(Quintiles 29, 59 / 6:47PM)

(David on the phone) Hello?

(Gwen on the phone) Hey David! How’s it going on the other end?

(David on the phone) Is that you? Are you using the homemade telephone that Gary made?

(Gwen on the phone) Heck yeah! You gotta hand it to the guy, he makes basic but cool inventions.

(Gary’s thoughts) Maybe a thank you could’ve been better.

Between the destroyed bar and the adult lounge on the main building, both Gwen and David found solace and relief as communication was now being made.

Gwen placed the black vintage phone on her right ear, holding it with her right hand as the main body was held in her left.

David held the special hotline phone with his left hand, having the phone directly in front of him as he had the button on speaker.

(Gwen on the phone) Listen. Something horrible happened to us during our little party. We got ambushed by four liches and they managed to escape. You think you could help us out?

(David on the phone) Unfortunately for you, we also got ambushed by a couple of liches. One of them even took Boris.

Gwen took a step back, her legs trembling as her hands that held the phone started to tighten, the phone creaking as its delicate metals started to ache from Gwen’s fingertips. Everyone around her held their breath as the phone didn’t have a speaker.

(Gwen on the phone) So they took Boris huh…

(Everyone) What?!

(Luke) Wait, who took Boris?

(Stan) Was it a lich?

(Gary) A lich would make sense. Boris has many connections to the government, so of course the liches or zompires would want to pry out details or answers.

(Fred) I don’t know, there are a lot of holes that this story has…

Stan and his friends, including Luke, huddled together as they put their hands on their chins or the back of their heads. Their eyes focused on the debris-ridden ground, the group of boys tapped their chins or rubbed their heads.

(Gwen on the phone) Where’s he heading?

(David on the phone) Jerry told me that before Boris was taken, he put a needle into his jacket, as a sort of tracker. And before he was taken, he gave Jerry a little sensor to showcase Boris’s location.

(Gwen on the phone) I don’t know how that works, but that seems cool. So David…

Gwen straightened her back as she inhaled deeply, causing her chest to expand deeply as she pushed her lips to form a smile.

(Gwen on the phone) I think we have a way to kick those liches out of Lagefor before they cause any extra carnage, and also get Boris back as well.

(David on the phone) How so?

Gwen then walked towards where Luke, Stan, and his friends were, all thinking to themselves. As their eyes gazed at Gwen approaching them, the boys closed their mouths.

(Gwen) Show David what you made Fred.

(Fred) But it was built on the spot.

(Gwen) Never know till you try.

Fred crouched down, his feet steady on the debris as he put down his black backpack. Opening the backpack, Fred pulled out a black radio box that looked old and crusted as if it was built by a high schooler.

Everyone looked away as their mouths puffed up, holding in the air as their hands trembled.

Except for Gwen, whose eyes sparkled wide as Fred placed the busted black radio box onto the floor. Placing the phone near the radio box, Gwen gestured to Fred to turn it on.

(Gwen) Let it rip Fred.

Putting his hand on a little gray knob in front of the radio, a small static noise emitted from the speaker. Everyone slightly flinched as the static was in a high-pitched frequency, with most of them having their ears.

(Jack’s thoughts) Pfft … I don’t think that’s going to work—

(Guy#1 on Radio) All units! I repeat all units defend the military complex! We are dealing with numerous amounts of zompires, possibly a new variation! Oh shit, getaway—

An explosion was heard coming out of the radio transmission, cutting off the signal from the router.

All the adults that went through The Array looked down as they recalled a specific type of zompire. With their bodies being coated with a cold stream of sweat, Fred, Gary, and Diego were the ones that were the most terrified, their legs on the verge of buckling as they heard the sounds coming from the cut-off transmission.

(Fred’s thoughts) I guess we’re going to have to deal with those things…

(Gary’s thoughts) Son of a bitch…

(Diego) Not those steamed zompires … they’re making their public debut here out of all places…

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Everyone violently nodded their heads, hoping to forget those unpleasant memories. Gwen, who looked at the three men, sighed.

(Gwen) I’m sorry you three, but those zompires are our lowest threat in terms of power. Since all three are considered the weakest, can you help out the military in dealing with the Zompire horde?

(Fred) I… we’ll … we’ll try.

Turning the dial to another transmission, his finger turning counterclockwise.

(Woman#1 on Radio) Please! If there’s anyone out there! Please save me! I’m at the Zirardge National Tower! There are these two maniacs slaughtering everybody, and … and one of them has bats surrounding him and the other has chainsawed chained swords—NO!! NO!! AAAH!!

Another transmission was cut short. Gwen put both of her hands on the back of her head, taking a couple of steps backward as she looked down at the radio box.

(Gwen) Chainsaw chained swords… I feel like you told me a story about a certain kid yeah? When you were in the beast-human skirmishes?

(David on the phone) About that. I want you to deal with him Gwen, he’s the fastest man out of all of them, he even outpaced me.

Gwen put her hand on the collar of her shirt, tightly gripping it as she looked towards Luna, who looked down onto the rubble of wood she was on top of.

(Gwen) Sure, me and Luna could handle him.

(Luna) Chainsawed chained swords… chainsawed chained…

Fred turned the knob towards another transmission.

(Guy#2 on the radio) Some crazy jokers are running through the buildings like a bunch of monkeys! One of them could stretch and the other had a pack of wolves! Please, request assistance!

Luke looked up towards Gwen, his face wide-eyed as beads of sweat started to drip down from his forehead.

(Luke) That’s Harold and Ryan.

(Stan) And me and Luke would deal with those two.

