CHAPTER 2

"Hurry, son! You'll be late!"

While Mary is preparing packed lunch in the kitchen, John, who had taken the car keys, calls their one and only son.

"Wait a second!" Jack answered from the second floor, accompanied by the sound of his rushing footsteps.

In less than half a minute, the short-haired young man is seen running down the stairs. His academic attire is incomplete. He only wears black robes, while his academic cap and hood in blue, the identity color of the faculty which Jack attended, is still in his grip.

"Oh my, you're still not done dressing yet!" Mary commented right after she finished packing and walks out of the kitchen.

"I was so nervous all night that I couldn't sleep!" Jack answered while trying to put on his graduation cap correctly.

"Just wear them in the car," John advised him. "Let's go."

John gets into the car first, taking it out of the garage. Mary, who carries the lunch bag, left the house and gets to the front seat next to driver's. Their son sits on the back while adjusting the hood of his robes.

The Davidson family departs, leaving their modest residence in the neighborhood of Armour Hills, Missouri.

---

David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is really crowded that morning.

The vast American football field contains rows of chairs occupied by hundreds of University of Kansas undergraduates, wearing academic attires with hoods of different colors based on their respective faculties.

In front of them is a stage where students will be called one by one to be given graduation awards. Several video cameras are mounted on the edge of the stage, connected directly to the stadium's large LED display screen.

On the other side, almost all the stadium's audience seats are already occupied by people who are either family, relatives or friends of the graduating students. They can't wait for the event to start, to see their sons of daughters, siblings, or friends, to officially become baccalaureates.

There are still undergraduates and audiences who had just entered the stadium looking for available seats, including Jack with his father and mother. Jack's parents are amazed at the sight of the graduation events' decoration.

"So lively…" Mary is stunned. Not to mention this is her first time being in David Booth Stadium.

"Thankfully it hasn't started yet." After looking around them, John tells Mary. "There are still enough seats for us. Let's go."

"Heeey! Jaaack!"

Jack hears himself being called from a distance. Even though so much noises from the crowds, he knows the voice came from a group of students in academic attire on the field.

He sees two of his friends, an African-American male with glasses and a female with long black hair, waving at him. There is one empty chair to the left of his female friend. Looks like they kept it for Jack.

Jack waves back at them happily.

"Well, we're going to find a place to sit," said John as he place his hand on Jack's shoulder, making his son turns to him. "Go join your friends."

"O--oh, yeah..." answered Jack with a slight stutter.

"Come on, stop being nervous. This is your big day." Mary put on a warm smile to calm him down.

"I'm not nervous!" Jack tries to look confident, even though it isn't convincing in the eyes of his parents, "N--not anymore, at least..."

"Son, you've struggled this far. You have nothing to fear." John advices him. "Doctors are also heroes. A hero must believe in himself. Same as being a good doctor, where you have to believe in your diagnoses and always have the courage to take responsibility."

As he look at his father, Jack listens to his words thoroughly. His expression gives off a very inspiring aura for Jack. He doesn't feel the slightest hesitation in that smile, just like his mother's.

"Never mind about those who doubt you, as long as you believe that everything you do is the right thing. In the end, you will be an inspiration to the world," continued his father. "All you need to do, is keep fighting."

After that, John removes his hand from Jack's shoulder. He notices his son now a bit calmer compared to before.

"Alright. Thank you." Jack smiles brightly to his parents.

"Now quick. Don't keep Lois waiting. She already saved the place just for you." Mary teases him, referring to Jack's female classmate who had just called for him.

"M--Mom!" Jack becomes irritated. His face reddened.

Mary laughs amusedly seeing him embarrassed, before going with John to find a place to sit.

While harboring shame, Jack walks onto the stadium field to join the other graduating students.

Jack sighed. He is grateful that his friends were not with him, especially Lois, when he talked with his mother. Although, everyone already knew all along about his and Lois' feelings toward each other.

Arriving at the chairs row where his classmates are sitting, he approaches the two friends who had called him earlier.

"Hi," he greets them as he sat on the chair next to Lois.

"What's up, bro? You look messed!" commented Devon.

"I overslept, hehe..." Jack rubs the back of his head.

