Ash was about to scream for help when he was pushed into another tent. Before he could even see his kidnapper, his face was pressed against a closed cupboard door. One of his hand was twisted back and held firmly behind him, while a large hand covered his forehead and eyes to hold him in place. Ash was panicking and started struggling desperately. The lack of vision only intensified his terror. Suddenly he felt a warm body press against his back and hot breathing fell against his neck. He froze visibly and softly started trembling. He was scared. He immediately realised that his kidnapper was much stronger than him and even if he struggled with all his might there was hardly a chance that he could escape his clutches. His body was exhausted completely.

"I thought I spend the whole morning teaching you how to break out from such a situation." A deep voice reached his ears and Ash's eyes widened in recognition. "Were you not paying any attention while I taught you." Rhys continued. His voice was laced with anger for some reason.

"I-" Ash tried to fight through his fear and nerves while trying to find a response. He stopped struggling as soon as he realised it wasn't someone from the lab trying to abduct him or anyone with malicious intent. He wasn't given a chance to say anything before he got interrupted as the voice sounded again "Show me what you have learned." As he said that, Rhys moved his hand from Ash's eyes and lowered in to encircle his waist. Pulling him closer to his body.

There was no response. Ash didn't want to start fighting Rhys at the moment. He was already physically tired from their morning combat and mentally exhausted by being always on his toes around the scientists. Not to mention that he hasn't been able to shake Rhys off him even once during their training. So, even if he tried now it would be futile attempt and would only exhaust him further. He didn't have the will nor the energy to engage in a spar with this dangerous person. All he wanted was to finish his usual reporting to Kyle and then go to his tent and fall asleep while snuggling with Emma. She must be waiting.

Seeing the lack of response, Rhys groaned and lowered his head onto Ash's shoulder. He had no idea what he was trying to achieve right now by doing this. All he knew was that since he heard how reckless Ash was being by going to those loons, He lost it. Anger and fear overtook him, and he had rushed over to find the boy. To ask him if he had lost his mind...To see... if he was still alright.

A light fragrance like flowers and fresh fallen rain, unique to Ash, filled his nostrils. He couldn't help but to bury his head deeper into the nook of Ash's neck and inhale deeply. He smells amazing. Unconsciously his hands tightened around the other as if almost wanting to pull him into his own flesh. 'He is quite thin. Is he not eating enough?' Rhys wondered as he groped around the other's stomach in search of any signs of belly fat. Ash stiffened under his hand. Rhys released the hand that he was holding imprisoned and immediately felt Ash pull it to his chest clasping it protectively with the other. There was a long moment of silence. Neither of them spoke nor moved. Ash was sweating bullets in his head. Rhys had come to find him for some reason but was now completely silent. Did he do something wrong to anger him or was this like a test to see if his training was effective. Either way, Ash was not planning to cooperate.

"Rhys...is there something you need?" Ash asked timidly as he felt the other holding him tighter without any signs of loosening. Rhys just hummed in response like an intoxicated person who didn't register anything that was said to him. "Ehmm Rhys???" Ash tried again after receiving no response. His voice slightly broke as he called again. This was very unusual behaviour for Rhys, and it had Ash worried.

Ash heard a deep sigh before the hands around him loosened and he was forced to turn around. Rhys was hovering above him with hardly any distance between them. His eyes were dark, and his face showed a complicated expression. "Do you know what you did wrong?" Rhys almost hissed as he asked him. Ash showed a confused expression as he wasn't really sure what Rhys was implying. Ash thought for a while but still couldn't figure out what it was so in the end he just shook his head and denied his knowledge.

Rhys gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Do you have any sense of danger at all. You just waltz into those lunatics' lab without a care about your life. you are not like the rest of us. once those scientists figure out your worth you will be dissected to your bone marrow until they are satisfied. And still you don't think you did anything wrong?" Rhys's voice was laced with anger as he almost shouted in Ash's face. His hands tightened on the boy's shoulders making him wince. "This is what you meant by give yourself up? Such a fool. I really wonder how you survived this long."

