From War, To Extinction

Chapter 13: Sacrifices

"MATTHEW!"
Michael and Alex watch helplessly as Matthew is thrown against the hard cemented road, his mask cracking under the pressure of Angel's unnatural strength. Alex screams violently, feeling the ground shake as his friend's face creates a crater in what originally seemed like the unbreakable ground. Matthew unsteadily gets back to his feet, moving as fast as he can into cover before the Death-Squads can open fire on him, with Alex using his grenade launcher as suppression fire.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE GOING TO DO?" Matthew roars, a lighter, more human voice converging on his darker voice.
"THE WAREHOUSE ISN'T FAR-" Alex cracks, a rain of bullets barely missing his head. "AH- FUCK."
"THAT VIAL IS WEARING OFF!" Michael explains, watching as the dark veins on his body begin to fade. "I'VE BEEN HIT, THE MEDICINE MUST BE FOCUSING ON MY HEALING!"
I HAVE AN IDEA!" Michael growls, gripping onto the rear of the car they hide behind. "FOLLOW ME!"
Michael, using his sheer strength and power, lifts the rear of the vehicle, his muscular body supporting him as he drags it towards the corner of the block. "C'MON! LET'S JUST GET TO WAREHOUSE!"
Bullets fly like locusts, swarming and impacting the back of the vehicle, but with no real effect.
"Fuck," Angel curses calmly. "Squad, move on the vehicle, we can't let them get away. MOVE ON THE FREAKS!"
"Move on this, you son of a bitch!" Michael screams as he reaches the corner, flinging the vehicle back to his enemies, hearing yelling, then the sudden stop. "THERE'S THE WAREHOUSE, MOVE!"

Alex uses his boot to slam open the entrance of the warehouse, Matthew and Michael not far behind him. All three of them are bloody and beaten, and somewhat, exhausted from their battle with what seems like an endless horde of Death-Squadrons. Matthew hits the ground, leaning against the wall with his sickle in his hand, blood dripping from his mask.
"They really fucked me up, guys," Matthew chokes, spitting blood from his mask onto the ground. "Shit."
"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Michael yells, picking a barrel and throwing it across the large warehouse. "I FUCKED UP, GUYS. I LET THIS HAPPEN WHEN I PASSED OUT, IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, WE WOULD ALREADY BE IN THE STRONGHOLD."
"There was nothing we could have done, Michael," Matthew assures, unzipping the straps on his mask. "Ah- Fuck it."
"What are you doing, Matt?" Alex questions as he loads his last mag into his Deagle. "We don't have time for changing outfits!"
"I'm not going to die with this fucking thing on my face," Matthew explains, his eyes watering.
"Nobody's dying tonight, mate," Alex says, trying to reassure Matthew, but fails.
"Our luck was gonna' run out at some point- God damn, motherfucking piece of shit- we weren't going to get through this journey flawlessly," Matthew bawls, slamming his mask to the ground, revealing his pale, true face; black hair, scars all over his face, and dark, sunken blind eyes. "It's funny, right? This is where your Alex's father took my eyes and my family; he used gasoline and a fucken' flare gun. This is where I was forced to watch my family burn alive, right before he took my eyes with nightshade, it's funny isn't it?"
"Matt?" Michael bleats. "We're getting out of this, you know that, right?"
"No," Matthew cries out, a tear rolling down his scarred face. "You're getting out of this place, I'm- I'm staying here."

