Virus
Chapter Fifteen

As we were about to return to our respective homes, if felt wrong. In the span of a few days, we had lost our parents, had shocking revelations, and it felt wrong to be separating, pretending things were normal, when they were not. Eventually, our reluctance to go back to our empty houses led to a sleepover a Kira’s since it was less damaged by the Amalgamation. It didn’t know where Kira lived, so we had time before it came after us as well. This was fortunate, since the Amalgamation was dangerous. It didn’t seem to have any moral restrictions, and part of me was wondering why it hadn’t yet tossed a nuclear bomb down on the city. There must be some reason…

We hauled over all our sleeping gear, the usual, and raced over to where Kira lived. It wasn’t that far away, but I wanted to test something out… A.V.A, can you drive a car? I asked. I didn’t want to the trudge all the way over, and this was a simple and fast solution. After all, if she could drive a plane, why not a car? Soon, we were on our way to Lance’s house, where I pressed my hand down on the car horn. And kept it there. I had always wanted to do that… “YO!” I yelled. “COME ON, SLOWPOKE!” I heard a loud clatter, and Lance ran outside with his gear.

“What in the world?” He queried. “WHY ARE YOU DRIVING A CAR YOU DON’T HAVE A LICENSE YOU FOOL!” and yet he still got in. Sometimes, I just don’t know…

Anyways, A.V.A drove us down to Kira’s house, and demonstrated her skill in parallel parking. How do you do that? I asked her. Isn’t parallel parking supposed to be hard.

For a human, yes, she replied, although I could hear a trace of pride in her voice.

Locking the car, we made our way inside the house. Kira’s parents were more of a minimalistic type, with small, gentle, flowing, aesthetic decorations scattered across the house. We walked to her room, threw all the things we had brought onto the floor. Besides sleeping bags, there was a game of monopoly, three-way chess, a creepy clown book, and a stuffed liger named Theodore.

However, although we stayed up late considering various strategies, nothing really seemed to be plausible. Outright challenging was silly- we did not know the extent of the Amalgamation’s firepower. Looking back at the discussion, it seemed like we were in a video game, or so it seemed. Hero, villain... except it was much more complicated. We were just three random teenagers. We didn’t even have a driver’s license! And yet here we are, tasked with saving the world... Anyways, just like at a regular sleepover, we went to bed much later than intended.

The next morning, I flopped out of bed. We went back to our homes to drop off our belongings, and when dropping the car off at Lance’s house, I noticed something disturbing.

“Lance... you said your neighbors disappeared, right?”

“Yeah…” he responded. “All the windows were closed and shuttered. The lights were off, and there were no signs of life. Even if they were hiding somewhere, which is unlikely, I had heard them talking about various trips.”

“Then why are the lights on in that house?” I inquired. Increasing my auditory perception, I heard murmuring from inside the house. “There are people inside,” I stated. “I can hear them. Clearly.”

“Why would they be back?” Lance asked. “Maybe the Amalgamation was done with them and returned the people…”

This was indeed the case. Lance walked up to his neighbor’s door and knocked. “Mr. Weighndrich? I’ve come to talk about the band fundraiser. You still haven’t turned in your check, and I can’t deliver your purchases until I can turn the profits in.”

“Oh, hello, come in!” Mr. Weighndrich responded. “About the sale… hmmm… I left the check somewhere around here…”

“Wait! It’s okay! I remembered- you gave it to me yesterday. Thanks!” Lance motioned for me to leave, and I followed him out.

“What’s wrong?” I questioned.

“That is not Mr. Weighndrich!” Lance exclaimed. “The band fundraiser was a ruse! He hasn’t purchased anything yet. We can try the other neighbors…”

However, this led to something even more disturbing- every single one of the neighbors said the exact same thing. As it they were… programmed. Starting with the exact same greeting, they went on to look for the fundraiser payment, which Lance would tell them he had already received. After dropping off out items, we went back to inform Kira about this turn of events.

“They were really cold and distant,” I finished. “As if their personality was leeched away.”

“I mean, they literally said the exact same thing!” Lance cried out. “Word for word, syllable for syllable… they even sounded the same. Ms. Castello’s accent was gone… this is not right.”

“We only know of one being that would do this,” Kira deduced. “The Amalgamation. But what if it was something else? The Amalgamation has never displayed signs of anything close to this before.”

“What we do now,” I concluded, “is that who or whatever is responsible for this, they are not benevolent. We need to take them out.”

“Wait, wait!” Lance exclaimed. “I’m in for the Amalgamation, because, you know, they kidnapped my family, but I don’t have any interest in fighting anything else. I’m a normal kid. I have a life. Why should I risk it?”

“First,” Kira lectured. “If you were selfish, you would realize that eventually it would come after you. Second, it’s not something different, that idea was wrong. Why would they skip you otherwise? And third, you do have a chance of saving lives. Everyone does. Except you are choosing to throw yours away.”

“Well, what chance do I have compared to you? I’m NORMAL. Kira, you are some electric Hyper-Evolved that randomly explodes into electricity. Eva isn’t even remotely human. What am I supposed to do compared to a robot and a freak?”

We both stared at Lance in shock. Usually he was laidback and tried to come off as cool and uncaring, but ever since we had agreed to track down the Amalgamation he had become increasing more and more tense and provocative.

“So… you’re saying because we JUST REALIZED that we do not fit your definition of NORMAL, we’re not friends?” Kira shrieked. “WE’RE NOT HUMAN?”

“If you ever even LOOKED at the world around you,” I continued. “You would realize that humanity is not judged by DNA but by personality.” Kira nodded.

“You’re just saying that because it makes you feel human. The only part of humanity you have left, and it’s a farce.”

“So, that’s why you’ve been acting different… See, that’s why in books characters never reveal things like this!”

“Yeah, but do I even KNOW you anymore?” Lance yelled back. “are you Eva, or are you a robot?”

“Is there a difference?” I asked softly. “I’m leaving. A total stranger would make me feel more human than you do.” I walked out. However, as soon as I left the house, I scaled the window next to Kira’s room and hung by my grappling cord wrist, listening in on the conversation.

“LANCE!!!” Kira shrieked. I knew that yell. Lance was about to get his butt kicked. “WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THAT HUH?”

“It’s not human,” Lance replied.

“FIRST OFF, SINCE WHEN IS EVA AN IT! AND SECOND, DOES IT MATTER?” Kira screamed back.

“IT DOES!” Lance yelled. “Now,” he stated, his voice a steely calm, “let’s replace the Amalgamation.”

“JEEZ WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH AGAINST EVA?” Kira yelled. “IF YOU SAY SHE’S NOT HUMAN, THEN SO AM I!” Kira calmed herself. “Get out of the house.”

“You’re human! You don’t have circuity for nerves!” Lance insisted.

“And yet how do I manipulate electricity?” Kira laughed, albeit dryly. “You can’t judge people because of something that was not their fault. You chose your words to hurt Eva, Lance.”

“Doesn’t matter, it doesn’t have emotions.” Lance persisted.

“SHE, NOT IT!” Kira screamed. “And second, isn’t hurt an emotion? Have you thought about that? You know what, I’m rooming with Eva. I don’t care if you stay here. Just get out of my sight or I will get out of yours. Eva’s more human than you, and she’s a computer program.” And she strode out as well.