Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 24 - Practically Earth

"Huh.. Strange." Ethan mumbles as he examines the artefact with his tablet after scanning it.

"What?"

"The artefact. Top of it looks like it's missing pieces."

"Missing pieces? How is that possible?" Jason asks and Ethan shows him the scan of this artefact beside a scan of one on earth. "Falling apart?"

"Falling apart, erosion.. If we could find a piece small enough and take it with us.."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"Erik would kill to have his hands on a piece and who knows what William might discover, so.."

Jason checks his tablet. "Hm. I'm picking up a weak signal in.. that direction." He points.

"Alright. You stay here. I'll be back." Ethan says and start walking.

"And let you go by yourself? Yeah, I don't think so."

"I'm not leaving Sasha alone."

"And I'm not leaving the Artefact. And before you say, 'Oh, but, Sasha, you're not trained for space.' Well, this ain't exactly space. It's practically Earth."

Ethan points at the artefact. "That is not Earth. We have no idea what it's capable of, so pack your toys up and let's go."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"You have no jurisdiction over my job. Zero. And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with the Secretary of Defence, or as I like to call him, 'Dad'.. Honestly, go. I'll be fine. I'll be right here."

"Don't move." Ethan tells him and leave with Jason.

...

"Alright, we need to talk.." Ethan says as the two are walking alone. "Had I known he was like fam-"

"What? You would what, Ethan? You would've made a different call? Would Ian still be alive?" He asks. Ethan looks down. "You did the only thing you could.."

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry that you lost him so soon. I can't imagine losing my brother.. And I am sorry that I hurt you, Jason." Ethan sighs.

Jason looks at him, but then just keeps walking. "There should be a piece of the Artefact 10 meters up ahead. The spectral signature's getting stronger."

Finding the piece, they bend down to look at it. Ethan tentatively pick it up.

"It's light. Like.. surprisingly light."

...

You call Ethan through the comms while you look around, not walking too far from Bernie and Zayn but still at a distance.

"Has Sasha made any headway?" You ask him.

"I don't know. We left him back there."

You frown. "You left Sasha alone?" A creature is crawling on your forearm and you scream, shaking it off you.

"Yn? You still with me?"

"Still here. I just made a new little friend." You answer.

"Okay, be careful, alright? We're heading back to the Artefact now. I'll see you there."

"Okay. On our way." You answer, turning to the others to let them know to head back with you now.

Bernie and Zayn had ran up to you when they heard your scream. "You okay?" They ask worriedly.

"Yeah, it was ju-"

Bernie screams when he has the same kind of creature now crawling on him, but he falls to the ground. A branch got scraped on his leg when he fell and it gave him a small cut. You and Zayn both help him back to his feet.

"What?" Bernie ask when he sees Zayn's expression.

He smiles. "Nothing."

"That thing had like 20 legs!"

"Sure it did."

...

On your way back to the artefact, Bernie suddenly grunts in pain and fall to the ground.

"My leg."

You and Zayn pull his suit leg up and see his cut is infected by something, his veins green and dark.

"Zayn? Why is my leg green?"

"Cause it's infected."

"Infected? I just scratched it."

"It's heading up your veins."

"What? To my heart and shit? What are you doing?" He asks as Zayn tighten something around his leg.

"It's either this or I cut your leg off."

"Give it to me straight. Don't sugarcoat it."

"This is gonna hurt like hell." He tells him and stab his leg with a medical tool.

Bernie screams and you wince. The infection becomes black, almost like it's dying.

"Okay, that was just round one." Zayn says, then stab him again and Bernie screams again. You try to squeeze his shoulder in comfort.

...

When Sasha is done with the written speech, he sighs when there's no answer. Then he hears a faint voice in the distance and he turns toward it, thinking it's one of you coming back. But it's his voice and it's repeating his speech.

Sasha backs away in confusion and fear, but only to walk backwards and closer to the artefact. He then hears his own voice from behind and whip his head to the Artefact, seeing a reflection of himself. Frowning, he looks at it but then the reflections hand reach out and pulls him into the Artefact.

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