Trigger warning: This one is particularly explicit and features dark themes. I advise if you are sensitive to matters of suicide do not read this chapter. This has been your regularly scheduled warning.

Taking a deep breath and opening the door a little farther Toby peeked his head out. As he was about to step out stray bullets hit the wall near him and he slammed the door shut.

"Fuck that! Akita hand me that cup over there." Toby said as he pointed to a red plastic cup in the corner of the hallway.

"We need to get out there and help Lucas. He's in the middle of a gunfight and he's all alone." Jessie said as he grabbed the door handle.

Toby grabbed his wrist and laughed.

"Trust me, kid, your gonna want to see this." He said as Akita handed him the cup.

Toby clasped his hands around the cup and put it to mouth.

"FUCK!" Toby shouted into the cup surprising Jessie. A faint echo could be heard and Jessie stared at Toby stunned. He watched him laugh as he crushed the cup.Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Toby smiling at him.

Jessie's heart skipped a beat as his head swiveled between the two Tobys as both of them laughed.

"It's trippy ain't it?" The Toby on the floor said as the other one ran out the door.

"What the hell was that?!" Jessie asked helping Toby off the floor.

"When I was sick I carried the pathogen around dormant for awhile infecting everyone in the band." Akita said putting his hand on Jessie's shoulder.

"So all of you have powers like us?" Jessie asked as he heard the gunfire intensify.

"Why'd you think it was so easy for us to believe your crazy story about the bird guy kid? You sounded crazy explaining yourself, but then again making copies of yourself is pretty insane." Toby said as he shut his eyes.

Jessie was about to say something when Akita put his hand on his mouth. He placed a finger over the mouth of his mask and pointed at Toby.

Jessie watched as Toby's head rocked as he muttered things under his breath.

He suddenly grimaced and fell to his knees. Akita grabbed onto him and pulled him up.

"Ok well my copy got shot and Lucas is running out of ammo. The good news is the soldiers haven't killed any of the people in the bar." Toby said sarcastically.

He handed Jessie a pistol from the back of his pants.

"I don't want to kill any of them." Jessie said as he heard Lucas scream.

"Come fucking help me!"

"Ok boss man is upset let's get in there." Toby said as he nodded at the others and opened the door without warning

Akita quickly followed and as Jessie was exposed behind an open doorway he soon followed the others. As he ran outside the door he could see Lucas behind the bar shooting a small pistol.

On the other side of the room, there were tables pushed over and riddled with bullet holes being used as cover by the soldiers. There were quite a few that Jessie could see, they were aiming at the bar and shouting orders. Out of the corner of his eye, Jessie saw a red beam train on him and he ducked just barely dodging a barrage of bullets.

Heart pumping he hid behind the stage and covered his head as bullets rained down on him.

"Hey! Leave the kid alone!"

He heard someone shout as a loud crash of thunder was heard. Jessie's ears rang  and the lights turned off.

The gunfire illuminated the soldiers and Jessie watched dad they pummeled the bar with lead.

"Cease fire! We have new orders." One of the soldier's voices rang out in the darkness. The gunfire stopped suddenly leaving a tense silence in its absence.

Jesse felt a hand on his shoulder and swung in the direction of it. Akita caught his hand in his palm.

"We don't have time for this, quickly over here." Akita said as he pulled him towards the others.

As they moved past the empty space Jessie saw the outlines of the soldiers on the other side of the bar. He could also see the beams coming from their guns.

As they reached the bar Jessie could see Lucas reloading a black magnum revolver. The small pistol now lay on the floor an empty magi zone lay beside it. The magnum was beautifully etched with gold and Jessie could have sworn it glowed.

Lucas had a serious look on his face but in his eyes, Jessie could see nothing but excitement.

"Hey kid. Did they get you? Akita check him out." Lucas whispered as he peeked over the edge of the bar.

Akita raised his mask revealing his mouth and tongue, his skin was a sickly green. Jessie waved Akita away and crawled over to Lucas passing Toby as he was complaining about his gun.

