The Fringe, the next evening.
The Fringe, the next evening.
After Jackal left, there wasn't much to do but keep walking and occasionally talking. The conversation was illuminating and confirmed a number of things Allie had suspected about Kanin's past. Zeke was intrigued to find out that Kanin was the vampire that had tried to help the scientists discover a cure during the initial outbreak of Red Lung so many years, while Allie still wasn't certain if the fact that Kanin had known Zeke's grandfather was fate or blind chance.
For his part, Zeke filled them in on what the scientists at Eden were working on. They felt they were close to a cure, only lacking one crucial piece...vampire blood. Allie's first reaction had been betrayal. Had Zeke only come looking for her to lure her back to Eden as some sort of lab rat? In the end, Allie believed that he hadn't. Zeke was too sincere and too honest. She really wasn't surprised when Kanin volunteered to return to Eden. His guilt over his initial involvement in the spread of rabidism was too great, he'd suffer if it meant any sort of atonement. But as Zeke continued to cough and Kanin grew more quiet, Allie knew going to Eden wasn't going to happen unless they found Sarren and some sort of cure very soon.
The sun was close to rising when they finally sought refuge in one of the abandoned houses that littered the Fringe. Kanin disappeared in search of a place to sleep and while Kaidan went to make sure things were as secure as possible given where they were. And as the sun rose, Allie and an increasingly sick Zeke curled up together and tried not to think about what might have been.
Kaidan
Kaidan was used to staying awake for prolonged periods of time - keeping watch, keeping going. He moved quietly across the perimeter. Sometimes he passed by Allie and Zeke's room, but he never let his eyes pass over it longer than a couple of seconds.
As long as they weren't under threat, he owed them their privacy.
At least until evening fell; then he knocked quietly on their door. "Time to get up," he called.
Zeke
Zeke was already up, gathering his things and heading out the door as Allie began to stir.
His eyes were bloodshot, his skin was gaunt and wasted, and his hair was soaked with sweat. "Sorry for not helping you keep watch."
Kaidan
"You look like you needed the rest," Kaidan said as he briefly took stock of the way Zeke looked. "I'm used to it."
Allie
Allie was on her feet just a few seconds later. She took one look at Zeke, swallowed hard and turned to Kaidan. "Where's Kanin? We have to get moving."
Kaidan
"Upstairs," Kaidan said.
The old vampire... hadn't been looking too good, but he didn't want to worry Allie too much. "Give him a couple of minutes."
Allie
It was a nice try, but Allie had been in a perpetual state of worry since they'd arrived. If Zeke was already this bad, she was afraid of what state the older vampire was in.
She rested her hand on Zeke's arm, flinching at the sickly heat that poured off of him.
Slow footsteps approached, and Allie hissed at the sight. "Oh Kanin."
Kanin
The skin on Kanin's forehead, cheeks and jaw had blackened and was beginning to peel away, showing hints of bone through the wasted flesh. His eyes had sunk into his head and were glazed over with pain. The skin on the back of his head had darkened as well, ominous patches getting ready to crack and rot away, as the virus that ravaged his body from the inside finally started to break through.
"Are we ready to leave?" His voice was as calm as ever. The only sign of the pain he was in visible in the tight set of his jaw. "Can you travel?" he asked Zeke.
Zeke
Zeke nodded once. "I can make it."
Kanin
"Then let's go. It will be at least a few more hours on foot."
Whether or not Kanin and Zeke would make it was the question.
Zeke
Two hours later, Zeke collapsed as they crossed a snowy lot. He tried to push to his feet, but fell once more before finally sitting back in the snow. "You're going to have to leave me. I don't think I can go any farther."
Allie
"I'm not leaving you," Allie said from where she'd dropped to her knees next to him. "Don't you dare try and pull this self-sacrificing crap now."
Zeke
"I can't," he insisted. "I can feel the sickness burning inside my head. It's making me crazy. You have to go on. I can't even see straight, let alone fight."
Allie
"I'm not. I can carry you if I have to." Someone was being stubborn.
