Chapter 9: Taking A Risk!

The collective screams of Paulina, Keith and Maria echo and bounce off the walls of the south stairwell. Maria's body flails about in mid-air grasping for some sort of lifeline as she begins to quickly descend the the void of the empty south stairwell. In a panic she unclasps the gamma lantern from her hip and lets it fall to the darkness below, a loud bang also takes a turn at announcing its presence as it smashes on the ground floor littered with broken pieces of the old stairwell and rebar sticking up from it. A bright flash of blinding light is also shot out through the entire stairwell, illuminating everything momentarily. Keith and Paulina cover their eyes to shield them from the blazing illumination. A quick breeze of air blows by them at this exact moment as if a sports car had zipped by them and the unseen presence of The Shadowy Figure aka Graham leaps from the tattered 5th-floor stairwell landing towards the rapidly descending body of Maria like a skydiver his body as stiff as a bullet. As the light dissipates and quickly returns to the darkness like a blanket being thrown over the moon. Maria continues to scream as she reaches her impending doom and blacks out, Graham extends his arms out like Superman and grabs Maria's unconscious body in mid-air, pulls her in close to his chest and noticing the pile of rubble and re-bar in his path he turns his body in mid-air to absorb the eventual impact and possible impalement. As if time slowed down Graham slowly feels the slight pinch of the pointed end of the re-bar, he looks to his right seeing a clear spot untouched by the debris, lifts Maria's benumbed body and tosses it to the side like a child tossing a ball ever so slightly as to not hurt her. Maria's comatose athletic body flies through the air like a feather and falls to the cold, hard concrete ground on her right side with a slight impact and rolls another two meters stopping at a large pile of rubble near the entrance to the hotel lobby. Time re-adjusts and in an instant as Maria lands on the ground the rusted re-bar rips through the large muscular body of Graham severing part of his spine, breaking through the front of his lower rib cage just below his heart. Graham's body slams down on the pile of concrete shattering most of the bones in his body and sending a cloud of a dust-up in the air. Graham lifts his head slightly with what strength he has left, turns to his right, looks at the lethargic body of Maria lying on the floor, her raven coloured hair covering her face. He looks at his broken and bloody body, lies his head down on the rubble behind him like a pillow, closes his eyes and says, "Ouch!... That hurt like a paper cut!... I'm just going to take a bit of a nap for a few minutes and then I will get up!" Graham falls into a deep sleep as his body starts to rapidly heal itself.

On the tattered 5th floor landing Keith falls to his knees and screams out in grief as tears flow down from his eyes like a waterfall at the death of the one person he had connected his heart to. He stares down the dark, empty south stairwell. The tears from his eyes fall to the void below like raindrops from the heavens. Paulina kneels beside him, she wraps her arms around him, pulls Keith in close to her to offer comfort and to keep him from falling down the empty stairwell as well. Keith's head lies buried in Paulina's ample bosom, her shirt soaked with the tears from Keith's eyes. Numerous tears flow down from her eyes as well as turning them red. In a barely coherent voice filled mostly with sniffling and crying Keith said," I should have let her go first!... I should have been the one to die not her!" " Don't talk like that!.. There is no way that you would have known that the rope was going to break!", said Paulina. " I should have! I should have checked it over better, but I let my anger towards Axel make me rush it!", said Keith. " We all rushed it, Keith!... And we all checked it out!", said Paulina as she caresses the top of Keith's head like a small child. Keith lifts his head off of Paulina's chest, looks at her with his eyes all red and puffy matching Paulina's own and says," I never got to tell her how I felt, that I love her!" Keith puts his head down between his legs and starts to cry uncontrollably, Paulina places her small hands on the skinny back of Keith, rubs it and says," She knew Keith!... She even told me that she was beginning to fall for you, pardon the expression!... That you were the first man she felt didn't want anything from her other than to love her!" Keith lifts his head, wipes the tears from his eyes and says in a voice filled with partial relief," Your not just saying that are you?" Paulina places her hands on either side of Keith's face gently on his cheeks, looks into his eyes and says," God's honest truth!... I would never lie about something like that, especially at a time like this!... She told me when we were waiting for your big friend there to stand down!" A smile comes across the face of Keith as does Paulina and the two of them start to laugh a bit at the memory of Keith's embarrassing erection back when they were all making the rope. The crackling sound of the walkie talkie kicking in interrupting their moment of remembrance followed by the voice of Axel saying," Hey, are you on your way down or what?... You got another story, so what gives!?" Keith stands up in a fit of grief-filled anger and walks into the 5th-floor hallway followed closely by Paulina. Keith grabs the walkie talkie from his belt and angrily says," You little fucking asshole!... Have you no ounce of compassion for other then yourself and money?!" "Whoa, whoa!... What the hell are you talking about?!.. I'm kind of out of the loop here, did something happen?", replies Axel. " We were on our way down and the rope broke, Maria fell to her death so that we could come and help you, you selfish black-hearted bastard!", exclaims Keith. A brief moment of silence fills the airwaves and the voice of Axel replies," That's horrible!... But you can't bring her back and there are still others down here that you can save, so take a couple of minutes and get down here!" "You're all heart, Axel!... Paulina and I just saw our friend die and all you care about is yourself!... We will take as much time as we need and will be on our way then! And when I get down there, Greg, those weapons you say you have and not even god can stop me from sending you to hell to meet your new roommate and old business partner the devil!", exclaims Keith. " Just get down here and stop with the idle threats, we both know that you won't risk the lives of the others!", said Axel. The walkie talkie goes silent, Keith places it back on his black leather belt, looks at Paulina with anger in his eyes and says," Let's go get our friends, plus I've got a bug to squash!" " For sure!.. Let's go and exterminate that little weasel!" Paulina and Keith place the backpacks back on their respective backs and make their way down the hallway of the 5th floor as the gamma lantern illuminates their path.

Tears of sadness fill the eyes of both Grace and Hannah. Grace standing by the gamma generator leans against the chain-link fence, that surrounds the massive energy supplier, leans her head against it. Her fire-engine red hair hanging down the sides of her face conceal the crocodile tears that stream from her bright green eyes. Grace closes them and in her mind sees images of the short time she has known Maria, from the trek to the city from Martinsville to the times in the hotel before they separated into two groups. In the small distance on the other side of the room near the entrance door, Hannah sits against the wall, sounds of her sobbing echo throughout the empty room. Hannah pulls the pink hair tie out of long brownish, blond hair, it falls to her small shoulders and immediately Hannah grabs a large strand of it from the left side and runs her hand through it. Tired of that she lets go of the strand of hair and clasps a strand from the right side and does the same thing. Grace turns her head slightly to the left and through her ginger locks observes Hannah's actions and then turns her head back towards the fence. Hannah casually looks over at Grace and then quickly turns her head and attention to the concrete floor in front of her. They do this multiple times over the next 20 minutes. Grace lifts her head from the fence and walks towards the other side of the room and Hannah. Hannah continues to look at the ground, playing with her strand of hair as Grace approaches and stops right in front of her. Hannah looks up at Grace towering over her like a skyscraper and says," What do you want?" " I just wanted to see if you were alright after all this is now two people we have now lost!", said Grace. " I'm fine thanks!... You don't have to check up on me, this isn't the first time I've lost someone and it won't be the last!", replies Hannah. " Look, I don't want to fight with you anymore!... Who knows if we will ever get out of this basement or this hotel alive, I just don't want there to be any bad blood!... I want my friend back!", said Grace. Hannah sits silently for a brief moment and she replies," You think because I shared a traumatic and personal part of my past that we were friends?!... Thanks but no thanks!", said Hannah. " Yes, I do!... Because that is what friends do, they tell each other their hopes and their fears!... You can hide behind this tough exterior that suddenly appeared, but I know that the real you is the kind sweet, sensitive girl who I had gotten to know up till a switch flipped...I'm not giving up on you!", said Grace. Hannah looks at the ground and then says," Would you like to sit down?" A huge smile appears across the face of Grace from ear to ear and she says," I would love to!" " Don't expect me to chat too much, just sit there!", said Hannah. "That's fine with me!", said Grace. Hannah lets go of her hair and places her earbuds back in, she presses play on her I-pod, stares at the ground and starts to sing Superman by Five For Fighting. Grace walks over to Hannah's right side and sits down beside her listening to Hannah's raspy voice change to a beautiful songstress.

Trapped in the partially damaged elevator car Liam stands in the middle of it. He looks around once again to see if there is some sort of clue as to what Axel and Greg were looking for in here. Liam takes a mental note confirming what he already knew and that was that whatever Axel and Greg were looking for they had already found it! Liam had hoped that maybe just maybe they had overlooked something in the old elevator car, that there might be something that he might be able to possibly use to get out. Some sort of leverage against the two rogues to use against them or maybe bargain his way out of this sealed tomb that he was placed in to die. Having checked the remains of the scattered corpses of the four soldiers and two agents that died in this elevator car over a hundred years ago earlier Liam decides to go with his backup plan of crawling out of the roof of the elevator car and up the dark damaged elevator shaft. Liam steps towards the front corner of the elevator car were numerous ceiling tiles had broken out to reveal the dark shaft above, he places his right hand on a grooved opening on the wooden paneling that still partially lines the walls of the elevator car and places his left hand in another on the wall next to it. He places his right foot on a lower groove and begins to pull himself on a lower groove. Very carefully he pulls himself up the wall like he is Spider-Man. As Liam is about to pull himself up onto the roof of the elevator car, he looks down and notices something he had not seen before. He notices the outstretched hand of the corpse of the long-dead agent pointing at a faded and dirty plastic cover containing safety precautions if passengers should get trapped in an elevator. "Oh hell!... It's a long shot but I might as well take a look!", said Liam. Liam slowly climbs his way back down into the elevator car, he looks around for something to break the thick plastic off with no luck. Observing that the plastic though is over a hundred years old and seems very brittle as he runs his right hand over it noticing a small crack in it as the layers of dust come off he decides to use his own body to break the plastic cover off. Liam stands back a bit, lifts his right leg as if he were a flamingo and snaps it out like Bruce Lee kicking the plastic cover and shattering it into multiple pieces revealing it's weakness and a hidden surprise. As the safety instructions fall to the floor of the elevator car, taped behind it is a folded piece of faded paper. Liam removes it, unfolds the paper revealing a map with some writing on the bottom right-hand corner. He looks over the map and reads what had been written on it and says, "Son of a bitch!... This just got a whole lot more interesting!" Liam folds the map back up and places it in his front shirt pocket and scales the wall of the elevator car again and up into the elevator shaft and starts to climb up it very carefully.

The Group Leader hangs still from the rusted metal laundry hook as if he were a slab of meat unconscious, not even the sound of the incoherent mumbling that he once was spouting. This time he is at ease, Axel looks him over as the Group Leader is suspended off the ground in his vegetative state. Axel places his left hand under the nostrils of the Group Leader to see if he is still breathing. With the small bursts of air coming from the nasal cavities to confirm the presence of a life force still inhabiting the incapacitated body of the Group Leader along with the movement in his chest, Axel steps back and says, "Good, your still alive!... I still need you, you can't die yet!" Greg walks up behind Axel ever so stealthily like a cat and said," I thought he couldn't die?... At least that is the stories of Patient Alpha." " Oh, he can!... There is a theory that if he sustains more injuries in rapid succession that the instant healing process could kill him!", said Axel. "That's the weirdest thing I have ever heard!... Medical science is thrown right out the window here!", replies Greg. " Yeah, well truth can be stranger than fiction when it happens!" Axel looks over the unconscious Group Leader with great interest and concern and he says," You can't go yet oh fearless leader!... You still hold some secrets that are needed!" A look of curiosity comes across the face of Greg and he said," So what exactly does the White Dragon want with him?... From what I heard he has been just as long as Patient Alpha... If that's who the Group Leader is!" Axel turns his short stalky body towards Greg, looks up at him and says," The serums my friend!... The serums!" A confused look comes over the face of Greg and he replies," Serums!?... I thought there was only the one we were after and whatever that blueprint is you found in the briefcase!" " You forgot about the journals!... But seeing as how you have committed yourself to this cause I will tell you!..... There is another serum, one that can reverse the state I believe the Group Leader could be in." " And how will this help The White Dragon?", said Greg. " With his body composition, it could make him indestructible and once he gives the Lazarus cure to the Scavengers plus the second serum nothing can stop them!... He and his army will be the most powerful beings on the planet and if we play our cards right we can too!", said Axel. A look of amazement comes over the face of Greg from this information he just heard and replies, "Wow! That's one hell of a tall tale!... But if it's true, then I'm in!" Axel taps his pudgy left hand on Greg's massive chest and says," Oh it is!... You won't be disappointed bro!... We just have to hope that the Group Leader wakes up!" The completely unconscious Group Leader hearing all this in his comatose state says in his inner monologue," I would rather die than let that happen!... I can't let that happen!"

In 2022 Dr.Darren Larson works diligently on a complex equation on his MacBook Pro on a metalwork table lined with beakers and test tubes filled with numerous chemicals. Behind him, a whiteboard is loaded with another equation that is being worked on by Dr.Susan Aster. Her brown hair swaying from side to side as she quickly writes down another part of the equation. She stops takes the glasses off her face and places the left arm of the pink frames in her mouth and starts to hum at a low tone as she tries to complete her theory. Dr.Larson stops typing and looks over at Dr.Susan Aster saying," Have you got stumped?" " Yes!... This will work from what I can see for the most part, but I'm just not sure how to finish this?... It's similar to the original cure but I'm just not sure which compound to take out to remove the side effects?" Dr.Larson looks over the whiteboard, studying it with great detail and immediately he says," I see it!.... If you take and remove line two it should compensate for the acceleration/freeze rate and voila!"Dr.Susan Aster looks over the equation and noticing her error she says," Oh my God you are right!... How could I miss that?!" "It's no problem, you are one of the most brilliant minds I have ever known! Besides, you have been staring at that for hours now!... Hell I would have been the same and in fact, I was for a while here, but I am almost done too!", replied Dr.Larson. Dr.Aster erases the second line of the equation on the board and reads it over for good measure and then she says," There!... We have it!.. The new cure, we just need to synthesize a copy and test it!" " Fantastic!.. Get on that as quick as possible so we can see if it has no side effects either!... Time is running out for the human race!", said Dr.Larson. Dr.Aster walks over the large computer on the opposite side of the room and punches in her equation on the keyboard with extreme quickness. "There, it's in and the computer should have the first vial of the new cure in 10-15min, then we will see if we finally have it!" Dr.Larson back working on his equation glances up from his laptop screen and says," That's great!... We have a test subject waiting that the army just found along with a few others!" Dr.Aster looks over at the whiteboard and reads it once again and she said," Dr.Larson, I just noticed. This latest cure will only cure those with the plague at all forms, but not those who were turned into the Scavengers!... I thought we were trying for that, after all the last cure attempt would have according to the equation!" Dr.Larson looks up from his keyboard and says," That last cure attempt would have true, but it also could have turned them into something much worse that would be hard to stop!" " Yes in theory, but we are scientists!... Aren't we supposed to explore every avenue?", said Dr.Susan Aster. " We can't risk that!.. The side effects could be monstrous!", said Dr.Larson. " What about what you are working on, could that help?", said Dr.Aster. "No, definitely not!... This is kind of like an EpiPen for when the side effects of the last cure attempt get out of control, to balance it back out!... This mixed with any of the other cure attempts could be even worse!", said Dr.Larson "Alright, so this is our only hope then!", asks Dr.Aster. "Yes, this is our last hope!... After this there could not be anything else we can do!", said Dr.Larson. A beeping noise signals out through the lab as the computer notifies the two scientists that the latest cure attempt is ready. Dr.Aster runs and quickly opens the door to the computerized cure synthesizer and removes the large tube filled with a violet coloured liquid and says," Okay, I am going to go and test it out on the test subject, I will let you know what the results are!" Dr.Larson looks up from his laptop and says," Great!... Let's cross our fingers and hope this is finally it!" Dr.Aster runs out of the room without responding, a puzzled look as to her inquires about his work and the last cure attempt perplexes Dr.Larson as a look of confusion comes over his face.

