It was noisy, a loud spinning aircraft from a time before the apocalypse—an expensive piece of history. The upholstery had faded into a dirty yellow, the interior lightly chipped from age, comfort cushioning crumbling into dust. The body of it shivered as they rose to the sky, clearly needing a fuck ton of repairs that they couldn't do.
They had her dressed in something that resembled a suit from war, an efficient skintight piece with harnesses ready for activity. But Quinn was clamped upon a third seat, too far from the consoles, too far from the escape door and flanked by all three Kings like a prisoner. Hyon piloted the machine with Zen by his side. While Helios sat meekly on her left, and Rowan behind her. She ignored them all, ignored how good they looked in their camouflage suits not even wanting to look at their faces to give them that satisfaction. The other soldiers were following behind on other aircrafts, but they would track their path from a distant to avoid crashing.
The Omegas were clearly not the best at piloting the vehicles.
Hyon flicked at the buttons, testing the pressure with two taps of his nail. He grunted. "We've been tracking the larger groups," he explained gruffly, hatred puddling in his voice for her, raw and wet. "The Belly of the Beast," he pointed to the valley and Quinn was hit with the memory of the day she fucked it all up and signed the goddamn contract. "Is where we focus most of our current research on." Her eyes travelled through the wideness of it all, longing rising wet to her eyes for the freedom that it seemed to bring.
"All young males?" she asked, squinting at the specks of darkness. The monsters pacing the grounds. "They seem new."
Hyon nodded, ran a hand over his unshaven face, black dirt flecked his fingers, darkened under his nails. "The valley is far enough," he paused, gaze turning to Zen who nodded. Hyon grunted, rolling his shoulder. "It's where we used to toss out the Omegas that turn."
"Used to?"
"There's too many now," Hyon laughed, a mad glint in his eyes, choked-up laughter left him. "Now we just shoot them all on sight."
Quinn regarded him then, memory pulsing in her head for the Lonely that had cornered Xin to the ground. Had that monster been one of the members of Hyon's pack? She scrutinized Hyon. Was Xin already dead, consumed by his pack? She couldn't be, Quinn assured herself. Not many packs had succeeded, and they said the scientists were the only one that had succeeded. And those that failed had quickly transformed into monsters. They flew past the greenery now, going deeper into the wastelands, bypassing the tall dying forest and entering a space of sand and rock. A river of canyons sat on the horizons.
"No man's land," Hyon reminded her pointing towards a spot closer to a long basin of polluted water. Her expression was grim as she stared at the remains of her old home on stilts, the remains of it already swallowed by the acidic streams. "Seems well protected because of the canyon. It's a good spot to hide from those beasts."
"They don't like water," Quinn said. "It doesn't defer them much, but they do not like to swim through the currents. Nor do they enjoy rainy weather. The canyons on the other side will also keep them away, and we can always hear them when they come. It was safe with our numbers."
Rowan spoke up then from behind. "But Lonely can be found in water."
Quinn frowned. "I know. But they prefer not to, you wouldn't find one lurking in a basin of still water waiting to pounce."
"Is this an observation or a guess?"
She turned to him then, irritated by the genuine look of curiosity in his eyes. The purse of his lips pressed into an almost pout, resembling too much like a kitten than a wolf. "An observation. Water can be a deterrence. It speeds up the rot in their bodies, weakens the ink that struggle to hold them together. It sinks them down. They'll only go into it, if they're desperate. But there's not enough rain or snow here for them to die easily like that."
Hyon snorted, rolled his eyes as if it were common knowledge. "And yet, they do not seem to disappear into the ground the way corpses should. Something keeps them going." His eyes shifted to hers then, a shaky scoff. "What did you say your monster was like again?" He didn't believe her, and she knew that now from the tone of his voice, a plaintive rude drawl.
Zen answered gruffly responding with a strange monotony in his voice. He was colder today, quieter today. "It cried and killed itself after it ate the heart."
Hyon snorted. "So, we're looking for the remains of a suicidal idiotic beast?" He shook his head, burying a cough into his arm, he spat wetly into the crook of his arm. "Fucking impossible."
