They had a plan.

Or at least PART of a plan.

They had a small percentage of a plan.

"You sure about this, Anti?" Jackie whispered to him, "I could just go in and-"

"No, it wouldn't work and we both know this." Anti stopped him, "I'll distract him while you all surround the area. Chase needs to find a good vantage point to snipe the fucker. It might not kill him but it'll throw him off. Enough for Marvin and you to fly in and pin him down. I'll grab the kids, glitch out to Chase with them and while they escape, we all beat the fuck out of him until he gives us the book"

"Will he, though?"

"What?"

"Give us the book?" Jackie didn't look so hopeful, "You and I BOTH know . . . you're more stubborn than that. While Marvin and I fly in and pin him down, you need to try and find the book after you take off with the kids. He might have hidden it nearby here."

'If all else fails, Marvin could look in his head and find the book' Jameson sighed, 'What do I do by the way?'

"You're emotional support" Jackie offered.

Jameson gave him a 'look'.

"What? You KNOW your time-traveling stuff is too dangerous involved in this! Look, if anything goes out of whack, you tell us, okay?"

Jameson just rolled his eyes. At least Henrik was there for first aid. Something USEFUL.

Yes, Jameson was being a bit spiteful.

"Alright, I'm going in" Anti didn't even give anyone any time to fully prepare.

Jackie sighed and gave Jameson and shrug, "See? We're definitely gonna need that emotional support, Jameson. There's a million things that could go wrong with Anti working WITH us"

'I suppose I could see that'

'I can't believe I'm actually doing this' Anti thought to himself, 'Sure this was my doing but now I'm HELPING them . . . disgusting'

He snuck in the aquarium in the back way. Anti knew he couldn't just charge in. Infect would be waiting with a knife at the kids' throats. He snarled at the thought of it.

Yes, murder was a hobby of his but Infect was crossing a line with his kin.

Kids were different to him and especially kids related to HIM.

Besides, this gave him ample time to sneak around and try and find the book.

'Maybe the prick left it somewhere around here. Probably not in the open, though'

The abandoned aquarium was trashed and disgusting. What was worse, though, were all the dead fish left behind in their tanks and enclosures. He tried not to think about the smell, though.

He could hear murmuring and the closer he got, the louder it was.

'I'm close. I have to step lighter. Maybe I could grab the kids faster than he can react.'

"You fucking little beasts, shut the fuck up or I'll drown you in the bacteria infested waters with the fish poop!" Anti heard the hushed snarl of a threat and halted.

'That was in the next enclosure. Let's see . . . what's IN the next one?' Anti eyed the signs in the dark nearby, 'Sharks . . of course. Small ones but nonetheless . . . he's really trying to send a message here, isn't he?'

Anti started to move a bit more, being as silent and low to the ground as possible until he was in view of Infect.

There he was, hovering over the kids who were huddling together in a corner crying.

Infect was threatening them, trying to keep them quiet, "If you little bastards don't shut the fuck up already, I'm killing one of you NOW and letting your daddy watch me kill ONE of you. You don't want that, do ya? You don't wanna swim with the fishes, do ya?"

Kallie sniffled, holding onto her brother, "Wh-why are you doing this Uncle Anti? I th-thought you liked us"

Infect snarled, "I am NOT. . . . ANTI. My NAME is INFECT, you fucking little parasite!"

It was hard to watch but Anti couldn't do anything else as Infect kicked them, only making them cry harder.

Anti shuddered. He could only imagine how Chase felt IF he had eyes on him now.

But then again, Anti didn't see a red dot anywhere yet.

'Dammit . . .  where is that fucking book?' he thought to himself, 'I still don't see it anywhere, not even in here. Where the fuck do you have it, you son of a bitch?'

"I wanna go home!" Sammy cried, "I want my mommy and daddy!"

Kallie cried, too, hugging her brother, "Me too! DADDY!"

Infect shook his head, "Fuck it. This plan was stupid anyway. Should have killed you already" he shrugged, pulling out his knife.

Anti just reacted, not even thinking more on it. He ran out of his hiding spot and leapt at Infect from behind, his own knife ready to be brought down on him into his back.

Infect had just as quick reflexes as Anti, though, and glitched out of the way, letting his original stand in front of the kids.

Infect was  . . .conflicted to say the least, "Well . . . ..  not EXACTLY what I expected but fair enough" he smirked, "You're working with them, I see"

"Wrong" Anti had to say something to make sure Infect knew nothing of the plan, "I came alone. I wasn't going to let you hurt these brats"

"Uncle Anti!" "Anti!" the kids sounded relieved, knowing they were safer with their uncle protecting them. "I knew that couldn't have been you, Uncle Anti! This man's a real MEANY!" Kallie stuck her tongue out at Infect.

"Little bitch" Infect growled, "This isn't over! I'll kill you brats and-"

"Not with me alive, you won't" Anti growled back, "You can fuck right off with that idea. I'll be taking them back to their parents"

"Oh really?" Infect snorted and straightened up, beginning to pace back and forth, "What exactly happened to you dear Anti? How in the FUCK did you get this soft?"

