A bio-engineered fungus designed for cognitive enhancement mutates into a parasitic hive mind, consuming humanity and forcing a small group of survivors to fight for their existence against an evolving, intelligent enemy.
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We wanted to fix the future. The first
sign was the silence. No bird song, no
hum of traffic, no background static of
civilization, just stillness, unnatural
and absolute.
Dr. Janice Tarlo didn't know what she
was hearing until the sound of her own
heartbeat filled her ears. She stood
alone in the observation chamber, the
glass window fogging from her breath as
she stared into the containment unit beyond.
beyond.
Subject Theta 9 had stopped moving. It
had been twitching for hours, limbs
jerking in unnatural rhythm, mouth
working around words that didn't make
sense. Now it stood perfectly still,
eyes wide open, locked on her. The
mycelium threads that once webbed across
its skin were gone, drawn inward,
pulsing beneath the surface like
something alive was waiting for a cue.
Janice tapped the intercom.
Dr. Ror, the subjects entered a dormant
state again. No movement for 5 minutes.
Neural scans.
A burst of static. Then a voice,
panicked and breathless.
Janice, it's not dormant. It's listening.
listening.
She turned back to the window just in
time to see subject Theta 9 smile. Then
the alarms screamed, "Containment breach."
breach."
The hallway outside erupted in red light
and sirens. Screams followed, wet,
guttural, cut short before they reached
a second syllable. Doors slammed shut.
Emergency seals hissed into place. The
entire lower level went into lockdown.
But it was already too late. The spores
had spread.
They thought they were building
salvation, a cognitive enhancing biotech
fungus designed to elevate the human
mind, link thoughts, erase loneliness,
cure rage, funded in secret, grown in isolation,
isolation,
modified to integrate with the nervous system.
system.
What they created was something else.
The fungus didn't evolve. It adapted.
Merged with a dormant pathogen from the
deep freeze. Learned from its hosts,
took their knowledge, their language,
their instincts,
and it remembered.
One by one, the scientists stopped
resisting. Some screamed, some wept, and
some smiled before they were consumed.
Months later, as cities burned and
governments crumbled, a single signal
echoed through the airwaves.
a voice twisted, fractured, many, but
speaking as one. Your time ends and we begin.
Elias Carter adjusted the straps of his
gas mask as he crept through the
skeletal remains of what had once been a
research facility.
The air was thick with the scent of
decay and something worse, a fungal musk
that clung to the walls like old memories.
memories.
The glow of his flashlight cut through
the darkness, illuminating curling
tendrils of pale mcelium creeping along
the floor, pulsing faintly like veins
beneath diseased skin.
"Stay close," he whispered, his voice
barely audible through the mask's filter.
filter.
Lena Vasquez followed just behind him,
her own mask fogging slightly with every
breath. She clutched a notepad, hastily
scribbling observations on the fungal
growth patterns. Unlike Elias, her fear
was tempered by fascination.
"It's expanding," she murmured. "These
formations, they're thicker than they
should be. It's as if they're listening."
listening."
Dax Mitchell, the group lead, let out a
low grunt as he scanned the hallways
with his rifle. I don't like this place.
feels wrong, like something's watching.
Elias knew better than to dismiss that
feeling. He had spent years in places
like this. Laboratories that had once
held the promise of breakthroughs, now
reduced to tombs for their creators. But
this facility, buried beneath layers of
collapsed concrete and rusting steel,
was different.
This was where it had started. The
harvester virus, the beginning of the
end. Harper Lee, their resident tech
expert, knelt beside a broken terminal,
running gloved fingers along its cracked
screen. Power's dead, but maybe the hard
drives are salvageable. If I can get
these back to Outpost Zero, we might
learn something.
Elias was about to respond when a
distant sound made his blood run cold. A
wet, organic rustling, like a thousand
whispering voices trapped beneath the
walls. Then came the tapping.
A slow, deliberate rhythm against the
metal pipes echoing from deep within the facility.
facility.
Lena stiffened.
They're communicating.
Dax raised his rifle. Or a warning.
The tapping grew louder, more insistent,
and then from the corridor ahead, a
figure stepped into the flashlight's
beam. At first, it looked human, its
frame gaunt, but intact, dressed in the
tattered remains of a lab coat. But as
it turned toward them, its face twisted
in an unnatural grin, its lips moving in
a mimicry of speech. "Help me," it
whispered. But the voice was wrong,
hollow, layered. Elias swallowed hard.
This wasn't a survivor. This was a
harvester, and it had been waiting for
them. Descent into darkness.
The harvester moved first, its body
jerked unnaturally, muscles twitching
beneath palid veined skin. The grin on
its face never wavered as it lunged
forward, moving faster than any corpse
had the right to. Elias barely had time
to react before Dax raised his rifle and fired.
fired.
The shot echoed through the corridor,
deafening in the confined space. The
harvester's head snapped back. A burst
of dark coagulated blood spraying the
walls. It collapsed to the ground,
convulsing, twitching, shifting. "Then
impossibly, it started pulling itself up again."
again."
"Not possible," Dax muttered, already
lining up another shot. "No,"
Lena shoved his rifle barrel downward.
Shooting won't stop it. Not like that.
The harvester's lips moved, a whisper
escaping its throat, layered and broken.
Help me. The words came from its mouth,
but the voice came from somewhere
deeper, somewhere wrong.
Harper was already on her knees at the
broken terminal, typing frantically,
"I think I can override the security
lockdown. Buy us time to get out of
here. Just keep that thing away from me.
The harvester stopped mid-motion, its
body trembling. Then the tapping began
again, this time all around them.
Elias's heart pounded. There's more. The
pipes shuddered. A wet organic rustling
filled the air as shadows moved in the
corridors beyond their flashlights. The
hive had heard them.
Move now. Elias barked, grabbing Lena's
arm and pulling her down the hallway.
Dax covered their retreat, firing
controlled bursts at the shifting
figures in the darkness. We have to go
deeper, Elias said through clenched
teeth. We find another exit or we die up
here. Lena barely kept up, her mind racing.
racing.
Elias, we need to understand what
they're doing. Why didn't that thing die?
die?
They're evolving.
We not the time, Lena. Harper snapped,
her fingers flying over a wristmounted interface.
interface.
I've got a partial map. There's an
elevator shaft ahead. If we can reach
the lower levels, we might lose them. Or
trap ourselves, Dax growled. Better than
dying here.
Elias pushed forward, leading them into
a larger chamber. Rusted railings lined
the edge of a yawning elevator shaft.
The cables long since snapped, leaving
nothing but a black abyss below. Lena
peered over the edge, swallowing hard.
How far down? No idea, Elias admitted.
He turned to Harper. Is there any power
to the emergency ladder system? Harper
scanned her screen. Negative. Looks like
manual descent. Hope nobody's scared of heights.
heights.
Dax threw a glow stick into the
darkness. It fell for what felt like
forever before clattering onto a
platform far below. A distant shrill
whale echoed up the shaft. Lena turned pale.
pale.
That wasn't human. Elias grabbed the
nearest rope. Then let's not keep it
waiting. And with that, he jumped,
vanishing into the abyss below. The
others had no choice but to follow.
Elias's boots slammed onto the metal
platform, his knees bending to absorb
the impact. The others followed in quick
succession. Harper landed with a grunt,
Lena with surprising grace, and Dax with
a heavy thud. The glow stick from above
cast eerie green light across the rusted
steel floor, barely illuminating the
cavernous space around them. "Where the
hell are we?" Dax muttered, rifle raised
as he scanned the shadows.
Lena adjusted her glasses, her breath
shallow. Judging by the structural
layout, we're in the lower research
levels. This is where they did the real
experiments, the ones they buried.
Great, Harper groaned. So, we just
dropped into a nightmare.
Elias steadied himself, forcing a calm
he didn't quite feel. We need to find
another exit. Harper, check for power.
Lena, see if you can find any research
logs. Dax.
A sound cut him off. A wet, slithering
noise. Close.
The team froze as something shifted in
the darkness beyond the glow stick's
reach. A faint clicking echoed through
the chamber like bone against metal.
Then the breathing started. Slow rasping
inhalations coming from multiple
directions. Dax raised his rifle. Tell
me that's not what I think it is. Lena's
voice was barely a whisper. They're here.
here.
A figure emerged from the darkness, but
this one was different from the
harvester above. Its body was partially
fused to the wall. Strands of thick
fungal tissue binding its arms like a
grotesque marionette. The glow stick's
dim light caught the reflection of too
many eyes. Some human, some not.
not.
It inhaled sharply. Then it screamed.
The walls around them erupted.
Harvesters poured from the recesses,
their movements erratic, inhuman. Some
still wore the remnants of lab coats,
their flesh interwoven with the growing
biomass of the facility. Others
skittered along the walls like insects,
their limbs jerking at unnatural angles.
Elias fired first, his bullets tearing
through one's chest, but it barely staggered.
staggered.
Dax followed with a headsh shot,
dropping another, but for each one they
took down, more came. "Move!" Elias
shouted, pushing Lena forward. "Find a
way out!"
Harper frantically scanned her wrist
interface. "There's a security door
about 50 m to our left. If there's still
backup power, I can get it open." "Then
run!" Dax yelled, unloading a spray of
bullets before turning to follow."
Lena's mind raced as they ran, her
instincts battling her scientists
curiosity. The harvesters weren't just
attacking. They were moving with
purpose, like a unit, like a hive.
As they neared the security door, the
corridor behind them filled with an
inhuman screeching. Elias turned back in
time to see something massive moving in
the dark, a shape too large, too fast.
"Harper, now would be a good time!"
Elias shouted. "Almost there!" Harper's
fingers flew across the panel. Come on.
Come on. A heavy thud shook the ground
behind them. The massive form
stepped into the faint glow of their
lights, revealing a grotesque
amalgamation of bodies fused together
into a singular writhing mass, faces
contorted in silent screams, their
mouths forming words they no longer understood.
understood.
"Open the damn door," Dax roared. With a
final beep, the panel flashed green. The
security door groaned to life. Metal
grinding against metal.
Go. Elias shoved Lena through first,
followed by Harper and Dax. As he turned
to follow, something cold and slimy
wrapped around his ankle. He fell hard,
his flashlight skidding across the
floor. The massive creature loomed over
him, dozens of mouths opening in unison
to whisper, "Stay with us!" Elias kicked
free and rolled through the door just as
it slammed shut behind him. Darkness
enveloped them once more, but the
whispers didn't stop. They were already
inside. Whispers in the darkness.
The door slammed shut behind them,
sealing the team in near complete
darkness. Only the glow of Harper's
wrist interface cast faint, flickering
light against the walls. Their breathing
was heavy, ragged, the echoes bouncing
eerily in the confined space. Elias
pressed his back against the cold metal
door, heart hammering. On the other
side, something scraped at the steel. A
slow, deliberate sound, like claws
testing for weakness.