Stan walked right beside Luke, placing his left hand on top of Luke’s right shoulder. Both giving each other a nod, another man stood to the left side of Luke, placing his right hand on top of Luke’s left shoulder.

(Miles) I’ll go too, you guys are going to need some defense.

(Stan) No problem Miles, I got your back.

(Miles) I think I got your back. Are you sure you wanna go with us, Stan? You don’t have a blessing.

(Stan) Don’t worry, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Stan used his right hand to showcase an amount of junk inside of his pockets. Seeing that Stan was loaded in terms of trickery, Miles gave a small chuckle, his right hand swiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Jack then put himself in between the three of them.

(Jack) And you all are going to need me for support right?

(Miles, Stan, and even Luke) …

(Jack) Right?

(Miles) Well … the more the merrier…

(Jack) You guys are jerks…

(Gary) You guys are killing Harold…?

Gary faced the four boys, his eyes looking downward toward the debris-ridden floor. His eyes were on the verge of tears, Gary looked up as he noticed all four boys having their heads down for him.

(Luke) Look, we’ll see if he can be reasoned with first.

(Miles) I’m sorry Gary, but I don’t think he wants to be reasoned with. Like he’s in some sort of spell. They feel inhuman, or evil to an extent.

(Gary) But how?

(Miles) I don’t know…

(Stan) Gary.

Stan placed himself in front of Gary, his face tightening around his eyelids as he looked down. His eyes starting to redden, he shook his head once, his body shivering as a sudden chill rained down upon him.

(Stan) We have to let go… there’s no way we could bring him back.

(Fred’s thoughts) Harold… I hope whatever happens you find some sort of peace…

(Fred) Incoming recent transmission.

Turning the knob again, another high-pitched frequency pinched the air, with everyone’s hands covering their ears against it as it continued for several seconds.

(Guy#3 on the radio) There’s a bunch of people being held hostage inside the Zolon metal company building in the Lagefor industrial district. Two frail weirdos are holding … some sort of chubby bowl-cut man and a bunch of other men and women, requesting backup!

(David on the phone) That’s Boris!

(Gwen on the phone) The Lagefor industrial district? That’s near where you guys are at.

(David on the phone) Perfect. Me, Jerry, Jenny, and Loraine will take a shot at retrieving Boris in no time.

(Luke’s thoughts) Hold up, didn’t the guy say two frail weirdos? Who is that other lich then…

Turning the knob one last time, Fred managed to luck out as there was no high-pitched frequency from the radio set, with everyone's faces relaxed.

(Woman#2 on the Radio) I’m inside a bar on the South side of downtown. Some crazy woman is eating my boyfriend! Please! Someone help-AAAAHH!!

(Fred) Is that…Gemma?

(Luna) Who knows if it’s Gemma or not. That could be anyone.

(Jack) Unless there's an extra lich girl then yeah.

Fred looked down as he recognized the last lich that was brought out, his finger off the knob as he cuddled his right arm. His lips quivered as his legs started to shake, followed by his breathing becoming more heavy as he put his left hand on his chest.

(Benn) Me and Hope will take care of her.

(Fred) B-Benn…

(Benn) Can you kill Gemma?

(Fred) W-W-What do you mean? J-J-Just—

(Benn) Then focus on helping the military out.

Fred’s hands started to form into fists, tightening them to where his hands were a deathly white. Standing up, he eyed Benn with a death glare, his vocals holding back the many things he wanted to say.

(Benn) Don’t tell me you still have a thing with her.

(Fred) Who gave you the right to—

(Luke) Fred!

Luke put his hand on Fred’s shoulder, his fingertips digging deep into the fabric of Fred’s shirt. Noticing Fred’s eyes softened, his hands remained motionless as he looked at Luke in front of him.

(Luke) I know you want to save Gemma, but—

(Fred) But what?! How do you know killing Gemma is the only way?! How do you know?! How?!

(Hope) Fred!

Hope then walked slowly towards the tall silver-haired man, her eyes softening as she looked up at Fred’s youthful face. Her cheeks flustering a bit, Hope made loose fists as she put them up towards his chest.

(Hope) We could capture Gemma if you want. I know me and Benn don’t have any fancy gadgets, but we could try to bring her—

(Fred) Can you…

Fred then walked towards Hope, his hands shaking as his eyes started to roll down a couple of cold tears. Avoiding eye contact, he looked towards the ground, rubbing his left hand on his right arm.

(Fred) Can you at least try to bring her in? At least an effort.

(Hope) Absolutely!

(Benn) sighs … But if she doesn’t oblige, we have no choice.

(Benn’s thoughts) I think it’s going to be impossible but I don’t want to say it to him. I really don’t want to get into an argument with him right now.

His face shone bright as his eyes gleamed with red tears in his eyes, his throat quivering with the words caught in his throat. Fred extended his arms outwards to give Hope a big hug, wrapping her around him as he let out a teardrop from his right eye.

(Fred) T-Thank you!

(Hope) No worries.

Luke, who noticed Fred’s relaxing state, kept staring at Fred as he made a little pout.

(Luke’s thoughts) sighs … At least he ain’t Sean. A good thing he was kicked out a year ago.

(Gwen) Perfect, there are six liches that we need to deal with.

(Benn) I thought there were seven. There’s an extra one with that lich that is holding Boris hostage.

Seeing everybody nervous as they all had their eyes down, Gwen looked at every one of them.

(Gwen) Don’t worry, we’ll make it out of this. And after this, we’ll all go to Paradise, with or without me.

And then.

(Gwen) Ready! Set! Go!

The plan to retake the city commenced!