This is a re-write of 'Chapter 20', from a different point of view.

⚠️GORE WARNING AHEAD.⚠️

THEO
(Vee's Godfather and also the choroni leader.)

I was sitting in the living area of the den, going through mail while occasionally glancing up at my computer screen, which showed six different panels of monitors we had placed around the choroni's two entrances. My wife Katherine was already sleeping in the other room. I was sorting the mail into three piles: trash, keep, and bills. As I added yet another envelope to the 'bills' pile, I glanced up at the monitor screens. One of the monitors showed an alleyway a few blocks away from the Restaurant.
   'What the?' I looked closer at the panel. Then all the blood drained from my face and I shot up, running into the spare room and grabbing the rifle— upgraded to be able to shoot silver bullets— from under the bed before darting out of the den.

I ran down the street with my rifle in hand, knowing where I was going. Two other guys had followed me out of the headquarters, just in case I needed help. I saw the gold fur at the end of the block and took aim as I got closer, firing at the creature. The bullet skimmed the thing's back and it immediately ran into the shadows and disappeared. I ran over to Vee on the ground.
His throat was ripped open, blood pouring out of the gashes and pooling around his head and shoulders. His chest also had three parallel claw marks that contributed to the blood pool, and his right shoulder looked as if it had been used as a chew toy. His skin wasn't grey yet, but his eyes were blank and staring up at the sky. I knelt beside him and cupped his face, lightly shaking him.
"Vee!" I said, panicked. "Please look at me Vee! Don't go!"
His eyes eventually focused on my face, and I almost broke down just at the look in them; his eyes were completely devoid of light, only pain in them. He mouthed my name and started choking, his chest heaving for air through the blood that had seeped into his airway. I tilted his head to the side, hoping it would help; his choking turned into gaging and he suddenly vomited, but it was solely blood. There was so much pain on his face, I had never seen someone show so much pain.
   "Hold on Vee, stay with me, please." I said to him while I slid my arms under his shoulders and knees, then lifted him off the ground. His head hung back limply, the blood coming from his neck and mouth dripping to the ground.
   "Hold on," I said to him before starting to walk. As soon as I took a step he started shaking violently. I immediately lowered him to the ground as he kept shaking, his body convulsing. His eyes rolled into his head while his back arched, blood pouring out of his mouth. I desperately shouted his name, begging him to stay awake.
"Get Gabe!" I yelled at the two guys behind me. Vee kept shaking, his skin turning grey as I watched. Then as suddenly as the shaking had started, it stopped, leaving along with the last bit of light in his eyes.