Chapter 11: The Unexpected Mission

Florida was finally coming into view. With some luck, they had managed to fly safely through the storm. However, they knew better than to assume that they were out of danger. It was only day three of the end of the world.

Layla took a deep breath as she looked down at Florida. It was the same as New York. Many buildings were destroyed and the lonely streets were filled with destroyed cars and rubble.

"Zane, we're going to have to land in Fort Lauderdale's airport. We have to do it fast," warned Layla.

"Are we going to get fuel or what?"

"That wouldn't be wise. As it is now, I'm sure the Apocrypha will hear our arrival. A helicopter makes a lot of noise, you know. Trying to fly out after landing could get us shot down."

A shiver ran through Zane's spine.

"What do we do then? Doesn't that mean we're stuck here?"

"Well, it is daytime. That means we should be able to find a boat a lot easier with fewer confrontations from the Apocrypha."

Zane pondered. He was still worried about what the Apocrypha back on the yacht had said to him. The Apocrypha were ordered in ranks which was a cause for concern. They had witnessed just how deadly the first two ranks could be. It made him anxious thinking about ranks 3 to 5.

Layla noticed Zane's worried look. Due to this, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Zane. I know it's not easy but worrying about dying at times like this will only make you indecisive. It's like going to war as a soldier. You know you could die at any moment but you have to fight, nonetheless. It's all about resolve."

Zane nodded but he didn't feel very reassured. He knew Layla was right but the most he could do was act as if he was okay.

A second later, Layla landed the helicopter in the middle of Fort Lauderdale's Airport. This was when she noticed that the sky was dark and cloudy. This was problematic as there would not be much sunlight to keep the Apocrypha away. It wouldn't be much better than nighttime.

Before long, they quickly exited the helicopter. The air around them smelled dark and gloomy. Airplanes and small cars around them were broken into pieces. Smoke was evident from almost all directions and the surrounding area was as silent as a graveyard. 

"Come on! We don't have time to stand around. The Apocrypha could be here any minute!" Prompted Layla, grabbing Zane's hand.

The two made sure not to waste any more time. Their only plausible exit was through the airport terminal in front of them.

"We have no weapons, no food, and no supplies. I want to be optimistic but things are looking really bad right now," complained Layla bitterly.

Quickly, they moved through a door, directing themselves inside the airport terminal. Just then, they heard a strange growl. It was like that of a lion with blood filling its throat. Fear crawled through their body as Layla realized she had made a terrible mistake.

"What's wrong..?" Asked Zane quietly.

"I'm an idiot, that's what! Ugh... This place is bound to be crawling with Apocrypha... What was I thinking, landing here?"

"It's okay. You're human. Everyone makes mistakes."

"Damn it... Mistakes like this aren't supposed to be made. This is life and death... Sigh... It's no use complaining about it now. Let's just hurry and move."

Layla and Zane moved quietly, trying to keep themselves hidden. They crawled around every corner, taking glances behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. Goosebumps filled their skins and anxiety worked their bodies like an electrical current. Every step felt like they were stepping deeper into danger.

Slowly, they then moved toward the entrance of an open room. This was when they heard shallow breathing as if someone was gasping for air.

Carefully, they pushed their heads around to inspect the interior of the room. The lights flickered on and off making it difficult to see clearly. They saw broken chairs, glass, and other debris scattered across the floor. 

A trail of blood then caught their attention. They followed it with their gaze until they met upon a horrendous sight. The air froze in their lungs. They didn't dare to breathe. Layla even covered her mouth, trying to prevent herself from screaming in fright.

Frightened by what they had seen, the two pulled their heads out of the room, ducking behind the wall.

"Oh my gosh..! What was that?" Asked Layla with bated breath.

"It looked like some kind of monkey... I... It looked even worse than those dog-like creatures back on the yacht..!"

