In the ruins
Avila

"Its a little too quiet ? Right?" Azrael says.

I look around, it feels like the same streets we have been constantly walking. No difference.

Sasha chimes in, "oh my god I was so about to say that."

I snicker and glance away. Devon doing the same.

"What do you mean?" I respond back.

Azrael stops us, "no ones around, you can tell no one has been here. There's no proof of movement through the gravel, the cars, the buildings doors."

Jeremiah nods, "yeah I see what you mean..."

Devon laughs, "so what you wants us to climb the buildings?"

Jeremiah looks up, "that's actually a good idea. The roofs."

Devon nods, "yeah, ha I totally meant that."

I catch Vanessa staring at me, she leans over to me and whispers. "I've been meaning to ask if you're okay? You seem agitated. You and Azrael."

"Overwhelmed I guess. I just wanna settle." I respond.

Vanessa nods, "I totally understand..."

"Vanessa!" Devon shouts to his still surprisingly girlfriend. She sighs and heads over to him.

I follow behind them, Micah holding the hand of Sasha. As they both walk beside Azrael.

Azrael and Jeremiah choose a building and head into it, walking straight up the steps to the roof top. I catch up and slip in before Devon and Vanessa.

"Hey Rael." I say climbing up the stairs, I glance down at the steps, stepping over junk. I watch my step and keep a steady pace after him. He can't hear me, I reach out to tap him but Sasha blocks my way.

I inhale deeply and look back at the steps.

We make it to the rooftop door, a giant sign reads not allowed access. Jeremiah chuckles, "well not today."

He goes to kick it open, But I grab his arm stopping him, "no look there's an alarm."

Azrael scoffs, "it's over 100 years old. It's off."

I roll my eyes, "we have come across alarms like this, still on, plenty of times. And this could belong to anyone to let them know we are here."

Jeremiah nods, "how will we get to the roof then? We have to get through this door."

Sasha adds in, "the fire escape."

"No that's 100 years old..." I spit out.

Jeremiah faces the door then turns back to us all, "okay we open it. If there is an alarm you run across the buildings fast. Do not stop. We never know if it's going to attract a creature so I'll wait behind."

I shake my head, "no I'll do it."

Micah shakes her head. And Azrael steps forward as if to decline for me, but stays quiet. I glance away from him and face Jeremiah, "you can open it."

Jeremiah nods, "I'm the leader I'll stay with you." He hands the map to Azrael, "keep going straight. Micah hold Sasha's hand. We will catch up with you."

Azrael nods, skipping eye contact with me. He looks away quickly. A fire burns through my chest. I nod. Okay. Ignore me.

Jeremiah kicks the door open, an alarm starts blaring. Ref lights starts to flash around the entire stair case, blinding me for a second. The alarm echoes through the empty building.

"Go!" Jeremiah shouts.

Azrael runs through first across the roof, Sasha and Micah after him. Micah grips her hands on her ears, Sasha pulling her by the arm. Micah takes a look back quickly at me and Jeremiah. Her eyes in worry.

Devon, Vanessa and Delilah fly through then it's me and Jeremiah. I lift the rifle and aim down the steps.

"I'll count to 4!" Jeremiah yells beside me, "then you run."

I nod, and gulp.

"1."

Rumbling downstairs begins, we are on the 10th floor, I can't tell where the creatures hurrying around are.

"2"

My finger awaits hovering over the trigger. My body still, waiting. Red flashing lights, strobe making our shadows dance off the walls.

"3"

I hear them get closer, me and Jeremiah adjust ourselves, getting into position to shoot. A creatures head peaks around the steps corner. I hold my breath, Jeremiah and I both shoot at it simultaneously. It drops to the floor.

"4! Go" Jeremiah shouts at me.

I take a step back to head out the exit, I stop at the threshold as another one appears then another. Forcing itself against each other to make it first up the stairs. I can't leave him. They are huge. I run back and open fire.

He shouts, the gunfire and strobing red lights giving no visual. Even the sound of the alarm, gun fire, and creature screeches blind the senses. We continue shooting.

"Head out now!" Jeremiah shouts.

I stop shooting and head out the door into the daylight, there seems to be no movement inside as Jeremiah stops shooting. I look to my left, where the group went.

Jeremiah pushes me forward, "I think I got them." He forces the door shut, and turns to me and runs. "Let's Go."

I start running across the roof, all these building are different sizes, we are gonna have to take extra steps. And jumps. As we make it to the side of the building to hop over the small gap, the door flies open. One of the creatures comes running out.

