The Master Pathogen

[leatherpunk16]

Chapter 15: Awakenings

Helixion Genetics, North Hallway, Building 3, Basement Level 5, Maintenance Area. REDACTED LOCATION. 0425 MST. 31-Oct-20XX

Gravestone opened his eyes with a start, gasping for air. He had been lying on the floor, and didn’t know how long he had been out. He had been dreaming while under metamorphosis: he was running through a dark forest with the voices of his comrades calling out to him though he never saw their faces or figures. He was being chased by something with sloshy footsteps, and every time he tried to look back, he tripped over a protruding tree root or a fallen branch, or dodged a wild critter at his feet. Then he came to a giant gaping maw, an abyss so black that he couldn’t see its bottom. He knew if he remained in place, the thing chasing him would eventually catch up, but he saw no way across the chasm. On the opposite side, he saw his wife Denise and their son, Mason. They stood still and said nothing, and their faces were a complete blank. Gravestone turned and faced his pursuer, only to find that it was not one being, but all of his teammates. Everyone had been turned into a smiler.

He looked up at the canopy of trees, and saw Jack hanging from a denuded branch with one arm, as if he were a monkey. Jack only dangled there, slightly swinging back and forth while creepily singing, “One…two…three…four… five…”, but he would start over at “one” again when the count ended. As the spectres of his team closed in, wordlessly, Jack started the sequence again but slower, and his voice deepened. 

Gravestone could see that Reaper and Tex hung back, and Zero disappeared from sight. Looking to his right, he saw General Krell standing on his head. “I’ll have you court-martialed!” he thundered. The others came in closer, ever closer in one creepy unison motion, and when they finally lunged for him, Jack reached the next number. “Six!” Gravestone leapt backwards into the abyss, not knowing when he’d hit the ground, but he felt free and relieved as gravity pulled him down to the bottom. The dream ended before he touched it.

Gravestone pushed himself up to seated on the stone floor. He instinctively reached for the back of his head where he struck the pipe, expecting to find a gash, but instead, his fingers found nothing but hair and skin. In the dim light of the room, he could already see the changes in himself. The skin was discolored, his nails formed claws, and all his clothes were missing. His muscles were more defined, and his former ‘dad bod’ was more like it was twenty years ago. He remembered being surrounded by his team, and quickly put it together that he had been captured but had no memory after that.

Gravestone felt warm and moist, like he had been sweating, or perhaps swimming, and his skin felt alien to him. Most surprisingly, his rectum felt tender. He likened the feeling to when he had diarrhea for a solid - or liquid - three days straight, and was afraid to poop for the next week for the irritation.

His vision still blurry, he could make out a small red dot almost directly across from him. It would sometimes remain stationary, then move a little in a downward direction before coming back to center. Its glow occasionally brightened for a second, and then receded. He could smell something sharp - distinct and familiar, like something burning. The smell was sometimes offensive, and sometimes sweet and fragrant. Gravestone wondered what he was looking at until he heard a voice.

“Hey, Commander.” He knew it at once, and knew what he was seeing. Stag was smoking a cigarette right across from him. “Or should I say Sleeping Beauty?”

“S-Staaaag?” Gravestone asked with gravel in his voice and a slight slur. “I thought for suuuure you’d fucked off and left us.” He hacked up his usual morning phlegm, and spit it out to one side.

“Hey, don’t waste that. It’s good stuff, and we need it.”

Gravestone wiped his mouth with his hand, wondering what Stag was getting at, and why his spit just now was slimier than ever. “They got you, too, huh?”

Stag chuckled in a way that could only be described as cocky. “Nope, walked right into their nest. Well, our nest, now, I guess.” Stag took one more draw off his cigarette before stubbing it out. “They changed us into the beasts we were meant to be. I feel so good, and so ready to breed some more holes. Gotta get to full infection so I can reach my maximum potential.” He chuckled with what could only be pride and smugness.

Gravestone took stock of himself, and also Stag. Both men were physically changed almost beyond recognition in this light. Body fat drained away, replaced with hard muscle and bulging black veins beneath them. Eyes blackened, teeth sharpened, dicks bigger. Stag already had horns forming on top of his head, and his commander could see their protrusions. 

How fitting, Gravestone thought. Stag got his antlers. Horny bastard. He smiled inwardly at the dad joke. Then the gravity of his situation hit him.

Stag patiently waited while Gravestone adjusted to his new form, and simply sat across from him.  Gravestone looked at Stag with irritation. “Oh, you son of a bitch. I’d smack you one right now if I could completely see straight. If you had just stayed with the team, and done your damn job, soldier, we might be on the other side of this shit. Instead, you had to go and get your dick wet, and now we’re both infected. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

“Fucking proud. It hurt like a bitch at first, but once they started breeding me and the virus took over, it was a damn roller-coaster ride that never ended. I wish you could have been awake when they did it to you.” He laughed sardonically. “That was a great show.”

Gravestone looked at him with horror and disgust. He wanted to resist, to smash Stag’s face in for the situation that led to this, and for a dozen other offenses, but instead, just sat there blinking with perplexity and controlled rage. It became a silent, motionless duel between them as they each weighed the same possibilities: can one overpower the other? Will he try to kill me? Will we worsen and die? What can we do about this? How much am I willing to give up?

“If I get out of this, Stag, you’re a dead man.” 

“For what?” Stag asked innocently. “Having a little fun? ‘Deviating from the mission’? I hate to break it to you, Commander, but you’re no longer in charge.”

“Lieutenant, you got us turned into monsters!” He said the last word like it was a dirty word.

Stag gave him an expression of surprise. “Little ol’ me? Nah, that was the Alpha’s doing. We were just in his way. As for ‘monsters’, ha! Hardly. We’ve been… improved. Upgraded.”