We're not safe here, Dax growled,
flipping the safety off his rifle. We
weren't safe anywhere, Harper shot back,
furiously scanning the map on her
screen. But this section wasn't supposed
to have any active harvesters.
Something's wrong. Lena kneled beside
Elias, her fingers brushing his arm.
You all right? Her voice was softer than usual.
usual.
Yeah, he muttered, shaking off the
feeling of those hands. No, those mouths
grasping at him. But I'm starting to
think we just walked into something worse.
worse.
The room was large but cluttered, filled
with overturned desks, shattered glass,
and decomposed bodies still strapped to
medical gurnies. Monitors lined the far
wall, cracked, but not completely dead.
Flickering images distorted across their
surfaces, showing brief glimpses of
archived security footage, and then a
voice crackled through the static. If
someone is seeing this, then God help you.
you.
The team spun toward the sound. One of
the monitors sputtered, showing the
grainy image of a scientist. His lab
coat stained with something dark. His
eyes were wild, darting over his
shoulder as if something lurked just
beyond view. This is Dr. Adrien Kesler,
lead researcher of the Harvester
program," the recording continued. "If
you're watching this, then the
facility's containment has failed. You
need to leave now." "No kidding," Dax
muttered, his eyes fixed on the screen.
"You don't understand," Kesler's voice
turned desperate. It's not just
infection, it's integration. The virus
doesn't just consume the body, it
preserves the mind. Every harvester
we've encountered, they remember, they
think, and worst of all. A wet crunch
echoed through the speakers, followed by
a blood curdling scream.
The screen cut to black.
Silence. Then, Lena whispered, "They're
still aware."
Harper's hands trembled over the
keyboard. That means every single one of
them. They know what they are.
Elias exhaled sharply.
That's why they spoke. That's why
they're coordinated. They're not just
acting on instinct.
A faint noise made them all freeze. It
wasn't the scratching on the door. It
was inside the room.
A gurnie shifted, then another. The
corpses strapped to them twitched. One
of them turned its head. Dried lips
parted, revealing teeth stained black
with rot. It wasn't snarling. It wasn't
growling. It was smiling.
"You heard him," it rasped, its voice
layered with something deeper, something unnatural.
unnatural.
"You should leave."
Then every corpse in the room sat up at
once and the lights went out.
Escape and extraction.
The room erupted into chaos. Elias
barely had time to react before the
corpses lunged. Restraints snapping like
brittle twigs.
Shadows moved in the flickering light of
Harper's wrist interface. Grotesque
figures rising from the gurnies with
jerking unnatural movements. Their grins
never faded.
Move," Elias bellowed, grabbing Lena by
the wrist and yanking her away from a
lunging harvester. Dax fired, his rifle
flashing in the darkness. One of the
creature's heads snapped back, but
instead of collapsing, it simply turned
toward him with that same twisted smile.
"Bullets aren't doing much," Dax
growled, already backpedaling toward the
exit. Because they aren't mindless, Lena
gasped, dodging another grasping hand.
They know pain. They know how to keep going.
going.
Less analyzing, more running. Harper
snapped, slamming her hand onto a
control panel near the door. Sparks shot
out. As the emergency systems word to
life, red backup lights flickered along
the corridor outside, offering the team
their only clear escape route.
Elias fired two quick rounds at an
advancing harvester, aiming for its legs
instead of its head. The creature
stumbled, giving him just enough time to
push through the door.
Everyone out now.
Harper was the last one through, her
fingers flying over the wrist interface
as she initiated a lockdown sequence.
The heavy doors began sliding shut, but
the harvesters surged forward, forcing
their way through the narrowing gap. One
got through. It tackled Elias, sending
them both crashing to the floor. Its
fingers dug into his shoulder, pressing
him down as its face hovered inches from
his own. Those eyes full of something
Elias didn't want to name, locked onto
his, and the thing whispered. We remember
remember
Dax's boot connected with its head,
sending it sprawling. Get up, Carter.
Elias didn't need to be told twice. He
scrambled to his feet just as the doors
slammed shut, severing the harvester's
pursuit, at least for now.
The team didn't stop running. They
barreled through the winding corridors,
retracing their steps toward the
surface. Emergency lights buzzed above
them, casting eerie shadows that made
every corner feel like a threat waiting
to pounce. "We got what we needed,"
Harper shouted between breaths. "That
terminal had secured research logs. I
pulled the drive." "What did you get?"
Elias asked, leading the charge through
an abandoned security checkpoint. "I
won't know until we decrypt it back at
outpost zero. But if Kesler's logs are
on here, we might finally understand
what we're dealing with.
A guttural roar echoed behind them. The
doors hadn't held for long. "They're
still coming," Lena gasped.
Elias spotted their way out. A vertical
maintenance shaft leading to the
surface, a ladder stretched into the
darkness above, an access hatch barely
visible in the dim emergency lighting.
Climb, Elias ordered, boosting Lena up
first. Harper followed, then Dax. As
Elias grabbed onto the rungs, a violent
force slammed into the base of the
ladder. The harvesters had reached them.
A hand wrapped around Elias's ankle, its
grip like iron. He kicked hard, his boot
connecting with a malformed jaw. The
creature reeled, giving him just enough
time to pull himself higher. Dax reached
down, grabbing Elias by the arm and
hauling him up the last few rungs. The
hatch burst open above them. Cold night
air rushed in, a stark contrast to the
suffocating stench below.
One by one, they pulled themselves onto
the surface, collapsing onto the cracked
pavement of the abandoned research facility.
facility.
For the first time since entering that
hell hole, silence.
Harper clutched the data drive to her
chest, her hands trembling. We need to
get back to base fast.
Elias looked back at the open hatch,
knowing this wasn't over. We will, and
then we figure out how to stop this.
As they moved into the night, the echoes
of whispered laughter rose from below.
The harvesters weren't done with them
yet. Campfire revelation.
The fire crackled weakly against the
cold night air, its flickering embers
casting elongated shadows along the
ruins of what had once been a roadside
diner. The team had chosen this place to
rest, a roof overhead, walls to block
the wind, and enough visibility to spot
anything approaching.
It wasn't safe, but it was safer than
being out in the open.
Elias sat closest to the fire, rolling
his sore shoulder after the close call
in the facility. His mind was still
racing with the whispers of the
harvesters, the impossible way they had
spoken. Thought, that grin, that knowing
look. It made his skin crawl.
Lena sat cross-legged beside him, her
notepad resting against her knee. Even
now, she scribbled furiously,
documenting everything they had seen.
Across from her, Harper was hunched over
the data drive, connecting it to her
wrist interface and running preliminary
scans. Dax, ever the sentry, was perched
near the doorway, his rifle resting
across his lap as he kept watch on the
empty streets beyond.
All right, Elias exhaled. What do we
know so far?
Harper shook her head. The drive is
encrypted, but I pulled some raw logs.
It's messy, but I'm piecing it together.
Kesler's research logs confirm what we
feared. The harvesters aren't just
infected. They're evolving.
Lena tapped her notepad. That's
consistent with what we saw. Their
ability to communicate isn't just
mimicry. It's real cognition, memory
retention. They knew things, tactics,
even. Dax let out a low grunt. I don't
like that. Makes them unpredictable.
Elias nodded. We also saw different
types. That one in the lab coat was
still mostly intact, almost human in the
way it moved and spoke. But the ones in
the deeper levels, they were worse.
Lena flipped a page.
There's definitely variation. I've been
categorizing them based on observed behavior.
behavior.
She held up her notes for the group to
see. Whisperers, the ones that spoke,
highly intelligent,
retained some human characteristics, but
with an eerie, detached awareness,
capable of setting traps and
communicating in ways beyond simple aggression.
aggression. Drones,
Drones,
more common, these were the shambling,
aggressive types. They still had
coordination, but acted more on impulse.
They moved in packs, responding to some
unseen signal from the whisperers,
burers, the ones in the walls. These
creatures seemed less humanoid, their
bodies partially fused with fungal
growths. They could remain dormant for
extended periods, blending into their
surroundings, waiting for prey. horrors unclassified.
unclassified.
The deep dwellers,
the ones they hadn't seen fully yet, but
could hear moving beneath the facility.
The ones that made the walls breathe.
A heavy silence followed.
So, there's an entire ecosystem
developing, Harper said, staring at the
notes. It's not just a virus. It's a new order.
order.
Dax shifted uncomfortably.
Question is, can it be stopped?
Elias poked at the fire, watching as the
embers danced in the wind.
Maybe, but we need more intel. If Kesler
left notes on a cure, on weaknesses,
anything. We have to find it. Harper
tapped her screen. Then, our next move
is simple. We get this drive back to
outpost zero, decrypt it, and see what
Kesler was hiding.
Lena closed her notepad,
and hope we don't run into anything
worse along the way.
The fire burned low as the group fell
into an uneasy silence, each lost in thought.
thought.
Outside, the wind carried a faint sound,
distant, hollow laughter drifting
through the ruins.
The harvesters were still watching and
they were waiting.
Dawn broke over the ruins, painting the
shattered landscape in hues of orange
and gray. The fire had burned down to
smoldering embers, and the team moved
with quiet efficiency, packing their
gear and double-checking weapons. They
had a long journey ahead. Elias stood at
the entrance of the diner, scanning the
horizon through a pair of battered
binoculars. The road stretched before
them, cracked and littered with the
remnants of a world that had collapsed.
There were no signs of movement yet. "We
move fast and quiet," Elias said,
lowering the binoculars. "If we're
lucky, we'll make it to outpost zero
before nightfall."
And if we're not, Dax asked, slinging
his rifle over his shoulder.
Then we don't stop moving, Harper
answered, securing the data drive inside
a protective pouch. We can't risk losing
this intel.
Lena adjusted her pack, her notepad
still clutched tightly in one hand. The
harvesters won't just let us leave.
They've been watching us, studying us,
which means they know we have something
valuable. Elias finished. Let's go.
The team moved in formation, staying off
the main roads whenever possible, using
the wreckage of cars and buildings for
cover. The landscape was eerily silent,
saved for the occasional distant echo of
shifting debris. It was never clear
whether it was the wind or something else.
else.
They had made good time, covering
several miles before the first sign of
trouble appeared. Harper was the first
to hear it, a rhythmic clicking, almost
like nails tapping against metal.
She stopped, raising a fist to signal
the others. "Something's nearby," she whispered.
whispered.
The team pressed themselves against the
side of a crumbling overpass. Weapons at
the ready. The sound grew closer, more
deliberate. Elias risked a glance around
the corner, and his stomach turned. A
burer. It moved unnaturally, half fused
to the remains of an old highway
barrier. Its body was partially embedded
in a mass of fungal tendrils that pulsed
with sickly light. It twitched as if
sensing something unseen, its head
jerking in sharp, unnatural movements.
Don't make a sound," Lena breathed. The
creature's distorted limbs flexed, its
fingers scraping against the pavement.
For a moment, it seemed to lose
interest, retracting slightly into the
fungal growth.
Then the wind shifted. The burer froze,
its head snapped in their direction.
