A doctor came rushing over, frowning. "We have a virus here underground. Its spreading."he frowned deeply, staring at Ratchet who looked to Skye, blinking. "I wonder..." he muttered then his eyes widened a bit as he thought of Elliott's older sibling.
"What? What is it?" Skye asked as she looked between Ratchet and the other man, the two seemed to have a silent conversation.
"I met a boy and his older siblings. I wonder if he has the same." Ratchet muttered. "I diagnosed his brother with the flu but I wasn't sure." He rubbed his forehead. "The flu can cause this to happen." The man murmured, glancing at the now dead patient getting rolled around the corner and then disappearing.
"We need to check and get to the scientists." Skye said seriously and quickly ran off to find him.
Ratchet followed her quickly, frowning deeply. "We need to sanitize this hospital. The staff isn't taking care of their patients well. I understand it's short staffed but they need to do a better job." He rambled as he hurried. "Something needs to be done here."
"We better hurry before our neglect creates a virus we can't control." She said seriously as she ran towards the science labs out of the hospital. Ratchet nodded in agreement, grunting as he half ran half jogged. He grabbed the door and swung it open, rushing past the front desk and down the halls.
"Sir stop!" The person at the desk called after him, he stood as the two ran by. Skye led him to the actual lab and quickly rushed in.
"Doctor Esquivel!" She shouted and a man with wild brown hair quickly looked up as he stopped what he was doing. He fixed his glasses and blinked in a couple times.
"Skye Darby?" He asked in surprise as he walked over. "What's going on?" He asked as he looked at the two. Ratchet eyes widened as he saw the man, speechless. Overcome with shock and tiredness he leaned against the door frame for a moment to catch his breath before taking a breath.
"There's a virus spreading at the hospital. It has flu like symptoms but we're unclear if that's what it is." He explained shortly, his eyebrows furrowing. He could catch up with Rafael later. He was shocked to see the boy though. He was grown up.
"What?" Raf asked in surprise then frowned deeply. "I'll work on something." He said seriously and left to start. "You need to quarantine the hospital and make sure everyone has been taken care of." He said seriously.
"Grandad? Are you okay?" Skye asked as she furrowed her brow, noticing he seemed a bit pale and in some kind of shock.
Ratchet nodded dumbly. "Of course. I'll get you a sample as soon as I can." He muttered and looked to his granddaughter. "I'm fine, youngling." He said gently. She nodded slowly and gently took his arm then led him out. Worried about him. Raf watched him then went back to work.
Ratchet began walking out with her, a bit dumbfounded. "That... was Rafael." He whispered, his eyes filled with surprise still.
She looked at him then furrowed her brow a little. She continued to hold on to him as they walked. "Yes... it was. He's a family friend. He knew dad, grandma and you for a while. Are you going to be okay?" She asked quietly.
Ratchet nodded, blinking for a moment. He gently patted her hand. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He mumbled as he got over his shock. "I was just surprised. I haven't seen him in so long." He muttered, smiling at her a bit.
She nodded and smiled a little but didn't let go of him, she was worried about him and felt he was fragile in a way. "He has a daughter." she said. "He finally got married..." she smiled
Ratchet smiled at that, looking at her. "That's great news." He muttered. "He deserves it." He nodded a bit, looking at the buildings quietly.
"I asked him why he waited so long... he said he was too focused on something." she said and looked at him. "He didn't even think about it of give himself the time." she sighed sadly. "He told me he was waiting for some friends to come back so he could help... another scientist told him they probably wouldn't come back at this point." she said and looked down. "I overheard him and dad talking with mom... they told him they feared they were alone in this fight. Whatever that means." she shrugged.
Ratchet frowned, his thoughts swirling as he tried to keep calm and figure it out. "Well whatever it is, you don't need to worry about it. That isn't something for you to concern yourself with, alright?" He said, looking at her with a gentle look. "It's Raf's business."
"I know... but I've found myself worrying about everyone." she whispered. "Especially after all this happened." she said as she held onto his arm, and they went back to the hospital. "I don't want us to get sick and die out..." she whispered.
He stopped walking and stared at her seriously. "I won't let that happen. And you don't need to worry about everyone. You need to worry about you, alright? Everyone else will get taken care of." He said gently, rubbing her arm.
She looked at him then smiled a little before hugging his arm and burying her face in his shoulder. "Thanks Grandad." she whispered and smiled a little. Ratchet smiled faintly and nodded, wrapping his arm around her. He held her close to his side as he walked into the room and she went to sit with her father. He took a seat and sighed, rubbing his knees.
