Everyone was quietly sitting around the dinner table.
Ronan had not taken his eyes off me. Not since he received the news of my immunity.
DeAndre was the only person who wasn't aware of my immunity. Ronan said it was too much of a risk for him to know.
I propped my elbows up on the table and rested my chin on my fists.
"You alright, kid?" DeAndre asked me in concern.
"Yeah, just a little tired." I told him and he nodded in understanding.
Cooper gently squeezed my hand in his and I tiredly rested my head on his shoulder.
"Remember how I told you guys that finding a cure for the NecroVirus was nearly impossible?" DeAndre asked us with a smile on his face, as if he was trying to lighten up the mood.
"Yeah, what did you mean by that?" Ellie asked him.
"I meant that there are two cases in which a cure can be created. Two extremely rare cases." DeAndre informed us.
"What are they?" Oliver curiously asked him.
"Case number one, we find patient zero. The first person who was ever infected with the NecroVirus but that would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Case number two, we find someone who's immune to the virus." DeAndre uttered and everyone briefly looked over at me.
"How does that work, being immune?" Ronan spoke for the first time. He suddenly seemed so intrigued, concerned even. It's the most emotion he's shown in a very long time.
"Once the NecroVirus infects a person, the mutation cascade in the brain and body is nearly inevitable, leading to the rapid conversion of entire populations into zombies. That being said, as the serum spread, environmental factors and errors in the gene-editing process led to mutations in the virus. This altered its behavior, making it far more aggressive and erratic. Are you still with me?" DeAndre jokingly asked us.
"Present." Cooper uttered in a bored tone.
"So what you're saying is that you can create a cure with someone who's immune to the NecroVirus or with patient zero." Ellie slowly uttered.
"Exactly." He answered and Ellie looked over at me.
"Well where do we find either of those people?" Oliver asked before looking at each of us.
"I know someone who's immune to the NecroVirus." I uttered and DeAndre frowned at me.
"Who?" He curiously wanted to know.
"Marco." I uttered and everyone around the table except Ronan started arguing, voices mingling chaotically.
"He's currently based in New York and we know where he lives. My dad works for him." I raised my voice and everyone quieted down. DeAndre clasped his hands together before nodding in understanding.
"That could work." He told me before getting up from the dinner table.
"How many men does he have?" He wanted to know.
"A lot." Was all I said. "I didn't count- there were too many of them."
"Then we're gonna need guns. A lot of them. We can take them out at night." DeAndre told us.
"Are you on drugs? You want us to take down Marco and all of his men. We almost died the last time we were there. How are you even considering this?" Ellie wildly asked me.
"Marco ruined my life, Ellie. I will never be the same after what he did to me. He needs to feel what I felt, I want him to suffer." I told her and she briefly closed her eyes before nodding at me.
"Very well then. Go on your suicide mission but I'm out." Was all she said.
"Did I do or say something that offended you because I don't understand why you're suddenly so against everything I do." I told Ellie and she scoffed at me in disbelief.
"I'm pissed because you only think about yourself, Hailey! When are you gonna consider our safety? I get that you want to take revenge on this guy but this is way bigger than us." Ellie told me.
"I'm trying to find a cure so that you don't die, Ellie. I consider you guys in everything I do. But I'm sorry if I made you feel like I don't." I told her and she sighed lightly.
"Let resting dogs lie." She advised me.
"I'm not letting this go, Ellie. If we don't stop him, then who will? He's gonna keep hurting people and treating them like animals if we don't stop him." I tried to convince her.
"I think we should table this conversation. Think it through and discuss this when everyone's calm." Ronan told us.
"I am calm." I angrily told him and he leaned back in his chair before carefully examining me.
An unknown emotion flickered in and out of his eyes as he watched me but I couldn't quite place it.
Oliver got up from his chair and quietly left the room. Cooper and Ellie followed shortly behind him.
"Goodnight," DeAndre uttered before leaving the room.
I looked up at Ronan and found that he was still looking at me.
"What?" I asked him and he scoffed at my question.
"I just can't shake you, Hailey-Jade." He said while staring deep into my eyes and my heart skipped a beat.
"Do you blame me- for Luke's death?" I asked him.
"No." He pointedly stated.
"Then why are you distancing yourself from me?" I desperately needed to know.
"Because I don't deserve you, Hailey-Jade. You're too good for me." He honestly told me and I sadly looked at him.
"No, I'm not." I argued.
Yes, you are. He told me with his eyes. And I just stared at him for what felt like ages. But who cares? I could stare at him for an eternity and not get tired.
"It was always you, Ronan." I uttered while staring deep into his eyes. "It's still-" you.
"Don't, Hailey-Jade. Don't say it." He uttered in a warning tone. Hurt flickering in and out of his eyes as he watched me. He got up from his chair and quietly left the room.
It will always be you, Ronan.