He didn't have a lot of time.

For all Anti knew, Infect could already be murdering the other Septic egos!

'Dammit, dammit, dammit!'

He had glitched back to his apartment.

Why, you ask?

Because of a little epiphany he happened to have about where the book could be!

He didn't have a lot of books but he had a bookshelf with some on there along with some magazines.

'Of course, I didn't see it before!' it didn't look like the book was there but Infect was more clever than he gave him credit for.

He picked out one of his thicker books titled, 'Hacking for Dummies' and flipped it open. 

Anti sighed heavily, a great relief washing over him, 'Fucking clever bastard disguised the book in plain sight.'

Now all he had to do was get it to Marvin.

He was about to glitch when he stopped. Staring down at the floor where Infect had . . . . .

Anti sniffled a little, shaking. 

'I may not have treated him the best . . . .' he stared back at the book in his hands, 'But he was my friend . . . the only thing that actually made me . .  less lonely.  . . . little fucker' he snorted to himself.

'Marvin said there's no way to revive him' he flipped open the book, momentarily hoping that the others would be fine for a little while longer, ' . . .but maybe there's a DIFFERENT way'

Jameson held onto Henrik's white coat, watching from safety as Jackie and Marvin went up against Infect.

'Shouldn't Anti be back by now?' he signed to Henrik.

The doctor sighed, ' . . . .  let's hope he's just . . . tied up. Perhaps he's still searching for zhe book'

'He has to be' Jameson bit on his lip, 'It doesn't look like Jackie and Marv could go much longer against him. Do you think I'll have to-'

"No. . . and you KNOW it. Stop asking. Remember the last time?" Henrik rolled his eyes, "Ve were all fighting insanity for over a week. No time travel"

Jameson's shoulders slumped but he gave up, 'Do we have another plan, then?'

"Just fucking hope Anti gets back soon from vherever he ran off to"

'At least the kids are safe'

"Yes . . . that is good" Henrik agreed, "At least the kids are safe . . ."

But on the inside, Henrik DID fear for THEM, too still. 

'Scheisse, I hope he gets his arse back here soon or else ve will all be fooked'

Infect stabbed his knife right into Jackie's shoulder and twisted it, earing him a pained yell from the hero.

"Ya like that, fucking hero freak!? Bet ya do, ya fooking masochist!" he kneed him in the stomach, gaining sick satisfaction from watching Jackie slump to the floor.

Infect laughed, kneeling down by his ear, "That's why you always go out saving people, right? Hm? You go LOOKING for trouble. HOPING for a fight . . . . . you always wanted Anti to keep fighting . . . until the book went missing" he snickered and glanced up at Marvin who paced around them wearily.

Infect licked his lips, standing back up, "You were right, though. . . . my predecessor always DID pull his punches . . .  you're all so weak compared to us. He just never TRULY wanted to take you lot down . . . it's not his fault, though . . . he didn't even know it himself"

Jackie coughed, still on his hands and knees on the ground, 'Dammit, I never thought . . . this isn't good. I just always thought Anti couldn't put up a decent fight. Fuck me for assuming, I guess'

Infect gave Jackie one last sharp kick suddenly to the side, knocking him out.

Marvin seethed, "You think you'll win? Just because you took down Jackie for now, doesn't mean anything! You still have me to get past, too, asshole"

"Ehahahahahah!!!!" Infect laughed, "Shouldn't be too fooking hard! What? Do I just need to go grab some catnip!?"

"Oh fuck off, prick!" Marvin spat at him, still pacing around him, "Where do you think Anti is right now?! He's off finding the book! We're STALLING you! In fact, we might as well call this fight over because it IS"

Infect just snorted with a big grin, "Seriously? You think I care that he's after your book? He could find it right now and I wouldn't care"

This stumped the magician, "Wait . . . what?"

"Exactly . ..  who's been stalling WHO now?" he smirked, "You see, I'm smarter than Anti. I know his next move before even HE does. Which was why I planned ahead, pussycat"

"Please don't call me that"

"Is 'kitten' better?" Infect wiggled his eyebrows at him, "Now don't interrupt . . . . . ." he sighed heavily but was still very pleased with himself, "I have a secret . . . . a dirty little . . . secret"

"oh god no." Marvin was horrified and cringed at the implications. What did he mean by THAT?!!

But Infect didn't care what Marvin thought and just slowly reached into his pocket before taking out a small . . . what was that?

"What is it?"

Infect's eye twitched, "Look . . . closer, pussycat"

"Still don't like that" but he did look closer and his eyes widened in realization.

"Ah, now you see huh?" Infect's face turned giddy, "You SEE!? I'VE WON! And that's all there is to it!"

"No . . ." Marvin was confused, "B-but you couldn't have . . . how did you-"

"The copying spell isn't just for people . ..  combine that with a shrinking spell and well . .." he winked at him, "I got myself a very sizable weapon up my sleeves"

"You . . you SHRANK my book AND copied it?! Why?!" Marvin was pissed off and losing his mind, "Why would you possibly need to COPY it, though?! You could have just SHRANK it, you IDIOT!"

Infect glared at him, "Oh fuck off!"