The Alpha sauntered into view and stood between them. “Now, now, my pretties, I can’t have you fighting.” He turned to Gravestone, and seeing him at his feet, he hoisted him up with both hands. Gravestone felt repulsed by the touch of this… thing with its slimy hands and razor-sharp claws, but complied anyway. Best to see it face to face. When Gravestone stood to height with the Alpha, he looked into its eyes.

A black abyss there. And I see myself in it. The reflection took Gravestone’s breath away as he remembered falling into the abyss in his dream. Meanwhile, Stag remained seated behind the Alpha, whose ass was now in his face. Without hesitation or instruction, he placed both his hands on the Alpha’s hips, and tested out his new tongue by lapping the Alpha’s anus with it. The Alpha softly growled with approval, but did not take his eyes off Gravestone.

“I am the Alpha, your new master AND commander,” he said in a husky voice. “You will obey me.”

Something in Gravestone made him want to accept it, but his mind and instincts began to fight against this resistance. Internally, he was at war with himself. Then he decided. “Yes. I will obey.” In the corner of his mind, he was rebelling. Play along for now. He has the upper hand and you’re outnumbered. Don’t be stupid, Nathan.

The Alpha acknowledged the submission, but didn’t speak about the rebellious thought he read in Gravestone’s mind. He simply narrowed his eyes, and his lips formed a thin, flat line. This one will be tough to break. 

With that, the Alpha turned back to Stag, and also brought him to his feet. “You’re a ruthless one, and deviant as hell. But continue to smoke in my lair, and you won’t get any more seed from anyone. Understood?” Stag bowed his head to show deference, and said nothing. “Good. Don’t forget our deal, either.”

“Hey, do you mind? You guys are killing the vibe!”

Gravestone turned and looked toward the source of the voice. Sticks was glaring at him while Pixel was on his knees, sucking his thick boner. Pixel pulled the cock from his mouth, and turned toward the arguing trio. “Really, such serious talk at a time like this…” He then resumed nursing the massive cock, and looked up at Sticks with pleading, lustful eyes. 

Gravestone looked at Stag with astonishment. “That’s it? We’re all gay now?”

Stag smirked. “Gay as a picnic basket.” 

Gravestone put up both his hands. “I don’t want any part of this. I’m a married man. I don’t have a problem with homosexuality, but this isn’t my thing.”

The Alpha turned back to him. “You will be part of this. There is no escaping it. Suck your brother’s dick.” He indicated Stag with a tilt of his head, and his face was all seriousness. 

“Come on, Nathan, it’ll be fun!” Stag encouraged. “You’ll love it as much as I do!” He bared his newly-formed fangs in a wicked smile. 

“No,” Gravestone said, moving to a nearby corner. 

“Resisting won’t undo it, Gravestone,” the Alpha said in a threatening voice. “Oh, yes, I know all your code names. I know about Reaper, and Tex, and Zero too, and they’ll be joining our coterie before long. They can’t resist, and neither can you.”

“Fuck you, Alpha. You can go straight to hell,” Gravestone said defiantly. As he moved to his corner, he saw Patch being ravaged by a smiler so deeply infected that its skin was pitch black, and the horns on his head were massive like a ram in mating season. Patch looked like he was in pig heaven, and paid no attention to the quarrelling. Looking to his right, he could make out Lockjaw ramming his monster cock into another smiler. Of all the smilers, only this one was wearing any clothes. Gravestone took it to be a lab coat that had seen better days. He felt a twinge of remorse that his leadership failed all of his team.

“I gave you a gift, Gravestone,” the Alpha growled, his impatience rising. “And an order. Look how much fun your friends are having. It’ll feel so good, and you’ll never want to stop.”

“Eat shit off my balls and die, fucker,” Gravestone spat with as much venom as he could muster. “I’m not doing it.” Then something happened that Gravestone didn’t notice - he was slowly getting hard. The Alpha, however, detected it at once and grinned slightly.

“Hey now, Nathan, that sounds like you have a fetish you want to share with the group,” Stag said mockingly, grabbing his cock and shaking it at Gravestone.

“You may say that, but your body says differently,” the Alpha replied as he ignored Stag’s comment, pointing at Gravestone’s swelling member. Gravestone looked down at himself, and saw that he was, in fact, getting aroused. 

You would dare rise for this shit?, he silently demanded of his stiffening dick. But the size was impressive, and Gravestone struggled to control himself at this new development.

“Seems he needs some convincing, boss,” Stag said coercively. 

The Alpha exhaled quietly through his nostrils. He closed his blackened eyes, and raised both his fists before his face in concentration. After a moment, Gravestone suddenly felt compelled, and wordlessly came back to Stag, and got on his knees. Without thinking, he inhaled Stag’s thick ginger cock, and began to suck like his life depended on it.

The Alpha reopened his eyes, and lowered his fists, pleased. “Good. Don’t stop until he cums.”

Stag was visibly impressed by the Alpha’s will. So he has powers of mind-control as well, eh? I better watch myself, or he might make me do things that *I* disagree with. I need to find a way to get free, go wreak some havoc. Gravestone had no idea how to suck a dick, and was just slobbering all over. There was no instinct, and the Alpha wasn’t teaching him. 

The oral sex felt good, but not good enough. Stag let his commander get used to the sensation of sucking dick, and hoped carnal instinct would kick in. The Alpha roamed around the room, satisfied that all the new recruits were swapping their tainted loads, and infecting each other a little more deeply. 

Stag sensed that the Alpha’s thoughts were now elsewhere, and the tension of the room began to relax. He took hold of Gravestone in one handful of hair, and forced him to swallow him to the shaft. The tight throat gasped in surprise, and easily gave way to the intrusion. Stag slowly pulled out of Gravestone’s throat, and rammed back in, trying to teach him how to do this important task.

What have I been missing out on all these years? Gravestone wondered as Stag prepared his throat for more sexual assault. This is…mmph… great! He began to get a hunger for it, and greedily began to get into the spirit of the act. 

