Chapter 25: The Gathering

With the Vaccine being made and Joe getting to work on stabilizing the formula, the team huddles together to share intel about their enemy they are dealing with. Jenny made sure the team's ammunition was being replenished for their guns and shared a cherry soda that replenished their energy and stamina reserves before each battle. Skip pulls up a document, detailing his research about their enemy: The One

About The One

Research accumulated after battles with infected using Millie's Research camera function.

Once infested by the spore by either exposure to the air or by direct contact by scratch, parasite, or bite. The spore immediately enters the bloodstream as it will work their way into the heart, lungs, throat, nerve system, respiratory system, and the brain within 15-30 minutes based on the individual. For PSI users- 4 to 8 hours based on the user PSI level and constitution.

Once it reaches the vitals in a subject, the victims will exhibit Diarrhea, blindness, numbness, coughing blood, brain fog, infected tonsils, and/or body shakes. Eventually, they'll hear voices from The One offering them safety and warmness. However, you know what happens then...

Once the time has passed, the subject however doesn't lose their personalities or being erased, they become enraptured with the hive mind. They are not mindless and they can still think individually, but they are hostile to those that are the living. It hits the brain and infects it, removing any fear and ambition in their minds. The process then would be irreversible.

Stages of Infection

Crawlers- A basic enemy who becomes infected to attack the intruder. They are many and they work in packs in seeking those to either infect or kill.

Tunnelers- These creatures are savage, they use wings, tails, and/or claws. They are physically impervious to any blunt force or guns. Especially being resistant to Cold after learning from Victor when fought against one of them.

Stalkers- These infected can ambush their unsuspecting prey and they attack with blinding speed. You can tell they have 3 fingers and 3 toes and with a grin on their faces.

Sorcerers- These infected can use magic for attack and Defense. Only Jenny or Sakura can go toe to toe with them safely while the team has to be creative on their own. They can communicate to the hive mind directly. You can tell with their sewn mouths shut and pale skins.

"Whoa Whoa!" Mark said to Skip. "Sorcerers?!" he said skeptically, "What the fuck is this, The Lord of the rings?!"

"No, this is the world where magic exists, Dad." Skip said, looking exasperated at his dad. "You forget that even the Infected can use magic powers. That is why I called them Sorcerers."

"Called it!" Jenny said with a smile.

Sakura Stated: What? The sorcerers we encountered didn't have any legs, and they were floating and their mouths haven't sewn shut and their skins were pale.

"True, those are the earlier versions, Sakura." Skip said. "However, the ones we met had shown their characteristics, and they were speaking to our minds."

Sakura gasps for a moment and then continues to listen.

To continue

Rumblers- These things are highly resistant toward Magic, PSI, and physical combat. Only Jenny can engage them one on one safely. They would overpower anyone else, not even Sakura would be no match for them. They are identifiable by their vines, flowers growing on their heads, and having no mouth on their jaw.

And Lastly the Revenants- These things leave their bodies and they detach their brain from their bodies, the last stage of their transformation. Destroying their brain is a must since the form they project is not real, every time you destroy one, they will return after 30 seconds, stronger and deadlier each time to the point where it would be difficult to kill them each time.

"That explains why the fucker near killed us both," Jenny said, recalling that moment that the Revenant nearly killed them both.

Sakura chimes: We would have been killed by that monster if that knowledge didn't come in time, Skip-Senpai. I was getting ready to make my last stand until you came.

"Glad you didn't because that thing would have killed you instantly if it did. If that happens..." Skip said which Sakura kissed him on the cheek.

"I swear, Sakura..." he said, fluttered. "Oh, you know what-" Jenny kissed him, too.

"Oh god, Jenny, not you too..." he shook his head.

"You know what?" Skip walked to Jenny and kissed her on the cheek and hugged Sakura and gave a long French Kiss to her. "That was a onetime deal." he snapped his fingers and gave them a slight shock.

"You ass..." Jenny slightly fluttered while Sakura got a merry laugh at it. "Sakura..."

Sakura says: What? He said a onetime deal! We'll let it slide. Besides, we teased him for a long time, at least we got a kiss on the face.

"Alright... The Loverboy won that round." Jenny said.

"Hey alright, guys, I got some news- Good & Bad," Joe shouts to get their attention.

"Okay, Say the word, brother!" Mark said.

"Good news, boys & girls, the vaccine stew is ready, I put her in a special case so she stays warm and not easily breakable," he said, beaming with pride.

"That is awesome." Victor said."What to think ahead, meathead!" he said with a smile.

"Bad news is..." he suddenly clenched his stomach and vomited.

"Shit!" Skip shouted in horror.

"Son..." Mark said. "I can't see..."

"Boss?" Jenny said, concern on her face.

"I can't see! Dammit!!" Mark shouted.

Sakura began coughing up blood.

"Everyone! Are you guys alright?!" Jenny said.

"Shit! I can't feel anything..." Skip said in a panic. "That odd, I can still move my body but I can't feel anything else." he moved his hands, feet, he can still move but he cannot feel anything.

"Uh, Shit... Guys, we need to cool that stuff down." Joe said, getting off the ground. "Or we��re fucked! I'm alright for now, but I don't know how long, man."