They had seen a strange creature devouring a man. The man's face was partially torn off with one of his eyeballs hanging out from its socket. His nose and ears were missing and even a part of his skull was showing. The man was even gasping for air which indicated that he was still alive.

However, what truly scared them was what was devouring the man. It had light-brown fur and snake-like eyes. It looked like a mutation between a human and a monkey, standing around five and a half feet tall. It had no lips that revealed a row of shark-like teeth and it had a total of four hands. On each finger were sharp black needle-like fingernails, the size of small pencils.

"I don't even want to know what that thing was. As long as it didn't see us, that's all that matters. Let's just get out of here..."

"I... I don't know... I have a bad feeling about this..."

Every bone in Zane's body screamed at him to run. However, he also had a deep urge to check on the creature one last time. Reluctantly, he peeped through the door. His eyes were met with a thick blanket of darkness. The lights had seemingly stopped flickering. Zane peered his eyes through the darkness. The cold touch of darkness wrapped itself around him. Even the man's shallow breathing had completely disappeared. He didn't feel safe.

With a bright flash, the lights came back on. Sitting right in front of him, close enough for a kiss of death was the monkey-like creature. It smiled at him deviously, revealing its teeth and wagging its tail.

"Aahhhh!!! Shit!!!" 

Zane tripped over himself, falling to the ground in fright. His scream echoed across every corner of the airport. Even Layla jumped in fright, seeing what had happened.

"Hell no am I dealing with this!!" Screamed Layla, grabbing onto Zane's arm.

Layla and Zane sprang up like a pair of grasshoppers. They ran as fast as they could in the opposite direction, trying to get away from the strange creature. Their hearts fluttered against their chests and a sense of near-death encompassed them in its arms.

However, they noticed something quite strange. For some reason, the creature wasn't following them. It didn't give chase. Instead, it sat on the floor wagging its tail, watching them run away. Its snake-like eyes then became filled with excitement and an eye-touching smile crawled across its face. The lights then flickered once more and the creature was gone.

"What the hell was that thing?!" Shouted Zane.

"Just shut up and run!"

They were panicking. Every step felt like they were running closer to their deaths. Fear was stopping them from making wise decisions. They were bound to make a dangerous mistake at any second.

Not knowing where to go, they dashed into an open hallway. This was when they noticed they had made a very bad decision. Meeting their gaze from either side of the hallway were dozens of Rank One Apocrypha. The Apocrypha bellowed, signaling their comrades that they found humans. The chase had begun.

Zane and Layla dashed through the hallway as fast as they could. Zane's leg stung him the faster he went but he had to endure. The sickening feeling that something was breathing down his spine kept tricking him to turn around. Every time Zane and Layla turned their heads, they saw dozens of Apocrypha giving chase alongside dog-like creatures. The anxiety that coursed through their bodies was slowing them down. They were desperate to get away.

Layla felt sick from apprehension. She and Zane both felt like screaming for help. It looked as if they were about to be caught. However, Layla refused to give up. There had to be a way. 

A second later, they arrived at a small intersection. Two other hoards of Apocrypha approached them from both their front and left side. They were being approached from three different directions. Their right seemed to be the only plausible option since it was free of Apocrypha.

They dashed to their right with their stamina quickly depleting. Zane was now struggling to keep up. His injured leg and depleting stamina were slowing him down considerably. His only saving grace was Layla who hadn't let go of his hand the entire time. She pulled him along as best as she could, trying to keep him with her.

"Zane, stay with me okay?! I have a plan!" Shouted Layla.

Zane was too tired to answer. Layla then took another sharp turn, running up a flight of stairs. The turn was so sudden that the Apocrypha hadn't expected it. It caused a few of them to fall over, tumbling down on one another. This gave Layla enough time to execute her plan.

As soon as they reached the top of the staircase, Layla realized that they were at a dead end. Their options alternated between two stores on either side and a glass wall in front of them. However, this was perfect. 