"Gosh, your hood isn't even proper." Spontaneously, Lois spruces Jack's academic hood. She shakes her head in astonishment, "You're like someone who can't take care of himself."

"I was nervous all night! Can't be helped! At least I'm still on time." Pouting, Jack reasons her.

"How long are you going to be such a weenie? You want your patients to laugh at you?"

"Weenie?! How dare you!"

Devon watches the lovebirds' behaviour. He always enjoyed this atmosphere, smiling like Jack's mother before.

"Sorry to interrupt your bickering," Devon said, making them stop and turn to him. "Just want to remind you two to invite me to your future wedding."

Jack and Lois' faces suddenly turns red like tomatoes.

"Don't get the wrong idea!" The two answers simultaneously, which only makes Devon laugh harder.

Not long after, the host on stage comes up to podium and starts to announce everyone in the stadium through microphone.

"All students and audiences, please remain conducive. The 2013 University of Kansas Commencement ceremony on May 19 is about to begin."

"It's started!" Devon then sits facing straight ahead, towards the stage. Jack, Lois and all the students do the same thing.

The event's opening session has been running. From welcoming the chancellor and professors, singing the national anthem, to several announcements made by the chancellor regarding the future of the campus and all graduates of various faculties.

The KU Commencement ceremony lasts until the sun almost reached the top of the sky. The graduation session for the undergraduate students has come, as well as the certification of bachelor's degree.

Jack lowered his head. His legs tremble a little as he sits among hundreds of other graduates. Both of his hands were on thighs, the fingers interwined and moving up and down repeatedly. He feels his body chilling like getting a fever, even though he is not sick.

What shy person could remain calm after thinking about the moment when his name is being called, going up on stage to face a number of college professors and scholars, as well as the chancellor who will give a warm welcome?

Moreover, he will be witnessed by not only a group of fellow graduating students, but also all audiences that aren't part of the university. They are able to watch each student who is called to the stage through the very huge stadium LED screen.

Then Jack's hand is gripped gently from next to him. He turns his gaze to Lois, who gives him smile.

A smile full of comfort and reassurance.

Jack smiles back at her, nodding in thanks.

"Jack Thomas Davidson"

Finally, the KU chancellor calls Jack's full name with microphone on the podium. Jack gets up from his seat right after hearing that.

"Congrats, buddy!" Devon pats his shoulder.

"Wait for us too, okay?" continued Lois.

"Thank you, Devon, Lois." Jack nods.

He exchanges a fist bump with Devon before leaving.

As he walks to the stage, Jack remembers his parents' advice, as well as all the friends who had supported him all this time. His father was right. For someone who values human life, he must value himself first.

Jack arrives on stage, where five professors from the School of Medicine stood waiting for him. Each of them carries award attributes for the graduates, and now for him.

Jack meets the first professor. He puts a medal on him, before both shakes hands smiling. Then he turns toward other professors to do the same. One by one, Jack salutes the other four, and they give him with awards as well.

Jack finally faces the chancellor. This is the part that made him nervous the most. During his studies in campus, he only met directly with him once or twice. He's been told that the chancellor had heard a lot about his achievements and was eager to meet him, but both were too busy until now.

"Congratulations, Jack Davidson." The chancellor gives him a gold statue plaque and a bachelor's degree diploma. "You are one of University of Kansas' pride. We all hope you make a very bright future for yourself and everyone."

"Thank you very much, sir," answered Jack. He salutes the chancellor and takes the two awards.

All the audiences and KU students, including Lois and Devon, applause. They are very impressed of Jack's achievement.

Jack can see his parents among the hundreds of audiences on the stadium seats. They're clapping for him happily. Mary even shed tears of joy.

This is one of the happiest moments in Jack's life.

At least that's what he thought.

Suddenly, a huge explosion occurs several kilometers outside the stadium, which makes the ground shake.

The excitement in the stadium instantly breaks. People are shocked and scream in fear.

"What happened?!"

The stadium's atmosphere become filled with panic. All the audiences quickly get off their seats. The students also get up from their chairs on the field, while Jack, the chancellor and several professors are still on the stage with scared expressions.

They all look up at the plume of black smoke billowing to the sky. The smoke was so big that everyone in the stadium can witness it. In fact, it can be seen from almost all over the city of Lawrence.

