The Master Pathogen

[kspozcum]

Chapter 5: The Price of Priority

Helixion Genetics- East Hallway, Building 3, Floor 3; REDACTED LOCATION 21:20 MST 30-Oct-20XX

“Barlow! Respond, private! That's an order!” Gravestone’s voice boomed over the radio. Only silence followed as the private failed to answer the repeated requests. Gravestone’s eyes showed irritation and simultaneous concern as he waited for the familiar static and his comrade’s voice. 

“That’s not like him,” Lockjaw interjected, a hint of disbelief in his voice. “He wouldn’t go AWOL on us.”

“What makes you so sure?” Patch asked.

“He just wouldn’t!” Lockjaw exclaimed. “There must be some interference from the structure.”

Stag clicked his tongue loudly. “The pipsqueak shouldn’t have run off in the first place.” The others turned to look at him, some with silent, accusatory eyes.

Elais took a single step forward. “Stag’s right, he really should have waited for us, or at least some backup. The survivor wasn’t going to give us any useful intel, and we’ll probably find him just around the corner.”

Stag snickered. “Yeah, or inside in a stall in the lavatory with a lighter and a spoon. Who knows what the hell drugs he was on?”

Gravestone’s lips twisted to one side. He had enough of Stag’s smart mouth and dismissive comments. “Let’s not forget why we’re here.” He paused and finally said, “I agree with Lockjaw. It’s not normal. Patch, Pixel, go find him and find out what happened. If we have problems with the comm inside the facility, this mission will be a lot harder.”

“Make sure to stay alert. We have no idea what that sound was, so keep on high alert,” Elias added.

“Ten-four,” Patch’s voice came over the radio. 

“Zero, go with them and provide backup,” Gravestone ordered. “If anyone finds the survivor, tranq his ass, and don’t let him get away this time.”

“Yessir,” Pixel answered cheerfully. 

Patch and Pixel looked at one another with obvious but silent concern. Pixel left the workstation while the download to the flash drive continued.

—--------------

A speedily-moving car. Location unknown. 21:23 MST. 30-Oct-20XX

The elderly man in the back of the car closed the unmarked folder gently, and set it down in his lap. Leaning back on the headrest, he closed his eyes, and exhaled gently. He swiftly ran his liver-spotted hand across his bald head in a backward direction, and tried to moisten his lips with his tongue. General Anton Krell had been called in at the insistence of DARPA, but their request was something out of the ordinary. Nine men forming the Black Sigma team had been despatched to the Helixion Genetics Labs to mount a rescue mission for the scientists, or so they had been told. But Anton knew differently: those men were lambs for the slaughter. What he had read in the dossier, and what Black Sigma had been told, were two different things. 

In reality, the men were expected to find the scientific data for a top secret military project (as they surely would find), but returning alive and unscathed wasn’t accounted for. The project was to create super-soldiers, and Black Sigma would provide the guinea pigs. The first test subjects. However, if the men survived the ordeal… well, the ‘Powers That Be’ didn’t account for that particular outcome. It would be classified a mission failure, even if Black Sigma considered it successful themselves.

It wasn’t the first time Anton had been involved in such a deceptive experiment. After a bioweapons experiment in East Germany, he had the unhappy duty of damage control, and many ethics guidelines were violated to do so. But it had been in vain - a leak in his tightly-constructed plan created a situation where the news got out. Paragraphs got into all the papers, and Anton was discharged from service as a public show of enforced ethics protocols. The General took an early retirement with a hefty severance pay, which was most certainly a bribe to keep quiet about what really went on in Berlin.

Now he was whizzing away in the back of a dark-windowed vehicle to the site of Helixion Genetics to deal with a similar situation. His previous experience in military cover-ups, despite the fallout from his German experience, made his reinstatement an inspired choice. DARPA thus brought him out of retirement with a substantial bribe to superintend this mission. Anton did not see their true intent - if the program failed, or if scandal should follow, they could point the finger at Anton and keep their hands clean. And the General was aged enough that they could call his faculties into question if they needed a scapegoat again, and no one would doubt that he was a little past it. 

This won’t be like Berlin, he assured himself. Helixion, at least, is better prepared. The thought irritated him, and he wished the car had been equipped with a bottle of bourbon or something to ease his nerves.

“Driver, can this thing go any faster?” he demanded from the cushy black leather seat.

“ETA 12 minutes, General,” came the driver’s kind reply.

“Good. Thank you. See if we can’t do it in ten.”

It will be a shame to waste all those good soldiers, he thought. It's a little premature to launch the super-soldier initiative. But the data is too valuable to lose. Then we can sell it to the highest bidder, and make a fortune. One must break a few eggs sometimes.

—-----------------

Helixion Genetics- East Hallway, Building 3, Floor 1; REDACTED LOCATION 21:25 MST 30-Oct-20XX

Patch and Pixel reached the bottom of the stairwell with Zero hanging back between the first and second floor. No sign of Sticks was to be found anywhere, no sound at all.

“I still say he went up, not down,” Pixel said with irritation. 

“It was 50-50,” Patch answered. “We’ll look down here first, and work our way back up. Zero, what’s your 20?” 

“Clear.”

It was then that Patch noticed the glass double doors, and an umbrella curiously discarded in the middle of the hall. Its metal bent slightly to one angle, and the glass doors wide open. He picked it up and inspected it.

“Looks like someone left in a hurry,” he said coolly. With the umbrella in one hand, he examined the door with the other. “There are scratches in the frame here. Looks like … maybe someone tried to… I don’t know, lock the doors with this?” Pixel came closer, and nodded his head slightly.

“Whatever it was, it didn’t work,” Pixel said after a moment. “But there’s no other sign of struggle here. And the doors are wide open. Sticks probably didn’t come this way, like I said.” 

Next, Patch observed a small amount of liquid on the glass. Droplets had run down a little ways, then abruptly ended. A memory crossed Patch’s mind before it was instantly gone, his attention quickly going back to the task at hand. Meanwhile, Pixel had spotted a janitor’s closet. The door was ajar. Pixel raised his flashlight, and peered inside. Nothing to be seen here, he thought. Some of the cleaning supplies were in disarray, and a mop had fallen over. Then he spied a puddle on the floor. The room smelled of chemicals and solvents, and something that Pixel couldn’t identify. Someone had been in here very recently, and they were badly in need of a shower. Considering the environment, this was not deemed notable, and Pixel left the closet. He could still smell this odd mixture in the hallway, and wondered briefly if it was him who needed a bath.

Patch looked down the hallway beyond the glass doors, shining his light in every corner he could. The air had a different smell down here, and reminded Patch of unwashed socks and underwear, the scent stinging his nose and giving him a headache. He had seen it in the field when he treated a soldier who hadn’t changed their undergarments in a month. The smell was so rank that he was never able to forget it. He was smelling a watered-down version of it right in that hallway.

“Pix, do you smell that?”

Pixel came to the doors, sniffing for whatever Patch had discovered. He waved his hand before his face. “Whew, like my grandpa’s feet,” he said, wincing. 

“Well, how long has it been since our survivor fella had a shower? Maybe he went this way?” They silently weighed their options. Activating his earpiece, Patch spoke into it. “Zero, we’re going down this hall with the glass double doors.”

“Roger,” came the reply.

