A Deal with the Devil

Jason’s head throbbed.

Darkness swam around him, his body sluggish as he tried to force himself awake. A muffled ringing filled his ears, drowning out the distant echoes of movement.

Then.. a voice.

“…not like the others. That’s why I didn’t kill them.”

Jason’s fingers twitched. Kill?

He forced his eyelids open. Blurry lights. Cold air against his skin.

His wrists are bound, tight restraints biting into his skin. He is sitting in a metal chair, his legs tied to the legs. Ryan. Where is Ryan?

Jason’s vision cleared just as a face came into view.

The stranger.

He sat across from Jason, calm, composed, dangerous. His hands rested casually on the table between them, next to a half-empty ration pack and a knife.

Jason’s muscles tensed.

“You’re awake,” the man said smoothly, taking a bite from the pack. “Good. I hate wasting time.”

Jason’s throat is dry. He ignored the pounding headache. “Where’s Ryan?”

The man tilted his head, amused. “Your brother’s fine. He’s sleeping in the next room. Didn’t knock him out as hard. He’s not the threat.”

Jason’s blood boiled. “You shouldn’t have touched him.”

The man shrugged. “Had to be sure you aren’t one of them.”

Jason’s jaw tightened. “One of what?”

A slow smirk crossed the man’s face. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

“The ones who are changing.”

Silence hung between them.

Jason’s heart pounded as memories of the creature that spoke flashed through his mind.

Ryan had been right. They aren’t just monsters anymore.

The stranger saw the realization in Jason’s expression and chuckled. “You’ve seen them, haven’t you? The ones who still… think.”

Jason didn’t answer.

The man continued anyway. “Some of them remember pieces of their old lives. Some can even talk. But that’s not the worst part.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with a murky, dark liquid.

“This is.”

Jason stared.

“What is that?”

The man twirled the vial between his fingers. “Insurance. Or a curse, depending on how you look at it.”

Jason didn’t blink. “Explain.”

The man sighed, leaning back. “You ever wonder why some people turn into those things instantly, and others…” He rolled the vial in his palm. “Change slower?”

Jason’s stomach tightened.

He had seen it before.. people bitten by the lizard monsters who turned within minutes… while others lasted longer. Some took hours. Some took days.

The man smirked. “It’s not random.” He tapped the vial against the table. “It’s in the blood. Some people have something in them that resists the mutation… for a while. Others are just unlucky.”

Jason’s mouth felt dry. “And that?” He nodded at the vial.

The man’s smirk widened. “A little piece of hell. It accelerates the change. A single drop in your system, and…” He snapped his fingers. “No more you.”

Jason clenched his fists. “Why the hell would you have that?”

The man’s eyes darkened. “Because sometimes, it’s better than what happens if you turn slowly.”

Jason felt a cold chill run through him.

The man slid the vial across the table.

“Now let’s talk about why you’re still alive.”

Jason stared at the vial, its dark liquid shifting as it rolled slightly on the table. His restraints kept him from reaching for it, not that he had any intention of doing so. Across from him, the stranger leaned back in his chair, watching him carefully.

“Why am I still alive?” Jason repeated, his voice steady.

The man nodded. “You’re valuable.”

Jason kept his expression blank. “Valuable how?”

The man smirked. “You’re a survivor. Smart. Strong. But more importantly…” He tapped the vial with one finger. “I think you’re resistant.”

Jason’s jaw tightened. “You don’t know that.”

“I have a theory.” The man shrugged. “The ones who take longer to turn? They have something in them that slows it down. If you have it, you’re worth more than any supply down here.”

Jason’s mind worked fast. If what this man said is true, then being resistant meant being useful. And being useful meant being kept alive.. at least for now.

“What do you want from me?”

The man’s smirk faded. “Help me find others like you.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. “And then what?”

The man picked up the vial and twirled it between his fingers. “That depends. On them. On us. On the people I work with.”

Jason didn’t like the sound of that. “And if I say no?”

The man exhaled, setting the vial down. “Then I have no reason to keep you breathing.”

The words hung in the air. Jason glanced toward the doorway. Ryan is still out there. He couldn’t risk anything happening to him.

“I’ll consider it,” Jason said finally.

The man studied him for a long moment before nodding. “Good enough for now.”

He stood, moving behind Jason. A sharp blade pressed against Jason’s wrist for a second, then the pressure of the restraints disappeared.

Jason flexed his hands as he stood, keeping his movements slow. The man gestured toward the door.

“Your brother’s in the next room. Get him. Then we talk next steps.”

Jason walked forward, pushing the door open.

Ryan is there, sitting up on a cot, rubbing his eyes. He looked up, relief washing over his face. “Jason!”

Jason gave him a small nod. “We’re leaving soon.”

Ryan frowned. “Leaving with him?”

Jason glanced over his shoulder, where the man is still watching them. He turned back to Ryan and whispered under his breath.

“For now.”

Jason and Ryan followed the man through a dimly lit corridor, the air thick with dust and the faint stench of decay. The underground facility is old.. too old.. and Jason had a sinking feeling it had been abandoned long before the world started falling apart.

The man, still nameless, walked ahead with an air of confidence, as if he owned the place. Jason didn’t like that.

“Where are we going?” Ryan asked.

“Supply room,” the man answered without turning around. “If we’re working together, you’ll need better gear.”

Jason didn’t respond. He isn’t sure what working together meant yet, but he’d play along for now.

They passed several rusted-out doors, some barely hanging on their hinges. Jason caught glimpses of old medical equipment, shattered monitors, and dried bloodstains along the walls.

Ryan slowed as they passed a room filled with rows of empty cages. He swallowed hard. “This place… what is it?”

The man stopped at a heavy steel door, punching a code into the keypad. “A research site. Long before the lizards. Long before any of this.”

The lock clicked, and he pushed the door open.

Inside is a cache of supplies.. rifles stacked against the walls, crates filled with ammunition, medical kits, and food rations. It is more than Jason had seen in weeks.

The man stepped aside. “Take what you need. Within reason.”

Jason didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a fresh rifle, checked the chamber, then slung it over his shoulder. Ryan picked up a compact pistol, his hands steady despite the weight of it.

Jason turned to the man. “You have all of this, but you’re alone. Why?”

The man leaned against a crate. “Because trusting people gets you killed.”

Jason met his gaze. “Yet you’re trusting us.”

A smirk. “Maybe I’m desperate. Or maybe I think you’re more useful alive.”

Jason took a deep breath. “So what’s next?”

The smirk faded. “We move out at first light. I know where to find others like you. People who might be resistant. If I’m right, we can use that to survive longer than anyone else.”

Jason didn’t like the sound of that.

But he liked the alternative even less.

For now, he nodded. “Fine. But if you try anything, it won’t end well for you.”

The man chuckled. “I’d be disappointed if it did.”

Jason exhaled. Another step forward into the unknown.

But at least, for now, they have a plan.