Elias didn't wait. "Run!"
The team sprinted, their boots slamming
against the pavement. The burer let out
a gurgling screech, its body convulsing
as it ripped free from the fungus. It
moved fast, too fast, skittering across
the ground like a grotesque spider, its
elongated fingers clawing at the asphalt.
asphalt.
Dax turned and fired. The bullets tore
into the creature's torso, but it barely
slowed. The fungus that clung to its
body absorbed the impact, sealing the
wounds almost instantly. "Keep moving!"
Elias shouted. They tore through the
ruins, weaving between wreckage and
crumbling structures. The burer gave
chase, its screeches echoing through the
empty city. "More sounds answered from
the distance. They weren't alone.
We need higher ground," Harper called,
pointing to a nearby collapsed building
that sloped upward like a broken ramp.
One by one, they scrambled up the
debris. Dax covering their retreat with
short, controlled bursts of fire. The
burrower lunged, nearly grabbing Lena's
ankle before she kicked it away, sending
it tumbling back down. Elias reached the
top first, grabbing Harper's arm and
pulling her up. Come on. Dax was the
last to climb, panting hard as he turned
to see the burer still struggling below.
But it wasn't alone anymore. Figures
emerged from the ruins. Whisperers
watching, smiling. "We have to keep
moving," Elias said, pulling the team
away from the ledge. "We're being herded."
herded."
Harper clutched the data drive tighter.
"Then we better not let them catch us."
As they moved across the rooftops, the
city below came alive with movement. The
harvesters were closing in. A desperate gambit.
gambit.
The rooftops gave them a brief
advantage, but Elias knew it wouldn't
last. The harvesters were patient
hunters. They were being pushed toward
something, forced to move where the
creatures wanted. That had to change. He
skidded to a stop at the edge of a
partially collapsed building, looking
down at the ruined street below.
A gas station sat at the intersection,
its rusted pumps still intact. The
surrounding structures were weak, some
reduced to skeletal remains of their
former selves.
"This could work.
We make our stand here," Elias said,
turning to the team. We set a trap. Turn
the tables on them. Dax frowned. You
sure about that? We don't know how many
are coming.
We know enough, Harper said, gripping
the data drive strapped to her chest. If
we keep running, they'll just keep
closing in. We need to disrupt their plans.
plans.
Lena surveyed the gas station. If we can
get inside, we might be able to collapse
part of the structure when they enter.
Gas fumes could give us an explosive edge.
edge.
Elias nodded. Dax Harper, find a way to
rig the pumps. Lena, see if you can find
anything flammable inside. I'll set up
distractions. We need to split their forces.
forces.
They moved fast. Dax and Harper worked
the pumps, carefully, loosening valves
to let fumes spill into the air.
Lena rumaged through the gas station's
wreckage, finding old cans of lighter
fluid, rags, and shattered glass to
create makeshift firebombs.
Meanwhile, Elias placed noise traps,
metal debris tied to wires, anything
that would create chaos when tripped.
The first signs of their pursuers came
minutes later, shadows moving between
cars, the distant sound of whispering
voices that weren't meant to be heard.
They're here," Harper whispered.
Elias checked the final placement of the
traps before signaling the others into
position. "We draw them in, then light
it up, no hesitation."
Then the whisperers arrived.
The first one stepped into view, a tall,
emaciated figure, its skin stretched
thin over pulsing veins of fungal
growth. Its eyes flickered with a
strange intelligence as it scanned the
area. Others followed, moving in perfect
eerie unison. Then, as if sensing the
trap, they stopped.
"They know something's wrong," Lena whispered.
whispered.
One of the whisperers tilted its head,
then let out a low clicking sound. The
drones emerged, dozens of them pouring
into the street. The team tensed. The
trap had to spring now or not at all.
Dax, now Elias ordered.
Dax didn't hesitate. He fired into the
gas fumes. The bullet igniting an
instant inferno. Flames roared through
the station, consuming everything in
their path. The explosion ripped through
the ground, sending drones flying. The
whisperers recoiled, their coordination
momentarily broken.
Move. Elias shouted. The team scrambled
away as the structure groaned and
collapsed, burying several creatures
beneath debris. Smoke and fire filled
the streets, obscuring their escape
route. But as they ran, Harper stole one
last glance back and saw something
chilling. One of the whisperers stood
beyond the flames, untouched. It wasn't
running. It wasn't reacting in fear. It
was smiling.
They'll come for us," she murmured.
"This was just the beginning." Elias
clenched his jaw. "Then we make sure
we're ready."
With the city burning behind them, they
pushed onward toward outpost zero,
knowing that the war had only just begun,
begun,
the last mile.
The city's ruins stretched behind them,
smoke still curling into the sky from
the remains of the gas station. The
explosion had bought them time, but not
enough. As the team moved swiftly
through the dead landscape, the uneasy
feeling of being watched settled over
them like a suffocating fog.
Elias kept his pace steady, scanning the
horizon as they navigated the cracked
asphalt. His gut told him something was
wrong. The harvesters didn't give up
this easily.
Then Harper glanced over her shoulder
and froze. "Elias,
"Elias,
we've got a problem."
He turned, his breath catching at the
sight. A lone harvester was trailing
them, its gaunt form gliding unnaturally
through the wreckage. Unlike the drones
they had encountered before, this one
was patient. It didn't charge blindly.
It stalked them.
"Damn it," Dax muttered, tightening his
grip on his rifle. "That thing has been
following us for miles."
Lena's voice was hushed, but urgent.
It's studying us. "No time to deal with
it now," Elias said. "We push forward.
If it tries anything, we take it down."
They moved faster, keeping their weapons
ready. But the harvester didn't attack.
It kept its distance, just beyond the
range of their bullets, watching,
waiting. The closer they got to Outpost
Zero, the boulder it became, picking up
speed, closing the gap inch by inch.
Then they saw it. The walls of Outpost
Zero loomed in the distance, a bastion
of steel and concrete surrounded by
towering gun imp placements. The sight
filled them with renewed energy, but the
harvester sensed it, too. It lunged.
"Run!" Elias roared. The team sprinted,
the harvester shrieking behind them. It
moved with terrifying speed, its
elongated limbs clawing at the ground,
propelling it forward with unnatural
grace. It was closing the distance fast.
Harper stumbled, but caught herself,
heart pounding as she pushed forward.
Dax fired behind them, bullets tearing
through the creature's flesh, but it
didn't slow. The wounds closed almost
instantly, the fungal network knitting
itself back together as it gave chase.
"Almost there," Lena shouted as the
outpost's massive doors came into view.
The sentries on the watchtowers spotted
them and reacted instantly.
Spotlights illuminated the battlefield,
and the sound of gunfire roared through
the air.
The harvester let out an inhuman screech
as rounds tore through its body. The
highcaliber rounds finally slowing its
advance. "Keep moving. Don't stop."
Elias bellowed with a final burst of
speed. The team barreled toward the
gates just as they groaned open. They
dove through, boots hitting solid ground
as alarms blared. The doors slammed shut
behind them with a deafening clang.
Outside, the harvester writhed under the
onslaught of gunfire before finally
collapsing, its body twitching before
falling still.
Elias lay on the ground, chest heaving
as silence settled over the team. The
relief was short-lived. Harper wiped the
sweat from her brow, her voice uneasy.
It wasn't just chasing us, it was
testing us. Lena nodded, still catching
her breath. And now they know exactly
how far we'll go to survive.
Elias looked toward the dead harvester
outside the walls, knowing this was far
from over. Then next time we make sure
they don't get the chance.
As Outpost Zero's security team rushed
forward, the weight of what lay ahead
settled over them. The harvesters
weren't just hunting, they were
learning. The adrenaline still coursed
through their veins. But for the first
time in what felt like days, the team
had a moment to breathe. Outpost Zero
loomed around them. A testament to
resilience in a world gone mad. It
wasn't much, but it was home.
Built on the remains of an old military
base, Outpost Zero was as fortified as
possible. The core of the outpost was
the command bunker, an underground
facility that had survived the collapse.
now serving as the brain of operations.
Above ground, the old armory and supply
depot had been repurposed into a heavily
guarded warehouse stocked with weapons,
ammunition, and rations. The medical
facility, once a military barracks, had
been transformed into a hospital,
complete with a quarantine section and a
crude research lab dedicated to
understanding the virus.
Surrounding these key buildings were
rows of makeshift homes. Some survivors
had managed to claim repurposed military
barracks, while others lived in
reinforced shipping containers,
scavenged and modified for shelter.
Only the newest arrivals or lower
priority members still relied on tents.
Security was tight. Double layered
perimeter walls, the outer made of
scavenged metal and concrete, the inner
reinforced with old military plating,
enclosed the outpost.
Guard towers stationed at every corner
provided snipers a clear view of the
surrounding wasteland.
Automated flood lights scanned the
perimeter. Motion activated turrets were
positioned near weak points. And layers
of defensive traps, trip wires,
trenches, and barricades made from
salvaged vehicles ensured that nothing
got in unnoticed. Elias led the team
toward their quarters, a row of
repurposed barracks near the center of
the outpost. The exhaustion was
beginning to set in. The weight of
everything they had endured pressing
down on them now that they had stopped
moving. "Get some rest," he instructed,
pulling off his gear and setting it down
beside his cot. "We'll debrief in the morning."
morning."
Dax collapsed onto his cot without a
word, rubbing his face with both hands.
Lena paced the room, her mind clearly
still running through everything they
had encountered.
Harper, however, was already pulling out
the recovered data drive, her eyes
scanning the screen of a salvaged laptop.
laptop.
"Can't it wait?" Dax muttered, watching
her from his cut. "We just got here,"
Harper shook her head. "We need to know
what's on this drive." "That harvester,
it wasn't chasing us randomly. It was
studying us. And if the others are
learning, we're running out of time.
Elias exhaled sharply but nodded. Fine,
get some rest when you can. We'll talk
to command in the morning.
Lena finally stopped pacing. I just hope
whatever's on that drive gives us an
edge because if they're evolving,
we need to be ready.
As the night stretched on, the outpost
hummed with quiet activity. Guards
patrolled the perimeter. Scientists
worked tirelessly in the research lab.
and survivors did their best to cling to
what little normaly they had left.
Outpost zero stood strong, but for how
much longer?
Elias sat at the head of the debriefing
table, his fingers steepled beneath his
chin as he watched Harper's screen
flicker with lines of recovered data.
The room was dimly lit, the hum of old
generators the only sound besides the
occasional shift of fabric as someone
adjusted in their seat.
Across from him, Captain Renford, the
head of Outpost Zero, studied the
information with a hardened gaze. The
air was thick with tension.
"Let's start from the top," Renford
said, arms crossed. "What the hell did
you bring back?"
Harper exhaled, her fingers dancing
across the keyboard. A pattern, she
said. The harvesters aren't just
spreading, they're targeting Dot. Look
here. She brought up a map, a series of
red dots marking the locations of known
survivor outposts. Some were labeled,
but others were faded and grayed out.
