Ash felt the heavy weight in his arms and felt burdened. Hot blood was sweeping into his cloths from Rhys's wounds. He placed the unconscious guy on the floor with great difficulty and then sighed. The zombies were still scratching on the door from their arrival. But it seemed like the blood in the blood bank was attracting them slowly away. 'Alright let's get to it.' He started stripping Rhys of his tattered shirt that was soaked in blood. As soon as the fabric fell away, a well sculptured body entered into Ash's line of sight.

Ash didn't get any time to admire him as he focused on the numerous scratched and bites littered all over his body. He had to act fast or it would be too late. He placed his hands on Rhys chest were the heart should be located and started pumping his healing power into his body. Since the heart was the centre if blood circulation. It was the easiest spot for directing the infected blood from different parts of the body outside through the cuts. At the same time he was doing that, Ash also had to make sure that he circulates the blood carefully so that the infected blood doesn't enter the brain. This was more of a tedious task than he expected. The foolish man was so stupid to get so much virus in his blood that it was now double the normal effort to flush it out. Ash felt very frustrated and he wished he could smack the man hard on his head in order to bring back his lost sanity. 'Why do something so reckless. Especially for someone he hardly knew and hated.' Of course Ash couldn't deny that he was a little bit touched by the act of self sacrifice.

Maybe it was because the amount of the virus in the blood was high or because Ash himself was injured and infected as well, he felt like his energy was draining at a quicker rate than usual and it was falling dangerously low. Since a life was on the line, Ash persisted through the haziness that threatened his consciousness and stubbornly continued to drain out the infected blood through the open wounds. After 10-15 minutes of continuous power input, Ash felt like the blood was turning clean. When he finally looked up to observe his surroundings he realised that they were sitting on a small pool of blood and Rhys's face was pale with the enormous blood loss.

Attracted by the scent of blood, zombies had begun to scratch at their door again. Ash quickly stripped both of them completely off the blood soaked cloths until they were only in their pants and used the ruined cloths as a mop to wipe up all the fresh blood on the floor and then threw the rags out of the window to the floors below. Then he proceeded to rummage through the shelves to find bandages to wrap around Rhys. He no longer had any power left in him to close up the wounds as such Rhys would have to depend on his own healing skills to get back to top shape. His eyes were still kept open with great will power. After he messily tied the loose ends and made Rhys look like a sleeping mummy, Ash finally relaxed a bit.

He slid down against the wall exhausted and forcefully decided to keep watch for a few minutes until it settles down outside again. It was difficult to fight against the drain and fatigue that always followed after using his power. After all if both of them were out of commission then there will be no one to guarantee their safety once they open their eyes again. Ash noticed that once he got rid of the pool of blood and remained as quite as possible, the zombies outside lost their sense of direction like headless chicken. Soon the scratching and banging quietened down and an uncommon silence settled in inside the room. Ash finally let down his guard a little. His tired thoughts started drifting as he continued to force himself to stay awake. Several hours passed with only the sound of growls and scratched accompanying his tired mind. He wondered how the other team was doing and if they managed to get the materials they came for. He also wondered if they would send help to rescue them when they see that they didn't make it out with Jule. He was glad that at least Jule was able to make it out from here. As silence filled his surrounding, Ash about to relax when he heard something rattling above his head. Startled he looked up with his claws out only to see a head pop out from the vents up high.

Without knowing why Ash became calm and happy as he saw the person. A tired but genuine smile even grazed his lips as he felt like all their worries were now over. He was about to beckon Jule down from the vents when he remembered that both of them were injured and infected in other people's eyes. So he decided to change his words and scold Jule's for not trying to find a way out and get himself to safety. "Why are you here. Didn't Rhys tell you to get to safety?"

Jule's eyes glanced over at Rhys who was lying unconscious on the floor and then moved on to Ash who has an untreated deep bite mark on his forearm. The boy looked like he was about to pass out any moment. He frowned and then seemed like he was having an internal battle for a while. Then the next moment without any words he jumped down into the room. Ash was surprised by his actions. If it was someone else who had noticed two infected people in an enclosed room, they would have rushed off rather than jump into the den. Maybe Jule has something wrong with his brain. As he was about to berate the guy, he took out some of the left over gauze and turned towards Ash. "Stay still, let me wrap up your wound."

"Are you stupid?" Ash asked him while obediently stretching out his arm for treatment. He was both happy that someone came but at the same time felt obligated to put some sense into his brain about taking needless risks. If it had been anyone else in the room who were bitten then they were guaranteed to turn. It was only because of Ash's power that the two of them would be fine after a few hours. And this is a fact that Jule's isn't aware off. So that could only mean that the inexperienced Jule still had to be taught a lot or he would get himself killed in the future.