With a powerful throw, Layla used the momentum to toss Zane into the store to their left. Zane rolled across the floor in pain, crashing into a pile of suitcases.

"Ouch! What are you doing?!"

"Shut up and toss me a suitcase! Hurry!"

Zane was clueless about what Layla was thinking but he didn't argue. He quickly did as she instructed and threw a suitcase toward her. Hurriedly, Layla caught the suitcase and ran toward a glass pane overlooking the exterior of the airport at the end of the hallway.

Layla's plan wasn't all that great but it was the only thing she could think of. Desperate circumstances called for desperate measures. She took the suitcase and slammed it into the glass wall, shattering it to pieces. She was hoping that the Apocrypha would think they had jumped through the broken glass wall and escaped. A second later, she dived into the store with Zane, covering herself with the pile of fallen suitcases.

The Apocrypha finally arrived at the scene. They scanned the area looking for any signs of Layla and Zane. This was when they noticed the hole in the glass wall. They bellowed to one another. They didn't seem very convinced. If Layla and Zane had jumped from that height then they would surely be injured or even killed from the fall.

Slowly, the Apocrypha began searching. The only place they could have gone was in one of the two stores and they knew it. Seeing this, Layla and Zane didn't dare to breathe. Their situation was starting to look hopeless. 

The Apocrypha entered the store that they were hiding in. They swung their shadowy heads in every possible direction, searching for even the slightest signs of movement.

Layla and Zane watched them with cold sweat running down their faces. They could even hear their hearts pumping against their chest.

The dog-like creatures were the most troublesome of all. They sniffed the floor, following their scent. They had super sensitive noses. Slowly, one of the dog-like creatures approached the pile of suitcases. It had picked up on their scent. Gradually, it began to growl as it crept closer to them with each passing second. Finally, it stopped. 

It looked down at the pile of suitcases, baring its teeth. However, just before the dog-like creature could pounce, the monkey-like creature from before appeared on the outside of the store. It then opened its mouth and said something that caught the attention of every Apocrypha.

"Vges éxo!!"

  Immediately, the surrounding Apocrypha exited the stores and moved back down the staircase in a hurry. Even the dog-like creature whimpered away, saving Zane and Layla from being discovered. The monkey-like creature had somehow commanded them to leave. Shortly after, even the monkey-like creature left.

  Layla and Zane were left in astonishment. They could hardly believe what had just happened. It didn't make sense. They had been inches away from being caught. The timing of that monkey-like creature was almost too perfect. Something didn't seem right.

However, this was also the perfect opportunity for them to escape. They doubted they would have another chance as good as the one they currently had.

"W-what should we do..?" Trembled Layla.

"You're asking me..? Aren't you the expert here..? Brrr... I feel so cold from all that anxiety... I can't stop shaking..."

"I... I don't like this but I think we should leave while we have the chance..."

Quietly, the two then crawled out from the pile of suitcases. They had to quickly find a way to escape or they would surely die. Just as they were about to move, they caught a small glimpse of a shadow hovering above their heads.

Their eyes broadened with fear as they looked up at the ceiling. The monkey-like creature smiled down at them with its broadened grin.

Layla quickly tried diving for a weapon. However, in the blink of an eye, the monkey-like creature jumped from the ceiling and knocked them to the floor. It subdued them faster than they could have hoped to move with its four powerful arms.

"He—"

Layla and Zane were ready to cry for help but the monkey-like creature signaled them to be quiet by dropping two of its arms on their mouths. It then placed its needle-like fingernail before its smiling mouth of shark-like teeth, hushing their fear. It looked like something that hopped out from a child's nightmare.

"Shh— Be quiet! You wouldn't want the others to hear you now, would you?" It said in a sinister monkey-like voice.

Layla and Zane laid on their backs, afraid to make even the slightest movement. They were paralyzed with fear.

"W-what are you..?" Trembled Zane.

"I'm simply a Chimera. You have nothing to worry about..!"