Zeke
Zeke closed his eyes, as the snow melted where it landed on his forehead and cheeks. "You can't stop Sarren if you're constantly worried about me," he said, breathing hard. "He'll use me against you...that's what he does. When you face him agai, you can't have...any distractions. Kaidan, tell her I'm right."
Kaidan
If he was looking for an ally in Kaidan, he wasn't going to find one. "No one gets left behind," he said. There was a certain kind of vehemence in his firmness - a flash of Ashley.
Allie
Allie was focused on Zeke but it didn't mean she didn't realize what memories this must have been stirring up for Kaidan. "You see? He agrees with me. We'll protect you."
Kanin
Kanin's steps crunched through the snow as he approached and loomed over them. "This would be your choice Ezekial. Are you certain?"
He raised a hand to forestall any argument Allie or Kaidan might make. "You saw what Sarren did to Salazar, a master vampire. This sickness has made me weak. I will not be much use in a fight. Allie is strong, but she is young. You, Commander, your abilities might save your life. But to do that you need to be focused. By choosing to stay, Ezekial could be saving his own life. If we get a cure in time."
Kaidan
"Or we could get back here and find he's dead," Kaidan retorted. "That argument cuts both ways."
Christ. And now he was thinking about Shepard, letting him run upstairs to save Joker on his own. Fuck.
Kanin
"It does," Kanin nodded. "But it is Ezekial's choice."
Allie
"And it's always about making your own choice," Allie whispered. Kanin had offered her a choice once. Allie really hated the parallels at the moment.
"We can't leave him here in the snow. The bleeders will tear him apart."
Kanin
Sorry Allie, Kanin had an answer for that argument as well.
The lot was surrounded by the rusting hulks of abandoned cars. Kanin approached what had once been a van and wrenched open the door exposing a darkened interior and an empty space.
"He will be safe enough in here. Hurry. We do not have much time."
Zeke
Zeke clenched his jaw against the pain as Allie half pulled, half dragged him into the van and helped him settle against the wall. He dropped his hand to his hip, relieved at the feel of the metal. One shot would be all he would need. "I'll be all right. I'm not going to do anything stupid, Allison. I just...need to rest. If you find Sarren and get a cure in time, I'll be here. If not...then it won't matter, anyway."
Allie
"I'll find him," Allie promised as she leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "Just hang on. I'm coming back, Zeke, I swear."
Zeke
Zeke lifted his head for the briefest of kisses. "I'll wait, vampire girl," he whispered. "For as long as I can. But if I don't make it..." He hesitated briefly, as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. "Allie, I..."
Kanin
"Allison," Kanin's voice echoed in the van, gentle but firm. "We need to go. Now."
He watched as Allie reluctantly left the van and pulled the door shut before stomping off through the snow.
"There are no good choices, Allison," he said, knowing she would hear him. "There are only those you can live with, and those you can work to change."
Kaidan
"Bullshit," Kaidan said.
There was no vehemence in his voice now; just an old, cold anger and shards of survivor's guilt.
He didn't add anything else. He got moving.
Allie
Less then an hour later they turned a corner, Allie stopped, recognizing the weed-choked field, the skeletal trees and the blackened ruins behind them.
They'd reached the hospital.
"It's too quiet," she observed as Kanin stepped up to her side. The virus had progressed, the entire length of one arm was blackened and peeling, hints of bone showing through the wasted flesh. It was obvious he was in great deal of pain. "Can you do this? Because you can stay. Kaidan and I can go in." The thought of facing Sarren, even with biotic back-up scared the hell out of Allie but for Kanin's sake, and for Zeke, she'd do it.
Kanin
"No," Kanin murmured, studying the hospital. "Sarren and I...We've been at tis for a long time. This war ends tonight. I will be there when you face him."
Kaidan
Kaidan was getting real tired of the self-sacrificing thing going around here - he'd been silent for most of their trip so far. While he said nothing, he shot Kanin a look that made it clear he thought this had A Bad Idea written all over it.
Allie
There was no doubt it was a bad idea. But this was more then likely were Sarren had holed up and if there was any chance of a cure they had to go in and find him.