Zero descended the stairs to the bottom, and began to follow them at a distance, always remaining in the shadows while Patch and Pixel carefully moved through the long hallway. 

—---------

Helixion Genetics, exterior. REDACTED LOCATION. 21:35 MST. 30-Oct-20XX 

The car moved into the parking lot, and came to a stop. A few seconds later, the driver popped out of the car, moved around to the opposite side, and opened the rear passenger door. Out stepped the General. Grateful to be on the scene at last, Anton rebuttoned his Brooks Brothers suit, shook out his arthritic left leg, and brushed away some lint that he really couldn’t see. After a deep inhalation, the driver shut the door behind him. 

Anton looked at his surroundings. The sun was gone for the day, and the last vestiges of daylight were fading. The vans that carried Black Sigma to the site sat parked a short ways away. Anton turned to his right, and could just barely see the building where the team ought to be right now. 

By now, he thought, they should be fairly entrenched with it. Good. He and his driver walked up to the conference building, the driver always a couple silent steps behind him as a sign of respect. It was the General who insisted on being accompanied everywhere by his driver/bodyguard in case he needed a swift exit. Or a human shield. So far, the former had proved far more useful than the latter. 

They entered the lobby of the building, and briskly walked to the elevator. The driver pressed the ‘up’ button, and the doors instantly opened. They stepped inside the elevator, the driver pressed the ‘4’ button, and the doors shut quietly with a soft WHOOSH. The infernal machine swiftly moved them upward. This mission would serve as a small test of loyalty for the driver, and after clearing his throat, Anton began to speak. “Is it understood that, whatever you hear or see here tonight, you will not repeat a word of it to anybody.” It was more a statement than a question. 

“Yes, General,” the driver replied.

“See that you don't. We will have no leaks this time.” The elevator dinged as it reached the fourth floor. They stepped on to the shiny lacquered floor, and after a few steps, they reached a security room, now turned into a temporary base of operations. Anton was greeted by the sight of a top-of-the-line security monitor, a laptop computer, and a comm system. The room was tastefully decorated, designed for comfort, and Anton was pleased.

He spotted a bottle of expensive imported Scotch whisky on a low table to his right. Without being asked to do so, the driver instantly went to it, and poured two fingers of the brown liquid into a short glass. “Ice, General?”

“No, thank you, Jeames.” Anton sat in the tall leather chair, and accepted the beverage from the driver. After a light sip, he placed it on the ornate table, picked up the comm, and said to no one in particular, “Let’s see where they’re at.”

—---------

Helixion Genetics, East Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor Lobby. REDACTED LOCATION. 21:40 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

“Men, gather round.”

Gravestone stood in the center of the room and his remaining team came in close around him. 

“General Anton has just arrived,” Gravestone informed them. “I served under him in Berlin, and he's been brought out of retirement for overseeing our mission.”

“So we get our hands dirty and do all the grunt work while he sits in a cushy office across campus?” Stag asked. 

Gravestone let out an irritated sigh. “Yes, that's why we are here, and he is not.”

Elias suddenly got a bad feeling he couldn't explain. “Why does he need to be on site with us?” he queried. “Can't we handle a rescue and retrieval on our own?” 

Gravestone shrugged. “DARPA asked him, and I don't know their reasons. But it's not up to us to question. He'll reveal his purpose when he is ready to. I’m not fond of the man, but he is an excellent strategist and was well-respected.”

Lockjaw and Reaper exchanged glances, but said nothing. For the briefest of seconds, Lockjaw interpreted Reaper’s look to mean, I know what you are. He quickly looked away, and Elias read his comrade's reaction as nervousness. 

A voice like gravel and bourbon suddenly came over their radios. “Commander, this is General Anton Krell. Give me a status update.”

“Good to see they pulled you out of retirement, General. This is Commander Nathan Briggs. We entered the facility at 2100 hours. One survivor found so far, but no bodies have been located. My team is working on the hard drives and getting them prepped for extraction.”

“Good work, soldier.” Gravestone wanted to say more, but didn’t think it appropriate to tell the General that Sticks was MIA, especially without any real facts other than going incommunicando. “Any other updates on the mission?”

Gravestone hesitated before resuming. With a sideways look at Reaper, he began, “Private Barlow is missing. The man we found was delirious, possibly intoxicated, and ran off on his own. Barlow went in pursuit, and we’ve been unable to establish contact since. We think he may have hit a dead zone in the building. I've sent three others to —”

“That won't be necessary,” Anton interrupted. “The mission comes first.”

The General's curt reply elicited looks of surprise on the team's faces. Gravestone paused, and then answered, “Sir? We don't leave men behind.”

“I gave you an order, Commander Briggs. The mission takes priority. Do I need to remind you who is in charge here?” Anton hotly answered. “Give me access to the security system and footage, and I'll find your men.” 

“Sir,” Gravestone said with trepidation, “the tech guys who can handle that are searching for Barlow right now. I can't personally do anything from my end.”

“Defying me?” Anton asked in a warning tone.

“No, sir. But I don't have the skill to get you what you need. That's Corporal Yun’s department, and Private Barlow’s. Yun is on the team I sent to find Barlow. There’s likely a security room with feeds, but we haven’t located it yet.” Gravestone was grateful he couldn't see General Anton, likely scowling from the office right now. An uncomfortable silence followed. Then Lockjaw suddenly activated his earpiece.

“General? Major Adrian Reese here. We must locate Sti – er, Barlow! He’s an important part of the team. If he can’t get us out, we’re basically trapped in here while the lockdown is in effect.” Gravestone gave Lockjaw a reproving look during the speech for the impassioned interruption, but made no move against him. “Please, sir. It’s imperative we find him. And we can’t bring you any data if we’re still inside.”

Elias raised an eyebrow as he observed Lockjaw. He wants his boy back. As we all do. This has got to be killing him right now.

The radio crackled again after a pause. “Unacceptable, Briggs. Continue the mission, but don't bother looking for Barlow. I will have him court-martialed for abandoning the mission, and you too, if you disobey my orders. And anyone else who disagrees with them!” Anton sternly thundered. “This research is worth more than your lives or personal feelings.”

“Wow. What. An. Asshole,” Tex whispered.

“Sir, this is Commander Kade. If we don’t find Barlow, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to get you the data you need.” Elias hoped to appease the General and provide a little relief for Lockjaw as well.

“If you find him, that’s well and good, but it’s not a priority,” Anton continued. “I want those cameras on, and I want that data. Then I will work on extraction. Until then, I will hear no more requests to look for him. Understood, Commander? Major?”

The men were in disbelief, except for Stag, who found interest in a ficus in one corner of the lobby.

“Who does he think he is?” Lockjaw said in an appalled voice. “I heard he was a hard-ass, but…” 

Gravestone begrudgingly pressed his comm button. “Any other orders for us…, General?” Gravestone gritted the last part, having more than a little trouble hiding his disdain for the man.

“That will be all. Dismissed.” 

Stag was the first to speak. “We should follow the General’s word. What matters is the intel. I just want to go home, and forget this fetch quest. Besides, fuck Sticks and his lack of work ethic.”

Lockjaw glared at him silently while Elias shot him a similar dirty look. This could get ugly, Elias thought. 

“Major, a word in private?” Elias gestured lightly toward his shaken comrade. Lockjaw blinked twice, inhaled sharply, and the two of them went around the nearest corner, out of sight of the others.

