(Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:16PM)

  (Benn and Hope)

  (Benn) The sidewalks are too jampacked.

  (Hope) It's nice that we're using a motorcycle.

  Along a motorcycle, the shark-human and blonde-haired woman rode along the evacuating streets that were clogged with people trying to get out of the city center. They clutched their suitcases as they ran along the pleasant streets, their belongings dropping baggage upon baggage of clothes and money as they ran along the streets.

  Sweat and odor were ever present amongst the civilians, their faces smeared in bck dust and blood as their legs trembled with the intensity of the world they lived in.

  Hope put her right hand covering her mouth, her hand trembling as her mouth started to slightly quiver. Benn meanwhile, continued to look forward as his eyes barely grazed the sweaty civilians.

  (Hope) This is horrible…

  (Benn) The invasion of Ticia was worse.

  (Benn’s thoughts) But something isn’t adding up. They invaded and colpsed Ticia like it was nothing with an army of thousands of zompires, and they did it in under a single day. Why are they sending special ops zompires in droves? Are they trying to py it smart? Are they being strategic? Just who is controlling the Zompires anyway? Do they have a will of their own? Do they—

  (Hope) Benn watch out!

  As the motorcycle continued to increase in velocity, Benn broke out of his thought trance as another crowd of evacuees walked in droves, covering the street that they must cross. Clutching the brake pedal on the bike, Benn noticed a rger bearing of smoke the further they were going, the smell clogging his nose as he gagged a bit.

  Hope felt the sensation of his rge throat as she held her arms around Benn, her hands csping together as she held Benn from his waist.

  (Hope) What’s wrong Benn?

  (Benn) Nothing.

  Focusing his attention on what was in front of him, Benn slowly moved his way through the ever-growing crowd of evacuees fleeing from safety, most of the people’s eyes sharpening towards them.

  (Evacuee#1) That damn fke is taking all of our girls. Pretty soon, they’re going to take all of the regur girls and make them bear ugly babies. Ugh, imagine that huh?

  (Evacuee#2) Damn right! That girl deserves someone better.

  (Hope) They’re all staring at you, Benn.

  (Benn) It gets tolerable.

  Passing through the frustrated crowd, Benn managed to get the bike on the track, his face pushed down as he looked back towards the crowd of evacuees.

  (Benn’s thoughts) Don’t they have something better to do? Aren’t they supposed to be running away or evacuating instead of judging me?

  Benn gripped the handles of the bike, his knuckles turning white until he felt a sudden warm sensation coming from his stomach. He looked to see Hope’s hands.

  (Benn) Why are you holding me tightly?

  (Hope) Even if society doesn’t see you in a good light, I and everyone else think you’re exceptional. You may be anti-social, uncaring, and mostly moody when Gwen is near you, but…

  Hope put her head onto Benn’s right shoulder, her head turning to see Benn’s shark-human face.

  (Hope) You should be proud of what you were born to, and who you are as a person.

  Benn had his head turned, and upon hearing those affection of words, his throat quivered as he gulped down rapidly, his arms that held onto the bike started to loosen for his entire body seemed to rex as a feather in the springtime.

  (Benn) I’ll keep that in mind.

  Further driving the motorcycle on the bck pavement underneath them, Benn made way as both of them saw in front of them the semi-smoking city in the te evening sky. Its dazzling light shined and radiated throughout the area, shining its rays upon the many businessmen and businesswomen running through the city sidewalks.

  (Benn’s thoughts) Even if I’m not wanted here, I’ll hold my hand out to people who never handed theirs out to me.

  Benn turned his gaze towards Hope, his eyes gentle as his frown was lighter upon his face. As she tilted her head to the left, Benn then turned his head towards the front of him again, continuing along the paved path.

  (Benn’s thoughts) But my friends are a different case.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:32PM)

  (Benn) We’re here.

  Parking the motorbike next to a fancy bar, the two Dark Angels moved their bodies off the bike as their feet nded on the gss-covered pavement.

  Their feet were tickled with the amount of gss shards and debris little rocks all around them, followed by the smoky air and the ck of citizens that made the area seem more abandoned. With no citizens running down, Benn rubbed his hand with his shark nose, his nostrils fring up instinctively.

