Sam lets out a shuddering breath, which sounds just as uneasy as my own breathing. "Right. Good news first. Peter's with me. Nicole managed to get a transport to come pick him up and get him back to Abel. We have cams on the rig, and I've got a radio link with a few survivors holed up on the accommodation block. They're safe, and there's no evil gunk coming out of the sink.

"In less good news-Janine, Callista, you're on your own. That rig is moving out to sea too quickly to follow by swimming, and our boats were destroyed when the cliff came down."

"Also, Sage insisted that all the rig's workers had in-depth knowledge of how the place works," Peter states. "Jones is going to use anything he has against you, and I mean, he's already triggered a V-Type horde and then drawn it to the rig. He's not big on moral reasoning."

Janine narrows her eyes. "He does not have the sample of indestructible zombie yet. It may be somewhere on this rig, but if he had it, he'd have already used it rather than making threats."

"And remember, somewhere on the rig is the cure for my immortality, which, if we get it, would mean no more indestructible zombies at all."

"'If?'" I repeat. "There's no 'if' about it. We're getting you that cure."

"Heh. Yeah," He says bashfully. "Thank you, Five."

My reply is a tight smile. "You can thank me once I've gotten you those nanites."

"The risks are great," Janine says. "If Jones releases the vial of indestructible zombie fluid, we have no more burn cubes left to destroy it. The world would be overrun within a matter of weeks. But the opportunities are just as great. Runner Five, we will scale the central staircase and make for the laboratory building."

I nod as we start moving towards the staircase. We don't have a second to waste. We have to take Jones down, and I'm getting that cure to Peter even if it kills me. I have not worked this hard to get him this only for it to be snatched out of my hands.

A grimace passes over my face when I hear feedback from the speakers overhead.

"The thing is, Abel runners, I've always known there was something up with you. Something wrong."

Metal screeches, the sound jarring and painful. Sam screams in warning as the boom of a crane on the rig starts swinging towards us! Janine grabs my arm and pulls me forward, her burst of speed getting me out of the way just in time. I feel the gush of wind as it swings right behind me, and I realize just how real it can be when I say, 'even if it kills me'.

Jones starts swinging the boom of the crane around, and I know better than to stay and see if he'll try to hit us again. He will. He wants us dead. He wants everyone dead.

It's so strange. Most of Sage's principles where sturdy, clean cut. He did do some very wrong things, like sending those people off without operators. He did them because he believed it was his way of keeping order. I don't condone it by any means, but I know that many of the amazing things he accomplished came from his strict rules and regulations...

But there's a problem when rules are too strict, the leash around the neck of a person being too tight. People who wholeheartedly believe in something sometimes go too far, like Jones did. I want to believe that Sage helped him, but I honestly think that Jones simply went from one extreme to another. First with believing everything the Ministry said, to believing in Sage and twisting his own beliefs into something horrific.

Metal screams as Jones swings the boom of the crane around once more, and again we both narrowly miss getting hit. Sam lets out little whines of fear each time, and I can hear my heartbeat in my ears as my legs burn and exhaustion clings to my muscles like the sweat that clings to my skin. The desperation to get away keeps me moving.

Jones seems just as desperate to catch us, and I hear him practically scream in frustration when Janine and I open the door that leads to the metal staircase. We run inside and now have thick metal walls that protect us, and the farther we go, the more out of reach we become from the crane.

"Janine, Five, you're doing well," Sam says, his voice still tense. "Just keep moving. That crane can't touch you now, but that doesn't mean Jones is just going to stop trying to catch you. Also, Ellie's been in touch. She was part of the group of evacuees Jody saved. She thinks she knows where the things you need are. Sage had a strongbox fitted into the floor of his quarters."

Janine nods. "Locked, I assume. We will need to find a key."

"No, I saw that strongbox," Peter cuts in. "There's just a handle on it. Sturdy, and you can't open it by accident, but he believed his people were loyal enough that he didn't need a key."

My eyebrows go up in surprise. "Wow."