"I am a little stupid." He grinned at Ash as he finished tying the knot on the bandage. Ash felt warm in his heart as he saw the neatly tied bandage. He didn't have many people care for him until now. So he treasured everyone who did. Jule was one of those people. He was kind to everyone. And Ash always found himself relaxing around him. Although Ash was very happy inside he was insistent in hiding his joy. Instead he showed a disapproving look on his face. When Jule saw Ash roll his eyes at him, he chuckled and said, "Don't worry. We made a promise between us brothers. If one of us gets infected we would wait until they turn and then shoot them ourselves. It is better to be dead than a senseless zombie who would hurt his family and friends." Ash saw a flash of pain in Jule's eyes as he said this. It was obvious that he had a hard time preparing himself for it. After all everyone knew that Jule was a honestly kind man. It must be tearing him up to even say that he would shoot them.

Ash just patted him on the shoulder not knowing how to break the news that they will be fine and give him a reason without sounding like a lunatic. Before he could say anything Jule pulled out a rope to tie up Rhys. After all it was certain that even his zombie form would be more dangerous than the regular zombies. Seeing the sight of the Jule tying up Rhys, Ash started laughing but the laughter ended up in coughs as he felt a stabbing pain from his chest. Something wet and warm dripped onto his hand and Ash looked on in confusion only to see drops of blood sliding down from his nose.

When Jule's saw this he started to panic. He rushed over to wipe of the blood with a piece of cloth and then turned Ash's face this way and that way to check what the problem was. "you should be pulling out a gun at me not treating me." Ash's muffled voice drifted in through the cloth held against his nose. Jule froze visibly at his words. His eyes dampened with extreme sadness as he avoided Ash's eyes. The pain was fluctuating between bearable and uncomfortable. His eyes quacked as they flickered open and closed. Although Ash didn't want to do it, he still had to make Jule face the reality. He wont be able to always save everyone. And sometimes he had to learn how to let go. He also should stop trusting everyone so freely. Its time that he realised that the world he knew was gone. And if Ash had to be the bringer of the harsh truth then he would do it.

"I-I don't think I will be able to do it." He whispered. Noticing Ash's tired look of exasperation he continued to add "there is no escape for me anyway. I looked around through the ducts, the other team is no where to be found. I certainly cannot make an escape by myself. If I am going to die either way then its best to die in the presence of someone I know... I just hope Josh was able to make it out safely" the last sentence was almost a whisper. Ash was shocked internally. So Jule had no intention of escaping in the first place. He was prepared to die with them. It was true that he wouldn't last long alone in a facility swarming with zombies but he should at least try???

Ash was so angry that he could hit him. But the exhaustion was already claiming his consciousness and he didn't have any strength to lift his hand to give him a smack. It was already a miracle that he managed to have a conversation with Jule's in his state. His nose had stopped to bleed. He could finally breath normally again but a dull pain still persisted in his chest. 'It must be due to the virus and using his powers simultaneously' Ash concluded. He gave Jule who was leaning against the wall next to him one final look before falling against his shoulder with all his strength drained. Before he completely passed out Ash reassured Jule, "don't worry....Both of us are fine....Once we wake up we can go back together." After that blackness filled his eyes.

—————

Rhys woke up to earth shattering pain cursing throughout his body. He realised that he was laying on the cold hard floor and tried to sit up. The sudden movement caused a pang of dizziness and his vision blurred for a moment. He was confused at first as to what was going on but then all those memories came back like a tsunami.

Hurriedly he tried to pull out his gun only to realise that it was missing along with most of his cloths. not to mention that his hands were tied up. Suddenly he recalled that he wasn't the only one who entered the room. He narrowed his eyes and observed his surrounding to find the missing person. His eyes fell on a man leaning against the wall and sleeping soundly. The person he was looking for was lying on his lap also deep asleep. It would have been a peaceful picture if there wasn't a painful frown on Ash's pale face, the wet cloth across his forehead or the red dyed bandage wrapped around his arm. He looked the most exhausted and desperate at that moment until now. Rhys had never seen Ash in such a state and his frown deepened unconsciously. 'Why on earth is that idiot here?' He wondered as his eyes flickered from Ash to the hand on around his chest and then Jule, whom the hand belonged to. He felt irritated. 'Didn't I tell him to get the hell out?' He wanted to rush forward and shake him awake so that he could scold him thoroughly. But before he could, as if noticing his intentions, Jule's woke up.

