Dead Serve

Part 11~The Lab

Michi sighed contently, he sat on Tsukishima's lap with his head resting on the taller's chest. Tsukishima was so warm. Michi loved Tsukishima more than anyone else. He will never let anyone hurt Tsukishima and if he needs to, he will release this virus on the whole world if it saves his Tsukishima.

The truck pulled up, the large concrete building towered above the little workers that ran about like ants. Lights flashed in the windows. Guards stood outside the doors. Cold and unforgiving the building waited for the new arrivals.

"Welcome to the lab," Michi announced, hopping out of the truck, his hand intertwined with Tsukishima's. "Come on, I'll show you around." Michi started to drag Tsukishima to the entrance, using his high-level pass to gain access.

Guard stood outside every door. little lights of green and red were above the frame, the colour telling the scientist a message that our teammate didn't know.

"Every room in this lab has been repurposed to find a cure. We were about to isolate the virus early on and have been trying to find any possible way of fighting it." Michi pulled up to a glass window that showed a busy lab. Men dressed in full hazmat suits rushed about, testing and setting up new experiments. "As I said earlier, we have been extra cautious about not letting the virus out of the labs. Every person has about six decontamination-chambers they have to go through before they can enter or leave a lab."

A loud buzz caught the group's attention as a man walked out. Contrary to the group's beliefs, he no longer wore the hazmat suit, the orange rubber having been left behind in the third chamber.

"Everyone, this is Ichinomiya Joji, our chief scientist at the lab. Nothing happens without his consent. Joji, this is the surviving members of the Karasuno volleyball team."

Joji smiled, flipping his messy hair over before bowing. "I must say, it is a pleasure to meet you. We didn't think anyone was still alive out there, you are a miracle." Joji's eyes seemed to hone in on Tsukishima and Michi's hands, a smirk coming to his face. "And you must be Tsukishima, I've heard so much about you. I hope you enjoy your stay with us."

Joji's time with the team was cut short by a girl running down the corridor. Michi's eyes widened in recognition as he very subtly moved behind Tsukishima. "Joji! We have a problem in sector 18," the girl announced making Joji frown.

"Has the sector been isolated?"

"No. I just left it to get out of control because I am an idiot," she deadpanned with an unimpressed scowl. "Of course I did!"

"Good," Joji muttered, seemingly not caring about the girl's impertinence. "I'll head that way now. I assume you've got Akahana heading over?"

"Yes. She and Misaki are on scene."

"Very well, come on Ayao, we should hurry. I hope you don't mind my departure, Michi?" Joji turned to face Michi who stuck up his hands in shock.

"N-no, you should go." Michi watched Joji and Ayao rush down the corridors before sighing. "Ayao always makes me nervous. When she is around something's gone wrong."

"Does things go wrong often?" Daichi watched the corridor, almost not trusting the boss. He wasn't sure what rubbed him the wrong way, just something did.

"N-No! It's really rare," Michi said a little too quickly for Daichi's liking. "Let's get to the canteen, I'm sure you're hungry by now." Michi hugged one of Tsukishima's arms, smiling up at him in that adorable way. Michi didn't seem to notice the other members of the team falling back and whispering to each other.

"Are you guys sure we can trust him?" Daichi double-checked around himself, making sure no one could overhear them.

"I don't know," Sugawara whispered back, his own anxiety clear on his face. "I find it strange that we've never met Michi before. Or even heard about him."

"It is Tsukishima, he likely didn't want people getting involved in his private life," Asahi pointed out.

"Yeah but it's strange Yamaguchi didn't say anything. He shares everything about Tsukishima and knows everything about him too," Sugawara combated with narrowed eyes.

"We'll ask him when he gets here," Daichi decided before stopping. "Tanaka? Are you okay?"

Tanaka had his eyes to the ground, a dark aura surrounding him. Tanaka hadn't said anything since he arrived on the roof. Kiyoko hadn't left his side but she was worried. She was pretty sure Tanaka wasn't registering what was going on around him and didn't even realise he had left the rooftop. While they may regret trusting Michi, it has kept Tanaka alive. They have no idea how they would have got Tanaka back to the school in this state.

"Tanaka," Kiyoko called out, gently tapping his shoulder.

"Huh?" Tanaka seemed to temporarily snap out of whatever was holding him. He looked around dizzily, his eyes clouded.

"Are you alright?" Kiyoko tried to look into Tanaka's eyes, tried to get him to see her, but he didn't.

"I'm fine," Tanaka replied autonomously, his head lowering once again and the dark aura returning.

The four-third years shared a conversation with their eyes, they knew they couldn't snap Tanaka out of this and that even if they could get him out they couldn't go anywhere. For now, there was one course of action. To follow Michi until the others arrive.

"Hey, Joji!" Jumping out of the truck, a man stood with pitch-black hair that fell in front of his eyes. A clear bruise was present on his jaw, the break obvious.

"What happened to you?" Joji was not pleased. Not only had one of his best members left the doors open, leading to a large infestation of infected, but he was late. Thankfully, the others were better trained and had disposed of the infected ones... well, most of them, a few were taken for... trials.

"One of them put up a fight," the man stated, rubbing his jaw with a wince. "I think it's that boy who hacked into the system."

"Oh, dear. I guess our new guests aren't going to see their friends any time soon. We can't have our best scientist know the truth." Joji jumped into the truck, easily identifying the problem child from the blood that poured over his eyes and the knife still sticking into his leg. "Humm? I might have a way to save this." Joji pulled the knife out, causing Yamaguchi to scream in pain. "This is the knife you fight off the infected with, right Kenji? That means, he's infected. Take him to lab 6, he'll become our main test subject."

The insane smile covered Joji's face as he laughed. He was not laughing for long as Yamaguchi bit his leg in a last act of rebellion. He wasn't infected yet and he didn't draw blood, it was just the only weapon he had left.

"How's that for a test subject?" Yamaguchi smirked as Kenji hit him down into the concrete. He was going to fight. He might not live much longer, but he was going to fight.