I Now Realize

Chapter 15: Hunting The Infected (part 4 out of 7)

I'm sorry if this part seemed uneventful, but it will get better with a little action. By little, I mean a lot. I promise.

The next day, Alue calmly walked in the streets of Broken City. She enjoyed the sight of nature and the city, she smiled at the warm rays of the sub. But she remained alert in case of any Blooder, a name she gave of the infected.
'I hope no one else have gotten infected...' She thought. She paused in the middle of a alleyway. 'It's better if I patrol from the buildings. Makes it easier to capture at least one of the Blooders.' She ran up the building and stood on the ledge, observing the people.

With Hugo...
"What?!" Vegas almost shrieked in shock at Hugo.
Hugo tried to console her. "Astoroth has been doing really corruptive things. I didn't sign up for making an epidemic!"
Vegas paused, narrowing her gaze. But after she heard those words, she seemed confused. "Then why did you use the chemical?" She lightly shrugged, beginning to sound disappointed.
Hugo had his back facing towards her. He thumped his head on the wall, sighing in infuriation. He would never forgive himself for trusting in Astoroth's plans. "Astoroth never told me what the chemical can do. He just basically forced me to use it. Yes, I honestly thought that using the chemical would strengthen our members, not turn them into mindless killing machines."
Vegas never interrupted his side of the story. Her facial features softened, but not in sadness. She felt...pity, if that's what you could say. She approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "But how did Astoroth even get the chemical?"
Hugo turned around, facing her and staring in her grey eyes.
"After I told him that I didn't want to be allies anymore, he told me he had help from two spies. They're the ones who made the chemical...and I spread the chemical..." He shook his head in remorse.
Vegas widened her eyes and thought of something. "And what if we try to become allies with Alue?"
Hugo blinked several times. That idea had occurred to him. But at the same time, he was nervous about the outcome of the idea. "I have been thinking the same thing. But I'm not sure how Alue, or her allies will react."
Vegas shrugged. "You never know if you don't try."
"Even if Alue or her allies will out us on twenty-four hour watch in order to trust us, I don't care." Hugo looked at the ceiling, tired of this...fighting. "I'm tired of being one of the bad guys. I don't want to join creating corruption anymore..."
Vegas sighed and hugged him. She nuzzled her face on his chest. "It's about time. You're not the only one who's tired..."

Kitaya sighed, leaning on the balcony of her apartment. Then her attention was focused on a familiar male voice.
"Kitaya!" Akio waved at her.
Kitaya's face brightened and waved back. "Akio! Hey! It's been a while."
"Yeah! Hold on, I'll climb to where you are." Akio started to climb the nearest tree to Kitaya's apartment. As he got on the balcony, he simply grinned at his human friend. He and Kitaya haven't seen each other in a month and half. But they have kept contact by social media.
Kitaya grinned unlike before. "So, what would you like to do, today?"
Akio grinned back and shrugged. "Don't you have homework or something?"
Kitaya shook her head and smiled. "I'm already done with it. What about you?"
Akio scratched the back of his neck, hesitating what to say. "Um...I'm homeschooled."
"Oh, I see," Kitaya blinked in surprise.
"Yeah. Hey, why don't we go with your dad?" Akio suggested.
"Sure," Kitaya's eyes brightened. "But you might want to turn into a cat so my dad doesn't suspect anything."
Akio nodded and looked around if no one was watching them. He quickly formed into a black cat and jumped in Kitaya's arms and went in the apartment...

With Hugo
It's been three hours since he and Vegas left the base to look for Alue with help from their hunter.
"How do we explain that we want to become allies with Alue?" Vegas asked.
Hugo shrugged as they walked. He quietly sighed in nervousness. "Let's just hope for the best..."
Then Vegas paused. Hugo noticed the look of curiosity on her face.
"What's wrong, babe?" He showed concern in his voice.
Before Vegas could point at the creature, it attacked her. But she didn't even scream.
She tried to fight off the patient that is infected, but the patient was stronger.
Then Hugo quickly stabbed the Blooder at his back. The Blooder snarled and threw Hugo to the wall, making a faint crater.
Hugo grunted and got up. Vegas went to Hugo, trying to shield him from the Blooder.
They both froze... It wasn't what they expected when they saw a familiar mindless, bloodlust beast. It was a Blooder. One of the people they knew was no longer that person. It was Phoenix...
Hugo widened his eyes, hoping that this was all a nightmare he created, and that he would wake up. But sadly, this wasn't a nightmare. One of his best friends is now a mindless bloodlust machine.
Vegas pointed the gun at Phoenix, about to shoot him at the forehead. Out of a fast reflex, Hugo pushed her arm down with the gun.
"Are you crazy?!" Vegas shouted.
"He's my friend! There has to be a cure to bring him back!" Hugo overreacted.
"I doubt there is a cure!" Vegas shouted back.
Then Alue jumped in the situation, pinning Phoenix to the ground, trying to put a iron muzzle on him. "I could use a little help here instead of two just observing!"
Hugo's eye somewhat brightened and quickly put more pressure on Phoenix, pinning him further in the ground. Alue then cuffed Phoenix, checking if that could hold on. She then stabbed five tranquilizers and focused her attention on Hugo and Vegas...