Before Elias could even begin, Lockjaw was already frantic but kept his voice low. “Reaper, we gotta go now. I have a bad feeling. We can’t leave him.”

Elias looked back at the other men, then turned back to Lockjaw. “I agree, and we won’t.”

“Then why are we wasting time arguing?” Lockjaw hissed.

“We’re not arguing. Stag is arguing, but he’s not in charge. Gravestone and I are,” Elias answered sympathetically. He lightly reached his arm out to Lockjaw, and held his hand on the panicked soldier’s left bicep. “I’m with you. And I know, he’s important to you.” 

Lockjaw’s eyes widened slightly as he took in the multiple meanings of the statement. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just want to make sure he’s okay, he’s part of the team. How…”

Elias did not release his gentle grip, and repeated, “Look… I know. Adrian. I saw you both yesterday at the hotel.” He looked into his eyes, never blinking, and smiled gently. “I know,” he repeated quietly.

Lockjaw silently sucked in a breath, half-relieved but also terrified that he had been observed, and his mind scrambled to save some dignity. He was nearly outed in his first week in basic, and this current exchange with his superior felt exactly like that. Just like last time, he chose panic and lies.

“Shit…. Shit shit shit… he even said he thought he heard someone come in… I told him to stop j-joking like that… Kade, man, it’s nothing, i-i-it just a one time thing,” Lockjaw said, stammering slightly as he spoke, working his jaw side to side anxiously. “W-w-w-we were both drunk, and umm… um..”

“We both know you don’t drink because it fucks with your jaw. And Barlow tips over at a single can of beer. Don’t worry, I won’t tell the others. It’s not my business to share. Not until you do.” He gave a slight smile, and squeezed his arm gently, then released it. “I’m here if you need someone to talk to about it, and I think you’ll find more allies in the team than you think. Anyways, let’s just focus on finding him and getting out of here.” 

Lockjaw instantly understood - his secret had been discovered, but Elias was trustworthy. His frequent rolls in the hay with Sticks would not become public knowledge. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief through his nostrils, but still didn’t feel better about the situation.

“He’ll be fine,” Elias reassured him. “And so will you.” Lockjaw nodded once. “You don’t have to put up with any shit from Stag. Let him be mine and the Commander’s problem, okay?” 

Nodding, Lockjaw silently followed as Reaper led them back into the group. They rejoined the team around the corner. 

“Commander, the General is wrong. We will find survivors, we will get the intel if we can, AND Sticks, and then get the hell out of dodge. No amount of information or money is worth their loss,” Tex said, pointing at the glass doors of the lobby, separating them from freedom. The other men nodded in agreement, except for Stag.

“You all are fucking stupid. I’m with the General,” Stag said, to the surprise of his comrades. “He’s above the Commander here guys. And personally, I’d like to keep my job. Fuck Sticks. If he wants to go adventuring and poking around in shit and not answer his comms, leave him. He clearly doesn’t want to be here.”

“Shut your goddamn mouth,” Lockjaw ordered, to the surprise of everyone but Reaper and Gravestone. “I am so sick of your holier-than-thou bullshit. You don’t have any right to decide that, especially after what you did in Berlin last year, you vulgar piece of shit. Sticks is one of us. We don’t leave men behind, no matter how we personally feel about them. If you fell in battle, and Sticks could save you, would you rather bleed out and die because of your fucked-up pride?” Stag didn’t answer, but suddenly took an interest in the pattern on a marble wall.

“All right, everyone, shut up!” Elias said, finally getting fed up and raising his voice. “The General isn’t here in the situation, and if you want to blame anyone when this is over and done, they just say it was an order. Shit rolls downhill, and I think I speak for the commander and myself when I say we can take the heat. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?”

Gravestone joined in with hostility, “If you can’t follow orders, then go sit in a cozy office with the General. I don’t need his input or yours, Lieutenant Mercer. I’m responsible for getting everyone out at the end of the day, not some retired General. Am I crystal clear?”

A moment of awkward silence followed as the others tried not to fidget.

“If we have the intel, then we completed our mission, right?” Tex asked, trying to get back on course and dispel the tension.

The others nodded in silent assent. The weight of the mission began to settle on them.

Gravestone said, “All right, boys, you heard ‘im. Let's do it. Stag, not that it matters, but you’re outvoted. First thing first, we find our guys. Pixel was working on the data drives back upstairs, so let's go there, and get the data. We'll begin our search there. If General Krell wants to give us hell for it, he can do it on his own damn time.”

[leatherpunk16]

Chapter 6: Secrets That Endanger Us

Helixion Genetics, East Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor Lobby. REDACTED LOCATION. 21:52 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

“Maybe we should divide and conquer in teams,” Elias suggested. “The sooner we’re out of here, the better. Something about this whole thing is just giving me a bad feeling.”

“It would be a good idea to find security, see if we can locate Sticks through the cameras,” Tex suggested. “And we might avoid a trap if weren't running around in the dark here.”

“Agreed. Pixel… Patch… you both go with Zero upstairs and retrieve whatever data you can. Knowing Krell, this is some nasty stuff we’re working with. Tex, you and Stag stay here on the main level, see if you can find a security office and get in there. I know Krell wants eyes on the operation, but we need them more than he does. Reaper, you and Lockjaw are with me on the lower levels.”

The men all nodded save for Stag, who had a bitter expression on his face. Quickly, the teams broke apart, and split up.

Gravestone continued to issue his orders. “Lockjaw, you’re on point. Reaper and I need to discuss some operational stuff. We’ll be right behind you. Just take it slow, understood soldier?”

Lockjaw let out a nervous nod, quickly moving ahead of them and exploring the first floor of the basement.

“Think that’s really a wise idea letting him go off alone?” Elais asked, nodding his head at Lockjaw who had already sped ahead of them and entered the room glancing around.

“He needs to burn off the anxiety,” Gravestone signed, checking his weapon nonchalantly. “He seems to be taking Barlow's disappearance pretty hard.”

“Yeah, I don’t think Stag being his normal asshole self helped it,” Elias sighed, his voice soft in the quiet and dim hallway. “I tried to talk the Major down, but I’m not sure how much it helped.”

“Anything I need to know about?” Gravestone said, stopping outside the door and watching Lockjaw almost feverishly look under every table.

“Not really my place to tell you, sir,” Elias said, his shoulders slumping in anticipation of having to break the delicate trust he had just built with Lockjaw. “I told him I wouldn’t say anything until he was ready.”

“Let me guess, the two have been a lot more than just fuck buddies,” Gravestone groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Damn it. Knew I should have addressed it back when I found out.”

Elais stopped walking and stared at Gravestone in shock.

“Jesus… You knew?!” Elais whispered harshly, making sure to only say it loud enough for only Gravestone to hear.

“For being an elite squad dealing with covert operations, you boys really don’t know how to hide shit from a commanding officer,” Gravestone said quietly and smiling, letting out a slight laugh as he looked over at Elias. “I found out about that months ago. Almost as long as your little elopement with that husband of yours.”

“It was that obvious?” Elias asked, feeling stupid for how easily Gravestone was seeing through everyone’s lies.

“Eh, granted, I’ve been in the game for a long time and know the signs,” Gravestone said, shrugging as they moved forward, Lockjaw oblivious to their discussion with his sole attention on finding Sticks. “But you all really have to do better on covering your tracks. Especially those two.”

