Humans Alone (G/T)

Chapter Thirty-two

Heath moved quickly through the halls behind Lester, following the violet-eyed man as he led him to another room.

Inside this room were several black cases, lined against the wall and hidden behind the door so as you open the door you can't see them unless you actually step into the room. "Open one, grab a gun, and let's go," Lester spoke to Heath in an authoritative tone. "Don't use it unless you have to. Right now, our job is getting the injured humans to their side of the building and to the safe room underground. Got it? Those guys and girls have been through enough, they don't need to see any more death."

The tone in his voice was far different than it normally was. The lighthearted humor-filled man now looked completely serious and focused. Heath smiled faintly as he did as instructed, pulling a pistol from one of the black bags. Lester may not show it all the time, but he really did care what happened to the humans. This was truly an encouraging thought to him. Maybe people would be more accepting of Michael than he thought. But Lester was only one man, he was talking about a whole population.

Heath could hear plenty of chatter from around the halls, some gunshots firing in the distance. He didn't like the sound of that at all. His thoughts right now were bent on ensuring Michael had plenty of time to spend with his daughter now that they've been reunited. Which was exactly why he couldn't let himself get distracted so easily.

"Come on," he held the gun up in front of him, ready if fire if needed. Truth be told, he felt uncomfortable to be holding one again. After all, the last time he'd held a gun was when he shot Donnie through the head. The images of his son crumpled in a heap on the ground sent chills down his spine.

"Focus," Lester's voice muttered sternly behind him as they began to walk back through the halls to try and find any straggler humans that need help returning to their room for safety, and also possibly find Donnie in the middle of it all.

"How do I do it? How do I convince him to drink something?" Heath muttered, following the sound of running footsteps that were beginning to near them.

"You're his father, I'm sure if you talk he'll listen," Lester heard the noises too, raising his own gun just in case.

"Right, because that worked so well before," Heath put his finger on the trigger, jumping in a startled manner as a young female human came darting around the corner. The small blonde had a bandage over one of her eyes, a panic-stricken look in the single visible one.

"Amelia. God, are you hurt at all?" Lester spoke up and stepped forward. "Come with me, we'll get you to your room. Heath should be doing this on his own anyway. Find your son, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you face to face as is. You did shoot him after all."

Ignoring the confused look from Amelia, Lester disappeared around the corner at the other end of the hall, ushering her along in front of him.

Heath sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. Could he really face his own son after what happened? What would Donnie even say to him? Would the teen even consider him his father anymore?

He didn't know the way around the large building, but he simply followed the sounds of panic and chatter until he found the main room again. It was filled with people, all holding guns and having some kind of standoff. He could easily guess the ones with humans cowering behind them were from this place.

"Well. I thought you'd be dead from your guilt by now," a familiar voice spoke up, and through the opposite crowd, Donnie stepped through the group of gun-toting Masonin's. He had a victorious smirk on his face; had Heath not shot him himself, he wouldn't ever believe he'd been shot in the first place. However, behind Donnie's own green eyes there was a look of feeling betrayed. A look of hurt, and pain upon seeing him.

"Donnie, we need to talk," Heath spoke in a low voice, looking at the guns that turned to aim at him. These people were loyal to Donnie and hated humans. If he chose to drink the mixture, what would stop these other people from turning on him and doing their own thing?

"There is nothing that needs to be said! You said enough when you pulled that trigger! And by the looks of things, you're not going to be hesitant to do it again. And for what? A human?" Donnie's hands balled into fists at his sides, but he held no weapon against his father.

Looking at the gun in his own hands, Heath began to lower it slowly so it was no longer aiming at anyone. "Not just any human. Look around, these people are scared. Injured. They obviously don't mean any harm to anyone. It wasn't their fault a few humans made stupid mistakes," Heath kept a calm tone, looking dead into his boy's eyes. "If one of our own kind killed, and another race turned on us and started killing all of us, would that be justified?"

Donnie stiffened but wasn't hesitant with his answer. "No. It was only one of us, why would we all need to suffer?" He spoke in a low tone, but his tone shifted slightly as what he was saying finally began to sink in. "But...they killed a baby! What person could do that?"

Heath scowled. "Donnie, do not make a stupid mistake like they did. Not all of them deserve to die for what so few did. I see that now. And Michael...I love that human, Donnie. If I have to kill for the people I love I'd do it. And that means killing for you too," he dropped the gun at his feet, meeting his sons eyes once more.

"All I'm asking is that you put this foolishness behind you and listen to me. Just this once."