  (Benn) We’re too deep in enemy territory. Keep an eye out for anyone pale.

  Benn and Hope in tow made their way across the many gss shards, their feet dragging onto the cold pavement. Feeling the air around them start to heighten, Hope’s face started to drip with cold sweat as they arrived near the front entrance of the bar.

  All windows were broken, followed by the many wood panels that hung from the ceiling as they peeked inside. Pcing his head in front of the window, and upon noticing that many electrical cords were hanging from the ceiling, Benn kept his head up as the chords continued to emit sparks.

  (Benn) Be careful. Make sure your head doesn’t touch them.

  Lunging over the broken window, Hope held Benn’s arm for comfort, her hands sticky and sweaty as she looked around the dark cold room. Both of them noticed a foul smell coming from deep within the center of the bar, their noses fring up as the unholy smell made its way into their lungs.

  (Hope) Gag … What is that? It smells like—

  Letting go of Hope’s hands, Benn instantly hunched his back as he moved his body away from Hope. Clenching his stomach tightly, his hands tightened as his legs buckled severely, causing him to…

  Let out many putrid body fluids from his stomach.

  Hope took a step back as Benn continued to puke out whatever alcohol and snacks he had in his stomach, the putrid smell ever present as she extended her arm out.

  (Hope) B-Benn! Are you ok?!

  Pcing her arm on Benn’s back, Benn breathed irregurly as he looked down towards the ground at his digestive fluids. Wiping his mouth with his right sleeve, Benn looked towards Hope, his face drenched with water as his body continued to warm up.

  (Benn) The smell … gasps … it’s the smell …

  (Hope) What smell? Do you know what the smell is? Is it—

  (Benn) Someone died here…

  Hope instantly turned towards where the smell was radiating from, her eyes wide opened as she pced both her hands onto her mouth.

  Benn, covering his nose with a piece of cloth, grudgingly walked closer to where the smell was, forcingly holding Hope’s hand as she let herself go with him. Seeing Hope surprisingly being cooperative, Benn’s grip on Hope loosened, but…

  (Benn) Oh no…

  (Hope) Ha—ha—ha—ha

  Hope’s eyes flickered intensely as her breath got caught in her throat, taking many steps back. Wanting to scream, her legs were spread open and buckled as her body crouched forward, yet her vocals couldn’t push that shriek out.

  Benn let go of the rag, the rag hitting the rich wooden floor…

  Covered in blood.

  (Benn) This is just not right…

  In the middle of it all, a tall woman with bck hair and a pale face ripped open the head of a teenage boy, her fangs getting deep inside the skull, creating a loud crunch.

  Continuing to devour the boy’s head, the woman’s fangs and rotten teeth were in ecstasy as they ate away the skin, bones, muscles, and brain, her fingernails dug deep into the boy’s shoulders, for grip.

  And around her, y more bodies of teenage boys, their heads eaten clean off.

  Looking up, her eyes gazed upon Benn and Hope, both standing as their eyes remained wide open. Dropping the teenage boy that she finished eating on the ground with a thump, she slowly stood up as her height towered the both of them.

  Wiping a tsunami of blood with a fke of bones on the crevices of her lips, she only let out a devilish smile, the corners of her lips reaching her eyelids.

  (Gemma) Looks like I’m having sushi for dessert~

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:24PM)

  (David, Jenny, Jerry, and Loraine)

  (David) Keep pushing through. Don’t fall behind.

  (Jerry) I could try harder if the air wasn’t this thick with smoke.

  The industrial side of the city wasn’t the most eye candy in terms of what lies in Lagefor.

  For one, many of the industrial buildings were littered with rust, despite the doors having locks and clean gss windows.This was followed by the amount of bck smoke around the district, making this part of Lagefor hard to breathe in.

  (Jerry) No wonder Boris always had an inhaler with him. You think he would’ve chosen a building more farther away from here, maybe near the military complex? I sometimes have difficulty breathing in the main building. The smoke from the industrial side can be smelled from out my window…

  (David) It’s not as simple as it looks.