"It is my matter why are you angry about it? There is no friendship between us for you to react so seriously." Ash suddenly blurted out, feeling a bit annoyed at the overwhelming pressure that Rhys was emitting and subconsciously ignored the sudden hint of worry that he had barely detected in Rhys's voice. The look in Rhys eyes change to exasperation. His eyes narrow at him for a long moment before he turned away and stepping back.

Rhys was indeed in a foul mood. He had just received another raid mission which he was not happy about and then he heard that Ash had volunteered at the lab. Moreover, he had been doing it for weeks now and no one had bothered to let him know until now. His mood only got worse. He was at first relieved that Ash had not run off to find someone to sell his body to but when he thought deeper into it, Ash's presence at the lab was way riskier than the other situation. Although Rhys believed that with them watching closely, there was no way that the lab would pull something over them, but it was still a risk he would rather not take. And now Ash had no regard for the concern that he was showing towards him. He wanted to say that 'obviously he would be worried since he is also part of their group' but when he opened his mouth to retort no such words came out. His and Ash's relationship were not the best. Anyone would be suspicious if he suddenly started acting nice towards the other. This realisation further worsened his already gloomy mood. Rhys noticed that when the boy was in his arms all the anger and irritation had immediately vanished like a mirage. But now it has returned two-fold. Yes, he was angry.

"Why are you playing with your life? If you are that keen on dying there are hundred other ways to do it. What is it that you want to achieve by doing this?"

"Didn't I already tell you the reason?" It seems like Rhys had a short-term memory. It was very recently that they had had an argument regarding Emma. At that time Ash had made sure to mention his intentions since Rhys stated firmly that he should give up on the child. Emma was like a vague reflection of himself. She was smart and bright for a child, just like him when he was younger. Although Ash was not very aware of his birth parents, who supposedly died in an accident, he would still find himself imagining how his life would have been if they were still alive. Emma had as well lost both her parents at such a young age. She was always smiling for a child that had just experienced the loss of a family. Ash could see past her façade and understood that it wasn't that she wanted to smile but that she was trying to please people as if scared she would be abandoned any minute. She was very aware of her own situation. She was always helping out the others so that they don't see her as a sick and useless person. Because she knows that Ash can only protect her so far. His capabilities where few. He was already blaming himself for not being able to cure her yet. The only reason she was still doing alright was due to the medications her father risked his life to obtain

On top of all the stress from his malfunctioning power was the constant pressure that he felt from everyone he passed by. Word had already started to spread that Ash was working for the scientists. Even though everyone hoped for the scientists to find a cure soon, they were also despised. People were already protesting about bringing the zombies into the camp and now they were even starting to associate the lab with the missing people. This and that and the fact that they use up most of the resources when the general populace had to sometimes starve, got them into their radar. And Ash being recognised as one of them faced the same treatment. Even his own acquaintances were looking at him like he was a traitor. As per the previous agreement, Kyle and Ash had decided to keep the entire 'mission' thing a secret from the rest. After all, one more person who knows means one more mouth that can give everything away.

When Ash was still locked up in the lab, even though the experiments were painful, he had some value. So, no one would take their treatments too far and always ensured that Ash could recover from the torment on his body which was on the brink of death. But once in the outside world, he soon realised that he was completely useless. His body was weak and useless. It was only the strong, those who could fight and provide, that were respected now. All he had for himself was his sharp mind which was no longer of much use before absolute strength. He could be easily bullied since he couldn't protect himself. There are always several angry gazes on him wherever as if he was having a good life without putting any effort into it. There were some who threw accusations and insults at him both in his face and behind his back. There were even some of those who would come to find him to grope at him masked under the pretence of joking around with him. There were even a few occasions when he was dragged off by other to be forced on. It was always because of either luck or his desperate struggles that he managed to get away. He was always living on pins and needles when he was in the camp.

Ash was well aware that he was taking a big risk. But it seemed like for some reason, the scientists weren't able to find anything conclusive even after taking so many of his blood samples. Ash had a feeling it had something to do with how his power wasn't working nowadays. Every time he felt like he recovered a bit of it and tried to treat Emma, it would vanish without a trace as soon as he started. It was like there was a barrier that blocked Ash from using his skill.