As they approached the building Allie could hear movement, shuffling footsteps in the dark, the low murmur of voices. Something giggled just as she caught a glint of metal in the weeds that hadn't been there when she and Kanin had lived in the abandoned lab.
There cages surrounding the old building, wire kennels like those for dogs. Except they were filled with bleeders who muttered and giggled to themselves.
"Well we know he's here now. Do you think we can sneak around?" Allie whispered.
Sneaking was no longer an issues as all the cage doors opened with a bang and the bleeders surged forth, howling.
Kanin
Sword slashing Kanin fended off bleeders as they attacked, all the while trying to keep an eye on Allison and Kaidan.
As Allie snarled and raised her sword to attack a bleeder that was rushing towards her, Kanin spun and grabbed her collar, jerking her away. A flash and a sudden boom erupted at the humans's feet, the stench of explosives, smoke and charred flesh seared the air.
"Watch out for mines," he warned. "Sarren likely has this whole place booby-trapped."
As if to prove his point, another explosion rang out ahead of them, accompanied by a painful screech.
Kaidan
Jesus, Kaidan thought, but he didn't exclaim that out loud. He'd have time to talk about how despicable this was if they got out of here alive.
He raised his rifle and fired. No place for biotics, this-- he could set off an explosive. But bullets to the head... bullets would work.
He hoped. "We need to get out of here," he snapped. (Thanks, Captain Obvious.)
Allie
Bullets worked. So did a pair of vampires slashing at anything that moved.
The last bleeder crumpled into the snow. Allie looked around at the trampled bloody field and shook her head. "Think Sarren knows we're here?"
Kanin
Kanin snorted, grimly amused. "Just be careful. Follow me."
Cautiously he led them through the lot, carefully sidestepping the last of the traps Sarren had left hidden in the tall, snowy grass.
Just within the charred remains, a yawning, narrow hole plunged straight into the darkness. "I'll go first," Kanin said softly. "Wait for my signal to come down."
Without hesitation Kanin stepped up to the edge and dropped down into the blackness.
Allie
Allie crossed her arms and tried not think of all the things that could be waiting in ambush at the bottom of the elevator shaft.
"I know what you're going to say, but I still have to offer," she said to Kaidan. "This is the last chance to get out of here before things get ugly."
Kaidan
"I'm not going anywhere, Allie," Kaidan said obligingly. He glanced down the hole. "Someone needs to have your back."
Someone they could actually trust.
Allie
"Well thanks for that." She hesitated on the edge of the elevator shaft when Kanin's all clear drifted up. "It's about 20 feet straight now. The chains are pretty secure so you won't have a problem going down."
Allie didn't bother with the chains herself, just stepped over the edge and dropped into the darkness.
Down below nothing had changed in the familiar room where Kanin had trained Allie after she'd first been turned. The room felt cold and empty, as if no one had been there in years.
Once Kaidan made it down, they started deeper into the ruins, past Kanin's office and the room with the lumpy cot Allie had called her own.
Kanin
Once they made it to the top of the stairs, it was obvious that Sarren was waiting for them.
Blood coated the steps down to the red door of the lab, smeared in thick swaths over the walls, wet and black. Hands and feet had been strung by wire from the ceiling, and a severed head seemed to float in the air among them, lips pulled back in a crazy grin. Above the red door, written in large bloody letters was: Revelations 21.
"Ready for this?" Kanin asked softly.
Allie
"For it to be over," Allie said. She flinched when the severed head dropped from the ceiling and landed with a wet thump. "Let's get it over with."
The word Revelations was written over and over again on the walls of the stairwell, followed by different numbers. Severed limbs and pools of congealing blood littered the steps.
Allie edged through the door at the bottom of the stairwell, wary of traps or potential ambushes. The cells lining the walls of this room were empty. She was relieved, she had half expected them to be filled with more bleeders for them to fight through.
Kanin
"Not here," Kanin said in a low, barely audible voice. "We have to go through the last door."
His blade was suddenly in his hand as he moved steadily forward and pushed the last door open.