  Continuing to run, David turned his head towards Jerry, his eyes narrowing at him. Jerry rolled his eyes, his body flowing with the motion of running.

  (David) Did Boris ever tell you his background?

  (Jerry) No. He only told me that he grew up in Lagefor.

  (David) Well, despite Boris being formal and clean, he wasn’t raised on a silver spoon.

  David and Jenny’s legs continued to remain the same as their chests moved up and down in a normal motion. For Jerry, his face started to sweat, and his breathing increased the more he ran.

  But Loraine's whole body was drenched with her sweat, her legs almost dragging onto the floor as her arms were filing like a malfunctioning robot.

  (David) First, let me just give Loraine a piggyback.

  Slowing down, he extended his arms and hands back, his body crouching softly as he turned his head towards the exhausted girl.

  Loraine pushed her right leg off the ground with all of her strength, her stomach tightening as she used most of her core strength. Rapidly, her speed made way for David’s back, extending her arms and hands outwards as her body made contact with him, her breathing decreasing.

  Wrapping her arms around David’s lower neck, Loraine shut her eyes as she began taking a nap on his back.

  (David) Alright back to Boris.

  David turned his head towards the other two that were running with him, his chest heaving lightly as his legs continued to push themselves onward.

  (David) He was raised by only his mom, a child born out of a one-night stand. With no pce to go, his mother found only one suitable housing for her and Boris’s needs…

  David looked around the buildings upon buildings of the industrial center, with multiple sightings of industrial camps in little tucked-away pces.

  Jerry couldn’t find any small industrial camps with his eyes, nor did Jenny too. Yet despite this, Jerry turned his head towards the back of David’s head, his eyes slightly closed.

  (Jerry) So he grew up here in this filth? Damn, never expected a man like him to rise from this. How long did he live here?

  (David) Until he went to college, even when his mom died when he was 13 or 14.

  Both Jenny and Jerry’s eyes widened, angling their heads away as their breaths slightly shook. Having their hands forming into small fists, Jerry managed to squeeze out his palms, creating a squishy noise with his right thumb.

  (Jerry) What? So how was he able to make it?

  (David) Boris worked in those industrial factories for many of his teen years, and since he always had a chubby body, followed by the pay being less for teens, he had to work the same hours as an adult would while going to school too…

  (Jerry) Jesus…

  David started to gag, his throat coughing in many bck smoke around the area, his lungs already parching from the horrible air. Breathing in and out slowly, he cleared his throat, his eyes containing water as the air was too much for him.

  (David) The amount of smoke and dangerous air he was breathing in through all his early years managed to surprise all of his doctors, with some saying that he shouldn’t be living.

  (Jenny) Poor Boris…

  (David) So that’s why we’re getting him back. If he stays there too long, who knows how many chemicals his little bck lungs will take?

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:48PM)

  (Military Man#1) Where’s our backup!?

  (Military Man #2) They’re too busy defending the complex from the zompires!

  (Military Man#1) Shit! I guess it’s just us huh… Marines!

  Outside of an industrial building filled with rust on the outside, a group of marines aimed towards the front door, their assault rifles and submachine guns on standby as their ears perked up.

  A man in the center of the squad, put his right arm high in the air, causing other soldiers to lock their eyes onto the signaling man.

  (Military Man#1) Get ready to buckle up, cause we’re going in!

  All of the soldiers in the group looked at each other with their faces drooped down, their hands clenching the grips of their guns as their legs began to wobble. Noticing that their leader was walking slowly towards the door, with his rifle on guard, the rest of the group quickly followed suit.

  The leader put his body weight on the front of the door steadily, leaning his back to the rusted door, he turned his head to his soldiers who pced their backs to the door as well, yet…

  (Military Man#3) Sergeant. Permission to speak sir?

  (Military Man#1) Go ahead Mclovin.

  (Private Mclovin) Will we die fighting to get those hostages, sir?

  The leader’s eyes softened as his thumb rubbed the cartridge of the gun. Seeing his soldier shaking as sweat started to pour out of his forehead, the leader cleared his throat as he pced his left hand on the door.