Down the hall in another small lab lying on a cot Dr.Kevin Aster lies shivering, his eyes red and his skin a palish purple colour. Dr.Susan Aster walks into the lab and says," Give me your arm quick before you start to change!... We will see if this cure attempt will work until I can get it right to help you, my love!" Dr.Kevin Aster slowly extends his left arm and tightly grasps his wife's right arm as his face exhibits a more maniacal look. Dr.Susan Aster tries to gently pull her arm away from the strong grip of her husband's hand as she says," Come on my love, I have to do this quickly and see if it works, there is also a test subject I have to try it on before the others get suspicious!.... Please let go!"Dr.Kevin Aster fights off his aggressive impulses and lets go of his wife's athletically muscular arm, Dr.Susan Aster plunges the needle containing the violet coloured liquid of the latest cure attempt into his arm. Within seconds Dr.Kevin Aster starts to look more human, his skin returns to its light tan colour, his eyes back to green and his nature goes from aggressive to calm. Dr. Kevin Aster falls asleep and Dr. Susan Aster gently caresses his head and says, "Sleep my love, I will check on you later!... If this doesn't work I only have one option left and the hell with what that fucking mama's boy Larson says!" Dr.Susan Aster walks out of the small lab and down the hall towards the quarantine zone.

Keith and Paulina move quickly down the dirt-covered concrete stairs of the north stairwell, a mouse runs over the foot of Paulina's tan hiking boot. Paulina lets out a bloodcurdling scream that could wake the dead as kicks her right foot forward and like a soccer player striking the ball and sends the mouse flying through the air at a high velocity. The medium-sized grey mouse strikes the brick of the stairwell leaving a small splatter of blood on it where its life ended. The mouse squirms and writhes for 15 seconds and then in an instant its life force leaves its body and the carcass of the rodent lies motionless on the stairwell. Keith stops and looks back at Paulina who with an apologetic look on her face says, "Sorry!... I hate mice!" " I would say that's an understatement!... If you could do that to a mouse then I would hate to see what you could do to a person you hated!......Nice shot by the way!", said Keith. " Thanks!... Yeah I kind of took martial arts as a kid!", said Paulina. " Aren't you full of surprises!!... For how long?", said Keith. " From when I was 5 up until now you could say!", said Paulina. " WOW!.... You're a lethal weapon, remind me never to piss you off then!", said Keith with a laugh as he is trying his best to find some humor. " Haha!... I never use it when I am angry, it is for self-defense only! Not to prove how tough you are!", said Paulina. " I know, I was just kidding!", said Keith. "Oh, well then! Then you better watch out because I might kick you square in the balls!", said Paulina. Keith and Paulina out a collective laugh that fills the empty, darkened stairwell. A gust of wind blows through the hole in the ceiling up above as the rain slows down the waterfall pouring down the center of the stairwell. On the wind the sound of a female voice carries and Keith pauses dead in his tracks, tears start to flow down his face and he sits on the filthy steps. Paulina noticing this immediately sits down right beside him, places her right arm around Keith's shoulders and says nothing, she just lets him work through his grief. Unknown and unseen to both of them the ghost of Samantha stands to observe this solemn moment knowing the full fact that Maria is still alive and that the wind had carried the voice of Maria from the bottom of the other stairwell over to this stairwell not by chance but by Samantha's design to show him that she is not dead.

Maria wakes up from her unconscious state, she takes her hands and rubs her eyes as her eyes struggle to adjust. Her body sore and bruised from the fall and landing, she wonders how in the hell did she ever survive! Maria pulls her aching body up very slowly into a seated position, the lactic acid in her body makes it hard to move. But she fights through the pain, being a professional fighter she had learned to battle through pain close to this, but still a little ways off. Maria groans in pain letting out an echo in the empty, dark and broken south stairwell that sounds an awful lot like a ghost shrieking out loud. She looks around the old stairwell at the floor littered with piles of broken concrete and re-bar that once was the stairwell up above, and looks at the place where her body landed. " How in the fuck did I manage to land here?... Scratch that!..How did I even manage to survive?..... I better contact Keith and tell him I'm alright, he must be a wreck!", said Maria. Maria searches her belt for her walkie talkie and pulls off from her belt what once was her walkie talkie, now a mess of broken plastic and wires. The only thing intact is the greenish, blue light of the gamma batteries, she puts the remnants of the walkie talkie beside her on a piece of concrete. " Well, that's just perfect!...I'm going to have to make my way up to them I guess!", said Maria. Maria tries to stand up but the pain in her body keeps her from standing. She sits back down on the ground in the spot marked out by the dust her shapely buttocks had been sitting in. " Guess I will wait for them to come down here!", said Maria. Maria looks up at the dark empty ceiling and slowly scans her way down to where she now is. " I just don't understand how I survived, that fall should have killed me!" As her eyes begin to adjust to the dim lighting of the stairwell the answer to her question lies impaled by the rusted re-bar and busted on a pile of concrete. A small ray of light comes through from a hole in the ceiling above giving Maria a better view of her savior, she sits shocked by the site of this. " Holy shit!", exclaims Maria.

The dead silence gives off an even more eerie presence to the situation as Liam stands on the dilapidated elevator car looking up at the pitch-black elevator shaft. He looks down into the elevator car and catches a glimpse of his gamma lantern that sits all orphaned on the floor. "Son of a bitch!!!!", exclaims Liam. Liam hops back down into the elevator carriage, grabs the lantern, attaches it to the belt loop on the right side of his jeans, pushes the ignitor on it and the bright whitish-green light shines out completely illuminating the entire elevator car. Liam rubs his eyes after getting the blast of blinding light and says, "Fuck that's bright!" Liam climbs back up the wooden paneled walls of the elevator car and back up onto the roof of the elevator car. The light from the gamma lantern gives Liam a preview of just exactly what he is in for in this seemingly short distance. The icicles of over a hundred years of dust hang down overhead along with rusted and jagged metal pieces of the remains of the frame from the elevator shaft. This extreme damage along with some small holes in the brick from where the elevator car impacted when it fell from above gives Liam some perfect footholds and something to grip onto. "Okay you can do this bud, you can do this!", says Liam to himself. Liam places his right hand into a broken piece of concrete and his left foot onto the only remaining piece of the iron access ladder and starts to pull himself up slowly and carefully.

The waves of blondish brown hair sway slowly from side to side in perfect time to the music playing in Hannah's ears. Ever so slowly she moves her head from side to side as she sings along to every tune that has come along on her playlist oblivious to the surroundings and Grace sitting next to her. Hannah's voice also sings out loud as if she were performing to a crowded stadium of thousands of fans. A smile of happiness comes over the face of Grace seeing the comfort and pleasure the singing brings Hannah as each word of the song comes out with such feeling. The sound of, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey comes out of the mouth of Hannah, a song all too familiar with Grace. This particular song is one that Grace's mother used to sing all the time when she was a child. Grace knowing the words by heart sings along with Hannah and the I-Pod in perfect time as if the two women were performing a duet. The more the song goes on so does the singing by Hannah and Grace. As the song ends, the sound of Grace's sweet and powerful voice crooning that last piece of chorus catches the attention of Hannah who shuts off her I-Pod turns and looks at Grace and says," I didn't know that you knew that song?... You have a beautiful voice!" " Thanks, my mother used to play that song to me all the time!... We used to sing along to it all the time when I hear it, it brings a smile to my face!", said Grace. " Your mom had great taste in music, she and I would get along great!", said Hannah. " You would have, you really would have!... She passed away when I was 12!", said Grace. " So it was just you and your dad then?", asked Hannah. "No!... My dad took off when my mom got pregnant with me and I've never met him and my grandparents were dead... My mom was an only child so when she died I was placed in an orphanage and basically grew up there until I was 18 and went to the Master City on the west coast for school." , said Grace as a small trail of tears flows out of her green eyes and down her rosy red cheeks. " I'm so sorry!..I never knew that!..I never meant to bring up bad memories!", exclaims Hannah. Grace wipes the tears from her eyes and off her cheeks and says," That's okay!... You didn't know, it made me a stronger person and in all reality, all it did was bring back some good memories for me... A distraction really from all this!... You helped me more than hurt me! So thank you!", said Grace. A big smile comes over the face of Hannah from the heartfelt compliment given to her. " You're welcome and thank you!.... I guess we both have shared some painful memories from our past!", said Hannah. " Yes, we sure have!... Just like friends do!", said Grace. Hannah sheepishly looks down at the ground with a hint of embarrassment running through her soul like the cure to a disease. " We're still friends despite all that I have done?", asks Hannah. With a look of compassion in her eyes, Grace replies," But of course we still are!... You may have made a few mistakes, but we all do!..I'm not perfect and said some things out of anger towards you, but that didn't mean I was going to give up on you!... That's not what friends do!", exclaims Grace. " Thank you, that means so much!... I don't have too many friends, besides Axel!", said Hannah. " Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you still helping him?... He seems to only be using you and when that serves whatever purpose he has he will forget you until he needs something again!", exclaims Grace. Hannah stands up, an irritated look on her face and said, "This again!... Man, you are something you know!... I think you are a friend and then you get all jealous and conniving to try and get me to betray a close friend!... You know what don't even talk to me!" Hannah places her right hand in front of her like a stop sign signaling that she doesn't want to hear from Grace, she places the earbuds in her ears again and walks across to the other side of the mechanical room with her back turned to Grace singing aloud. A look of shock comes over the face of Grace, she shrugs her shoulders, leans back into the dirty moss-covered concrete wall and says to herself," But I was just trying to be a good friend!... He's the one that is manipulating you! And using you to get whatever he wants!"

Axel stares at the Group Leader as he hangs completely motionless with only the sound of deep breathing coming from the mouth of the incapacitated man. Greg walks up, standing behind Axel and says," I don't think standing here staring at him is going to help him wake up any faster!" Axel is broken from his trance, turns around to quickly glance at Greg, then returns his gaze at the Group Leader and says," I know, I was just thinking of what I will do next if he doesn't wake up!" " You have any ideas?", said Greg. " A few, but we will cross that bridge when we get there!... For now, all we can hope is that he wakes and doesn't die as from what I heard could happen!", said Axel. " So, I have to ask how do you know so much about Patient Alpha!... And all this other information?", said Greg. Axel turns looks up at the large mountainous form of Greg and replies," Research my friend!... Research!" "You seem to have a lot of research available for a simple trader!", said Greg with a tone of curiosity in his voice. "Why all the questions my hulk-like companion?... Are you trying to double-cross me or are you having second thoughts?", said Axel with a sinister tone in his voice. "No!..I'm still one hundred percent on board!... But, I never go into a partnership with someone without finding out about them!", said Greg. "Fair enough!... Don't worry my friend, I am telling you the truth!... I have come across over the years numerous historical papers that proved fiction was fact!... But they only had limited info, the rest I came up with by doing some investigations on my own!", said Axel. " Okay, that is all I wanted to know!.... Do you think he knows where the journals are?", said Greg. " I do!... All we have to do is wait for Patient Alpha here to wake up and tell us!", said Axel.

Jack lies on the stiff and spongy hospital bed in the recovery room staring up at the white ceiling tiles, he glances them over and over counting them and then he starts counting the dimples in the tile. Moving his mouth ever so quietly as to not awaken Graham in the bed next to him who is deep in sleep. Ever since he was a young boy Jack has always had a tough time sleeping at night and would often use a variety of techniques to from counting, hot baths, lavender aromatherapy, melatonin pills or a glass of wine. Even going for a run in the evening did not seem to help. This was not every night, some nights he could hit the pillow and would get a good night's sleep! But, for the most part, he would always lie awake. The technique that worked best was popping in a movie to aid in this. Tonight though he has too much on his mind, and seeing as he only has access to two of the remedies he lies and continues to count away hoping that the sandman will visit him soon! The light murmur of Jack counting awakens Graham from his deep sleep. "Can't sleep my friend?", said Graham. Jack quits counting and looks over at Graham who has a sleepy look on his face and Jack replies, "Yes!..I'm sorry if you heard me counting I just couldn't fall asleep I've got too much on my mind!" Graham sits up in his bed and hangs his feet off the edge dangling like a car on a cliff, he swings them back and forth and says," It's okay, it was about time that I got up!... What is on your mind?" Jack sits up in his bed, turns to his left and hangs his own feet off it swinging his feet as if he were on a swing set and says, "This whole immortality thing and speed healing!... It's like we are living in a comic book or an episode of The Twilight Zone!" " Yeah, I hear you, brother!... It's going to be weird for sure, but we have been living in that for a while even without these new developments!", said Graham. "For sure! How are we going to going to explain to others that we don't seem to age, get sick or die?... People will notice!", asks Jack. " Guess we will have to think of a way to fake our deaths when the time comes!" Jack nods his head in agreement and an awkward silence fills the darkened room. Then, to break the silence as the two men just sit staring at the concrete floor Jack asks, "So, this came from the journals hey?" Graham looks up from the floor with a surprised expression on his face and said, "Yes, and I know what you are thinking how could I do that with all the bad that has come out of those things and because of them!" " I never said that!", replies Jack. " You didn't have to I could read it in your face and how you started this conversation!... Like you had something to say but needed a way to say it!", said Graham. " Okay, you got me!... Did you think it was a good idea even if it meant the end of humanity?.... Maybe all that has happened is God's way of saying that our time is up!", said Jack. " No, I don't!.. I believe that these things were here for a reason to save a moment just like this!", said Graham. "Sorry, bud!..I meant no disrespect to you and I realize that this means saving your family!... But the things in those journals have caused this all and a whole wack of problems since day one!... They need to be destroyed before they do any more damage!", said Jack " It's okay, I know you meant no ill will by your concern!... I just wasn't saving what remains of my family, but the world! It needed to, this could be a chance for it to start over and be better!.... As for the journals, yes they should be destroyed, but I need to keep them around just in case something like this happens again and they could help!.... You would do the same if you were in my place!", said Graham. "Fair enough!..I trust you my friend, but promise me that those journals will stay locked away where no one but you can find them!", said Jack. " I promise!... I even have the perfect place for them!... But if someone should ever come for them or find them I promise to destroy them!", said Graham. " That's all I ask for!...... Do you think Darren is close to a cure and the side effect serum?", asks Jack. " I hope so!... Guess we will find out sooner or later!", said Graham. Jack gets up from his bed and walks towards the window. The once dark red sky now lightens up with the sudden emergence of the sunrise which adds a hint of orange to it and turns it to a lighter shade of red as the day beckons. " It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day!", said Jack. " Sure looks like it!", said Graham.

