Green Valor

Alec

The tension in the room was suffocating, the silence punctuated only by the distant echoes of alarms and the heavy breathing of everyone present. Jack stood firm, his eyes locked on Dr. Wormsly, who was visibly trembling, a mixture of fear and desperation etched across his face.
Jack and Alec held their positions, weapons at the ready, but it was clear that Wormsly was on the verge of something dangerous.
"Jack," Dr. Wormsly began, his voice shaking, "we don't have to be enemies. You and I, we could join forces. Think about it—the power, the influence.
We could end this war on our terms! With my experiments and your skills, we could be unstoppable. We'd be heroes—famous, revered by everyone. You want to be remembered, don't you?"
Jack's expression hardened, but he didn't move. "Wormsly, you've lost sight of what's right. This war, these monsters—it's all gone too far. We can end this madness together, but we have to do it the right way. We can use your research to help people, to heal instead of destroy. Isn't that what you wanted? To be remembered for something good?"
For a moment, a flicker of something passed across Wormsly's face—regret, perhaps, or doubt. But it was quickly overshadowed by a dark, brooding anger. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Jack, his fists clenching at his sides.
"You don't understand, Jack," Wormsly spat, his voice rising. "You never understood! You always had everything—everyone loved you, respected you. And I—I was always in your shadow, always the forgotten one. Do you know what it's like to work so hard, to create something incredible, and to have it all ignored because you were too busy being the hero and making friends?"
"Wormsly, that's not true," Jack insisted, stepping closer, his voice calm but urgent. "I've always valued your work. You were my friend—"
"No!" Wormsly cut him off, his voice a furious snarl. "You never treated me like a friend! You treated me like a tool, like I was only good for one thing—my experiments! Well, now you're going to see what those experiments can really do!"
Before Jack could react, Wormsly lunged at him with a sudden burst of fury, catching him off guard. The two men grappled, Jack trying to hold Wormsly's arms to prevent him from doing any more harm.
"Wormsly, stop!" Jack pleaded, his grip firm but not aggressive. "You're better than this! You're loved more than you realize. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you were less, but you don't have to do this. We can make things right—together!"
But Wormsly was beyond reason. His eyes were wild, consumed by a lifetime of jealousy and resentment that had finally boiled over. With a scream of rage, he pulled a syringe from his coat pocket—a syringe filled with a sickly green liquid, the ghoul virus.
"No, Wormsly!" Saskia shouted, but it was too late. Wormsly drove the needle into Jack's neck, plunging the virus into his bloodstream with brutal force.
Jack gasped, pain shooting through his body as Wormsly pinned him to the ground, his face twisted with manic triumph.
The air in the laboratory grew thick with tension, the dim lights casting long shadows over the scene as the violence between Jack and Dr. Wormsly escalated. The chaos reached its peak when Dr. Wormsly, his mind twisted by anger and madness, tightened his grip around Jack's throat, his knife scraping dangerously close to Jack's skin.
Alec, standing just a few feet away, watched in horror as Jack struggled to breathe. The sight of his friend on the brink of death stirred something deep within him—something primal, something that had been buried under layers of fear and self-doubt for far too long. He couldn't stand by any longer.
With a roar of fury, Alec lunged at Dr. Wormsly, his body moving with a speed and strength that surprised even him.
The two men crashed to the ground in a flurry of limbs and violence. Dr. Wormsly tried to fight back, but Alec, driven by a desperate need to save Jack, was relentless. Every punch, every strike, carried the weight of years of fear and frustration.
Dr. Wormsly's eyes widened with terror as he realized he was losing the fight. Alec's strength was overwhelming, his resolve unbreakable.
Finally, with a swift, brutal motion, Alec plunged the knife into Dr. Wormsly's chest. The doctor let out a strangled cry, his body convulsing as the life drained out of him.
Jack, still gasping for breath, watched in shock as the scene unfolded before him. When the struggle was over, Alec stood over Dr. Wormsly's lifeless body, his chest heaving with exertion, his hands stained with blood.
The reality of what had just happened hit Jack like a sledgehammer.
"No... no..." Jack whispered, scrambling to his feet and rushing to Dr. Wormsly's side. He knelt beside the body, his hands shaking as he lifted Dr. Wormsly's head, tears brimming in his eyes.
The doctor's eyes fluttered open one last time, filled with a mixture of pain and regret. Jack could see the man Wormsly once was, the friend he had lost to madness.
Alec stood frozen, watching as Jack cradled Wormsly's body, pressing his face against his and seeing the once vibrant daisy on his head had given up.
His own tears began to well up, a silent testament to the emotional toll of what he had just done. Jack, his voice trembling, whispered, "We have to go, Alec... before they find out. We have to leave, now."
But Alec didn't move. He stood there, breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on the blood-soaked floor. "Jack... you need to take Saskia and get out of here," Alec said, his voice thick with emotion.
Jack's eyes widened in alarm. "What? No, Alec, I'm not leaving you here. We finish this together, like we always do."
Alec shook his head slowly, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Jack... they'll find me. It's only a matter of time. I... I need to accept what's coming."
"Alec, don't say that," Jack pleaded, his voice breaking. "We can still get out of this. We can finish the mission and—"
"Jack, please," Alec interrupted, his voice trembling as he fought to hold back tears. "I've always been scared. Of everything. I've never been good at anything... and I was always told I was worthless. But you... you trusted me. Even when I didn't deserve it. You gave me a chance when no one else would."