"Shit!" I Mutter, "hurry Jeremiah!"

He stops and starts shooting, I jump over the edge and quickly onto the next building, I catch my balance as I land on the roof. Looking back to the other building Jeremiah begins to speed to the edge. I walk to my edge and aim my rifle, I take a deep breath in and aim at the head of the creature. I pull the trigger and it's stops in its place slowly still trying to run. I open fire again. And let out round after round. Jeremiah hops, over and the creature falls.

Jeremiah rolls to catch his fall. I help him up. "Good thing we stayed." He laughs.

I nod. "Shit, that was insane."

He shakes his head, "exactly."

He looks across this building, "how far did they get..."

"No clue." I respond.

He dusts off his black cargo pants and fixes his rifle, "let's get following." He says catching his breath.

In Valor
Ronan

I sit at the table in the throne room. Joan enters and heads over to me.

"Hey Ronny." She whispers.

I glare at her, "don't call me that."

She laughs and walks closer to my side, "why not, aren't we family?" She Stands behind me sliding her hands up my arm.

"What do you want?" I say.

"Nothing." She says dragging out the word.

She starts massaging my shoulders, then drags her hands down to my chest and attempts to unbutton my shirt.

I push her hands off of me, "leave me alone."

She steps back laughing, "okay then..."

I look over at the throne, soon I'll be sitting there—

"You'll never have it." Joan says as she heads out the room, her dress flowing behind her like there's wind.

"Excuse me?" I exclaim.

She turns dramatically smirking, "you heard me." She licks her lips keeping eye contact, "Ronan you're not worthy of it. You never were."

I look away, "keep telling yourself that."

She walks over to me, "make me."

I stand up from my chair and stomp over, the rooms empty, everyone on post. She smirks, she knows exactly what I'm going to do. She thinks she knows.

"Mhm come over to me." Joan says lowering the dress from her shoulder.

I grab her face and lean into her, she slowly opens her mouth.

"Leave me the fuck alone." I say aggressively, "go chase after the Boss. Your games can't be played here."

She moves back slowly and pulls her dress sleeve back up her arm, disgust across her face. Bothered out of her mind. She turns away from me and heads to the door.

"You used to play these games. Fuck you Ronan." Joan whispers.

"Azrael isn't here to be your knight in shining armor—anyone's for that matter." I say. Joan turns back and rushes over to me.

She pushes me back, "he is not my fucking Knight!"

"Not anymore after you killed his mom." I laugh.

"Stop." She says.

"No, you're such a big deal right? Embrace it." I say pushing her off of me. "He doesn't like you Joan, even while you're running around with his Dad. You're a whore. He doesn't like how you taste."

Her cheeks turn red, she steps back away from me nodding. "Ronan, be careful with what you say."

I smile, "okay babe, you too." I take out the dagger I took from Avila, and press it against her neck exactly at the black ink, "you like how I taste though."

She rolls her eyes from me, uncomfortably stepping away. "You're insane."

"Coming from you." I laugh and walk away, slamming the door behind.

Inside the citySiobhan

"Can we do a check on her ? Last we've seen she was off the grid." I say entering the camera room.

Cameras screens fill the room, showing different sections of the wall. And areas inside the ruins where Avila or her group were last spotted.

Reagan walks over to me, "we have not spotted her exactly. There have been cameras picking her up, but we can't pinpoint —"

"Can't pin point ? How can you not find her location." I say sternly, "what is so difficult."

Dorian walks over to me, "Siobhan the cameras are malfunctioning. They won't give locations and all. It all started during a mandatory update."

I laugh, and take a deep breath, I turn to the men and women in white lab coats. "I need you all to fix this right now."

"Siobhan the media is becoming curious about when you're releasing more information on the cure." Reagan flips through papers in her clipboard, "some news sources are saying you're becoming fraudulent and keeping the truth away from the people."

I roll my eyes and storm away, "fraudulent? I am anything but that. Little do they know."

Reagan follows behind, her and Dorian speaking amongst themselves. I walk into my office and grab a tablet. Clicking towards a protocol set before.

Reagan walks over to me, "give it more time. No need to make a big jump yet."

I laugh, "it's not your name their dragging."

I scroll through the protocol, we need to begin this now.

Dorian adds in, "Siobhan she is right. We need to wait a minute, other options can become available."

I look up to both of them, standing worried. Always worried. Never in action.

"48 hours. That's it." I shout, "leave my office."