[!]_The Price of Suppression_[!]

[!]_Laboratory, Part 3_[!]

Audrey looked around for a possible way out. A small dagger zoomed through the air and stuck itself in a scientist's shoulder. He shrieked and fell backwards, helped up by one of his buddies. Mary took this chance to speed past them and grab her baseball bat. She swung it into one of their heads and they toppled over, knocked out.

Audrey ran up to her and grabbed the bat. They practically threw it at another scientist, who promptly passed out. Mary grabbed a stun stick from his pocket and flung it outwards, which made a large long blade with sparks of electricity fly out. The other scientists backed up. Audrey ran forward and grabbed one by the hair, yanking him backwards into another one.

Mary leaped forward and flung the stun stick at one, which made long lines of electricity fling into a whole line of them. She ran straight at one, twirled around them, and kicked them forward. Audrey flew at them and used the scientist's shoulders as leverage, stabbing them in the neck as they landed. The others scattered, leaving their dead comrades bleeding on the hard concrete floor. "Whew! That was hard!"

Audrey sat down in a pool of blood, then jumped back up. "Awh, my pants..." Mary laughed. "At least it's not as bad as my skirt." She brushed a bunch of dried blood and dirt off her skirt, wincing.

Audrey felt a hand on their shoulder, and they suddenly heard a hard voice saying, "Alright, your time is up, pretty girl." They shrieked and whirled around, only to see Asher smiling goofily. "Oh, sh[ ]t..." Audrey breathed, their color returning. Mary whacked him across the face and he stumbled backwards.

"You decided to just COME BACK TO LIFE!? DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME, ASHER HANSLEY!? YOU DON'T GET TO JUST RESPAWN!"

Audrey yelled angrily, "THIS ISN'T MINECRAFT! IF YOU DIE, YOU DIE! IT'S NOT RED DEAD REDEMPTION! IT'S LIFE, MARY HAS BEEN SO MAD AT YOU, SHE THOUGHT OF LEAVING US AND FIGHTING WITH THE ENEMY!"

Asher winced as the slap mark got redder. "I know, I know, but just listen-"

He got cut short by Mary. She ran up and hugged him around his waist, tears falling out of her eyes.

"I missed you, Ashy..."

Asher stared at her in shock and murmured in a grateful tone, "I missed you too..." Mary clung to him, and sobbed, "I love you, Asher, I love you so much."

"Don't worry, I won't leave again. I love you, too..."

Audrey stared and then smiled. They shook their head in amusement and tossed Asher a small knife. "Since you lost that syringe Kai gave you." Asher nodded. He grabbed Mary's waist and squeezed her stomach gently. "Let's go."

Asher and Mary walked ahead of Audrey, who exclaimed, "Am I a third wheel or somethin'?" Asher nodded.

"Yup."

"That's not fair!" They exclaimed, a fake look of hurt crossing their face. "Guess I'll have to kiss Kai-" They yelped as Mary gently jabbed them in the stomach. "Nope! Kai isn't, like, a normal person! He ain't gonna love you!"

She teased. Audrey laughed and football tackled Asher. "Rahhh!" They screamed as Asher shrieked. A rustle next to them startled them.

Kai slowly exited the bush, a look of delight spreading on his face. "Hey Asher! You found Mary and Audrey!"