Chris VII:

The ride in the truck was quiet. Soldiers adjusting equipment, the occasional conversation suddenly starting and ending just as quickly. The usual business right before deployment. Chris thought to Emma’s emergency meeting.

“I’ve analyzed Virus Y extensively. Anything infected with it, I can now trace using the bases’s homing satellite.” She frantically walked around the lab, her typing was rapid on the computer.

The globe appeared, each continent greyed out.

Small specks of red appeared on North America, and when she zoomed in, Spring City was the location of the anomalies. The place was mostly isolated, but it was the closest city to their base alongside Price City.

“I can’t pinpoint the exact location but I know for a fact there’s infected individuals in that place! We have to go out and handle this before he have another outbreak on our hands!” Emma turned to his, her eyes pleaded for him to believe her.

Chris grimaced as he stared at the screen. John watched beside him. With a quick nod to the other, Chris turned to Emma.

“I’ll get the troops ready. You stay here, be our eyes and ears.”

Emma nodded sharply.

“Yes sir!”

That was two hours ago. When Chris made his way out, Director serge approached.

“While you all are gone I believe I’ll take my chances with questioning Jaene. I believe there’s more to this story than we first thought.” The scarred man said, he looked around in case anyone was listening.

“Whatever answers you can get will be helpful, but remember she’s just a terrorist. Whatever story she’s formulated now doesn’t matter.” Chris remarked.

Director Serge gave him a look.

“Do you truly believe that Captain Moore? Does the prospect of a different perspective give you so much uncertainty you’d ignore it so harshly?”

Chris didn’t answer him.

Even now as he got off the truck, arming his weapon, he thought about her. He wanted to hear that story. From start to finish. He wanted…

He wanted to see her again.

He turned to his team, noting they were one short due to Emma’s absence. Thankfully they had the backup of their soldiers, and the elite teams of Alpha Team, and Gamma Squad.

Brian, the captain of Alpha Team stood on his left. Sofia, the captain of Gamma Squad stood on the right.

“Listen up because I’ll only say it once. We are to identify any infected individuals and take them in for quarantine. Utilize the specialized tranquilizers. However if they’ve turned, and prove they’re a deadly threat, you have permission to use force. Lethal included.”

Chris called, his voice full of bass to get the full attention of all forty soldiers standing in front of him.

Collective “yes sirs” sounded from the crowd creating an echo.

They immediately fanned out, each team taking a portion of the soldiers with them.

Chris led his team through the streets, setting up roadblocks when Emma called that an infected was close by.

The civilians grouped up by now, Emma’s voice trailing as she counted off the non infected.

Chris kept his guard up, his own eyes scanned the crowd. Anyone coughing, attempting to hide or leave would be noted.

He didn’t need to listen to Emma’s warning to identify this particular person. He was pale, his hair frizzy and his eyes were bloodshot. He coughed and heaved, as if trying to get something out of him. A soldier stupidly got close to him, trying to take him out of the crowd.

“No!” Chris yelled, but it was too late.

The soldiers hand was bitten, causing him to panic. The infected civilian was gone by then, before anyone could stop him he began biting the people around him. By the time he was shot down, the damage had been done.

People began moving through the blockade, running throughout the streets. The once bright and sunny city was growing dark, and fast.

Before he knew it, an entire crowd had turned.

Chris raised his gun.

Things never changed.

----------------------------------------

Jaene VIII:

Jaene approached the lab. She held her arm, seeing it was different now. Before she had been desperate to get here. But now she was conflicted. The hour long bus ride was spent contemplating her next decision. Escaping the ‘P.A.L’ base should’ve been an achievement. Yet she felt as if something was amiss.

She knew she’d probably never see Chris again.

The seemingly abandoned laboratory was directly in front of her now, the two guards approached her with suspicion. It quickly died down when they recognized her. They ushered her inside quickly, she had to practically fight them off to get herself alone.

What she had to do, it was to be done alone.

Jaene made her way to her fathers office. As expected he was in there, the candles dim, the man in his chair, stone faced as he wrote down on paper. When he raised his head to see who entered without permission, the pen dropped from his fingers.

“You’re back.” He finally spoke.

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“I am.”

“How..”

“I snagged a key off their director while he questioned me.” She cut him off.

His lips pressed into a thin line, but she saw a hint of pride in his eyes. He stood up from his chair, walking over to her. Her father embraced her for the first time in a long while, she reciprocated on instinct. The first real comfort she experienced in days.

But that wasn’t what she was here for.

She ended the embrace prematurely, her fathers eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“There are things..we need to talk about.”

Jaene started.

“Things?” He questioned.

“Things I found out. That I’m still trying to process.” Jaene fumbled with her hands, her father took a few steps back, facing the window behind his desk.

“What is this organization really supposed to be? We aren’t the P.A.L. I know that now. So..are we…are we terrorists?” The question got out, the tension on her shoulders lifted just barely.

Her father didn’t say anything.