Stag’s mind wandered while Gravestone struggled with his first big cock. We can’t stay here. Someone will come looking for us. And I know just who I want to share this gift with. Stag’s lips formed an evil sneer. Oh, yes, that roided-up freak will get his just desserts for dumping me. His eyes began to dart around the room, looking for an exit of some kind that would take him back to the real world. But Gravestone’s laudable efforts were starting to cause a churning in Stag’s balls, and he would waste his first toxic load if he didn’t act.

Stag pulled his dick free from Gravestone’s slimy mouth, and let the man have some air. Gravestone only wiped his mouth with one hand, and looked up at his frenemy. “What? Why’d you stop? I was just getting good at this.”

Stag snorted. “No you weren’t. Bend over.” Gravestone stayed on his knees and faced the other way so his ass was exposed to Stag. The next thing he felt was a cool but sticky sensation on his hole. Stag was lubricating him with his spit. The act felt familiar, and he wondered, Is it like this when Denise and I have sex? Is this what she feels?

His train of thought was instantly cut short as the Alpha’s voice echoed in Gravestone’s head.

Forget her. Forget your god, your job, your home. This is your life now. Take his seed, and be one of us. You can’t go back.

Stag plunged his toxic dick into Gravestone’s willing hole, and fucked him mercilessly. Both men groaned for different reasons, and suddenly everything in life made sense to Gravestone. Yes, this is …oh my god… fuck yeah... I want this. The power is incredible. Ohhhhhhh don’t stop… 

The Alpha stood back, watching with immense pride and satisfaction. He sent a thought to Gravestone. Just wait until you get to breed a hole with this. You will love it. 

Stag thrust himself in and out, letting Gravestone feel the entire shaft and all the sensations. “I’ll show you how a real man fucks, commander.” Gravestone tensed up slightly at the sound of his military title. “Oh, you don’t like that, eh, commander? You’re my bitch now, and maybe you can go wait in a cushy … office with… the General if … you … can’t … handle that!” Stag’s breath came shorter and shorter in loud rasps as he felt himself near climax. 

In the corner, Sticks watched Stag’s short, hard thrusts in their commander’s ass, easily following suit as he did the same to Lockjaw. To their right, Pixel was draped over one of the smilers, its obscenely large cock deep inside his ass as another smiler slowly pushed into his already straining hole, the previous loads from other smilers dripping like oil on the ground. In an opposite corner, Patch was fucking the ass of one of the smilers, a large goonish smile plastered on his face as he slammed his much larger dick in the hole, his tainted load leaking into the smiler as another one plowed deep into his guts, making his dick dribble inside as he fucked and was fucked.

Stag suddenly let out a deep animalistic growl as he fully shot out a massive load in Gravestone, a pool of thick saliva dripping out of his mouth below as he reveled in the feeling of adding his own toxic brew into his commanding officer's ass. Momentarily spent, one of the smilers grabbed Stag, pulling him out of Gravestone, as it firmly seated itself inside the redheaded man. Throwing its head back, it gave a satisfied growl. “Fuck yeah, give me more…” he moaned, pushing himself back as he felt his cock begin to harden again.

The Alpha lounged in the corner as he watched his subjects continue to fuck with reckless abandon, his massive cock dripping an obscene amount of cum, almost tar-like in the low light of the room.

Finally shooting his load, Sticks let out his own growl, slowly feeling Lockjaw’s body as one of the smilers gently pulled him away from his lover. A different one took his place, shoving its cock hard and fast into Lockjaw, making him gasp in pain and pleasure. In an effort to console him, Sticks began to make out with him, the black veins in their necks sticking out against their now greyish skin.

“Fuck, you look so hot right now, babe,” Sticks said, his voice gravely as his cock still dripped with cum after his brutal assault on the bigger man’s ass.

The smiler that had pulled him out of Lockjaw’s ass now began to position him so that they could continue to lock lips, sharing in the pain of having their guts rearranged as the two smilers began to slam hard and fast, letting hormones and the virus fuel them.

Getting up, Gravestone cut to the front of the line, giving one of the smilers a wicked grin as he watched the latest one fucking Stag, who was now watching Pixel and Patch be swapped between one of the creatures, pumping a few times in one man, then pulling out and slamming into the other’s ass as each man nursed on a smiler’s cock.

Suddenly, Stag turned around with a surprised look of shock on his face as Gravestone slammed as hard as he could in Stag’s ass, his hole previously just being vacated by one of the smilers, a fresh load painting his guts. An evil smirk of satisfaction on the commander’s face as Stag gasped out in pain. His short, hard stabs made the skinnier man moan, as he breathlessly began to beg Gravestone for his load. His long, skillful strokes began to get ragged and less fluid, a sign that he was painfully close. The Alpha grinned, knowing that once the stoic commander shot in the man’s ass, he’d be fully gone, the need to spread the virus taking full hold.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting metallic scrape was heard from across the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked in the direction of the sound. The Alpha sniffed the air a couple of times, then let out a scream howl. 

“You! Go see what that was!” he ordered to an underling who wasn’t engaged in mating. The smiler, resentful that he was chosen to step out of the festivities, scowled, but it complied. The others resumed their activities, unconcerned for the interruption. 

Sticks began to moan as the smiler who was sucking him earlier was now engaged in fucking him senseless. The moans increased in volume, encouraging all the other smilers to increase their pace and fuck a little harder. A scream growl was heard in the distance, and the Alpha raised his head with alarm. Someone is here! Excellent, more fresh meat! 

He went to see for himself, and left the others to keep up their frenetic orgy. When the Alpha entered the next room, he found cardboard boxes scattered all around. Some were in pieces, and others were completely whole. He found the remains of a wall that someone had built, and what resembled a hole blown through the center of it. Beyond the hole was an opening, a shaft of light, and the form of his scout could be seen charging through it at top speed.