“Do I even want to know?” Elias asked, wondering if it was anything like what he’d walked into in the hotel the night before.

“Well, I know they both like it rough. Sticks is a moaner, and apparently Lockjaw is hung like a horse,” Gravestone said, counting off each fact on his fingers. “And they love hooking up in the bathrooms at HQ. Makes for an interesting experience when you’re trying to use the head.” 

“Please don’t tell him, sir… he’s kind of on a wire trigger right now,” Elias said, watching as Lockjaw quickly exited one room and moved on to the next with renewed haste.

“Seriously don’t know why you all seem intent on hiding it from me,” Gravestone said, shaking his head. “Do I really give off the vibe of being a homophobe or something? Even my own kid tried to hide it from me, only to accidentally walk in on one of his sleepovers with a friend of his. I guess his boyfriend now…”

“Um… well.. No… I don’t think it’s that, sir,” Elias said, somewhat shocked at the abnormally relaxed demeanor from his commanding officer. He struggled for a second to explain. “It’s more of not wanting to disappoint you, I think,” Elias explained. “You’re kind of like the dad a lot of people wanted growing up. Strict, but fair. Not wanting to see failure and demanding better, but within reason. I know I’ve only been on the team for a short while, but they really seem to respect you and look up to you.”

“Well, I guess that’s nice to hear,” Gravestone said, watching as Lockjaw picked the pace up even faster, muttering under his breath as he went. “Denise said the same thing about Mason, you know? He begged her not to tell me.”

The conversation was cut short as they turned the corner, seeing Lockjaw frozen in place, staring at the ground.

-----------

Helixion Genetics, East Hallway, Building 3, 2nd Floor Chemicals Lab. REDACTED LOCATION. 21:58 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

PIxel, Patch and Zero quickly explored the two floors, peeking into the rooms as they walked.

“Do you think Sticks is okay?” Patch asked, checking the large, mostly empty lab as they slowly made their way back up the stairs to Pixel’s field computer. “I mean, kinda freaky that he went radio silent.”

“Well, it is a bit odd for him,” Pixel replied. “Could be he just broke his radio, maybe?”

“And what was with Lockjaw flipping out like that,” Patch continued, walking out of the room with Pixel as they walked, the almost ghostly presence of Zero lost on the two as they walked. 

“Seriously, have no idea on that?” Pixel laughed, looking at him skeptically as they walked. “I thought my people were repressed when it came to this.”

“What do you mean, repressed?” Patch said, stopping for a second and staring at Pixel.

“Haven’t you noticed how close Lockjaw and Sticks are?” Pixel said, looking over at Patch incredulously. “It’s kind of obvious.”

“Well, I mean that makes sense. They’re really good friends,” Patch replied, confused. “I mean, Sticks is like everyone’s little brother.”

“Meongcheonghan baeg-innom…” Pixel groaned, rolling his eyes at Pixel. “You are seriously that clueless, man? Anyone with eyes can see it.”

“Stupid white guy indeed,” Zero said, causing the two to jump, having forgotten momentarily about him as they entered the stairwell.

“I’m not stupid!” Patch exclaimed, looking back at the two as they climbed the stairs. “What is it that I’m missing that you two geniuses can see?”

“I can not even with you…” Pixel sighed, gripping the hand rail as they climbed. “Zero, care to fill in our resident idiot?”

Wordlessly, Zero closed one fist and extended his index finger, before shoving it into the hole of his fist repeatedly in pistoning motion.

“Aw man… you’re both a couple of [banned word],” Patch groaned, rolling his eyes before climbing the stairs again.

“Nunchiga eopda,” Zero said, looking at Pixel before shaking his head.

“Come on guys, you know I don’t know that much Korean yet,” Patch moaned. “What the hell are you saying?”

“Should have done the Duolingo like I told you,” Pixel laughed, opening the door and holding it for the two other men. “He’s calling you clueless. Which you are.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Patch said, bending over slightly catching his breath looking up and down the hall. “This is the floor, right? Getting tired of climbing those stairs.”

“You know Sticks and I are best friends, right?” Pixel sighed, walking calmly down the hall. “So usually we bunk together. Most of the time, they think they’re being clever, but I’ve definitely caught him and Lockjaw hooking up when they thought I was asleep.”

“Same,” Zero said, staring at Patch with a blank expression.

“Oh ha.. ha…” Patch said, looking at the two before briskly walking down the hall. “What’s the next thing you’re going to say? Tex and Reaper are close, too. Does that make them a couple?”

“Well, they are always hanging out together, so you never know…” Pixel teased. Suddenly, Pixel stopped short, pointing at the door to the lab where his equipment was. Zero suddenly stood at alert several yards behind them, looking around and holding his weapon at the ready.

“Woah… What in the actual fuck?” Patch said softly, looking at the now-destroyed remains of the doorway, looking as though the door itself had been ripped from the frame and tossed aside. The window of the door had shattered and showered the entire hall with broken glass.

Pixel silently pushed Patch to the side against the wall before holding his finger up to silence him. The sound of something large clattering around in the lab broke the sudden silence as Patch cautiously took a peek into the room. Ragged breathing and a deep growl echoed out of the room, much like a hungry dog eating food.

A large, dark figure was in the room, its face buried in Pixel’s discarded bag, left there in a hurry as they tried to chase after Sticks earlier in the night. The creature’s nearly pitch black skin glistened in the dim light of the lab, the glow of the computer casting harsh shadows on the walls and giving its skin a sickly sheen.

A trail of clear slime was puddled around it as its chest heaved quickly. Two large horn-like growths came out of its head. Pulling its head out of the now emptied bag, it looked blankly up at the ceiling and around the room, its face pulled back in an almost evil grimace, rows of needle sharp teeth, saliva drooling out at a startling pace. The creature gave a massive huffing sniff of the air as Patch quickly pulled his head back and clamped his mouth closed.

“What is it?” Pixel mouthed, causing Patch to vigorously shake his head no.

Slowly, Pixel then looked around the doorframe, before quickly hugging his body back against the wall as well, taking in the same sight as Patch. Zero slowly started to walk forward when both men motioned at him to stop.

Gently, the two began to extract themselves from the wall when suddenly a large piece of glass snapped under Pixel’s foot, the sound permeating the silence. Suddenly, the monster let out a bloodcurdling scream growl before crashing through the destroyed door frame as the three men suddenly took off running down the hallway.

—------

Helixion Genetics, East Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor Lobby. REDACTED LOCATION. 21:58 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

“I thought you were supposed to be kind of a genius when it came to locks,” Tex said, watching as Stag continued to struggle to unlock the door to the security room.

“Bunch of fucking incompetent fags…” Stag muttered, still angry at being called out by the men earlier. “Come on, you fucking piece of shit, open up already…”

“Wow, kiss your mother with that mouth?” Tex said, annoyed at the sheer level of homophobia he’d had to endure so far tonight. “Here, move. Let me give it a try.”

“No, but I’m sure you kiss your boyfriend’s cock with yours,” Stag said, tossing the tools away in frustration. He stood up and made space for Tex to try his luck at the stubborn lock.

“Wow… great comeback there, Champ,” Tex said, sighing as he bent over to pick the tools up before crouching in front of the door.