“I was shown things as well. There were photos. Documents of viruses and ailments. They all showcased symptoms of the failed experiments I made in this lab. The timeline..all of the incidents date only weeks after I wanted them scrapped.” She pressed on, stepping forward.

Finally he spoke.

“Our enemies will say anything..”

“No! Don’t do that..don’t lie to me!” Jaene suddenly shouted. Her voice echoed throughout the room. The candle fire weakened for a moment.

“Don’t lie to me. Not again.” Her voice dropped to a plea.

After a long pause, her father turned to meet her gaze. His cold blue eyes warmed just a bit.

“We….are the A.L.F. I helped found it, to use our bio weapons to overthrow the government.” He began.

Her heart shattered.

“And..our first real test of a new life form was to be presented in Arable. Your hometown. The military caught word, and battle ensued. All the work we spent years on was destroyed, as was the town.”

Jaene’s breathing became erratic. Her family suddenly appeared in different corners of the room, their bloodied faces staring at her.

“You..you’re the reason why..”

“Don’t.” He stopped her.

“My family died. Because of your project. Because of your plan to overthrow..”

“Your family died because the high class of this world shudder when those below them make breakthroughs! They fear our potential, our ability to surpass them!” Her fathers cool demeanor disappeared in an instant.

Jaene didn’t listen, she didn’t care. All this time she blamed her families deaths on the organization that was actually created to help people like her.

“When I saw my work destroyed I had given up hope. That was when I saw you, in that rubble. I had half a mind to put you out of your misery, but I saw it. Your rage, your need to live on. I knew then you’d be the key to tearing the bricks of this society down.”

Jaene shook her head frantically.

“I don’t want to be the tool you need to complete your plan! You lied to me! You used me! You kept me locked in that lab all my life, using my dead family as a motivator to keep your sick plans going!” The tears were out now, her nails dug into her palms, but she didn’t care about the pain. Not now.

“I..killed so many people. Every failed experiment, all the work I wanted to erase you took and sold it behind my back. Every incident you’ve tied me to.” Jaene raised her hands to her face. They were dripping with the blood of thousands.

“It was necessary. You have a gift. I’ve told you that everyday. I want you to use that gift to tear down the world that took everything from us!” Erik approached her, taking her hands in his. His grip was strong and desperate.

“The world we need is one where the people at the top no longer punish those below them. Where everyone can look up to a ruler that will lead them to paradise!” Her hands ached under his grip, his words echoed through out her head.

‘The world we need.’

She thought of the world they were in now.

Her creations came to mind.

Her hometown came to mind.

Her family came to mind.

This world was hell.

But it didn’t have to be.

Chris came to mind. Now knowing the truth, she saw there was hope for it all. This man had been fighting for decades, ending each conflict she started.

That was what the world needed.

“You’re wrong.” She said, removing her hands from his grip.

“The world we need is one of peace. Where people can look up to someone who they know has their best interests in mind. Who fights even when the enemy seems to always come back.” The tears dried, her eyes had a form of life fill them.

Her families bloodied faces disappeared.

“You’ve been gone only a few days yet you come back spouting this nonsense. No matter, you’ll be taught again.” Her father spoke through gritted teeth, he reached to grab her again.

“Don’t touch me!” She slapped his hand away, taking several steps back.

“Don’t touch me ever again. Don’t speak to me ever again. I’m done. I will never create another virus or serum ever again. Especially for the likes of you. I’m leaving. You’ll never see me again.” She declared, meeting his cold gaze.

“You’ve nowhere to go. You’re just as much of a murderer I am. Your only place is by my side in the new world.” He stood in front of her, looking down at her with an emotion she couldn’t identify.

“Maybe I am. But I was told there’s always another path. I failed to do good, so I will get up again and do great.” Jaene turned to the door, her hand grazing the doorknob.

“Then you choose to die with the old world.” Her father spoke calmly again, his hand wrapped around her wrist again.

She didn’t deter from her objective.

“Then stop me here and now. Because once I step out this door. We’re done.”

The silence filled the room once more. Eternal moments passed.

Finally he let go of her wrist, stepping away.

Without missing a moment she left the office, shutting the door behind her.

Jaene stopped by her old lab, grabbing a bag and stuffing her plans inside. This cold place was home to many memories. Now she didn’t know if they were good. All those tireless hours working toward the wrong cause.

Jaene left the facility, collapsing to her knees in the dirt when she couldn’t walk any further. The tears returned. If one thing her father said was true, it was that she was alone now.

A warmth enveloped her from every side.

Her family, no longer bloody and no longer harboring expressions of anger embraced her.

Her mother smiled.

“I’m so proud of you Jaene. We’re so proud. Whatever you decide to do coming forward, just know we will love you always.”

Jaene choked on her tears, nodding into the ghosts chest.

When she looked up they were gone.

She stood with new purpose. The familiar bus arrived at the stop.

She smiled when she read the words.

“To Spring City.”