He had hoped that his involvement in the mission that Kyle entrusted him would remain a secret but when there is a small community of people living tightly close to each other, it was very easy for word to spread. Now even the people he had travelled with so far were looking at him weirdly. Ash was sure that sooner or later someone would come forward to ask him about it. It was only that Rhys was the last person he had thought would come.

Ash didn't wish for such a trouble filled life for Emma who reminded him of his own miserable existence. although the lab was dangerous for him, it also extended its umbrella of protection over his head. Ensuring a vague sense of security until now. But he was on his last task entrusted to him by Kyle. After this he would have no longer a reason to go to the lab. Ash was scared of how people would treat him once the halo of protection around him vanished. He need to find another source of protection fast. He neither had the power nor the influence to support himself without bringing them trouble. As his thoughts drifted to here, he remembered that he was at the moment confronted by a very influential person. If it is him then Emma would be safe. The problem is how to get him to promise on his life to protect her. Ash looked deeply into the dark eyes intently and saw them tremble slightly for some reason. 'I will have to trick him.' Ash concluded. 'drive his strong temper and ego into making him think it is his idea.'

"you mean because of the little girl?" Rhys asked with narrowed eyes. "I don't understand why you are so insistent on protecting her. She is sick. She is small. In other words, she is sure to be a burden down the road."

Ash glared at him at the words. Maybe he should reconsider on selecting Rhys. "I am not giving up on her so stop saying that." Ash hissed at him. His anger reaching new heights.

"Fine!!" Rhys also retorted in annoyance. There was a long moment of silence as both of them engaged in a staring contest. "No matter what, you should stop going to the lab." Rhys finally broke the silence by stating it as a command.

'This is my chance.' Ash thought as he put on a reluctant face and said,

"You only always say what you want others to do. Do you maybe have a better idea in protecting Emma than getting the help from the laboratory?" Ash saw Rhys open his mouth to say something, but he continued without giving him a chance. "It is not like I want to go there you know... uh... why am I even talking to you about this. Maybe Jule will agree to take care of her in case something happens to me...he is kind after all not to mention that he is good with kids and Emma adores him."

For some reason ever since the mission at the hospital, Rhys has been in an embarrassing one-sided competition with Jule. He had been dragging Jule out to shoot at zombies, competing on who can train better, run faster, pluck the tomatoes quicker and so on. Anyone who watches could only sigh at the display of childishness. But what surprised everyone is that Jule was just as good at Rhys in the things they competed in. Because of this, Ash hardly got any time to spend with Jule recently. But for whatever reason it was, Ash knew that if he mentioned Jule, Rhys would jump in to do it as well. And as he expected, at the mention of Jule, Rhys's face hardened visibly.

"What do you mean by he is kind... he is not kind at all. He is the type who would beat up kids for no reason. So, there is no way that he is good with kids. And Emma likes everyone not just him. It's me she comes to find to play not him when you are not around." A long string of words left his mouth as soon as Ash mentioned Jule. Ash was surprised at the lies that Rhys was spouting. His face didn't even turn red from the shame. To twist Jule's image so badly, there was no doubt that there was some kind of grudge between them.

"Then are you saying that you are the best candidate to look after Emma?" Ash asked pulling up the hook-on which Rhys had already bitten. He had been trapped by him. Ash wanted to laugh at his own genius.

But Rhys was not someone dumb. He already realised that Ash was baiting him as soon as the last sentence fell. Snap. The line he had bit on snapped with his next words, "playing is one thing. Looking after is completely different. I don't take on people who will drag me down." Rhys was really enjoying this conversation. He would have like to just say yes. But he knew that it was not a promise that he would be able to keep all the time, so he had to make sure that not only Emma but also Ash was tied to him.

Ash was speechless for a moment. He had thought that he had caught Rhys but it seems like his skills in persuasion where still lacking. The fish had unhooked himself and swam away. "Emma is not.... she won't drag you down. I will find a way to cure her soon-"

Rhys cut him off "What can she offer to the team?"

Ash was silent again at the sudden question. 'She is just a kid. What on earth can she possibly offer.' Ash scrunched up his brows and thought hard. "As her guardian, I will be under your disposal. I will do any tasks without complaints as compensation."

