Chapter 294 - We Can’t Help
The event in Slough had been going on for a little over an hour or so now, and it was enough time for the channel five news station to attract attention not just around Slough but around the whole country.
The video was being viewed live by all, with a bit of a delay, allowing for some gruesome scenes to be blurred here and there. The plus side was that it was late anyway, so the news channels were able to show more.
Still, right now, many eyes could see the mystery man in a black and gold outfit holding up one of the Altered like it was nothing but a child. Its small figure made it even more so, but there weren’t many that felt sorry when looking at the scene in front of them.
Even now, they could see that the Altered was trying to bite at the man holding it up with its deformed mouth. Swingin its legs as it wished to do whatever it could to kill the person in front of it.
-
Somewhere in a dark room, in the Lock gang's base, a large man was sitting comfortably drinking a dark coloured liquid by his side.
“That darned wolfman!” Tony shouted at his TV screen. “They are getting involved in this war, aren't they!”
“Well, they could just be concerned citizens.” His right-hand man replied by his side.
Tony just scoffed at this comment, and proceeded to finish his drink in one gulp.
They weren’t the only gang watching the outcome of what would occur today. Many of the other gangs were also carefully watching them. It was a chance to see if they had done the right thing at the meeting or perhaps made a mistake and would allow them to decide their next move.
Inside his repaired office, the mayor watched the TV along with the Rising Dragon leader, D.
“It looks like they weren’t lying when they said they would get involved in this war,” D commented.
“It’s surprising how much power the Grey Elephants have. I was certain that the Underdogs would come out the winner in this war, but now with this third intervention, depending on what happens today, we will have to change our plans.” Ben Clove stated as he looked at his hands, closing it and opening it slowly, smiling to himself.
At the same time, two people, in particular, were watching what had happened live.
“Who are they!” Brandon shouted.
The two of them had seen it, while the crowd was running, they could see that these members, were walking through the crowd calmy passing everyone. One of the Altered had leapt towards a civilian with its hand’s seconds away from digging into a female.
It was at that moment that Gary had transformed his hands, and sliced right through the small tiny limbs of the Crazed Altered, then lifting it in the air.
“He…has to be an Altered. To be able to deal with someone like that so quickly.” Raven answered. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Their arrival could ruin everything!”
“You believe that?” Brandon said. “We still have our gang members; it just means we might have to make our move sooner.”
Brandon then started to walk off from the rooftop while leaving Raven on his own to watch how things would play out.
——
Back on the ground floor, not only had all of the regular Howler members appeared, but along with Innu, there was Suzan and Kevin with him as well. They were seeing the kid held in Gary’s hands and those taking the Underdog members behind him.
They fell to their knees, their limbs numb.
“That was Tommy’s favourite clothes!” Suzan said with a mouth full of tears.
“And, there is little Bobo!” Kevin cried, holding onto Suzan as well; the two of them had gone into complete shock.
“GARY!” Innu shouted. “PUT HIM DOWN!”
Gary then turned his head towards Innu, who was shouting at him; although he didn’t fall to his knees and hadn’t turned around to look at the others, Innu was sniffling. Not just because of the ones from his orphanage, but he could even see the others. The ones he had promised to go back to had already been turned and were dead lying on the ground.
“Innu,” Gary replied. “Are these…the orphans that you were looking for?”
Innu nodded in response. Gary looked behind him, seeing if any Crazed Altered were nearby, but the others seemed to be still fighting the Underdog members.
Gary placed the crazed altered on the ground but kept a firm grip with one hand on its head and had kicked its legs, so it was down on its knees. Allowing everyone to get a clear look at what he was holding onto.
“I’m sorry, Innu, I know you knew them…but what do you want me to do?” Gary asked. “I want to help, but the guys are like the twins before. I know it, and you know it. If I didn’t stop him, he would have killed the woman running away. If I let him go now, everyone in this town will be in danger.
“I can tell right now that if I let this fake Altered go, he would run right to where you three are and rip out your throats without a second thought.”
It was true that these were Gary’s thoughts, but there was more than just what he believed to be the case; it was because the system had also told him it would be the case.
[Save the town of Slough]
[Someone has created fake Altered and the whole town is under attack.]
[Quest: Save the town by defeating the Altered]
[30/64 Infected Altered have been killed]
[Quest rewards will be based on contribution to ridding of the Infected Altered]
The four areas of Slough that the underdogs owned had ten crazed Altered each attacking them, and now Cipen was under a second wave more significant than the other attacks. It was clear now, after seeing Innu like he was, every single Orphan had already been turned into these Crazed Altereds.
“He’s right, Innu,” Marie said as she approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “You remember those twins? These guys look similar to them. The best thing we can do is put them out of their misery. Do you think your friends and the orphans would have liked to hurt people like this?”
Innu didn’t know how to answer, and he didn’t turn around either, still worried to see what type of faces the others would show. He felt like he had given them false hope.
“I…I…” Innu sniffled. “I joined this gang; I got into underground fighting all because of them. I did everything I could to save them…so what do I do now!”
“Innu!” Suzan shouted, after sadness, now knowing the situation, another emotion soon followed. “Your friend, I can tell he’s special, right…you knew he could help us because he’s unique! You asked what to do now; then I’ll tell you what to do.
“He’s right, help them, free them from this pain, and then after that… make sure the people that put you through this suffer even worse than they did!!!”
Kevin was surprised by Suzan’s words; she had never asked Innu to do anything, and she never had condoned violence but seeing the kids she raised like so in this state must have snapped something inside of her.
“I…I want them all to pay!” Suzan screamed.
It was an emotional scene that played out on the camera, so much that Kate hadn’t even said a word while she filmed everything. The sudden group that appeared seemed to have answers that they were missing.
Innu was wiping his tears away with his sleeve and nodded towards Gary.
“Okay, let’s do this, and I promise if you help me get what I want, if you help me get revenge against the people that did this to my family! I will follow you forever!” Innu shouted at the top of his lungs.
Looking down at the crazed Altered, Gary braced himself. The killing was something that was coming up more often, and killing things that didn’t; didn’t seem human felt similar to how one could hurt an animal, but Gary knew who these were, so the question he was asking himself right now, as he used controlled transformation on his fingernails and stabbed right through the crazed Altered’s chest killing it on the spot.
‘Why is it so easy to do now?’ Gary thought as he let go of the body, allowing it to fall to the ground, and turned towards the rest and the Underdog gang in front of him.