The night air was chilly yet Eian felt sweat dribble down his back, the street lights illuminated the scene well enough.

Looking upon this build-up from the sidewalk as he loaded the last of their supplies into the van, now having second doubts of agreeing to go along with Edward.

His mother's, Elisa's, astonished face unbelievingly asked him: 'what the hell they were doing'.

He and Edward had just finished loading all their supplies Elisa and Eian had bought at the store into the long van, then this happened.

A distant part of Eian's mind noticed Martin's wounds had been treated, he reminded him eerily of the story Frankenstein being full of stitches.

Coming down from the apartments, Martin and Jacob had an average young blonde semi-naked woman, blindfolded, gagged, and limbs restrained with cuffs, they were literally dragging her towards the van, the restained woman struggled desperately to get free.

Strangely as they had brought everything down, Eian noticed the body of Jay had also been missing, the blood disappearing without trace.

"What in Heaven's name are you doing!?" Elisa growled at Martin.

Jacob shot his mother a vex glare before ignoring her and helping Martin lift the struggling woman into the van.

Eian's face tightened, the jerk shouldn't look at his mother like that, and what the hell were they doing?

'I should probably tell him something....' Eian fumed with indecision, according to Ed, Jacob was from a gang or something similar.

"Miss El, I can explain..." Martin started.

"That is all I've been hearing lately!" Elisa growled, looking at Eian to prove a point.

"This is different! Honest." Martin let go of the young woman, whom Jacob now had to struggle to restrain alone.

"Eian, this is what I was talking about!" Elisa growled at him.

Eian blinked, stupified.

What could he say to that?

"Miss El listen a damned second! She's crazy, like Jay!" Martin sounded angry now.

"Hey! Calm down, watch how you talk to her." Eian growled at Martin, he had to understand how everything looked.

"She's yelling at me! What, you want me to take her shit after I saved her ass?" Martin snorted with contempt.

"SHUT UP!" A strong voice yelled at everyone.

Blinking in surprise, Eian turned to realize it was Jacob, who was choking the young woman with a headlock.

"The young lady is clearly afflicted by something, she attacks people indiscriminately. She needs help, we also need to see if there is a cure." Jacob reasoned.

Eian tried to piece together what he was saying, adding everything up seemed alien, yet strangely his mind accepted this far too easily now.

People were apparently going zombie-crazy for some reason, hopefully, they weren't becoming actual-zombies, being turned by a bite or scratch would be a punch to the nuts.

"You're hurting her." Eian pointed out, watching her struggle in his grasp.

"And you know so much handling people? I only hurt people if I want to kid." Jacob oozed arrogance, irking him further.

Right there and then, the woman's feeble struggles ceased and Jacob loosened his grip.

Elisa looked horrified, Edward looked a bit sick and Martin stared with wide eyes.

"Oh relax people, she's simply just unconscious. Feel free to check her breathing." Jacob rolled his eyes at them and crossed his arms.

Eian let out an unconscious breathe he was holding as he saw the woman's chest contract up and down, proof of his words.

"Sweetheart, I still don't think we should go with these people," Elisa whined.

Eian sighed, not again.

*****

Once seated inside the van, Eian checked the van thoroughly, it had enough space to squeeze perhaps fifteen passengers.

With tinted windows, the interior air-conditioner in proper order, the van seemed comfortable with its cushioned seats.

Scanning he noticed a distinct lack of anything that resembled the body of Jay.

All their supplies were neatly packed near the front-seats, it made packing and would make unpacking easier as the van was not open space.

"Better you not know, don't ask. Honest." Martin saw him inspecting the van.

"Yeah no, the squirming lady makes me uncomfortable." Eian lied and scoffed.

Edward was pulling the car out and into the drive-way as Jacob was now at the back ensuring the blonde was properly restrained.

Martin was riding shotgun, next to Edward, while Eian and Elisa were next to each other around the middle seat.

As they exited the apartment, Eian saw another car turn it's headlights on, he ignored it but the light was inconvenient.

After a short drive down the lane, Eian noticed an unconscious man on the side-walk, Edward slowed.

"Keep driving, might be a ruse," Jacob said loudly from the back.

Eian looked at his mother who was quietly frowning and radiating disapproval.

As they passed the curve Eian saw another man, rushing towards the van, looking back quickly he noticed the man on the floor unmoving still.

"Shit!" Ed hit the gas full on.

The vehicle responded instantly, shooting forward like a comet.