"That's what I was thinking," Sam replies. "But uh, yeah. Ellie says when she had a meeting with Sage once, he got something from the strongbox. She saw a vial of brown goo in there, which sounds like the goo we're looking for. But the cure for you, Peter, is going to be in the lab. I remember Sage telling me and Five that last night. Those labs are on the opposite side of the rig."

"So we're going to have to split up, and look for what we need," I say, looking over at Janine, and she nods in agreement.

"Yes. Then, when they are secure, we will rescue the survivors and leave the rig, abandoning Jones to his fate."

My face scrunches up. Is it really a good idea to just leave Jones instead of arresting him or even just finishing him off? He's already proven how resourceful he can be, and we honestly don't need him popping up to make things worse for us in the future.

I don't get the chance to argue my opinion, unfortunately, because Peter speaks.

"Oh, you make it sound so easy," He scoffs.

"Simple. Not easy."

"Yeah, well, there's one more thing." Sam's tone is hesitant, nervous. It immediately piques my interest. "Ellie, uh... she's taken a look at the dig site Jones was working on. She thinks he's found the Edda, and that he's taken it. That means there's a chance it's with him, so we can't let him sink the rig and destroy it."

My eyes go wide, and I inhale sharply and internally scream. Are you freaking kidding me?

"Hang on a second," Peter gawks in shock. "On that rig, there's indestructible zombie stuff, the cure for me, and the Edda?"

"It's quite the prize," Janine hums, her blue eyes sparkling in thought. "Very well. Threat before opportunity. Five, head towards Sage's quarters. I will go right, towards the lab. If Jones has the Edda, he will most certainly have it on his person. He will attempt to chase one of us, and whichever one of us it is must bring him down and retrieve the Edda."

I nod, and we split up, her footsteps quickly retreating as I go one way and she goes the other. I pray she's quick to get that cure. If anything happens to it, I'll find Jones and kill him myself. I can't worry too much about Janine, not when what I have to collect is just as important. I don't know why Sage thought it was a good idea to collect a sample of the zombie goo when setting off the burn cube and nearly killing ourselves was to destroy it in the first place, but he's dead now, so I can't exactly ask.

But I now know why he was able to get things done so quickly with the nanites and testing. He not only had what research Veronica had given me, but also much more from her computer core. It makes much more sense that it was because of that than just because I gave him research about Van Ark's experiments.

Now I have to get that sample. Even if we get Peter's cure, if Jones gets ahold that sample, it's all over.

I hear feedback from the speakers as Jones turns them on again. "Now don't think I don't see you! I know who you are! They told me! They clued me in!"

Something black and shiny starts pouring out of the pipe I run past. It hits the floor with a splat and starts spreading quickly as more and more starts pouring out. I hear Peter curse.

"Callista, he's releasing oil down the pipe next to you. You have to get out of there or you'll be drowned. Head left. Go! Run!"

More and more oil starts pouring out of the pipe, and I sprint as fast as I can. It's thick, clinging to everything it touches. My jaw clenches as I run, my breath coming out in short pants. The pain in my legs is getting worse, as is the burning in my lungs. Adrenaline can't keep me going for much longer, I don't think.

I can't fail. I have to keep moving.

I remind myself of all the previous times I've ran, how far and long I've done it. I have done it before, and I can do it again, even if it's beginning to feel like agony. I know the pain will end soon, once I've gotten ahold of the zombie goo and we've destroyed it, once we've gotten Peter's cure, once we've taken down Jones and have the bit of the Edda that tells us how we can stop the red fungus. That's all we need.

Just a little bit more. Just a little bit further.

I think that, but it doesn't make it any easier. I leap forward to get a bit more distance between me and the sticky oil that's right at my heels. If it gets on my shoes I'm done for. There's no way I won't end up slipping and then get caught in it otherwise.

I groan in relief when I reach the door, opening it and passing through and slamming it shut. I allow myself to slow down to a jog as I continue on, trying to catch my breath.