  (Military Man#1) Nobody’s dying unless I order you to. Your top priority is the hostages then your lives. Keep yourselves safe men, but remember…

  Taking his back off the rusted door, the leader gently pced his right foot on the door, his leather hard boot firmly tightening, his right leg expanding with a heavyweight of strength. Having both of his hands steady on his gun, the leader pushed with his right leg.

  (Military Man #1) A soldier’s job is to protect the weak.

  The door to the front quickly opened, with many of the leader’s soldiers looking in awe as their faces slightly opened at the showcase of strength.

  But that was overpped by the hostages in the back of the building, all tied up and bound. With their eyes noticing the soldiers, the leader raised his arm high, making a hard fist with his right hand as he pced his gun on his left.

  (Military Man#1) Give em hell boys—

  (David) What seems to be the problem, son?

  Hearing a deep voice from behind, the leader quickly turned around, his arms holding his assault rifle as he quickly pointed it towards the man dressed in all bck. The rest of the soldiers turned their gaze toward the commotion, their eyes widened as they quickly pointed their guns toward the others.

  Luckily, David and the others didn’t flinch or make any sudden movements, their eyes calmly seeing the many soldiers with their eyes wide open and their fingers already on the trigger.

  (Military Man#1) This is a rescue operation! Get out before—

  (David) Here’s some ID.

  Already having the ID in hand, David extended his right hand towards the leader, slowly and carefully to not make any soldier flinch. The leader, seeing a badge and picture on David’s right hand, slowly walked and snatched it away.

  Upon having the badge in his hand, the badge had a ptinum lining metal, with the shape being that of a foreign helmet. The foreign helmet appeared to be a motorcycle helmet but with a visor in the center. Seeing the badge, or rather the symbol, the leader took many steps back as he quickly looked toward David.

  (Military Man#1) You’re a… You’re…

  (David) I get that a lot, son. Now, is there anything that I can do to help?

  The leader quickly gestured his right hand slowly, his left hand holding the grip of the rifle. With his right hand tightened in a fist, the rest of the soldiers casually holstered their guns down, looking toward each other as they silently stared.

  (Military Man#1) We were about to rush in, sir, we uncovered two unidentified cases of zompires talking and acting human, and we took the liberty to try to get them back.

  (David) Have you heard of blessings, son?

  (Military Man#1) Yes sir.

  (David) Unfortunately, those zompires have them, so killing them with normal weapons is going to be a hassle unless you have Togo.

  The leader looked downwards as he nodded, his breathing haggard as he put his right hand on his chest. With his hand on his chest, he moved it up to where he grabbed the colr of his khaki brown military jacket, his hands softly trembling.

  (Military Man#1) So how should we propose saving them, sir?

  (David) It’s quite simple. Me and the other three are going to take them head-on. You and your men get the hostages out quickly and efficiently. Any questions?

  (Military Man#1) None!

  (David) Alright. You three, follow me.

  With David in the front, he extended his right hand towards the back of them, flinging up his fingers twice. Jerry, Jenny, and Loraine saw this with their eyes opened wide, their legs moving forward as David pulled out his pistol from his jacket.

  Entering inside the building, they took note of the air pungent with humidity and tar, their noses molested with the stench of rotting flesh and body odor.

  (David’s thoughts) Oh … oh …

  David in particur, clenched his chest as he put his right hand onto his stomach, his throat expanding with a particur liquid.

  As he was about to open his mouth, he jerked his head upwards to force his throat to swallow. His forehead was coated with soupy sweat, followed by his body odor ever present as Loraine sniffed David’s back.

  (Loraine’s thoughts) Is he nervous?

  (David) Alright. Loraine, you’re with me. Jerry and Jenny, take that other lich on the left.

  With the two duos reaching towards the two liches from both sides, Jerry and Jenny saw a girl, her body frail and her skin pale.

  (Jerry’s thoughts) Who is this freak? She looks a lot like someone I know…

  The other duo reached towards a frail man, his hands gently and firmly holding Boris.

  (Pedro) I guess you’re a bigshot huh? Let’s put that to the test, shall we?