They escaped, the Alpha thought. Fuck! Then it dawned on him. And now… so can we! He rushed back to the orgy, and found that some of them had finished their breedings. Gravestone lay face down on the floor, ass in the air, looking comatose but relieved. Stag was cradling his spent cock with one hand, and supporting himself with the other on a wall. Sticks and Lockjaw were both on their backs, gasping for air with their eyes on the ceiling, having just finished shooting their own toxic loads. 

The Alpha looked at the assemblage of smilers, and exerted his aura to turn their attention to him. When he had it, he finally spoke. 

“We’re free. Whoever was here just now opened the door for us, and we will make a run for it.” The Alpha turned to Gravestone, and made sure he knew he was speaking to him. “We’re not staying. The rest of your team will try to mount a rescue, and they’ll kill us if they find us. Gather your men, and your possessions. We leave in five.” 

“Why?” Stag demanded. “We easily outnumber them, and have superior power. They —” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing this was the chance he needed to enact his plans. He lowered his head, and did not meet his stare. “Sorry, Alpha.”

“Speak out of turn again, Stag, and you will be,” the Alpha said reprovingly. “You’ll speak when spoken to.” Gravestone, who had just shot his load into Stag and was breathing heavily, couldn’t help but smirk. You’ll never learn, Stag. Seriously, no respect for protocol, even in this situation…

“Any of you still breeding may finish, but when you’re done, don’t stay. I know a place where we can hide out from the daylight,” the Alpha continued. “The sun will burn us, and this place is no longer an option. Your presence here, Gravestone, proves it. Be ready to go.”

With that, the Alpha and several smilers walked out of the room with him. A few stragglers remained to finish their reinfections. 

—-------

Helixion Genetics, exterior. 0530 MST. REDACTED location. 31-Oct-20XX.

Garrett let out a sigh of relief. The medvac team wheeled Beau away on the mobile stretcher, and thankfully he was still alive. They didn’t quite know what to do with him, or how to help him, but an unseen order from someone higher up instructed them to take him to isolation and quarantine. 

“Whoa, I need a shot of whisky after that!” Garrett exclaimed. He looked to the horizon. The sun will be up any minute. I can finally go home and wash the stink of this night off me. He looked back at Helixion building 3, and surmised that what he saw raping Beau was probably a lab animal. 

But what animal copulates with humans at will? Garrett figured there had to be more to it. It looked almost human, but… corrupted somehow. He looked up at the stars, which were already fading from view. What kind of lab is this??? What in God’s name were these scientists up to?

The air was suddenly quiet, the sort of quiet where the slightest noise would seem incredibly loud. The insects stopped chirping, and any birds still around in this season stopped their sunrise squawkings. Garrett was unnerved by the silence as he returned to his post. Then, without warning, a terrifying scream growl was heard from behind Building 3. 

Garrett rolled his eyes, the adrenaline kicking back in as he drew his weapon again. “What the hell is it this time?” He barely had time to turn around when he was suddenly overpowered by a swarm of creatures just like the one that had attacked Beau. Each had blackened or sickly grey skin, some bore horns and sizable claws, but all were naked, and all were coming after him. One or two of them were bundling up something, but Garrett hadn’t time to process what he was looking at.

“Whoa!” he shouted as the mass of unknown creatures descended on him. A couple of them spit on him as he fell, and their thick mucus missed his face. Another one of the creatures came nose to nose with him, and licked his face intensely. Garrett felt repulsed by the tongue, and then calmed down quite suddenly. He felt himself being hoisted by a few hands, and before he could completely register what was happening, he was being carried horizontally above their heads as they raced across the parking lot toward the trees en masse. The largest and blackest of the creatures was at the head of the pack, clearly leading them to some unknown location. 

Garrett dropped his weapon as the only evidence that he had been there. 

“Come, my beautiful creations!” the Alpha transmitted to his followers. “This world will be ours for the taking!” The army of infected creatures swiftly moved across the woods, following bike and jogging paths, never stopping, never hiding, and never speaking, their single-minded purpose driving them to find new shelter before daybreak. The trails were, miraculously, unoccupied, and the motley crew moved through the twilight swiftly and unobserved.

As the sunrise began, the Alpha held up a warning hand, and the team stopped in their tracks. He turned to them, saying, “We’re here. This will be our new base of operations.” He gave a grand gesture toward an immense building. Some of them recognized it as the old hospital, almost directly across from the newer and shinier one that had better facilities. 

“Get inside, quickly!” The scientists and soldiers rushed past him, still carrying a comatose Garrett above their heads. The Alpha looked upward at the building.

This is where it began. And this is where it will end. 

[pdmiller1172]

Oh fuck ya!!! I love it!!

[pdmiller1172]

Omfg! I couldn’t stop reading! This was so well written, and it had me hooked instantly! Would totally buy this if it was a gay movie with xxx sex scenes! This would basically be a blockbuster!!

[Anone]

What a fucking horny story and it makes me so hot and horny at what they do. Copulatating and converting new members into their clan under the Alpha and seizing every opportunity to have sex with their new enlarged cocks. Bring it pn and let the perversions continue. 

[Menbendovr]

Is a new chapter being posted today?

[kspozcum]

Chapter 16: Trapped Between Truths

Helixion Genetics, Main Quarantine Tent. Quarantine camp. REDACTED LOCATION 12:07 MST. 31-Oct-20XX

 

“General Krell, I’m truly sorry to interru-” the small, mousey looking man in a lab coat and glasses said, interrupting the General and Tex as they began the tour of the main Quarantine area. The large white tent was set up at the entrance of the newest building on the site, still under construction but having at least a secure shell, HVAC, and several holding areas for the labs..

 

“I am busy, Johnson,” Krell replied, an air of arrogance as he spoke.

