Children of the Virus

17: Kill Virus

Toshiro's heart raced, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor as a physician. He leaned closer to Ren, and with trembling fingers, he searched for the pulse at her neck.

"Ren!" His voice cracked like a whip through the silence. "Don't you die on me!"

With bated breath, he lowered his head until his ear hovered just above her pale lips. A faint mist touched his cheek, the subtle warmth of exhalation. She was alive. For now.

He collapsed back into his seat, shutting his eyes and placing his hand over his heart. Letting out a long sigh, he turned his head to steal a quick glance at Ren.

The drone army hummed more softly now, a lullaby of machinery that underscored their isolation. "Come on, Toshiro," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the mechanical serenade. "Think! You're a doctor." But nothing in his training had prepared him for this.

He watched Ren's chest rise and fall, the rhythm a tenuous promise that life still clung to her. Toshiro's prosthetic arm, usually so precise and controlled, quivered with a tremor that betrayed his inner turmoil. A bead of sweat traveled down his temple as he shifted his weight.

"Stay with me, Ren," he pleaded. Adjusting her seat to a reclined position, Toshiro carefully straightened her limbs. Despite the supposed mental shielding of the car, he made sure to gently prop her head against the headrest and place a makeshift tinfoil hat upon it.

"All we can do now is wait for this dreadful drone army to pass," he murmured. "Then I'll find help, Ren. Don't worry." But it was he who was worried.

Toshiro's breath hitched as he watched Ren's still form. His mind reeled, sending him spiraling back to that fateful day four years ago—the day he'd lost everything.

He remembered Luna's laughter, a sound as light and effervescent as bubbles floating in the air. She found joy in the smallest of things, like the random chirp of a cricket. Toshiro could almost hear that laughter now, a haunting melody that underscored his current hopelessness.

The memory of Luna's eyes, once so full of life, gripped his heart with icy fingers. Zo's hunters had come for Than, their son, with sterile hands and cold indifference. Luna fought, a fierce mother bear protecting her cub, but in the end, she died when they took Than.

Kura sprang to life, breaking Toshiro out of his dazed state. "I have calculated a 10% chance of success in obtaining the light mixture required to fix Luna. Hopefully, this information provides some comfort."

Toshiro despised it when she read his thoughts. Even worse, he couldn't stand it when she mistook bad news for good. "Can't you see I'm in the midst of a crisis here?"

He almost considered flipping Kura's main power switch before realizing that she might be helpful. "Unless you have the ability to deactivate a kill virus, please keep quiet!"

Kura's vibrant LED lights dimmed, as if she were cowering in fear under Toshiro's harsh gaze.

"I asked you about kill viruses. Aren't you an expert device?" Toshiro's voice was sharp and demanding.

Kura's response was just above a whisper, her voice now low and apologetic. "I'm sorry Toshiro, but I have no knowledge of that," she admitted, her lights flickering before going dark again.

"Well, what use are you then? Can't even cure a simple kill virus," he barked, his words laced with disdain.

Kura remained silent.

Toshiro's voice was low and urgent as he turned to face Ren. He gripped her hand tightly, their palms pressed together as they sat inches apart. "I won't lose you like I did Luna," he vowed.