~Next Day~
Hiss
Double doors hissed open as Michael traversed the hallways toward the maintenance bay. He was taking the back routes through the lesser-traveled tunnels after his recent events.
Rounding a corner, however, two P-Sec officers shoved him back, seemingly lying in wait for him.
"Hey there bud," one said, his wrist up with a tracking module blinking away. His other hand held a pistol pointed at him, as did his fellow officer.
Michael took a step back, slowly raising his hands as one sneered.
"Regretting it already?"
BANG
Three more gunshots rang out between them striking his thighs and two in his abdomen. Michael coughed in pain and collapsed to the floor.
But bullets didn't pass clean through him rather, he felt the small entry wounds and the spreading pain.
Are these hollow points? Fuck...
Holstering their pistols, they stared down at him writhing on the ground and shouting in pain.
"I'd say that makes us even. Four bullets for four of ours."
"Asshole. Look at him bleed out."
"CEC, Dredger Corp, Unitology, doesn't matter out here. You touch our guys and we'll give it right back."
At that, they both turned and began to walk away as a pool of blood formed around Michael. He struggled to get on all fours, adrenaline racing through him. A loud ringing in his ears muffled strange sounds and when he looked up, the hallways were painted red.
And like before, Alma stood barefeet in the center of it.
A... little late for that... Michael groaned. "AGH!"
Alma raised her hands and from the ground a red mist rose. All of the blood surrounding Michael began to flow back into him while, piece by piece, shrapnel and the bullets fell out of his wounds.
By the end, with his wounds sealing unnaturally and leaving no evidence other than the holes in his uniform, he gasped and panted.
He quickly steadied his breathing, staring at the bullets and shrapnel on the ground.
"What the fuck?"
Staggering to his feet, he looked at the newly made gore before seeing the decapitated P-Sec heads. He covered his nose and broke into a run away from the scene back to his apartment. There he changed clothes and when he was about to leave, Alma made a brief appearance and hugged him tightly before disappearing again as he made his way toward the maintenance bay once more.
I shouldn't be getting used to this, Michael thought grimly, noticing is mind's rapid recovery from the trauma. Or feeling thankful towards... This time I'll take the main tunnel I think!
Along the way...
"Move!"
"Get the medical crew down there!"
"Two P-Sec officers down?! Again?!"
A panicked commotion in the main tunnel was occurring as medical staff and officers raced past him and took a sharp turn. A turn, he realized, that would lead them to his recent incident.
"You think it's another break?"
"I hope not. People have been acting strange lately. Did you hear about the recent string of homicides and suicides...?"
The sound of people chattering and circulating rumors faded behind him and when the doors hissed open into the maintenance bay...
"Michael!" Eve waved with a triumphant grin, jumping up from her desk. "Did you hear? A Marker's been found!"
"Yay," he responded flatly. "And accompanying it are suicides, homicides, violent acts..."
"Yeah," she frowned. "But that's not related. Anyway, we're going to see the Marker today! Do you want to come?"
An unease settled in his stomach as he thought about it while looking at her excited face. His thoughts shifted to a possibility.
Alma, would you be able to kill the ones trying to alter my body and mind?
Kill... KILL!
A rage induced response was all he got in return.
Is she being influenced Alma?
"Michael?"
"Yeah, sorry. I'll have to take a hard pass. I have a bad feeling about it."
A bright flash of light revealed while he was untouched, orange wisps were drifting into Eve's head.
"Oh come on, it can't be any worse than what you've been going through already with the hallucinations! This might help you!"
Michael frowned grimly, recognizing the what he now felt like was the Marker's influence. Or maybe it really was her fanaticism.
While he has contributed to a few deaths himself, they should've been mixed in with the many other growing incidents across the colony.
"Do you really think the Marker isn't connected to any of this?"
Eve placed her hands on her hips. "The Marker is a holy relic. How dare you suggest that."
Alma, can you severe it's connection to her?
Kill her, Alma whispered back, a red mist starting to rise up around Eve while she glared at him.
Don't kill her! Just get rid of whatever that is that's affecting her!
"Look, we'll have plenty of time to see it. Let's just get through our day and then we can talk about it."
"Is that a promise?"
"Yeah," Michael swallowed as Alma's hands rose up behind Eve. He couldn't help but tense as they clenched and two bright, orange wisps howled before being flung out into the air and fading.
Eve winced, clutching her head and leaning on the desk.
"Are you alright?" he asked cautiously, taking a careful step forward.
"I suddenly got a sharp head pain," Eve shook her head, straightening back up. "I've been having a few headaches lately too... That was weird."
"Maybe a med-bay visit?" Michael carefully suggested.
"No, I'll be fine. It's gone already."
She's alive, Alma's voice whispered resentfully. They're alive.
Eve tensed up, causing Michael to tense up too as they met gazes before she slowly turned. Her gaze wandered where Alma stood, her shoulders hunched apprehensively.
She heard Alma? Michael thought in surprise.
"You know what, I'm suddenly in a really good mood to work," Eve said fast, grabbing Michael's wrist and pulling him along. "Let's go."
"I need to get my jobs for the day!
"I have it with me! We're partners so I have the same gig details, come on!"