These outposts have gone silent in the
last two months. Not all at once, not in
a wave. Strategically,
the harvesters are wiping them out
methodically, forming a perimeter.
They're hurting survivors, forcing them
into confined spaces. That means That
means they're thinking, Elias finished grimly.
grimly.
Renford frowned, his jaw tightening.
Could be coincidence.
Could be. It's not. Harper cut in,
tapping a few keys.
The screen shifted to an audio waveform,
jagged and uneven. Remember the tapping
sounds we recorded in the facility? I
ran them through a decryption algorithm.
It's not just noise. It's a language.
The harvesters are communicating,
coordinating their movements.
A silence settled over the room, heavier
than the air in the wasteland beyond
their walls.
Lena leaned forward, her brow furrowed.
So what? They're just talking, planning
attacks. To what end? They don't build.
They don't farm. They don't need resources.
resources.
Harper's lips thinned as she hesitated.
That's where it gets worse. She
hesitated before clicking one final file
open. The screen shifted again, this
time revealing a string of encrypted transmissions.
transmissions.
This isn't from the research facility,
she said quietly.
This is still broadcasting right now.
It's an old government frequency coming
from deep in the wastelands. The signal
has been transmitting for years. And
here's the kicker. She took a breath.
The harvesters tapping patterns. They
match portions of this transmission.
Whatever is out there, the harvesters
are listening to it, maybe even responding.
responding.
Dax straightened in his chair. "You're
telling me something is out there still
sending signals, and the damn monsters
understand it?" "Not just understand
it," Elias murmured. "They might be
acting on it." Renford pushed away from
the table, pacing. "So now we have
missing outposts, talking monsters, and
a mystery signal that's been active
since before the outbreak." He turned to
Elias. Your team has a choice. Do we
track down the lost outposts or do we go
after that signal? Because I don't like
sitting here waiting to be the next red
dot on that map. Elias exchanged looks
with Lena, Dax, and Harper. They had
just barely escaped their last mission
alive. But if they didn't act, Outpost
Zero might not be here much longer.
Give us an hour, Elias said. We'll make
our decision.
And in the back of his mind, a terrible
thought clawed its way forward. What if
whoever sent that transmission was still
out there? And what if the harvesters
weren't just following it, but obeying it?
it?
The choice.
Elias stood near the center of the war
room, the map of the wastelands laid out
on a metal table before him. The air was
thick with quiet tension as he, Lena,
Harper, and Dax considered their next
move. Their recent findings had turned
everything they knew about the
harvesters upside down, and the weight
of their decision loomed over them like
a storm.
Harper was the first to speak. If we go
after the lost outposts, we risk running
into whatever wiped them out. We don't
know if there are survivors left or if
they've already been taken. But the
signal, it's active. That means someone
or something is still out there.
Dax crossed his arms, his expression
hard. Yeah, but let's say we go after
the signal. What if it's a trap? What if
that thing has been broadcasting for
years because it's leading survivors
right into the harvesters's hands? His
voice was edged with frustration.
Hell, what if it's calling them? Lena
exhaled sharply. We have no proof of
that, Dax. We also have no proof that
those missing outposts are completely
wiped out. Either choice comes with
risk. We just have to decide which one
gives us the best chance of fighting
back. Elias stared at the map, his mind
running through every possible scenario.
Going after the lost outposts might give
us more survivors, but at what cost? If
the harvesters are targeting them
strategically, it means we'd be walking
into a battlefield we don't understand.
The signal, on the other hand, it's been
going for years. If it's still
broadcasting, that means it's coming
from a working facility. If it has
power, it might have resources, food,
weapons, maybe even information on how
this all started.
Harper nodded. If we find the source, we
might even figure out why the harvesters
are responding to it. And if we can do
that, we might be able to predict their
movements, maybe even disrupt them.
Dax let out a slow breath, rubbing the
back of his head. Fine. But if we do
this, we need to be smart about it. This
isn't just some scavenging run. This is
deep wasteland territory. We need more
supplies, better weapons, and backup in
case things go sideways.
Elias turned to Lena. What's your take?
Lena's gaze was steady. I think this is
our best shot at getting ahead of them.
We can't keep reacting to the
harvesters. We need to understand them.
If this signal gives us any kind of
advantage, we have to take it. Elias
nodded, the decision settling over him.
Then it's decided we go after the
signal. But before we leave, we need to
talk to Renford and the other leaders.
Outpost zero isn't safe. Not with what
we know now.
We need to reinforce our defenses,
fortify the perimeter, and prepare for
an attack. Because if we're right about
all of this, the harvesters are just
getting started.
As the team exited the war room, a sense
of finality hung in the air. The mission
ahead would be their most dangerous yet.
And as much as Elias wanted to believe
they were making the right call, a
nagging thought lingered in the back of
his mind. What if they weren't the only
The wasteland stretched in all
directions, a graveyard of broken cities
and skeletal forests.
Beneath the ruins, in the hollowed
remains of an old metro system, the hive
pulsed with unnatural life. Deep in the
tunnels, the walls writhed, slick with a
shifting mass of pale mcelium.
The fungal tendrils pulsed like veins,
feeding off the moisture and decay,
stretching further into the world above.
The air was thick with spores, swirling
in ghostly patterns, carrying with them
something unseen, something alive.
A harvester crouched at the edge of the
chamber, its body still listening. Its
skin, marbled with deep black veins,
twitched as the hive murmured through
it. Others stood nearby, dozens, maybe
hundreds, their bodies swaying in unison
as if bound by a silent rhythm. Their
empty eyes blinked in erratic, unnatural
patterns. They were not mindless. They
were waiting.
A sound rippled through the tunnels. The
tapping slow, rhythmic.
An unseen force guiding them, whispering
through the network of fungal growth
that connected them all.
The harvesters turned their heads in
eerie synchronization, their mouths
moving without sound, as if speaking to
something only they could hear. Above
them, in the ruins of a collapsed
hospital, something shifted.
The mycelium covered walls bulged
outward before splitting open, releasing
a new form, a towering creature, its
limbs elongated, its fingers stretching
into claw-like tendrils. Its head
twitched as it took its first breath,
inhaling the heavy spores. It listened,
cocking its head as the tapping guided
its purpose.
A command. The harvesters moved. The
tunnels became a churning mass of bodies
moving as one, flowing through the
underground veins of the city. They
moved with purpose, no longer shambling
creatures of hunger, but a force of
terrifying precision.
Above them, the surface world was
unaware. Outpost Zero was unaware.
The Hive was growing, and soon it would
be unstoppable.
The town of Brantley had been silent for
months, its streets filled with rusting
cars and the remnants of a world long
past. Once a small survivor settlement,
it had been abandoned after too many
supply runs ended in blood. But tonight,
it was no longer empty. The air was
thick with spores, swirling in the
moonlight as the first harvester stepped
onto the cracked pavement. Its head
twitched, nostrils flaring as if sensing
something unseen.
Behind it, more emerged from the
shadows. Dozens, then hundreds.
They moved without hesitation, their
bodies eerily coordinated, their skin
shifting as if the fungus beneath pulsed
with a mind of its own. Then came the
new ones. Unlike the others, they moved
differently, faster, more deliberate.
Their limbs were longer, more refined,
their eyes sharp and calculating. Their
skin was a sickly pale gray. The fungal
growths forming hard kittenous plating
along their arms and torsos. These were
not just harvesters. They were evolutions.
evolutions.
A low vibration rippled through the
streets. The hive's signal, an unspoken
command that only they could hear. The
creatures split into formations, moving
into alleyways, entering buildings,
checking every crevice. They weren't
just spreading. They were hunting.
In the center of town, a single house
still stood. A weak candle flickered in
the window. A survivor.
The nearest harvester's head snapped
toward the light. Then, all at once,
they rushed forward.
The wooden door splintered instantly. A
scream rang out, but it was brief. Cut
off as the swarm flooded inside. The
candle fell, sending embers scattering
across the floor, but the fire would
never have a chance to spread.
The walls were already being consumed.
Thick veins of mycelium crawling over
the wood, pulsing, spreading, digesting,
the house, the survivor, everything
absorbed into the hive. And then, as
suddenly as they had come, the
harvesters turned. Their heads tilted in
unison, listening to something distant,
something calling. Without a sound, they
moved as one, vanishing into the night.
The hive was no longer just growing. It
was organizing, and nothing in its path
would survive. Outpost Zero was a flurry
of movement as the team finalized their
preparations. The tension in the air was
thick. This mission wasn't just
dangerous. It was unprecedented.
No one had ventured this deep into
harvester territory and returned.
Elias stood over a map of the region,
his fingers tracing the potential
routes. We'll travel light. We have to
be fast. Avoid confrontation. If we get
pinned down, we're dead.
Lena adjusted the straps on her pack,
glancing at the supplies scattered
across the table. "We're barely taking
enough for a week. If anything goes
wrong, we're stranded.
Everything about this mission is a
gamble," Harper muttered as she checked
the battery packs for the portable data
scanner. "We don't even know what we're
walking into."
Dax leaned against the wall, arms
crossed, watching them.
That's why we have to be smart. Stick to
the plan. No heroics. If we get what we
need, we're out.
The room fell silent for a moment. The
weight of it settling over them. They
had survived against the odds before,
but this was different. The hive was changing.
changing.
Later that night, as the final checks
were made, Elias sat alone near the
watchtowwer, staring out over the dark
horizon. Lena approached, setting a
small tin cup of lukewarm coffee beside
him. You look like you're carrying the
weight of this whole place on your shoulders. He exhaled.
shoulders. He exhaled. Aren't I? If we don't come back.
Aren't I? If we don't come back. Lena sat beside him. We will. But if you
Lena sat beside him. We will. But if you keep thinking like that, you'll freeze
keep thinking like that, you'll freeze when it counts. I need you focused. We
when it counts. I need you focused. We all do.
all do. Elias gave a small nod, gripping the cup
Elias gave a small nod, gripping the cup but not drinking.
but not drinking. And if we come back to nothing, if the
And if we come back to nothing, if the hive reaches this place before we do,
hive reaches this place before we do, Lena didn't have an answer. Neither did
Lena didn't have an answer. Neither did he.
he. Across the outpost, Harper and Dax sat
Across the outpost, Harper and Dax sat by the supply depot, checking weapons
by the supply depot, checking weapons and gear. "So, what's the first thing
and gear. "So, what's the first thing you'll do when we get back?" Harper
you'll do when we get back?" Harper asked. Dax smirked. "Assuming we do?"
asked. Dax smirked. "Assuming we do?" "I'm sleeping for a week, and if there's
"I'm sleeping for a week, and if there's still whiskey left, I'm drinking it."
still whiskey left, I'm drinking it." "You?"
