43 The Diligent Nurse

As the man was dragged into the portal, Octavia rushed to John's side. "John! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," John replied, staring vacantly at the spot where the portal had once stood. The sudden rescue had left him feeling stunned, but he shook off the confusion and focused on the task at hand.

"Let's go back inside. This place needs better leadership and security," John murmured. The rest of the group, battered and tired, trailed tiredly behind John. It had been a long and hard battle, but they had defended their territory.

Once they settled down in chairs and beds, John made his way to Maria's room. Without knocking, he walked right in.

"How is she?" He asked, his gaze locked on Maria. Edward leaned back on his chair and began.

"You see, John, due to the alien interface, certain neural pathways have been disrupted. To repair it, we need an experimental drug. The Neuroregen-X drug can stimulate neural regrowth by enhancing the connectivity between the axons, but its molecular structure—"

John interrupted, his brow furrowed: "Hold on. You lost me at 'stimulate neural regrowth.' What does that even mean?"

Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair, realising he needed to simplify his explanation.

"Alright, let me put it this way. Maria's brain got tangled up with the alien tech. Neuroregen-X is like a puzzle solver for the brain, helping it fix itself and get back to normal."

John nodded, beginning to understand the concept but still uncertain about the specifics.

Edward continued, "I can identify the medication's molecular signature, which should be present in some of the abandoned medical facilities on the surface. However, I don't know how to extract or administer it."

As they talked, Jolene had been quietly listening to their conversation. She leaned forward, her nursing experience coming to the forefront.

"Edward, I understand what you're saying, and I can help. I'm a trained nurse. I'm sure I could be of help to find that medication," Joleen said.

Edward nodded appreciatively, realising that John and Joleen's combined skills would be crucial in this mission to find and use the Neuroregen-X to save Maria. 

John watched as Jolene readied herself for their journey. Unlike John, who had access to his inventory, Jolene had to search for her equipment. John remained near the entrance while Brian approached him hesitantly.

"What is it?" John prompted, urging Brian to speak.

"Can I come with you?" Brian asked, his determination evident in his expression.

"Sorry, buddy. We have an important job to do," John responded.

Feeling dejected, Brian departed with drooping shoulders just as Jolene emerged.

"I'm ready," she announced, wearing a pair of black pants and a leather jacket equipped with ample pockets to hold all her necessary supplies. Her gaze lingered on John, and he couldn't help but admire her curvaceous figure. With her chestnut brown hair tied in a ponytail, her fair skin was exposed at the base of her neck. While not the largest assets John had encountered, her body flowed gracefully, highlighting her femininity with a slim waistline.

Jolene's pants hugged her hips tightly, sinking deep into the seam of her ass, creating a physics-defying impression. John couldn't resist glancing at her for a moment longer than necessary. Jolene caught his eye and rolled her eyes with a dismissive snort.

"Typical," she muttered as she opened the door. John smirked and trailed behind her. He did not mind this exchange. He wouldn't care too much about Jolene, unless she had a boyfriend...

The duo ventured out into the ruined city, where the once familiar sounds of the city life had given way to a ghostly hush. Their footfalls echoed with an unsettling solitude in the dead of night. Jolene trod forward cautiously, the stillness of the new world made her her hairs stand on ends. Her gaze unconsciously wandered, scanning the once bustling streets that now laid barren. 

Occasionally, a distant clank or thud would break the silence, sending shivers down Joleen's spine. She glanced back at John, who appeared unperturbed by the eerie atmosphere. His confidence gave her comfort, and she relaxed her grip on her weapon slightly. However, when she felt the searing pain of her skin ripping, she snapped out of her reverie and turned to John, seeking solace in his company.

"Is the whole world like this?" She posed the question to the sky, observing in awe and shock as her gaze surveyed the city. John's eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze to Jolene. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and her steps trembled. He sighed inwardly as he understood the situation.

"I don't know, but it's not over, yet. Some places have electricity. There must be a group performing maintenance on the power plants. We can rebuild," John stated matter-of-factly. Jolene thought his detached words somehow carried confidence and she chose to believe him, to embrace the comfort of those words. 

"That..." she began, her voice merely a whisper, "...makes sense."

John's lips curved into a smile as he noticed the change in her demeanour. She was simple-minded, John thought, but he liked simple-minded people. He was simple-minded himself, after all. Just then, the system's notification chimed:

[The Diligent Nurse]

[Quest: Increase your favourability by 20 points.]

[Time Limit: 24 hours]

[Reward: Shadow Claw (D) Skill]

John's smiled widened. The system's interference meant that Jolene was indeed in a relationship. He almost felt sorry for the fool who was destined to lose his lover... almost. As always, John wouldn't dwell for long on a particular subject, much less a subject that had the potential to elicit guilt in him. No, this was the apocalypse and it everyone out for themselves. 

His attention returned to Jolene, whose hips swayed seductively before him. Previously, his gaze held only admiration; however, now it was tinged with desire. He envisioned her heart-shaped buttocks pressing against his muscular frame as he thrust deep into her.

Before he allowed his thoughts to escalate further, John forced himself to refocus. He cleared his throat and addressed Joleen, "You know, Jolene..."

"You're hot as hell."