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"You are finally awake." Jule said as his eyes landed on the messily bandaged Rhys. Without waiting for a response he looked down at the person lying on his lap and looked concerned. He pulled off the wet cloth and placed the hand which wasn't hugging the boy on Ash's forehead and flinched at the high temperature seeping into his skin. He sighed heavily before dipping the cloth in water again and placing it back on the boy's forehead.

"How is he? Is he showing signs of turning?" Rhys asked as he came closer to take a look. A flushed face entered his sight and he felt complicated. His eyes flickered to the bandage and he felt like he wanted to tear out his hair. 'He got bitten trying to help me.' Rhys didn't know if he wanted to smack some sense into him or hug him with gratitude. 'Doing something so pointless. Now both of us will die rather than just one of us.' He stretched out his tied up hand but stopped mid way as if surprised by his own actions.

"Ash said you two will be fine." Jule voiced as he watched Rhys's hand. He went ahead to undo the rope that he had tied on him before. He saw Rhys looking at him like he was stupid and decided to add on. " He said he can heal people. So if you wake up before him, I am supposed to tell you not to do anything drastic."

Rhys's eyes widened. The images from his vision flickered in front of his mind. 'They are true.' He narrowed his eyes. Down the road three of his friends are going to die because of this boy. 'Should I just kill him now?'

As if sensing evil intentions from him, Jule frowned and reminded. "He saved you." Rhys froze. If its true, then he did indeed save his life. He is not a bastard enough to kill someone whom he own gratitude. 'I will owe him once but if something happens down the lane, I will personally deal with him.'

"You believe what he says?" Rhys asked Jule with an eyebrow raised. He found it very hard to understand this man. He only knew of this meek and kind guy through James who loved to boast about his siblings. he had endured all his words with the consideration that he was one of his best friends. Even Josh, the younger sibling was easy to read. Yet Rhys felt like out of the three brothers Jule would be the most dangerous one. He was like a cheetah hiding his fangs. Until now he was full and didn't have a need to hunt. But what would happen once he is provoked into action was unknown. Rhys only knew that both of his brothers were extremely loyal and careful around him. But both of them loved him the most as well. Someone who could put two wild beasts on a leash could be no ordinary person. Or was he overthinking?

"Yes!" Jule responded. "A dying man has no reason to lie. And.... seeing how you are up and running after just 15 hours of sleep proves that he has some kind of ability." Rhys felt like his eyes had a glint as he said this. He also felt like Jule was mocking him slightly. But his face had a kind smile as always so he didn't know if he was imaging it or not.

Right as he was about to retort he heart a soft whimper and both of them looked down in union. Ash's frown had deepened. He was quietly tossing and turning as if he was trying to get rid of something. 'Nightmare?' Rhys wondered as he once again stretched out his hand to grab the hand closest to him. His mother used to pat his hand as he slept if he had a nightmare and it used to help him. But before he could, the hand was snatched away by someone else. "You should get some rest as well. Your wounds still need healing." Rhys frowned and clenched his empty hand. 'what are you my mom?' Rhys wanted to retort but in the end stayed quiet and leaned against the wall just like the other.

"Has he been sleeping on your lap for 15 hours straight?" Rhys asked curiously.

"Yes." Rhys felt annoyed by the answer Jules gave. For some reason he was itching to tear these two apart as far as possible.

"Your legs must be numb then. I can take over for so that you can get some proper rest. who knows how long we have to wait until he wakes up."he scooted over so that he could take over the sleeping Ash. He faintly realised that he was actually looking forward to it. 'My mind is really messed up. Do I hate him or not?'

Jule skilfully blocked him off yet again. "No need. I am used to taking care of my brothers so this is no big deal. Also, I don't know why, but Ash is very scared of you. So it is best if you don't do anything unnecessary." Rhys fell silent at these words. it was true that Ash was extremely scared of him. Especially ever since they left the Tesco, he has been very vary around him. He looked like a lost kitten who was thrown away.

"don't you think you are being a bit too overprotective." Rhys asked grumpily. He saw Jule smirk at that but he didn't respond. It meant that he was silently agreeing to his words. Rhys became even more gloomy. He desperately wanted to provoke this man to see his true nature. "I heard you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes I do."

"Is she still alive?" Rhys asked.

"Yes! She should be at the central base. Her dad is high up in the military. There is no way she would be dead." Jule responded while patiently patting Ash into a peaceful sleep.

"Do you intend to break it off with her now that everything is a mess?" Rhys asked provocatively.

