Chapter #23
The next day, Zeno and Alex ride to the research facility. Getting out of the car Zeno shouldered his bag full of weapons before walking off.
The car is their point to regroup. It must stay hidden, meanwhile Alex got off and started walking the other direction.
He couldn't glide since that sprayed blood all over, he couldn't jump since that would draw attention.
Once Alex reached the point of entry Zeno marked for him he discovered he was at the garbage disposal site of the facility.
At exactly 16.00 everyday, someone would get out and place the garbage outside.
Alex bid his time and consumed the poor fellow who was just doing his job and got in the facility.
'Consuming humans is more efficient than animals.' Alex mentally noted.
<Dana I am in, cover my trail.> Alex said over the radio.
<I got it. I am kind of curious how you consume others.> Dana said over the radio.
She went back to normal by morning, she even greeted Zeno like nothing happened. Truly women are mysterious creatures.
<Well, prepare a paper bag if you have a weak stomach.> Alex replied as he located his new target.
From the memories of the worker he knew who to look for and consume.
"Sergeant Jason. I saw something unusual outside. Could you come with me for a second?" Alex called out.
Sergeant just nodded and followed until they got outside the view of other people then Alex just ripped the man in half with his claws.
This was real life, Alex didn't need to progress through the story to unlock new stuff. He just needed enough biomass and a clear image of what he needed.
<Yep, that's gross as fuck.> Dana commented.
Alex grunted and kept going, he had enough clearance to get what Zeno needed now but it would be best if he consumed the Major at the top of the station.
So, he moved to his target's location using Sergeant Jason's ID card. It was truly wonderful that Blacklight could replicate inorganic matter as well.
The Major was always alone at his office, there were only cameras but Dana got him covered.
Killing the Major was easier than the sergeant. After consuming him, Alex quickly used Major's memories and filed a shipment outside the facility with an urgent tag on it before going to the garage.
From there he just consumed the driver and got out without anyone knowing. They would have realized something was off in half an hour but Zeno would be done with his side by then.
On Zeno's side, he dropped his bags and assembled his rocket launchers, sniper rifles, machine guns and all the other weapons he was carrying.
He had to break his back a couple times to get strong enough to carry them but it was worth it.
He was already dressed as Jason from Friday the 13th, he even dyed his hair, it was truly a perfect cosplay.
First he took the rockets and fired them to the places he had marked to open a way inside while creating a commotion.
From there he laid down and used his sniper rifle to take down the soldiers at the towers and kept firing at the soldiers coming his way.
Once his sniper rifles ran out of ammo he took two machine guns in each arm and dived into the facility.
He was rampaging like freaking Rambo up in this place, the whole facility was shot by their kneecaps by the time he ran out of ammo.
Due to Dana hacking the security, they couldn't even call for reinforcements.
Afterwards Zeno collected some rare metals and resources they had here while cameras recorded him.
Zeno made sure to collect things based on a recipe for a bomb instead of taking stuff randomly.
[Man, I have a feeling we didn't need to shoot both of their kneecaps. We could have just killed them.] System felt pity for the soldiers.
'I think we should have killed them but I suddenly felt bad for them because they were literally going to die for my bullshit.' Zeno felt bad about them and spared their lives.
Sure most of them will be wheelchair bound for the rest of their lives but he did what he felt was the best.
<Zeno you're horrible at least put them out of their misery> Dana talked.
<Yeah man. That was rather horrible.> Alex agreed as well.
<Oh shut up, you literally ate three people without blinking.> Zeno retorted.
[You're rather soft for someone who says he doesn't care about the deaths of others.]
'I don't like killing them myself. Blame my past life for that.' Zeno grumbled.
He was just fine back at Crysis when he was slaughtering KPA but even though he made sure his mind was protected. A pacifist's memories did soften him up.
{Is this character development?}
[No this is regression. He was okay with leaving high schoolers crippled for life now he can't even harm a soldier that would try to kill him.]
'Enough.' Zeno snapped, shutting them both.
_______
After leaving the facility Zeno first ran away with his disguise until he was far away and properly hidden before he removed his disguise.
After that he went back to the car, there Alex was playing with his biomass, making different shapes with it.
From the looks of it he already delivered the truck to the other safe house and came back.
"Ready to go?" Alex asked while getting to the driver's seat.
"Yeah, now I just need to finish that damn suit. It took me more than forty years to get it." Zeno answered.
<What does it do anyway?> Dana asked.
Alex was curious as well, considering his friend was from another world he expected something overpowered.
"The suit basically does the same thing that the virus did to Alex. It is from an alien technology that is based on adaptive evolution." Zeno replied.
<Woah!> Dana was shocked.
She was also hopeful, they didn't let her get infected, she may get herself a suit of her own.
"I see, you have been thinking about merging them together." Alex wasn't too surprised and guessed Zeno's plan.
"Yeah, the suit also has the ability to analyze and counter viral infections. This virus might be broken but it doesn't stand a chance against billions of years old alien black technology." Zeno smirked.
<What will happen to Alex when we cure this virus?> Dana asked.
She was suddenly feeling scared for her brother, Blackwatch had been researching this virus for years. They must have a similar cure.
"Well, I will be immunizing Alex from the said cure, I don't really know what would happen to him since his whole body had become the virus." Zeno reassured Dana.
"It is most likely that it would disintegrate me, leaving nothing behind." Alex said with a thoughtful look.
<Don't say such things!> Dana said in a sad tone.
"Man, I have to tell you. I went through that, it hurts like hell. Easily one of my most painful deaths." Zeno said.
He suddenly remembered all the masochistic shit he did to himself to test his immortality.
<Guys...> Dana pleaded.
"Have you tried getting burned to ashes?" Alex asked.
Immortality like Zeno's offered many options during experiments. 'I should ask him if he's down for it.' He thought.
"Yeah, it is painful at first then you feel nothing since your nerves melt down." Zeno said
<Enough! I don't want to hear the top ten painful deaths, especially not from personal experience.> Dana yelled.
From there on the way back to the safe house was calm. Still, Zeno felt like a song would go just right at this time.
"When did I become so numb?
When did I lose myself?
All the words that leave my tongue.
Feel like they came from someone else.
I'm paralyzed..."
Zeno felt like this song fit the moment, considering three of them have been going through shit in the past two days.
<...> Dana.
"I didn't know you sang..." Alex said.
"I have my moments." Zeno grinned.