The doctor walked out of the hospital room and went directly to the waiting room where Abby and Owen were waiting.
Doctor: He'll recover. The. . . "treatment" was successful. Follow me.
Abby and Owen simultaneously sighed with relief. On the way to the room that
Y/N was in, the doctor gave some bad news.
Doctor: He's fortunate on all accounts. He's effectively immune. Cordyceps can't turn him. However, we can't make a cure. Joel Miller destroyed the necessary equipment either directly or indirectly during that gunfight. Even if we were to try and make one, the chances are too low that it will work, as we would have to make a vaccine which is ineffective against fungus.
Abby and Owen shared a look of dissatisfaction and sorrow.
Abby: You can't just find more equipment?
Doctor: Problem is, the equipment we had was preserved from before the infection hit. Everything that we could find now would be too run down to work.
There was nothing more but silence until they reached the room in which the recovering Y/N resided.
Y/N slowly turned his head, smiled softly as he saw his friends and greeted them with a simple hello.
Abby and Owen sat next to him.
Abby: How are you feeling?
Y/N: I'll live. Or at least that's what the doctor said.
Owen was curious on what Y/N planned to do next.
Owen: What will you do when you get out of here?
Y/N: I think I'll keep working for you guys. The contracts put bread on the table.
Owen: Really? This job nearly killed you.
Y/N: That's comes with being a mercenary.
Abby voiced her thoughts on the matter.
Abby: You've already made a lot in cards and cargo. Why not retire? Surely you don't want to die young. Why not find a girl, settle, live your best life?
Y/N laid there in the bed silent. She doesn't get it. She might never.
Y/N: This all I know now. Besides, the only girl I want doesn't want me like that.
Abby: You don't know unless you try.
Y/N paused.
Y/N: I'll pass. . .
-
The group made it to the rendezvous point. Deathstroke took off his helmet and raised his voice at the soldiers.
Y/N: I want everyone on high alert! No scar is to be spared. And if you see a freak wearing a bed sheet mask and a black outfit, you shoot and don't stop until he's a bloody mess!
Y/N helped Abby and Mel into one of the vehicles and followed behind them. The drivers hit the pedal and they drove off to the next destination.
-
Abby waved at the guard in the tower and he gave the signal for them to be let into the base. Abby noticed something while Mel was tending to a wounded soldier.
Abby: Mel. . . your back.
She's been shot in the shoulder. Y/N took a look.
Y/N: All that adrenaline, no wonder you didn't feel it. Small caliber. No exit wound. Probably .22, and at most .243, you'll be fine.
The vehicle stopped and Mel got out of the back along with the wounded soldier. Abby gave Mel her backpack, with encouraging words.
Abby: Hey, you did pretty good out there.