Quinn tried to hold her tongue in check, keep her anger leashed. "We're looking for one that's old and lucid. We're looking for Lonely that are different after they ate a heart."
"You're not going to find anything that's eaten a heart here. If you wanted that you needed to bring bait, you needed to bring some fucking Alpha hearts. And if you wanted one that just ate a heart and immediately exploded into a monster, they're all back home." Hyon spat, glaring at her angrily. He was vibrating with his rage, oddly incensed, pupils dilated as if drugged. And maybe he had smoked a joint before the flight. Did they really pick this crazy nutjob to be their pilot? Hyon should be off duty with his goddamn attitude. "You're wasting our resources, wasting our fucking time." He raised a brow at Zen. "Those scientists back home not enough for you?"
Helios's voice was like ice then, searing into the air. "Enough." Her gaze flickered to him. He didn't look good, with the pallor of the dead, and a strange tremble in his limbs. "We're looking for different types of Lonely as well. It doesn't matter if they've had hearts. We still need more samples; I'll have you gutted if you do not even try your best for our people." He was panting after that, light exhales as if those words had taken a toll on him. And Quinn stared at Helios, alarmed by his weakness.
"Of course, my King," Hyon answered curtly, straightening up in his seat. Thank fuck Helios had enough of his shit. She looked at Helios then, noticed the way he rubbed his temples as if his head ached. The way he pressed fingers to his ears as if the aircraft was too loud. Helios had lost weight, seemed burdened by something that weighed heavy on his mind. The once cherubic curve of his cheeks was gone, and he nibbled on his fingers when she wasn't looking, digging teeth down so hard it drew blood. But she couldn't bring herself to ask if he was alright, worry growing within her as she turned to look out the window.
Hyon was right. Her story had been a fresh kill, a fresh Alpha heart. She had been confident then because she'd been armed with Float. But now? Her fingers itched at her neck, a scowl on her brow. Now, there was no searching to be done. She might fuck it all up. The seeds of doubt had already been planted, and Quinn pursed her lips together. But she had to give them something, anything. Quinn searched her mind then, tried to remember all the work she'd done the night before.
"So," Hyon muttered, scratched at his flesh with a fidgeting anger, the aircraft floated. "What does the princess want to do now?" Their eyes shifted to her, and she resisted the urge to flinch at his nickname for her. The way it hit far too close to home. She narrowed her eyes at the comment. Hyon didn't believe that she was useful, and he'd changed. But she supposed killing your friends who'd turned into monsters would do that for you.
"I'll check my spots."
She pulled up the map they'd given to her, pen scribbling a destination which she handed to Zen. The Omega took it, and she noted now the small quiver in his fingers. The ghostly pallor of his skin that mirrored Helios's, the crust of something dark in his nails, the way he ducked his head avoiding her gaze.
Were they all sick?
Rowan chimed out from behind her, distracting Quinn from her thoughts. His smile was sweet, a boxy grin settling on his cheeks. He licked his lips when she looked, brows pressed tight together. "Your spots?"
"My old hunting grounds," she answered, squinting at him. He was acting fucking weird. "Twenty clicks west from here. The old cities." Her heart squeezed at the thought of her old home, nestled safely under one of those buildings. "We'll start there. Those monsters were crazier, but they seemed smarter."
"How so?" Rowan asked eagerly, an almost whine in his throat.
"I think they were fairy packs," she answered. And Helios seemed to jump, startled by her words. She glanced at him oddly, and he avoided her gaze, feathers wrapped around him tightly. "The magic remains for some of them. I think some of the fey still have their visions."
Hyon snarled; hackles raised. She eyed him warily. "You think? You're sending us into a fucking trap."
"Oh please," Quinn groaned. "Fucking look at me, I'm collared. We're on a damn aircraft, nothing is going to happen. There are soldiers behind us. And I'm Beta remember? I've got no powers."
Hyon slammed his hands on the console. "You want us to fuck with flying Lonely!" His eyes darted, panic growing taut in his muscles.
"Old ones!" Quinn replied, fingers wrung. "Their wings will not work. But with visions, some might have found their Alphas, or worked out some kind of cure. I've never dared to observe them because it's too dangerous for one ranger. But we have a fleet, and it is worth a try."