 

“I’m sorry it's… it's just that Dr. Grant…” Tex watched the lab tech continue, clutching a clipboard to himself as if he could use it as a shield against the larger man. “He… we already sent a team out and he’s refusing to come in. Keeps saying he was fired and doesn’t answer to the company and…”

 

“God damn it!” Krell shouted, anger in his voice as he grabbed the man’s clipboard and threw it to the ground. 

 

Tex watched as the man lost his temper. He’s even worse in person than he was last night, he thought to himself. Raging dickhead doesn’t even cover it.

 

“I don't care if you have to take a team of armed soldiers over to that ungrateful bastard’s house and drag him out by gun point,” Krell continued, his thick finger shoved hard into the small man’s chest as his voice raised in volume. “Get over there and get him. NOW!”

 

The smaller man shook at the yell, turning around and running away, leaving his clipboard and rushing off. Tex had to get a message to his now partner in what likely was a dozen crimes to warn him… but how?

 

Suddenly, he got an idea and picked up the clipboard, before continuing to walk behind Krell as his tour continued. They stopped first at the hot lab, with a set of thick biohazard suits in the antechamber and several hose lines for air up in the ceiling.

 

“As you can see, we got the mobile BSL-2 lab set up and rolling while we wait for the CDC to coordinate with us on getting a…” Krell said, droning on as he showed the lab off. Tex stopped paying attention as he quickly pulled out the cheap plastic phone and began to type out a brief message to Elias, using the clipboard as cover.

 

“GET OUT NOW. Krell and his men are on the way to Grant as we speak – with guns,” Tex quickly typed out, thankful that years of texting girlfriends in the middle of class had finally paid off.

 

Tex realized with a start that they had been woefully unprepared for the mission the night before, given the massive amount of resources now available to them after their failed mission inside. Had something like this been available from the start for their team, he could help but wonder if they wouldn’t have been more successful and not currently sitting, infected, in the building they had entered the night before.

 

“Is there something more interesting on that phone than your job there, soldier,” Krell said, noticing as Tex slyly tried to put the phone back in his pocket.

 

Shit. Need to come up with a lie.

 

“Sorry, General, you know how women can be. Girlfriend is sending a list of things she wants from the store and I had to tell her I’m at work,” Tex lied smoothly, hoping it would be enough.

 

“You can tell her later you won’t be coming home for a few days,” Krell said coldly, apparently buying the story on the spot. “I’m going to need you focused as we go into the containment area.”

 

Nodding, he followed Krell through the next set of tent flaps. When he looked at what was inside, his blood ran cold.

 

—--------

Grant Residence. 12:15 MST. 31 Oct 20XX. REDACTED LOCATION.

The quiet suburban neighborhood was calm, as one or two neighbors drove by the wide, tree shaded street. Hundreds of red and orange leaves littered the street, floating around in a swirl as each passing car drove by.

 

Elias sat parked in Trevor’s borrowed car, his hands still clenching the steering wheel as he tried to process the news his husband had given him at the hospital not even two hours prior. He replayed it over and over again, each time leaving him in confusion. It simply didn’t make sense.

 

P24 HIV PROTEIN: REACTIVE.

 

The words played on an endless loop as he struggled to process how he was infected. 

 

Clenching the leather-clad wheel even harder, he could hear the leather and cushioning begin to creak, instantly causing him to release where he was grabbing. In the wake of his hands were two separate sets of very distinct finger marks, not disappearing after he let go.

 

Looking down at his hands, Elias stared in disbelief. How hard am I gripping to be able to do that?

 

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he decided to get out of the car, quickly crossing the street and towards Dr. Clark Grant’s home. It stuck out like a sore thumb, with its overgrown yard covered in leaves and piles of newspapers, an overflowing mailbox, and a dusty looking, albeit expensive SUV in the driveway, looking like it hadn’t been driven in quite a number of days. All the other houses around them were extremely well kept, with their perfectly manicured lawns and various Halloween decorations, ready for the coming night of fun.

 

At first, Elias thought maybe he had made a mistake coming here. That maybe Clark Grant was out of the country, or that maybe he had got the address from Trevor wrong. Hesitantly, Elias walked up the leaf-littered path and onto the sprawling covered porch. The boards creaked under his feet, and Elias observed the peeling of the paint. Evidently, the place hasn’t been cared for in a while.

 

He rang the doorbell and waited a solid minute before the door finally swung open.

 

Before him, the sweaty and pale-looking form of Dr. Clark Grant stood, a tired and annoyed look on his face as if being interrupted during something. Elias took in his features. Dark wavy hair, unkempt and sticking up at odd angles, glasses balanced on his nose, with dark bags under his eyes. His skin was pale and sweaty, looking like someone who had a terrible case of the flu.

 

There was a scowl on Dr. Grant’s face, as he brought his elbow up to his arm and coughed wetly several times, almost as if to drive the point home at his state of unwellness. He was wearing a loose white shirt, the look of an old coffee stain on the bottom hem and loose pajama bottoms, with chickens and eggs patterned on them. A loose rumpled looking robe was hanging untied around his frame.

 

Grant looked up and down at Elias before he finally spoke, his cultured voice gravelly as he spoke, sounding annoyed and exhausted. “Look, like I told you the last time, I am sick with the flu and have no intention of going back to that lab. Tell General Krell that it no longer was my problem when Johnathan Blaine fired me 4 days ago. If Krell wants someone to help him with this little issue of his, he should be reaching out to the ringleader himself.”

 

The way Dr. Grant said Jack’s full name gave Elias the distinct impression of nothing but hate and disgust towards the man. Quickly, Elias reached out, holding his hand up to shake Grant’s hand.

 

“Sir, I’m Hudson King. General Krell only sent me here with some questions.”

 

Dr. Grant stared at Elias’s hand for a long moment. At first he could swear the man was looking at where the scar was on his arm where the smiler had sliced into it, before it almost magically healed overnight. Finally, he spoke, breaking Elias out of his brief moment of thought.