The sound of classical music plays out softly as Dr.Darren Larson stands looking down into the microscope in front of him. He lifts his head, writes on a notepad that is situated beside the microscope and then looks back down at the sample in the microscope. Darren does this five more times as he watches the cell sample that he had taken from Jack. He continues to work away diligently as he tries out the Backfire serum on the cells that he has purposely damaged to the point of dying off to see if it will reverse side effects of constant and extreme damage to the bodies of Graham and Jack. Unknown to him Dr. Kevin Aster has walked into the room and stands behind Darren as quiet as a church mouse. " What are you working on?", asks Dr.Kevin Aster. Darren, startled by the sudden appearance of Kevin jumps up from his chair, stumbling backward but not falling to the ground. Darren holds his hand over his heart as he manages to regain his composure and says," What are you doing?... Don't ever scare me like that again!" " What I didn't do anything wrong!...Like you never startled someone before?!", said Kevin. " Yeah, true I have!... Sorry for overreacting Kevin! It's just that I've been startled before really bad in the past and the slightest thing scares me now!", said Darren. " It's all good Darren!... I should be the one apologizing if I would have known that you scared easily I would have never done that!", said Kevin. " It's quite alright my friend!... You didn't know!... Is there something that you wanted?", said Darren. "No! I just wanted to see if you needed any help with whatever you are working on?", asks Kevin. " I'm fine, thank you!.. But thanks for the offer!", said Darren. " Okay!.... So, what are you working on Darren, if you don't mind me asking?", said Kevin. " It's a serum to repair extreme damage shock in the bodies of Jack and Graham... It balances out the speed healing they now possess and instead of putting them in a coma and eventually killing them should they receive constant and extreme damage, it puts up like a brick wall in theory and keeps the healing cells on the right path.", said Darren. "Interesting!..What if one of them is in a coma and near death?.. Will it still work?", said Kevin. "In might eventually but so far it hasn't been tested at that level until now!...That's what I am doing here and so far the tests have failed!", said Darren. "Interesting, how's this one going?", asks Kevin. "Pretty good so far, the cells haven't rejected it causing immediate death!... But it is early and there is no telling how long it could take once the balance is in place!", said Darren. " Well if you need my help let me know and I will lend a hand!", said Kevin. Darren having studied Kevin's face the whole while they were talking notices little flecks of red appearing in Kevin's eyes like the Scavengers and a small purplish blotch on the back of his wrist, just enough to make out what Kevin's lab coat doesn't cover. " There is one thing you can do for me!", says Darren as he secretly presses a panic button setting off a silent alarm to signal for help. "For sure!.. What is it that I can do for you?", asks Kevin. Darren stands up, looks Kevin straight in the eyes and said," You can tell me how long you have been sick for?" A shocked look comes over the face of Kevin and with a nervous stammering voice said," I'm not sick, I don't know what you mean!...I've been inoculated just like the rest of you!" " That's a lie, Kevin!... I can see the signs of stages of sickness that have been kept at bay on your body, so don't lie to me because I put my trust in you despite who your father was and what he did!", said Darren. "Yes, you did and I thank you for that!... What my father did was atrocious, but I am here trying to help you!...I'm not sick!", said Kevin in an aggressive tone. The metal door to the lab opens and in walks 4 armed soldiers, two men and two women brandishing some futuristic-looking assault rifles. A tall slightly tanned male soldier with a bald head and large muscles say," Come with us please sir?!" Kevin looks at the soldiers and the weapons they are carrying and he says," I guess I have no choice!...Fine I will go! But mark my words Darren, you will regret this! I will make it my life's mission to destroy you and everything you have been working on!" " Come on sir let's go, please!...I don't want to ask again!", said the tanned male soldier. Kevin turns and walks out of the room followed closely by the soldiers who surround him so that he cannot escape or no one can get near him. Dr.Susan Aster runs into the room, she slaps Darren across the face leaving a red handprint on his face and says," You bastard!... How could you after all we have helped you with?!" " I should be saying that to you!....How long have you been giving him cures? And you better start explaining yourself quickly or I will have you locked up too!", said Darren. A look of fear comes immediately across the face of Susan and she stands there sheepishly staring down at the floor as silence fills the room.

Keith and Paulina continue their treck down the seemingly endless north stairwell. What to others would be a quick jaunt down the remaining stairs of the last two and a half floors turns into 30 flights. To make matters worse the dead silence between Paulina and Keith makes the journey down seem like a lifetime. The only sounds that are present in the stairwell are the sounds of the rainwater coming down from the ceiling above like a small waterfall. Keith stops just as they reach the second-floor landing, he looks down the below to the darkness, barely able to make out the ground or the stairs. Keith closes his eyes in his mind's eye all he can see is the look of fear on the face of Maria as she tumbles to her death. He shakes his head trying to block out this painful and unforgettable image of the loss of his one true love. Keith thinks to himself that this must be what the Group Leader was thinking of when he was holding the photo that first day on the mezzanine their first day in the hotel and was that what he was crying about in the bathroom that one time when he and Preston went to check on him. In his inner monologue, Keith says to himself," Okay Keith!... Take it easy, you've got to carry on!... I know it is hard, but you promised Paulina to carry on for Maria!. Yeah, Maria would want you to keep going on and not give up!...I've got to get down these remaining steps, the others are counting on you!. And Axel!. Yes Axel that steaming pile of shit that has backstabbed, lied and betrayed all of us! He will get what is coming to him and so will Greg that sadistic prick!... Calm your anger, you are no good being over angry! It doesn't help the others if you go in like a bull in a china shop!... Now take a deep breath and let us get going we are almost there!" Keith sucks in the musty air of the stairwell as a picture of Maria's smiling face flashed through his head, suddenly that image is replaced by the same repeated image of Maria falling to her death. Keith leans his head over the railing of the second-floor stairwell landing, opens his mouth and shoots out a large amount of vomit that could rival the movie The Exorcist! Paulina looks on in wonder which quickly turns to disgust and then to concern in all of a matter of a minute. " Are you okay?", said Paulina. Keith lifts his head from over the railing, wipes the excess vomit from his face with his jacket sleeve and replies," I'm fine!... Must be all this dust and mustiness that got to me!" With a look of disbelief in the lame excuse that Keith has just given her, Paulina replies," Oh for sure!... The smell in this stairwell and the hotel as a whole have been making me nauseous too!. I just have been keeping it in!... You okay to carry on?" " Yes, I think so!. I mean yes, I'm ready to keep going! We have some friends to help!", said Keith. "Alright, let's go then!... Oh yeah when we get to the bottom make sure to shine your gamma lantern so that I don't step in your puke!", said Paulina. "For sure!... No one wants puke on their shoes, I know I wouldn't!", said Keith as he lets out a half-hearted chuckle. Paulina starts to laugh to not let Keith know that she knows he is lying to her about everything he just said. Paulina knows that Keith is sick with grief and with anger, she has seen it herself and knows the signs. But, she knows the best is to let Keith deal with it in his own way for now. Keith starts to continue walking down the stairwell closely followed by Paulina. As they pass by the doorway to the second floor and move down the stairwell the ghost of Samantha has been watching this all with great concern. As Keith and Paulina continue down the stairs the ghost of Samantha continues to watch and she says," Don't worry Keith, you will soon see Maria and see that she is alive and well!. Plus you will have some help to save your friends!"

The skies above Saskatoon turn from a light red sky mixed with shades of blue to blood-red sky with large pockets of deep purple. High on the roof of the Bessborough Preston sits in silence looking down at the faded green rooftop with Emil and Priya following suit. The change in the sky goes unnoticed to them as the rain continues to beat down on their soaked bodies. A large clap of thunder in the distance rumbles across the sky and in the distance shakes the foundations of the abandoned office buildings so much that a portion of a 15 story building cracks down the center and breaks in half. One portion of the building slides down to the street below creating a cloud of dust that quickly turns to mud from the rain. In the aftermath of this half of the concrete building remains intact standing like a pointed finger to the sky while the other half lies in the street as a pile of rubble all laid out like a barricade. All over the city, the massive thunder strikes create havoc by breaking off pieces from numerous buildings in the downtown and surrounding residential areas. On the rooftop of the Bessborough, the small distant tremors startle Preston and the others from their malaise. Preston stands, the rain drips down from his soaked short black hair. " Oh my God!... You all better hold onto something QUICK!", exclaims Preston. " Priya and Emil look up to see Preston running to them and the apocalyptic sky quickly approaching them. All three of them quickly dive to the surface of the roof close to the interior of the roof and grab onto a small piece of metal barring on the bottom of the incline to the peak room. They shield their faces and look down at the rooftop as the destructive skyline arrives. Within 5 seconds the sky lets out a clap of thunder so powerful that it shakes the very foundations of the grand old hotel breaking off small pieces of the historical architecture on the exterior. As the building continues to shake at the sheer force of the violent thunder Priya says," If it is this bad out here, it has to be worse inside!"

The small tremors from the thunder strikes in the distance shake the large old copper pipes that run along the concrete roof shake and rattle clinking and clanging with each tremor. "Those are some strong pipes they have up there!... You would think that all that shaking would make those pipes burst seeing as they are ancient!", said Greg. Axel takes a large puff from the cigarette hanging out of his mouth and says," We don't have to worry about that, the water in this room was shut down years ago otherwise, the whole basement would have been underwater years ago!" " There is just one thing that I am wondering?", said Greg. " What is it?", asks Axel as he continues to suck back on the cigarette. " Why do you keep letting The Group Leader tell those stories it's not like we are going to let the others go once we get their help anyways!", exclaims Greg. Axel takes one final puff from his cigarette, drops it to the ground and crushes it under his foot. " True!... But you see the key to where the journals are actually could lie in those ridiculous stories!. And if I keep letting him tell them then we will be able to find them!... Comprende?" Greg stands for a few seconds, stares at The Group Leader and says," What makes you think he will?" Axel pats Greg on the back as he now too stands and stares at The Group Leader and says, "Oh he will!... He can't resist telling these stories!" " What if he doesn't wake up and we die down here?", said Greg. Just as Greg says these exact words the Group Leader starts to awaken from his healing coma. He opens his eyes blinking them multiple times till the blurriness subsides. " Yee of little faith!... See he is awake!... Hey, fearless leader time to tell us all another story!", exclaims Axel. " Okay, just give me a second to regain my bearings!", replies The Group Leader. " Okay, just let me know when you are ready so I can broadcast it!", said Axel. " Why so eager to hear my stories? You hated them, do you think that they will give you some clues to the journals?, said the Group Leader. " No, I made a deal with Keith and I intend to keep it!", said Axel. " Ha!... You are a horrible liar Axel, I heard everything you and Greg were talking about!... I have a good mind to not tell any more stories just to spite you but I'm afraid that you might kill them all! So, I will make you a deal!", said the Group Leader. Axel walks up to the suspended body of the Group Leader looks up and says," What is it?" " If I keep telling you these stories to give you clues then you have to let everyone go otherwise I will let the White Dragon kill you himself for not fulfilling your part of the bargain!", said the Group Leader. Axel pauses for a second to think and says," You got it!... Now let us have that story!" " Great!... Now, where was I?... Oh yeah!", said the Group Leader. Just as the Group Leader opens his mouth to start his latest Pops Brilliant story the hotel starts shaking violently from the massive thunder quakes from the storm outside. Dust and small chips of concrete fall from the ceiling, one of the industrial washing machines slides backward off its supports a small section of copper piping falls to the ground behind the Group Leader. Axel and Greg fall to the ground as they run for the doorway for cover, and every time they get up and move a few steps they fall again until they finally sit in the doorway to the laundry room. The Group Leader looks on as he is rocked back and forth like a pendulum avoiding the falling debris until a small piece of concrete the size of a large fist falls from the ceiling above striking him in the head knocking the Group Leader unconscious as the thunder quake continues to shake the building.

On the north stairwell, Keith quickly wraps his average-sized arm around Paulina and covers her with his body as they lie face down on the dirty covered stairwell. Pieces of wood and small pebbles of concrete rain down like a waterfall upon them. " Just stay down!!!... This could last a while!", exclaims Keith. Paulina covers her head with her arms and cries out in fear as the shaking of the thunder quake rocks the very foundations of the grand old Bessborough hotel. Upon the rooftop the wetness of the rain on the metal bar causes Priya to slip off it and her body quickly slides towards the edge of the rooftop as she too screams out in fear of imminent death. Like an owl swooping in to catch a mouse, Emil grabs her wrist just as her legs hang off the edge of the roof with Preston clasping on to Emils left ankle with one hand and the other still holding on for dear life to the thin metal bar on the lip of the overhang to the peak room. With the shaking getting even more violent Preston grasps on even tighter to try and pull the others in. Summoning every inch of adrenaline Preston slowly pulls in his compatriots. In the darkness of the damaged elevator shaft, Liam secures himself against the wall holding onto a large piece of metal bracing as the elevator shaft is rocked back and forth with all the dust icicles falling like a snowfall in winter. In the mechanical room dust and small pieces of concrete fell from the ceiling above Grace and Hannah sit huddled together in the doorway, holding onto each other, their eyes closed. As the thunder quake hits its high peak shaking the entire building to its core all members of the group scattered around the abandoned hotel let out a collective scream and then the thunder quake suddenly stops!

With dust shot out from around the room by the quake Greg and Axel both let out a series of coughs from the particles that entered their lungs. Axel holds up the gamma lantern and shines it around the room. With each passing second, the dust dissipates and Axel and Greg begin to see the carnage inflicted by the thunder quake. As the light of the gamma lantern slowly passes over the room it reveals fallen large copper pipes that made cracks in the concrete floor when they hit the ground, one of the industrial washing machines doors lying on the ground in front of it, and the other machine against the back wall that slid off its supports. The light finally shines its beam on the Group Leader like the eye of Sauron. What it reveals is that the Group Leader is still hanging from the laundry hook, swinging back and forth completely unconscious. Axel and Greg slowly walk towards him, gingerly stepping over some debris that; ay on the floor in their path. As they approach the Group Leader. " Hey!... Are you alright?. Time to tell us that story as we agreed upon!", yells Axel. No response comes from the Group Leader just the sound of the metal hook he is suspended on squeaking as it swings back and forth. " Yo!. Dickhead, did you hear him? He asked you a question!", exclaims Greg. Still no response from the Group Leader. " You better not be pulling a fast one on us old man, you made a deal with me!", said Axel as he and Greg approach the Group Leaders suspended, swinging body. As they get closer they shine the light on the face of the Group Leader all hung down resting against his chest. "Wakey, Wakey asshole!... Quit fucking around and tell that story!", said Greg. As Greg is about to shake the body of the Group Leader to wake him up Axel grabs Greg's arm stopping him in his tracks and says," He's not faking!. Look!" Axel shines the light of the gamma lantern on the left shoulder of the Group Leader revealing a steady stream of blood flowing out of the back of his head. "Son of a bitch!... What does this mean?", asks Greg. " What do you think it means?. It means that he just might not wake up at all!", exclaims Axel. " Nah, you're full of shit!... Of course, he will wake up!. He did before many times!", said Greg. "Not this time, I've been keeping track of the times he's been unconscious and they get longer every time and his breathing slows every time as well!... I'm afraid that this time he just might not wake up! This time he might die!", said Axel. "Well, what do we do then if he doesn't?... How do we get the info regarding the journals and the serum?", said Greg. "We don't!... In simple terms, we are fucked! Fucked beyond belief because the White Dragon will kill us if we tell him we don't have it!", said Axel. "What do we do then?", asks Greg. " We run, run far away where he can't find us or has any of his outer zone contacts find us!... Our best bet is to head south and keep going!", exclaims Axel. " Who exactly is this White Dragon anyways?... Does anyone know who he is?", said Greg. "Whoever did died years ago or he had them killed!... Either way, he is a mystery!", said Axel.