She stayed by her dad and gripped his hand then quietly spoke with him. She was telling him about the things he missed out on and told him how they still didn't know about her mother.
Ratchets expression shifted, falling. He frowned deeply and looked down to his ring, fiddling with it again as he listened. He waited until she was finished before he began standing. "Would you like to stay here tonight?" He asked.
"What about you?" she asked and looked at him as her eyes widened a little. "I can't leave you alone." she said.
"I'll be here." The old man said as he began getting a blanket and pillow out of cabinets and began bringing them to her, sitting them in the chair next to her.
"Thank you..." she whispered as she looked at him then smiled a little. Ratchet nodded in welcome then placed his hands in his coat pockets. She stared at her father again as she worried about him. What would she do if he actually died?
He sighed softly and looked to Jack, his expression hardening. "I'll be back. Stay here." He murmured and began leaving.
"I... okay..." she said quietly as she watched him go then went back to her father. She stared at him for a long time then quietly talked to him again. Feeling he could hear her anyway.
As she sat there, soon a young woman knocked on the door. "Hey Skye." She whispered as she walked over, pulling a bit at her brown hair.
"Hello..." she whispered and looked at her as she smiled a little, but didn't say anything else for a few minutes.
"Oh, I'm Riley Esquivel. I came to collect the sample of the virus." She whispered shyly, looking at her small hands then back to her.
"Oh hello." she said as she smiled a little, though knew who she was. "Wait... the virus?" she asked with concern and looked at her.
Riley shifted. "You came to the lab about a virus. We need a sample to reverse engineer it." She murmured.
"Oh... well... I don't have it." she muttered and stood then walked with her. She helped her find someone that was infected by the virus.
Riley looked down at their shoes quietly as they walked, adjusting her thin glasses. "Sorry to come bother you."
"Hey... don't be nervous." she said as she smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "And... it's alright I was just visiting my dad. He's alive." she grinned as tears filled her eyes. She knew that Riley's mother had grown ill after giving birth to her little sister. Raf still didn't know what was wrong with her either. "Um... how's little Quinn?" she asked quietly. The child was four now and liked to hang around the lab with her father.
Riley smiled slightly, a bit timid. She was really reserved when she grew up knowing what situation they were in. She barely trusted anyone. "Quinn is alright. She stays close to Dad." Riley murmured as she adjusted her glasses once more, a habit to calm her anxiety. "Its probably a good thing."
"Why?" she asked quietly as she looked at her friend. Riley was her only close friend and she wanted to keep it that way. She was honestly afraid to even let her be close. Skye feared she'd just get hurt like everyone else she knew.
The young woman looked at her, shrugging a bit. "I think it's because Dad is working so much so she sticks around." She then frowned. "And because Mom isn't around as much." She looked away. "And I try to babysit her but I get busy too. I'm a lot of the labs assistants." She muttered. "They always need something." She snorted a bit.
"Hmm... maybe when this virus thing is over... you and your dad can spend time with you and your mom." She whispered quietly and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You realize... that... your family is... one of the only ones... that is together." She whispered quietly.
Riley winced, suddenly feeling guilty. "I'm sorry." She said hurriedly. "I'm grateful of them." She said gently then sighed. "Even if this blows over I'm not sure if my mom will get better."
"I didn't mean to make you feel guilty or bad." She said as she looked at her. "Sorry..." she mumbled and rubbed her the back of her head awkwardly. "Does your dad know what she has yet?" She asked
Riley gave her a look of reassurance, shaking her head in dismissal. "No." She said quietly. "Its okay, he needs to focus on the other people anyway." She whispered.
"But... isn't it important to... help his family?" She asked quietly and looked at her. Not wanting to make things worse but wanting to help somehow.
"I'm working on it with a few other scientists too." Riley reassured. "Were working on it." She shrugged. "Its been hard." She muttered, sighing. She worked as a pharmacist in the lab, helping sort medicines as well as helping others.
"I'll try to help however I can... just tell me what I can do." Skye whispered quietly and smiled a little as she stopped and let her go into the room.
Riley nodded at her and entered the room, taking a small q-tip from a bag in her lab coat pocket. "So which one of you is ill?" She asked the small boy and the injured man.
"I am..." the injured man looked at her and furrowed his brow. "I... didn't... want... to... I didn't... mean... to..." he rasped and coughed painfully. Elliott looked at her then at his brother as he hugged him tightly. He whimpered fearfully as he buried his face in his chest.