A slow smile bloomed on Rhys's face. Ash's heart skipped a beat at the unexpected radiant expression that the other showed. At that moment Ash had a feeling that he had fallen into the trap he himself had set up. "...but you are just as much of a burden as her. So, there isn't much value in your offer!" Rhys's eyes curved into crescent moons as he mocked.

This made Ash's anger flare up again. 'He dares to insult me. How am I useless? I can cure your darn ass any day of the week and bring you back from the clutches of death. There is no one as useful as me. Y-you should be honoured to get my voluntary service.' Although he wanted to shout all this in Rhys's face, Ash still held back and took a deep breath to try to calm himself down, but he still couldn't help his outburst. "You say I am a burden? Fine. Let's make a bet. I will prove to you that my existence is more valuable than your miserable life. And once I do. You will protect Emma with your life. You will make sure that she lives happily until the day you die. How about it?"

Rhys laughed again. 'This is so fun.'

"Alright kitten. Since you are so eager you will join me on my mission tomorrow evening. Prove me your worth. If you fail, then your morning training will increase twofold." He ruffled Ash's hair and then walked away with a slight jump in his steps. The anger he came in with was gone without a trace.

—————

After Ash left the first day he was brought to the lab, in a well-lit office, a young man was leaning over a microscope observing the reaction a blood sample had with the virus. The sample was already weeks old and he was itching to get a fresher one. On the edge of the glass slide under the microscope was a name written to whom the blood sample belonged to. 'Ash'. After observing it for several hours now, the man lifted his head with a deep frown. 'Something is different' he thought to himself as he pondered what he was missing. Suddenly he heard the sound of approaching footsteps and turned around to see who was brazen enough to disturb him while he worked.

A head of grey popped out through the door to see if he was busy. "Dr Hansen!" The young man called with a deep glare in his eyes. Everyone knew of his eccentric character. No one would dare interrupt him while he was working. Seeing the hostile gaze on him. Dr. Hansen shivered uncomfortably but he still mustered up his courage and walked in to stand before the much younger man. "This better be something good." The young man said calmly. But his voice held a threat that was very obvious.

"Dr Davis. I know you have your reasons to appoint that boy, Ash, as a helper in the lab but do you really think it is wise to let an outsider who neither appreciates our work nor is loyal to the institute inside here? There are valuable specimens and secret research here, that I am worried." Dr Hansen said nervously. Ever since the young man has given him the task to make the boy a part of their team, he had an irking that something would go wrong.

"There is no need to worry. He will be part of us sooner or later anyway. There is no escape for him. So, it doesn't matter if it is today or tomorrow." Dr Davis waved his hands to dismiss his unfounded worry.

".... but it is just that...I think he is send over as a spy by 'that' man." Dr Hanson knew that Dr Davis was quick to anger but he still took the courage to state his worries. "before the boy came over, that man had been snooping around the vicinity of our lab for days. I think he is being influenced by that girl who is always protesting at our doors." he quickly said. "but ever since Ash came over, both of them have significantly calmed down. It feels like they are cooking up something big, like the calm before the storm."

Dr Davis fell into thought for a moment and then a wide grin stretched across his face. "Hansen, how do we usually deal with nuisances. Just handle it rather than come to me and whine." His amiable look that he had while he listened to his opinion then changed and his eyes turned dark, "You have so much to talk about when I am working, What about the thing I actually asked you to do?"

"Ah... his blood has been collected and a sample has also been prepared for your analysis." Dr Hansen gulped down in fear as cold sweat tickled down his brow. He didn't dare waste time as he immediately focused on the topic that the young man was interested in. As he guessed, the anger between his eyes immediately vanished and a childlike excitement replaced it. Heaving a sigh of relief, he continued. "I have taken a look at the sample but there is nothing special in it except for its higher active cells than a normal person."

Ignoring him, Dr Davis snatched the slide from the Doctor and looked at it intently through the microscope.