"You?" Harper shrugged. "I just want to know
Harper shrugged. "I just want to know the truth about all of this, about what
the truth about all of this, about what we're really up against."
we're really up against." Dax's smirk faded. Careful. Truth isn't
Dax's smirk faded. Careful. Truth isn't always what you want it to be. Morning
always what you want it to be. Morning came too soon. As the gates of Outpost
came too soon. As the gates of Outpost Zero groaned open, the team stepped into
Zero groaned open, the team stepped into the wasteland. The first leg of their
the wasteland. The first leg of their journey beginning. Behind them, the
journey beginning. Behind them, the outpost stood strong. For now,
outpost stood strong. For now, into the wasteland.
The landscape beyond Outpost Zero was an unforgiving ruin of the old world.
unforgiving ruin of the old world. Crumbling highways stretched into the
Crumbling highways stretched into the distance, overtaken by creeping
distance, overtaken by creeping vegetation and fungal spires that pulsed
vegetation and fungal spires that pulsed faintly under the morning light. The
faintly under the morning light. The team moved in a tight formation, silent
team moved in a tight formation, silent except for the crunch of debris beneath
except for the crunch of debris beneath their boots. Every step took them deeper
their boots. Every step took them deeper into harvester territory.
into harvester territory. Elias led the way, rifle in hand, eyes
Elias led the way, rifle in hand, eyes constantly scanning.
constantly scanning. He had traveled these roads before, but
He had traveled these roads before, but never this far out. The air was thick
never this far out. The air was thick with spores, swirling lazily in the
with spores, swirling lazily in the breeze, clinging to their gear like
breeze, clinging to their gear like parasites.
parasites. "Keep your masks tight," Lena murmured,
"Keep your masks tight," Lena murmured, adjusting the seal on hers. "Last thing
adjusting the seal on hers. "Last thing we need is exposure this early."
we need is exposure this early." Harper checked the scanner strapped to
Harper checked the scanner strapped to her forearm, watching as the bio
her forearm, watching as the bio signature readings flickered.
signature readings flickered. So far, nothing. But that doesn't mean
So far, nothing. But that doesn't mean they aren't watching.
they aren't watching. Dax walked at the rear, pausing every
Dax walked at the rear, pausing every few moments to glance over his shoulder.
few moments to glance over his shoulder. They always are.
They always are. Signs of the hive.
Signs of the hive. An hour in, they came across the first
An hour in, they came across the first sign of the hive's reach. A small convoy
sign of the hive's reach. A small convoy of rustedout vehicles, their windows
of rustedout vehicles, their windows shattered, their metal frames warped and
shattered, their metal frames warped and tangled with thick tendrils of fungal
tangled with thick tendrils of fungal growth. Bones lay scattered around the
growth. Bones lay scattered around the wreckage, brittle and darkened, half
wreckage, brittle and darkened, half consumed by creeping mcelium.
consumed by creeping mcelium. Lena crouched beside a skeleton, running
Lena crouched beside a skeleton, running a gloved hand along what remained of the
a gloved hand along what remained of the rib cage. This isn't fresh, but it's not
rib cage. This isn't fresh, but it's not old either. They were here recently.
old either. They were here recently. Elias moved to the driver's side of one
Elias moved to the driver's side of one of the vehicles, brushing away the grime
of the vehicles, brushing away the grime on the windshield. Handprints, smudged
on the windshield. Handprints, smudged and desperate, dragged across the glass.
and desperate, dragged across the glass. Not everyone died here. Someone tried to
Not everyone died here. Someone tried to get out.
get out. Harper swallowed hard. Did they? No one
Harper swallowed hard. Did they? No one answered.
answered. Shifting terrain.
By midday, the terrain had changed. The skeletal remains of the city loomed
skeletal remains of the city loomed ahead, buildings broken and leaning,
ahead, buildings broken and leaning, their steel bones jutting toward the
their steel bones jutting toward the sky. The air was heavier here, thicker
sky. The air was heavier here, thicker with an unnatural humidity. "Feels like
with an unnatural humidity. "Feels like a trap," Dax muttered. Elias nodded. "It
a trap," Dax muttered. Elias nodded. "It probably is."
probably is." They moved carefully, staying within the
They moved carefully, staying within the shadows of the collapsed infrastructure.
shadows of the collapsed infrastructure. The deeper they went, the more the city
The deeper they went, the more the city felt alive.
felt alive. Strange clicking sounds echoed through
Strange clicking sounds echoed through the empty streets. Shapes shifted in the
the empty streets. Shapes shifted in the distant fog. Harper's scanner beeped.
distant fog. Harper's scanner beeped. Movement detected.
Movement detected. "How many?" Elias asked. Harper's face
"How many?" Elias asked. Harper's face pald as the display updated. "Too many."
pald as the display updated. "Too many." "The hive was here, and it was waiting."
"The hive was here, and it was waiting." The swarm awakens.
The team froze as the scanner continued its steady beeping. Harper tapped at the
its steady beeping. Harper tapped at the screen, trying to refine the reading,
screen, trying to refine the reading, but the numbers only grew worse. They
but the numbers only grew worse. They weren't alone.
weren't alone. Elias raised a fist, signaling for the
Elias raised a fist, signaling for the others to take cover. They moved
others to take cover. They moved swiftly, pressing themselves against the
swiftly, pressing themselves against the half-colapsed husks of old buildings.
half-colapsed husks of old buildings. Rifles aimed at the foglaced streets
Rifles aimed at the foglaced streets ahead. Then the sound came. a low,
ahead. Then the sound came. a low, resonant clicking, faint at first, like
resonant clicking, faint at first, like insects stirring beneath the earth. Then
insects stirring beneath the earth. Then it multiplied, growing into an eerie,
it multiplied, growing into an eerie, layered chittering that reverberated
layered chittering that reverberated through the abandoned cityscape. Dax's
through the abandoned cityscape. Dax's grip tightened on his rifle. "I don't
grip tightened on his rifle. "I don't like this
like this movement on the right," Lena whispered,
movement on the right," Lena whispered, peering around a corner. "Fast."
peering around a corner. "Fast." Before Elias could give the order to
Before Elias could give the order to fall back, the silence shattered. From
fall back, the silence shattered. From the shadows of a crumbling overpass they
the shadows of a crumbling overpass they came. Harvesters more than a dozen.
came. Harvesters more than a dozen. Their emaciated frames twisted with
Their emaciated frames twisted with fungal growth. Their hollow eyes locked
fungal growth. Their hollow eyes locked onto the team. Their movements were
onto the team. Their movements were erratic, twitching with unnatural speed.
erratic, twitching with unnatural speed. Some crawled along the walls, their
Some crawled along the walls, their elongated fingers digging into concrete
elongated fingers digging into concrete like insects skittering from the light.
like insects skittering from the light. Others moved on two legs, their heads
Others moved on two legs, their heads tilting in unnatural jerks as they
tilting in unnatural jerks as they inhaled the team's scent.
inhaled the team's scent. One of them let out a sound. Not a
One of them let out a sound. Not a growl, not a scream, but something
growl, not a scream, but something worse. A signal. The clicking around
worse. A signal. The clicking around them escalated.
them escalated. "Run!" Elias barked.
"Run!" Elias barked. A desperate escape.
A desperate escape. The team sprinted through the ruins,
The team sprinted through the ruins, boots slamming against broken pavement.
boots slamming against broken pavement. The harvesters pursued with terrifying
The harvesters pursued with terrifying speed, their limbs propelling them
speed, their limbs propelling them forward with unnatural grace. Dax fired
forward with unnatural grace. Dax fired behind him, dropping one, but two more
behind him, dropping one, but two more took its place. They're too fast. We
took its place. They're too fast. We need to lose them. Lena pointed toward
need to lose them. Lena pointed toward an overturned bus ahead. Through there.
an overturned bus ahead. Through there. Elias led the charge, leaping onto the
Elias led the charge, leaping onto the bus's side and pulling himself through a
bus's side and pulling himself through a shattered window. The others followed,
shattered window. The others followed, scrambling over torn seats and broken
scrambling over torn seats and broken glass. The creatures swarmed the
glass. The creatures swarmed the outside, their clawed hands reaching in,
outside, their clawed hands reaching in, their hollow whispers hissing through
their hollow whispers hissing through the gaps.
the gaps. Harper fumbled with a grenade, yanking
Harper fumbled with a grenade, yanking the pin. Move. They dove out the far
the pin. Move. They dove out the far exit just as the explosion rocked the
exit just as the explosion rocked the bus, sending flaming debris into the
bus, sending flaming debris into the night. Smoke and fire engulfed the
night. Smoke and fire engulfed the street behind them, cutting off the
street behind them, cutting off the swarm. At least for now. Gasping for
swarm. At least for now. Gasping for breath, Elias steadied himself against a
breath, Elias steadied himself against a wall. We need to keep moving. They'll be
wall. We need to keep moving. They'll be back. Lena wiped sweat from her brow.
back. Lena wiped sweat from her brow. And next time they won't just be chasing
And next time they won't just be chasing us, they'll be hunting.
us, they'll be hunting. No safe haven.
No safe haven. The team moved quickly, exhaustion
The team moved quickly, exhaustion setting in as they pushed deeper into
setting in as they pushed deeper into the ruins. The adrenaline from their
the ruins. The adrenaline from their escape had worn off, leaving their
escape had worn off, leaving their bodies aching and their breaths ragged.
bodies aching and their breaths ragged. Elas knew they couldn't keep running.
Elas knew they couldn't keep running. They needed shelter, even if only for a
They needed shelter, even if only for a few hours. "We'll rest there," he said,
few hours. "We'll rest there," he said, pointing to a partially collapsed
pointing to a partially collapsed department store. Its shattered windows
department store. Its shattered windows and sagging roof barely holding
and sagging roof barely holding together.
together. just long enough to regroup. Dax didn't
just long enough to regroup. Dax didn't look convinced. "Feels like a bad idea."
look convinced. "Feels like a bad idea." "Everything out here is a bad idea,"
"Everything out here is a bad idea," Lena muttered, checking the door before
Lena muttered, checking the door before slipping inside.
slipping inside. The interior was a wasteland of
The interior was a wasteland of forgotten lives. "Dustcovered mannequins
forgotten lives. "Dustcovered mannequins stood like ghosts in the dim light.
stood like ghosts in the dim light. Their cracked faces turned toward the
Their cracked faces turned toward the intruders. Racks of rotting clothes hung
intruders. Racks of rotting clothes hung in tatters, and the floor was littered
in tatters, and the floor was littered with debris from long-forgotten looters.
with debris from long-forgotten looters. Harper scanned the room with her
Harper scanned the room with her flashlight. No movement. Looks clear.
flashlight. No movement. Looks clear. They barricaded themselves in the back
They barricaded themselves in the back storage room, stacking overturned
storage room, stacking overturned shelves against the doors. It wasn't
shelves against the doors. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.
perfect, but it would have to do. Elias exhaled, rubbing his temples.