"I'm not SOFT"

"And yet here we are disagreeing . . . I want the kids dead and you don't. We're supposed to be completely identical, yes? Well tell me if I'm wrong but I'm seeing A LOT of differences between us"

"That doesn't make you better than me  . .. . it makes you a fuck-up. Now where's the book, Infect?"

"AH yes! The BOOK! That's what you're really here after, aren't you?" Infect grinned teasingly, "It's  . .. somewhere. Could be anywhere, really. I'll never tell" he winked.

Just then Anti saw the red dot on the side of Infect's head and he smirked.

"That's alright.  We might not need it after-all"

Infect made a face, "What?"

Anti was sure Chase saw the situation and sure enough, he right.

Quite immediately, a shot was fired but with the distance between them, Infect heard it first.

And he had time to react.

He dodged the literal bullet but it distracted him just enough for Anti to grab the kids and glitch.

He appeared on the roof and had no time to get away from Chase, being enveloped in a fierce group hug.

"DADDY!" the kids were excited and happy at least but Anti was pissed.

"Brody, let go of me NOW and just get your damn kids out of here! I have to go try and find that stupid book now while Jackie and Marv are-"

Chase ruffled his hair, shutting him up, "Sure thing, bro! Go take him down! Come on, kids. Tell Uncle Good luck!"

"Good luck Uncle Anti!" "Good luck! Take that jerk out!"

Anti cracked a smile at Kallie's remark, "Sure thing, brats. Now go"

Chase was grinning ear to ear, about to rush off with the kids. Only to see something in Anti's eyes. Fear.

"Anti . . . what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! Now fuck off with the kids, will ya?! Go!"

"Anti-"

"I SAID GO!"

"You're afraid of Infect." Chase blurted out, "Why? He's a copy of you. Physically, that is"

"No he's not"

"Hm?"

"It's not just that. . . . he's an even BETTER version of me. Stronger. Wilder. No restrictions"

"And that makes him better?" Chase huffed, "Anti, look what you just did" he pointed down at his kids, "If it weren't for you, your niece and nephew would be dead. My kids. . . . that makes you miles better in my book and don't you forget that. I trust you guys to find a way to take this guy out. Just remember. .  I'm rooting for ya, Anti"

Anti really didn't get it but watched Chase run off with his kids, hurrying to get them back to their mother.

Anti stayed on that roof for a few moments longer. Just thinking.

He heaved a big sigh and turned back to the direction of the aquarium, knowing Jackie and Marvin could only have the upper hand with Infect for so long. 

Anti knew this.

He knew this because Infect was far more ruthless than Anti had ever been. More aggressive and murderous. And he knew that perhaps Jackie and Marvin might just underestimate this in his copy.

'But where could he have hidden the book?' Anti tried to think, 'I've looked everywhere. All the good hiding spots I could think of. Not even Sam could find it-'

Anti suddenly halted in his thoughts, ' . . . .. . hidden'

He blinked and realized just how stupid he had been.

'It's been hidden in plain sight all this time!'

Now he knew.

Now he knew JUST where to look and he'd end this once and for all.

Infect brandished his butcher's knife against Jackie's arm, effectively blocking another attack from the hero.

He grinned wide and glitched, dodging out of the way of Marvin's blasts, "It's so FUNNY, don't you agree!?"

Jackie was annoyed with how fast this asshole really was and scoffed, "WHAT!? That you're about to fucking die?!"

"NO!" Infect laughed, "That here you lot are trying to DESPERATELY to fight me! You're thinking I'm just like Anti! That soft and weak, pathetic idiot! And it'll be your downfall!"

Marvin moved quick and had his wand directly on Infect's throat, "Yeah well I think you're delusional because we always KNEW Anti pulled his punches"

Jackie pulled his fist back, getting ready to attack, "Anti may have held back but that doesn't mean he was weak!"

The hero lunged to knock Infect out only for him to duck down and out of Marvin's grasp, glitching behind them both, "And yet you're still unprepared for ME . . . Sad really? And where did dear Anti go? Did he run off again, did he?" he pouted, "Did dear Anti run off scared just like when I killed little Sam in front of him? Squishing him like the little fucking gusher he was? Disgusting creature"

Jackie and Marvin seethed, "How dare you fucking talk about Sam! He did nothing to you!"

"He was in the way!" Infect grinned, "He MADE Anti soft . . . .Just like you all are now. So I'll just have to end this quick." he ran his fingers over his blade.

"And then MAYBE . . . . just maybe . . ..  I can fix my predecessor after all.  .. when you are all out of of the way . . ..  and he'll only have me to listen to"

Marvin scoffed, "You REALLY think he'll listen to YOU!?"

"That's fine if he doesn't" Infect just shrugged, "If he doesn't, then I can just make an army out of myself from your helpful little book. . . .And then I'll be unstoppable. . . .. And then no one will ever stand in my way again"

Infect grinned, his eyes glowing green and his teeth gleaming in the dark.

Jackie and Marvin tensed, thinking pretty much the same thing in that moment.

Anti better find that book now and FAST.