Riley frowned and slowly walked over to him, her worn sneakers squeaking a bit on the tile. "I came to take a sample to test for your diagnosis of the flu to give you a prognosis." She said gently, her voice timid and soft. He nodded weakly as he watched her and Skye stayed by the doorway. Elliott watched her then glanced at the other woman with worry.
Riley took the q-tip and took a sample of his saliva before putting into the bag and into her pocket. She took off her gloves and threw them away. She looked at the boy quietly as she washed her hands.
"He's going to be okay." She whispered to Elliot. He nodded slowly and buried his face in his brothers chest. He wanted him to be okay. He didn't want to lose him like his parents.
The young woman smiled a little, feeling sympathy for them. She couldn't imagine it. She gently brushed the boys hair to the side, giving him a look of reassurance before quietly leaving. Her eyes went sad as she looked at her friend.
Skye watched her and furrowed her brow a little before looking back at them. She stared for a moment then followed her. "Everything alright?" She asked quietly.
Riley sighed softly, rubbing her hands. "I feel bad for them." She looked at her. "That boy. He's too young." She frowned deeply.
"Too young for what?" she asked quietly and looked at her. "And yes... I feel bad for them as well..." she whispered then glanced at the ground.
Riley ducked her head. "He's too young to deal with this... Apocalyptic Earth, his brothers illness and injuries...I'm assuming his parents haven't been found yet either from the way they aren't there." She frowned, her voice getting shaky. She quickened her pace, wanting to get out of the hospital.
Skye watched her then quickly followed to keep her company. She didn't want her to be upset. "Riley..." she whispered.
The said young woman rubbed her hands quietly. "Sorry, my anxiety." She whispered. "The hospital is always so sad. I can't..."she rambled quickly.
"Then... why do you work there?" She asked quietly and looked at her with concern.
Riley was silent for a moment, almost ashamed. "You won't judge me, right?" She whispered, glancing at her.
"No... I promise I won't." She said as she smiled brightly and looked at her, then glanced at the exit as they approached.
Riley opened the door as they got to it, relaxing at the cool underground air. "I... want to help people but... I can't work on people. I can't save lives the way surgeons do. It... might be cowardly but..." she looked away. "I can't handle it. I want to help you in missions but... I-I'm not brave. In my office I'm... comfortable." she explained quietly, her eyebrows furrowing.
She smiled slightly and looked at her then hugged her friend tightly. "It's okay... you're still doing so well by helping here. You have no idea what you do." She whispered quietly.
Riley jumped slightly, not expecting it. She gently hugged her back, smiling faintly. "Thank you." She whispered. "I wish I could do more." She looked down at the ground.
"You're totally fine..." she whispered quietly and pulled back. She stared at her intently for a few minutes then chuckled softly. "You're more helpful than you think you are." She whispered.
Riley didn't let go for a moment then slowly did. She shuffled a bit at the way she stared, moving her glasses as she fidgeted. "Thank you." She murmured. "You're a good friend, Skye." She smiled a bit hesitantly.
"No problem." She said as she smiled brightly. She watched her then looked around as she furrowed her brow. "Where's my grandad?" She asked quietly.
"He could be working around." Riley murmured. "I'm sorry, I don't know." She said gently as she walked to the lab quietly. She went to one of the scientists and gave the sample to them, murmuring an explanation to them quietly before they left with it. Riley turned to look at her. "We can go look for him if you want."
"I'd like to if you don't mind... I worry about him..." she whispered quietly and looked at her. "He... um... he forgot who I was..." she mumbled.
She nodded and took off her lab coat, placing it over her desk table. She frowned with worry. "Of course I'll help you. And well... its been a long time since you last saw him but I understand... that can be scary." She shook her head. "Where do you think he went?"
"With my dad... but he walked out and said he was working on something... or needed to do something..." she whispered quietly and looked around. She bit her lip and folded her arms with worry.
"Maybe he went back." Riley pondered aloud, looking around and into rooms as they passed them. She looked to Skye. "Do you think he went back to the apartment?"
"Possibly..." she whispered quietly and looked at her then sighed forcefully. "Thanks... I'll look there. You should head home and spend time with your family." She whispered.
Riley looked at her worriedly. "Are you sure?" She whispered. "I can help you look, it's not a problem." She murmured.
"I'm sure." she said and smiled a little. "Your family needs you." she whispered and hugged her tightly then wandered off. Hoping her grandfather was okay.
Riley smiled faintly before going to her home, adjusting her glasses when she got there. She opened the door and looked around before shutting the it again once she was inside. She went toward her parents bedroom and stayed by the doorway, listening and watching.