Running over a pedestrian ramp, the rough jump which jostled them all and near sent them to a light-post, they easily lost the crazed assailant in a few seconds.

"Honestly? Watch it, the idiot can't hurt the car." Martin complained.

"Fuck you nigga." Ed drove on.

Most houses and apartments were dark with few people on the road at this unholy hour, there was a light traffic evidently people were still bustling about.

Entering the main street Eian could barely make out what appeared to be several stores busted open, most supermarkets and hardware stores, whether they still had people he could not tell.

****

The roads themselves sported the occasional crash-site, these vehicles were already abandoned with traffic simply going around to evade them.

"The hell happened." Eian saw what must have been the tenth vehicle already.

"My guess's people got hit mid-drive if that shits not stopin' driving'll be a bitch," Ed answered nervously.

Elisa grunted Eian figured it was at the language.

"Evade the commercial district. Turn right into the next avenue here, then go back roads." Jacob raised his voice from the back.

"Gotcha" Ed affirmed quickly turning and listening.

BANG! BANG! BANG! Single hand-gun rounds sounded out.

"The fuck?!" Eian yelled as something stabbed the upper portion of his right lat.

"Get down!" Jacob yelled.

Eian's eyes closed at the sound of shattering glass, Ed swerved the car dangerously.

Instantly pulling his mother down to the floor Eian shielded her with his body, she screamed.

Bang, bang, bang, either Martin or Ed was cursing loudly, maybe both.

"Rggg. Stay steady, give me a good shot!" Jacob groaned.

A different yet steadier drum of bullets hailed from the back as the van tossed and turned left and right, Eian grit his teeth, his shoulder was burning.

A steady screech hit Eian like a sack of bricks, the car veered left and everyone held their breath.

Impossibly they did not flip, Ed managed to swerve properly somehow, but their speed ground to a halt almost instantly, a tire had obviously been hit.

"Out!" Jacob yelled, over raining bullets.

Eian stayed down, Elisa kept trying to push him off.

"Lets go!" Elisa screamed.

"Me first, just in case. Stay down." Eian warned.

Exiting the vehicle, Eian jumped back in as a hail of bullets ricocheted around him.

"Ma, stay down!" Eian yelled, laying flat as well.

After a click Eian heard more bullets shoot out.

"Done," Jacob grunted.

Finally ,bullets ceased to ring out, Eian waited till the count of ten.

Tentatively he opened the door to the car, stepping out slowly he took stock of everything.

Their van was littered with bullet dents and what appeared to be scorch marks, many windows had shattered, looking closer he inspected that many rounds did not go through the vehicle.

Looking for their attackers, he spotted an old red convertible without the top, three obviously dead bodies laid in it.

"Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck was that?" Eian asked out loud.

Elisa sniffling, Eian embraced her and patted her back.

"Shh, it's over. It's over." Eian growing angry, yet keeping it bottled in.

Stepping out, Jacob went straight for the enemy convertible, Eian noted both Edward and Martin following him while arguing at Jacob.

"The shit was that? You coulda gotten us pick off!" Ed cradled his leg.

"Yeah, I honestly ran out and almost got a bullet for it!" Martin yelled.

"My bad. Jitters." Jacob shrugged unapologetically.

Ignoring their complaints, Eian observed as Jacob inspected the bodies and collected their fire-arms.

A quick search later, Jacob returned, loading his 'spoils' into the van.

Opening the van he took out a jack and removed the spare wheel from an inside compartment at the bottom of the van.

"Less talking more fixing. Hurry." Jacob shared the tools with the other two.

Soon his mother calmed down, Eian ignored whatever else the three men were doing.

"Ma, you alright?" Eian asked, checking her over for injuries and finding none.

"Sweetheart, we aren't staying." Elisa drew a deep breath and her voice came out resolute.

"I know." Eian readily agreed.

'How am I going to take our supplies.' Eian pondered that for a moment, it was far too much to carry himself.

"Ed!" Eian yelled.

"What?" Edward was putting on the wheel.

"We aren't going further," Eian said, angry.

Edward stayed silent, sighed and nodded, at least he understood enough not to argue.

"No, you're not." Jacob broke in.

"What?" Eian turned to look at him.

He found himself staring at an Uzi, with Jacob pointing it at him, anger flooded into him.

'NO! Ma's here.' Eian grit his teeth and restrained his urge to brutalize the fucker.

"Please, we just want to go. You can keep everything." Elisa raised both hands defensively, trying to step into the line of fire.