 

“You’ll be remiss of me if I don't spread more of my germs.” Dr. Grant slowly started to close the door as he continued speaking. “You can tell the General Kr-”

 

Elias quickly put his foot in the way, before giving a brief fake smile on his face.

 

“Please Dr. Grant, I promise to only take up a few minutes of your time. You know how the General can be if he doesn’t get his way.” Elias hoped that his reading of the situation was accurate and that the doctor knew Krell in such a way. Watching as the sick and frazzled man glared at him for a second, before giving a resigned sigh and opening the door, he felt a wave of satisfaction at guessing correctly.

 

A sudden ding on his burner phone had Elias taking a quick look. “GET OUT NOW. Krell and his men are on the way to Grant as we speak – with guns.”

 

Fuck! Elias thought to himself, realizing he now had a very short timeframe to get his information. Doing the mental math, he figured he only had at most 10 minutes before he needed to leave, in order to keep from being caught in the middle of the shitstorm about to hit.

 

Keeping his cool, he followed Dr. Grant into the dimly lit house, noticing the disarray of the outside also matched the inside. A discarded pillow and large blanket lay strewed on the couch, a pile of haphazardly laid bills on the table and laptop closed sitting next to them. Several empty coffee mugs, some empty and others with only a small amount in them were set about the living room. The air even had an almost dustiness to it. Underneath he could see the signs of great care and pride to the interior design of the space lying covered by the stifling layer of someone who clearly had given up.

 

“Make yourself comfortable, I guess,” the man said, before leaving the room. Elias slowly walked around the room, looking at the various photos on the wall of Dr. Grant and another person in places all over the world, smiling faces beaming at the camera. The final one, however, of them sitting at some beach resort together had a massive crack down the center, with various lines shooting off of it as if it had been thrown down to the ground in a fit of rage.

 

Finally he returned, carrying a bottle of cold water, taking a few sips of it.

 

“Okay… tell me what was so important that you had to come here instead of calling me.” He asked, his voice tired as he spoke. “Between you and the other group of lackeys Krell has sent, I’m about to call the police and put in a harassment complaint.”

 

Elias needed to handle this carefully if he were to get any valuable information from Dr. Grant. “Excuse my intrusion, I thought a face-to-face meeting would be more respectful, and I could better understand the situation if we sat and talked.” Elias began to gently lower himself into a chair.

 

Dr. Grant impatiently said, “How dare you presume to sit in my house before I invite you?” Elias shot back up to full height at once and stepped away from the chair. “Can’t you see I’m sick? I’ve had this blasted cold for a couple weeks now, and still I went to the labs to work on the project until that sonofabitch fired me. He’s had it in for me for ages, and now that I don’t work there anymore, suddenly I’m needed?”

 

Elias didn’t know how to react to this exposition dump from a virtual stranger. “I… I’m not here to drag you back. I just want to talk.”

 

Dr. Grant looked away, slightly shaking his head, and taking another sip of water. “I worked so hard on the project, and as soon as he got what he wanted —” Dr. Grant swatted at the air midsentence. “POW! Canned.”

 

The project? Elias wondered. We walked into his project? 

 

“Yeah, you and your team sure stepped in it…” Dr. Grant muttered under his breath. Then he said aloud, “You know I have a suit filed against the company, right? They refused me bereavement leave when my husband died, and —”

 

Elias held up a hand. “I’m not here about your separation from the company.” He could see Dr. Grant was visibly sweating, but said nothing about it.

 

“Then why the hell are you here, Hudson King?” The way Dr. Grant said the fake name implied that he knew it was bogus. “Ask your damn nosy questions so I can go back to what I was doing,” Dr. Grant said hotly.

 

“What was your role in the project?” Elias asked evenly.

 

Dr. Grant gave him a puzzled look. “Don’t you know?” He looked away and smirked slightly. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.”

 

What an odd thing to say, Elias thought. “Krell hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about the details,” Elias said. “All I personally know is that something got loose, people are in quarantine, and there’s a big camp set up in the parking lot. Everyone’s pretty tight-lipped about it over there, but I can’t help anyone if I don’t know what happened. The project you mentioned –” 

 

“Is above your pay grade, Mr. King. We study genetics. I signed a non-disclosure agreement. If you want to know, ask Blaine. He’s the mastermind of it all. Next question?”

 

“Why did Jack fire you?”

 

Dr. Grant stepped over to the window, and stared out. “He’s had it in for me for a while. He’s a homophobe, and a total prick, and just because his dad’s the CEO, he walks all over people and gets away with it. I filed a suit against the company for workplace discrimination and sexual harassment, and his response was to fire me. So I’m adding wrongful termination to the list as well.”

 

Elias’s memories of Jack the previous night only confirmed Dr. Grant’s accusations. “You said ‘sexual harassment’. Did he come on to you?”

 

Dr. Grant whipped around, and gave Elias a pointed stare. “He’s a gay-basher, as I’m quite sure you know already. Don’t waste my time with dumb questions.”

 

Elias was slowly getting frustrated with the lack of progress in the conversation. Any minute, Krell’s people could show up and find him in a place he shouldn’t be. 

 

“Did you set up any sort of anti-viral countermeasures?” Elias asked quickly.

 

“Ask Johnathan Blaine,” the doctor repeated as he also became frustrated through the repetition. “You know, Krell should already have this information, because he keeps such thorough research notes.” Dr. Grant rolled his eyes hugely as he drew out the vowels to show sarcasm.

 

This is going nowhere fast. Before Elias answered, he took another look around the room and at the photos on the wall. He decided on the sympathetic approach. “This man. You loved him, didn’t you. See, I’m recently married myself. His name is —” Elias stopped suddenly, realizing that giving his husband’s actual name could blow his cover. He decided on the first T-name that came to mind. “T-Todd. He’s the sweetest —”

 

“Liar,” Dr. Grant said angrily. “His name isn’t Todd, and I want you out of my house this instant.”

