VENOM

Nora was unable to sleep throughout the night. She was told to rest, since the journey to the evacuation point would be long and dangerous. But, how was she supposed to sleep at all? That place brought her nothing but bad memories. It was one hell of a bad omen. And, in the sparse moments she was able to leave her worries aside, Lilian's presence bewildered her. A presence that lost its warmth and gentleness at an alarming rate.

Nora's words were no longer reaching her, they seemed to get lost along the way, as if her sister stood on the opposite side of an infinite glass wall, isolated. The thoughts she perceived were disjointed, cryptic.

[They're coming.]

[Family is coming.]

[They wanna be with us.]

When the soldiers brought Lilian before her, she looked fine on the surface, and didn't show additional signs of physical deterioration. However, there was something in her eyes. A blue sparkle, bordering on iridescence. There was nothing human about it.

Nora approached her and gave her a hug.

"Lilian, sweetie…!"

Her sister reciprocated the hug and locked eyes with her, but her facial expression was brimming with inexpressiveness.

"Get ready, miss, we have orders to accompany you to the convoy. We must leave." said one of the soldiers.

"R-Right, I get it… Give me a moment, please."

"Try to stay optimistic." said the other soldier. "You've gone through lots of trouble, but you're in good hands now. Today you'll finally be able to rest peacefully, far away from here."

That sudden display of empathy caught Nora by surprise. Did she look so grim? To be honest, that man wasn't looking very bright either. She couldn't help but think it was a façade. Nobody was safe. Not yet. She wouldn't rest assured until she saw those safety promises becoming a reality in front of her own eyes. And even then, she'd be doubtful.

She let go of Lilian and grabbed what little belongings she had, before abandoning the room, following the soldiers closely.

******

"You doing okay?" asked Claire, with a hesitant voice.

William patiently waited for the military to give the order to board the convoy. He appreciated anything that allowed him to keep his mind occupied, anything but think. He had entertained himself watching the military personnel loading supplies and weapons in the vehicles, while the other civilians arrived in dribs and drabs. However, he did not feel like talking.

"I talked with Nora this morning, they allowed me to see her." continued Claire.

"Right…"

William looked away from her. He already knew what she was about to say.

"She mentioned what you were told at the lab…"

"Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay?" he answered. His tone was abrasive, making Claire shudder.

She nodded. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to bother you. I'm just a little worried, that's all. I'll shut up now."

Worried? About him? He supposed they had spent enough time together for them to develop some sort of bond. It was natural to be worried about friends, family, or close acquaintances. At least she still had a tangible bond with someone, one that wasn't self-destructive. He envied her.

"I wouldn't even know how to describe how I'm feeling right now. We'll have time to talk later, when we get out of here; if we do."

Claire's eyes were fixated on him for a while, somber and melancholic.

She took a couple of steps around him and looked at something beside him.

"Is that…?"

The little Eleanor wouldn't stay away from him. She pinched his jacket with her right hand, and refused to let go if she could avoid doing so.

The medical team had evaluated her health. She was malnourished, but wasn't hurt in any significant manner. She'd get better. At least, physically. Her mind was a different story. She no longer had that horrified expression painted on her face, but it might have actually been better if she did. Her appearance was that of a porcelain doll; inert, lifeless. Why did she cling to him? He had killed her father in front of her eyes. Maybe she associated William with him, somehow. Maybe that bond was the only thing left for her. A bond with no meaning, even if she wasn't aware of it.

"What will you do with her?" said Claire.

"I don't know." he grumbled.

Everything took him back to Amanda; Claire's question had unearthed that memory again. He couldn't blame her, she might not put two and two together without the right context. But that didn't stop him from feeling bothered.

He looked sideways at Eleanor. After saving her, he couldn't abandon her. She had become his responsibility. Nobody else had the time or the resources to take care of her in his stead.