"Why'd the lights go out? Why did they stop shooting?" Jessie whispered to Lucas.

"I turned them off accidentally, and I'm not sure but it seems they are getting new orders from someone." Lucas said as he peered carefully over the bar edge.

"It's more than likely from Plague himself, which means he might be sending in someone with powers. If that's true then the soldiers will be the least of our problems." Jessie said as he sat down.

Lucas looked at him and sat down next to him. He turned and grabbed a beer, he offered it to Jessie gently.

"I hardly think it's the time for alcohol, besides I'm underage." Jessie said as he pushed the drink away.

"Look kid, you've been through more this past week than most people do in their lifetimes and your still kicking, I think you deserve it." Lucas said as he offered it one more time.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, I really do. It conflicts with a personal belief of mine to drink it, I hope you understand." Jessie said calmly.

Lucas smiled in the darkness and nudged Jessie's shoulder.

"I like your conviction kid. Your gonna go far." He said as Toby took the drink out of his hand.

"Yeah while you guys are having some weird father-son bonding thing here the soldiers are rounding up people." Toby said as he took a swig of the drink.

Jessie peered over the bar and saw silhouettes moving in the darkness along with the sounds of people whimpering.

"How do you know what's happening, we are in complete darkness?" Jessie asked as he squinted.

"Akita can also see in the dark, and I may have made some copies while you guys were whispering alone over here." Toby said as he shut his eyes.

Jessie saw a figure wave in the darkness and waved back awkwardly.

"Ok, I think our main mission here is to try to help everyone here and get out before the backup comes." Lucas said as he pulled out his revolver.

The lights flickered back on and Jessie could hear a door open as he was blinded by the sudden light. As his eyes adjusted he could see a man in a dark trench coat and a large-brimmed hat at the entrance of the bar.

He looked around the bar, his eyes covered by sunglasses.

"Who wears sunglasses at night?" Akita whispered as he joined Jessie. He had his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. It filled Jessie with some confidence, it wasn't enough to shake the feeling he got when he saw what the man was carrying.

In his right hand, the man held an animal crate. A small black cage with the same logo that was on the soldier's clothes. When Jessie noticed the cage he felt a cold chill down his spine and felt cold. He sneezed.

I saw a cat in the hallway at the institute after seeing Kazimir, and there's a man here with an animal crate. That can't be a coincidence.

The man fixed his tie with his free hand and moved toward the soldiers. Jessie turned his attention to them to see they had lined up people on their knees on the floor. He saw Maria, who was very drunk and smiling to herself, a few strangers, and a copy of Toby who had his eyes shut.

Jessie turned to face the original Toby to see him nervously drinking a beer holding Akita's offhand. He turned back to see the man holding the crate pull it close to his chest. Two soldiers picked up a bullet-ridden table and moved it upright.

The man sighed and placed the crate on the table, he faced it towards the bar and took off his coat. Jessie couldn't see inside the crate, it was dark and the man covered half of it with his body. He got to his knees in front of the crate and put his hands together in prayer.

"I gave my life to our lord and I dedicated it to serving him to the fullest. I gladly give what is left of it to defeat his enemy and ensure his vision will come true." The man said as he removed his glasses and hat.

Jessie looked in horror as he saw the man didn't have any eyes. In their place were bleak dark holes.

He could hear Toby moan behind him and saw his copy twitch as the man finished his prayer.

"This useless carnage brought on by the false Icon is about to come to an end with a single sacrifice. Praise the key to our salvation and the false Icon's fate." As the man finished the soldiers behind him gave a salute of some kind. They placed their right hands on their hearts while looking up above.

"This is some fucking cult shit, you never mentioned any cult shit, Jessie." Toby whispered while grabbing Jessie's arm.

"This is new to me too Toby, I never heard about any of this before." Jessie said as he stared at the crate.

"Who's the Icon?" Lucas asked brandishing his revolver checking its ammo.