 

Elias sensed the danger gathering, and knowing Krell’s goons could appear any minute, he chose to comply. “All right. Sorry if I upset you,” he said with resignation. Elias moved swiftly to the front door.

 

“Damn right you did,” Dr. Grant said while following Elias to the door. “I remember your face from the funeral, and I don’t appreciate this line of questioning. I’m sorry about your team, but my hands are clearly tied by your boss. You should already know what’s going on. And please, Hudson was it? Give Doctor Bingham – I mean, Doctor Kade – my regards.”

 

Shit, he knows. Elias forgot to breathe as he realized his cover was blown from the get-go.

 

Making it clear that his guest was unwelcome, Dr. Grant picked up the leaf broom by the door, and shook it in Elias’s direction. “I don’t want to see you again.” Elias showed himself out, and the door slammed behind him. He was back on the porch, blinking in the midday sunlight with almost no more information than he had when he arrived. The sunlight was uncomfortably harsh, and Elias squinted against it.

 

Elias calmly but quickly went back to his car, and quickly got inside. When the door was closed, he sat there, processing what just happened. Resting his head against the steering wheel, he closed his eyes and sighed with relief that he got out before Krell’s team showed up. “Fuck, he knows who I am.” Elias raised his head, and sat blinking, wondering what it all meant. “And how the hell does he know about my team? I never told him about that…” He sighed softly as he found the keys, and prepared to start the car’s ignition. Then he remembered the text from Tex. 

 

No. Stay here, and see what happens. Elias left the keys in the ignition and waited for Krell’s men to show up. Before two minutes passed, an unassuming car came from the horizon, and parked far enough away from him that Elias could only see movement. Three men - one in a dark suit, and two in military gear, and all wearing dark sunglasses - marched up to Dr. Grant’s house. Elias watched with interest, but tried to remain inconspicuous. He couldn’t hear any words between them and Dr. Grant except for the occasional indistinct shouting, and before long, Dr. Grant was drawn from the dilapidated house. His clothing had not changed, and he walked to the car the men came in, followed closely by them. One clearly had a pistol in his hand, and was doing his best to keep it concealed from prying eyes and nosy neighbors. Dr. Grant didn't look too happy with this latest interruption to his morning.

 

All four of them climbed into the non-descript vehicle, and drove back the way they came. Elias pulled out his phone, and sent a swift reply to Tex.

 

“They took Dr. Grant. Got out before they arrived. They’re coming back now. I’m going back home.”

 

For a moment, Elias just looked at Dr. Grant’s despoiled house, and wondered if the doctor had brought any research home with him. Given the haste with which they left, Elias considered the possibility of reentering the house and performing a search, but he didn’t know what he would be looking for. No, can’t do that. With my luck so far these past twenty-four hours, a neighbor would see me breaking in and call the police. That should be our last resort.

 

With that decided, Elias put the key into the car’s ignition, and turned it.

 

—--------- 

Helixion Genetics, Main Quarantine Tent. Quarantine camp. REDACTED LOCATION 12:12 MST. 31-Oct-20XX

 

The building smelled heavily of plastic and disinfectant and sterilized air. An endless symphony of beeps and whirs from the medical equipment. Before Tex stood four massive glass chambers, each tall enough for a person to stand fully upright and have room to spare. Each one was occupied by a man strapped to a steeply-inclined exam table, a multitude of tubes and wires and monitors, and still leaving enough space for a second body to walk all the way around him. It was something straight out of a science-fiction movie. Tex never expected to see this with his own eyes.

 

“Here we have three men and a specimen who were taken into custody last night,” Krell said calmly with a grand sweeping gesture. He was clearly proud of his captures. “These are the only subjects we found so far inside Building 3. Take a look.”

 

In silent disbelief, Tex slowly approached the first chamber on the left. A middle-aged man in standard police gear was asleep on his table, though his incline was lower than the others. He didn’t recognize the man, but took him for building security, perhaps a Rent-a-Cop. Tex observed a printout of a single page attached to a clipboard on the exterior of the tube, and took it, reading silently. “Beaufort Oglethorpe Cosgrove”. Tex did a double-take as he read the absurd name. His parents must’ve hated him to give him a name like that. We’ll just call him Bo. B.O. Then Tex grinned slightly. B.O.C. Boc-Boc. He visualized a chicken on a farm somewhere, and tried not to laugh.

 

Distracted by his joke, Tex couldn’t really focus on the man’s medical numbers. They blurred together on the page, reading but not comprehending or retaining any information beyond BOC-BOC. He put the file back in the slot, and as he moved to the next, he noticed Krell had left him by himself. Well. That’s lucky. Who else do we have here? 

 

Tex moved to the next chamber in the row, and was hardly surprised to see Jack. Good, they caught the little fucker. He’s the reason we lost Gravestone last night. Before Tex’s anger could fully reach the surface, another thought intruded. He’s also the reason you got out last night. It could have been ME in here if we hadn’t got out.

 

As Tex came closer to the chamber, Jack raised his head, and tried to wrestle free from his restraints. “It's you!” Jack shouted. “You gotta get me out of here! I don't belong here! I didn't do anything wrong! Please get me out! PLEASE! I swear I'll be good!!” 

 

The soldier standing next to the glass slammed his hand on the glass several times, causing Jack to jump at the sound. “Hey, Crazy! Keep it down in there already!”

 

Shocked, Tex’s mind raced as he tried to think of an excuse to explain away sudden outburst from Jack. Thankfully, he needn’t bother.

 

“Don’t mind him… crazy fucker in there has been saying that to everyone he sees,” the nameless soldier said lazily.

 

“I'm not crazy!” Jack wailed. “You saw what they did, and now you're here, and I'm here, and we have to go! Please don't let them hurt me!” Jack continued struggling, but his leather restraints held fast. Jack wasn't going anywhere until someone decided to release him. “Don't let them spit on me anymore, I can't stand it…” Jack began to sob. Tex felt a touch of sympathy for the man, but knew he couldn't let Jack out of his confines. A machine beeped, and Jack slowly became sedated and said no more.