In 2022 Dr.Susan Astor stands looking down at the floor still, a look of shame on her face. Every time she tries to look up and explain herself she looks back down at the concrete floor and remains silent. " Come on Susan, tell me how long has this been going on?... If you don't answer me within the next five seconds I am going to have you placed in custody!. One, two, three, four!", said Darren. Suddenly Susan lifts her head and responds," Alright!... I have been giving Kevin cures from day one!" A look of amazement comes over the face of Darren, he paces back and forth, his right hand under his chin. " That is impossible!. That is over a year and a half since the virus was released!", said Darren. " Yes and he was one of the first given the inoculation to help combat the virus by the government!", said Susan. " Yes but only a small percentage of people who were given that died!", said Darren. "Yes!... And then the virus mutated, fighting back against all those who received the inoculation, which takes us to where we are now!", said Susan. " Yes, I know the history of the virus!... It was designed to show signs of a full recovery then it would adapt and turn into what we have now!", said Darren. "No!... The first cure that was administered was the virus as well to help it adapt!", said Susan. "Holy shit!. That's why none of any attempts we made after that worked for long, the virus kept adapting!", said Darren. " That is until now!... The cure you gave Jack and Graham was a different makeup from the virus!", said Susan. " Are you trying to tell me that you want the Lazarus cure?... Because it could be potentially dangerous to someone like Kevin!. What side effects has he shown since you started giving him the first cure over and over?", said Darren. Susan turns and faces the wall, she walks along the countertop of the lab looking over the vials of chemicals, the lab equipment. She stops in front of Darren's laptop and stares at the picture of Darren and a slim raven-haired woman on it. " She's beautiful, your wife Kelsey!... How olds your daughter?", said Susan. " She's ten!. But what's that got to do with anything! I think you are avoiding the question, Susan what side effects from the original cure have materialized?... I can tell the red dots in Kevin's eyes and the purple blotch on the back of his wrist, which I suspect aren't the only blotches are signs of the scavenger effect!... You never should have been giving him that for so long!", said Darren. " I wasn't, I gave him every cure we came up with!. But they all only lasted for a short while and then he would revert to his sick state.", said Susan. Darren runs his right hand through his mulletish blond hair, takes a deep breath and says," For fuck sakes, what have you done?... No one could survive that many cure attempts!", said Darren. " But he did and he is here to tell the tale!", said Susan. " And yet again I ask, what are the side effects he has shown since you decided to lie to us all and sneak around injecting your husband with cure attempt after cure attempt while endangering everyone in here!", yells Darren. Susan looks down at the lab table and in a small metal case no bigger than a glasses case resides one of the last two vials of the Lazarus cure, she slowly places both her hands on the counter, her back to Darren and says," He is becoming more and more void of emotion every time he reverts to his original state of sickness! The cures bring him back but not for long, with each attempt I get him back for longer!... He also shows signs of increased intelligence, strength, and aggression!. This is why I need the Lazarus to cure it cold revert all of that and give me back my husband!", said Susan. "We can't do that!... This cure attempt while successful has a side effect of its own that mixed with what you described could potentially be dangerous to mix!... I'm sorry but I can't give it to you for Kevin! I can't even give the new one we have!. We are going to have to kill Kevin!.... I know it's hard to understand, but it's what's best!", said Darren. Susan reaches on the table in front of her and grasps onto a metal clipboard. " It is hard!... But as a parent and a husband, I would hope you would understand!. I need him and so does our son!... I'm sorry Darren!", said Susan. "It's okay!... I understand, but I will have to have you put into custody, I just can't trust anymore!", said Darren. As Darren is about to reach for the button to signal the guards again, Susan quickly turns around and strikes Darren across the back of the head with the metal clipboard knocking him unconscious, to the ground he falls. Susan grabs the Lazarus cure off the metal lab table and runs out of the room in a hurry.

Back in 2177, all the shaking from the thunder quake has left its mark on all the buildings in the abandoned city center, including the old grand hotel. But not as much as the rest of the city got. In the mechanical room, Hannah and Grace move from the doorway and back into the mechanical room. They stand in the center of it as the dust slowly clears revealing a few new small missing pieces of concrete from the ceiling above and the hole in the far wall has widened. " Well, that's a relief!. If the gamma generator had been down any further or completely gone this entire place would have crumbled around us!", said Grace. " Thank god for that!", said Hannah. In the back of the room behind the chainlink fence, a beeping noise repeats in succession five times. After the alert finishes sounding the power shield sensor, sitting at a level of 7 out of 10 falls to a 5.

Maria sits on a pile of concrete, her head hanging down, she sits with a small broken piece of re-bar. With it, she draws a bunch of wavy lines and a few small hearts in the dust on the ground like an elementary school adolescent. Maria deep in thought sits and wonders just who this mysterious stranger was that gave his or her life to save her own. Why that person would do such a thing and so many more other questions such as how long has this person been here, are there others and were she and the others being watched by said person or persons if there happen to be more! With her iron pencil, she continues to draw many more hearts and then some clouds and the sun. She lifts her head, takes her right hand and brushes her long curly brown locks from in front of her deep brown eyes. Sitting there Maria taps the metal re-bar in a small beat like a drummer. Sitting there playing a new tune she invented with the re-bar and concrete as her band she stares continually at the Shadowy Figure lying impaled on the broken pieces of iron, the blood from his body spilled out on the floor like a can of red paint. "Fuck it!", exclaims Maria. She drops the re-bar, stands up and walks over towards the lifeless body of the Shadowy Figure. Very slowly Maria moves from the pain of the bruise she sustained from the fall as she approaches the body of the Shadowy Figure. Very steadfast Maria looks at the body of the Shadowy Figure, re-bar protruding from his chest in two places, his abdomen in one and through his both of his large muscular legs, the dark blue hooded coat now a deep purple from the blood. Maria notices his face is partially obstructed with a balaclava covering half of it with only the closed eyes showing. Maria can make out that her hero is a male with long dark black curly hair, a chiseled face, and a large muscular body frame. She moves in closer and starts to pull back the balaclava to get a better look at the rest of the Shadowy Figures face. " Who in the hell are you?... Where did you come from?"As her hand moves the balaclava away from the large Slavic shaped nose the eyes of the Shadowy Figure opens and he says," If you give me hand to get myself off these re-bars I can tell you!" Maria jumps back and attempts to walk backward in fear but falls to the ground, she gets up and tries again with the same result and sits in shock on the ground as the Shadowy Figure lifts his head and notices the injuries he sustained. " Oh shit!... This is going to take a little elbow grease to get out of!.... Can you give me a hand?" Maria shakes her head from side to side signaling that she had no intention of helping and just sits there in shock as the Shadowy Figure grasps onto the re-bar in his left pectoral region and snaps it in half and then proceeds to do the same to the one in the middle of his chest cavity. He looks over at Maria shaking her head still from the shock of what she is witnessing and says," I take it you still aren't going to help me!. I get it, this is a lot to take in! So if you give me a couple of minutes and I will explain it all to you!" Maria watches on in disbelief as the Shadowy Figure and snaps the re-bar sticking out of his abdomen like a twig and then the ones sticking out of both of his legs in the upper thigh portion. The Shadowy Figure than proceeds to pull himself off what remained of the re-bar, stands, cracks his neck and twists his body from side to side. " As fun as that was I don't think I want to take that ride again, the ending sucked!... Now let me explain who I am before you puke because I can tell you might do that by the paleness of your face!", said the Shadowy Figure. As the Shadowy figure steps towards Maria, she regains her composure and stands up and starts to run towards the exit of the south stairwell in fear. "Miss wait please, I'm not some monster!. I'm here to help!... Miss! Samantha can you help me out here?", said the Shadowy Figure. A blinding flash of white light with flecks of gold block the exit to the south stairwell stopping Maria in her tracks as the ghostly figure of Samantha appears. Maria now corned by the Shadowy Figure and the ghost of Samantha stands frozen in fear and says," Are you an angel?" "Not quite!... But I am here to help, it's a long story!. I know our friend here from a long time ago, and if you give him a few minutes we can explain who we both are!", said the Ghost of Samantha. Maria stands for a second looking back and forth at the Shadowy Figure and Samantha's ghost and says," Okay, he did save me so I guess I owe him that!" "Well let us go into the restaurant and relax and tell you are our story!", said Samantha's ghost. " This should be good!... Just another story that this place is telling!"

The small callus hands of Liam reach around the iron support beam of the darkened elevator shaft. The light of the gamma lantern now absent since the thunder quake. Liam looks down at it, taps it a few times on the side as if he were hitting an old radio to try and get it working. Small flashes of hope materialize for a moment as the light flickers a touch but that hope is quickly put down leaving Liam with nothing but darkness. "Shit, it must have gotten damaged by some of the falling concrete!", said Liam. Liam looks up at the endless abyss of darkness high above him, he then looks at the lantern. He starts to open up the lantern and pulls out a few of the wires connected to the never-ending power source careful not to hit them to the gamma core. With the small knife from his pants pocket, he cuts a long blue wire from the power source completely and then splices the red and green wires together. In an instant, the lantern illuminates the entire elevator shaft once more. Liam quickly reassembles the metal casing of the lantern and clips it back to his belt. " Let there be light once more, haha!", said Liam. With his path now relit, Liam starts to climb the metal framing of the elevator shaft with great care. Very slowly he pulls himself up the metal framing as he inches closer to the main floor door which still seems like a hundred miles away, but in reality, it is only about 10 feet away.

The quick pounding sound of footsteps as they quickly stampeded down the concrete stairs of the north stairwell echo throughout the hollow tube. As they quickly approach the main floor of the mezzanine level, not a word is spoken between Keith and Paulina ever since the thunder quake. " can we stop for a second Keith?", asks Paulina. Keith stops takes a sip of water from the flask in his backpack and places it back in it. " Do you think the others are okay?", asks Paulina. Keith just shrugs his shoulders. " I hope so!... Are you okay?", asks Paulina. Keith raises his right hand, places his forefinger and thumb together to symbolize that he is okay. " That was some quake!", said Paulina. Keith just nods his head in agreement. " Are you ever going to say something to me or just make gestures?", asks Paulina. " Yes, let's keep going the others need us!", said Keith. A shocked look comes over Paulina's face and she replies," Okay, lets!" The two team members once again start down the stairwell at an increased pace.

Greg stands on a faded yellow milk crate that he found tucked away behind one of the washing machines. His large forefinger and index finger pressed against the neck of the Group Leader feeling his pulse. The pulse rate goes from fast to slow and then slower, which just as it seems to stop speeds back up again. This repeats in succession like clockwork, minute after minute! Greg removes his hand from the Group Leader's neck with a confused look on his face. Axel looking up at Greg like he statue says," Well, is he dead or alive?" Greg hops his large imposing body down off the milk crate, he places his monstrous hands-on Axel's shoulders and says, "Yes and no!... It's hard to explain!" "What do you mean it is hard to explain?. He is either dead or alive! How hard can that be?", said Axel as he swipes Greg's hands off his shoulders. As Greg's hands are knocked off Axel's pudgy shoulders, Greg's right-hand bumps the microphone on the walkie talkie on Axel's belt turning it on permanently. Within an instant, the entire team can hear their private conversation. Axel walks up to the Group Leader imposingly and says, " Can you explain that to me because I am fucking confused!" Greg walks up to Axel and says," His heart rate speeds up and slows down to the point of stopping then speeds up again like a car engine!... That's what I mean!" " Shit!... This must be how the speed healing kills him!", said Axel. " Yeah!... You think?!... So don't yell at me!... The only question is what do we do now?", said Greg. " We can only hope that this will not kill him, that he will wake up out of this again! Because if this is then we are screwed!... All our plans, The White Dragon will kill us if we don't deliver as I said before!", said Axel. "Yes, I know! And quite frankly I don't feel like dying at the hands of that lunatic and his followers!... What other options do we have if he is dying?", said Greg. " None!... There was a cure supposedly made for it, but no one had ever seen or it! Some think it was never finished, that the scientist who developed it died in a horrible fire along with the cure and the procedure for making it!", said Axel. The two men stand in front of the Group Leader starring up at him, unconscious, hanging from the laundry hook. " And what if he wakes up?... Is the plan still the same?", said Greg. " Yes, it is, once we get the information on the Lazarus serum and where the journals are we take him with us along with all that and the weapons!", said Axel. " And the others?", asks Greg. " As always we leave them all down here to die except for Emil and Hannah!", said Axel. "You must care about Hannah?", asks Greg. "No, not really! I'm just using that dumb twat to make some money on her body, the White Dragon wants her for himself for her talents and for some of his followers who are not scavengers.", said Axel. " That's cold man!... But smart, we don't need a whore anyways!", said Greg. " You've got that right!... I'm going to make a pretty good penny off of her when we sell her to the White Dragon!", said Axel. " Good thing she doesn't know about that!", said Greg. " Yeah, or that I know it was Emil who raped her years ago and that he working for me so that I could gain her trust and unknowingly get her to work for me!", said Axel with a chuckle. The two men start laughing maniacally. 

All around the hotel, the news that the group has just heard has left them all with quiet anger but none more than in the mechanical room where Hannah sits sobbing uncontrollably with Grace's hands on her shoulders to console her. Grace leans in and says, "There is no way he is going to do that to you!... That scum bag is going to pay for what he did and has done to you! He will not leave here alive!"

Two average built caucasian soldiers lead Jack and Graham into Dr. Larson's lab. As they stand in front of the door to Dr.Larson's lab, they pause and notice that the door is partially open and quickly make their way into the room. As they enter the room they notice Dr. Larson lying face down on the floor unconscious. Graham runs up to Dr. Larson, places his hand on the Dr.'s neck checking for a pulse. Graham takes a deep sigh of relief and says," It's all good!... He's alive!" Darren wakes from his incapacitated state and slowly sits up. " Yes, but with this splitting headache I wish I was dead!", said Dr.Darren Larson. " Darren take it easy!", said Graham. " I'm fine, just a little bump o the head!", said Darren. " What happened to you?", said Jack. " Oh not much!.... Just got hit by Dr.Aster in the back of the head!", said Darren. " Which Dr. Astor?", asked Jack. " Dr.Susan Astor!... She's the one that hit me!", exclaimed Darren. " Why would she do that?", asked Graham. " Must have been because I confronted her about her husband being infected and that she has been giving him cure after cure attempt that has left some dangerous side effects!.... Oh and that I said he had to be terminated for safety purposes!", said Darren. "Guess that explains it!", said Jack. Darren is helped up from the cold concrete floor and walks over to his lab table, he looks it over with great care. " What are you looking for? ", asks Jack. " The cure!", said Darren. " The new one or the one for the side effect we have?", asks Jack. " No, the one for you and Graham has been safely stored in my personal safe! I made 4 of them for you two each so far, I'll make more of it later on for you both!.... And the new cure attempt has been successfully tested and now mass-produced and curing what's left of the human race!", said Darren. " That's fantastic!.... So, if you aren't looking for either of those, then, wait!... Don't tell me you still had vials of the Lazarus serum stored in here? I thought you destroyed them?", exclaimed Graham. Darren searches over the table and notices the small metal case that housed the last two vials of the Lazarus cure and grabs it. " I did but they are right here so it is all good! Because Susan wanted it to save Kevin, but that would be disastrous!", said Darren. "I would check that case though to make sure they are still in there!", said Jack. Darren opens the small metal case and a look of fear/shock comes over his face which turns his complexion from slightly tanned to completely pale. " She took them didn't she?", asked Graham. " Ummm, yes!... Soldiers send out an alert to all to stop Dr.Susan Astor, she has the Lazarus serum and must be stopped before she injects her husband!", exclaims Darren. The two soldiers run out of the lab in a hurry followed by Graham and Jack. " Where do you two think you are going", says Darren. " To stop her too!... Are you coming?", asks Graham. Darren removes his lab coat revealing his skinny arms and pot belly. He places the remaining Lazarus serum in the pocket of his black dress pants and exclaims," Oh hell yes!" "Then let us go get her!!!", said Jack. The three men run out of the lab and down the hall in a hurried rush.