Jule's eyes snapped towards him and they were murderous. He really looked very offended by the words. "Don't say something you will regret." At that moment the kind mask he always had had completely vanished as he directed his hostility towards Rhys. For some reason Rhys felt relieved. Jule's reaction was like a confirmation to him that he stood strong by his reputation. If that was the case he couldn't have any intentions towards Ash. Right?

Instead of showing how he really felt, Rhys scoffed at the extreme reaction. "I did hear that you were completely in love with your girlfriend and your brother bragged that you would be the last man on earth who would cheat on his woman." Rhys continued to taunt him.

"It seems like you have spend a lot of effort into remembering every tiny detail about me. James would naturally only say good things about me, after all we are brothers. So stop beating around the bush and get to the point." Jule glanced at him lazily and went on to replace the wet cloth on Ash with fresh one. The boy seemed to have finally settled down. He was no longer squirming around. Instead he had both of his arms wrapped around Jule's waist and had his head buried into his stomach. This sight really irked Rhys further. 'How is he so carefree on someone else's lap. He should just sleep on the floor and not cause others trouble.' Rhys wished he could just pull those two apart.

Seeing the boring gaze directed at Ash's Head, Jule softly moved his hand and placed it over the boys hair as a barrier between the glare and his head. The action was the like the last straw to Rhys's tolerance. "It just feels like your concern towards Ash could be misinterpreted." Rhys finally hissed feeling completely annoyed. Jule was like a protective mom trying to keep his precious daughter away from the bad man. As soon as he finished his sentence loud laughter filled the room. Jule looked at him with amusement and even wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye.

"You really have a wild imagination. It is true that I like Ash. He reminds me of Josh from his childhood." His voice was tinted with mockery. Suddenly he stopped laughing and looked seriously at Rhys. "What I am trying to say is that another brother to look after is no bother to me. and... since you already know everything about me, you should also know that my decisions are respected by both my brothers." A chill went down Rhys's back as he heard the subtle threat in his voice. Jule's intentions were crystal clear. He was going to protect Ash no matter what. And if Rhys wanted to test whether James and Josh had more loyalty towards him or his brother then he was free to do so at his own risk.

"You!!" Rhys was momentary at a lose for words. he was not scared of Jule's threat but he didn't want to risk his friendship with his brother. He didn't want to have a verbal battle with this unpredictable man anymore so he decided to change the topic and ask the question that had been on his mind since he saw him return. "Tell me. why did you come back to find us?"

"I already saw one of my brother's get to safety. The 'other one' is stuck with you so of course I have to come and find you. I don't leave behind my people" Jule responded with his usual kind face back in place yet his words were firm. Jule had slightly lied to Ash when he said he couldn't find the other team. He had indeed spotted them. As soon as the smell of blood attracted the zombies away they made their move. But something must have gone wrong as he only saw them fighting frantically and running as he passed over them. Most of the team was already dead. Jule provided aerial support and watched Josh and a few others get back out of the facility and into safety . He had then decided to come and seek out his team to see what the situation was. When he found them they were already badly injured and on the brink of unconsciousness.

"We are both infected. you cant just blindly trust the boy and stay here. It is best that you get yourself to safety. We will follow if we are not in fact infected."

Laughter reached his ears again. It seems like everything he says was amusing for the other party. "Ash's powers are indeed real. Unlike you who is completely ignorant about his affairs, every time you or your lackeys injure the poor boy, I was there to treat his wounds and help him recuperate. Ash thinks I am not aware, but I must be blind not to notice a wound that takes a week to heal completely recovered after two days." Jule had never asked him about it because he believed that the boy had his own reason to keep it a secret until now. And from what he witnessed today if the high fever and exhaustion was a side effect of using his power then it was better for less people to know so that he would only use the skill less frequently. "While we are on the topic of recuperating...." Jules eyes narrowed dangerously as be glared at Rhys. "...you would better stop injuring the boy so carelessly. It would be best if you hd zero interaction with him."

Rhys felt irritated. His hands were really itching to smash into something. He hasn't really injured the boy needlessly. Jule was making it sound as if he was personally seeking out Ash to torture him. Although he couldn't deny that he was giving him a lot of mental and emotional strain. But as long as he is a threat to his friends, there is no way that Rhys can treat him like the rest of them. Seeing Rhys remain silent, Jule decided to ignore him and continued to focus his efforts on the troubled Ash on his lap. He couldn't help but smile as he saw him snuggle in closer towards him as the occasional frowns graced his brows. Now all they had to do was survive until Ash woke up and then escape.