Godead

LXVIII (Act Seven)

                                                 Act VII : Hell's Final Form

As Flood and Reed continued their discussion, the others listened on, unable to keep up with their scientific jargon. The pair of scientists then turned to Reuben, approaching the boy as he stood between Claude and Caroline.

"Reuben," Doctor Reed said. "After speaking with Doctor Flood, I believe we may have come up with a plan. But we need your help."

"Indeed," Flood added. "You see, after witnessing what happened with Debra, my curiosity piqued over what might occur if other vectors were exposed to the vaccine." As the scientist spoke, Reuben suddenly recoiled in fright.

"What?!" Claude asked in shock.

"That's crazy! It killed her, for goodness sake!" Caroline said.

"Relax," Flood replied. "As it happens, I've developed two separate versions of the vaccine. The one that was shot into Debra was YX-310. The second version, however, is ZX-310, and has yet to be tested on a live specimen." Reuben warily shook his head.

"I... I don't know about this," he said, covering himself with the lab coat Reed had given him earlier.

"I understand your apprehension, child. But I assure you, ZX-310 is a far more stable version of the vaccine. I have it here in a syringe, and can easily administer it to you quickly and painlessly," Flood said, removing a needle from his coat.

"There's no way you're getting anywhere near Reuben with that thing," Claude said sternly.

"I'm afraid I must ask this of you as well, Reuben," Reed said. Caroline looked to him in shock.

"Father!" she exclaimed.

"It's for the sake of science. If this vaccine works and Reuben returns to normal, it'll mean we can successfully revert people to the way they were before the crisis began! Don't you see? Doctor Flood is a genius! This could very well be a cure to all this!" Reed explained. As Reuben nervously looked on, Flood gave the boy a coy smile.

"Relax, son. Of course you'd be nervous. But the shot also comes with an automatic sterilizing agent. If the vaccine shows any signs of going haywire on your system, it automatically kicks in and neutralizes any traces of the vaccine from your body. Now please, young Reuben. The future of the world depends on this. On you!" Flood explained.

As Reuben and the others hesitantly looked to Flood, a thin shadow suddenly appeared over the five of them. They slowly looked back, spotting a dark silhouette staring them down from atop a tall building. As the winged girl coldly glared at them with her arms folded, Claude froze in place.

"...Abby!" he said in shock.

"What the...?!" Caroline said in disbelief.

"It can't be! You're dead! I killed you!" Claude exclaimed.

"...Claude. You foolish boy," Abby replied, tone foreboding. "Surely you realize by now it takes more than a small piece of metal to stop me." As the others looked on in shock, Flood turned to Abby, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Hmm? Now what do we have here? Another vector, is it?" he asked, soon giving a dark smile. "...Splendid! And here I was worried Reuben was my only test subject!"

As the others warily looked on, Flood readied his curious looking rifle. As he pointed it at Abby from afar, Abby stood stoic, dispassionately staring him down.

"...Who the hell are you?" Abby asked.

"...Who am I...?" Flood asked, grin widening as he carefully took aim. "Why I'm just another science freak!"

As Flood opened fire, Abby jumped, dodging the bullet as she suddenly took flight. She spread her wings wide, swooping down at Flood and the others at blinding speed. She flew past Flood, the scientist ducking and rolling as the others took cover.

As Abby flew by, Claude and the others raised their guns, firing at the girl as she swiftly came back around. They shot off round after round, Reuben firing quills as Abby nimbly dodged left and right. As she quickly closed in, one of her wings sliced through Caroline, cutting her in half through the torso. As she screamed and fell to the ground, her father watched in horror.

"Caroline!" he exclaimed. He then gave a cringe, violently glaring at Abby with rage. "Damn you, you monster! I'll kill you!" The scientist gritted his teeth, rushing forward before wildly opening fire at Abby. She turned around, easily dodging the bullets as she gave him a disinterested stare.

"Silence, ape," she replied, rushing forward, performing a midair backflip and knocking his head thirty feet in the air. As Caroline and her father fell dead, Claude and Reuben tensely watched as Flood casually shook his head at Abby.

"I say... such a waste of a scientific mind. You won't be getting this one so easily, though!" the scientist said, pointing to his head before firing another round at Abby.

She dodged back and forth, suddenly darting at Flood with tremendous speed. She raised her hand, bringing it down on Flood as he parried with his rifle. The weapon stopped the blow, but broke in half as Flood's rifle fell to the ground.

Abby then raised her other hand, lunging it at Flood as her claws suddenly tore through his stomach. The man violently cringed, a mad smile forming on his lips as Abby held her arm through his gut.

"Kch...! Well played, little girl... you are indeed a worthy, mad adversary! But it's not over yet...!" Flood said. With his last ounce of strength, he swiftly reached in his pocket, removing a syringe before plunging it deep into Abby's neck. Suddenly, Abby cringed, flinging Flood's body away as she grabbed the needle, pulling it from her neck.

"What the...?" she said, staring at the syringe before looking down at the scientist. "What was in this...?" she asked. With his dying breath, Flood smirked, staring up at her with a wry expression.

"It's... my gift... to science!" he declared, falling silent as his eyes went blank and vacant.