Elias exhaled, rubbing his temples. We'll rest in shifts. Harper, see if you
We'll rest in shifts. Harper, see if you can get any readings on your scanner.
can get any readings on your scanner. Lena, check supplies. Dax, you're with
Lena, check supplies. Dax, you're with me on first watch. They nodded, settling
me on first watch. They nodded, settling in. For the first time in what felt like
in. For the first time in what felt like days, they allowed themselves a moment
days, they allowed themselves a moment to breathe. Dax sat near the door, rifle
to breathe. Dax sat near the door, rifle resting across his lap. The silence in
resting across his lap. The silence in the store was oppressive, thick with the
the store was oppressive, thick with the weight of things unseen. He shifted,
weight of things unseen. He shifted, uneasy.
uneasy. Something doesn't feel right. Elias
Something doesn't feel right. Elias glanced at him. It never does.
glanced at him. It never does. Then he heard it. A faint dragging sound
Then he heard it. A faint dragging sound from somewhere inside the store. Slow,
from somewhere inside the store. Slow, deliberate, like something pulling
deliberate, like something pulling itself across the floor.
itself across the floor. Harper's scanner beeped once. Movement
Harper's scanner beeped once. Movement detected. The room went still.
detected. The room went still. Lena gripped her knife. that wasn't
Lena gripped her knife. that wasn't there before. The dragging sound came
there before. The dragging sound came again, closer this time. And then a
again, closer this time. And then a whisper. Not words. Not human.
whisper. Not words. Not human. Dax lifted his rifle, sweat beating on
Dax lifted his rifle, sweat beating on his brow. We need to move now.
his brow. We need to move now. Something thumped against the storage
Something thumped against the storage room door. Once, then twice,
room door. Once, then twice, then silence.
then silence. Elias raised his weapon, heart pounding.
Elias raised his weapon, heart pounding. The others did the same. Then from the
The others did the same. Then from the other side of the barricade, a voice,
other side of the barricade, a voice, warped, hollow, and wrong. Let me in.
warped, hollow, and wrong. Let me in. Silence hung in the air like a blade
Silence hung in the air like a blade poised to drop. The team held their
poised to drop. The team held their breath as the voice from the other side
breath as the voice from the other side of the barricade whispered again, more
of the barricade whispered again, more clearly, this time. Let me in.
clearly, this time. Let me in. Elias gritted his teeth, his mind
Elias gritted his teeth, his mind racing.
racing. Harvesters didn't speak, not like this.
Harvesters didn't speak, not like this. They mimicked. They repeated, but they
They mimicked. They repeated, but they didn't think. Lena kept her weapon
didn't think. Lena kept her weapon raised, eyes locked on the barricaded
raised, eyes locked on the barricaded door. That's not normal. No, Elias
door. That's not normal. No, Elias admitted. It's not.
admitted. It's not. A long pause. Then the voice came again.
A long pause. Then the voice came again. slow, deliberate, and pleading.
slow, deliberate, and pleading. Please help.
Please help. Dax shook his head. Number: nope.
Dax shook his head. Number: nope. Absolutely not. We shoot it and we move.
Absolutely not. We shoot it and we move. But Harper's fingers hovered over her
But Harper's fingers hovered over her scanner, eyes wide as. She watched the
scanner, eyes wide as. She watched the readings.
readings. Wait, this one's different. It's not
Wait, this one's different. It's not linked to the others. It's she
linked to the others. It's she hesitated, glancing up. Alone.
hesitated, glancing up. Alone. The weight of that word sank deep. Elias
The weight of that word sank deep. Elias didn't lower his gun, but he took a step
didn't lower his gun, but he took a step closer. Who are you? Silence saved for a
closer. Who are you? Silence saved for a shallow rasping breath beyond the door.
shallow rasping breath beyond the door. Then
Then was
was doctor.
doctor. Lena's fingers tightened on her rifle.
Lena's fingers tightened on her rifle. Doctor, as in before?
Doctor, as in before? The voice stuttered, the words breaking
The voice stuttered, the words breaking like static. Was before. Now,
like static. Was before. Now, not
not still
still here.
here. Me.
Me. A chill ran down Elias's spine. The
A chill ran down Elias's spine. The thing beyond the door, it remembered.
thing beyond the door, it remembered. What do you want? He asked cautiously.
What do you want? He asked cautiously. The pause dragged long enough to make
The pause dragged long enough to make them question if it was still there.
them question if it was still there. Then at last it answered, "Hive, coming
Then at last it answered, "Hive, coming soon. Need stop. Need help." Harper
soon. Need stop. Need help." Harper swallowed hard.
swallowed hard. Elias, I think we need to let it in.
Elias, I think we need to let it in. Dax turned to her like she'd lost her
Dax turned to her like she'd lost her mind. Are you serious? That thing isn't
mind. Are you serious? That thing isn't coming in unless it's in pieces.
coming in unless it's in pieces. Elias wasn't sure what terrified him
Elias wasn't sure what terrified him more. The thought of letting it in or
more. The thought of letting it in or the idea that it might actually be
the idea that it might actually be telling the truth.
telling the truth. Then the voice broken, desperate, spoke
Then the voice broken, desperate, spoke again.
again. More than you know, more than you see.
More than you know, more than you see. Let me in. The choice had to be made and
Let me in. The choice had to be made and fast.
fast. between two worlds.
The moment the door cracked open, an unnatural stillness filled the air. The
unnatural stillness filled the air. The dim light cast long shadows across the
dim light cast long shadows across the floor, stretching toward the hunched
floor, stretching toward the hunched figure just beyond the threshold.
figure just beyond the threshold. Elias felt the weight of every decision
Elias felt the weight of every decision leading to this moment, pressing against
leading to this moment, pressing against his chest. His grip on his rifle
his chest. His grip on his rifle tightened. The others held their breath,
tightened. The others held their breath, waiting.
waiting. A rasping voice, cracked and trembling,
A rasping voice, cracked and trembling, slithered into the room. Let me in.
slithered into the room. Let me in. Please, I can help. It wasn't the
Please, I can help. It wasn't the mindless, guttural moan of a harvester.
mindless, guttural moan of a harvester. It was desperate, almost human.
It was desperate, almost human. Elias swallowed hard. He shouldn't even
Elias swallowed hard. He shouldn't even be considering this. No one had ever
be considering this. No one had ever seen a harvester act like this, speak
seen a harvester act like this, speak like this. And yet something in the way
like this. And yet something in the way it pleaded made the hairs on his arms
it pleaded made the hairs on his arms stand on end. Lena took a slow step
stand on end. Lena took a slow step forward.
forward. Elias, what if?
Elias, what if? No.
No. Dax cut her off, his voice sharp, rifle
Dax cut her off, his voice sharp, rifle raised. This is a trap. You don't
raised. This is a trap. You don't negotiate with these things.
negotiate with these things. Harper, standing by the terminal,
Harper, standing by the terminal, hesitated, her fingers hovering over the
hesitated, her fingers hovering over the door controls. She glanced at the
door controls. She glanced at the scanner. The hive isn't tracking this
scanner. The hive isn't tracking this one. Elias flinched. That meant it
one. Elias flinched. That meant it wasn't linked to the collective.
wasn't linked to the collective. A stray. A broken connection.
A stray. A broken connection. He took a cautious step forward, his
He took a cautious step forward, his voice barely above a whisper to Cole. A
voice barely above a whisper to Cole. A flicker of recognition. The shadowed
flicker of recognition. The shadowed figure twitched at the name, shifting
figure twitched at the name, shifting slightly into the dim light. A face
slightly into the dim light. A face contorted desperate emerged. Once human,
contorted desperate emerged. Once human, now something else.
now something else. I was before, the voice rasped,
I was before, the voice rasped, fractured and full of something deeply
fractured and full of something deeply unsettling.
unsettling. I remember. I can help. Please.
I remember. I can help. Please. The team exchanged glances. The distant
The team exchanged glances. The distant shrieks of other harvesters sent a chill
shrieks of other harvesters sent a chill down Elias's spine. Time was slipping
down Elias's spine. Time was slipping away. Dax shook his head, voice dark.
away. Dax shook his head, voice dark. This is a mistake.
This is a mistake. We don't have a choice, Elias countered.
We don't have a choice, Elias countered. If it wanted us dead, we'd already be
If it wanted us dead, we'd already be dead. He turned to Harper. Open it just
dead. He turned to Harper. Open it just enough.
enough. Harper's hands trembled, but she obeyed.
Harper's hands trembled, but she obeyed. The door creaked as it slid open just a
The door creaked as it slid open just a sliver, enough for the creature to step
sliver, enough for the creature to step inside.
inside. Dr. Cole moved carefully. His twisted
Dr. Cole moved carefully. His twisted body was hunched, fingers twitching, his
body was hunched, fingers twitching, his skin modeled with fungal growths. But
skin modeled with fungal growths. But his eyes, they weren't dead. They were
his eyes, they weren't dead. They were watching, calculating, terrified.
watching, calculating, terrified. Elias felt the breath hitch in his
Elias felt the breath hitch in his throat.
throat. Prove to us you're not one of them.
Prove to us you're not one of them. Dr. Cole's lips cracked into something
Dr. Cole's lips cracked into something resembling a smile.
resembling a smile. You're still stubborn, Elias, just like
You're still stubborn, Elias, just like in the lab.
in the lab. Elias's blood ran cold. That was
Elias's blood ran cold. That was something only a human could know.
something only a human could know. Before anyone could react, a distant
Before anyone could react, a distant screech echoed outside. Then another and
screech echoed outside. Then another and another.
another. The walls shuddered as something massive
The walls shuddered as something massive slammed into the barricade. The
slammed into the barricade. The harvesters had found them. Then
harvesters had found them. Then everything exploded into chaos. The
everything exploded into chaos. The front entrance burst open, sending
front entrance burst open, sending debris flying across the room. Figures
debris flying across the room. Figures twisted, unnatural, poured in like a
twisted, unnatural, poured in like a flood of nightmare fuel. "Move!" Dax
flood of nightmare fuel. "Move!" Dax barked, already raising his rifle.
barked, already raising his rifle. Gunfire erupted, lighting up the dark.