The warm bright white glow of the gamma lantern fills the empty, abandoned restaurant as Maria and the Shadowy Figure sit staring quietly at one another from opposite sides of the table. Samantha's ghost stands beside the faded wooden oak table of the restaurant dining room. As Samantha's eyes go back and forth as she waits for the uncomfortable silence to be broken. "Okay! I can't take much more of this! Can one of you say something already because this is getting ridiculous!", exclaims Samantha's ghost. " What you both brought me here to talk and I was just waiting for him to say something!", said Maria. " The Shadowy Figure pulls the hood off his head to reveal the long curly black hair with a few streaks of grey in them all pulled back in a ponytail. The deep green of his eyes pierce deep into Maria's soul as only the deep red balaclava remains covering half of the face of the Shadowy Figure. Samantha's ghost smiles and nods her head at the Shadowy Figure who slowly takes his large hands and slowly removes the balaclava from his face. A look of shock comes over the face of Maria as the face looking back at her is the spitting image of Preston. "Oh my god!... You, you, you... loo, loo, look just like Preston!", said Maria. "I would hope so! He is his great, great grandfather!", said Samantha's ghost. " That can't be!.. You would have to be close to 200 years old!", said Maria. " I'm 196! Don't make me older than I am okay!", said the Shadowy Figure. " That can't be!... But then again you survived that fall and being impaled on some re-bar, so I guess anything is possible!... So how is this all possible, why did you help me and what the hell is your fucking name?", said Maria. The Shadowy Figure looks at Samantha's ghost with a look for approval and she responds with another nod and smiles. " My name is Graham, Graham Brilliant!... The Group Leader's name is Jack and he was one of my best friends!... Years ago we were part of an experiment to find a cure for the plague, well it worked but left us with the interesting side effect of immortality that in turn could kill us too if we sustained enough damage to our bodies!... And I helped you because Samantha convinced me to, she reminded me that I was once a good man, a helpful man!", said Graham. "Holy shit! This is some real science fiction type crap!... Wait a minute! Did you say your last name was Brilliant? As in Pops Brilliant?", said Maria. " Yes!... You are correct in that! I see Jack has been telling you stories, the same stories I told him!... I am the youngest son of Pops Brilliant, he is my dear old dad! Yeeeeaaaaahhhhh!!!!!", said Graham. " So, why are you out here?", asks Maria. " To protect the journals, to keep them out of the hands of people like the White Dragon and this Axel and Greg!", said Graham. "Then you're the one that Axel and Greg want!... Not the Group Leader, I mean Jack!", said Maria. " Yes!... And no!. You see Jack does know they are out here but not where I hid them!", said Graham. " So. he is taking the punishment for you than?", said Maria. " Yes, he is!... But he knows how important it is to keep them hidden and if he did know where they were then he would still do the same!", said Graham. " That's why he brought us out here than!... To find the journals, but why if he was trying to keep them a secret?", asks Maria. Graham looks at Samantha again and says," Partly, but in fact, he is out here searching for something else!... This is just a stopping point for him, but I will let him tell you that!", said Graham. This is just the strangest story I have heard, then again seeing a ghost, and a man pulls himself off some re-bar after being impaled and healing super quick!... I am not shocked anymore!", said Maria. Samantha places her pale white, ghostly hand on the left shoulder of Maria very lightly and says," That's good to hear!" Maria looks up at Samantha's ghost and asks," Who are you then?... His wife?" A look of seriousness comes over the face of Samantha as she replies," No I'm not!... I'm Jacks! And now that we've answered your questions, we need you to help us rescue my love and the others down in the basement!" Maria sits silently for a couple of minutes and says with an aggressive, enthusiastic tone," Oh fuck yeah!!!... Let's go and stop that little bastard, Axel!" 

Susan sprints down the brightly lit corridor of the military installation, her blond ponytail swaying back and forth, her breathing labored and heart racing from the adrenaline in her system. She looks back every few seconds as she draws closer to the secure lab that has been turned into a makeshift prison that houses Kevin. The closer she gets she slows down her pace making the metal doors and grey concrete walls of the more clear and not a blur! Outside the large iron door of the lab where Kevin is housed stand two large foreboding soldiers like statutes, brandishing some futuristic assault rifles that Susan had never seen before. Susan slows her pace to a calm walk, she waves at the soldiers with her right hand while the left hand is in her lab coat nervously gripping onto a small tranquilizer gun filled with two darts of strong animal tranquilizer used for the Scavengers. As she stops in front of the secure lab door, she is quickly met with a large raised hand, like a stop sign. "Soldier it's alright you can let me in! I'm his wife!", said Susan. A large caucasian soldier with a crew cut of blond hair and a defined muscular frame like Schwarzenegger in his early years and model type looks says," Sorry Dr.Astor, but no one is allowed in here until termination! We are under orders from Dr.Larson!" Susan replies," That's why I'm here! He told me to come here to say my last goodbyes before you terminate my husband!" " Once again, I'm sorry ma'am! We are under strict orders and we were told nothing about this! We will have to confirm this with Dr.Larson. The second soldier a slightly shorter man of African descent with a similar body frame and good looks with a shaved bald head reaches for his walkie talkie. Susan removing her left hand from her lab coat as to not look suspicious raises both of her hands as if she were surrendering and says," Okay, you got me!... I never had permission from Dr.Larson, I just wanted to see my husband before you kill him! Wouldn't you if you were in my shoes?" "Sorry, Dr.Astor but we are under strict orders and we will have to report this!" Tears start to stream down the face of Susan as she stands looking at the soldiers with a deeply emotional look on her face, she places both her hands above her eyes and sobs uncontrollably. "Now ma'am there is no need to cry, I am sure Dr.Larson will let you see him!... Please stop crying!" Susan runs up to the caucasian soldier and wraps her arms around him and cries uncontrollably. " The soldier unsure about what to d looks over at his fellow soldier with a look of confusion, the African soldier just shrugs his shoulders. Susan lowers her left hand into her lab coat, pulls out the tranquilizer gun and fires a shot into the caucasian soldiers' side dropping him instantly. She quickly turns to the African soldier and fires a dart square into his neck before he could react. dropping him to the floor as well with a thud. She grabs the key card off the caucasian soldiers' belt and enters the lab. 

Graham, Jack and Darren Larson quickly run down the multiple corridors. Darren's long mulletish, curly blond hair dripping with sweat from the intense run. The three men arrive at the lab door that holds Dr.Kevin Astor and are met with the site of the fallen soldiers. "Shit, shit, shit!... We have to get there quick before she injects him!", exclaims Dr.Darren Larson. Darren immediately removes his keycard from his pants pocket and swipes it opening the door and the three men enter.

Inside the secondary lab, Susan has disabled the lock on the door and shakes her husband hurridly to awaken him in his weakened state. Signs of the virus quickly overtaking his system from the palish white skin with flecks of grey and purple in it and more redness in his eyes are more prevalent now. " Wake up dear, we don't have much time!... That disabled door lock won't keep them out long!" 

In the observation room of the primary lab, Darren tries his key card with no luck to get into the secondary lab with no luck. " Fuck she disabled the lock!", exclaims Darren. "Here let me try something, Jack keep an eye on them and tell me what they are doing!", said Graham. Jack nods his head in agreement and stands by the large bulletproof glass window as Graham slams his shoulder continually against the metal door creating a loud echoing thud. 

Kevin awakened from his slumber says, "What are you doing?" "I'm saving you!... I've got the Lazarus cure!", exclaims Susan. Kevin sits up as quick as he can in his heightened weakened state and said," Well what are you waiting for? Hit me!" "I love you!", says Susan as she takes the vial of the light blue liquid of the Lazarus cure and injects it into his arm. 

"Umm Graham you have to hurry she just injected him with the Lazarus!", exclaims Jack. Graham stops trying to bust open the door, he and Darren step over to the window as they observe with great horror the reaction of the Lazarus into Kevin's veins. "For god sake! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!", exclaims Dr.Darren Larson. 

Inside the secondary lab, it only takes a minute for the Lazarus to take hold. Kevin's body and mind are quickly altered, confirming Darren's fears. Kevins' skin turns a pale white, as white as snow, his eyes turn from red to a fiery orange, his body temperature turns cold as does his emotions. His emotions disappear stripping him of what one would call a soul. " Thank you, dear, you saved me I feel much better! said Dr. Kevin Astor. Susan shocked a bit by her husband's new and strange appearance hesitantly moves closer to him. Kevin hugs her tightly masking his soulless persona. Susan lets her guard down, relieved to have Kevin back closes her eyes and reciprocates the embrace and says," I love you, I am so happy to have you back!" " You aren't shocked by appearance?", said Kevin. " I was at first, but I love you no matter what!... All that matters is that you will live!", said Susan. Kevin his eyes wide open during their embrace with a maniacal look in his eyes at the window and the three men watching. The body temperature of Kevin rises and steam seems to emanate from him, Susan tries to break free but cannot as his grip too strong. "Hun let me go you are getting a little warm and it's starting to hurt!" "It's supposed to!... Thanks for freeing me!... I no longer need you anymore I have all the power I want!", said Kevin. "Let me go!!!!!", exclaims Susan. In an instant, the steam turns to flames and Susan turns to a pile of ash on the floor. Kevin moves to the observation window and maniacally smiles at the shocked faces of Darren, Jack, and Graham.

Axel leans his pudgy frame against the rusted-out industrial washing machine, a half-smoked cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He quickly sucks back what is left of the cancer stick, pulls the pack of self rolled smokes out of his pocket and lights it up. Beads of sweat roll down his head from the nervousness he is feeling over the situation that now seems for certain that the Group Leader is dying and that his deal, plus his life at the hands of the White Dragon. Greg walks in through the door of the old laundry room and says," He is still not awake?" " Hell no!", said Axel as he finishes off his cigarette and lights another. " How many have you smoked already?", asks Greg. " About six, and that has been just recently when you left to go take a piss!", exclaims Axel. " Well better the cigarettes than the White Dragon killing you!", exclaims Greg. "And what are you going to do to avoid that fate?", asks Axel. Greg taps the pistol at his side and says," I will put a bullet in my head before that happens!" " Smart!... Maybe I will do the same after we deliver Hannah to him and if Emil survives the roof perhaps he will choose the same or just take his chances on the run!", said Axel. Axel walks up to Greg who is standing in front of the Group Leader, he finishes the last drag of his smoke, drops it on the floor and crushes it out on the small pile of cigarette butts littering the dirty concrete floor. The two men stare at the chest of the Group Leader moving at an accelerated rate and then slowing down to barely a movement in anticipation of the Group Leaders' imminent death. " He still could pull out of it you know!", said Greg. " Not a chance, he is too far gone!... But one can only hope because if we can't get another story with clues to the journals than it's plan B for the three of us!" 

Keith and Paulina reach the bottom of the north stairwell, Paulina moves a long strand of black hair from her eyes that had come out of her ponytail. Keith stops in the entranceway to the mezzanine to wait for Paulina. "Are you okay?", said Keith. "I'm fine! My hair was just coming out of my ponytail and I hate it when it gets in my eyes!", replied Paulina. "Okay, thought maybe something was wrong!", said Keith. " Nope! Just hair troubles!... Thanks for waiting for me, we can go now!", said Paulina. "Alright just watch your step my vomit is right at the bottom of the last step!", said Keith. Paulina looks down to see the pile of brownish-yellow vomit right in front of her. " Thanks, I would have stepped right in that!", said Paulina. " No problem!", said Keith. Paulina carefully steps over the puke as if she were avoiding a landmine and follows Keith out onto the mezzanine. The light comes through a small crack in one of the metal covers over the opulent stain-glass window above the main entrance guiding part of their way across the dirty red velvet carpet that lines the marble floor. They make their way down the marble staircase to the main floor, the light from the gamma lantern lighting their way along with the light coming in through the window crack. Keith and Paulina make their way to the bottom of the stairs and into the main lobby, they stop and take a deep sigh of relief. " Didn't think we would ever get down from there!", said Paulina. " Me, too!... Too bad Maria wasn't here to enjoy this!", said Keith. Paulina nods her head in agreement. " Yes! She deserved to be here!... We should find the others!", said Paulina. " Yes in a minute!... Let's just take a breather!", said Keith. "Sounds good!", said Paulina. Keith pulls his canteen out of his backpack and takes as mall sip from it and offers it to Paulina who takes it and takes a small sip as well to conserve the water supply they have. A familiar voice echoes through the main lobby that stops both of them in their tracks and Keith looks at Paulina who has a shocked look on her face and says," Did you just hear that?" Paulina too shocked by what she had heard just nods her head repeatedly. " It's coming from Pops House Of Toast! Let's go!", exclaims Keith. Like a flash, Keith runs into the restaurant followed by Paulina. As they reach the inside of the restaurant, Keith stops dead in his tracks as he sees the sight of Maria sitting there talking to Graham, an unknown man to him. Maria notices Keith and Paulina and runs to them. Maria warps Keith in a passionate embrace and the two kiss like two long lost lovers finding one another. " I thought you were dead?... How is this possible? Who is that?", asks Keith. " That's Graham, he saved me! He is immortal and the other kicker!.... He's Pops Brilliants son!", said Maria. "Shut the front door!... You mean he is patient alpha?... I've only heard myths about him, didn't think they were true!", said Paulina. "Yes and no!... The Group Leader is, well they both are and the Group Leader is named Jack and over 200 years old!", said Maria. "Back up! This is all a little much to take in!", said Keith. " Just come and meet him and he will explain it all !", said Maria. " Okay!", said Keith with a surprised look on his face. "I'm so happy to see you!", said Maria. Maria and Keith kiss once more and then she turns her attention to Paulina and hugs her tightly. "I am so happy to see you too!" "Me too!" said Paulina. "Come on let us go so you can meet Graham!", said Maria. Maria lets go of Paulina and take's Keith by the hand and the two of them followed by Paulina, walk towards Graham who stands waiting. As they approach Graham, Keith is met with the outstretched hand of Graham saying, "I'm Graham it's so nice to meet you, Keith, I've heard all about you!"

Axel looks up at the unconscious Group Leader AKA Jack! Jack's body slowly shutting down from the advanced healing genes that have inhabited his body for the past 133 years. His body now, along with the rapid increase and decrease in his pulse rate, has the added effect of convulsions every 10 minutes. " I don't think he is going to pull out of this one!", said Greg. "Oh, you think?!", said Axel. " What do we do?", asks Greg. "Well, first we tell Keith and the others that he is just incapacitated but will be alright!", said Axel. "But, he's not!... When they get down here they will see the body and we can't hide that!", said Greg. " True! But we can always try the last vial of Lazarus to help and if it kills him then we just tell the truth!.... That the thunder quake is to blame!", said Axel. "Okay!... You know best!", said Greg. Axel grabs the walkie talkie off his belt not knowing that it has been on the entire time. " Hey Keith are you there?", said Axel. The voice of Keith comes over the speaker responding," Yes, what is it?" "I'm afraid you won't be able to get another Pops Brilliant story for a while, the Group Leader was hurt in the last thunder quake and is currently incapacitated! He won't be up for a while but will be alright, so don't worry!", said Axel. " It's okay, we will be down there in about half an hour anyway to get this whole deal over with!", said Keith. "Sounds good I will see you when you get here!", said Axel. " Alright, see you in a bit!", said Keith. Axel puts the walkie talkie still stuck in the on position, turns to Greg and says," That was relatively easy!"

