Elias knew it would take months, probably years to try and develop some sort of cure for those infected with the hydnellum plague, he knew he wouldn’t have answers as fast as everyone had hoped for him but it still gave him some sort of hope to at least save what was left of the dying planet and those around him but he had to try for the sake of returning back to Germany for the hope he believed his child might still be alive. Meanwhile, Emmett scrambles to find the right words for those left in the Ice Core facility they had managed to save from the outside, “I know you all need the answers you hope to hear, but right now my buddy he–”, “we don’t need to hear excuses!!”, one shouted, “Yeah I agree! We need to know how we can defeat this!” “We need to know you’ll save us all!!”, the pressure he felt to answer these poor people who fought as much as they could to be here, standing, breathing, warm rations of available food instead of having to rummage through garbage before those creatures came out to feast on those who were weak enough to not put up a fight. Emmett sighed waiting for some sort of help from the rest of his colleagues standing by helping those they could with open wounds until his eyes landed on her, Artemis, she seemed to be lost in thought until her head snapped back into his direction when she started briefly walking towards him placing a hand on his shoulder with a whisper he could only hear, “It’s alright, I can take it from here”, Emmett grasped her hand gently showing a small smile with hopeful eyes when suddenly the door bursts open behind them both with Elias in view, he seemed to be gasping for air as he suddenly straightened his posture gaining the attention of everyone in the room with quiet whispers and mumbles from those around, Elias proudly presented the news that made him so out of breath, “Everyone! I may have had a breakthrough to fight off those infected with the hydnellum plague, but I may need some assistance from a few strong fellow volunteers”, as he spoke just those few words, proud shouts came flooding the room as Artemis and Emmett both exchanged looks of confusion but nonetheless almost everyone was eager to help in any way just to have some sort of reassurance. Artemis pulled Elias to the side as she asked, “What sort of breakthrough have you gotten Blutarsky?”, “Well, you wouldn’t believe my words so why don’t I show you back at the lab?”. Confused, she followed him gaining the attention of Emmett as he also followed close behind the both of them straight to the closed off lab Elias was holed up in every single day. As Elias opened the door it took everything in him not to blurt out what has him all worked up over, but as he turned to face Artemis he noticed they were both also joined by his fellow friend Emmett, suddenly Artemis spoke in a sharp tone catching Elias off guard, “Why would you dare endanger everyone in this facility by bringing that thing in here?!”, “Well please just give me a chance to explain what I've discovered–”, “What the bloody hell Blutarsky?!” Emmett spoke as if he tried to refrain himself from shouting, Elias sighed then briefly spoke to make them understand why a snarling creature plagued with the virus they all had survived away from until now, was snarling just inches away from them. As he held a clipboard compiled with tests and some sort of writing containing drawings of the anatomy he spoke, “I have ran a few tissue samples from this creature, she seems to be in a type of state showing signs of vampirism crossed with some sort of taloned beast–”, “Get to the point mate” spoke Emmett, “Well the point is, I may have been able to replicate some sort of living organism using the dna from this creature and the crimson liquid sap from our expedition to the mines from my hometown, now this may be risky, but, by putting this sort of sample to the test we may have ourselves a weapon, now we may need some time to figure out how exactly we can bring this to life but in order to try that we need some sort of incubator–”, “How do you know this in turn wouldn’t destroy us?” Artemis spoke harshly looking into the eyes of Elias’ trying to look for answers she knew would never satisfy the questions only the others would ask. In the midst of the discovery Elias had made he came to the conclusion of using those cryo beds they kept in the facility but it would be risky seeing as how the west wing of the facility had collapsed due to the flammable chemicals they kept inside that part of the building it kept burning the building down during the outbreak of the virus that took place within the west wing, “I could incubate the sample in the cryo beds we own down in the west wing if any are left, that is why I need a few volunteers to just–”, “Mate, do you even know what we would be risking by having just a small group go and–”, “Yes, I know…that is why I will also join on the expedition to regain one cryo incubation bed”, nonetheless Artemis and Emmett both sighed only to come to a mutual agreement, “If this fails, and you kill us all….I will kill you myself Blutarsky” Artemis spoke quickly, “I promise you, this will work if I have you and Emmett working beside me to ensure the safety of the others when the test begins”, Elias spoke with hope in his eyes. Back in the main room with everyone waiting with hope in their hearts, some scattered in groups mumbling among themselves waiting for the scientists to return to them with the plan when suddenly the door burst open with the three of them in view, “Okay everyone listen up!”, spoke Artemis, “We need a group of five volunteers to go with Elias to the west wing of the facility to retrieve something very important!”, as Artemis looked at the group of people some were whispering among themselves asking questions as to why go to the collapsed building in the first place? As many just stood before the three, some began to walk forward, a few young men and a few scruffy looking older gentlemen. “What are your names?”, asked Elias, “Quill sir”, spoke one young man, “Henry sir, and my brother James will be of service sir!”, spoke another with a boy by his side looking terrified as ever, “Call me Max'', one scruffy gentleman spoke while the other refused to utter but one word. As they made themselves acquainted with the five volunteers Elias seemed to be giving them the plans while Artemis and Emmett both seemed to be concerned about the whole ordeal about this situation Elias reassured them both that he will keep his word in returning back with all five volunteers including the cryo incubation chamber. Artemis watched as the men got ready with the handmade weapons, they had made themselves while they fought on the outside struggling to survive until they came across the facility, Elias seemed to be preoccupied fidgeting with his clipboard Emmett walked up to his friend placing a hand on his shoulder sternly looking Elias in the eyes as he spoke, “Are you sure about this mate? You can call off this rescue plan for that cryo chamb–”, “Yes, I know my plan will work! Just do me a favor and don’t let Faramir go near my live test subject in the lab I still need that thing alive for further testing I know she doesn’t like the idea of that thing being here I just–”, “Yeah I got it mate, just come back alive I can only hold off Artemis for so long”, as both of them seemed to be laughing amongst themselves Artemis seemed to have slipped away in the direction of the lab hoping she may figure out what exactly Elias seems to be planning before he leaves for the expedition, as she slipped into the lab not making a sound to disturb the creature within it’s strapped confines a piece of hidden documents caught her eyes, as she came closer reaching for the slips of papers she held them up to read, “Cryo incubation, life form, human tissue sample,i.e, Artemis, animal tissue, i.e, rats? What the hell are you planning to do, Blutarsky?” 389Please respect copyright.PENANADpBOahChbf