"Bloody hell, that oil's flooded through the office block behind you, Five," Sam says as I try to catch my breath. "Oh, it's horrible stuff. Thick and sticky. You'd have been trapped there if you hadn't run. Good work."

"Uh huh," Is all I manage to say.

"It's just me for now. Peter and Nicole are doing ops for Janine in the next room, so we can keep you both safe. I reckon you're about... mmm, yeah, a third of the way to Sage's quarters. You'll need to head left around those surveying bugs."

"How's Peter?" I ask once I've caught my breath.

"I think he's alright, basically. Better than if Sage had done the Exmoore's massacre on purpose, I guess. He keeps saying it was the mission, not the man. He smiles every time I say your name. You haven't seen it, but he's really... he's really touched knowing what you and Sage did for him.

"He's had a little chat with Lizzy. He apologized to her for what he said, for not believing her. She also thinks she's a monster, but at least she kept asking for help."

"And that's what keeps us all going, isn't it, Five? Getting help when we need it, giving help when we can. And you pay back help you got with help you give to others." He laughs. "Like, that's the funny thing about this. Any of us could be monsters. It just takes one zombie bite. But here we are, helping each other. Staying just a little ahead of it. A little is enough."

I find myself smiling at his mini speech, but it drops the instant something clangs behind me.

"Um, Five, you're heading through a fairly dark bit there, but... yeah. I think something's moving behind you. Yeah, definitely. Like, a mechanical grabber thing?"

The lights above me flicker, and I try to look behind me as I hear the metal clang again.

"Runner Five!"

Oh shit.

"I should have dealt with you a long time ago," Jones growls, and as the lights above me flicker on for just a second, I see what's behind me. He's in some kind of undersea engineering grabber pod. The size of it takes up most of the hallway, and he's there, with that massive scar on his face and crazy coiled hair and burning brown eyes full of hate.

"Oh, wow. Looks a bit like that thing Ripley had in Aliens. It's sort of cool."

"Sam!" I shout in panic.

"Right. Sorry. Sorry. Right. Um, well, obviously, you need to get away from him."

"Obviously!"

"It was the Ministry's broadcasts that first taught me there was something going on underneath the surface, something other people don't understand," Jones projects as he follows me, metal clanging against metal with each step the grabber pod takes. "There are forces running this world, Runner Five. I think maybe you used to try to protect people from them, but you've been corrupted, like all of them! Like the Edgeware Dragons, like A.N.N.I.E., like Colonel Sage. Corrupt, and turned to evil. I have to cut the infection out at the root!"

"He's coming for you!" Sam squeaks. "Callista, run!"

•

"Alright, Five, you're ahead of Jones for now, but there's a storm blowing up and he's on your tail. You've got to keep moving."

"I'm-" I huff, my entire body aching, "I'm trying!"

Metal clangs and creaks behind me as Jones continues after me. Sweat drips down my face, stinging my eyes. I can't keep up with this pace. He's going to catch up with me eventually if I don't find a way to put some ground between us.

"Nicole's watching over Janine as she's going through the labs," Peter says. "Sage left some instructions for me. Um, us. He must have recorded them in the few minutes he brought me the burn cube. Five, since you-since you were the ones who tested them, I wanted you to hear it too."

He clicks on the recording.

"Peter, I'm doing this so you'll have another chance," Sage says. "I've had my people working on the nanites. We've refined them. Their action can be controlled by a command box. You'll find it in the drawer I've marked on my sketch in lab 3G. That command box tells the nanites what to do, switches them on and off." He sighs. "From what we've seen from Runner Five's experience, it won't be an instant cure. She felt terrible for weeks, with some days she could barely move. I'm sure since she knows what to expect, she can help you through any symptoms. But the nanites will work through every cell in your body, switching off the proteins that trigger continual regeneration.

"When it's complete, you will be mortal again. Human, as you have always been. It's taken a lot to do this, Peter. We have made promises and trades for it. I've done it because I believe in you, and Five did it because you are her best friend. You were never monstrous."

It clicks off, and for a moment Peter just sits there in silence.

