Can we Make It?

-10-

Kaede's POV

"You're ok!! But, what are you doing here?" I yelled not believing what was now standing next to my bed. Maki was standing there except she was wearing a hood with a cape. It covered the majority of her face. Does she know about the antidote? How long has there been one? We might have been able to save some people if only we knew...

"Sorry, you both must be confused." She sat in the chair next to Rantaro before looking back at the both of us. "I gave Rantaro a basic explanation, but you guys must have more questions." 

"When all of this happened I was with Peko and Fuyuhiko. The virus broke out of the lab next to where we were staying. I tried to get them to escape but Fuyuhiko had been infected. Peko stayed with him and shouted at me to stay. I wanted to be able to get back to Kaito before he did anything stupid...but that never happened. Peko brought an antidote that was a work in progress that Mikan and Seiko were working on before it broke out of containment." 

"It worked and Fuyuhiko raised again before he passed out. They worked on it a bit more before figuring out how to make a better one without making the subject receiving it to pass out and go into a 2-week coma...they needed a test subject and I didn't want Peko to risk herself for Fuyuhiko because he would be devastated...so I took the spot as the test subject." She paused before moving her hands to her hood.

"Some of the tests weren't great and I just had to endure. At one point I got the virus and they were able to get rid of it mostly..." She pulled off her hood and revealed her face. It was mutated...Her eye was completely red and it had a dried trail of blood down to her chin. Her other eye was fine but her face had some red marks that looked like she was bleeding close to the top of her head. Her neck had strange symbols on it that traveled up the side of her face all the way to her forehead.

"Maki, that was very noble of you! But are you ok?" I asked feeling guilty and the need to help her...she probably won't accept it though. "I'm alright, they have me take this every week to make sure it doesn't spread." She gestured to the needle in her case on her belt. 

"I'm sorry. But, I do have another question...why did you come to us now?" Rantaro asked. Maki looked down for a moment before responding.

"Some of the others who knew about the antidote tried to steal it and destroy it to kill off the human population. I barely escaped, but I went a different way than Peko and Fuyuhiko. It also took me a while to find Kaito...and Shuichi as well as Kokichi." Maki looked down again with tears in her eyes. "But I didn't make it to Kaito in time..." I felt my heart break. Kaito and Maki really cared for each other and knowing that she didn't make it in time to see him one last time...just breaks me.

I didn't get to say goodbye to a lot of my friends...but that is so much worse...losing a loved one...someone so close to you. But she didn't give up! And she is still here with us! "Maki, you are very strong for continuing on. Thank you!" I said pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Kaede..." She whispered before standing up.

"We have to go back to the mall. I was going to go earlier, but Rantaro suggested we waited for you so we could have another set of hands. You're awake now so there is not time to lose." She walked over to the back room and opened the door. There were countless tunnels leading to a variety of places. I could feel myself gasp. I wanted to ask why we needed to go back but the words got caught in my throat.

"This is how I have been getting from place to place. It's safer because everyone is traveling above ground for the most part..." She said ending her sentence in a dark tone. She opened her knife pouch...she must have encountered someone before...god I can't believe that the world has come to this sometimes. "We have to go to the mall to leave some supplies for Shuichi and Kokichi...they are running out and I don't want them to die before I can save them." She paused for a moment.

"They have actually been handling themselves very well. I can defiantly see how Kokichi is called the Ultimate Leader. I am confident they can make it on their own without having to have us interfere...yet." I wanted to ask why she kept saying yet...why can't we just go up to them and tell her what she told us? Why would she want them to think we are dead?

"Stay close to me." She ordered cutting my thoughts short before we all walked down the dark tunnel. It was dark enough were I could barely make out anything, but still bright enough that I can see where I'm going...somewhat. I trust Maki! We can make it! And save the rest of our friends!

.   .   .

We walked on this top path in the mall. It was high enough where people could get injured badly from a fall...but the bottom of it makes it look like the ceiling. So those on the floor can't tell there is one. This is really impressive! How long has Maki been working and planning for this?

We stopped in front of a ladder down. Maki climbed down with us following her. We went to this small shop it was already raided and empty. She pulled some fully stocked first aid kits in the store before getting up to leave.

"Won't they be suspicious if we just leave these here?" I asked making Maki stop in her tracks...It was a good concern....knowing that Shuichi and Kokichi would know that a first aid kit wouldn't just be here...unless someone left it...

"It's fine, they need them anyway," Maki said coldly before walking away back to the high path over the mall. It was made by her and her other members which, to my understanding, is only a few...

"We should leave then," Rantaro grabbed my arm and started to pull me away from where Kokichi and Shuichi were walking. I felt a little angry that we couldn't just tell them that we are alive. I know Shuichi must feel guilty about all of this...

"Maki, why can't we just tell them?" She looked back at me making us all stop on the path. "We can't yet. It will happen soon." Maki continued walking and Rantaro followed behind. I sighed knowing that Maki was the boss in this department...she did save both of our lives anyway...

-Here is another part for you guys! I will try to update again this week! Thank you so much for reading!!-

-ShuichiOuma010-