"YOU fuck off!" Marvin tried to get him off his guard and sent a blasting curse his way but Infect only glitched, effectively dodging it.

"Always trying to be better! Always thinking you all are so much better off, stronger and smarter! Well guess what?!" Infect glitched but he didn't reappear.

Marvin tensed and bolted around, looking everywhere that he could possibly pop up. It was stressful, really.

Marvin's panic rose and he felt all he could do was wait for the bastard to attack.

And then he felt breathing behind his ear.

"I've only proved you wrong today"

Suddenly Marvin felt something sharp pierce him and a warm oozing sensation on his back.

Did he just  . . . did Infect just STAB him?

Infect ripped the knife out and shoved Marvin away from him, making him stumble. Marvin was stronger than that, though and didn't fall at least.

Marvin turned slowly to face him, 'Damn . . . he's too fast to throw a curse at him . .. fast enough and stronger than Anti to get the better of Jackie AND dodge Chase's bullet. . . . .but I gotta hang on a bit longer. Anti where the FUCK are you!?'

He needed HIS book since he couldn't get the shrunken one off of Infect!

What else was he planning on doing with it anyway? 

Infect smiled so strangely and laughed, a hand pulling hard at his hair, "Ehahahahah~!!!! Look at you all! Just standing there! So pathetic! Just like HIM!!"

 Infect suddenly snarled, glitching, "MY PUPPETS! I'LL MAKE YOU ALL MY PUPPETS! AND SO MANY MORE! SO MANY MORE!!!!"

Before Marvin could ask what he was talking about, Infect took out the tiny book and mumbled something, suddenly making it larger.

"Wh . . .what are you doing?"

Infect just flipped through the pages excitedly like a child looking through a comic book before he found the page he wanted, "AH! Here it is!"

Infect grinned deviously, "Our BELOVED. . . . little copying spell . .  let's just see how well you fare then . . .. after I copy MYSELF and create a HUNDRED OF ME! THAT'LL SHOW YOU! THAT'LL SHOW ALL OF YOU! EHAHEHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

Jackie groaned, waking back up and getting on his hands and knees, "Hnn?"

Infect wouldn't stop smiling. He couldn't, "Oh wakey, wakey, bitch! You're JUST IN TIME!"

Marvin stepped back to Jackie, helping him up, "This is bad. He's planning on copying himself . . multiples"

"Sssshiit" Jackie groaned out but stood up albeit with some help, "Where's Anti?"

"Not back yet"

"Fuck"

"NOW THEN! Oh but wait! Let's have ALL our little Septic friends here to play, shall we!?"

He chanted a small spell, causing Henrik, Jameson and Chase to appear with them back in the aquarium.

"DUDE, WHAT?!" Chase freaked out, "What's going on?"

"I do not like this" Henrik mumbled to himself.

Jameson just held onto Henrik's hand, at any moment, ready to turn back time if need be.

"You'll ALL bare witness" Infect giggled to himself, "As I make my ARMY!"

"Dude" Chase whispered to Marvin, "Don't YOU know all the spells by heart like he apparently does?"

Marvin rolled his eyes, "I don't like studying, okay!?"

"Great" Henrik deadpanned, "We're all fooked, then"

Infect flipped back to the copying page as they spoke, taking his chance, "FOOLS! This is what you GET! This is IT! MY FUCKING RETRIBUTION!"

"You mean the one that literally has nothing to do with YOU?"

Infect paused.

The Septics stilled, too, just as curious.

Was that?

There was a loud glitching and static noise from behind Infect but the copy didn't turn around. He felt something . . . .. . dangerous behind him.

The Septic egos faces seemed just as surprised if not a bit terrified.

"What's the matter, Infect?" Anti's voice snickered from behind him, "It's not like you to let your guard down . . . . I thought you were so much. . . BETTER than me"

Infect whirled around in his anger but suddenly dropped the book in his shock.

There Anti sat upon a gigantic version of Septiceye Sam.

The giant green eyeball stared down on him, the pupil dilating at the memory of this version of Anti killing him.

The eyeball growled deep and low menacingly.

"Dude" Chase whispered, "Is that?"

Jackie gulped, "Uh . . . yeah . . . I think it is"

"Shit" Marvin just stared at the huge THING.

Anti titled his head down at Infect, "What's wrong? You feel . . . inferior?"

Infect broke out of his shock and pulled out his knife, "Oh fuck off! You don't scare me! I've killed this fucking thing before and I'll do it again!"

He went to stab Sam only for him to open up in half, his many sharp teeth glowering and shining in the dim light. He let out a threatening roar and nabbed Infect with his tail, wrapping it around him securely and causing him to drop the book.

Anti stared at the book he dropped, "Huh?" he held up the original book in his hand, "But. . . did I miss something?"

Marvin snorted loudly, "A LOT! And apparently, so did WE"

Infect stared into the void of teeth in Sam's 'mouth', "Uh . . . . you know, maybe we could just talk this out?"

