Everything Will Change

Chapter 12

Zark walked briskly down a poorly lit corridor. He entered his office and slowly cleaned the blood off of his hands. He leaned back and started to relax, but it was short lived. The echo of gunshots broke his train of thought. He briskly walked to the door, but an explosion sent him flying across the room. When the dust settled he saw a black wolf snarling.

"YOU!" Zark yelled.

"Don't be so happy to see me, Zark."

"I'm not you little runt."

Karen snarled once more. She got up and walked over to Zark bearing her glistening crystal white fangs. Zark fumbled for his gun and shot her in the heart. She jerked backwards, but the wound soon started to heal and she continued her advance.

"You can regenerate?"

"Surprise!"

An explosion tore apart the building. Karen was lost in the debris. She quickly escaped through the new entrance. An army stood at the ready to bomb the building once more, or to shoot any unwelcomed guests. When they saw the wolf coming at them they stood at ease.

"Any sign of him, Karen?" Nerok asked.

"He was in there during the explosion. Just not sure if he is still alive." she answered.

"We will keep our promise and capture him so you can settle your score with him."

Nerok sent the army forward to the fight. Karen just continued her search for Zark. She went back into the room where she last encountered him. She sniffed around to find a scent. A faint sound of scratching caught her attention. She followed the sound until she found Zark using his hands to move. She took the opportunity to pounce him. He was pinned down and Karen ready to make the kill. Suddenly she was airborne.

"You haven't learned a thing."

Zark stood up with no problem and walked towards her. Karen watched his hand and when it was close she lunged. He yelled and tried to shake her off, but she had mastered the art of keeping her grip and tightening when needed. She thrashed violently in all directions until his hand was covered in bite marks, leaving it unusable.

"You monster!"

"You're the one who made me that way, Zark. This is all on you. Every life I took is because you put me in an environment that forced me to evolve to the creature I am now."

"If you're such a monster, how come you have an army?"

"I talked to them and they told me the truth about you. You bring war to planets so you can find potential mutations in people. I will not let you take another life or tortue innocent people."

"So you will take mine instead?"

Karen glared at him with her fiery eyes. With that one look Zark knew what the answer was. He started to back away but she broke into a run. Zark clumsily jumped over debris slowing him down while Karen leaped majestically over the debris. She soon caught up with Zark and jumped over him. While in the air she turned into a human and pulled out a small round object. She pressed the center and placed it on Zark. She was back as a wolf when she hit the ground running. Zark was quick to realize that Karen had placed a bomb on him. He started running as fast as he could to catch up to her. He would not be dying alone and he would make sure of that.

Karen was close to the doors of the building. She gracefully leaped over the dead bodies of both armies. She heard the rushed, clumsy steps of Zark behind her. All she had to do was get outside and hide. There was a glimmer of hope that she would make it. As she was running she felt a bullet hit her left leg. She yelped and tumbled to a stop. Zark was panting as he came up to her.

"You are not leaving without a death sentence."

Karen tried to get back up, but the bomb started beeping rapidly. She hung her head in dismay. She looked up more time to see the yellow glow of fire erupt from the bomb. Zark vaporized before her eyes and the blast flung her aside. She crashed through the building and landed in the fiery hot sand. She felt miniature fires along her back and arms. Her vision became blurry and all she could hear was a deafening ring. She slowly faded away as life squeezed its way out of her body.

When the army found her body they knew it was a tragic truth. She risked her life for the lives of others. Nerok walked to the body and nudged it with his foot.

"We must inform Vixok, he will know what to do."

A soldier ran to retrieve Vixok from the spacecraft. Once he saw Karen's body on the ground his heart wept.

"Brother, what should we do?" Nerok asked.

"What of our brother, Zark?"

"He is dead, Vixok."

Vixok nodded his head.

"Take her body." He ordered.

Nerok looked at him with confusion.

"We will bury her on Earth, where she truly belongs." Vixok answered Nerok's unasked question.

"She has no family there." Nerok protested.

"You care for her don't you Nerok?"

"She's an excellent soldier, and could help us in the future. She can't possibly be dead."

"She is not dead, Nerok. Simply unconscious for the time being."

"Then why move her?"

"When she made the deal to join us, she said this was the last war she would ever fight. She deserves peace in the next chapter of her life. Vixok explained.

Nerok simply nodded his head. Vixok began dividing the soldiers into groups and giving them orders. They placed the body in the spacecraft and went to Earth. Once there they found an island that was untouched by man. To the people of Earth this place was called the Alderman Islands, and this was Karen's resting place. A cave hid her from the world she called home. The men left the island to return home. Vixok and Nerok stood by a window to watch as they left the planet.

"Goodbye, my friend." Vixok said.