"Mom stay back." Eian grabbed her and shielded her, he was more likely to survive a bullet to the well...anywhere.

"Sorry lady, you're stuck with us. You're free once we deliver you to his spot." Jacob motioned at Ed with a tilt of his neck.

Eyes narrowing, Eian drew a deep breath and nodded, he could hardly resist the urge to charge and pummel his face in.

Something caught his eye, blood was dripping down the floor beneath Jacob, he had been hit.

Quickly inspecting Jacob over, he noted the sweating, difficulty breathing and a paleness of the skin.

'I hope he just fucking dies from those.' Eian almost smiled at the thought.

As soon as the replacement was in, he gathered everyone.

"Alright, we're going to my HQ. I'll get off there, from then you all can go home and pretend this never happened. Understood?" Jacob commanded.

"Yes." They all agreed in union.

"Good. Edward, your driving, I'll be next to you. Everyone else to the back, all the way to the back. Got it? No funny business." Jacob urged them inside.

Getting in and taking a seat, Eian noticed something, the blonde was dead, a bullet blew straight through her head.

"Shit," Eian mumbled.

"Oh, God." Elisa looked sick.

Martin stayed silent, but his eyes were hopelessly lost.

"Shut up and sit down. Edward, start the engine." Jacob aimed the gun at them in threat.

Once they took off, Eian noticed the way to the commercial district was blocked off by police road-blocks, warning tape in abundance he could hear sirens and warnings from a distance.

He also noted a strange overgrown dog or wolf hybrid bolting down the road, it was carrying something long but cloth-covered in its mouth.

The occasional person was running wildly about also, a mad look in their eyes charging directly to their way when the vehicle approached.

Eian kept his eyes on Jacob, watching him intently as his state deteriorated slowly.

"Hurry." Jacob urged Ed on.

"I know, I know." Ed was sweating too.

"Shut up and hurry up damn it," Jacob growled, waving the gun at Ed's face.

"Alright! Alright!" Ed gunned the engine faster.

Eian held on for dear life as the car sped up past sixty, the roads were too small to go so fast, Ed quickly blew past two red lights.

The swaying of the car bit into Eian's shoulder, he was also sweating, but he didn't feel the injury deteriorate.

"Ma. Are you sure you are alright?" Eian asked, he had checked earlier but it was dark.

"Yes, sweetheart. You?" Elisa sighed then looked at him.

Hiding his injury Eian smiled.

"I'm fine," Eian said.

"Well honestly, I'm not." Martin grumbled.

"Nobody cares." Eian snorted.

"Eian." Elisa lectured sternly.

'Whatever.' Eian rolled his eyes mentally.

Soon Eian noticed Jacob pull out a phone in one hand and maintain the gun in the other.

"Boss. I'm close...No. I need a medic. I'm hit... Yes, two skulls and Rose on the bodies.....Yeah, I think so too...Sure thing." Jacob was huffing heavily by the end of the call.

As they approached the next curve, Jacob was wheezing.

"Pull up here." Jacob motioned for a large mansion.

At the gate, three full black suit men stopped them.

"Hold up! Hands up! No sudden moves." The first guard declared, as all three hefted handguns.

"Rafe! It's...me." Jacob coughed trying to clear his throat.

"Jake?" A second guard visibly lowered his weapon, alarmed.

"I need a *cough* a doctor." Jacob struggled to answer.

Forcefully, the third guard opened the door.

"Everyone out! OUT!" He urged them out quickly with a gun.

Eian, Elisa, and Martin all bolted outwards.

"The other lady too!" The third guard yelled at the body.

"She's...dead." Martin clarified.

"Fuck Jake. What in blazes happened." Rafe asked.

Jacob ignored him as the first guard, Rafe, hauled Ed out and got in the driver's seat.

"Bill, Tray, take 'em inside, standard procedure." Rafe lectured.

"Right." Both other guards nodded.

As the van sped inside taking Jacob and their supplies, Eian glared at Ed.

"You got us into this shit." Eian was pissed.

"Hey, it was all going fine until~." Ed started.

"Quiet. Inside. Come on, all of you." The guard, Tray, silenced them and urged them onwards.

Looking at the mansion, Eian realized it was more of a compound.

There were three separate buildings, the middle being the largest with four stories.

They were led into the left building, a solid concrete white two-story warehouse looking thing.

There was a paved pathway, which split towards each building, there was the sound of running water up the middle mansion.