Keith removes his thumb from the microphone button on the walkie talkie and slowly lowers it down to the oak table, placing it down ever so carefully. " God, he is either that arrogant and thinking that even if we knew his plan there is nothing we could do to stop him! Or too stupid to know that he has been broadcasting his entire conversation to us all!", said Keith. " I would go with number two!... I believe that he doesn't even know that we all know everything he has in mind!", said Graham. "Haha! Yes!... What do we do now? The Group Leader, I mean Jack is going to die!... Is there no way to save him?", said Paulina. " Oh, there is!... Right Graham?", said Maria. Keith turns and with a puzzled look on his face says to Graham, "What is she talking about is there something that I don't know about here?" Graham pulls out a small metal case, that looks a lot like a glasses case. He opens it revealing a violet-colored liquid in two tubes and says," With one of these!" Keith, fascinated and mesmerized by the violet-colored liquid said," What is that?" " Graham closes the case and places it back inside his jacket pocket and says," This is the only two vials of the Phoenix cure! The cure to saving myself and Jack if our injuries get too severe from taking on too much damage in a rapid amount of time. It is what can save Jack now, but we have to hurry before it's too late!" Keith slams his hand down on the table and says, "Than what are we waiting for?.... Let us go! But, we will need a plan though, plus a way to get down without being detected!" " I think I've got a plan and way down.", said Graham. "That's great!", said Maria. " Yes, it's kind of like a plan my dear old dad, Pops Brilliant used back in 1957 in Paris!", said Graham. "You know some Pops Brilliant stories?", asked Keith. "Know them!.. Hell I lived through some of them and the rest I heard from Pops himself!", said Graham. "Do we have time to hear this story?", said Keith. Graham looks at the gold watch on his hand, the kind given to retired law enforcement officers and replies, "I suppose we do!... It isn't that long!.... So, the year was 1957 and my grandfather was dead! Pops, my dad was still mourning the loss!... Agent Greene and a group of agents were sent to Saskatoon to help move Pops and my grandmother Karen's stuff out of the house in Saskatoon while Pops and grandma Karen was back in Toronto!"

A tall brown-haired man in a grey suit with a blue tie, a muscular build walks out of the three-story home of Karen and the late Rick Brilliant. The bench swing blows back in forth on the veranda as if someone is rocking it! But, in reality, all it is the gentle breeze that is in the air on this mild May day in Saskatoon in 1957. The man's haircut styled in a crewcut, which was the style at the time, is wet as beads of sweat fall from it as he carries a medium-sized cardboard box out of the house and to a large moving van. As he approaches the moving van he hands the box to a portly middle-aged man with thinning red hair that has shades of grey in it and wearing a pair of green overalls that say Tim on them. Tim takes the box and places it on top of two other cardboard boxes. The brown-haired man in the suit walks past two more men carrying boxes and wearing the same grey suits. One of them has blonde hair the other jet black, both are athletically built. The brown-haired man nods at the two other men and walks back up the blue steps onto the veranda where he is met by the imposing figure of Agent Greene, who stands with his arms crossed. "Almost done sir!... Just have the beds and dressers along with the living room furniture!", said the brown-haired man. "Good, good!... But we won't worry about that, the moving company will get those, I am going to need you Agent Omar and the other agents to come and help me pack up Pops' shed and load it in the other truck," says Agent Greene as he points his large think index finger at another moving van parked in the driveway, in front of the garage outback. " Okay, I will get the others!", said Agent Omar. "Good I will meet you there!", said Agent Greene. Agent Greene steps back in the house as Agent Omar walks over to the other agents to relay Agent Greene's message.

The thick fingers of Agent Greene press the microphone button on the control panel outside of the shed. He leans in and with his deep baritone voice says," Toast is king!" The shed door opens to reveal all the wonderous things that Pops has stored in there, from his genetic splicing equipment, pool table, and some new and strange-looking electronic equipment non-recognizable to Agent Greene. A stunned Agent Omar who had been standing right behind Agent Greene says," Holy shitballs!!!... Who is this kid?" " That is classified and when you have the senior level clearance, then you will find out!... For now, we need to pack up all this stuff and put it in secure storage!... Got that!", said Agent Greene. " Yes, sir!... I got it!", said Agent Omar as he looks down at the ground sheepishly. " Good, now go get the other agents and we will load this stuff in the truck!", said Agent Greene. Agent Omar nods his head and walks to the front of the house. Agent Greene walks into the shed and towards the back and stops at the wall safe, he punches in the 5 digit code and pulls out six journals sitting in there. He places the journals in a metal briefcase he has with him and says," These, no one needs to get there hands on these!" Agent Greene closes the lid of the metal briefcase and walks out as the other agents walk in.

Scores of people walk along the sidewalks of Toronto's downtown core in 1957 passing one another in a hurry to get to work, home or just going nowhere. passing by one another, the occasional polite nod followed by a tip of a trilby hat from the gentlemen on the street to the ladies. They make their way along the streets, or down into the subway tunnels which happen to be just as crowded. Up above streetcars run along the bustling city streets, their bells ringing out loud to warn of their presence to the people. All of this noise and commotion can be heard up above inside the surrounding buildings. Most particularly in the 9th-floor office of Dr.David Plaskett, an eminent psychologist. A wormish looking man with plastic black-framed glasses, a clean-shaven face that shows that no sign of facial hair had ever been present or that he had even reached puberty! He sits in a red leather armchair, a notepad in his lap, the tip of his fountain pen in his mouth, David sits in a slouched position with an unenthusiastic expression to his face. And when he speaks the tone of his voice that has a nasal tone confirms such. A knock on the door to the office is met by a reply from David, " Yes, come in!" The office door opens to the shapely figure of Miss. Van Dan Haas, a beautiful woman in her mid-thirties, wearing a pair of pink framed glasses herself that cover her hypnotizing blue eyes. Her long blond hair is pulled up in a bun, undone it would sit at mid-back of her 5ft 4inch frame. David stares at her creepily, particularly at her ample bosoms as she says," Pops is here for his last appointment Dr.Plaskett." David completely fascinated Miss. Van Dan Haas's breasts stare at them as he replies," Ugghhh!... Thank you, Miss. Van Dan Haas, you can send him right in!" "Okay, oh and Dr.Plaskett one more thing!", said Miss. Van Dan Haas. " Yes, what is it?", asks Dr.Plaskett. She makes a v with her index and pointer fingers and motions her hand up to her face saying," My eyes are up here!... You do that again and I am quitting!" " Errr, okay!... Sorry, Miss. Van Dan Haas!", said David. Miss Van Dan Haas aggressively closes the door behind her. David says," Another failure for the Dave!" The office door opens again and this time it is Pops who quickly saunters in, wearing a short-sleeve white dress shirt, grey dress pants, black dress shoes, carrying a matching grey sport coat in his right arm. His brown hair combed over to the right. "Hello, Dr.Davey!... How in the hell are you, you creepy old bastard?", said Pops. " Now Pops we talked about this, it is Dr.Plaskett!... You need to show some manners to an adult!", said David. " Hey, I'm old enough and the man of the house!", exclaims Pops. " You're ten years old!... Not nearly old enough to be talking to adults like that, despite being the man of the house!", says Dr.Plaskett in an irritated tone. " I beg to differ!..So what do you want Mr, I mean Dr.Creepy?" " Well, it is your last session and today we will continue to talk about your obsession with Harold, your half brother!", said Dr.Plaskett. Pops hops up on the leather couch near Dr.Plaskett and says, "Well, let's make it quick because I have shit to do!" "You have made significant progress over this past year, but yet you refuse to talk about your father's death!... Instead, you choose to talk on and on about Harold! You seem to have an obsession with him, now I know what he did was horrible and no child should see that!... It is unhealthy, you need to talk about it!", said David. Pops stands up from the couch and says," Of course it was fucking horrible!... God, they pay you to tell me this shit!... Don't try and tell me that you know what I am going through or can relate because you are nothing like me asshole! Now I am ready to get back to work, so just clear me because while we waste time sitting here with me listening to your nasally voice, Harold is out there causing chaos!", exclaims Pops. " Ummm, this just proves my point!", said David. "No, this just proves that you are an asshole milking every bit of money he can by drawing this out!", said Pops. Dr.Plaskett stands up and says, "Good, this is good!... This is the first sign of anger and opening up about your true feelings!... You mostly insulted me when I asked in every session!" " Yeah, well you are a skinny creepy little man!", said Pops. " No need for insults!", replies David. " " There always is a need for insults!... By the way, I heard you talking to your secretary!... I bet good money she could kick your ass!", said Pops with a chuckle. " There is no need to talk about that, we are here to talk about you!", said David. " You think a woman like that would be interested in you?.... Haha, I don't think so! You couldn't get laid in a whorehouse!", said Pops. The face of Dr.Plaskett turns bright red with anger from Pops' insults towards his manhood. " I am married Pops so I have had sex!", said David. " Haha, someone married you?... Did she lose a bet or is she just blind?", said Pops. " Look you disrespectful little shit!... I have been very patient with you through all the insults you have thrown at me, but I have had enough!", said David. "What are you going to do?... You can't hit a kid, let alone me, Pervus wouldn't like hearing that!", said Pops. Dr.Plaskett walks over to his cherry wood desk, grabs a sheet of paper from a file and aggressively signs it and walks up Pops and hands it to him. "Here, you're cleared!... if this gets you out of my office and life forever then I am happy to do it!", said David. A look of complete satisfaction comes over the face of Pops who replies, "YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!... Thanks, asshole! Now was that so hard?" Dr. Plaskett rolls his eyes and is met with a kick the right knee by Pops. Pops then turns and walks out of the room, but as he stands in the open door of the office says," See you, Davey!... Hope our paths never cross again!" Pops walks out shutting the office door behind him, as he walks past Miss. Van Dan Haas a smirk comes over her face from the commotion she heard in the office. Back in his office Dr.Plaskett sinks in his leather office chair rubbing his knee and says," Oww my knee! I hope it is not badly hurt!"

Heavy beads of rain slam against the large window of Mr.Pervus' office as the wind hurls it with its gale force. Mr. Pervus stands, his arms crossed looking out over the grey sky and at the rain hitting his window that looks like a Jackson Pollock painting. Behind him in the Louis, the 16th armchairs sit Karen Brilliant in a pink sundress and her brown hair pulled up in a ponytail. Directly beside her in the other chair is Dr.David Plaskett in his tweed grey suit, his black glasses sitting on the brim of his nose. Dr.Plaskett sits with his usual slouch in his posture and an uncomfortable demeanor, showing his unenthused state of mind. With his back to them, both Mr.Pervus said," So, Dr.Plaskett! According to your report, Pops has met all requirements to be cleared for return to service!... Is that correct?" Dr.Plaskett adjusts his body in the chair and replies with his unenthused tone and nasally voice," Yes! Yes, I did! Is there something wrong with that?" Mr.Pervus stands like a statue with his back still turned to both Karen and Dr.Plaskett. The room in dead silence making it even more uncomfortable. "Do, you want to tell him what you told me Karen?", said Mr.Pervus. Karen turns her head towards Dr.Plaskett and with an annoyed look in her eyes says," You, never should have cleared my son!... He outsmarted you and got under your skin to get you to clear him!" Dr.Plaskett starts to squirm in his chair a bit and replies," NO!" "Now Dr.Plaskett if you are lying to me I will send you to the same place I sent Banning!", said Mr. Pervus. Dr.Plaskett squirms in his chair even more and stammers his attempts to even put out a single word in response. " Umm... a. ah. you. you.", starts Dr.Plaskett but can't seem to finish his sentence. Mr.Pervus quickly turns around, moves towards his large oak desk and places his hands a down on the desktop in an intimidating fashion saying," Stuck for words Dr. Creepy?... Yeah we know everything that went on in that office, we had it monitored and you monitored because quite frankly we have been getting complaints about you from your lack of willingness to help our agents' mental state and more your interest to hit on your secretary!... Who by the way is getting a promotion to a full-field agent now for her help in this all!... So, care to change your story?" Beads of sweat now flow down the face of Dr.Plaskett just like the rain on the window. "Alright!... Fuck!... That little bastard pushed and pushed me to the point where I couldn't take it anymore!... Every session with him was like torture, he would do something or say something rude and inappropriate. Once he even showed up wearing nothing but his underwear and then proceeded to pass gas constantly which almost choked me out!... So, yeah I cleared him for service even though I think that his obsession with Harold still leaves something to be desired!" Mr.Pervus turns to Karen and says," Does that sound about right?" "Yes, it does!... Just how Pops told me!" A shocked look comes over the face of Dr.Plaskett as he hears Karen's words. "Well, that's all I need to hear!... Pops is cleared for duty and the tour will commence starting in Paris just as Pops requested!", said Mr.Pervus. "Wait, you are still going to clear him despite knowing all that happened and what I told you?... Why?", asked Dr.Plaskett. " Because Harold is in Paris and we need Pops to catch him! And because it was a test which pops passed with flying colors to catch you!", said Mr.Pervus. Dr.Plaskett stands up angered and annoyed, he says," This is total crap! I do a fine job around here!" "No! You do a sub-par job and in all retrospect are a bit of a creep!... I just hope your kids and grandkids aren't like you!.... Oh, and by the way, you are going to the same place as Banning!" before Dr.Plaskett can say anything, Miss. Van Dan Haas walks in the room and handcuffs him, she says," Come on Dr.Plaskett lets go and try and not let the handcuffs turn you on okay?!" Dr.Plaskett hangs his head down in disgust as Miss. Van Dan Haas leads him out of the room. Mr.Pervus presses the intercom button on his desk and says," Miss. Sutherland, can you find Agent Pecker I mean Becker and send him in here please?" "Right away sir!", replies the voice of Miss. Sutherland. 

More than an hour passes in the office of Mr.Pervus as he and Karen Brilliant wait patiently making small chit, chat to pass the time. Mr.Pervus pulls a solid gold pocket watch out of the side pocket of the black vest that sits underneath his suit jacket. He glances at the watch, closes it and places it back into the pocket from which it came. The sound of Miss. Sutherland's voice emanates from the intercom box," Sir, Agent Becker is here!" "Finally!... Tell him to come right in please!", replies Mr.Pervus. The large wooden, white doors open and in Agent Becker comes, making his way steadily towards Mr.Pervus and Karen. " I am so sorry sir!... I was in the middle of a case, I tried to wrap it up as quickly as possible to get here!", said Agent Becker. Mr.Pervus stands up from his brown leather office chair and shakes the hand of Agent Becker. "It's quite alright, your sense of duty is exemplary Agent Becker!... What matters is that you are here now!", said Mr.Pervus. Agent Becker stands at ease like a soldier in front of the desk of Mr.Pervus wondering just why he was summoned so quickly to the head of the CBC's office. "Bet you are wondering why you are here?", asks Mr.Pervus. "The thought has crossed my mind!", said Agent Becker. Mr.Pervus saunters around his desk, places his hand on the shoulder of Agent Becker and says," I have a very special mission for you!" "Great, sir! Anything for the CBC... What is it?", asks Agent Becker. "I love your enthusiasm Agent!... You are teaming with two of our best agents on an international manhunt masked as a tour!", said Mr.Pervus. " Oh no!... No! I change my mind I don't want it!... Absolutely not! I know who I am teaming with and I do not want to work with him!... Find someone else!", said Agent Becker. " There is no one else!... Well, there was but you were specifically chosen!", said Mr.Pervus. " By who? Agent Greene?", asks Agent Becker. "No!", replies Mr.Pervus. Just as Mr.Pervus was about to tell him who requested his help, Pops explodes into the room and says, "Surprise asshole! It was me who did!" Agent Becker rolls his eyes not catching the fat that Mr.Pervus has walked around to the back of his desk and seated back in his chair. Agent Becker quickly moves to the front of the desk, places his hands on the front of the desk and leans over the desk. " Please, sir anything but this!... I can't work with this little lunatic!... No offense Mrs.Brilliant!", said Agent Becker. "None taken!", said Karen. "What? I'm a little offended!", said Pops. "Oh please!... Nothing offends you! You do all the offending!", said Agent Becker. "None the less, Pops has asked for you and you accepted! Plus you are going and that's my orders!.... Got it Agent Pecker, I mean Becker!", said Mr.Pervus. "Yeeeaaaahhhhh!!!!!.... Now you are getting with the program Pervert!... It's going to be great working with you Pecker!', said Pops as he slaps Agent Becker square across the ass. A look of disgust comes over the face of Agent Becker from the uncomfortable slap and the fact that he now has to work with Pops. "Great!!!!!... It's going to be so much fun!", said Agent Becker with a sarcastic tone.

