Walkers vs. Red Nexus

Journey to #8

Tjentiste still haunted Alexandria.

The ruins of the great monument appeared in her dreams every night. Her nightmares contained of RX-8s tearing the monument to shreds as if it was made of paper.

She saw her friends running from the horde of drones, and then she saw the drones gunning them down. She saw herself running through the destruction, and then she saw the blueprint disintegrating in her hands. She saw an AV-8 getting destroyed by many RX-8s. She saw herself weeping at the side of her friends' body.

Then when she woke up, she would sigh and see that her friends were alright.

Alexandria and Sandra were appointed as the scouts of the little group, to see that they were not being followed by any RX-8s.

One day, she woke up and saw Kelsey sprawled against a tree, the blueprint in her hands. She seemed very concentrated, and Alexandria didn't want to disturb her. 

But when she tried to search for Sandra to begin their scouting, she was nowhere to be found.

Not another kidnapping again, Alexandria thought.

But then she found Jason lying near another tree, his eyes wide open like Kelsey's. When Alexandria tried to shake him, no response came.

Alexandria panicked. She searched for Sandra and Margrethe in vain. Then she found Sandra in the same condition as Jason and Kelsey.

"Margrethe!" she shouted. 

After some time, the Walker came running through the trees. "RX-8s," Margrethe reported, panting. "We need to move."

Alexandria, wordless, pointed to Jason, Sandra and Kelsey.

Margrethe opened Sandra's eyes. They were bloodshot.

"Someone sleep-pinched them," said Margrethe.

Alexandria sucked in her breath. Sleep pinchers were the easy way of saying sleep but die slowly.

"Who did this?" Alexandria said.

"I don't know," said Margrethe. "Whoever it was, he or she didn't give me or you the dose. But we do need to move."

She hefted Kelsey and Sandra up by their backs. "Can you carry Jason?" she asked Alexandria.

Alexandria tried, but he was too heavy. 

Margrethe handed Kelsey to her, and took the blueprint out of her hands. "Take her," she said. And then Margrethe lifted Jason as if he was a bag of wheat.

Alexandria hefted Kelsey, and they continued their walk slower than before.

At one point, Alexandria heard sirens in the distance. She confessed it to Margrethe, who said, "RX-8s."

After walking for hardly half an hour, Alexandria couldn't take on the weight anymore. She was already beaded with sweat, but Margrethe said, "Continue if you want to live. If we stay in one place, the RX-8s will get us."

After some hours, Alexandria fell. She couldn't muster the strength to stand again.

Kelsey spilled from her back, and suddenly, she opened her eyes. "Where are we?" she said in a weak voice.

Margrethe slapped her forehead. "Of course!" she said. "The antidote for the sleep pinch!"

Kelsey flinched. "We were sleep pinched?" she inquired.

Margrethe said, "Help Alexandria."

Alexandria was breathing heavily. Her body seemed heavy for herself. 

Kelsey rummaged through Alexandria's bag and brought out the safety medical pack, which she applied to Alexandria's forehead.

Meanwhile, Margrethe took Jason's laser gun out of its sheath. She lowered the intensity to the lowest point, and shot both Jason and Sandra exactly in the middle of their head. They woke up, coughing and shaking.

Then, as Kelsey and Margrethe were healing the others, a dark figure appeared outside their area. It said, "Welcome."

Margrethe stood instantly. "Who are you?" she shouted.

"The person you seek," said the mysterious voice.

"You mean you are Walker #8?" said Kelsey.

"Yes," the voice admitted. "Come east at sunset. Learn the directions by the sun. I will be waiting."

The voice disappeared. 

Kelsey lifted Alexandria up. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Better," Alexandria croaked. "Water."

Kelsey brought a water flask to Alexandria's lips, who drank the cool water. "Well," Alexandria said, "It seems we did find our target."

A/N- Hey! How did you like the chapter? Hope you enjoyed!

I'm just here to confirm something. Walker #8 is the person who is seen in Darkside.