*****

The more he saw the more Eian realized they were fucked, with guards were stationed at every corner, and Eian was sure they were all armed.

Despite the ten foot tall wall, at full power, Eian was sort of sure he could at least exit the compound alone, but there were too many complications after.

The first problem was Elisa, he wasn't going to abandon his mother and Ed sort of counted, bad friend or no, they were still friends.

The next problem was that escaping on foot seemed futile, as any vehicle would easily catch up.

Lastly was the issue of their supplies, which had been taken along with the van.

'Fuck.' Eian sighed as he took in the light tan color room, hating it.

Eian was making it a habit to stay behind everyone, ensuring n one see his injury.

They had been brought to this small room with a few sofas as well as a single coffee table smack in the center.

Both guards were just outside the door and they had been politely asked to wait, the room had a tiny window from which only a baby could escape.

"This is your fault, Ed." Eian glared at him.

"HEY! How was I supposed to~" Ed started to speak but Martin interrupted.

"Yeah! What are they holding us up for?" Martin interrupted.

"Bitches listen-up will ya!" Edward's was clearly exasperated.

Eian didn't care, this mess could go to hell at any moment.

"What? You know how to get us out of your mess?" Eian growled back.

"Ah...Well no, but listen, we just came here cuz Jacob was hurt right? They should let us go once he recovers." Ed stammered.

Eian looked at him closely, an uneasy feeling welling up from those words, the room went silent.

'They could've at least installed a damn TV.' Eian rubbed his eyes, he'd get bored soon.

An hour passed, Eian was getting bored of fiddling his thumbs while his mother would occasionally look at him with worry.

Soon the door opened.

"Boss sends word." The guard, Rafe spoke.

*****

They were led to a more spacious office, surrounded by at least ten guards, Eian was sure they were all armed.

The office was frigid, painted white and full of wooden shelves lined with books, at the center sat a portly man with glasses.

"Hello. I'm sorry for the wait, Mister Jacob was in critical condition and stabilizing him took quite some time, even with the new....medi-care." The portly man spoke.

They all remained silent, no one wanted to accidentally say something and get them all killed.

"Ah, excuse me. Where are my manners? My name is Jared Bradley. I work as a ... consultant of sorts here." Mr. Bradley leaned backward on his chair Eian was surprised the chair didn't buckle and throw his fat ass off.

Mr.Bradley looked at them, as if waiting for a response, one that never came.

"Mhm. Yes. Well, down to business shall we? I'm sure you all are curious as to why we held you here this long." Mr.Bradley got Eian's attention there.

"Wasn't it because Jacob was hurt?" Ed asked.

"In part, yes. We weren't clear on the details of your traumatizing experience, many things had to be made clear before we let you leave." Mr.Bradley clarified.

"So we can just leave now?" Ed seemed hopeful.

Mr.Bradley took a moment to clean his glasses, a smile emerged slowly.

"Let me explain first, we now know you had no involvement in the attack. So let me assure you your lives aren't in danger, at least not from us." Mr.Bradley's smile seemed genuine, but Eian knew a toad when he saw one.

"So when can we leave." Eian was getting testy.

"Yes. Er, the problem is you are witnesses to murder." Mr.Bradely clarified.

Eian went silent, growing antsy for his mother's sake, he couldn't deny he was a bit nervous himself.

"As I said, you are not at all in danger, we aren't barbarians. We don't kill indiscriminately, but this does pose another problem, that you know the location of one of our larger bases of operations." Mr.Bradley said slowly.

"That wasn't our fault!" Ed raised his voice, gaining a shrilly aspect.

Tha guards all tensed, Eian drew a deep breath, focusing his mind he brought forth the distant image of Empower, praying it would work if there was a fight.

Long seconds stretched by as no-one moved, Mr.Bradley slowly lifted both hands placatingly.

"Please let us discuss this in a calm peaceful way. I'm sure we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement."

Speaking out before Edward seemed like a good idea right then.

"Yes. That's good, what did you have in mind." Eian could clearly see this fellow leading them somewhere.

"I have a few options available to you." Mr. Bradley looked over Eian, scrutinizing him from head to toe like an eagle.

Eian, Elisa, Edward, and Martin all remained silent as Mr.Bradley took his time inspecting each of them, mostly the men.

"You may not know, but due to the impending... complications, we are expanding our staff. The easiest solution for us, would of course be for you to join us." Mr.Bradley's eyes smiled sinisterly.