“Well, if you could tell your fucking prissy-assed boyfriend to lay off my ass, I’d appreciate it,” Stag said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes, quickly lighting one.

“Wow, real professional there,” Tex said, looking over briefly at Stag before turning his attention back to the lock. “Gravestone is going to rip you a new asshole if he sees you doing that.”

“Awww… you gonna go crying to your boyfriend and daddy? Like I care.” Stag said mockingly, blowing the smoke towards Tex.

Waving the smoke away from his face, Tex rolled his eyes and went back to work.

“Your funeral, I guess,” Tex muttered, turning his attention fully to the lock and smiling as he felt a few of the pins click into place.

“What, you don’t like that? I figured a prissy-ass like you would love it,” Stag sneered, annoyed at the lack of rise out of Tex.

“Oh yeah man, you know it. Almost got the…” Tex said lamely, grinning as the last pins fell into place and the door unlocked. “Got it.”

Standing up, he opened the door and gestured for Stag to enter. “After you, Prince Charming.” Taking one last drag, Stag dropped the smoldering cigarette to the floor and ground it out with his boot.

“Fucking showoff…” Stag muttered as he entered, intentionally slamming his shoulder into Tex as he walked through. 

Tex simply shook his head in resignation as he followed Stag to the large bay of monitors, showing various cameras. The two men stood in front of the wide row of over 40 camera feeds, slowly taking note of each area.

“Heads up, Commander, we got access to the security room,” Tex said, scanning the screens as he tried to find the detached members of the team.

“Copy. Stand by, we found something,” Reaper’s voice said on the radio.

Looking at the various labels, Tex noticed a sudden flurry of activity on one of the screens. He watched as three men went running down a hall, something large and black chasing after them in hot pursuit.

“Oh shit… what is that thing?!” Tex exclaimed, pointing at the screen as the immense figure exited the frame.

“That’s a tv screen, dumbass,” Stag said, annoyed as he looked where Tex was pointing.

“No, just… god damn it… keep watching, something’s chasing Patch, Pixel and Zero,” Tex insisted.

The two men stood and watched the screens for a few moments before they saw their men enter a lab, two of them quickly locking the door and staring at the door in disbelief.

“Oh shit… what the fuck is that?” Stag said, watching the next screen as a massive black creature began to slam against the door.

“What in the fuck were they creating here?!” Tex said, unable to look away.

—---------

“Shit shit shit shit…” Patch breathed out, doubled over from the escape the three had made, his heart pounding as he stared in abject horror at the creature through the safety glass of the door.

“What in the actual fuck is that?” Pixel yelled, aiming his tranquilizer gun at the door in the dimly lit room. “That was NOT on the mission brief!”

“Door isn’t going to hold forever,” Zero said, interrupting the two men’s disbelief as he climbed on to the cabinets in the corner, pushing up on one of the large ceiling tiles before shining a flashlight up into the space surrounding it. “We need higher ground.”

Slowly, he climbed in, before holding a hand out to the other two, beckoning towards them to follow suit.

“We are so fucked,” Patch said, looking over at the door, still holding strong at the slams from the monster, thankful to have some sort of layer between them and the creature. “Please tell me one of you packed something stronger than tranqs? Like some actual bullets.”

“Come up, guys!”

“Mission called for just some lab people in here, not…. THAT…” Pixel said, shaking his head in response. “What in the fuck were they working on here?”

Suddenly, the room was cast into darkness, lit only by a single red exit sign. The sound of a lock releasing on the door echoed in the sudden silence, causing all three to turn their attention to the door.

Patch and Pixel quickly ran to the door in an effort to hold the door close when it suddenly slammed open, sending both men back. Zero watched in horror as Patch’s head hit the nearby counter with a sickening thwack, and Pixel was sent spinning, his shoulder having been clipped as the door impacted it. Both men hit the ground hard, with Pixel immediately screaming out in pain as his now dislocated shoulder hit the ground, and Patch letting out a pained groan.

Suddenly, three large inky black creatures entered the room, two of them pinning Pixel and Patch down as the third took in the surroundings in the lab, sniffing the air in anticipation. As silently as he could, Zero slowly lifted himself the rest of the way into the rafters, gently replacing the ceiling tile behind him. He quickly climbed across the dark space, his flashlight shaking as crouched in fear as he carefully measured each step, fearing at any moment the delicate suspension system would fail and send him crashing down into the room below.

Pixel screamed as Zero imagined the monster was roughly moving him, his cries cut short as a wet sounding splat hit something. A second wet sound echoed with a muffled sound as he made his way across the space, finally stopping at where he guessed the two men were. Zero’s heartbeat pounded in his ears as he slowly lifted one of the tiles, looking down at the scene below him.

His imagination only offered the worst, expecting to see two large puddles of blood spreading from the men, their throats slit much like the mission he’d been on years ago, the monsters ripping his two teammates to shreds as the life leaked out of their mortal wounds. Instead, what he was met with defied logic and sent a cold shiver down his spine.

He watched in abject horror as each man was straddled by a large creature, their faces covered in saliva from the creature above them, coating their faces as they weakly tried to fight off their attackers. The two creatures let out happy growls, looking at each other briefly before turning their attention back to their prey. The third creature let out an angered screaming growl as it searched the room, presumably at Zero’s sudden disappearance.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Zero took several deep breaths, willing himself to calm down from the sudden surge of adrenaline, preparing himself for another fight, feeling as his hands continued to shake in fear.

Looking back down again, he watched as each of the creatures slowly stripped the clothing from his comrades, slicing away with almost surgical precision any offending piece of clothing they couldn't easily remove. Pixel let out a pained moan, his face in a grimace, as the creature on top of him moved his arm, the limb now sitting at an unnatural position, likely broken or at the minimum dislocated out of its socket. The creature quickly sent another volley of thick saliva into his face, silencing him as he laid back, a glazed blank expression now on his face.

Zero covered his mouth, fighting back a gasp as he watched the two men’s pants being pulled down and off, in one shared swift motion as each creature began sniffing and rubbing their faces in each men’s crotch. One of them arched its head back, letting out a happy growl before starting to lick and suck on Pixel’s now hard cock, causing Pixel to suddenly smile, his eyes rolling back in his head.

Zero looked over at Patch, who was now flipped over, letting out a happy moan as the creature began to take long leisurely licks on the man’s hole, its bifurcated tongue lazily lapping around the puckered flesh. Patch let out a surprised gasp as the tongue began to breach his hole, saliva dripping obscenely in a puddle underneath him.

Apparently satisfied at his preparation, the human-shaped creature began to crawl up his body, before quickly plunging his long inky black penis deep into Patch’s ass in one quick jab. Zero forced himself to try and look away at the sudden invasion, instead watching as Pixel’s legs were pushed over his head, the creature on top of him now doing the same, preparing him for entry as well. For a brief moment, Pixel and Zero locked eyes, the Asian man’s face relaxed in a happy drugged-out smile, his pupils black pools as whatever substance was in the saliva caused them to relax. He let out a pained gasp as the creature above him quickly breached his ass as well.

Zero found himself unable to look away, much like a person who is unable to watch as a car accident occurred in front of them. Suddenly, both creatures began to speak, the deep growling voices causing the hair on the back of his neck to raise.

“Good…. So tight and warm,” the creature on top of Pixel said, quickly beginning to fuck the man in hard fast jabs, the smell of the saliva now reaching the rafters as Zero forced his hand over his nose at the offending scent.