Desmond's legacy seemed destined to torment him until the very end. Because of him, he lost Amanda. Now, his daughter became barely a remnant of those painful moments. On the one hand, the kid reminded him of the family Amanda would've liked to build. On the other hand, she reminded him that such a family would never exist.

Eleanor needed none of that internal conflict. She needed someone she could trust, someone who provided her with affection and protection, someone who helped her recover both physically and mentally. William wasn't that person.

He closed his eyes and cursed himself.

"Attention everybody! Form a line and head to the convoy, we'll leave soon!" a soldier's voice dragged him away from his thoughts.

A group of soldiers approached the vehicles. Among them, he recognized that captain, Isaac. He also recognized the one who seemed to be the head honcho, with a flamboyant insignia on his uniform, which William couldn't identify.

The civilians flocked to the vehicles, and William saw several familiar faces. Stella was almost at the front of the line, with two others helping her stand up. The young Ethan also wandered around, as well as the vast majority of the hospital's survivors.

Two individuals in particular caught his attention.

Julien was covered in bruises and dirt. They had him handcuffed, and a soldier held his arm tightly. They had obviously found out about the activities he had involved himself with, and it didn't seem like they appreciated it too much. On the other hand, that thug who used to accompany him, Logan… He looked bad. He had an escort as well, in this case, a soldier and a member of the research team. His face was sunken, as if he was suddenly down to skin and bones, and he was disoriented, lost.

It was comforting to know that those two miscreants were now under surveillance, but instead of being glad about it, William had a bad feeling. His intuition told him those two would still mean trouble. Besides, someone was missing. Jacobs was still out there, doing God knows what.

An image of Jacobs' face materialized in his mind. He shook his head, trying to avoid getting infuriated.

"Let's go." he said, walking towards the vehicles, with Eleanor and Claire following him.

******

"Everything ready, captain?" asked Rowan.

"Yes, sir. The civilians have boarded the convoy, distributed across the designated vehicles. We've also loaded all the non-expendable supplies. All that's left is loading the lab materials." replied Isaac.

"Excellent. Have you updated the other teams with the info we got from Dr. Marcus this morning?"

"Affirmative, sir."

Rowan still had doubts regarding the doctor, but if that info turned out to be true, it'd be a relief for his men. Their supplies were running dry. If they meant to defend the evacuation point, they'd need every resource they were able to collect. If Marcus told the truth, and there really was a stolen military truck near Saint Marie, loaded with weapons and ammunition, it could give them the slack they so much needed. Besides, he mentioned an apartment building where several survivors had been left behind. The transport helicopter had its limits, they couldn't afford to save everyone, but at least they could try and save a few more.

"We'll leave immediately."

"Excuse me…? Sir, we can't leave without the laboratory samples…"

'By now, Dr. Marcus should already be here. That means…'

"I'm aware of what I just said, Captain Isaac. We'll leave immediately."

"…yes, sir."

******

The laboratory door emitted three rhythmical beeps before sliding aside, allowing them passage. Everyone was busy with the evacuation preparations. The vast majority of the military was assembled at the underground parking lot, leaving the rest of the building unguarded. If there was to be a golden opportunity, that was it.

They just had to secure the queen samples and get in contact with Hades. PT-01 would ensure their safety, while Hades team secured the young queen and neutralized Rowan's men, who would be unable to respond accordingly due to lacking resources and personnel.

The operation was one step away from its conclusion.

They made their way through the multiple glass doors of the laboratory, heading for the sample room where Marcus had left the briefcase. Only two people remained at the lab, the ones tasked with gathering the last relevant documents and materials. They wouldn't be an obstacle.

One of them emerged from the analysis wing. He wasn't carrying the briefcase, but a small box with hard drives, papers, and other items.

"Huh? What are you doing he—?"

*Bang*

The silenced gun was barely audible. With a hole in his forehead, the man dropped like a rag, scattering the stuff he carried all over the place and causing a noisy ruckus. Heated steps were heard, and another man burst from a different door, with a worried look on his face. He didn't have the briefcase either.

