From War, To Extinction

Chapter 4: Home Away From Home

Kassie supports Michael through a quiet street, his shoulder desperately leaning against hers as the spears remain jammed in his body. The helicopter that pursued them has disappeared into the night while the Antigen forces remain on the prowl, sticking to the area they were last seen in; three blocks down from them. They reach a large warehouse in what seems like a Dead-Zone; a place that nobody, not even Immortals are expected to be. Michael unlocks the entrance using a key, quickly making his way inside, Kassie close behind him.
"I'll turn on the l-"
"No, let me, you're not ready for what else is in her."
"I gotta' say, Michael; the whole 'old man' nickname is starting to become a reality, man; the attitude, the longer hair with the silver strips, the fucking beard, and the fucking thick scar under your eye, which, may I add, didn't know that could happen?" Kassie explains. "Can you fill me in please?"
"Let's just say, I um, died again," Michael sighs. "I had found Selene, and also, my daughter Eve. Selene and I, we didn't know she was pregnant when we were captured by Antigen, and um, Eve was born in some form of captivity; raised by a single female scientist, never taught how to hunt or feed, she figured out what she was on her own. Eve she- she's so powerful, so beautiful like her mom, has my eyes, the miracle of my life, and it pains me to know that for fifteen years she was fatherless. Sure, she had David and Lena; Selene's prodigies, but they're more like God-Parents. Anyway, we met with this Lycan pack that claimed to be the remaining members of Antigen, members that had gone rogue due to the conditions they went through. Their leader, Ezra, wanted us to take care of his abomination of a brother, Azrael, who was something else- I couldn't even tell you what he was. I killed him, and then Ezra betrayed all of us, threatened to rape Lena, Selene and Eve until they gave him children. Then, he um, infected me with this virus in my blood, stopped my healing, and I remember dying in my daughter's arms. Next thing I knew, I was ripping out of this sort of cocoon, starving but at the same time, I never felt so powerful in my life, but the deadly wounds inflicted in the fight between Ezra and I, scarred."
"Wow, deep man," Kassie sighs, taking Michael by surprise and ripping the spear from his shoulder. "Two more to go."

Kassie tears the rest of the spears from Michael's body, watching as the wounds heal almost instantaneous.
"What is this place? Doesn't seem like one of safe houses you'd just throw away," Kassie comments.
Michael takes off his jacket, revealing to Kassie the extent of the scars on his pale body; the massive claw mark on his back, the thick claw under his ribs where Ezra severed the side of his heart, and the many bullet marks around his chest. He stares over at Kassie, turning on the rest of the lights and revealing what else lies in the room; which is weapons, masses and masses of weapons. "It's my home away from home."
"Guessing you don't carry weapons on you? Fuck me, LOOK AT THEM ALL!"
"I carry a bare minimum, Krasper's son thought I'd be carrying a shit tonne of weapons in my car, no, just an implosion grenade that would most likely take out most of his squadron when detonated, a few less Death Members to worry about."
"How long have you been in Budapest?" Kassie asks, throwing Michael a white singlet to put on.
"I don't even know to be honest, long enough to sign off two files of Antigen sergeants, soldiers, commanders, etcetera. I haven't been in contact with Selene since I awoke in the fucking crypt, it's been a long trip since then," Michael explains. "A mass of death, pain, repression, Antigen is really proving to be an Hydra, it just refuses to die."
"Amen to that," Kassie says, taking off her jacket, revealing a black singlet of her own. "So, what's our next move?"
"You're gonna' explain to me why you've been organising attacks on civilians," Michael snarls. "Carefully plan your next words, Kassie, because a little girl, barely Eve's age, would have been torn apart if not for me."
"Michael, believe me when I tell you, that was never me, but I know who it was."
"Let's go then," Michael growls. "Now."

Michael moves through another part of the Dead-Zone with Kassie, both moving quickly, being extra cautious so that nobody sees them.
"So, you um," Michael begins to speak, stopping at a manhole. "I know you're of Asian descent, but what culture? Japanese?"
"Chinese, my family; the Honshu's, descended from the world of Ancient China, beginning as warriors that protected the Emperor from assassins. Normally warriors weren't supposed to continue their bloodlines, but the Emperor made an exception for my family. As time went on, the generations continued, but the family's ways did not; like my siblings, I was trained in martial arts, specifically hand to hand combat and Kendo; the use of blades like the Katana. But when my family found out I was infected by the Lycan virus, well, I was disowned almost instantly, if my father wasn't dead, he'd kill me."
"Sorry I asked," Michael sighs, tearing open the manhole, staring down a clean, lighted up entrance. "That's a long way down, and decorated too?! Tell me, why am I not surprised."
"Just get down the hole, dickhead," Kassie rolls her eyes. "This is a large scale Lycan colony in a Zone nobody touches, not even Antigen, so of course it's going to be lit like a fucking bar."
"Wow, yes ma'am," Michael scoffs, leaping down the entrance and landing directly on his feet, slamming his boots down and creating a larger crater. "Comin' down?"
"Comin'."

"So, where do these tunnels lead to exactly?" Michael asks Kassie as they move through the sewer.
"Soon, we'll be approaching what appears to be a gate, well, that's if-"
"If what?" Michael scoffs, rolling his eyes.
A loud and sudden crashing sound occurs from behind the two Immortals, a dent in a brick wall easily seen in the darkest side of the tunnel. The crash occurs again, making the dent even larger, growling and snarling heard on the other side. One final crash occurs, and in a sudden moment, four skinny, hairless, weak looking Lycan are thrown through the bricks.
"Their hounds are here!" Kassie screams, pulling a blade from her belt and throwing it, hitting one of the Lycans in the head. "RUN!"
"I GOT THIS FILTH!" Michael growls in a dark voice, his eyes turning completely black, his skin becoming blue. "GET OUT OF HERE!"
The three Lycans launch themselves at Michael, tearing him to the ground, gnawing on different parts of his body. His body begins to crack and break into form, skin changing completely blue, claws and teeth growing sharper, and his face shifting into a muzzle, completing his transformation. Michael grips onto the neck of one of the Lycans, digging his claws deep into its throat, crushing its wind-pipe instantly. Using every inch of his strength, Michael flings the remaining Lycans like no effort was needed, pitting them against the walls.

Kassie sprints through the slippery floor of the tunnel, managing not to slip over, forgetting that the hounds aren't the only things she should be fearing.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING MOVE!" A loud voice screams at her, a light digging deep in her eyes. "YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME BACK, KASSIE."
Michael slams one of the Lycan's head into the ground, moving swiftly as he grips onto the other Lycan's neck with one hand, and shoving his hand into its chest with the other. The Lycan growls and screams violently at the pain, but Michael silences it when he grips onto its spine, yanking until it he feels it snap and pull outta' place, pulling it through his chest cavity and into the air of the sewer. Michael's blood covered hand drips onto the ground of the tunnel, near the remaining, struggling Lycan. Michael picks the Lycan up with both hands, high into the air, roaring as he slams it down onto his knee, breaking its spine and killing it instantaneously.
"NOOO!" Kassie voice echoes through the tunnel, making Michael turn around, his blood covered claws fidgeting in the darkness, ready to protect the only family he may have left. "MICHAEL! HELP ME!"