Repliwolves

Part Eight: Tricked

Heart could only watched as Quick grew sicker and sicker with each passing day. It was as his brother said. The poison was destroying him, from the inside out. Lifesaver was doing all he could to save the young Repliwolf, but by the end of the first day trying, it was clear there was little he could do. "It'd be best if I put him down," the reploid answered when Heart asked what he was going to do.

Heart felt as if his circuits had froze. He couldn't lose another brother, not after Spear. To be honest, he felt worse for Light, who had grown close to Quick. He can't die, not now, not when we just got free, Heart begged when the medic had said that. Lifesaver hadn't talked to him much after that.

Zero knocked on the door frame to Heart's room, which he shared with X. "Heart, come on, we have a meeting to attend," he said gruffly.

Heart sighed and followed the Hunter out the room and into a small meeting room. Around the table were high ranking members of the Maverick Hunters. X, Zero, Signas, a navigator named Alia. There was another, but Heart didn't recognize her.

Signas put a hand on Heart's shoulder. "Heart, please, tell us, did the laboratory you were created in have anything for venom like this?" He asked.

Heart thought long and hard. Dr. Far did create a strange concoction said to be a cure in case a Repliwolf with venom injured another. But where could that be?

"Anything at the lab, was either ransacked, killed or captured." Heart answered. "Dr. Far did have this anti venom he made, but if Poison is as calculating as he appears, then he took that with him. It's like used up or drained by now."

A ripple of murmurs passed through the room. Heart never felt so conscious of those around them, or embarrassed. When he threw in his observations at the lab, at least everyone was quiet when he did that.

After awhile, the murmuring died down and Signas looked at the new reploid that Heart didn't know. "Layer, anything at Axl's whereabouts yet?"

"No commander, I'm afraid not. Nothing on the radar, or any signals of any sort," she replied. Zero and X looked at each other worriedly before Zero embraced X, hugging him tightly. Heart felt a twinge of surprise at the sight. Zero was not one for hugs or one for giving hugs. What he was seeing was truly touching.

Heart stood up, and raised a paw for silence. "Signas, with all due respect we've only checked the districts and sectors around Hunter Base. I would like to volunteer a search party to check district 10, sector 45."

More silence answered his proposal. X and Zero stared at Heart with shocked expressions. Layer and Alia looked absolutely confused. Signas stared into Heart's eyes and Heart held his gaze. Slowly, the commander's mouth opened.

"Are...you...crazy?" Signas said slowly. "District 10, sector 45 has been abandoned for obvious reasons Heart. No Hunter has been there in months."

Yes, which is why a Repliwolf should go instead, clueless, Heart thought irritably. "Which is why Poison and Sigma might be there. In my opinion, it was a mistake to abandon that section." He said instead.

Gasps erupted around the room. Never, had Signas ever, been spoke to like that. It was outrageous, rebellious, and pretty cool. Heart had a fearlessness in him, that is what the Hunters needed right now.

"Very well," Signas said with a sigh. "You have my permission to search district 10, section 45." Heart nodded and without a word, ran towards the door.

The streets of district 10, section 45, were dusty and covered in rubble. It was here that a berserk mechaniloid nearly wiped out several Hunter units. Heart padded along, despite his fear. Other reploids lives depended on him.

The building to his left creaked and Heart leapt out of the way just in time to avoid a boulder crashing down on him. That was close, too close. Heart knew he had to be more careful in the future. Or I won't have a future.

Ahead of Heart was a small clearing. It look deserted, but Hear could smell Mavericks everywhere. He took a step forward and noticed something gleaming in the middle.

It was a small vile, nothing much, but Heart easily recognized the anti venom. Remembering his encounter with the boulder, Heart carefully took one step after another. It wasn't long before vile was right in front of him, on a small platform.

Heart reached out to grab it, when the ground opened up below him. He jumped, but it was too late. He began to fall.

Heart flailed, though he knew it was hopeless. The walls were smooth, with no cracks, or bumps for him to grab and hold onto. The walls grew darker and darker. Then Heart's head collided with hard rock and he lost consciousness.