from happening, they would be killed. If they could do anything to try to find another cure, they would try to find that first.
They looked at Leo as he showed his bite mark. They were still a bit shocked at how he was also seemed to be immune. But they knew they should keep quiet about that, though Yusei was the only Firefly that knew, he agreed that they shouldn't tell anyone. In case, the Fireflies wanted to use him for a cure as well.
"I don't think we should let him die," Crow stated and they looked at him. "I mean, the Crimson Dragon brought us here for a reason. And I feel that the reason was to stop Yusei from dying."
"I agree," Akiza stated. The others soon followed, after that.
That was when the door opened, Leo hurriedly covering the mark again, as a dark skinned woman walked in. One of the Fireflies stepped behind her.
"Welcome to the Fireflies," she stated. "My name's Marlene."
"So you're the leader of this place?" Crow asked.
"I see Yusei's told you about me a bit," she responded. "Not surprising. After all, if I am guessing right, you're his friends from his world."
"You know he's from a different world?" Luna asked.
"Sure do. Figured it out when we first met," Marlene answered.
"Can we see Yusei?" Leo asked.
"You don't need to worry about him," she replied.
"We do," Jack retorted. "Just let us see him."
Marlene paused for a moment before saying, "I can't. He's being prepped for surgery."
"Wait, what do you mean surgery?" Akiza asked.
"The doctors told me that the growth inside him has somehow mutated. It's why he's immune," Marlene explained. "Once they take it out, they say they can reverse engineer a vaccine." She paused before giving a relieved face and repeating, "A vaccine."
"But Yusei said it grows all over the brain," Leo stated.
"It does," Marlene stated looking away a bit in sadness and they could also see grief.
Jack glared. "Find someone else," he ordered.
"There is no one else," Marlene retorted. "And so you know, I did give Yusei the option to not go through with it." They looked at her shocked. "Do you know what he said? He said, 'If it means saving this world, I'll give up my life to ensure its survival.' He's ready for this. He wants to do this. Who are you to stop him?"
"His best friends," Crow stated stepping forward. The Firefly kicked Crow's knees in and forced Crow to his knees.
"Stop," Marlene ordered the Firefly as she walked closer to the door. "Alright, I get it. But whatever you guys think you're going through, it is nothing to what I've been through," she told them. "Yusei's my second-in-command. One of my friends, too."
"Then why are you letting this happen?" Jack asked.
"Because this isn't about me! Or him. There is no other choice here," Marlene replied. "Yusei knew that. That's probably why he agreed so easily."
"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," Crow retorted.
Marlene then told her fellow Firefly, still looking at Yusei's friends, "March them out of here. If they try anything, shoot them." They went a bit wide eyed but didn't react too much.
"Same thing with the shooting for the two younger ones?" the man asked.
"If they pull something, bring them to me. We could use a couple strong-willed kids around here," Marlene stated. She then walked out.
"Come on," the Firefly ordered. "Let's go." They each got up and began to walk out with the Firefly pointing a gun at their backs. "Move." They noticed Yusei's backpack still having his stuff in it sitting on the counter. Jack and Crow nodded at each other subtly and stopped as they got neared the next doorway. "What the fuck you doin'? Keep walking." They didn't move. "I said keep-" Crow elbowed the gun out of the way being closest to him. The man fired around which hit the ceiling before Crow flipped around while grabbing the gun from the man. He pointed the gun at the man's waist.
"Where's the operating room?" Jack asked. He stayed silent and Crow shot a bullet. "Where?" The man stayed silent still. "Where?"
"Top floor. The far end," the man finally answered.
Crow dropped the man and him in the head. They heard a man order, "Gunshots! Search the floor!"
"Akiza, you and the twins get to the garage floor and stay there and safe. Jack and I will get Yusei and meet you there," Crow ordered as Jack grabbed a gun from Yusei's bag and slid it on him.
"Right," she agreed and hurried away.