After Jackal left, there wasn't much to do but keep walking and occasionally talking. The conversation was illuminating and confirmed a number of things Allie had suspected about Kanin's past. Zeke was intrigued to find out that Kanin was the vampire that had tried to help the scientists discover a cure during the initial outbreak of Red Lung so many years, while Allie still wasn't certain if the fact that Kanin had known Zeke's grandfather was fate or blind chance.
For his part, Zeke filled them in on what the scientists at Eden were working on. They felt they were close to a cure, only lacking one crucial piece...vampire blood. Allie's first reaction had been betrayal. Had Zeke only come looking for her to lure her back to Eden as some sort of lab rat? In the end, Allie believed that he hadn't. Zeke was too sincere and too honest. She really wasn't surprised when Kanin volunteered to return to Eden. His guilt over his initial involvement in the spread of rabidism was too great, he'd suffer if it meant any sort of atonement. But as Zeke continued to cough and Kanin grew more quiet, Allie knew going to Eden wasn't going to happen unless they found Sarren and some sort of cure very soon.
The sun was close to rising when they finally sought refuge in one of the abandoned houses that littered the Fringe. Kanin disappeared in search of a place to sleep and while Kaidan went to make sure things were as secure as possible given where they were. And as the sun rose, Allie and an increasingly sick Zeke curled up together and tried not to think about what might have been.
Kaidan
Kaidan was used to staying awake for prolonged periods of time - keeping watch, keeping going. He moved quietly across the perimeter. Sometimes he passed by Allie and Zeke's room, but he never let his eyes pass over it longer than a couple of seconds.
As long as they weren't under threat, he owed them their privacy.
At least until evening fell; then he knocked quietly on their door. "Time to get up," he called.
Zeke
Zeke was already up, gathering his things and heading out the door as Allie began to stir.
His eyes were bloodshot, his skin was gaunt and wasted, and his hair was soaked with sweat. "Sorry for not helping you keep watch."
Kaidan
"You look like you needed the rest," Kaidan said as he briefly took stock of the way Zeke looked. "I'm used to it."
Allie
Allie was on her feet just a few seconds later. She took one look at Zeke, swallowed hard and turned to Kaidan. "Where's Kanin? We have to get moving."
Kaidan
"Upstairs," Kaidan said.
The old vampire... hadn't been looking too good, but he didn't want to worry Allie too much. "Give him a couple of minutes."
Allie
It was a nice try, but Allie had been in a perpetual state of worry since they'd arrived. If Zeke was already this bad, she was afraid of what state the older vampire was in.
She rested her hand on Zeke's arm, flinching at the sickly heat that poured off of him.
Slow footsteps approached, and Allie hissed at the sight. "Oh Kanin."
Kanin
The skin on Kanin's forehead, cheeks and jaw had blackened and was beginning to peel away, showing hints of bone through the wasted flesh. His eyes had sunk into his head and were glazed over with pain. The skin on the back of his head had darkened as well, ominous patches getting ready to crack and rot away, as the virus that ravaged his body from the inside finally started to break through.
"Are we ready to leave?" His voice was as calm as ever. The only sign of the pain he was in visible in the tight set of his jaw. "Can you travel?" he asked Zeke.
Zeke
Zeke nodded once. "I can make it."
Kanin
"Then let's go. It will be at least a few more hours on foot."
Whether or not Kanin and Zeke would make it was the question.
Zeke
Two hours later, Zeke collapsed as they crossed a snowy lot. He tried to push to his feet, but fell once more before finally sitting back in the snow. "You're going to have to leave me. I don't think I can go any farther."
Allie
"I'm not leaving you," Allie said from where she'd dropped to her knees next to him. "Don't you dare try and pull this self-sacrificing crap now."
Zeke
"I can't," he insisted. "I can feel the sickness burning inside my head. It's making me crazy. You have to go on. I can't even see straight, let alone fight."
Allie
"I'm not. I can carry you if I have to." Someone was being stubborn.