"What was that!? R-Robert…!? What—!?"

*Bang*

'Marcus hasn't shown up to collect the briefcase yet, he's still in his office. Having access to the security cameras is a really convenient perk. I'll handle him later.'

…

The temperature dropped drastically when they entered the refrigerated environment of the sample room. On a table surrounded by shelves with hundreds of vials, they spotted the prized briefcase.

As soon as they took a step forward, an arm coiled around their neck, and another one immobilized the hand holding the pistol.

'What…!? Who is it!?'

They immediately threw their elbow back, sinking it into the stranger's stomach, but it wasn't enough to break them free. They threw themselves towards the wall, crashing the back of their opponent against it. The grip around the neck weakened, allowing them to twist around and escape the chokehold, finally facing the attacker.

It was a man. A kick to his right leg forced him on his knees. They saw him drag his hand towards his waist and bring out a pistol. With their own pistol, they opened fire, hitting their enemy's hand and making him drop the weapon. The man ran, attempting to find cover outside the sample room.

*Bang*

The bullet pierced the left side of his abdomen from behind. He stumbled and collapsed a few meters away from the doorway, in the middle of the lab, moaning in pain.

Once their attacker was defenseless on the floor, they were able to calm down and identify him. It was Marcus. Something wasn't right. Marcus wasn't meant to be there. Starting to panic, they grabbed the briefcase from the table and rushed back towards the laboratory entrance. Their intuition told them to get the hell out of there. But not without finishing the job first.

They aimed their gun at the whiny Marcus, when he pulled something out of his coat and flung it at the ceiling. It was a small glass vial, which shattered into pieces centimeters away from a gas detector. The lab lighting turned crimson red, and a security alarm resonated throughout the entire area.

[WARNING: CHEMICAL SPILL DETECTED. INITIATING QUARANTINE LOCKDOWN. PLEASE, FOLLOW THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS.]

The feminine voice of the emergency system looped over and over, hammering their head without rest. Without delay, they headed for the exit, ignoring Marcus. They could feel their heart rate accelerating.

The card reader let out a beep, and a red light began blinking, refusing to accept their ID. The door didn't move.

"Damn it…!"

"You haven't changed at all, that's for sure…" murmured Marcus behind them. "You can't leave anymore… I think it's an ideal occasion to have a chat, Elizabeth."

******

"Marcus…! What have you done!?" said Elizabeth, pointing her gun at him. Her face was twisted in an irascible expression.

"Hydrogen cyanide… Don't bother looking for the safety equipment… I made sure to get rid of it." while Marcus talked, Elizabeth covered her nose and mouth, left the briefcase on a nearby desk, and ran to a locker where they kept protective gear for the personnel. It was empty. "Fuck… I was hoping I didn't have to get this far, but I have no other choice… I can't allow you to leave."

"The cameras…! How did you get here!?"

"The colonel gave me access to the CCTV system. We injected false footage…"

"But, then…"

Elizabeth went back to the desk with the briefcase. She inserted her ID card into the electronic lock, and it released an electric whistling, before unlocking with a sequence of clicks. She opened it, and her wrathful expression was replaced with incredulity.

"You've always trusted your pragmatism and discipline too much, always expecting to have everything under control… It made you vulnerable, Elizabeth."

She smacked the briefcase to the floor, and it landed some feet away from Marcus' position. As planned, there was nothing inside.

"You knew from the very beginning, didn't you?"

"I had no way to be sure. How could I? Not all of us were involved with ZEUS, after all… But, the more I think about you, the more obvious it gets. Let me guess, our marriage was a lure. ZEUS knew about my reputation, and they wanted me on board. Am I wrong?"

Elizabeth looked away, and didn't answer his question.

"It's a pity it was already too late by the time I noticed your venom."