~3 Months later~

I was perched on the edge of a large piece of concrete, overlooking the city, my machete in one hand and my other hand in my pocket. Max and Steven left a few weeks ago, they kept thanking me for everything I did for them. I smiled at the memory as the wind blew gently, I felt the cool breeze brush past my face. This was one of the rare moments of peace you ever got in an apocalypse like this. I sighed and my smile faded. Why did it have to turn out this way. If this never happened, She would have still been alive.

I heard the crackling of gravel behind me and I turned around to find Night staring at me. She joined me at the edge and sat down next to me.

'You know, It's rare to get any peace around here at this time. I'm trying to savour the moment...'

She nodded.

'It's quite miserable, living in this world where danger can be behind every corner. I really think it isn't safe for my kids...' 

She looked back at her pups, smiling lightly at their playfulness. I sighed, yet again.

'Thank you, Craig, for everything you did for us. I can't thank you enough. We would have probably been infected and dead by now. I can never re-pay you the same way to helped us.'

She said it so sincerely. I smiled at her.

'It's only in my nature to help. I bet you already know that I was betrayed, right?'

She nodded thoughtfully. I looked back at the city, to notice that dusk was nearing every second. I stood up and walked back into our shelter, Night right behind me. I noticed the pups all look at us.

'Mini, Mini! Look what I got!'

I chuckled as Lily ran up to me. She stood sideways and showed me her neck. There was a purple flower, representing a Lily. I was kind of shocked and amazed. I looked at Night for an Explanation. Lily's fur also had a tint of purple glistening in it, while her chest was silver.

'After 3 months, they develop a mark and a colour.'

I still couldn't figure out how that was possible but then Rage ran up to me. 

'Look!'

His fur had a red tint and a black chest, he had a brighter red lightning bolt painted on his neck. Next to run up to me was June. Her mark resembled a sun, and her fur was tinted lime-green with a snow-white chest. Scar calmly walked up to me and his fur had a tint of turquoise, his mark showed a blue fire. Lastly was Ghost. He slowly walked up to me, his chilling icy-blue eyes staring at me. He showed me his neck and I found a black skull and crossbones. His fur was white as freshly fallen snow. I smiled at all of them as they patiently sat in a line in front of me. 

'All of these are beautiful...'

They all wagged their tails and said stuff like 'I told you he would love it!'

I walked back out and breathed in the cold night's air. I felt an arm around my mouth and something dragging me into the shrubbery...

~~~~~

"Shhh!"

The thing or person said before letting my mouth go. I turned around only to be greeted by a monkey mask.

"Basically?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I need your help..."

He was looking around as if something was watching him, making me feel paranoid.

"Let me re-phrase that. WE need your help."

"If you are talking about helping Evan and the others. Then hell no. Im not going to do what they as me to."

"No! They didn't ask me to come and get you. You don't understand!"

I was confused as fuck right now and I tilted my head to the side to let him know I was confused. He sighed and looked around again.

"Can we go inside please?"

"Wh-"

"PLEASE!"

I shut my mouth and stood up, motioning for him to wait.

'Night, more visitors, do you mind?'

'Sure, go ahead...'

I dragged Basically inside and sat him down. 

"Okay, explain right now what the fuck is going on?"

"Okay, listen. We were all chilling at our base when suddenly these guys in weird modern suits attacked us with guns. You know, the enemies in video games? They looked like those, but more modern..."

"Sooo?"

"We didn't expect an attack, so while we were defenceless, they took us hostage, claiming that they were working for the 'Experimentalist'."

Oh god. Did I just hear that correctly. The Experimentalist is the guy who.... Who killed my mother...

I had the most pissed off expression on my face right now. Basically had a questioning look on his face. I looked away as i said those simple words.

"He killed my mother..."

"You know him?!"

"Yes...."

~~~~

I agreed to help Basically in the morning, meanwhile, I learned his and his group's real names. I told him my real name, just to be fair, but warned him not to call me that in front of other people.

~~~~

I explained to Night where I was going and she seemed to worry for me, although she let me go. It took a day for Marcel to show me the location of their base, and sure enough, there were all of the people from the group and all of them were held as hostages.

"Hey! I see something!"

More likely a guard shouted. I looked at Marcel and he just said:

"Craig, they chose to send me out for a day and try to get help. They doubted I could because all of this place is a barren wasteland. I could have just ran, but they threatened to kill all of my friends one by one for each day I didn't return. Please help us.... And Im sorry..."

He wasn't the one I wanted to say sorry to me. But I hugged him and shoved myself further into the bushed just as a guard pulled him out.

"I got the brat that left right here!"

I climbed up the hill, hidden by the trees and leaned over a rock. I had a great view of what was happening. They cuffed Marcel and all of the others, even the guards were all staring at him. He had a smirk on his face as he was looking at the ground.

"So, bitch, you brought back any 'help'?"

One of the guards said 'help' in a sarcastic baby voice. Marcel just kept staring at the ground and smirking.

"ANSWER ME!"

He got hit in the face by one of the guards. I climbed further up the hill.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, fucker!"

All of his friends seemed shocked at his bravery. I knew that he would not be killed because every survivor was precious to the Experimentalist. I climbed even further up the hill and looked on the other side of it. My eyes widened. It was like 1 million guns were dumped there. Like a scrap metal pile of guns. As I got closer and observed the weaponry, I found a Heavy sniper that worked and a few rounds of ammo for it. I climbed back up only to see Marcel being pushed down onto his knees as the 'Doctor' was walking around him. I aimed at a a soldier's head and held my breath. Here goes nothing....

~~~~~~~~~~