"A Chimera..?"

The Chimera smiled menacingly, "Yes, we're the cousins of the Apocrypha and we work together. For example, that strange dog that was about to find you before I saved you was also a Chimera. Well, that was only a Rank 2 Chimera anyway. As for me, I'm a Rank 5."

Zane and Layla trembled uncontrollably. If the thing pinning them to the ground was a Rank 5 then there was no possible way for them to escape. It was far too powerful for them to handle alone.

"How is something as evil as you even real..?" Muttered Zane.

"Hehehoo! Real, you say? Nothing is a myth. Even God himself is probably real. Everything in this world has some source of origin! It's just that over time, what's real becomes myths. Truth is lost in time! But the truth is always revealed in the end!"

"Cut the crap and tell us what you want with us already! I can tell you're not planning to kill us. You wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of getting us alone if you were!" Argued Layla.

The Chimera didn't answer. Instead, it took its needle-like fingernails and stabbed itself. Slowly, it then brought back out its fingers that were now oozing with a strange purple liquid. Zane and Layla could do nothing but watch in bewilderment.

This was when the Chimera did the unexpected and injected the purple liquid into the side of their necks. Pain immediately shot through their bodies like a bullet. They gasped for air and groaned in agony. Their bodies trembled as if they were having epileptic seizures and a fever immediately took them hostage. They felt like they were about to die. Fortunately, the painful sensation dissipated after a few seconds.

Layla and Zane looked up at the Chimera with sweat running down their faces. They breathed heavily and their eyes were full of shock.

"What did you do to us?!" Shouted Layla.

"I just injected you with the Apocravirus... I believe you humans called it the Coronavirus? Hehehoo!"

"W-what? Why would you place that tracking virus inside of us now when you can kill us whenever you want?"

"Tracking virus? I think you've been misinformed. Sure, the virus can be used to track those it has infected but that's hardly even intentional. The real purpose of the Apocravirus is to spread and kill humans without damaging their brains. The second strain of the Apocravirus will be released shortly and it will be a lot more deadly than you could ever imagine!"

"So you're just planning to have us die from this dumb Apocravirus?" Questioned Zane.

Before the Chimera answered, it surprisingly released Layla and Zane from submission. This allowed them to pick themselves up.

"I actually did you a favor. The Apocravirus is created from the fusion of Apocrypha and Chimera DNA. Injecting my blood inside of you won't kill you or even make you sick. It simply allows me to track your location at all times and it even gives you immunity to the Apocravirus that's about to be released."

"What..? Why would you give us immunity? What are you planning to do with us?" Asked Layla as she secretly tried to pick up a shard of broken glass.

"If you don't wish to die then I'd advise you to drop the weapon you just picked up."

"Tsk! Damn it..." She murmured, dropping the shard glass.

"You see, as a monkey, I like to play games! To be precise, we're playing a game of chess and you two are my king and queen."

"A game of chess? Against who?"

"Hehehoo! You needn't worry about that. For now, I want to propose a deal to you."

"We're listening."

"The deal is simple. If you can survive the rest of the year without dying then I'll convince the Apocrypha to leave Earth! As a Rank 5, I have plenty of influence in the Royal Family. I can make it happen."

Zane and Layla sat in disbelief. It didn't add up. What did this Chimera gain from doing this? However, they knew better than to reject his proposal. Despite not knowing his plans, it seemed like the most logical option.

"I don't know what you're planning but I doubt we have much of a choice. If we reject your offer, you'll probably kill us. But it sounds like a good offer given that we can save the rest of the human race this way," answered Layla.

"Good! This will be a very fun hunting trip for the Apocrypha! If at least one of you survives by the end of 2020 then the remainder of humanity will be spared! But if you die, then everyone else dies too!!"

Zane and Layla were petrified but they accepted the deal. It was the only hope for humanity.

Their time left: 362 days

Their plan: none

Their mission: Survive 2020