"I, uh... I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about him. So much of what he did was good."

"You're allowed to feel both angry and grateful. Most people aren't just one thing, you know," Sam says, and a smile makes its way onto my face.

Then I scream when a clawed hand reaches past and narrowly misses crushing my head.

"Oh, crap! Five, Jones must have sneaked around the edge of the rig where I've got no cams. He's right behind you!"

"No shit!" I scream, ducking under the claw and forcing myself to sprint.

"I don't like to do this," Jones shouts. "I don't want to! But it's the only way! I'm going to open your mouth up and pour that brown stuff into it. You'll be the first to die, and you'll keep on dyin'... forever!"

He makes the claw of the machine reach for me again, and I have to dive out of the way. I duck and roll, a sharp hiss leaving my mouth as my body hits the cold metal floor. I use the momentum of the roll to push myself upright so I can run again.

"Get me away from him!" I plead, and then there's a sharp pain in my back as the closed claw slams into me, sending me sprawling forward. I was just far away enough that I only felt the end of the impact instead of full force if it, but I'm still sent flying, my body slamming into the floor as Sam screams out my name.

I groan, pain skirting up my entire upper body, my arms shaking as I push myself up. The exhaustion hits me all at once, and I realize now just how much my immortality helped me in terms of stamina.

"I-I can't," I choke out. "I can't keep running."

"Five, that yellow crane on your right," Peter says, and I look up as I unsteadily get to my feet. "Hit the big black button. It'll drop the crane's load. Now!"

I hit it, and the steel bars that the crane was holding up comes tumbling down, right on top of Jones and his suit. He lets out a shout, but it's drowned out by the ringing of the steel. The suit's completely crushed, as is Jones.

I lean against the wall, just for a moment, just to let the pain ease a bit.

"Well," Sam says with a surprised sigh, "it's no more than he deserved. I know you're hurting, but you need to head for Sage's quarters now."

I sigh but continue on to Sage's quarters without much complaint. It's to save the world, after all.

Again.

With how many times I've already helped in stopping global destruction, I honestly think I should get to retire early when-if-we ever can actually get back to normal again. The thought makes me smile, albeit a bit bitterly.

I hear a rumble of thunder outside when I reach Sage's quarters, and Sam sucks in a sharp breath.

"Bloody hell. That storm's come up fast. We need to get you the vial of indestructible V-Type stuff, and get you off that rig, Five."

"The lockbox is set into the floor under his desk. It just opens with a handle turn," Peter says, and I walk around his desk and find the box. Picking it up, I open it, and inside is a sealed vial of the zombie goo that chased me and Maxine down two months ago.

Sam makes a disgusted sound as the goo moves inside the tube, little tendrils reaching up.

"Looks quite a lot like the red fungus, now that I think about it."

Peter hums. "Yes. It's not me. It's part of the thing that's been done to me."

"That's correct," I say.

"What are we planning to do with it?"

"Veronica has a plan for that," Sam answers. "She reckons Sage's nanite cure will work. She's taken a look at some of the papers Janine's found. Sage brought in some expertise from the people in the Hebrides to work on it."

"I didn't know they did science up there."

"No one knows what they're doing up there. I mean, me and Five knew he was working on the nanites, obviously, but we had no idea he'd called in those guys, or what they did. Although I think Amelia wants to find out."

He chuckles. "Has she announced she's taking over as de facto head of the UK Alliance yet?"

I don't say anything, but that does pique my interest as I leave Sage's quarters with the vial.

"Yeah, actually. Weirdly, she has. Everyone seems to agree that at least they know what to expect from her. How did you know?"

"I've just met her before."

There's a pause before Sam speaks again. "I mean, is it possible that it might work out, okay?"

"Probably not less well than the Minister," Janine says, making me flinch slightly. "Apologies for interrupting, Mr. Yao."

"No, no, go ahead. We never really talked, Janine, but I do actually want to know what you think about Amelia taking over the country."

"I think it is... inevitable." I can't quite place her tone. "One does know where one is with Ms. Spens, and she's very effective."

