Somewhere To Go

Final Night Alive (Part 2)

Ryan's eyes widened as he watched Jack, he hasn't seen Jack like this..at all if he was honest.

Everyone watched Jack in awe.

Ryan went to take this opportunity to try and get the button. He made his way down and searched for it, anywhere on Data's coat.

"You fucking bastard!" Jack cried out as loud as his voice would carry. He rammed Data's head into the hardwood floor, dead pixels scattering around. Data exclaimed in pain and shock, but Jack kept his grip firm. "You keep your ass away from my family, my girlfriend, my dog; keep your fucking hands off of them!"

Another slam to the ground. Jack wasn't thinking rationally anymore. Something in him snapped, and now he was dead-set on hurting, hell, maybe even killing Data with his bare hands. Maybe they wouldn't need the button after all. Maybe he could just brute-force his way through it...

Ryan looked at Jack, "Jack, you don't want his dirty pixels on your hands.." He continued to search for the button, "Remember the plan, bud... He's gonna get what's coming to him very soon, promise."

Jack broke from his trance if not for a second just to look at his surroundings. Dead bits and pixels were all over the floor, almost like broken glass. Eyes stared at him from every part of the room, most with admiration, but some with glints of fear or intimidation. In his grip, Data desperately wheezed for breath and fought against the pain of his injuries. A strange feeling began to stir in Jack's stomach. Perhaps the gravity of the situation was hitting him at last. He could feel his adrenaline begin to wear off and his grip loosen around Data's throat. He stepped away.

He was capable of all of this. And he hated it.

Adam pet Shay once more before he got up and went over to Jack, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Jack.. It's okay..you'll be okay." He looked over at Ryan.

Ryan stole a glance at Adam then Jack before going back to looking for the button. "I told you...now you got the consequence, dumbass. Now, I just need your button that has a part of me in it, which is weird as fuck by the way, and this'll all be over." He looked and saw a circle bulge in one of the pockets, the button, "We will all be able to sleep and live peacefully..." He started to reach over to it.

Everyone started to get a weird feeling in their gut.

Data was barely conscious, wheezing as his eyes opened and closed seemingly against his will. His skin had turned to its old shade of holographic, transparent blue, glitching in and out of visibility. He couldn't feel...anything? His whole body was numb...and in the depths of his mind, he couldn't help but think...maybe he deserved this.

He did it. That little twerp did it. And now Data was going to die, yet again. He forgot how painful it was. How long it took; knowing this crowd, they would make him suffer. And he knew he deserved it. But as he thought back about his decisions, he found himself regretting very few of them. And if he were honest with himself...he wasn't sure why. This was the cycle he went through every time he found his life at a crossroads, and every time, he was no closer to understanding himself than anyone else.

Time seemed to slow to a near standstill. In his peripheral, Data could see Ryan starting to go for his pockets. He'd found him out, it was over.

...But maybe he could buy himself some time.

Data reached into his pocket, just barely feeling the plastic of the button against his fingertips. He glanced at Jack, recovering from the thrill of the kill, the rush of adrenaline in his veins, the horror of what he'd just done. He sat across the room, staring at the scene in disbelief and anger at himself. Data knew the feeling all too well. An idea was forming in his head. It seemed unfair now, but...so, too, did his own position in all of this. He took hold of the button in his pocket as firmly as he was able, a small grin spreading across his dying lips.

"See you on the other side, friend." Data whispered to himself.

Click!

Ryan's eyes widened as everything seemed to slow down as he saw Data aim the button at Jack. "No!" He quickly scrambled up and rushed over, jumping in front of the blast. He felt it hit him in the chest. He fell to the ground, shaking in pain.

"Ryan!" Everyone shouted practically at the same time.

Adam, Melrose, Lucas, Risk and Alba rushed over.

Data exhaled an irate breath, his arm falling exhaustedly to the floor. He should have known this would happen.

Cat sped to her boyfriend's side, tears in her eyes. "Ry...no..."

Jack simply stared at the scene, unable to grasp what had happened. He couldn't cry. He couldn't scream. He wasn't even sure what emotion he was feeling. But his brother was in front of him, burned to cinders.

Ryan looked over at Cat through his cracked glasses, "C..cat... I'm...sorry." He tried to take in a breath but it hurt..everything hurt. This was it... He's been through this before but this..this was different..he could feel it. He knew that he wouldn't come back from this..no more dancing around death.

He looked at everyone, "I..love you all.." He could feel the blackness slowly start to take him, with his last ounce of life he looked at Jack, "Jack....something's wrong.." His eyes closed one last time as his breath left him.

A mortified silence fell over the room.

Victor quickly moved in wherever he was able, desperately trying to withhold any emotion he was feeling. His hands were shaking as he held two fingers to the wrist, then to the neck, hesitating before he then doublechecked. His heart seemed to visibly sink as he fell back against the wall next to Data. He simply shook his head, eyes not leaving his brother's motionless body.

Cat's expression shriveled into mourning. She fell into Ryan, sobbing into his shoulder.

Adam let out a sob, putting a hand to his mouth. No, no...he's gonna come back..he always does.. He sobbed into his hand, trying to keep them quiet.

Lucas looked on in sadness before he moved over to Victor, putting a hand on his shoulder in a silent 'Im here if you need me'.

Melrose was next to Adam, looking at Ryan, waiting for his chest to start moving again.

There was no more movement..