The underground, high-powered magnetic rail train moves along the underground tunnel under the Atlantic ocean, towards the country of France. Karen sits reading a cheesy romance novel, Agent Greene is looking through a file on the trips itinerary and mission purpose. Pops sits writing in his latest journal with great interest and Agent Becker attempts to catch a few winks before the train reaches its destination. Agent Becker's attempt at sleep is thwarted constantly by Pops' nasally whistling. " For the love of God can you just breathe through your mouth already!", said Agent Becker. " What?... Does that bother you?", said Pops. " Yes, it does!... Please breathe through your mouth!", said Agent Becker. Pops looks down at his journal writing away and says," I can, or I can just stop making my nose whistle!... But I know how much you hate it so I won't do either!", said Pops. "For the love of God!... You are one irritating little shit!" Agent Greene puts down his file and says, "Now, now Agent Becker! We all need to get along here!.... And Pops, please try and get along with Agent Becker please, this mission won't work without him!" "Alright, Hoss! If you say so!", said Pops. Agent Greene smiles and goes back to his file, an irritated look comes over the face of Agent Becker from Pops' lack of respect for him. " Oh sure, he will listen to you!", said Agent Becker. " That's because I was always straight forward, honest and respectful to Pops!... You might want to try that Agent!", said Agent Greene. "Yeah Pecker, respect!... I know I am hard on you but I need you to help find Harold!", said Pops. " Do you think that we will find him?.... After all, he has done a pretty good job so far of staying off our radar and then all of a sudden we know he is somewhere in one of the largest cities in Europe!... This smells like a trap if you ask me!", said Agent Becker. " It is! And while he thinks he has the upper hand in trying to get what he wants which is another journal, we do and are ready for whatever he has planned!", said Pops. " How may I ask are you going to do that?", asked Agent Becker. " That is a surprise and what I am working on in my latest journal!', said Pops. "Well if I am supposed to be helping then you should tell me!", said Agent Becker. " You will in due time!... As soon as I finish planning it out!", said Pops. Agent Becker rolls his eyes and says," Great this big plan to stop a teenage terrorist is being planned out by his ten-year-old half brother!... Sounds like the plot to a bad science fiction movie!", said Agent Becker. Pops gets up from his seat and walks over to Agent Becker, he extends his hand in friendship and says," Trust me! I want to catch him as much as you do!" Agent Becker looks at the sincerity in Pops' eyes and shakes his hand to make peace. " Thank you, Agent Becker, and, one last thing!", said Pops. "What is it Pops?", asks Agent Becker. "This!", said Pops as he lets out a loud fart, both Agent Greene and Karen smirk and then covers their collective faces. Agent Becker starts choking from the rancid smell and pulls a handkerchief out of his suit jacket pocket, covering his face to save his nostrils from the smell. "That's for the insult earlier!... Now we are good!", said Pops. " Oh my god, you are one disgusting little child!... You better hope one day I am not in charge, because you will not have the free reign you do now!", said Agent Becker. "Yeah, like that is going to happen asshole!", said Pops. A loud pinging sound indicates that the train is arriving at its destination and Pops returns to his seat and says," Here I come, Harold!... Game on!!!!"

Scores of people line the street waiting outside the Theatre du Chatelet on the streets of Paris waiting for the doors to open up for Pop's one-man show. The Marquee outside brightly showing his name, the sound of cars driving down the busy Paris streets and the chattering of those waiting to get in fill the air. Most noticeable is the Eiffel Tower standing guard over the city of lights. The doors to the theatre open and people rush in dressed in their best for this one-night engagement. Backstage Pops peeks out at the crowd through the big red velvet curtains. " Holy shit Hoss! Are there ever a lot of people out there!... I didn't think I was that popular over here! I didn't think they even knew who I was!", said Pops. "Neither did I, but apparently the people of Paris love you, they say that your sense of humor is tres grand!", said Agent Becker. A big shit-eating grin comes over the face of Pops who replies," Yeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!.... Now, these people have taste! You could take a lesson from them Pecker!" A look of complete disgust comes over the face of Becker and he says, "Yes! That they do!... Now remember Pops no political jokes and for the love of God no ethnic slurs, we don't need an international incident!" Pops walks up to Agent Becker scratches his ass and then puts his hands on his hips saying," Look asshole, just leave the show to me and don't worry about it!... You just worry about helping me find Harold, I know he's here!" Agent Becker rolls his eyes in indignation and replies," Oh brother!... If he is here we will find him!" The crowd starts to be heard chanting in a deafening collective voice," POPS! POPS! POPS!" "You better get out there and meet your public!", said Agent Greene. The curtain opens and the crowd starts screaming as Pops walks out in some greyish slacks and a short-sleeve yellow bowling shirt. Pops raises his arms as if he had just won a prize fight which makes the crowd cheer even harder. "How the hell are you Paris!... I just hopped on over here to see all you French Fries and man I have to tell you I sure could use some fucking toast!", exclaims Pops. The crowd yells, even more, echoing off the walls of the grand old theatre. "Oh wait for you Frenchies like croissants instead of toast!... Well, they pale a bit in comparison to good old fashioned toast but when in Rome or Paris!", said Pops. Pops holds out his hand towards the right side of the stage and a croissant is tossed to him from off stage, he catches it and takes a big bite out of it! "Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!... That's pretty damn good!... How about that government?", said Pops Agent Becker lowers his head and shakes it in disbelief. A stagehand walks up to Agent Greene and hands him an envelope which he promptly opens. Agent Greene reads it over carefully and says," Well, we won't have to worry about searching for Harold too much!... Seems Pops was right, he was here and wants to meet with Pops and me!" "What?", said Agent Becker. Agent Greene hands Becker the envelope who also reads it and says," This is a trap you know?" " Yes, but we have to tell Pops after the show!", said Agent Greene. " Why?... If we don't play Harold's game then we have the upper hand!", said Agent Becker. " Trust me, it's all apart of Pops' plan!", said Agent Greene. "I disagree with this!... You two better let me in your plan soon or I will have to take this whole operation over!", said Agent Becker. " Soon! Soon! We will let you know after the show!", said Agent Greene. "They sure love him, can't understand why?", said Agent Becker. " Give him a chance and you will see his appeal!", said Agent Greene. Pops bows to the crowd to thank them as he finishes up the first half of his show and is met with the collective sound of the crowd saying," Viva la Pops! Viva la Pops!"

In the opulent hotel room of the Hotel Lutetia with its antique Louis the 16th chairs, marble columns and breathtaking woodwork molding that encases the entire room. Pops sits a piece of toast in his hand and a stack of 5 toast slices sitting on the antique table beside him. He sits in his white undershirt and grey slacks. He closes his eyes for a second and in his mind flashes of his fathers' death play over and over like a video on constant replay. His partial slumber is interrupted by the feeling of Agent Greene's large hand shaking his shoulder. "Pops, are you okay?", said Agent Greene. Pops jumps a bit from the shock of being awakened. "Holy shit Hoss, you scared me!... Think I might have to shit my pants!", said Pops. "Sorry!... I was looking over your plan and I think we might have to revisit this! It is too risky, it could be another trap!", said Agent Greene. "Of course it could be! You don't think I thought of that?... You are beginning to sound like Pecker!", said Pops. " Yeah but he might be right!", said Agent Greene. Pops holds up the piece of toast in his hand and says, "You know I have never thrown a piece of toast at you or insulted you or any of the other things I have done to others who treated me like an idiot! You have always respected me and treated me as an equal and not some freak or as a kid!... Don't make me start now!" Agent Greene paces back and forth, the file folder still in his hands, he closes it, puts it down on the end table beside Pops toast plate and says," It's not that I don't trust you or think you an idiot Pops! I just do not want to see you get hurt again by Harold, he is not like you, to do what he did shows that he has no soul!... I just want you to be safe!" Pops finishes off the toast in his hand, stands up on the chair, grasps on to Agent Greene's large shoulder and said, "Oh, don't worry Hoss!... As long as you are there to watch over me this plan is truly foolproof and can't fail!", said Pops. The touching moment swells up Agent Greene's eyes a bit, he fights the tears from coming out of his eyes and says, "Alright Pops!... I won't Pops, now what do you say we go and get that son of a bitch!" "Yeeeeaaahhhh!!!!!.... Let's go give Harold a straight kick to the balls ya big baby! Haha!" The door to the room open abruptly and closes just as quickly, Agent Becker blows into the room like a hurricane holding a telegram in his hand. He walks up to Pops and Agent Greene and says," Not so fast you two!.... You are not going anywhere!" Pops jumps off the chair and stands looking up at Agent Becker and says," You have no control over this operation Pecker now out of the way and let us go or come with us before I contact Pervert and inform him of this!... You are working for me on this mission remember?" Agent Becker holds out the telegram and hands it to Pops and says, "Not anymore, I contacted the PM and told him all about what was happening and he called Pervus and then gave me control of the mission!... We will proceed when I say so, so sit back down!" Pops reads the telegram and then hands it to Agent Greene and says," You dirty backstabbing prick!" Pops grabs a piece of toast from his plate on the end table and hurls it at Becker, hitting him square in the face and then likewise with a second slice. " No matter how much you assault me you little monster will change my mind! I have control here so sit back down or you won't even come with us when we go to apprehend Harold!" "Agent Becker, this is unbelievable!... It is Pops that Harold wants to see, it is Pops who planned this operation, not you! Why are you trying to take control, just trust Pops for once!", said Agent Greene. " You can stand down Agent Greene, or you will be suspended when I inform the PM of your unwillingness to cooperate!", said Agent Becker. A tap is felt on the shoulder of Agent Becker, he turns and is immediately met with a strong right cross from the hand of Karen. Becker falls to the ground like a stone and lies unconscious. " No, you stand down you arrogant prick!... I never liked him!", said Karen. Pops and Agent Greene stand with a shocked look on her face and Pops says," Damn mom! Nice shot, I never knew you could do that!" "There's a lot you don't know about your mom!... No, go get that asshole boys!", said Karen. Agent Greene salutes her and says, "Yes ma'am!" Agent Greene walks towards the door of the hotel room followed by Pops who stops hugs Karen and says, "Thanks, Mom!" "No problem!... Nobody messes with my child! Now get going!" Pops lets go of his embrace and follows Agent Greene out the door.

The moonlight shines down brightening up the Parisian night, a warm breeze blows through the city of lights as Agent Greene zips down the streets of Paris towards the city center in his bright red Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Pops looks at his watch and points to it signaling that they are running late to meet with Harold. Agent Greene shifts gears rapidly and slams his foot down on the gas speeding at a greater pace. He moves in and out of traffic to get around some slower vehicles in his way, even avoiding an oncoming truck as he quickly moves around traffic. "Holy shit Hoss! I never knew you could drive like this?!", Exclaims Pops. Agent Greene shifts gears again and turns the corner onto Champs de Mars at 5 Anatole France in the 7th arrondissement in Paris. Then just like that, they are inches away from the Eiffel tower. Agent Greene downshifts and slams on the brakes squealing the tires a bit as the sports car stops on a dime. Agent Greene looks over at Pops and says with a big smile on his face, "There's lots you don't know about me!" "Damn, Hoss! You will have to show me how to drive like that!", exclaims Pops. Agent Greene sticks out his left hand and Pops shakes it, Agent Greene says, "It's a deal!" They each grab their respective door handles and push the doors open into its upward wing-like design that it would become famous for in later years. They close the doors and quickly make their way up to the Eiffel Tower, both of them dressed in grey suits with a matching dark grey Trilby hat on their heads looking like a couple of sophisticated gangsters. "You think you could give me the car too as a present if we are successful?", asks Pops. "Haha! Keep dreaming my friend!", said Agent Greene. "Oh come on Hoss! I thought we were close!", said Pops. "Not that close enough for me to give you my car!... Yet!", said Agent Greene. A big smile comes over the face of Pops' chubby face. As Pops and Agent Greene draw even closer to the Eiffel Tower all lit up making the tan color of the monument look orange. Standing at the bottom of the tower, right in front of the tower elevator are a group of large monstrous, muscle-bound men that look like an offensive line of a football team all dressed in brown suits, matching trench coats and Trilby hats. With dull and brutish expressions on their faces, it showed that they were not much for conversation or a high brain IQ. A large caucasian man in his late 20's with blond hair, sporting a crewcut says to them as he holds up his hand like a stop sign," Only the little man not you!" " I am not letting him go up there alone!", said Agent Greene. "Sorry, it's orders and orders is orders!", said the blond-haired brute. "It's okay Hoss, you stay down here with the Nation Of Abomination or village of idiots, whatever you want to call them!... I'll be fine! If Harold wanted to physically harm me he would have done it!", said Pops. Agent Greene thinks for a second and says, "Okay, but I will be down here if you need me!... Be safe and good luck!" The blond-haired brutish man points to the open elevator and says, "In there and go up!" Pops walks into the open elevator door and closes it saying," Wow you are intelligent!... It's a good thing you told me because I had no clue where to go here on the ground floor!" The brutish-blond haired man just stands with a puzzled look on his face and shrugs his shoulders while letting out a grunt. Pops presses the button on the elevator and it slowly starts to ascend and he says, "Do me a favor and try not to take any more hits to the head in football practice!" The brutish-blond haired man stands still puzzled and amazed as he stares at the elevator rising higher and higher. 