Jack felt his heart breaking as he listened to Alec's confession. He had never seen his friend like this—so vulnerable, so raw.
"When we first met, I was nothing more than a terrorist. A pawn in Cordero's game," Alec continued, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But you... you made me believe I could be more. That I could change. And I wanted to be brave for you, Jack. I wanted to be the man you thought I could be."
"Alec, you are brave," Jack insisted, stepping closer. "You're the bravest person I know. We can still—"
"No, Jack," Alec cut him off, his voice firm. "I can't run from this. I made a promise to Cordero, and I've spent every day trying to break free from that. But I can't. I killed his brother... and now I have to face the consequences."
Jack felt his world crumbling around him. "Alec, please... don't do this."
But Alec shook his head, a tear finally escaping down his cheek. "You and Saskia... you deserve a chance at life. At happiness. But I... I have to stay. I need to accept what's coming. This is my punishment, Jack. I've made peace with it."
Jack's heart broke as he realized there was no changing Alec's mind. He reached out, pulling his friend into a tight embrace, the two of them holding onto each other as if it were the last time. And maybe it was.
"I'm sorry," Alec whispered into Jack's shoulder.
"Don't be," Jack replied, his voice choked with emotion. "You're a good man, Alec. You always were."
The two friends pulled away, tears in both their eyes. Alec nodded toward the door. "Go, Jack. Take Saskia and go. Finish what we started."
Jack nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He turned and hurried to Saskia, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with wide, tear-filled eyes. Together, they left the laboratory, leaving Alec standing alone beside Dr. Wormsly's body.
As the door closed behind them, Alec took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He knew the end was coming, but for the first time in his life, he felt at peace. He had done something good. He had saved his friend. And that was enough.
Alec stood among the ruins of Dr. Wormsly's lab, the quiet aftermath of violence and death heavy in the air.
The sounds of approaching boots echoed through the cold, sterile corridors, and Alec knew his time was up. He didn't flinch as Cordero and his troops stormed into the room, their weapons raised, their faces hard and unyielding.
Cordero's eyes locked onto Alec, who stood defiantly in the center of the room, bloodstains on his hands and clothing. There was no trial, no words exchanged, only a cold order to cuff him. The soldiers moved quickly, binding Alec's wrists behind his back, the metal biting into his skin.
As they led him away, Alec's mind drifted, his thoughts turning inward as he walked with the soldiers. He had always lived with fear—fear of failure, fear of being worthless, fear of the unknown.
But it was that fear that had driven him to be strong, to protect those he loved, to face the darkness that loomed over his every step.
"Fear isn't the enemy," Alec thought as he was marched through the corridors. "It's the guide that shows you where you need to go.
It forces you to find courage in places you never knew existed. Fear made me realize that I needed to be strong, not just for myself, but for those who mattered. For Jack. For the people who gave me a second chance."
He accepted the fear now, just as he accepted himself—the broken, scared boy who had grown into something more, something braver. Alec knew he couldn't change the past, but he could accept it, embrace it even, because it had made him who he was. He was done running.
The soldiers shoved him roughly into a large garage, the cold metal walls towering over him. He stumbled slightly but regained his footing, standing tall as Cordero stepped forward, his expression one of disdain and cruel amusement.
"Alec," Cordero sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You've made quite a mess, haven't you? But it's all over now."
Alec remained silent, meeting Cordero's gaze without flinching. There was no point in begging or pleading. He had come to terms with his fate, but there was one thing he wanted before it was all over.
"Let me make one more call," Alec said, his voice steady. "To my parents. I just want to apologize. To say goodbye."
Cordero's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Your parents? Oh, Alec, you really are clueless, aren't you? Your family has been dead for a long time now. Ever since Jack caught on to them. They're gone, Alec. You're all alone, just like you always feared."
The words were a brutal blow, but Alec didn't show it. He felt the sting of loss deep in his chest, but he refused to let Cordero see him break. Instead, he closed his eyes and let out a slow, controlled breath.
"That's fine," Alec said softly. "I don't need to make the call. I've already said my goodbyes."
Cordero's smirk widened as he gestured to his men. "Sit him down," he ordered.
Alec was forced into a chair, his body rigid as they began to pour gasoline over him. The pungent smell filled the air, the liquid soaking into his clothes, his hair, his skin.
The chill of the liquid was sharp, but Alec's mind was elsewhere. He focused on the warmth he had felt when he was with Jack and Saskia, the moments of bravery he had found in himself. Those memories were enough to keep the cold at bay.
Cordero struck a match, the small flame flickering in the dim light. He held it up, staring at Alec with a look of sadistic satisfaction.
"For once, you won't be cold," Cordero said, his voice low and taunting. "This is where it ends, Alec."
Alec's heart pounded, but not with fear. He had accepted his death long before this moment. The warmth of the match's light reflected in his eyes as he watched Cordero hold it aloft.
"I'm not afraid anymore," Alec thought, his final acceptance bringing him peace. "I'm not afraid."
Cordero flicked the match onto Alec, and flames erupted instantly, engulfing him in a blaze. The heat was intense, the flames consuming him quickly, but Alec's mind was calm, his heart steady.
As the fire consumed him, Alec felt a strange sense of relief. He wasn't running anymore. He wasn't hiding. He had faced his fear, and now, he was free.
For the first time in his life, Alec's body wasn't cold.