Turned World (On Hiatus)

19

 “You have no special abilities. What about you gives you the privilege to be marked by Fort?”

 “Honest to God, I don’t know, myself.” Trein said, wincing in pain. “And what the hell is up with that Turned?” Trein asked, pointing his battered prosthetic right index finger at the turned woman.

 “Amazing, isn't she? I’ve made her into a Greater One! Her type prioritizes speed over all else. But, that’s not important. What could you have done for Fort to mark you?!”

 “What the hell is this mark you keep talking about?” Trein began taking small steps back to his previous position.

 “Hm? When one of us Greatest Ones find a target which we deem worthy of our time, we will mark them with a smell unique to us. We can mark anyone or anything by releasing chemicals and having them come in contact with them. If the chemical touches something and they come in contact with that object, they will still be marked.”

 “I see. Well, I’ve learned enough.” Trein stooped down quickly and got back up. In his arms was the plasma gun which he had dropped. He flicked it to semi-automatic mode and activated the fusion core.

  The turned woman grinned, as if excited, and made a dash towards Trein.

  Trein fired three shots, which the turned dodged, then hopped to the right, barely dodging a lunge attack, spun and fired more bursts.

  The turned screeched and lunged at him again. Again, Trein made a last second side step and fired some more. The Turned spun around to face him, clearly agitated. It screeched loudly and took a threatening step towards Trein. It growled and shot off. This time, moving at the same speed as when she had first attacked. Trein flipped the switch to automatic just as he received a bony knee to the gut which sent him flying backwards. His feet hit the ground and slid out from under him, throwing onto his back.

  Trein opened his eyes to see the Turned already over him, ready to slam into her prey. Trein quickly pulled the trigger and a volley of plasma shots flew right by he Turned’s head, making it jump back, as if surprised.

  Trein quickly rolled onto his side and fired again. The turned stepped out and dashed, avoiding the plasma shots. Trein quickly got up. No sooner did he get on his feet did he see, out of the corner of his eye, an outstretched hand. The next thing he knew, his head was being forced down into the ground. He felt another force drive into his side as the turned stepped into him and launched itself off.

  Trein quickly rolled onto his side once again and fired some wild shots in the direction of the attacking turned. The turned easily maneuvered around the shots and drove its palm into Trein’s gut, pushing him back, then its knee, lifting him up, then ripped the gun from his hands and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying. Before he could hit the ground, the Turned had dashed behind him and grabbed him by the neck, slamming him into the ground once more, knocking the breath out of him completely.

  There was a sudden beeping sound and the gas tank on his back, which had been badly dented, started flashing red with an ‘E’ icon.

 The turned stopped attacking and looked at the Original Turned, as if questioning the next course of action.

 “Human…you seem to be in quite the situation.”

 “...Huh?” Trein sputtered, as the inside of his mask was almost flooded with his saliva.

 “Your Oxygen tank is on the brink of being empty, and you are at the mercy of this Greater One. How do you wish to go? Become one of us or die?”

  The Original Turned paused. The sound of something charging up filled the air. A bright light came from next to a building. The evolved turned’s eyes widened and it leaped back just in time to dodge a wide beam of plasma that would have taken out its entire torso.