The cells were actively running around as if in a race. The man held his breath and added a small drop of the extracted virus on top of the blood sample. Immediately the blood cells rushed towards the virus in a hurry and circled it completely, forming an impenetrable wall of cells. The man's eyes lit up as if he found the answer, he wanted but in the next second the cells that surrounded the virus slowly turned black as if they were dying. "No!!" He shouted as he saw the tight wall crumple and fall helplessly. He jumped up from his seat and began pacing around the room while clutching his hair in frustration. Dr Hansen observed all this with a complicated look in his eyes. 'They say geniuses are born with mental defects.' He thought as he shook his head.

Soon he came to a stop with a dejected look on his face then without warning the young man laughed out aloud like a madman, "Indeed. There is nothing special about the blood samples at all." His expression fell as quickly as it rose. "WHY is there no difference." He screamed. And threw the test tubes on his desk onto the floor. They shattered immediately on contact with the white tiled ground. Dr Hansen flinched at the sudden destruction in front of his eyes and remained quiet. They didn't have the luxury to destroy laboratory supplies this recklessly anymore. Yet Dr Hansen didn't have the guts to tell the young upset man that.

His emotions were really very fickle at the moment. It took a while for the young man to calm himself down again. Once he did, he leaned back against his chair and sighed deeply as he ran a hand over his face. "Have the DNA results arrived?"

Dr Hansen frowned as he thought then he quickly paged someone downstairs to ask if it was ready. Soon hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor and a young assistant entered the room with several sheets of paper clutched in his hands. "I am extremely sorry sir." He kept apologising as he handed the papers over with trembling hands.

The young man snatched the papers from the assistant's hand with fury in his eyes and then shouted at him to get lost. As soon as the door closed again, he ran his eyes through the document presented to him and his eyes immediately lit up. Dr Hansen really couldn't keep up with this guy's mood swings but he still asked after some hesitation, "it's the same sir?"

The young man nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. The samples I got from my home and those of Ash are 100% identical. They are the same person." The man remembered the blood samples that his friend Dr Hawks had given him back in the days. He had retrieved them from his scorched down house. The person whom those samples belonged to was supposed to be the answer to this calamity. He found him now.... but why is the sample from the same person acting differently. His happiness immediately vanished. Until know he had observed three sets of samples from the boy. The one he got from his friend, the weeks old sample that he received from the hospital and then the fresh new samples. yet except for the one he got from his friend the other two had no healing or restricting properties at all.

After several minutes the man resigned to the facts and plopped back down onto his chair. His eyes were distant and lifeless. Dr Hansen waited a moment before saying, "Doctor maybe the later samples will be different. Let's not give up hope yet." Hearing this the man just nodded and looked into the unknown. "Doctor, I have a thought. maybe it is not the blood that has the properties of curing?" Dr Hansen said carefully as he presented his theory.

Hearing this the man frowned for a second but then his eyes widened as if in realisation. "Indeed. It could be that the blood is not the source." He started fidgeting on the chair as he played with the idea. 'I only thought it was the blood because the sample I received before was a blood sample. And that sample was more actively destroying bacteria and viruses of different diseases. The blood did have the properties to cure but what if it is like a car that needed to be driven by something else.' As his thoughts reached there, he jumped out of the chair and grabbed Dr Hansen by the shoulder, "I want the boy. Bring me the boy."

"S-Sir that would be a bit difficult." Dr Hansen shivered as the hand tightened painfully on his shoulder. The excitement on the young man's face was so bright that he wanted to shield his eyes. Yet instead of rejoicing with the genius, Dr Hansen felt dread. "The boy is part of Kyle's group. And he is highly regarded there. It would be hard to just take him away without their retaliation."

'Kyle? Oh, that man that has been on everyone's mouth these days. He is the one who caught the live zombies for them. He is also the one who has been a nuisance to them recently. Yes. The populace are indeed on his side. Even the Major has a high opinion of him and that subordinate of his... Rhys?' The man bit his nail and thought hard. 'But I want the boy!' He turned to look at Dr Hansen. "Find a way to get him to me. I don't care how."

"Y-Yes sir. I will try my best." Dr Hansen stuttered. He felt cold sweat drenching his back and shuddered at the madness he saw in the other's eyes. "Sir, I have something else to ask. Are you sure you want to keep doing 'that'?" He scratched his head awkwardly. "The others in the lab are confused and I feel like they might slip up sometimes. This would cast suspicion in the boy's mind."