“Must… infect…” the creature inside of Patch growled, saliva drooling down its face as it, too, began to fuck its prey. Patch’s virgin hole resisted the intrusion, but the saliva performed its magic, and within seconds, Patch’s anus gave up the fight and relaxed completely. Slowly, the third creature began to edge in on the other two, eliciting a scream growl from the other two.

“Mine!” the first creature said, swiping the air near the third creature.

“No! Get your own. Must be nearby…” the second creature said while protectively cradling Pixel in its arms.

Frustrated, the third creature backed away and began sniffing the room before giving up and lumbering back out the ruined lab door. The two creatures momentarily watched as their fellow creature left before going back to their previous machinations, fucking each of their prey hard and fast, eliciting happy moans from each of the men. Brackish liquid began to puddle under each of the men.

Slowly, Zero grabbed his previously forgotten sidearm and carefully took aim at one of the creatures, forcing his arm to steady as he took aim. Doing the mental math, he kept coming up unsure if he would be able to take both of the creatures out before the third returned to investigate, or if the tranquilizer darts would even be effective against them. Deciding not to risk it and his hiding position, he decided to hold off, only being willing to change his mind if one of the creatures tried to kill one of his teammates. I can’t save them right now… Zero thought to himself, feeling tears stream down his cheeks, thinking back to that same helpless feeling he had years ago when he’d been cornered behind enemy lines. I can’t risk exposing myself and being in the same position they are. I can’t. Not again. He lowered his sidearm, and replaced it in the holster.

Suddenly, one of the creatures began to spasm, likely coming to completion as it let out a roar. Black liquid seeped out of Pixel’s ass, likely overflowing with the fluid. Almost as if egged on by the sounds of its companion, the other creature also began to spasm and jerk, almost tenderly gripping Patch’s relaxed form against it. Slowly, the smiler pulled out of Pixel’s now sleeping form as it began to lick around his groin, cleaning the remains of Pixel’s load, shot during the ordeal. The creature almost seemed to be relishing the taste as it did so, much to Zero’s ever-increasing horror.

The other creature slowly withdrew from Patch, doing the same to the puddle of cum underneath, gently rubbing along Patch’s naked body as it did so. After a short while, both creatures gently gathered each man up, grabbing their clothing in the process before carrying them out of the room, leaving a shell-shocked Zero to grapple with what he had just seen. The only remains of what had occurred were two thick black puddles on the ground and a destroyed door off to the side.

[kiraizuru]

Damm that's so hot

[BearCubCuntBoi]

Now I'm thinking of how to spin this into a proper visual novel~...How hot it would be to witness this illustrated and explored even deeper!

[leatherpunk16]

11 hours ago, BearCubCuntBoi said:

Now I'm thinking of how to spin this into a proper visual novel~...How hot it would be to witness this illustrated and explored even deeper!

A graphic novel? I definitely don't have the skill for that. But I like - and appreciate - that you're thinking about such things.

[kspozcum]

Chapter 7: Darkness Unbound

Helixion Genetics, North Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor. REDACTED LOCATION. 22:00 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

“That….. That’s his sock…” Lockjaw said, pointing down at the ground as Elias and Gravestone came up beside him. “He had them on this morning and… Why is his sock here?”

Elias and Gravestone looked around, hoping to possibly find any other signs of the missing soldier around before Elias finally noticed the large puddle of clear liquid shining in the dim light of the hallway. Lockjaw picked up the sock, and found it sopping wet, covered in the same slimy residue that the team found earlier. His head was filled with new, confused questions.

“Commander, over there,” he said, pointing at the end of the hall. “There’s another puddle of that liquid.”

Suddenly, Lockjaw broke out into a sprint, running down the hall.

“Sticks, are you down here?!” he frantically yelled, giving just a passive glance into the various rooms. “Please, just call out so I know you’re here!”

“Shit, Lockjaw, get back here, we still need to clear the rest of the floor!” Gravestone yelled, as the two broke out into a run, trying to take off after him.

“Lockjaw, stop man, we will find him, just hold on,” Elias yelled, holding his gun loosely at the ready, unnerved at the lack of response. Lockjaw rounded the corner, quickly vanishing from their sight. His boots echoed ominously down the hall.

“God damn it, this is turning into a real problem fast,” Gravestone said, keeping pace with Elias as they both tried to follow, unable to close the distance as Lockjaw frantically continued his search. “I’m going to have to address this as soon as we finish the mission.”

“I’d say give the guy a break, but yeah… this is totally against protocol,” Elias said. “He’s starting to lose it, sir.” They continued their chase, rounding the next corner. To their horror, more and more puddles of clear liquid dotted the floor.

Suddenly, they both watched as Lockjaw’s step faltered, slipping in one of the puddles and sending him careening into the wall in front of him. Crashing to a stop, his hand accidentally slammed down on the large red fire alarm, catching the pull in the process. Immediately, a large metal shutter slammed down between the two men and Lockjaw, and the lights flickered off, the only light coming from the now flashing red lights over the doors. The dim light was occasionally pierced with a regular strobe of light.

The hallway was suddenly flooded with the sound of the fire alarm blaring, three short chirping klaxons repeating over and over. Finally making it to the metal rolling door, Elias began trying to pull up on it, frustrated when he was unable to make it budge.

“Lockjaw, can you hear me?” Gravestone yelled, pounding his fist on the metal door. “Are you okay?”

Finally, they saw the door getting banged on in return.

“Shit… sorry Commander, I-I didn’t mean to slip,” Lockjaw replied, his voice muffled behind the door. “I can’t get the door to open.”

“Just… stay there while we figure out how to get it open for you,” Gravestone replied, his voice louder than usual as he tried to raise it above the alarm. Looking around, he scrubbed his hand over his face in frustration. “Kade… any ideas?”

“Um… I think maybe the security office might have an override?” Elias replied in a near yell, putting his hands on his hips as he looked around. 

“Good idea. Lockjaw!” Gravestone yelled, putting one of his fingers in his ears from the loud noise. “We’re going to reset the alarm and see how we get you out of there. Stay put!” Quickly the two men pulled out their flashlights, cutting into the darkness. They slowly backtracked to the lobby as they spoke, the sound of the fire alarm dimming the further distance they walked.

“Damn it, this day just keeps getting worse,” Gravestone sighed, looking at the map on the wall. “First the survivor and Sticks, now Lockjaw, and we’re walking around in the darkness.”

“I’m sorry sir, I should have anticip-” Elias began to apologize before being cut off short.

“Don’t. It’s nobody’s fault,” Gravestone said, shaking his head. “You had no way of knowing how everything would turn out. Although I feel like the further we go, the more it seems we weren’t given anywhere near all the information. You know what I mean?”

“I…. yeah…” Elias replied, seeing the commander’s point. “Nothing is really making sense so far tonight. The mission brief was pretty clear that this was just a simple in and out, information and survivor extraction.”

“Exactly, and knowing General Krell, the fucker has decided to keep up out of the loop for his own benefit,” Gravestone said, slamming his fist on the wall before waling down the hall. “Just like Berlin all over again.”

“What exactly happened in Berlin?” Elias said, looking over at Gravestone briefly as they walked down the hall towards the stairwell. “I’ve heard bits and pieces, but everyone seems pretty tight-lipped.”