"Yeah. Alight, look. We've got a plan now. Veronica says we just have to inject a tiny drop of nanites into that vial Five's holding, and it'll do the same thing it's going to do to you, Peter-stop it being immortal. There's only a single syringe full of nanites, but it should be plenty for that vial and for you."

"Very well," Janine says. "Five, bring that vial to me. Be quick, but be careful. If it spills, the earth is dead within six weeks."

I grimace. "No pressure, right?"

Sam chuckles. "Yeah, I'd try not to think about it too hard. Just run."

Unfortunately I have to leave the safety of four walls to get from Sage's quarters to the labs Janine is waiting in. I want to get there as quickly as possible, and this is the fastest route. The rain is freezing, and the ocean waves hit hard against the rig. I gasp when a wave slams into the side of the rig, sending water flying sky high.

I tighten my grip on the vial, ignoring the cold water pelting my skin. On the bright side, it's enough to keep me from thinking about the exhaustion that nearly got me killed only about ten minutes ago. But it gets harder and harder with each step. Sam wasn't kidding when he said the storm came in fast. Within minutes my hair and clothes are soaked, and my teeth are chattering as the waves get higher and higher, slamming hard against the rig with water spilling onto the ground and drenching my shoes even more than they already are.

I squint, trying to make everything out in front of me, and I cough as the wind pushes the rain and sea water into my face, my mouth. Sam says something to me-something encouraging, I think, although it's hard to focus on his kind words when the weather is suddenly being so brutal.

I taste metal.

And then I'm slammed to the side by a rising wave. I reach out and grab the closest thing I can to keep from being knocked over. My grip on the vial is so strong I almost fear I may cause it to crack, and I can just barely hear Sam's shout in fear.

"Oh my God! Callista, hold on! That wave almost washed you over."

"I know, darling. I was there," I deadpan, my fingers turning white from the grip I have one on of the door handles. Once I'm sure I'm on steady feet, I start moving again.

"The last of the survivors is on a boat heading for shore," Peter says. "They're safe now. Safe, but seasick."

"Just keep moving, Sweetheart. You're so near to the labs. Janine's waiting for you. Just-just keep moving."

One of the doors up ahead opens, and I see the shadow of a figure through the near blinding light from inside.

"Runner Five!" Janine calls out to me. She's not even outside the door and yet her black hair is already getting soaked. "Runner Five, here! Over here. Grab my hand!"

My freezing hand grips her warm ones, and she quickly pulls me inside and slams the door shut. I'm shivering, and she, surprisingly, helps me brush back my wet hair that's clinging to my face.

"You have the vial of the indestructible V-Type?" She asks, and I wordlessly hold it up to her. It's brown and clawing, the tendrils turning and molding into little grasping hands. "It looks monstrous. Peter, this is a nightmare thing. How could you have thought it bore a relation to you?"

"I don't know anymore," He answers.

"I have the syringe. I will inject a single drop into the vial." She takes it from me and unseals it, putting just one drop into the vial, and immediately a sort of shimmering quality flows through it. "Can you see it working? How long should this take?"

"For a vial that size, no complex organs, only a few seconds."

"And how will we know it's done?" She questions.

"It should just be normal V-Type tissue now. A bit twitchy, but... take a tiny bit and burn it in that Bunsen burner?"

She does as told, and immediately the little tissue sample she has sizzles and burns completely into nothing. Her eyes light up and I feel an excited giggle escape my throat.

"It's destroyed! Utterly, not a trace remains. I'm so, so glad. Five, would you care to throw the rest into the incinerator?"

I take the vial from her and open the incinerator door and toss it inside, watching with delight as the flames consume it. "We did it. Now we just have to get the cure to Peter, and then we can go get the Edda off of Jones' body. We did it!"

Maybe it's delirium from exhaustion or plainly the joy of victory, but I feel like laughing and crying at the same time.

"I don't feel I deserve this," Peter mumbles. "What Sage and you did for me, Five. What you and Janine are risking for me now. I don't deserve it."