Gunfire erupted, lighting up the dark. The first harvester lunged, its fungal m
The first harvester lunged, its fungal m splitting open, but Elias fired first,
splitting open, but Elias fired first, dropping it in a heap. More clambored
dropping it in a heap. More clambored over its body undeterred. Lena ducked
over its body undeterred. Lena ducked behind an overturned shelf, picking them
behind an overturned shelf, picking them off one by one. Harper jammed a new mag
off one by one. Harper jammed a new mag into her pistol, firing wildly. And then
into her pistol, firing wildly. And then Dr. Cole moved. It was fast, precise,
Dr. Cole moved. It was fast, precise, not like them.
not like them. He grabbed a rusted pipe from the debris
He grabbed a rusted pipe from the debris and struck with surgical efficiency,
and struck with surgical efficiency, cracking a harvester's skull with the
cracking a harvester's skull with the exact force needed to kill. Another
exact force needed to kill. Another lunged, and he sidestepped with inhuman
lunged, and he sidestepped with inhuman reflexes, jamming the pipe into its
reflexes, jamming the pipe into its throat. Elias's pulse slammed in his
throat. Elias's pulse slammed in his ears. This was different. This wasn't
ears. This was different. This wasn't blind aggression. This was skill. A man
blind aggression. This was skill. A man who still knew exactly where to strike.
who still knew exactly where to strike. Dr. Cole turned, locking eyes with
Dr. Cole turned, locking eyes with Elias, his voice raw. They're coming
Elias, his voice raw. They're coming faster. We have to go now.
faster. We have to go now. A harvester lunged for Harper, but Cole
A harvester lunged for Harper, but Cole moved first. He grabbed a shard of glass
moved first. He grabbed a shard of glass from a broken shelf and drove it into
from a broken shelf and drove it into the creature's neck with perfect
the creature's neck with perfect precision.
precision. The harvester convulsed before crumpling
The harvester convulsed before crumpling to the floor. Lena gasped. "He's
to the floor. Lena gasped. "He's fighting with us." Dax wasn't convinced.
fighting with us." Dax wasn't convinced. He aimed his rifle at Dr. Cole. Yeah,
He aimed his rifle at Dr. Cole. Yeah, for now. The moans outside grew
for now. The moans outside grew deafening. More were coming. They were
deafening. More were coming. They were out of time.
out of time. Elias clenched his jaw, heart pounding.
Elias clenched his jaw, heart pounding. This was insane. This was impossible.
This was insane. This was impossible. But Dr. Cole was helping them, fighting
But Dr. Cole was helping them, fighting alongside them, proving with every
alongside them, proving with every brutal, calculated strike that he wasn't
brutal, calculated strike that he wasn't just another monster. Or at least
just another monster. Or at least not entirely.
not entirely. Elias made his decision.
Elias made his decision. We're leaving together.
We're leaving together. Dax cursed under his breath, but didn't
Dax cursed under his breath, but didn't lower his gun. Dr. Mr. Cole stepped
lower his gun. Dr. Mr. Cole stepped forward, his breathing ragged.
forward, his breathing ragged. There's more about the hive. I can tell
There's more about the hive. I can tell you. His gaze flicked toward the
you. His gaze flicked toward the shattered door. But if we stay, we die.
shattered door. But if we stay, we die. Elias exhaled sharply. He turned to the
Elias exhaled sharply. He turned to the others. We move now. No one argued.
others. We move now. No one argued. With one last glance at the horde
With one last glance at the horde flooding the store, the team sprinted
flooding the store, the team sprinted for the back exit. Dr. Cole followed,
for the back exit. Dr. Cole followed, his movements eerily fluid, his breath
his movements eerily fluid, his breath sharp with something between pain and
sharp with something between pain and purpose. They didn't stop running. And
purpose. They didn't stop running. And as the screams of the harvesters faded
as the screams of the harvesters faded behind them, one thing became
behind them, one thing became terrifyingly clear.
terrifyingly clear. Dr. Cole was something new. Not fully
Dr. Cole was something new. Not fully human, not fully harvester. And whether
human, not fully harvester. And whether he was their ally or their greatest
he was their ally or their greatest mistake
mistake remained to be seen. The team stumbles
remained to be seen. The team stumbles through the ruined streets. Exhaustion
through the ruined streets. Exhaustion dragging at their bodies. Blood, some of
dragging at their bodies. Blood, some of it their own, some of it not, sticks to
it their own, some of it not, sticks to their clothes. The night
their clothes. The night air is thick, heavy with the scent of
air is thick, heavy with the scent of rot and gunpowder.
rot and gunpowder. The only sound is their hurried
The only sound is their hurried footsteps and the distant eerie hum of
footsteps and the distant eerie hum of the hive.
the hive. Dr. Cole moves ahead of them, eerily
Dr. Cole moves ahead of them, eerily silent for someone in his condition. The
silent for someone in his condition. The fungal growths on his body shift with
fungal growths on his body shift with each step. And though he still looks
each step. And though he still looks monstrous, there's something
monstrous, there's something unmistakably human in his posture. Dax
unmistakably human in his posture. Dax keeps his rifle trained on him, never
keeps his rifle trained on him, never letting him out of sight.
letting him out of sight. I still don't trust this thing. No
I still don't trust this thing. No choice, Elias mutters. Unless you want
choice, Elias mutters. Unless you want to take your chances out here.
to take your chances out here. Dr. Cole suddenly stops. His head tilts
Dr. Cole suddenly stops. His head tilts slightly, listening to something none of
slightly, listening to something none of them can hear. Then he points toward an
them can hear. Then he points toward an old, half-destroyed subway station
old, half-destroyed subway station covered in vines and fungal overgrowth.
covered in vines and fungal overgrowth. There, he says, underground. The hive's
There, he says, underground. The hive's influence is weaker there.
influence is weaker there. Harper scoffs. Why? Scared of the dark.
Harper scoffs. Why? Scared of the dark. Dr. Nicole slowly turns his head toward
Dr. Nicole slowly turns his head toward her, his hollow, sunken eyes catching
her, his hollow, sunken eyes catching the dim moonlight. Number but they are.
the dim moonlight. Number but they are. The team exchanges uneasy glances, but
The team exchanges uneasy glances, but Elias makes the call.
Elias makes the call. We don't have time to argue. Move.
We don't have time to argue. Move. They descend into the darkness.
They descend into the darkness. Flashlights cutting through the stale
Flashlights cutting through the stale air. The tunnels stretch endlessly.
air. The tunnels stretch endlessly. Walls slick with moisture and decay.
Walls slick with moisture and decay. It's silent.
It's silent. too silent. Finally, they reach an
too silent. Finally, they reach an abandoned service room. Reinforced metal
abandoned service room. Reinforced metal doors, old equipment, and signs that
doors, old equipment, and signs that people once took shelter here before the
people once took shelter here before the world fell apart. It's not ideal, but
world fell apart. It's not ideal, but it's something. Lena wastes no time.
it's something. Lena wastes no time. All right, she says, turning to Dr.
All right, she says, turning to Dr. Cole. You want us to trust you? Start
Cole. You want us to trust you? Start talking.
talking. Dr. Cole hesitates for the briefest
Dr. Cole hesitates for the briefest moment. Then he exhales, a slow
moment. Then he exhales, a slow human-like action, as if gathering his
human-like action, as if gathering his thoughts. And then he drops the
thoughts. And then he drops the bombshell.
bombshell. The hive isn't just evolving. It's
The hive isn't just evolving. It's preparing for something. Something worse
preparing for something. Something worse than anything you've seen.
than anything you've seen. Silence.
Silence. Elias feels a chill creep up his spine.
Elias feels a chill creep up his spine. What do you mean? Dr. Cole's fingers
What do you mean? Dr. Cole's fingers twitch, the fungal tendrils in his arms
twitch, the fungal tendrils in his arms shifting unnaturally.
shifting unnaturally. You think the hive is just trying to
You think the hive is just trying to assimilate survivors? You're wrong. It's
assimilate survivors? You're wrong. It's been learning, gathering everything it
been learning, gathering everything it needs. And now he slowly lifts his gaze,
needs. And now he slowly lifts his gaze, voice hollow. Now it's building
voice hollow. Now it's building something.
something. The words settle like a stone in Elias's
The words settle like a stone in Elias's stomach.
stomach. Dax narrows his eyes. Building what?
Dax narrows his eyes. Building what? Dr. Cole's mouth opens, but before he
Dr. Cole's mouth opens, but before he can answer, the tunnel shakes. A deep,
can answer, the tunnel shakes. A deep, distant rumbling. Something massive is
distant rumbling. Something massive is moving above them. The sound is unlike
moving above them. The sound is unlike any harvester they've heard before.
any harvester they've heard before. Heavier, deeper, unnatural. The
Heavier, deeper, unnatural. The vibrations rattle their bones, dust
vibrations rattle their bones, dust raining from the ceiling.
raining from the ceiling. Harper's voice comes out barely above a
Harper's voice comes out barely above a whisper.
whisper. What the hell was that? Dr. Cole's head
What the hell was that? Dr. Cole's head snaps toward the noise. The fungal
snaps toward the noise. The fungal growths along his neck pulse. It knows
growths along his neck pulse. It knows where we are. And then a new sound. A
where we are. And then a new sound. A guttural inhuman screech. Not like the
guttural inhuman screech. Not like the usual harvesters.
usual harvesters. This is deeper, more resonant, vibrating
This is deeper, more resonant, vibrating through the walls like a death nail.
through the walls like a death nail. Something is coming.
Something is coming. Something big.
Something big. Tunnel run.
Tunnel run. As the survivors sprint deeper into the
As the survivors sprint deeper into the tunnel, the deafening tremors intensify.
tunnel, the deafening tremors intensify. The walls groan under the immense
The walls groan under the immense pressure of whatever is above. And then
pressure of whatever is above. And then boom, the entrance behind them erupts in
boom, the entrance behind them erupts in a cloud of dust and debris. Through the
a cloud of dust and debris. Through the haze, the silhouettes of harvesters
haze, the silhouettes of harvesters appear. Dozens of them, their twisted
appear. Dozens of them, their twisted forms illuminated by the flickering
forms illuminated by the flickering emergency lights. They screech and
emergency lights. They screech and charge forward, their bodies contorting
charge forward, their bodies contorting unnaturally as they squeeze through the
unnaturally as they squeeze through the narrowing passage. Gunfire erupts as Dax
narrowing passage. Gunfire erupts as Dax and Elias fire into the swarm, cutting
and Elias fire into the swarm, cutting some of them down, but there are too
some of them down, but there are too many. Then a deep, bone rattling growl
many. Then a deep, bone rattling growl reverberates through the tunnel. The
reverberates through the tunnel. The survivors steal a glance back just in
survivors steal a glance back just in time to see it.
time to see it. The massive armored lieutenant looms at
The massive armored lieutenant looms at the entrance, its glowing fungal veined
the entrance, its glowing fungal veined eyes locked onto them. It doesn't rush
eyes locked onto them. It doesn't rush in like the others. Instead, it pushes
in like the others. Instead, it pushes forward, attempting to force its
forward, attempting to force its enormous body through the narrow tunnel.
enormous body through the narrow tunnel. Its sheer bulk cracks the concrete,
Its sheer bulk cracks the concrete, sending large chunks crashing down. The
sending large chunks crashing down. The ground shakes violently and then the
ground shakes violently and then the collapse.
collapse. The tunnel entrance caves in with a
The tunnel entrance caves in with a thunderous roar, swallowing the
thunderous roar, swallowing the lieutenant in a cascade of rubble. A
lieutenant in a cascade of rubble. A cloud of dust billows toward the
cloud of dust billows toward the survivors as the walls behind them seal
survivors as the walls behind them seal shut, intombing the pursuing harvesters
shut, intombing the pursuing harvesters beneath tons of rock and debris. Silence
beneath tons of rock and debris. Silence follows. Only the distant sound of
follows. Only the distant sound of settling rubble remains. Lena coughs,
settling rubble remains. Lena coughs, waving away the dust. Did we just?
waving away the dust. Did we just? Elias doesn't answer, his pulse still
Elias doesn't answer, his pulse still hammering.
hammering. Harper shines her flashlight toward the
Harper shines her flashlight toward the wreckage, her voice shaky. It's blocked
wreckage, her voice shaky. It's blocked off, but not dead. That thing's not
off, but not dead. That thing's not dead. Dax exhales sharply, adjusting his
dead. Dax exhales sharply, adjusting his rifle.
rifle. No, but we bought ourselves time. With
No, but we bought ourselves time. With no other choice, the group presses
no other choice, the group presses forward into the unknown depths of the
forward into the unknown depths of the tunnel. Their footsteps the only sound
tunnel. Their footsteps the only sound in the oppressive darkness.
in the oppressive darkness. They need to find safety before whatever
They need to find safety before whatever is left behind finds them first.
is left behind finds them first. Underground refuge.
