Chapter 17: Puzzled

I bid farwell to my new found allies before loading up and returning to the Lion's Paw. Even though another battle was won and new information was attained, it was a hollow victory. A cure for the Reversion Virus has not been found at this time at it looks like it may not be found.

Back on the ship, Alpha took the others and continued the DNA testing. I began to rip my quarters apart. I was tired of always fighting and moving from place to place in search of our enemies. I made a promise to find a cure for my friends and for the other survivors. It was as plane as the destruction of my quarters; it was hopeless. Or was it?

In the background the sizzling of circut could be heard. One of the original bracelets that I obtain had been broken. I began to laugh; it was ironic. The devices that I had frowned apon was the cure we were looking for, but can one be built without side effects. I unburied the box that contained the bracelets and took it with me as I went to find Alpha.

While I was busy discovering a possible cure, Alpha was busy trying to creat a vacine that will reverse the virus. He continuely zipped from one end of the lab to the other and back again. Self-absorbed in his work he would let nothing stand in his way of unlocking the virus's fatal flaw.

He clumsily droped a beaker of boiling water when he heard the sound of animals in pain. He hasn't heard that sound before, but I have. The memories of the past were set aside as I raced, dropping the box of bracelets, to the place where the sounds of pain were eminating from.

On its own, the virus died out and the victims returned to their former selves. Except the ones whom used the McBain Project, they retained their saber-tooth appearance although they, too, began normal. Alpha and I reach the room simultaniously, puzzled. Our friends were painfully returning to their former states. We went into each of their old rooms and took out shirt, pant, and under clothing and returned to the room.

Each of them were trying to figure out why they had no clothing. Alpha and myself return and gave them their clothing. After a couple tries, the team was back and ready to return home.

When the Lion's Paw emerged from the demensional gate, the first thing we saw was Clone Earth. Cheers and applause and rejoiceing broke out. We returned to where the base originally sat, everything looked the same as we saw it last. Back on the ground we had our first problem, my crew wanted to remain here.

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Brad complained, "I didn't want to join in your little side show I'm staying here - where I belong."

"I have to continue my research and hopefully find Paul so that the McBain Project would no longer exist." Tor told us as he left the ship.

"I have a job to go to, I still need to make ends meet." Speed commented as he ran from the ship.

A groan was heard from within the ship. It was Strike, he didn't want to go on living this harsh life. He took his life, no one made him feel bad about his appearance. He no longer wanted to stare at a face or a body in a mirror that wasn't his.

I turned to remaining seven - Leo, Tim, Panthra, Ryan, Ty, Jagger, and Alpha - it was hard for me to believe that the others didn't want to stay. We were becoming great friends - I think?

Chapter 18: An Improvement

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