From within the dense smoke, a silhouette of a giant figure begins to appear.

The figure walks out of the smoke, revealing his appearance clearly. Its size is very large, with a height of approximately 50 meters.

The giant creature's entire body is green. It has massive chest, and hefty arms and legs. There is a pair of horns on his head. Some parts of its body have rows of sharp organs like thorns.

Its mouth is shaped like a tear in cloth, and its pair of eyes are bright red.

"I am… Vaccine Monster!"

The monster speaks. Its voice boomed, with a deep tone, full of hatred.

"You humans are viruses, destroying the earth's ecosystem! Eradicating virus is my duty. For the sake of cleansing this planet, I will wipe you all out without a trace!"

"Monsteer!!!" Every residents of Lawrence City run away from the giant monster who called itself Vaccine Monster.

The emergence of Vaccine Monster makes the city shrouded in terror. People inside buildings run outside to find safe place. The traffics become chaotic. Many vehicles collide, not a few of drivers even abandon their cars just to save themselves.

People on the streets push each other and keep running without helping those who fell. When humans' survival instincts turned on, they no longer care about each other.

Vaccine Monster raises its right hand. Five large energy balls glowing in green are formed, floating above the palm.

It throws them towards several buildings in the front. All five energy balls hit their targets. Buildings exploded and burned, then collapse onto the road. Many residents that aren't lucky enough got hit by falling debris.

Due to the major disaster that is happening, the graduation event is stopped. People in the stadium run helter-skelter leaving their seats. Most of them hurriedly go towards the stadium exit.

There are some who went to the field to meet the students who are their families or friends. John and Mary are one of them, running into the field looking for Jack.

"John! We have to find him quickly!" Mary's concern for their son is increasing.

"Hold my hand so we don't get separated!" John reaches out his hand, which then grabbed by his wife. Together, the two dash through the people who are running in the opposite direction.

Jack, on the other hand, has stepped off the stage and is running among the other students. However, Jack runs in a different direction, occassionally collides with other students in panic who are heading for the exit.

"Devooon!! Loiiis!!"

Jack shouts his friends' names. He is so worry about them in this chaos. What if they fall and get hurt, or worse, whether it's because of the crowds panicking or stadium objects falling due to the tremors caused by the explosions outside?

"Jaaack!!"

Then, Jack's ears faintly caught the voices of his two close friends shouting his name. He immediately moves following the direction of their voices.

Until finally he sees them in the middle of a bunch of students who are running in fear. They are both looking around confusedly, trying to find Jack.

"Devon!! Lois!!" Jack runs over to them, so they can see him.

"Jack!" Lois and Devon are relieved. They three finally get together again.

"Thank God you're okay!" said Jack.

"Dammit! Why has it to be a monster attack here, at a time like this?!" Devon expresses his frustration.

Jack silently agreed. Why do his friends and him have to be faced with this kind of disaster just when they are in their happiest moment? But then again, this is how the world works now, since the incident that occured the end of last year.

"Our parents must be looking for us!" Lois looks around again, hoping to find her family, or maybe Devon's family or Jack's parents.

"But, so difficult in crowds panicking like this..." Jack also does the same. He hopes his father and mother are fine too.

He wishes that they rather had evacuated and wait for him outside the stadium.

Unfortunately, situation in the city is too bad. Streets engulfed in flames. Buildings are destroyed everywhere. Many lives have been lost.

Vaccine Monster's rampage continues. The creature doesn't stop throwing energy balls at anything it sees. Occassionally, it also lashes buildings using its hands and feet that have long, sharp nails.

On each highways, numerous Kansas Army National Guard tanks are in position. They surrounds the giant monster, firing cannons at it repeatedly.

The Vaccine Monster is being hit by a barrage of projectiles from all directions. It groans, and its body almost losing balance to stand. It seems like the attacks are having an effect.

But that is far from enough. In fact, all their efforts make the creature even angrier.

"You damn viruses! Perish!" It creates more energy balls above of its both palms, which are then thrown toward all the military tanks.

All of Kansas Army's combat vehicles get hit by the Vaccine Monster's counterattack. No one could hear the screams of the poor soldiers who didn't make it out as their tanks exploded into pieces, along with them.