 

Tex shook his head, but filed this information away in the appropriate place. The next one contained one of the smilers. He, too, was strapped to a table, and asleep, but fully upright. Seeing one of these things in the light was unsettling, and it brought back the memories of watching a rape on the security monitors, and one of these beasts striking Gravestone and scratching Elias. 

 

Tex wished he could bring his shotgun to the camp so he could blow out the brains of these abominations. I’d sure like to show them how we handle varmits like these in Texas. They are clearly studying it. I wonder who this was before. 

 

Finally, he came to the last chamber. 

 

Inside, also strapped down like the others, was none other than Zero, stripped down to his underwear. And he looked rather unwell - his skin was splotchy, small rashes had broken out in various places, and his head lolled curiously to one side. His breathing was ragged, and he was covered in a sharp sheen of sweat. His mouth looked slightly deformed, as if he were wearing an oversized mouthguard to keep him from biting his tongue. Zero had always been a small, nimble-looking man, and Tex showered with him on a couple occasions on base, but Zero's figure never resembled one of an elite gymnast. So Tex was in shock for at least two reasons when he realized that his comrade had developed significantly since three weeks ago. Zero’s abs were tight, his arms and torso muscles all perfectly rounded, showcasing him in the best shape of his life. The size difference was pronounced all the more by the presence of solid muscle pushing his veins to their absolute surface all across his body in a bizarre roadmap. Zero looked directly at Tex, but his mind wasn't processing it.

 

Damn, they got him, too. I don't know which fate is worse - this, or capture by the monsters. Why's he so… big all of a sudden?

 

When his presence didn’t get any kind of visual response, Tex came as close to Zero as the glass wall would allow, hoping for some kind of reaction. Zero continued his glassy-eyed stare as Tex returned his gaze helplessly.  As Tex observed the setup, his heart sank. Sweet Jesus, what have they done to him…

 

Tex glanced over at the nameless soldier by Jack’s chamber - from the angle between his position and Tex’s, there was no way the soldier could see what Tex was about to do unless he moved from his position. He stepped back from the glass, and took out his phone, flipping it to record as he silently hoped that the camera’s quality would be good enough to record evidence. He slowly walked, pretending to send a text as he walked, letting the camera then pan to the smiler in the other chamber. He got several seconds of footage and pocketed the device before Krell could return and catch him in the act.

 

Zero slowly turned his head, and blinked gently at Tex. There. A flash of recognition.

 

“You… he injected me. He did this—” Zero said softly. Tex looked back as Zero looked in the direction of where Krell went. Giving Zero the barest of nods, he watched as Zero’s head lolled back.

 

Suddenly, alarms went off as Zero began to seize and spasm on his table. His eyes bulged as he fought against the restraints. His heart rate jumped and the machines began to beep faster in a panic. An alarm went off somewhere inside the chamber. Tex inhaled sharply as he watched his friend suffer a violent seizure. Zero succeeded in tearing one of his straps, and as he did so, Krell and some medics rushed into the room. The medics ran to the chamber, and unlocking it, they stepped inside and began assisting Zero. One of them drew a curtain across the glass, blocking Tex’s view of their proceedings.

 

“What the hell happened?” Krell demanded of Tex.

 

“I – I – I don’t know,” Tex stammered. “One minute he was fine, and the next, he had a seizure. What’s wrong with him?”

 

“Did you approach the subject?” Krell asked accusingly.

 

“No,” Tex said, casting his eyes on the floor while he heard the noise of Zero’s chamber continue. “I was … just coming to look for you. Where did you go?”

 

“None of your concern.” Krell’s lips twisted into a snarl. “If you disturb the subjects, you could find yourself joining them if you’re not careful.”

 

Tex returned his gaze to Zero’s chamber. The noise slowly began to settle down, and the curtain was drawn back. Tex could see that Zero’s table was now lowered to an even plane, and his restraints replaced. One of the medics emerged from the room, wearing a protective mask, and she approached Krell. 

 

“Patient’s stable again,” she said lightly. “They’re starting an IV to keep him sedated while he undergoes the trans –”

 

“Thank you, Miss Vega, that will be all,” Krell interrupted in a loud voice so Tex would miss what else she said. “Is he ready for another dose?”

 

“Yes, General.”

 

“Good. Don’t let this happen again.”

 

The other medics came out of the chamber, all wearing protective facial gear. Tex could not make out any distinctive features of them beyond their skin tone and hair colors. Turning back to Tex, Krell said, “These specimens are very important to understanding what happened here last night, Lieutenant Vahn. For your own safety, you are not to interact with them unless I give you orders to do so. Understood?”

 

“Yes, sir,” Tex answered quietly. 

 

“Miss Vega, will you take the lieutenant here to his work station?” She didn’t answer, but motioned for Tex to follow her. Tex took one more look back at Zero.

 

I’ll do what I can to help him. He is our best witness to the General’s laundry list of crimes against humanity here. Tex followed the other medics out of the tent, and Krell walked back to Zero’s chamber. He pressed a few buttons, unlocked it, and stepped inside. Zero stared up at the ceiling, seeing nothing, and hearing nothing. Krell walked around him completely, and came to a standing medical table. He removed a small bottle from his pocket, and finding a syringe, loaded it up with the chemical inside the bottle. 

 

When the dose was measured correctly, Krell walked back around to Zero, and inserted the needle in the IV. The compound was injected slowly until the syringe was empty. Satisfied, Krell withdrew the needle, capped it, and pocketed it with the tiny bottle. He leaned down so only Zero could hear him, if he was aware at all.

 

“Thank you for doing this service for your country.” Krell stood back up, adjusted his tie, and calmly walked out of the tent.