"I think the Icon is Jessie himself. I believe they think this young man is behind all the bloodshed." Akita said calmly never turning away from the crate.

"Whatever is in that cage is here to kill him and anyone who protects him. We are in for a fight so prepare yourselves my friends." He broke his gaze and turned to Toby.

"If you want to leave I won't think less of you, know that. I will stay and fight to ensure your escape if that's your wish." Akita said to Toby bluntly.

Toby stared at him and smiled, he shook his head and quietly laughed.

"Akita you've known me since we were kids. When have I ever run from a fight?" Toby smirked.

Akita chuckled and turned to face his adversary.

"Never Toby. I was making sure if we died, we would do it together."

Toby put his hand on Akita's shoulder gently.

"Always Akita."

They heard a screech come from the crate snapping them back to reality. Jessie turned his head to see the man with his head bowed and the cage opening by itself. The cage door opened slowly screeching as it neared the end. Each second felt like a lifetime, the suspense building with each moment.

Jessie could feel himself tense up and sweat as he waited, he was scared.

Suddenly the man raised his head to the sky and whispered.

"I finally see you. I'm coming home."

A sharp needle passed through his skull spraying the front end of the bar and Akita's mask. Jessie gasped and clasped his hand over his mouth. Toby retched and doubled over.

The needle retracted through the man's skull and his corpse fell with a solid thud on the floor. Behind him on the table was a small cat with his tongue out. It opened to reveal a small needle and Jessie could see the delight in the cat's eyes.

The cat enjoyed that. He enjoyed killing that man.

It closed its mouth and stretched his legs out. Yawning widely he brandished his needle tongue and pierced the man again, this time in his leg. He held it there and purred.

Lucas shuddered and fidgeted in place.

"Fuck this!" Said one of the hostages as he ran for the door. He rammed his arm into one of the soldiers as he ran past. Before he reached the door he stopped in place as there was now a needle through his eye.

He fell to his knees and stayed there as the cat seemed drunk on the table.

Taking this moment Lucas stood up suddenly and fired a shot at the cat. A blazing bolt of lightning escaped his barrel and pierced the cat in a brilliant flash. Jessie heard the cat screech before it became just a red mist.

He turned to face Lucas as he pulled back the hammer on his revolver. The soldiers broke rank and stared at the spot where the cat sat now just a charred stain on a ruined table.

"Now this is how it's gonna go. You are gonna deal with what you've done to these people and the damages to my bar. If anyone has any problems will end up like the cat."

"You idiot! You have no idea what you've just done! That cat was the only way to control what's to come. Fuck this!" A soldier cried out.

Jessie watched in horror as the soldier pulled out a pistol and placed the barrel against his temple.

"Hey what are you do-" Lucas never finished his sentence as he was cut off by the sound of the gun firing a bullet.

The man dropped and a woman screamed.

Jessie grabbed onto a nearby bucket and vomited into it.

He wiped his face and stared at the floor.

That man just killed himself?! Why? What is he so scared of that he would kill himself.

Jessie heard a screech and turned to see the eyeless man on his feet. Jessie took a step back and felt the color leave his face as he witnessed the man's head become something entirely new.

His head shifted and changed as it oozes blood and green liquid. He clawed at his head as he screeched. He fell to his knees and screamed as his head popped. Silence filled the room as everyone stared in shock and disgust, It was Toby's turn to vomit again as he grabbed Jessie's bucket and retched his guts out. The only thing that broke the silence was the sound of a woman crying.

He sat in that position and Jessie watched in horror as a spore-like bud grew in where his head used to be. It grew rapidly until it formed a fungus looking mold mass atop the man's neck. It twitched and a sound escaped from the body. Slowly Jessie watched stunned as the thing that used to be a man stood up shakily and looked around the room.

As it turned to face Jessie, he saw that it had countless eyes. They were everywhere, they covered every single spot on the mold and they narrowed as they spotted Lucas.

It's face slowly split in two directly down the middle revealing rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth and it screeched a primal scream and ran at Lucas.