I shrug. "Maybe. But we did it anyway, because we care about you."

"I agree," Janine says. "And what was it Mr. Yao said? We take help where we need it, we give help where we can. We continue to believe that in the end, the good will win out over the forces of destruction. It did in the end in Colonel Sage, I think."

Suddenly the door bursts open, and a man clunks in, eyes wide and full of rage.

"Don't you dare utter his name!" Jones shouts, and it's then I notice the armored body suit he has on. I couldn't see it when he was in the grabber pod, but it must have protected him from the steel bars.

He lunges for us, and I duck out of the way. Janine isn't as fast, and he grabs onto her arms, teeth bared in anger. I grab a metal rod from the bench and swing it at him. There's a clang and the vibrations send an ache to the deepest parts of me.

"Give me that syringe! Give it to me!" Jones screams, and Janine pushes herself back, ducking out of his reach when I try to swing at him again. Sam is screaming in panic.

"Five, she can't drop that syringe! Hit him again! Again!"

I try to, I do, but then-

"I said give it to me!"

Jones is able to grab Janine's arm again. He grabs the syringe. He-

Janine screams as he stabs the syringe into her neck.

"Janine!" I shriek.

"Oh God!" Peter shouts. "Oh, God, he's injected it into Janine!"

"You monster!" I scream, swinging the beam at him again, but he catches it, tossing me back. My back slams into the wall.

"I've worked it out," He says, terrifyingly calm. "She's the root of it. The Ministry was right about Janine De Luca. The world's better off without her."

I push myself up, shaking as red clouds my vision. "I'm going to kill you!"

Jones runs with the syringe still in his hands. I prepare to chase after him, but I see Janine on the floor. She's fitting. I can't leave her like this.

"Five, please, you have to help her!" Peter begs, desperation dripping from his voice. "There's-there's a lifeboat on the south side of the rig. Please, help her. Get her to that lifeboat. Run!"

•

"Lifeboat launching," The computer says, and I pet Janine's head as she lays in my lap. She fell unconscious while I was carrying her to the lifeboat, but she's still breathing.

"Oh, Five, you've done so well," Sam says, and it's followed by a heavy sigh. "You and Janine are heading for the shore now. The lifeboat's programmed to get you there safely. Maxine and Paula will have a medical team waiting. Veronica thinks she knows what's happened. I think Jones must have climbed up under the rig to get to you. I couldn't see him on cams.

"There's two ways of paying back, aren't there? Either you decide to pay back help you got by helping other people, or you pay back harm by lashing out at anyone within arm's reach."

"Is-is she going to be okay?" I say, tears spilling past my eyes as I continue to pet her head.

"Jones injected Janine with the full dose of nanites, and he's-he's taken the control device. We've got no way to switch them off. They'll be doing to Janine what they did to you, what they were supposed to do to Peter-shut down cell regeneration, one by one. But she's not immortal, so it's not... I mean... they're going to kill her."

I sob, and as Sam continues speaking, I can hear him trying to hold back tears.

"Veronica thinks she can stabilize Janine a bit, but just to slow the process down. She thinks if we don't get that control box back, Janine has six weeks left..." He sighs again. "Jones has left the oil rig on a fast launch. We're not going to catch him in this storm, but we have to find where he's gone. On top of everything else, he's got that bit of the Edda about how to stop the red fungus.

"We're out of burn cubes. We haven't got anything else that will kill the V-Types. So if we don't find Jones, Janine dies."

I look down at the woman in my lap, and I finish what Sam can't bring himself to say.

"And so do the rest of us."

The End

A/N: And this is the end of To Be A Warrior! I hope you all have enjoyed this book and please be sure to let me know what parts were your favorite or least favorite. I'm going to give another chapter with character descriptions up after this, which I hope will make up for the fact that I won't be able to post the intended schedule for another few days. Please, please PLEASE read the schedule chapter when I post it because it will have the schedule for the next few months in advance with explanations as to why a more structured schedule is being created. Thank you all and I hope you have a blessed day!