“Krell was the one who approved the lab to make the virus that almost wiped out the city,” Gravestone explained as they walked. “He sold it to the upper brass as a global safety concern, found a way to protect the general public from the Marburg-Lyssa variant, and hired a genetics lab there to help develop a vaccine. Got billions to spend towards it after that outbreak a few years ago down in Uganda.”

Opening the door to the stairwell, Elias entered, holding the door behind him to let Gravestone through as he continued speaking.

“Turns out, the lab they were using wasn’t anywhere near equipped to handle working with the virus, and instead of creating a vaccine, they made it airborne. A sample got out and was infecting people like wildfire. Krell ordered a part of the city to be firebombed in an effort to sweep it all under the rug. Actually tried to blame our team for the bombing, saying we went rogue. Congress found out, and in an effort to save face, decided to force him into retirement instead of the backlash of the US losing total control of the situation.”

“Jesus… that was him?” Elias said, opening the door to the lobby as he continued. “I thought that was just a random outbreak.”

“That’s the story the general public got. Personally, I think Krell might have been pocketing some of the funds. Guy always seems to have his hand in these company’s pockets. But never got anything concrete,” Gravestone continued, looking again at the map. “This way to security. Needless to say, I don’t trust Krell in the slightest. And neither should you.”

—-----------------

Helixion Genetics, Corporate Office Building, Temporary Security Room, Fourth Floor. REDACTED LOCATION. 22:02 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

An alert popped up on the General’s laptop. “Fire alarm triggered, building 3, corridor 7, basement level 1.”

General Krell sat up straight in his chair, startled by the pop-up. He tried to listen closely, but the alarm couldn’t be heard from his secure room. He instantly rose, and went to the window, expecting to see the entire facility going up in flames. What met his gaze was the silence of night, and no burning buildings in sight. Apart from the blinking lights that could be seen inside a well-placed window with a view, nothing about Building 3 seemed out of the ordinary. 

“Dammit,” the General swore. “What are they doing over there? This was supposed to be a covert operation!” His fist came down on the windowsill, producing a dull thud that hardly did justice to his frustration. He instantly pulled out his mobile phone, selected a number from the speed dial, and held the device to his ear. 

“Yeah, it’s the General,” he said hurriedly. “The fire alarm in Building Three has been set off. Intercept the emergency response call, and tell them not to come.” Pause. “Yes, understood. There is no visible fire from outside, but the built-in containment system should be able to handle it.” Another pause while he listened. Then he moved back to his computer, and sat down. “I’ve got it here.” The person on the other end gave him instructions, and he began to type with both hands while holding the phone between his left shoulder and his ear. “I don’t have eyes inside yet, but heat sensors show absolutely nothing. So there probably is no fire.” Taking the phone back in his right hand, he continued to listen. “That’s right. See to it.” He closed the phone, and exhaled loudly through his nose. “Black Sigma, don’t fuck this up. I will not be disgraced again.”

—------------

Helixion Genetics, North Hallway, Building 3, Basement Level 1. Opposite side of the metal shutter. REDACTED LOCATION. 22:00 MST. 30-OCT-20XX.

Lockjaw began to panic. Try as he might, the door wouldn’t go back up. In his mind, he envisioned coming out the other side through another room, and wouldn’t Reaper and Gravestone be surprised? Then they could resume looking for Sticks, and all would be well again. He put his back against a wall, and slid down in defeat. He began to imagine the worst: that other metal doors came down in other parts of the facility and Sticks had been unlucky enough to be pinned beneath one of them; that he would be trapped in this strange place for days without food or sight of any soul; that he would search endlessly for Sticks and never find him. 

Then came the self-reproach. “I never should have left his side, not for an instant,” he whimpered. “I was so stupid to go off in a panic. Sticks, you idiot, why couldn’t you have waited for backup? Why did I let him put me on point like that?” Then he spoke aloud in a mocking voice, trying to imitate Gravestone. “Uh, no sense in taking risks! Lockjaw, you’re on point! Go fetch your stick! Ha!” Then in a normal voice, “Shit, I gotta get out of here. Sorry, commander, I can’t wait for you.” 

Lockjaw stood to his feet, brushed his pants with his hands, and wiped his face. He looked at the door accusingly, then down the rest of the hall. The blinking lights and the alarm were annoying, and he was grateful when they suddenly stopped. But the absence of the lights plunged the hall into near darkness, and his eyes could see little spots where the lights had previously been flashing. It was disorienting, so he waited until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He felt in his utility belt for his field light when he discovered the slot where it ought to be was empty. “Shit!” Then he remembered it flying out of his hand when he fell, and skittering across the floor away from him as the metal door came down.

In the near darkness, he was able to make out movement some distance away. It crossed the hall from the left side to the right and disappeared. Might be two rooms over, possibly three or more. But it was enough to make Lockjaw curious. “Sticks? Is that you? It’s me.” He slowly moved down the corridor toward where he saw the movement, listening intently, and moving almost noiselessly, fearing that any sound he made would cause him to miss what he longed to hear. 

—----------------

Helixion Genetics, East Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor. Security Room. REDACTED LOCATION. 22:04 MST. 30-OCT-20XX

Tex recoiled from the monitor in abject horror. “Oh…. oh god…” he said above a whisper. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” He moved to a nearby trash can, and proceeded to dry heave over it. 

“Pussy. You ain’t got the stomach for this,” Stag said. He turned back to the monitor. The room they were viewing was now emptied of its occupants, save for the figure that slowly descended from the ceiling. Stag could tell by the figure’s movements that it was Zero. He didn’t have to see Zero’s face to know he was probably traumatized by what they just witnessed.

It was then that Stag noticed he had a massive hard-on. He smirked at the realization that he just watched something truly fucked up, and he adjusted himself from outside his pants. Better than any of the wildest porn I’ve got at home! Fuck, that was wicked. Whatever those things were… they were beautiful.

Then a new thought sparked in his head, and went into full bloom almost at once. I want to join in the fun. Stag suddenly had butterflies in his stomach while Tex continued to try to empty his to no avail. Stag had an instant to decide: stick to the mission, or go have a little fun. But to do the latter, he’d have to ditch Tex, and now was the best opportunity to do so. Then, for no reason at all, a jingle appeared in his head:

In the army or the navy, ‘tis the same, you know,

You must either take your chances, or away they go.

It was part of a song in some goofy musical that he was dragged to on a date, and he was never able to forget it. Taking this as inspiration, he removed his service revolver from its holster, and turned it over in his hand. He held the gun backwards, the handle protruding. He took a couple steps over toward Tex, who was still bent over the trash can, much like an undergrad who drank too much on spring break would be found perched over a toilet bowl. 

Frustratingly, Tex lifted his head, coming almost face to face with Stag’s still hard and throbbing cock.

“What the hell, man?” Tex backing away slightly. “Are you fucking hard right now?! You’re fucking sick…”

“Sorry, buddy, but I can’t have you stopping me,” Stag said with a very slight twinge of fear for what he was about to do. Before Tex could react, Stag struck him over the back of the head with the revolver, and knocked him out cold. Tex fell face first into the can, which then fell over with a metallic clatter. Stag let out a sigh, surprised that he got it on the first try. Before he decided on senseless violence just for kicks, he holstered his weapon, and turned back to the monitors.