Hearing this the man raised his head and looked at the much older man standing in front of him and sneered. "Warn them thoroughly. If a slip up happens then they will be part of the test subjects in lab Alpha." Dr Hansen shivered at the malice tinted in the other's voice and nodded subconsciously in agreement. He then quickly excused himself and rushed out to inform everyone to be careful

Dr Davis let out a large sigh as he leaned back in his chair once more and closed his eyes for a short nap. Before he could actually relax his worn-out brain the communicator on the side beeped continuously. He groaned and looked over. if it was someone useless then he would just ignore the call. A yellow side button kept flickering on and off, indicating that it was someone from the other bases. The scientists made sure to establish a network system where they could communicate with each other so that the results, ideas and findings could be shared so as to quicken the process to find the cure.

Next to the yellow light on the screen it was written HQ. Dr Davis glanced at the lights flickering on and off for several second without any intention to get up from his lazy position. 'Someone insignificant.' He concluded as he let the noise continue to ring and turned his head away to doze off.

It was only after 2 hours of peaceful nap that someone urgently barged into his office without even a knock and even dared to shake him awake. While Dr Davis could ignore the call from the HQ, the rest of them couldn't do it so lightly. Not to mention that after countless attempts by the lower level staff from HQ, who were always ignored since the person they wanted was napping, someone important took time out of their busy schedule and called personally. This was someone even Dr Davis could not ignore. She was the top of the top, having accumulated countless awards while awards were still a thing and now, she is the top priority person on the 'Protect with your life' list. Professor Jude Mills was not only great at what she did. She was also a senior of Dr Davis.

"Sir. Its Prof Mills on the phone asking to speak with you." The Assistant who came to wake up the doctor was shaking in his boots as he was given a dead glare by the person who just woke up.

"That Woman! What the hell does she want." Dr Davis grumbled to himself as he sat straight and reached for the communication device set up in his office room. "What?!" He almost shouted as soon as he switched on the screen. A black woman in her thirties frowned at him in displeasure. She had beautiful youthful features. black eyes and Even blacker curly hair wrapped up into a bun on top of her head. Her mouth was stretched into a thin line showing her annoyance with this man.

"How many times do I have to call you for you to pick up." She also said in an angry voice. "I was in the middle of an important meeting. and people come to me requesting to contact you because they couldn't get a hold of you."

"Yes, I was sleeping." Dr Davis just stated as if that was the most obvious thing. Hearing his answer, the frown on her face deepened drastically. If she could reach through the screen and strangle this man, then she would.

"Well now that you have finished your beauty nap, let's get down to business." She snorted making fun of him. If she didn't know that this man was a genius, then she would smack his head hard until his brain became mush. But then there would be no longer a use for him since the only thing commendable about him is his smarts. "First, I was informed that the specimen that you found has a high probability towards the cure. Once you confirm it, send it over to the HQ. There are more facilities, equipment and opportunities here. So, stop fooling around in God knows where and come back here quickly. You are needed here! I will give you three months to conclude if the sample is useful to us or not. If not, then move on and stop obsessing over it. Second, that loon friend of yours and my other junior, Dr Hawks, has been in contact with me recently wanting to get in touch with you. But since it is an international call, only the HQ can receive it so I will pass on his words to you." As she said this far Jude noticed that Dr Davis's eyes which were dull during the first half of her speech were suddenly sparking with interest. 'No wonder, those two have always been crazy since she could remember.

Seeing that she stopped talking at the most important part and was just starting at him lost in thoughts, he got impatient, "What- What did he say. Tell me Quick."

Jude Mills Sighed helplessly, "He said that the name of the test subjects he was working on before were code number 0029754, Erva who is the source of the virus and code number 0029855, Ash Kage, who should be the panacea. If the sample, you discovered is either one of them then it would mean tremendous progress in our research. Lastly, he said that he has already applied for a private jet to transport him back to England. He mentioned that the procedure would most likely take a few months depending on the situation outside, but he is expected to return within the next 5 months."

"In 5 months...." Dr Davis fell into thought but after a few moments a wide smile stretched on his face, "I can't wait."