"You just said they're fucking crazy."
"I meant that they act differently," Quinn snapped. "They're mostly rotting corpses."
"Mostly?"
"If one has succeeded and has made himself lucid, then that's what we want!" She erupted then with a glare.
"Come on, Zen!" Hyon exclaimed and she waited, waited for Zen to say no with disappointment growing within her. He would say no, Hyon's words over hers because Hyon was his best friend. She shrank into her seat, cheeks hot with frustration.
But Zen nodded, clearing his throat wetly. "Let's go." Her surprise must have shown because something in her chest throbbed, told her that her soulmate was pleased with himself from her response. Pleasure growing in the soft drip of his cookie scent, wafting gently to her nose.
Hyon exhaled. "Fuck." He swerved, and the aircraft soared, sweeping over rock. He pushed a button, and the intercom buzzed through the speaker. "Report, this is King Pin, we're heading for East wind, section 95680. Fleet, acknowledge and respond." The speakers hissed, noise crackling. "This shit's old." Hyon grunted, slammed a hand into the piece. It hissed and he laughed.
Quinn sat up now, alarm bells ringing. "You don't do that to old tech!"
"Don't tell me what to fucking do," Hyon snarled, snatched the wired piece, the intercom swinging. "Report now team, over." The silence echoed. He shrugged, turned to her with a grunt. "Guess we've got to turn back and regroup." The smug look in his eyes had her rage growing as he turned to her with a smirk. "Call it a day while someone fixes this piece of shit."
Zen was first to speak up then, a growl in his throat. "Did you do this on purpose?"
"Hey, hey!" Hyon raised his hands up. He raised a brow, hands pounding against his ear as if there was something in there. "I'm a good soldier. This shit's not my fault, I'm being fucking serious." Oh, but he was so full of shit she knew he must have done something. Must have fucked it all up not wanting her to succeed. She scowled.
Even Helios was pissed now, voice rising. "We don't have much time to be playing tricks like that! This mission was serious. Captain Hyon, you—"
Hyon growled. "I know! And as I said it's this shit's fault! It's not my fucking fault that it's going crazy." The aircraft lurched.
Quinn snapped then. "Hands on the wheel!"
Hyon spat on the ground, a dark wad splattered beneath his shoes. He turned to her, baring teeth, wolf coming to the surface. "Don't fucking tell me what to do, you bitch." It was obvious then that there was something wrong with Hyon. Dark veins popped all over transparent flesh, blue showing under his eyes. He coughed, spluttering a choked gasp in his throat. He hammered his chest, once, twice. Quinn stared, horrified.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
It couldn't be.
Rowan yelped. "What the fuck? He's sick!"
"What the fuck Hyon?" Zen snarled then, finally resembling the Omega she knew. The hot-headed bastard instead of the quiet little mouse. "What the fuck's wrong with you?"
Hyon snarled, shaking his head, words muffled. "Don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."
Helios was leaning forward, reading, tasting. His alarm was sharp in his eyes, and he caught her gaze. "He's not—His emotions are going crazy. I can't taste it." He gaped. "He's not sane." Zen was reaching for the wheel now, fear rushing through him. "He's plummeting."
"Fuck," Hyon shook then, and the aircraft wobbled. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I followed the rules, the fucking guidebook that those fuckers just published. We followed everything. I was fine. I was fine. Even Peter got better." There was a maddened rush of tears in his eyes, his body began to shiver all over, shiver as if he were dying. "They didn't say it was going to feel like this."
Rowan voice was alarmed, rising a pitch. "What guidebook?"
Zen snatched at Hyon then. "What the fuck did you do?"
Quinn gasped, eyes burning, fingers running to press to her lips. The flecks of crusting brown on his face. The insanity in his eyes. The sorrow rushed from her in an exhale, an almost sob escaping her throat. "You ate Xin's heart."
And Hyon exploded, vomiting a flood of black ink all over the console and the wet fleshy remains of her friend with a roar. It was then when the ink flashed, swept from his chest, running up to smother him in its darkness.
The freshly born Lonely screamed.
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