Three attack helicopters fly around the Vaccine Monster at distances that they thought was safe. Machine guns at the bottom side of each helicopters are fired. The helicopters are firing without staying in one position in order to avoid the monster's giant green energy balls.

They didn't know how agile the monster is. Because of this, Vaccine Monster, who is very annoyed, manages to hit one of the attack helicopters. The helicopter falls...

…towards the David Booth Memorial Stadium.

Falling with high speed, the attack helicopter hits the LED screen, making it thrown into the field.

The stadium screen fell towards where Jack, Lois and Devon are, as well as several other students. All of them realize the falling screen from above is coming. They scream and cry in fear.

Jack's instinct kicks in. Using both hands, Jack pushes Lois and Devon's back as hard as he can.

"Whoa!!" His two friends are shocked when their bodies are thrown far forward, then fall rolling on the grass.

For a moment, Jack becomes shocked after he did it. Never he thought he had such strength.

His thoughts are immediately stopped when a large, heavy object, falls from above him, causing a loud crashing sound and many plumes of smoke spread across the field.

Lois and Devon are getting up while enduring the pain from the fall. When they saw what happened, their eyes widened in shock.

The stadium screen has fell on Jack, as well as several students who were previously running behind. Even though only half his body is crushed, Jack fell down in prone, unconscious.

"Jaaack!!" Full of worry, Lois and Devon tried to run towards him, although limping due to their legs feel hurt.

They arrive near Jack, then grab the edge of the huge LED screen that afflicted him from feet to the back. Lois and Devon begins to use all their strength to lift the stadium screen.

Not only them. There are also other students and victims' relatives who also try to free their friends and families who are crushed by the stadium screen, although most of them had already ran away to save themselves.

Of course their efforts are unsuccessful. The LED screen is too heavy to lift with bare hands. People who are still in the stadium are lacking in numbers and energies.

Even so, they still don't stop trying. Especially Lois and Devon.

"Please, hold on! I'm begging you!" Lois had tears in her eyes as she and Devon keep trying to lift the stadium screen. She doesn't want to lose the one that she loves.

Inside, they are both angry at Jack for his selflessness. Why did he always insist putting themselves first before him? Why is someone as good as him the one to be affected by disaster?

They are also angry at themselves. They feel that they couldn't do anything for him, for his kindness towards them all this time.

They feel very angry, and guilty.

In the end, they still can't move the stadium screen at all. They both sit on their knees, breathing hard. They almost desperate, but choose to gather their strength to try again.

Suddenly, Devon and Lois hear groaning sound next to them.

They turned to Jack, and are surprised to see his body starting to move.

Jack is still breathing. His consciousness has returned.

"Jack!" Lois and Devon hold his shoulders. They feel so relieved.

Slowly, Jack raises his head, looking at his two friends who are sobbing.

"Lois… Devon…" Jack speaks in a weak tone.

"You bastard!" Devon holds back his tears. "I will never forgive you if you leave us!"

"I... Can't get up," Jack said while trying to move his legs. He realizes the situation after looking to the back.

"Don't worry. We're trying to get you out!" said Lois, trying to calm him down.

The three of them hear sounds of streak explosions that came from outside the stadium. Through the destroyed wall of the stadium, what they see in the direction of the chaos makes their fear rises even higher.

The giant green monster, which is still being attacked by the Kansas Army, easily destroys dozens of tanks with its energy balls. The creature's distance is also closer to the stadium than before.

"Don't waste your energy on me," Jack tells Devon and Lois. "It's dangerous here. Go, now!"

"Jack, shut up! We won't give up on you!" Devon is starting to get annoyed with Jack's concern for him and Lois. Even though he is touched, he feels that Jack's good nature is just too much. "Besides, the UNMC will definitely come!"

"Jaaack…!"

Someone calls for Jack from far away. A familiar voice.

Jack's eyes widened. His guess is proven correct after looking to the front.

"Mom? Dad?" 

He begins to panic. He didn't expect that both of his parents are still in this stadium.

John and Mary are now at the sideline of the field. After a while, they find Jack being crushed by stadium's LED screen.

Both of them are very shocked by his condition.

"Oh my God, Jack!" uttered Mary with her mouth covered by both hands.

John and Mary immediately moves towards Jack. There's nothing the two of them could think about right now, other than saving their son.