"They call it the 'Black Death'; a specific toxicity of Nightshade that enters the blood-stream and starts to eat away at your brain like a parasite. It's essentially cancer, and it's the same thing that's slowly killing Alex and his father."
Michael stares over at a pale-faced Alex, something that makes him think about how easily Alex runs out of breath and energy. "You're dying?"
"There's a reason I converted, Michael, multiple reasons," Alex states. "I'm a dying man that wants to make a change before he dies, you're the key to destroying not just Antigen and their cruel experiments, but saving everyone in the process from this cancer, that includes your family. The truth is, Michael, he's trying to use your Daughter's blood, your Wife's, your Unborn Child's, and even yours as a bypass for infecting humans. The Corvinus Strain within your family's bloodline is the key to the bypass- Corvinus relates to human DNA-"
"He wants to destroy the entirety of every humanoid species before he dies himself," Matthew states. "And you can't let that happen."
Michael and Matthew watch as Alex moves away from the scene in frustration, moving closer towards one of the windows, scouting for any signs of their enemies.
"We can't let that-"
"IT'S TOO FUCKING LATE FOR ME, YOU UNDERSTAND?! I'M INFECTED!" Matthew screams, yanking his sleeve upwards, revealing a bullet wound in his arm, with dark purple veins surrounding it. "OOPS, RIGHT?! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE HALF OF THE SYMPTOMS! FEVER, BLOOD-LUST, CANNIBALISM, I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO ME, YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
"MICHAEL!" Alex calls out, panic in his voice as he moves back to his friends. "THEY'RE COMING! IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, WE BETTER GO NOW."
"I'm not going anywhere," Matthew says, the thickness in his voice giving Michael the message; his decision is final. "I'll slow them down, maybe even take some of those bastards with me."
"What are you going to do?!" Alex questions, staring at his friend's only weapon. "You won't last long with just that blade, mate."
"I have a trick up my sleeve, trust me," Matthew winks, blood oozing from his mouth. "All I need is two things; that gun of yours, and for you two to run, run like you've never run before. If you fucks don't get into the Subway, I'll be haunting your asses."
"Don't make me do this, please," Michael begs, watching Matthew cock the Deagle in his hands.
"Matt.." Alex sighs.
"Go, now," Matthew commands. "It's been a pleasure working with you, Michael Corvin."
"The pleasure was all mine, Bartholomew, say hi to the wife for me."
"Most- definitely. Goodbye- my friends."

Minutes pass, and both Michael and Alex are nowhere to be seen. Matthew sits still against the wall, breathing slowly and steady, controlling his heart, making it barely beat as dozens and dozens Death-Members prowl the warehouse, an impatient Angel with them.
"The Hybrid is nowhere to be seen, Command," Angel states into his radio. "Only Seventeen is here-"
"What is Subject Seventeen's status? Over."
"He appears deceased, no sign of breathing or even a heartbeat," Angel explains, staring at the still Matthew. "I'll put a bullet in him just to make sure."
Matthew grips the side of Angel's helmet, throwing him into a nearby pillar, watching the cement break as he screams violently in rage. "COME GET ME, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!"
Matthew uses immense Vampire speed to warp around the Death-Members, his sickle glued to his hand ready t kill anyone and everyone.
"FUCK HIM UP! NOW!" Angel commands, yanking the Deagle from his belt. "KILL THAT CUNT!"
Matthew warps behind one of the Death-Members, slitting its throat before using its corpse to shield from the bullets. He feels the bullets impact against the thick Death-Member armour, some even piercing it and entering the flesh and blood. The bullets stop, giving Matthew the green light for more murder, so he throws the corpse away from himself and into a wall. Using his speed, Matthew cuts Member after Member down, sending blood and limbs all over the warehouse. He turns around quickly, feeling the barrel of Angel's gun slam against his stomach before the trigger is pulled, sending him straight to his knees as blood oozes from the stomach.

Matthew's breathing is shaky, his face turning grey as his blind eyes stare down at the ground.
"Bartholomew Jameson, the Conspirer of Fear himself, you could have been a part of this new world; you could have been the only Vampire left in existence, and at the same time, you'd rule the world with me."
"You- have no- idea- what your boss- is planning-"
"I KNOW MORE OF tHE PLAN THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!" Angel screams, kicking Matthew in the ribs, but he stays upright. "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF KRASPER'S TRUE INTENTIONS FOR THIS WORLD. HIS SON HAS BEEN FEEDING YOU ALL BULLSHIT, SHIT THAT INDEED, LED TO YOUR DEMISE SO THAT HE MAY GET CLOSER TO CORVIN."
"You liar," Matthew chuckles, spitting blood onto the cold cement in the process. "You think you conspire fear? Let me show you what real fear is."
Matthew begins to pull an object from one of his sleeves, sending the Death-Members into attack mode, making them open fire upon him. Bullets pierce every part of Matthew's body, exiting through his thick clothing, revealing the bright light at the front of his shirt. The bright red clicks on and off, making the Soldiers stop shooting the already doomed Vampire. Blood drains from the half-dead Matthew, but he looks up at Angel and his thugs, chuckling with a detonator strapped to his palm.
"I'll see you at our world, Angel."
He presses it down.