The infected

23. Sacrifice

Jenna

Jarred bangs his head on their parents table.

"This is insane. Without Jason we have no hope of figuring the other half out." He says.

Jenna walks over to the entertainment area of their parents office. There's some paintings and murals on the wall that dads artist friend made for them. They spent most of their time as kids playing in this place. When the building was freshly built they would run around the lobby and floors playing hide and seek.

The day Jarred got his tonsils out they had the perfect excuse to eat as much ice cream as they wanted. The memories make Jenna happy, but that happiness quickly turns bitter when she remembers how much things have changed. Or more specifically how much Jason has changed. Learning his secret and the burial ground of secrets their parents kept regarding his powers has shifted their dynamic.

The kind of tests they did on Jason were extreme for any child, even one who heals quickly and doesn't scar. Jenna can't help but wonder if that was the point, their parents used Jason as a lab rat because they knew that without any injuries or scars ge wouldn't remember any of it.

"You didn't tell mom and dad what we know about Maxwell and the infected person his been experimenting on." Jenna says.

Jarred turns towards her in his chair.

"They didn't need to know." He says.

"You didn't tell Jason either." She adds.

"I didn't want him to know." Jarred says.

"Why?"

"Because I can't help but think that whatever experiments Maxwell is doing on that kid mom and dad must have done on Jason. That fucks with my head because we've established that Maxwell is a fucking nut case, but what if our parents are just like him." Jarred answers.

Jenna stares at the xray painting on the wall.

"Maybe they were trying to understand him." She adds.

"When you want to understand your kid you talk to them, you don't cut them open and poke around their organs." Jarred says softly.

Jenna tilts her head her eyes still glued to the painting. She remembers the day their dad bought it, he made a big deal out of unveiling it in front of them like he bought the Monalisa or something.

"What do you remember about this thing?" She asks.

"That creepy thing. Nothing much, I never really paid attention to it not the way Jason did." Jarred says.

"What do you mean?" Jenna turns to him her eyes full of curiosity.

"Don't you remember? Jason was scared shitless of that thing, he would have nightmares about it and everything. There was an entire month where he refused to even walk in here." Jarred explains.

Jenna sits up her heart racing.

"The last key was something mom and dad knew only Jason would notice. He's been sitting in the same spot at the table for years. So wouldn't it make sense if the second key was something only he would notice." She says staring at the painting.

"Like the painting that fuelled his nightmares." Jarred says following her lead.

The painting is of two xrays if the same skeleton, one with a perfect anatomy and the other with slight deformities.

"Dad always said the painting represented the slight differences in people, differences that weren't so obvious." Jarred says.

"Like our normal looking brother who people wouldn't know moves things with his mind just by looking at him?" She says.

"Exactly." Jarred turns the screen towards the painting. "The second skeleton has three extra molars." He says typing in it.

"Two extra ribs." Jenna tells him.

"Two extra bones on his pinky fingers on both hands." Jarred says.

He types it in and an error message appears.

"Fuck." Jarred says licking his lips.

"Theres two on each hand so try 22 instead of 4." Jenna tells him.

Jarred smiles at her.

"One more, we just need one last number." He says.

Jenna keeps looking but she can't find anything else.

"The rest of it is perfect." She says.

Jarred stands beside her and they sare holes into the painting together.

"How old was he?" Jenna asks.

"Jason, it was during his charm bracelet phase so I would say...9 years old." Jarred says.

Jenna types the number in and the screen flickers before the second part of the list is decoded. Jenna pulls out the usb and smiles triumphantly at Jarred.

"Great, now all we have to do is get back down." She says making Jarred frown.

Jason

Maxwell and his men came out of nowhere. Jason has no time to think, everyone of Maxwells men has a gun aimed at them ready to fire.

"Jason-"

"Oh spare me the fucking lectures Maxwell I'm over it." Jason says cutting him off.

He must have stuck a nerve because Maxwells eyes darken and glares daggers at them.

"I agree, the time for talk has ended. Now it's time for action." Maxwell nods and his men advance towards them.

Jason looks up and catches his siblings running towards them.

"Jason!" Jenna yells making most of Maxwells men take their attention off him and Tyler.

Seizing the opportunity Jason lets out a wave of telekenic energy that throws them into the various cars in the parking lot. The only one who remians standing is Maxwell he grabs a gun from one of his fallen men and aims it at them. Before he can fire Tyler holds out his arms and a literal fire wall burns into existence between them.

But dispite it a volley of bullets comes raining in from beside them. Jason grabs Tyler and thy duck behind a car. Jarred and Jenna are only a stone throw away.

"Come on." Jason says taking Tylers hand.

But Tyler doesn't run with him, instead he falls over.

"Tyler." Jason calls out kneeling in front of him. Tylers eyes roll to the back of his head. "What happened, what's wrong?" Jason asks.

Tyler slumps foward inti his arms and that's when Jason sees the bullet holes in his back. He curse as he watches the melted lead flow out with Tylers blood.

"Why is working so much faster this time?" He asks himself trying to shake Tyler awake.

"Jason come on!" Jarred yells.

He could run, his siblings are so close and Maxwells men still need time to recover. But even the thought of leaving Tyler behind makes Jasons insides turn.

"I can't." He says looking down at Tylers pale face. "Tyler got hurt I can't leave him!" He yells to his siblings.

They look at him with pleading looks but he shakes his head.

"Go, run I'll buy you time." He says.

Jarred nods reluctantly but Jenna refuses to move till he has to drag her away. Jason gets to his feet his eye glowing ready to defend Tyler. Maxwells men surrounded them their guns raised. One of them moves to grab Tyler.

"Touch him and I'll break every bone in your body." Jason warns him.

The assailant steps away and Jason believes his won. But from behind him Maxweel appears and whispers in his ear.

"No you won't." Before the gun goes off and the bullet smashes it's way into Jasons skull.