Jack and Crow hid behind a wall and went into a room as Fireflies came around. They silently crept through the area. They reached a hallway and Crow grabbed a brick. He tossed a brick far across the room where it shattered to the ground with a bang. The two Fireflies nearby went to investigate while Jack and Crow hurried into the next room.
They hurried to the next hallway and hid behind crates and tables. They watched and listened as Fireflies walked by. They hurried behind some more crates, trying to not be detected. But as they went to another location a Firefly spotted the two Signers and began to fire at them. Jack and Crow immediately fired back until all of the ones in the area were dead.
They hurried and turned as they saw a corridor that led to the West Wing and followed it. Seeing it would lead them to the far end of the building like the man said. They reached the wall next to the next entrance when they heard someone say, "Down this way. Stay alert!" Three Fireflies ran by, not noticing the two men hiding right next to them.
Jack and Crow nodded at each other before heading into the next area. They turned as a man kicked open the door in front of them and Jack and Crow immediately hit behind some furniture as the man fired at them. The man hid behind a crate not too far off. Crow grabbed the bow and arrow from the bag and aimed it. As soon as the man poked his head out, he fired and killed the man.
Jack and Crow hurried through the door and closed it. They heard other men coming and Jack grabbed a chair and put its back legs in the handles of the door to ensure the Fireflies on the other side couldn't get through easily.
"I think they're mad," Crow stated quietly as they darted up the stairs to the top floor.
"Why wouldn't they be?" Jack retorted. "Let's just get Yusei, meet with the others, and get off this world."
"Right," Crow agreed.
They entered the top floor and found a recorder again. They looked and listened around and it seemed clear. Jack kept a watchful eye and ready gun as they listened to the recorder, "February 28th (A/N: Yes, I know originally it was "April 28th", but due to the difference in the ability to get there and all of that, I decided to change the month to help it a bit more. Don't be too harsh about it, please!) Marlene was right. Yusei's infection is like nothing I've ever seen. The cause of his immunity is uncertain. As we've seen in past cases, the antigenic titers of the patient's Cordyceps remain high in both serum and the cerebrospinal fluid. Blood cultures taken from the patient rapidly grow Cordyceps in fungal-media in the lab… however white blood cell lines, including percentages and absolute counts, are completely normal. There is no elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and an MRI of the brain shows no evidence of fungal-growth in the limbic regions, which would normally accompany the prodrome of aggression in infected patients. We must find a way to replicate this state under laboratory conditions. We're about to hit a milestone in human history equal to the discovery of penicillin. After years of wandering circles, we're about to come home, make a difference, and bring the human race back into control of it's own destiny. All of our sacrifices and the hundreds of men and women who've bled for this cause, or worse, will not be in vain." It ended with that.
"Let's go," Jack whispered.
Crow nodded and they walked through another hall. Before they exited, they listened and focused to find no one in the area. They walked through and entered a small tent. They walked through and soon came up on a small journal.
They read it with Jack reading it over Crow's shoulder:
"January 15
We finally crossed the Utah border. In a couple of days, we'll be back with the others.
Today the crew was in much better spirits. I've been worried about their morale since Greg and Tania's passing last week. It's good to hear them laughing again. Robin came up to me and said, "Thanks for watching over us, Marlene." It was a small gesture, but I needed it.
January 23
Yusei never made it.
We arrived at the hospital. There was much celebration, at least from the others. I guess they're happy to see their old friends. We haven't seen some of these guys in over ten years. After they told me the news, I couldn't eat. I couldn't talk to anyone.
I should be grateful to just be alive, but right now I just want to shut my eyes for a bit.
January 24
They look at me and I know what they're thinking- that we're a bunch of incompetent grunts. What was I supposed to do? I thought I was going to die… my men were being hunted by the entire Boston battalion. I had to get him out of the city. How was I supposed to know that the Firefly escorts were already dead?
Goddamn it…
I panicked. In the end, I healed pretty damn quickly, and my men were more capable than I gave them credit for. More than a handful survived the army's attack. I should've kept him with me.