"Hang on, son!" shouted John while running alongside Mary to his place.

"Don't come here! Father! Mother!" Jack shouts in panic by his parents' recklessness.

Outside stadion, Vaccine Monster gets hit by missiles, fired by two two attack helicopters behind it. It groans in pain and almost fall, before regaining his balance.

"Scram, vermins!" Vaccine Monster creates several energy balls from the palm of its right hand.

It turns around and shoot the energy balls at the two helicopters.

Unable to dodge in time, each attack helicopters' tail are hit by two energy balls and explodes, sending them tumbling around.

One energy ball that didn't hit the helicopter continues to travel at high speed through the air, heading towards the stadium.

It darts to a side of the field right at where John and Mary are.

The energy ball falls near the two of them and explodes violently, like a bomb dropped from the sky.

Jack cannot believe what he had just witnessed. He refused to believe it.

He prays to God to wake him up from this nightmare. However, reality says otherwise.

Lois and Devon's reactions are no different. Devon clenched his teeth, lowered his head with closed eyes, not capable to accept what he saw. And Lois, who is very shocked, cries while covering her mouth with both hands.

Jack clenches his hands. His heart is broken into pieces. Tears begin to flow down his cheeks.

"NOOOOO…!!!"

---

"Davidson!"

Jack's eyes immediately opened right after hearing Captain Kirkman's shout.

He has brought him back to reality.

The rear interior of the military transport aircraft is filled with soldiers wearing leaf green and sand yellow colored combat uniforms. They sit in rows of red chairs with backrests made of ropes, hugging their respective firearms.

And Jack is one of them.

Captain Kirkman is standing right in front of him, glaring at Jack who is dazed after being suddenly awakened.

"Wake the fuck up, soldier! We have a goddamn monster to be exterminated!" scolded the captain.

"S--Sorry, sir!" answered Jack, trying to stay firm.

Daily life as a member of the United States Armed Forces is tiring, but Jack always tries not to sleep. Not because he's afraid of being scolded. He just doesn't want to be carried to that dream again.

More precisely, he doesn't want to be reminded of that dark memory anymore. The tragedy that had changed the course of his life until now. That vision of the past has played out in his sleep so many times.

"We've arrived in Chicago," the pilot informs all the soldiers from the cockpit. "ETA, 3 minutes to the battlefield!"

"You heard it, boys?! Gear up!" Captain Kirkman ordered his team.

The soldiers wear their respective parachute backpacks, then put on their combat helmets which have equipped with communication headsets. Apart from that, they also check the availability of their ammunitions and other combat equipments.

After finished preparing themselves, Jack and the others get up from their seats. They line up facing the rear cargo door.

"Listen up!" Captain Kirkman, who is also ready, gives them instruction. "According to local police reports, this monster is made out of rock. They tried using grenades, and of course they didn't work."

It is no surprise to the United States Armed Forces, as well as to any military units around the world, that no small weapons are effective for fighting monsters. The creatures that they have all been dealing with, there are so rarely any of that can be handled just by the police. 

"Therefore, we need heavy artillery to take it down," continued the captain. "Our job is to hold it until the howitzer trucks arrive in position and readying them, so they can launch an accurate attack. Because this monster is also reported to be able to move quite nimbly even though it has the weight of dozens of elephants. Understand?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" answered the soldiers in unison.

"ETA, 50 seconds!" The pilot tells them again. "We're close to the location. Target sighted!"

The rear cargo door opens downwards. Jack can feel the winds from the sky entering the plane.

The land can be seen far below. There's a scene of dozens of destroyed buildings. And, a massive creature is seen tearing down other building entirely with his two hands.

Jack ponders for a moment. All the struggles he had gone through so far flashes in his mind.

He thought about how a cheerful child who once hated violence and dreamed of becoming a doctor, ended up being a soldier who is ready to die whenever necessary.

But he can't go back. He doesn't want to.

Not after what the world took from him.

He had chosen this path with full of determination. If it means saving innocent lives, then he is willing to sacrifice.

"Alright, team!" Captain Kirkman commands them. "Time to save the day!"

He jumps from the plane, plunging in the sky towards the battlefield. Jack and all the soldiers follows him.

***