Final Apocalypse: Infant

Captured!

Tamara was giddy as Red led her back to his house. Well, not really a house, but an old warehouse that he'd spruced up a bit.

Tamara giggled as she sat on the bed. "Did you see how scared he looked when he saw you? It was hilarious."

Red nodded and sat in a chair next to the bed. "Tamara. I need you to be serious for a second. Please."

Tamara's smile faded and she buried her head in the pillows. "I'm sorry. I'm just terrified. I don't have a clue what I'm going to do. I've tried to keep a happy face for right now, but you see right through my bullshit. I can't slip anything past you. You're just like my dad."

Red tried to object, but choked on his words. Memories of his murdered family came to him in a flood. Painful memories that he'd tried to bury. He teared up and turned away.

Tamara looked up and noticed that he was crying. She stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, big guy?"

Red brushed the tears from his eyes and smiled a bit. "I'm fine. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. Just brought back some bad memories. Memories I've tried to forget because it's too painful to remember."

Tamara rubbed his shoulders a bit flirtatiously. "Wanna talk about it?"

Red brushed her away. "I'd rather not."

Tamara climbed over and sat on his lap. "C'mon. You can't hang on to the past forever. You've got to let go at some point." she laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

The door flew open and she jumped.

Alex blushed and stepped back.

"Ok. I guess I should have knocked first. It's just that there wasn't a car out front and ..."

He trailed off.

Tamara climbed off Red's lap and blushed. "You didn't walk in on anything, I promise."

Alex shrugged. "Your business is your business. I'm not gonna pry. I just wanted to see you. Have you seen the news lately?"

Tamara shook her head and sat on the bed. "No, why? Are the police looking for me?"

Alex shook his head. "No. Not for you. For someone like you."

Tamara's eyes widened. "They're looking for Marriko?"

Again, Alex shook his head. "No. A man with your powers." He handed her his phone so she could see the news report. "That's the man in the ambulance. I convinced him to let me go so I could rescue Marriko. How on earth did this happen?"

Alex held out the vial of antivenom. "I don't know how it happened, but I know how to stop him. Frank gave me this. He says it can cure your venom."

Tamara took the vial. "THIS IS ALL HIS FAULT?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know, but I doubt Frank would turn a man like that into one of you. I think this man took a sample of your venom and injected himself with it. You said he was in your ambulance, maybe he did it then. Maybe he took a sample of your venom while you were asleep."

Tamara grunted as she lashed a tendril around his arm. "So now this is all my fault?"

"No. I never meant that. What that man did is one hundred percent on him. I'm just saying that he somehow knew what your venom did."

"As a matter of fact, I didn't." A voice responded from the rafters. Alex aimed shotgun in that direction. "Show yourself, you spineless coward!"

Jordan lowered himself down at the other side of the room. "As you wish."