I failed all of us.
I am an incompetent grunt.
February 25
I can't stand talking to any of them. I don't think I can take the stares any longer. No way can I stay here.
February 28
One of our scouts just radioed in. He spotted a few men, a woman, and a couple of kids entering the tunnel by the bus terminal. He thinks one of them looks like Yusei, but he's not sure. What if it's him? Stop doing this, Marlene!
The recon squad is about to head out. I'm going to join them.
February 28
When you're lost in the darkness, look for the light.
He's alive. They're running tests on him now.
I can't tell if I'm excited, scared, or just nervous. All I know is that my hands won't stop shaking."
"Wow…" Crow whispered nearly silent.
"Come on," Jack stated. "We need to get him out of here."
They turned to the next doorway when they heard a Firefly say, "They're not responding. Take up positions. No matter what, they don't get through here."
Crow silently grabbed a brick and they walked to a corner just out of sight of the entrance. He threw the brick catching all of their attention while the two Signers hurried across the hallway. They hurried into a room moving just down the hall.
They sneakily moved through the room, trying their best not to be seen. They couldn't fight all of the men that was in the area. They knew that much. They reached a room just by the door.
Jack grabbed a brick while Crow pulled a nail bomb from the bag. Jack threw the brick at the wall next to the door catching all the Fireflies' attentions. Crow then threw the nail bomb at the two standing next to the door which hit one and exploded killing both in an instant. The others immediately went on alert and Crow shot a man down.
They heard a man run in behind them and Jack used the shotgun and killed him. With the others distract, Jack and Crow hurried through the door. They pushed a ridiculously heavy couple boxes full of items.
"Go," Crow ordered.
They hurriedly ran through the hall and through a door. They entered a room that led to another which had blinds on the other side shut, but shadows of people working inside.
They opened the door and they noticed Yusei unconscious on the bed with a breathing mask on his face.
"Doctor?" a woman called.
"What're you doing here?" a man asked. The man grabbed a knife and pointed it at Jack and Crow. "I won't let you take him. This is our future. Think of all the lives we'll save." Jack and Crow stepped closer. Jack had a pistol pointing at the doctor and Crow kept his between the other two in the room. "Don't come any closer. I mean it."
Jack grabbed the knife and stuck it into the man's neck. "No!" the woman exclaimed. "You fucking animal!" Jack threw the man down dead and shot the woman's head.
"Oh Jesus…" the last muttered turning around in fear. "Oh god. Uh, just take Yusei and leave, okay?" Crow merely shot him.
Jack turned and took out everything that was either in him or on him. "Come on, Yusei," he stated picking him up and over his shoulder. "We're getting you out of here."
They noticed men coming that way. They immediately ran out the back door. "Where now?" Crow asked.
"The elevator," Jack answered. "I saw a sign to one nearby. Come on."
They hurriedly ran and dodged any Fireflies, Crow killing them if necessary. They soon arrived at the elevator and entered. Jack pressed the button and the doors closed before the Fireflies could stop them. Jack and Crow soon exited the elevator but stopped as Marlene pointed a gun at Jack.
"You can't save him," Marlene stated. "Even if you get him out of here, then what? How long before he's torn to pieces by a pack of Clickers? That is if he isn't murdered first."
"That's not for you to decide," Jack answered.
"It's what he wanted," Marlene retorted. They looked down a bit. "And you know it. Look…" She slowly moved her gun out of the way and put her hands of, "You can still do the right thing here. He won't feel anything."
"I'll take that bet," came Akiza's voice as Rose Tentacles picked Marlene up while tearing the gun out of her hand.
"Nice, Akiza," Crow praised.
Each of their marks glowed before the Crimson Dragon appeared shocking Marlene. Jack and Crow ran over to Akiza and the twins with Yusei still in tow. The mighty dragon wrapped around the Signers and Leo before they disappeared.