Zeke
Zeke closed his eyes, as the snow melted where it landed on his forehead and cheeks. "You can't stop Sarren if you're constantly worried about me," he said, breathing hard. "He'll use me against you...that's what he does. When you face him agai, you can't have...any distractions. Kaidan, tell her I'm right."
Kaidan
If he was looking for an ally in Kaidan, he wasn't going to find one. "No one gets left behind," he said. There was a certain kind of vehemence in his firmness - a flash of Ashley.
Allie
Allie was focused on Zeke but it didn't mean she didn't realize what memories this must have been stirring up for Kaidan. "You see? He agrees with me. We'll protect you."
Kanin
Kanin's steps crunched through the snow as he approached and loomed over them. "This would be your choice Ezekial. Are you certain?"
He raised a hand to forestall any argument Allie or Kaidan might make. "You saw what Sarren did to Salazar, a master vampire. This sickness has made me weak. I will not be much use in a fight. Allie is strong, but she is young. You, Commander, your abilities might save your life. But to do that you need to be focused. By choosing to stay, Ezekial could be saving his own life. If we get a cure in time."
Kaidan
"Or we could get back here and find he's dead," Kaidan retorted. "That argument cuts both ways."
Christ. And now he was thinking about Shepard, letting him run upstairs to save Joker on his own. Fuck.
Kanin
"It does," Kanin nodded. "But it is Ezekial's choice."
Allie
"And it's always about making your own choice," Allie whispered. Kanin had offered her a choice once. Allie really hated the parallels at the moment.
"We can't leave him here in the snow. The bleeders will tear him apart."
Kanin
Sorry Allie, Kanin had an answer for that argument as well.
The lot was surrounded by the rusting hulks of abandoned cars. Kanin approached what had once been a van and wrenched open the door exposing a darkened interior and an empty space.
"He will be safe enough in here. Hurry. We do not have much time."
Zeke
Zeke clenched his jaw against the pain as Allie half pulled, half dragged him into the van and helped him settle against the wall. He dropped his hand to his hip, relieved at the feel of the metal. One shot would be all he would need. "I'll be all right. I'm not going to do anything stupid, Allison. I just...need to rest. If you find Sarren and get a cure in time, I'll be here. If not...then it won't matter, anyway."
Allie
"I'll find him," Allie promised as she leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "Just hang on. I'm coming back, Zeke, I swear."
Zeke
Zeke lifted his head for the briefest of kisses. "I'll wait, vampire girl," he whispered. "For as long as I can. But if I don't make it..." He hesitated briefly, as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. "Allie, I..."
Kanin
"Allison," Kanin's voice echoed in the van, gentle but firm. "We need to go. Now."
He watched as Allie reluctantly left the van and pulled the door shut before stomping off through the snow.
"There are no good choices, Allison," he said, knowing she would hear him. "There are only those you can live with, and those you can work to change."
Kaidan
"Bullshit," Kaidan said.
There was no vehemence in his voice now; just an old, cold anger and shards of survivor's guilt.
He didn't add anything else. He got moving.
Allie
Less then an hour later they turned a corner, Allie stopped, recognizing the weed-choked field, the skeletal trees and the blackened ruins behind them.
They'd reached the hospital.
"It's too quiet," she observed as Kanin stepped up to her side. The virus had progressed, the entire length of one arm was blackened and peeling, hints of bone showing through the wasted flesh. It was obvious he was in great deal of pain. "Can you do this? Because you can stay. Kaidan and I can go in." The thought of facing Sarren, even with biotic back-up scared the hell out of Allie but for Kanin's sake, and for Zeke, she'd do it.
Kanin
"No," Kanin murmured, studying the hospital. "Sarren and I...We've been at tis for a long time. This war ends tonight. I will be there when you face him."
Kaidan
Kaidan was getting real tired of the self-sacrificing thing going around here - he'd been silent for most of their trip so far. While he said nothing, he shot Kanin a look that made it clear he thought this had A Bad Idea written all over it.
Allie
There was no doubt it was a bad idea. But this was more then likely were Sarren had holed up and if there was any chance of a cure they had to go in and find him.