As the old steel elevator rises higher and higher up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Pops looks out on the night sky, a sky so clear that the stars just sparkle like diamonds in the sky and the city below all lit up looks like a swarm of fireflies. As the elevator reaches its final destination, Pops notices two more of Harold's goons standing and waiting for his imminent arrival. Pops gets off the elevator and I quickly stopped in his tracks by a dark-haired giant of a man with an even lower IQ than the first and brown eyes. " Hold it right there sir or kid?... Are you a midget or a kid?", said the brutish dark-haired man. In the distance, Pops can see Harold standing, his back to the railing, staring at Pops in a dark black suit and matching trilby. "Hey, genius! He's my little brother!... Now go down and join the others!", said Harold in an arrogant tone while sporting a slight French accent. The dark-haired brutish man looks at Harold and then turns to look at Pops all confused. "Hey, did you take one too many shots to the head genius?... He said to go!", exclaims Pops. The two goons board the elevator and make their way back down to the ground leaving Pops and Harold standing a good five feet apart, staring in silence. Pops glares at Harold with a look that could shoot daggers out of his eyes. "I know what you are thinking Pops!... You want to kill me for what I did to our father!", said Harold. Pops moves one step forward and says," You couldn't be more right!... What kind of human being does that and in front of their family!" Harold takes a step forward himself and says," Pride, jealousy and pure hatred!" Pops takes a step back and says," But I did nothing to you!... Yet you chose to hurt me!" "Yes, I did and I am sorry for that dear brother!... But the truth is I wasn't mad at you, wait I was and still am a little but I am learning to overlook that!", said Harold. Pops takes a step forward again and says," You make no sense Harold!... I think you are just a spoiled asshole who is mad at the world and a complete nut job!" "Haha! I thought you would say that dear brother!... The truth is I was mad at him, Rick! He threw me away, ashamed to let me have a life and family!... If it wasn't for the genetic cocktail being stolen then I would still be there!... Then he created you and gave you everything while and then the world flocked to you while I was living in hiding. He didn't even bother looking for me, I was denied a real home and a brother!!!... But now that he is gone, Rick can't keep us apart!", said Harold. Pops takes another step closer and is now an inch apart from his psychotic older brother. " So, this was all about wanting a brother?... Well, if you wanted one of those then why not create one for yourself, you are smart enough!", said Pops. " I could but I would rather have you by my side!", said Harold. Pops lets out a laugh so loud that it could be heard across Paris. "That sounds like you want a wife and not a brother!... I'm sure any girl or guy would be happy to help you with that!", said Pops. " NO!!!!!!!.... You're not listening to me!... I want us to team up and with our collective intelligence, we can rule the world!... What do you say?", said Harold extending his hand to seal the deal. Pops takes a few steps back, paces back and forth, he walks back up to Harold and shakes his hand. A big grin comes over the face of Harold as he thinks that Pops has teamed up with him. " Not a hope in hell you bastard!... Not for all the toast in the world!" A stunned look comes over the face of Harold and he responds gripping on even tighter to Pops hand," I thought you might say that, so while you were here I took a few things that mean something to you!... One I stole another journal from your hotel room! Two, I took and sold one of your ideas, a board game named "Risk" to french film director Albert Lamorisse. Last I took our mother, as I didn't get to have one, figured you wouldn't mind if I did for a short while!" Pop's face turns as red like blood and he says," You son of a bitch!... Give them back, give them all back!" " Now, now dear brother, you will get one back! I will choose of course and will send you the clue when you get back to your hotel room!", said Harold. " I should have pushed you back over the railing when I had the chance!", said Pops. " Why didn't you then?", asked Harold. " I had something better in mind!", said Pops. A stunned look comes over Harold's face and he asks," What?" "This!", exclaims Pops as he kicks Harold in the balls. Harold falls to the ground and as he is lying on the metal grating, Pops turns and hovers his portly buttocks over Harolds' face and lets out the loudest and wettest fart. Harold lies gagging on the ground trying to say something but can't as the smell and the taste of the fart in his mouth chokes him out. Pops walks towards the elevator, closes the metal cage door and says as the elevator starts to descend Pops slaps his right hand against his right butt cheek and grabs his crotch saying, "Hey Harold, you can kiss it and suck it!" As the elevator starts to descend Pops mischievously waves at Harold who just slams his hand down on the metal grating. 

As the elevator reaches the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, Pops opens the door to the elevator car and in a determined rush moves past the "Nation Of Abomination" making a bee-line for the Mercedez Benz 300SL. Agent Greeneruns after him and says," Pops is everything alright?... Aren't you taking Harold in?" Pops stops at the passenger to the luxury sports car and replies," NO!... That bastard Harold one-upped me again, he not only sold one of my ideas from the journal but he took my mother and the journal I was working on!" Agent Greene opens the doors to the car and as Pops climbs in he shuts it behind him and quickly runs around to the drivers' side, enters, pulls the door down closed and starts the engine up. " I thought the journal was fake to trap Harold?", said Agent Greene. "It was!... It's the fact that now I know which journal he has and the fact that he also took my mother that we need to get back to the hotel!", said Pops. " What's in the journal Pops?... And why don't we just grab him and make him tell us where she is?", said Agent Greene. " He said that he would send me a clue as to what he chose to give back to me, that's why we need to get back!", said Pops. "And the journal?", asked Agent Greene. " In that journal is a formula for a virus that can make humanity extinct!", exclaimed Pops. A shocked look comes over the face of Agent Greene who quickly shifts the car into first gear and spins the tries taking off in a flash down the road back towards the hotel.

Pops and Agent Greene pulls up to the hotel, Agent Greene slamming on his breaks, a trail of smoke from the burnt rubber along with the smell of it. They rush into the hotel and on the elevator. Pops exclaims to the Elevator Operator, "Top floor and hurry!" The Elevator Operator nods his head and the doors to the car close. 

Inside the elevator, Pops looks on at the needle pointing to the floor level situated above the elevator door. He taps his foot and bites his lip as the elevator car slowly reaches its destination. The elevator car opens up and Pops and Agent Greene rush out and towards Pops' hotel room where Agent Becker was waiting by the door. "Get the fuck out of my way Pecker!", said Pops. Agent Becker places his left hand on Pops' shoulder and says, "NO!!!!... You are in a world of trouble, the two of you!" "Agent becket please move, Mrs. Brilliant was taken by Harold along with a few other things!... We need to be by the phone, Harold said he would send a clue as to which one he is giving back!", said Agent Greene. "Well, if you hadn't have knocked me out this wouldn't have happened and by the way Karen is not missing, she's right in the hotel room!... She's been here the whole time!", said Agent Becker. Pops looks around the muscular frame of becker and see's Karen sitting on the couch. Pops said," Move Pecker!" Becker gets a disgusted look on his face and in a move as quick as a heartbeat Pops kicks Becker in the shins and pushes his way past Agent Becker. 

Pops runs into the opulent hotel room, up to Karena and places a hug so tight that it could squeeze the life out of you! "Oh, what's with the hug?... Is everything alright?", said Karen as she wraps her petite arms around her son. " He was told by Harold that you were taken!... Guess that is another lie that Harold told!", said Agent Greene. Agent Becker walks into the room carrying a medium-sized rectangular box in his arms and says," I can't believe you kicked me you little....." "Now Agent Becker if you know what is good for you you won't insult Pops again!", said Agent Greene. "Why is he going to kick me, or some other disgusting thing like a fart on me, pretty much peeling the paint off the walls!", said Agent Becker. "Yes and no!... I will put it in my report that you have been uncooperative and disrespectful to Pops, myself and Mrs.Brilliant!", said Agent Greene. Becker stands there for a second in total shock and silence. He then shoves the box in his hand to Agent Greene and casually says," This is for you!... Well, Pops, but I figured you could open it!" "What is it?", asks Agent Greene. "I don't know?... It was delivered a half-hour ago!", said Agent Becker who then casually walks out of the room, his head hanging low. Agent Greene places the package on the table and carefully opens it, inside is a game board box called Risk, with a note inside that reads, "It was this!". A puzzled look comes over the faces of Pops and Greene as Agent Greene gingerly opens the box to the box to the game and inside lies the journal that Harold had taken. Pops grabs the journal opens it and reads a note that Harold wrote out loud," Did you think I would fall for the old fake journal routine! You need to do better than that, and as for me saying that I took Karen, well, that was a lie and you believed it!... I have a family, dear brother and mine are loyal! I also knew you were going to reject my offer, which shows that I am smarter than you! I know it is driving you crazy that I have this journal, there are so many other ideas in here that I just might keep for myself and others I might sell!... I'll be seeing you! But you won't see me!" Pops takes the fake journal and throws it across the room and yells," Son of a bitch!" "What do we do now?", asks Agent Greene. "I don't know at the moment!... But if we don't get back that journal it could be end game!", said Pops. Agent Greene opens up the game board looking for any other clues that Harold might have left behind. "What are you doing Hoss? He left us with nothing but a big fuck you!", said Pops. "Pops'! Language!", said Karen. " I'm sorry ma!... It's just that Harold twice has gotten the best of me!", said Pops. "Yes, I know!... And that my son is what he is counting on! You have to calm yourself and think, then you will catch him!", said Karen. Agent Greene inspects the game board and notices a small scratch on the map where the Netherlands would be on a map and says," I know where he is going next?" Agent Greene points at the small scratch on the game board and exclaims, "Amsterdam!" 

Dr. Kevin Astor observes the heavy, reinforced iron door, sealed perfectly to prevent any form of contamination from getting out or in! On the other side of the door in the observation room Dr. Larson, Graham, and Jack are standing watching him. " We need to find a way to stop him before he gets out there is no telling what he could do if he gets out!", said Dr.Larson. " What do we use though?".asks Graham. " What about the gamma guns out in the hall that soldiers were using?... They are no use to them now and I assume that they should be powerful enough to kill him!", said Jack. Dr.Larson still watching Dr.Kevin Astor says," Yes! Those should work!... Go and get them, guys!" Graham and Jack quickly run out into the hall and just as quickly return with the massive energy-based assault rifle slung over their shoulders. In the containment lab Dr.Kevin Astor stares intently at the door, he lifts his hands, they start to glow to a deep cherry red, and he places them against the door. As the door heats up breaking the pressure seals on it one by one Kevins' pale white complexion starts to glow eerily. On the other side of the door, Dr.Larson notices the imminent destruction of the door and exclaims," Get away from the door!... It's going to explode!" Graham, Jack, and Dr.Larson dive for cover just as the pressure seals break on the floor and it disintegrates in a massive explosion that shakes the very foundations of the building. The observation room window shatters sending glass hurling across the room. Dr. Kevin Astor steps out into the observation room still glowing, his figure being seen through the haze of dust and debris. Jack sits up, shards of glass in his right arm and one in his neck. He looks at Graham, sitting up as well with a huge shard of glass embedded in his chest and says as pulls out the glass shard from his neck," OW!... That stung a bit!" Graham yanks out the shard from his chest and replies, "It's like a mosquito bite!" Within an instant, the massive wounds on their respective bodies heal. "Alright now I'm pissed!... Let's end him!", said Jack as he stands up and points his rifle at Dr.Kevin Astor. Graham already standing aims his weapon as well and he replies," I couldn't agree more!" Dr.Larson holds his hands up signaling Jack and Graham to lower their guns. As the dust clears the glowing white figure of Dr.Kevin Astor stands with a blank, emotionless look on his face, his eyes so cold and angry. In the pupil of his eyes, a glimmer of red like a small flame can be seen. "Kevin!.. STOP!... Let us help you!", said Dr.Larson. "You don't want to help me! You want to kill me!", said Dr.Kevin Astor. "No I don't Kevin, I want to help you!... You are in pain, let me take care of it!", said Dr.Larson. "That's not helping, that's hurting!... You just want to do it because you are afraid of me!... You've always feared me because of my father!", said Kevin. "Not true!... I respected you and gave you the chance that nobody would!... This is not the Kevin I knew that was dedicated to saving lives! You are taking lives, you killed your wife, the woman who risked everything to save you!... Come on, let us help you!", said Dr.Larson. Kevin stares down at the ground looking all remorseful, the glow from his body diminished. Dr.Larson walks closer, standing 1 foot away from him says, "Let's end this Kevin!" Kevin lifts his head, a psychotic glare in his eyes and says, "Yes!... Lets!" Dr.Kevin Astor's body starts to glow and his arms turn red as he prepares to use his powers to kill Dr.Larson. "Oh no, you don't!... Fire Graham!", yells out Jack. The gamma rifles hum and glow orange as they charge up, then almost instantaneously Jack and Graham fire their respective rifles releasing a steady orange beam that hits Kevin knocking him to the ground. Kevin lets out a scream of pain as the gamma fills his body crouched down on the ground. "Why isn't he burning up?", asks Graham. "I don't know? I'm not a scientist!", exclaims Jack. Kevin's body glows even brighter as it absorbs the gamma, his screams of pain turn to laughter as he stands up. "Put it to full power!", says Graham. "I have it there!", replies Jack. Kevin raises his hands and sends a reverse blast of energy back at Jack and Graham's rifles, exploding them in their hands, knocking Jack and Graham to the ground unconscious with 3rd degree burns to their bodies. Dr.Larson, crouched to the ground, looks up to see Dr.Kevin Astor standing above him, his hands glowing red. "Kevin doesn't do this! This is not you, you're not your father!", said Dr.Larson. Kevin holds his hands out and says," No, I'm better than him!... And the names White Dragon!" Kevin fires a pulse of energy from his body, turning Dr.Larson to ash immediately with only a temporary scream of pain for half a minute. The White Dragon looks down at his handy work, the pile of ash that was Dr.Larson and the charred bodies of Graham and Jack lying in the far corner and walks out of the room. 

"Why did you stop?.... Pops was just found out Harold was in Amsterdam, are they going or not?", asks Keith. "Oh sorry, I just was thinking about something else!", said Graham. " So, is that it for the story? Not as funny as the others, I mean it had its moments but this one was kind of serious! Almost rushed, why?", asked Paulina. Graham stands up, looks around and says, "Sorry if it wasn't what you were used to! I didn't want to get too detailed, we need to get down to the basement to help the others and Jack before he dies!", said Graham. Maria stands up and with an intent look in her eyes says," Well what are we waiting for let's go and stop that asshole!... What do you want us to do?" " You and Paulina take the table cloths from here and get Axel to tie the rope to it from the basement stairwell and climb down while I and Maria meet you down there!", said Graham. A puzzled look comes over the faces of Keith and Paulina. Keith says," How are you two getting down?" Graham takes his large right, weathered hand and grasps Keith's shoulder saying, "Don't worry, I have a way down!" "Why can't we all go that way and take Axel and Greg by surprise?", asks Keith. "He is expecting you, you have to go the way I told you!... Trust me, it will work!", said Graham. Keith uncertainness is calmed by the truth in Graham's eyes and he says, "Okay, let's do this!" The four make their way out of Pops House Of Toast and into the lobby towards the front lobby.

The rain beats down on the heads of Priya, Emil, and Preston as they sit huddled together on the rooftop of the Bessborough. With water dripping down her face, Priya moves her bangs out of her eyes and says," How much time do we have left?" Preston takes and pulls back his soaked jacket sleeve, revealing a gold Rolex watch and replies," I'd say about another hour or so, depending on the status of the shield!... Could be less, there's no way to tell unless we are physically there to see it!" Preston returns his watch to the cover of the rain-soaked jacket sleeve and looks up at the sky now turned a bright shade of red from the deep purple it was earlier. "So, are we just going to sit here forever or continue?", asks Emil. A brief silence encompasses the rooftop as only the sound of the wind howling and Rain beating down can be heard for those brief 45 seconds. Preston stands up and says," HELL NO!... Come on let's get going!" " But what about the storm and the possibility of us dying trying to get to the peak room?", asks Priya. Preston picks up his backpack and slams it over his shoulders shooting off the rainwater from his back and says," We have to risk it now! It's either we try or we all die!" Priya and Emil look at each other and then they both rise quickly and place their respective backpacks on their shoulders. " Hell yeah!... Let's do this!", exclaims Priya. " Well, as much as I would like to see you all fail, I don't want to die either!... So, yeah, let's do this!", said Emil. The three turn and continue their arduous journey towards either saving the day or certain death up the sloped peak of the grand old hotel.

Axel stands continually staring at the suspended body of The Group Leader aka Jack. He stares directly at the slowed breathing of the Group Leader. "Not much longer now!", said Axel. "For what?", asks Greg. "You know for what!... Time we start getting our shit together to make our way out of here!", said Axel. Greg opens his mouth about to reply to Axel when the voice of Keith comes over the walkie talkie," Attention asshole, I mean Axel!... We are at the top of the stairwell, we tied some table cloths together for you to tie the rope on and we will secure it at the top after we pull it up there!" "Axel grabs the walkie talkie off his belt loop and replies," Roger that!... We will be there waiting!" The walkie talkie goes dead and Axel turns to Greg and says, "Well, it looks like we are out of here!" " What about The Group Leader?... What do we do with him?", asks Greg. "Leave him there! This whole place is going to come crashing down soon and he will be buried alive anyway!... Besides, we have more pressing matters to worry about, that being the White Dragon!", said Axel. "Fair enough!", said Greg. Axel pulls out his cigarette container from his pocket, removes one and lights it. He quickly places the container back in his left pants pocket, Axel blows a puff of smoke into the Group Leaders face and walks away closely followed by Greg. As the room becomes silent the Group Leaders aka Jack's eyes suddenly open, takes one deep breath, then starts to choke and his entire body twitches. The seizure lasts about ten seconds until ultimately Jack The Group Leader hangs from the laundry hook, no breath, no pulse, dead from his wounds!