Apocalypse Fighter

Chapter 56: Janet Flexes Her Arm

Having to watch Jacky’s body try to outdo itself was not pleasant. His transformation speed had plateaued, and now it was beginning to slow down. The signs that he didn’t have the biological energy to mobilize this horror were beginning to show. His halo was starting to fade, and his legs were shrinking. The muscles in his legs looked like they were being eaten from the inside out. His clavicle cracked as his chest caved in. It was unlike anything they had ever seen. Later, Richard would say that it was like Bruce Banner Hulking out in reverse – to death.

Richard laughed as Jacky’s body went into convolutions. “Ho, ho!” he shouted. “This one’s for Nicole, you son of a b***h! Get ready to meet your maker.”

Jacky’s arms were full of power, but his legs could not move at all. He was in extreme pain, but the cramping in his stomach was the worst. He was famished. “You bastard!” he cried. “Why can’t you just Die?... So that I can eat you!” For the first time, as he looked around him, he discovered his unnatural appetite for human flesh. He began to swing at Richard with all his strength. His claws were extended, and his fangs were dripping. His eyes were red from rage, but he was too slow, and in the condition that he was in, none of his attacks were connecting with their target – and he was slowing down.

Jacky’s eyes spun around the room frantically, and when they landed on the body of Simon Jason and Kim Lee, he smiled. As chance would have it, the corpses were not far from where he was standing. He grinned as he dropped to his hands and knees, and he grunted and quacked as he made a quick meal of his fellows. When he was done eating, he was still so hungry, that his eyes fell naturally on his son. He hesitated as Billy cried out for him too stop – “No, Dad! Please don’t eat me!” – but he was out of control, and by the time he came to himself, it was too late.  

When Jacky saw what he had done, he was in shock. “What did I do?” he asked Richard. “Tell me! How could this be? I just wanted to live! I did not want to eat people! I didn’t want to eat my son!”

There was another body nearby, and despite Jacky’s genuine remorse, he began to eat it too. Tears were running down his face as he chowed down. He could not stop, no matter how badly he wanted to.

Richard had been about to kill Jacky, but now he felt bad for him. He had struggled for five years in the previous life, so he knew that the mutant bear man was not in control of himself. Richard sighed. He knew what he had to do.

Jacky felt the cold metal on his forehead, and he looked up. Richard had placed a gun against his flesh. He smiled and said, “Please, do it.”

Richard nodded, and he fired a bullet into Jacky’s skull. It was the only humane option, and the sound of the blast was enormous.

***

Just outside the Villa Zone - Janet Dudley was very depressed, and not even chocolates could make her happy. After being separated from Richard, along with Anthony Miles and Captain Jimmy Zoe, she had gone to a local convenience store. At first, she had not understood why Richard had paired her with the two men, but now she understood. He had intended for her to act as a mediator between them when it was necessary – and it had become necessary more than once!

For instance, they had found a huge mutant mouse hidden in the grass. This made Anthony excited. He thought that it might have a bio-energy core in its brain, so he set out to kill it. Jimmy immediately objected, though. He insisted on moving forward. He said, “According to the plan, were are to go to the convenience store, and then to the pharmacy; no stopping!”

Neither was willing to concede to the other, and they got into an argument. In the end, not only did they fail to catch the mouse, but they attracted a huge mutant dog – and even that didn’t put an end to their quarrelling. Along the way, Anthony kept trying to trace the trails of various beasts, but Jimmy wanted to stay on task. Eventually, they got to arguing again, and this time, it came to blows.

Anthony had taken a large amount of activation potions, so he was much stronger than the others, but as a SWAT captain, Jimmy’s skill was far beyond that of an ordinary person. Thankfully, Janet was there to step in between the two men. She put an open hand on each of their chests, and when they applied pressure, they were all surprised by how strong she was. The men tried to push her aside, but she was able to hold her ground!

Janet was not stupid. She guessed that her increased strength was related to the potion that Richard had given her. So, this is why I was eating so much! – she thought. She flexed her arm and was amazed by the strength she felt flowing through it.

   With her new strength, Janet was able to get the boys moving again, but when they arrived at the convenient store, their worst fears were realized. The place was a mess, and except for a few bottles of water, all the shelves were empty. They looked around, and Jimmy found the bodies of the shopkeepers in the corner. They were an old couple, and they were wearing green, blood splattered uniforms. Their heads had been bashed in, their skulls were cracked and visible, and he could see bits of bone and brain. Nearby, he saw the iron rods that had done them in.

Anthony took off his clothes to cover them. Then he turned and walked out without a word. For the first time, Jimmy followed him without raising any objections.

Janet frowned when she saw their reactions. “Hey!” she shouted. “Where are you guys going? Don’t you want to avenge this poor couple?”