Octagon Project 3: Zachary McHall

~-26-~

"Yo, what's goin on?" Justin asked as he came back from a mission with Vanessa and heard nothing but yelling between Rex, Dean, and Roy with panicked shouts from Kaylee before a somewhat familiar voice shouted above all the voices.

"For fuck's sake will you guys just shut up!" Mel bellowed, causing all the others to flinch and for Kaylee's eyes to go unbelievably wide. Amidst the commotion that went on from the bomb not going off, Kaylee had removed the chip as Zack had requested earlier and stitched him up when they noticed he didn't have a pulse. Mel observed Zack's face that was getting significantly paler by the second when she left and returned shortly with her stun gun in hand. In one swift motion, she pushed the electrodes against Zack's chest and stepped back as he jolted upright with a gasp into a sitting position with his chest heaving. Rubbing his eyes for a moment, he glanced up and looked around at everyone's shocked and fear-struck faces.

"What?" He asked.

"You were legit dead for almost three minutes and the first thing you ask is 'what'?!" Kaylee cried causing Justin and Vanessa in the hall to look at each other confused. Zack attempted a shrug, lightly rotating his newly bandaged shoulder before looking at his phone and letting out a heavy sigh. Walking over to his dresser, he threw on a dark T-shirt and his black hoodie, then slipped his combat boots on and put his phone in his pocket before snatching the chip and putting it in his jacket.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dean asked.

"I'm late for an important mission." Zack answered indifferently as he started to leave.

"Not in that condition!" Kaylee objected. Zack pretended not to hear her as he proceeded down the hall in discomfort from all the eyes trained on him. Going to the door in the living room where they kept all the weapons, he reached in and snatched a long black bag that had been collecting dust for far too many years, swung it over his shoulder, and proceeded toward the front door.

"I'm coming with you." Amber said confidently as she stood in Zack's way in the kitchen. He looked her up and down silently for a short moment, then sighed.

"Whatever. Just don't get in my way." He brushed past her and shut the front door behind him. Taking a deep breath, Amber ran after him. Dean rushed to the car with Mel for his mission that he was almost late for just as Zack tore out of the driveway. Mel stared at the long, thin bag draped across his back until her eyes widened in realization. Just who was his target this time?!

Amber sat quietly on the motorcycle with her arms wrapped suffocatingly tight around Zack's torso as they drove to wherever he had to be for his mission. Amber glanced at the bag that was between them with worried eyes. For him to have a mission where even he, being someone that practically didn't exist, had to remain unseen, means that he's going to kill someone important. Someone with status, connections, and money. Someone that could know who Zack was or be capable of uncovering the Octagon. And Zack was going to kill them without a thought. Amber withheld the tears and swallowed the lump in her throat from the awareness of just how dangerous the Zack in front of her was right now. Crossing him at this point meant imminent death. Even for her. Unfortunately, Amber's strongest quality was her stubbornness and unwillingness to lose. Turning off into an alleyway, Zack parked and waited for Amber to get off to turn off the vehicle. It was quiet as he threw his hood on over his face and led the way toward the rooftop. As they neared the rusty ladder, Zack snatched his handgun from the small of his back and fired a bullet. It lodged into the wall next to the man that leaned there comfortably and the intruder smirked.

"Rex..." Zack grumbled.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to get in your way. Just thought it'd be nice to fight next to you again is all, so I jumped at the chance." A squeak escaped Amber's throat in hearing that and Rex craned his head to look, finally noticing her. "Ah hey, did you finally snap back too?" He asked.