After a minute of inspection, he found what he wanted, and swiftly let himself out of the security room, leaving an unconscious Tex lying on the floor with his head in a wastebasket. Upon exiting the security office, the alarm abruptly ceased, and the lights stopped flashing. Stag took out his flashlight, and proceeded back up the stairs. He silently prayed that he wouldn’t be spotted by any of his comrades in his flight. Absent-mindedly, he began to whistle the tune he remembered in the security room as continued his ascent. 

—-------------

Helixion Genetics, North Hallway, Building 3, Ground Floor. Accounts receivable. REDACTED LOCATION. 22:15 MST. 30-OCT-20XX.

Lockjaw had been resuming his search for his missing partner for only ten or so minutes, but it felt like an eternity. As the minutes passed, several agonizingly slow minutes, his concern began to increase. Sticks had just vanished without a trace. As wild scenarios began to form in his head, he kept reminding himself that it was just his imagination. 

But where was the thing he saw earlier? Could it have been his mind playing tricks? That he saw something only because he wanted to see it? Reaper told him to stay put, but if Sticks were down here after all, Lockjaw thought it better to find him now. At the very least, it would pass the time, and if he were successful, then he could relax and resume the mission. This was the only thing that kept him going as he continued to check every cubicle, under every desk, and in every room.

“Damn, this place is huge,” he muttered. “And it’s just one of the buildings on campus!”

He heard a distant, unidentifiable sound, and spun around toward where he thought it came from. “Hello? Sticks?” No answer. “Gravestone? Reaper?” He listened again, and got no reply. He may as well have asked the moon a question. 

Proceeding a few more stops, something new came into his vision. A boot, size 8. The exact same size as Sticks’s. Lockjaw quickly rushed forward to retrieve it, holding it in both of his hands like a valued treasure. Looking around, he tried to find the source of where it came from, sure that he’d finally found his absent lover.

Holding it close to his body, he cradled it for a half a second before holding it away in near disgust. The smell coming from it wasn’t just that of a normal boot, but reeked, making his eyes water. “Jesus… how can it smell so bad?” Lockjaw asked himself out loud, jumping as a giggle in the corner of the room broke the silence. It caused him to drop and completely forget the boot.

“Eric? Is that you?” Lockjaw called out, feeling around in the near darkness.

“Hiiiiiii Adrian,” Sticks’s voice said, his voice sounding somewhat strange in Lockjaw’s ears. “I got pretty lost, but guess what….”

“Where the hell… what happened?” Lockjaw said, finally finding him in the darkness, laying his hands on the smaller man’s shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. “Oh my god, you have no idea how glad I am that I found you!” Relief washed over him, followed by hope, then confusion, and finally, a resurgence of relief as his heart soared. Yet, questions still plagued him.

“I missed you too, Adrian,” the smaller man rubbing his face around on his shirt. “I got sooooo lost. But guess what? I found a way out. Wanna see?”

Lockjaw slowly pulled him away from his chest, his brain registering how wet it now felt. Touching one of his hands, he could just make out the shiny slickness on his fingers. Repulsed, he quickly wiped his hands on his pants in disgust. Grabbing his lover’s hand, Lockjaw slowly led him down the hall, stopping finally in front of the dull red glow of the exit sign. Looking down at Sticks, he slowly began to assess the smaller man.

In the red glow of the sign, Lockjaw could just barely make out Sticks’s face, grinning almost like a loon, saliva dripping down his face, his pupils almost like two dark pools, sucking in the small amount of light. The smaller man’s flesh, fully exposed as he could now see, was almost feverish to the touch, a slight sheen of sweat covering it. His normally pale skin somehow seemed darker, and his veins seemed almost to stand out harshly.

“Did you come in contact with something, baby?” Lockjaw said, running his hands gingerly across his skin, no longer concerned about his own safety from an infection, but instead wanting to find some sort of break in the skin.

“Follow me, I want to show you the way out I found…” Sticks said, still grinning profusely, shaking out of the man’s grasp before gripping one of his hands, tugging him down the hall further. “Come with meeee, I want to show you.”

At first, Lockjaw followed, unsure what to do as they almost seemed to go deeper into the facility. The two reached a stairwell, going down the stairs as Sticks began to hum a tune that Lockjaw couldn’t identify. Lockjaw began to get unnerved, unsure how Sticks could be so sure of where to go in the near darkness, at how they were going deeper into the building and not up and out. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore and stopped as they finally reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Eric… I don’t think this is the right way… I think we need to go back up and have Patch or Tex take a look at you,” Lockjaw said, feeling more and more concerned that something was wrong, something that he couldn’t quite put a finger on.

“NO!” Sticks said, the sudden change in mood causing Lockjaw to try and pull away, shocked at how strong of a grip Sticks had on his hand. Just as suddenly, Sticks’s mood was softer again, smiling and pulling Lockjaw in on a tight hug.

“No, baby, I… I’m naked, and I want to show you the way out so I don’t get lost again,” Sticks almost sobbed, the wetness growing again on Lockjaw’s shirt as he spoke. “You don’t want me to get lost again, right?”

“Um… Eric… why are you naked?” Lockjaw asked, his head feeling slightly fuzzy as an odd smell began to come off of Sticks. “What happened to you?” Suddenly, Sticks released him and went running through the door, giggling again as he ran. Lockjaw, worried, immediately ran after, trying to keep up.

“Wait, stop running. Where are you –” Lockjaw called after, suddenly slipping in a large pool of liquid, the smell coming off Sticks being much stronger in the room they were now in, looking like a long maintenance hallway. Lockjaw fell onto his back, slightly dazed as the wind was knocked out of him. The smell of the hallway was making his head swim as he involuntarily gasped in a deep breath in pain. 

Suddenly, Sticks was sitting on top of him, almost straddling him as he finally got a good look at his face, the light in the hallway being just a touch lighter than the rest of the basement floors. Sticks’s skin had taken on a sickly shade of grey, his pupils blown wide with an almost orange tinge to his normally green iris. The veins in his skin stuck out, looking almost black under his pasty white skin.

It was when Lockjaw looked at Sticks’s teeth that he realized just how odd and wrong everything was. The teeth themselves looked too sharp, like someone had taken a file to his teeth. Foul-smelling drool was dripping profusely out of his mouth, threatening to drip on his face.

“Oh my god… Eric, what happened to you…” Lockjaw said in disbelief, unsure what to do as the much smaller man on top of him held him in place with almost an inhuman amount of strength.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Sticks said, smiling almost evilly as he cocked his head to the side. “I’m going to make you feel soooo good. Just give in to everything. I have an amazing… gift for you.” The way Sticks said ‘gift’ just now gave Adrian pause. He slightly raised an eyebrow in response. 

Lockjaw’s attention briefly turned to the scream growl coming down the hall, echoing on the concrete walls. Panicked, he looked back towards Sticks when his face was suddenly covered in a clear sheet of saliva, getting into his eyes and mouth as he accidentally gasped in shock. The entire world was covered in a blur as he felt the spit seeping into his eyes, making them water as his brain began to feel numb.

“Shhh…. Just relax and let it take over, baby…” Sticks said, lovingly stroking his hand through Lockjaw’s hair, his face in a harsh grin. “You’re going to feel so good in a few minutes. My new friends are going to be here, and then the reeeeal fun will begin.”