Anti smirked, chuckling in a dark manner, "Oh . . . oh no. You heheheh. . . you thought I was gonna SPARE you? You thought I had changed THAT much and gone SO soft . . . .that I WOULDN'T kill you? Ehehehe"

"Fuck you! You created me, you fucker! You can't fucking KILL me! I-"

"Watch me." Anti smiled sinisterly, "Sam . . . it's dinner time"

It was almost too quick and in a blink of an eye and one last scream from Infect, he was suddenly gone, crunched up in the many teeth and swallowed down into the nothingness void of Sam's so called . . .'stomach'.

Anti sighed a bit breathe of relief, "Oh, it feels so good to win"

He hopped off of Sam, patting him, "See? I told ya we'd get him for ya"

Sam just purred loudly.

Anti grabbed the other book off the ground and handed both of them to Marvin, who was, just like all the other Septics, still shell-shocked by what just happened before their eyes.

Anti crossed his arms, "Mind turning Sam back to his normal size?"

"Oh uh . . ." Marvin grunted and blinked, flipping to find the page.

"Wait a second" Jackie addressed Anti, "How did you . . . I thought you said Infect killed Sam?"

"He did" Anti nodded, "I just found a different kind of spell that would bring him back"

Marvin closed his eyes tightly, trying to think, "But . . what spell?"

"You said there was no reviving spell . . . . so I just copied Sam . . . from my memories and his squished corpse  . . .. . and then I made him huge and now we're here"

"Ah" Marvin was still confused. But perhaps that was okay. It seemed even he needed to look more into his own spells and magic. If only he ever found the affinity for studying.

"So" Chase still stared at the large Sam, "What now?"

'CAN WE KEEP HIM?!' Jameson bounced up and down excitedly, 'He's so big and squishy! We should keep him like this!'

"NO" everyone else argued.

Even Anti shook his head, "I didn't realize HOW big he'd get . . . ..  he destroyed my apartment . . .. . he's getting turned back to his original size. As soon as Marvin fucking-"

"Got it!"

"About fucking time"

It took but a moment for Marvin to recite the exact spell but as soon as he did, Sam turned back into his small form and immediately went to cradle himself into Anti's neck.

And Anti actually smiled, "I uh . . . . I'm glad you're okay now, Sam. I . . .. . well don't make me say it"

Sam squeaked and purred into his neck, making Anti tickle, "Alright, alright . . . I missed you"

Sam hissed, already knowing this but was happy to hear it out loud.

And now everyone could finally breathe steady, the danger having gone away.

"Shit . . ." Chase rubbed at his eyes, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat."

"Yeah" Jackie rubbed at his bloody shoulder, "Looks like dawn's just coming up now, too."

Henrik could have slapped himself, having not reacted quicker but he was on Jackie almost immediately when he saw the blood, "Dammit! I nearly forgot!" he set to work with his first aid kit despite Jackie saying he was okay.

Marvin just glared at Henrik, "WHAT ABOUT ME!? I HAVE A FUCKING STAB WOUND IN MY BACK!"

"You seem fine to me if you're able to yell and be sassy with ME!" Henrik jabbed right back.

" . . . . . . . . . . . . ..  . . So!" Marvin led onto the awkward silence between them all, "All that's left to do now .  ..  uh . . . well. . . we all good?"

Some of the Septics glanced Anti's way in question. 

Were they good? Even after the danger was over?

Anti smirked, a frightening grin growing on his face with his teeth gleaming like a shark's, "Nah, I'm STILL gonna try and kill you assholes!"

"Aw, what?!" Jackie huffed, "What about-"

"I'm fooking joking, dumbass" 

"Oh . . .. SO DOES THAT MEAN-"

Anti growled, "BABY STEPS, YA FOOKING PSYCHO! BABY STEPS!"

Sam hissed and nibbled on Anti's ear affectionately, calming him down. Yeah it was weird to see but what are ya gonna do?

"Right" Henrik finished fixing up Jackie for now, "I'm going home. You all are free to stand around here all you like but I have a life and I'm going home to sleep it away. Good-bye"

They all watched Henrik walked off but he wasn't wrong. He had the right idea.

Jackie grinned wide, coming up to Anti to pat him on the back, "Come on . ..  we got an empty room available. You said your apartment was trashed anyway"

Anti hated the idea.

He absolutely loathed it.

And yet he just rolled his eyes with a sigh and grabbed Sam before placing him on top of his head, "What the fuck . . .sure."

"YES!"

"Doesn't mean we're friends. Fuck off"

"Still" Jackie smiled knowingly, "We're making progress, bro"

"Yeah bro! You'll be part of the family! You can babysit the kids next weekend!" Chase laughed.

"Great" Anti mumbled, "Already regretting it"

He wasn't sure if he meant his sarcastic response or not.

But whatever.

He'd never fuck with Marvin's books again.

And he'd certainly never again take Sam for granted.

Now all that was left to do . . . .

Was hope he still had enough sanity to deal with being stuck in the same house with them all for an extended period of time.

We'll see then if he can handle NOT trying to kill them.

At least Sam would be there to keep him in check.

The End :)

Hope you all enjoyed the book! 
I know it may have felt like an abrupt ending but I really wasn't sure what else to do with this one. I felt like it had a good rounded out ending though and I just hope you all enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it! See ya in the one!