As they approached the building Allie could hear movement, shuffling footsteps in the dark, the low murmur of voices. Something giggled just as she caught a glint of metal in the weeds that hadn't been there when she and Kanin had lived in the abandoned lab.
There cages surrounding the old building, wire kennels like those for dogs. Except they were filled with bleeders who muttered and giggled to themselves.
"Well we know he's here now. Do you think we can sneak around?" Allie whispered.
Sneaking was no longer an issues as all the cage doors opened with a bang and the bleeders surged forth, howling.
Kanin
Sword slashing Kanin fended off bleeders as they attacked, all the while trying to keep an eye on Allison and Kaidan.
As Allie snarled and raised her sword to attack a bleeder that was rushing towards her, Kanin spun and grabbed her collar, jerking her away. A flash and a sudden boom erupted at the humans's feet, the stench of explosives, smoke and charred flesh seared the air.
"Watch out for mines," he warned. "Sarren likely has this whole place booby-trapped."
As if to prove his point, another explosion rang out ahead of them, accompanied by a painful screech.
Kaidan
Jesus, Kaidan thought, but he didn't exclaim that out loud. He'd have time to talk about how despicable this was if they got out of here alive.
He raised his rifle and fired. No place for biotics, this-- he could set off an explosive. But bullets to the head... bullets would work.
He hoped. "We need to get out of here," he snapped. (Thanks, Captain Obvious.)
Allie
Bullets worked. So did a pair of vampires slashing at anything that moved.
The last bleeder crumpled into the snow. Allie looked around at the trampled bloody field and shook her head. "Think Sarren knows we're here?"
Kanin
Kanin snorted, grimly amused. "Just be careful. Follow me."
Cautiously he led them through the lot, carefully sidestepping the last of the traps Sarren had left hidden in the tall, snowy grass.
Just within the charred remains, a yawning, narrow hole plunged straight into the darkness. "I'll go first," Kanin said softly. "Wait for my signal to come down."
Without hesitation Kanin stepped up to the edge and dropped down into the blackness.
Allie
Allie crossed her arms and tried not think of all the things that could be waiting in ambush at the bottom of the elevator shaft.
"I know what you're going to say, but I still have to offer," she said to Kaidan. "This is the last chance to get out of here before things get ugly."
Kaidan
"I'm not going anywhere, Allie," Kaidan said obligingly. He glanced down the hole. "Someone needs to have your back."
Someone they could actually trust.
Allie
"Well thanks for that." She hesitated on the edge of the elevator shaft when Kanin's all clear drifted up. "It's about 20 feet straight now. The chains are pretty secure so you won't have a problem going down."
Allie didn't bother with the chains herself, just stepped over the edge and dropped into the darkness.
Down below nothing had changed in the familiar room where Kanin had trained Allie after she'd first been turned. The room felt cold and empty, as if no one had been there in years.
Once Kaidan made it down, they started deeper into the ruins, past Kanin's office and the room with the lumpy cot Allie had called her own.
Kanin
Once they made it to the top of the stairs, it was obvious that Sarren was waiting for them.
Blood coated the steps down to the red door of the lab, smeared in thick swaths over the walls, wet and black. Hands and feet had been strung by wire from the ceiling, and a severed head seemed to float in the air among them, lips pulled back in a crazy grin. Above the red door, written in large bloody letters was: Revelations 21.
"Ready for this?" Kanin asked softly.
Allie
"For it to be over," Allie said. She flinched when the severed head dropped from the ceiling and landed with a wet thump. "Let's get it over with."
The word Revelations was written over and over again on the walls of the stairwell, followed by different numbers. Severed limbs and pools of congealing blood littered the steps.
Allie edged through the door at the bottom of the stairwell, wary of traps or potential ambushes. The cells lining the walls of this room were empty. She was relieved, she had half expected them to be filled with more bleeders for them to fight through.
Kanin
"Not here," Kanin said in a low, barely audible voice. "We have to go through the last door."
His blade was suddenly in his hand as he moved steadily forward and pushed the last door open.