Disclaimer: The Invaders, its universe and characters belong to their legal owners, who unfortunately aren't me. This is an unofficial fanfiction that is not officially endorsed in any way. It was written solely for enjoyment and I make no money with it.
The moment David Vincent felt the contact of Nick's hand on his skin, he knew it was over. This was how the deadly disease was transmitted; David would be the next in the already too long list of inexplicable frozen bodies.
September episode of David Vincent's monthly death, alternative universe in which Nick contaminates David in Panic.
Written for the Killing a character once a month of 2021 AO3 challenge, with the following prompt:
9. "Sickness" - While we might be living in isolation because of a pandemic, our characters don't need to. Is it a superbug that causes everyone to die? Or is it a mutation on one person's DNA? Or something completely different, as long as sickness is included.
This story is also available on AO3.
The moment David Vincent felt the contact of Nick's hand on his skin, he knew it was over. This was how the deadly disease was transmitted; David would be the next in the already too long list of inexplicable frozen bodies. With a gasp of horror, he yanked his wrist free and lurched back.
But as he stared at the sick alien with disgust and hatred, his mind buzzed with thoughts. How long did he have? A couple of minutes at most? Could he still bring Nick to the sheriff? No, he wouldn't last long enough, not to mention the other aliens hot on their heels. But Nick couldn't be allowed to spread his blight further. David had only one option: he had to let Nick's people deal with him.
David's reflections had taken only a few seconds. The alien, still looking at him with a disarming smile –as fake as his human shape–, didn't expect the punch David threw at him. When the gloved fist hit his jaw, he staggered, eyes widened at the incomprehensible reaction. Didn't David realise he'd soon be dead anyway? But Nick's surprise didn't last: he shook himself out of it almost immediately and turned to run. Without wasting a second, David pounced at him, wrapping his arms around his torso, and they fell unceremoniously to the ground.
They struggled for a few moments before Nick freed himself, stumbled back up and dashed forward. As David rushed off in pursuit, the patch of skin Nick had touched started tingling, as if tiny shards of ice pressed against his wrist. Soon, it would spread to his entire body. He ruthlessly pushed the thought to the back of his mind.
Once again, David leapt at Nick, this time catching his legs. The alien let out a cry of pain as he fell loudly and his left knee hit a rock. Even then, David was at a disadvantage. With the world spinning around him and his arm feeling frostbitten, he knew he didn't have much time. His chance to attract the other aliens to their location was now or never.
"Hey! Over here!" he shouted on top of his lungs.
Nick turned around to give him a hurt look. "Why are you doing this, Vincent?" he asked in a pleading tone, as if he were the victim. As if he hadn't purposely contaminated David, and many people before him, to a horrific death. "Why can't you let me go? What good will it do you?" He sniffed and wiped his nose. "My people will kill you if the virus hasn't already."
"I'd rather take a bullet to the chest than let you kill a single more person," David growled through clenched teeth. "You're the worst of them all." The numbness had spread to his shoulder by now. He closed his eyes briefly, but the not too distant sound of the other aliens searching for them renewed his determination: "He's here! Hurry!" he called out again.
Nick's pursuers didn't question why David would now decide to hand their sick compatriot over to them instead of helping him escape: they just took the chance to get rid of the threat. Just as Nick managed to push David off and limped up, two of his people came into view, soon joined by a third.
Through a haze, David saw one of the aliens raise his gun and fire. Nick clutched his chest and fell, his body turning the usual incandescent red and vaporising, the terrible virus burning up with him.
The third alien, the deputy David had met earlier, came closer to get a better look at the contaminated human. Not that there was any ambiguity. The alien turned away and shook his head to the other two, and the trio left without a further word.
When strollers found David, half an hour later, the summer heat still hadn't thawed his body.
THE END
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Last update: 30th September 2021.