Chapter 423: Interview Of A Lifetime
Laz didn’t know about the incoming bombing run and therefore wasn’t heading in the same direction as others. Instead, he was making his way further through town since he knew that everyone else was heading in the other direction. In two separate instances, Laz came upon groups of troops who were retreating on foot in the direction he was driving from and he had to swerve to avoid them. Both times the troops tried to flag him down, but of course Laz wasn’t going to stop. Instead, he drove the half destroyed vehicle straight into the pursuing bugs and with a swing of his fist, blasted them away. The hornets and giant mantis like bugs exploded like water balloons full of blood while the stronger and more solid black beetles were crushed and sent flying. Some of them died but many of them survived.
Watching from the back seat, Ashley June wondered if she could ask to be let out so that she could follow the retreating troops. After avoiding the second group, she worked up her courage knowing that she was running out of time until they were past where there were friendly troops.
"Uh..?"
"What?"
"I was just wondering..."
Laz turned back to look at her in the eyes while still driving forward. He had his spirit sense trained on the area in front and all around the vehicle so he wasn’t worried about hitting something.
But since his two passengers didn’t know, they were both scared shitless by his actions.
"THE ROAD..."
"It’s fine. You wanted something?"
"Miss..." Miguel encouraged from the side, wanting her to spit it out as soon as possible so that Laz would again focus on the road.
"They are going to blow this entire ghost town sky high so why the hell are you not going the other way to get out of town and please please please I don’t want to die and I just wanted to fulfil my dream and I never thought I would be killed here and you’re actually a lot more handsome than the picture gives you credit for and please let me go... us go..." Ashley rambled on, unable to control herself.
At first, Laz listened on to what she had to say, rather shocked that they were just going to blow everything up. But as she went on, he slowly ignored her and started turning over escape plans in his head.
’Can’t go back that way. Guess the only choice I have is to somehow outrun the blast I guess. Good thing we have a full tank of gas...’ Laz felt glad to have something to distract him from his bad mood.
Thinking back to the Bug Nest Man, Laz gripped the steering wheel tighter, so much so that it started to groan and crack under his strength before he noticed and let up.
’He’s dead. I’ve had my revenge for Kat and yet... Why do I feel even more pissed?" Laz asked himself before turning back to look at the bloody sack that he had thrown in the back trunk area before hopping in.
His gaze was noticed by both Ashley and her camera man who in turned also looked back and saw the huge sack.
"Something wrong?" Ashley asked, the silence making her feel awkward.
At first, Laz wasn’t going to respond. But then he remembered what his grandpa used to tell him way back when, ’it only hurts when you bottle it up. Some things you have to let out before they eat you from the inside out.’
Laz sighed and started talking. He figured what difference did it matter if he told a couple of complete strangers who he would never see again.
"Six years ago, after I had just gone through my awakening and had to leave home, I met someone. She changed my life, brought me out of my shell and gave me a home during the time in my life when I felt the most alone," Laz started, but Ashley interrupted.
"You’re awakening?" She asked.
"Yeah. It’s the first stage we go through when the latent power of our bloodlines start to come to life. I’m not sure what you people think happens to us, but the truth is that we all have some foreign blood within our bodies. That giant tree that appeared in the ocean all those years ago, you know, the one that we are all told doesn’t exist? Well that tree started to spread an energy into our world, one that had long since disappeared. And for those of us who are lucky... or maybe cursed, once we get enough of the energy, our bloodline awakens. There is no choice, no going back... nothing. Sometimes you awaken the blood of a human god. When that happens, you start walking the path of what you all call the chosen. It would probably be better to call them wizards or Magi though since their abilities allow them to manipulate energy and elements in the air and around themselves. As for us, the ones you call infected? Our abilities come from within and are determined by the bloodlines we possess, most of those being from ancient creatures or races from beyond the stars."
"Like Aliens?"
"I’m not going to explain but yes."
"So... you and the others.."
"The chosen... right. Those self-righteous pricks."
"There doesn’t seem to be much difference..."
"I’m going to stop you right there. There is a huge difference, but we are getting off topic."
"Oh. Right. Go ahead."
"Anyway. I ended up living with this guy who taught martial arts and his daughter. Fast forward ahead several weeks and the guy who taught me is dead, the entire town was destroyed by bugs and I’m sitting in the snow next to a wrecked pick-up holding the girl I loved after she was killed by those very same bugs."
"That... wait. Bugs?"
"Yeah. These fucking bugs. But they were a lot weaker back then. Of course, so was I."
"So it happened around here?"
"No. I was in New York."
"So are you saying that these bugs are all over the country?"
"No. Take a look at what is inside that bag back there," Laz said, indicating the sack he had thrown in.
Ashley and Miguel, who had been recording the entire conversation, opened the lip of the back and saw the flattened head of the Bug Nest Man fall out. Ashley didn’t end up screaming this time despite being shocked, but both she and Miguel fell backwards, back into their seats.
"This... that... is that a?"
"Yeah. That’s an infected. Mutated beyond recognition due to whatever reason caused it to happen. I didn’t know I would run into him here, but as soon as I saw him, I knew I would have to kill him," Laz said, with just a hint of malice still in his voice."
"And you did.. Congratulations?"
"What’s there to congratulate? Kat, the girl I was telling you about, she’s still dead. And now here I am. Happy I killed the bastard? Sure, who wouldn’t be. But, now... I just don’t know. It was way too easy. Just wham bam and doom. He’s dead, I have my revenge for Kat and everything should be good right? But it’s not. It’s not because I finally realized a truth. I mean, I knew it, but I didn’t want to accept it..." Laz finally blurted out.
Strangely for Ashley and Miguel, they were wondering what he was going to say next. Sure, his story wasn’t the most exciting thing they had ever heard, but there was a feeling of realness to it. A feeling of pain and loss and now... emptiness.
"What’s that?" Ashley finally asked.
"It’s my fault she’s dead. I’ve blamed that dead piece of rotting meat back there for years but the truth is if I was stronger back then... she wouldn’t have died."
It was weird to say it out loud, but Laz had to admit that it felt better to get it off his chest. Even though they were strangers, there was a certain calming effect to saying the words. It wasn’t like he hadn’t told others. It was just that until now, he had never fully blamed himself for what happened even though it was the way he felt deep inside.
"You know... You’re not exactly what I thought you would be," commented Ashley while looking at the back of the head of the most dangerous man in the country who also happened to be around the same age as her.
"And what were you expecting exactly?" Laz asked, happy to not talk about something that would lead to tears he was desperately trying to hide.
"I don’t know. Someone more... dangerous? Someone insane? An killing maniac with no regard for human life?" Ashley felt like she shouldn’t say it, but somehow she couldn’t stop herself.
Oddly though, instead of turning around and killing her or getting upset, the man in the front seat just started laughing.
"My names Laz... well that’s what my friends call me." Laz finally said, turning around and extending his hand.
"Uh... I’m Ashley. Ashley June. I am a.. uh... reporter." Ashley said, taking Laz’s hand and shaking it.
"Ah. Looking for your big break in media with the hunting squads?" Laz asked after thinking for a moment.
"That was the plan. Assuming I live long enough."
"Well you’ve got guts since you were willing to talk to me. After all... I am, in fact, dangerous," Laz said, once again jutting his fist out to blow away the dead creatures who seemed to be blocking the road.
"So what other questions do you have?"