The team stumbles into an abandoned subway maintenance room. The stale air
subway maintenance room. The stale air thick with dust and rust. A dim
thick with dust and rust. A dim emergency light flickers in the corner,
emergency light flickers in the corner, barely illuminating the cracked walls.
barely illuminating the cracked walls. The echoes of collapsing rubble still
The echoes of collapsing rubble still ring in their ears. They've escaped,
ring in their ears. They've escaped, barely.
barely. Lena is the first to act, pulling out
Lena is the first to act, pulling out the medkit. Dax winces as she wraps his
the medkit. Dax winces as she wraps his arm where a jagged piece of metal grazed
arm where a jagged piece of metal grazed him during the escape. Harper, still
him during the escape. Harper, still shaking, runs a quick diagnostic on her
shaking, runs a quick diagnostic on her hacked tablet, checking for signs of
hacked tablet, checking for signs of infection. They're all clear this time.
infection. They're all clear this time. Elias leans against the wall, breathing
Elias leans against the wall, breathing heavily. His hands shake as he reloads
heavily. His hands shake as he reloads his rifle. The weight of what just
his rifle. The weight of what just happened bears down on him. Harper
happened bears down on him. Harper breaks the silence.
breaks the silence. That thing, it was different, smarter,
That thing, it was different, smarter, stronger. It just stood there like it
stronger. It just stood there like it was thinking before it moved.
was thinking before it moved. Dax shakes his head, jaw clenched. It
Dax shakes his head, jaw clenched. It wasn't just controlling them. It was
wasn't just controlling them. It was coordinating them like a damn general
coordinating them like a damn general sending troops into battle.
sending troops into battle. Lena looks at Doctor Cole, who has been
Lena looks at Doctor Cole, who has been eerily quiet.
eerily quiet. You said you didn't know what it was,
You said you didn't know what it was, but you've seen the harvesters evolve
but you've seen the harvesters evolve before. What do you think we're dealing
before. What do you think we're dealing with?
with? Dr. Cole finally speaks, his voice.
Dr. Cole finally speaks, his voice. This was intentional. It's not just an
This was intentional. It's not just an evolution. It's a design. The Hive
evolution. It's a design. The Hive created something new. A lieutenant, a
created something new. A lieutenant, a war leader.
war leader. A heavy silence settles over the room.
A heavy silence settles over the room. Dr. Cole exhales sharply, his expression
Dr. Cole exhales sharply, his expression dark. You want to know why the Hive is
dark. You want to know why the Hive is making things like this? You already
making things like this? You already know the answer. It's not just hunting
know the answer. It's not just hunting survivors anymore. It's organizing,
survivors anymore. It's organizing, expanding.
expanding. Elias watches him carefully.
Elias watches him carefully. Expanding how?
Expanding how? Dr. Cole hesitates, then speaks the
Dr. Cole hesitates, then speaks the words that make everyone's stomach drop.
words that make everyone's stomach drop. It's preparing for the next stage,
It's preparing for the next stage, full-scale war.
full-scale war. Lena swallows hard. That means it's not
Lena swallows hard. That means it's not just turning humans into harvesters
just turning humans into harvesters anymore. It's building an army to wipe
anymore. It's building an army to wipe us out.
us out. Dax runs a hand down his face. So what
Dax runs a hand down his face. So what if that thing was their lieutenant? What
if that thing was their lieutenant? What the hell else do they have waiting for
the hell else do they have waiting for us? No one has an answer.
us? No one has an answer. Harper suddenly slams her tablet shut,
Harper suddenly slams her tablet shut, her voice shaking. I don't know how much
her voice shaking. I don't know how much more of this I can take. Every time we
more of this I can take. Every time we fight, they get stronger. Every time we
fight, they get stronger. Every time we run, they find us. How the hell do we
run, they find us. How the hell do we even win against something like this?
even win against something like this? Dax glares. We don't have a choice. We
Dax glares. We don't have a choice. We either fight or we end up just like
either fight or we end up just like them. Lena interjects, desperate for
them. Lena interjects, desperate for reason. And that's why we have to stick
reason. And that's why we have to stick to the plan. The signal, the one
to the plan. The signal, the one controlling them. We still don't know
controlling them. We still don't know what it's doing or why. That's why we
what it's doing or why. That's why we went underground in the first place. We
went underground in the first place. We have to make it to that facility and
have to make it to that facility and shut it down. Elias straightens up, his
shut it down. Elias straightens up, his expression grim but determined.
expression grim but determined. Lena's right. If this thing is
Lena's right. If this thing is controlling the harvesters, we take it
controlling the harvesters, we take it out and we their command
out and we their command structure. We delay whatever this war is
structure. We delay whatever this war is before it starts. A long pause.
before it starts. A long pause. Then slowly everyone nods.
Then slowly everyone nods. Their goal is clear. Reach the facility.
Their goal is clear. Reach the facility. Destroy the signal. survive. The first
Destroy the signal. survive. The first rays of daylight cast long shadows
rays of daylight cast long shadows across the ruined cityscape as Elias and
across the ruined cityscape as Elias and the others navigated through the
the others navigated through the crumbling streets. The night in the
crumbling streets. The night in the tunnels had been restless, but it had
tunnels had been restless, but it had granted them a temporary reprieve.
granted them a temporary reprieve. Now they were exposed once more, moving
Now they were exposed once more, moving through the skeletal remains of a
through the skeletal remains of a civilization lost to the harvesters.
civilization lost to the harvesters. Dax led the way, his eyes scanning the
Dax led the way, his eyes scanning the rooftops and alleyways for movement.
rooftops and alleyways for movement. Harper was next, muttering about how
Harper was next, muttering about how much she hated open ground. Lena and
much she hated open ground. Lena and Elias followed close behind, both tense
Elias followed close behind, both tense but determined.
but determined. The facility in the mountains was still
The facility in the mountains was still miles away, but every step toward it
miles away, but every step toward it felt like wading deeper into
felt like wading deeper into uncertainty.
uncertainty. A sudden crack split the air. A bullet
A sudden crack split the air. A bullet struck the pavement inches from Dax's
struck the pavement inches from Dax's boot, kicking up dust and sending the
boot, kicking up dust and sending the team scrambling for cover. "Sniper!"
team scrambling for cover. "Sniper!" Dax barked, pressing himself against the
Dax barked, pressing himself against the side of a rusted out car. Harper dove
side of a rusted out car. Harper dove behind a broken concrete barrier, her
behind a broken concrete barrier, her eyes wide with panic. From above, a
eyes wide with panic. From above, a voice rang out, harsh and edged with
voice rang out, harsh and edged with suspicion. "Who the hell are you
suspicion. "Who the hell are you bringing those things here?"
bringing those things here?" Elias peered cautiously from behind a
Elias peered cautiously from behind a chunk of debris, his gaze following the
chunk of debris, his gaze following the sound. High up in the remains of a
sound. High up in the remains of a fivestory office building, a dark figure
fivestory office building, a dark figure loomed behind a shattered window. The
loomed behind a shattered window. The sniper had the high ground. The
sniper had the high ground. The advantage,
advantage, Dax clenched his jaw, gripping his
Dax clenched his jaw, gripping his rifle. "You get a bead on him?" "Yeah,"
rifle. "You get a bead on him?" "Yeah," Harper whispered. "But he's got a bead
Harper whispered. "But he's got a bead on us, too."
on us, too." The voice came again, sharper this time.
The voice came again, sharper this time. Answer me. That horde, was it chasing
Answer me. That horde, was it chasing you? Lena raised a cautious hand, trying
you? Lena raised a cautious hand, trying to deescalate.
to deescalate. Look, we're just passing through. We
Look, we're just passing through. We don't want trouble.
don't want trouble. Everyone wants trouble, whether they
Everyone wants trouble, whether they mean to or not. Uh, the sniper's voice
mean to or not. Uh, the sniper's voice was cold, calculating.
was cold, calculating. Elias took a breath, stepping slightly
Elias took a breath, stepping slightly into view.
into view. We're not here to bring harvesters down
We're not here to bring harvesters down on you. We're heading for the mountains
on you. We're heading for the mountains for that facility. We just want to
for that facility. We just want to survive.
survive. A tense silence stretched between them.
A tense silence stretched between them. Then another shot. This one hit closer
Then another shot. This one hit closer just above Elias's head, forcing him
just above Elias's head, forcing him back. Keep your distance or I'll kill
back. Keep your distance or I'll kill you where you stand. Answer my questions
you where you stand. Answer my questions and I'll decide if I let you live.
and I'll decide if I let you live. Harper muttered under her breath. Oh, he
Harper muttered under her breath. Oh, he sounds fun.
sounds fun. Dax's muscles tensed, but Elias motioned
Dax's muscles tensed, but Elias motioned for everyone to hold. This wasn't just
for everyone to hold. This wasn't just some trigger-happy lunatic. This was
some trigger-happy lunatic. This was someone who had survived alone for a
someone who had survived alone for a long time, someone who didn't trust
long time, someone who didn't trust easily.
easily. Elias locked eyes on the figure in the
Elias locked eyes on the figure in the window and chose his words carefully.
window and chose his words carefully. You already know we're not infected or
You already know we're not infected or you wouldn't be talking. You saw that
you wouldn't be talking. You saw that horde, so you know why we ran. We're
horde, so you know why we ran. We're just trying to stay alive. Same as you.
just trying to stay alive. Same as you. Another long pause. Then finally, the
Another long pause. Then finally, the sniper, Nox Turner, spoke again, this
sniper, Nox Turner, spoke again, this time with less immediate hostility. Stay
time with less immediate hostility. Stay where you are. They heard movement from
where you are. They heard movement from inside the building. He was coming down.
inside the building. He was coming down. Dax exhaled, gripping his weapon
Dax exhaled, gripping his weapon tighter. Great. Let's see if this guy's
tighter. Great. Let's see if this guy's the shoot first type or the paranoid but
the shoot first type or the paranoid but reasonable type. Harper sighed. My
reasonable type. Harper sighed. My money's on both.
money's on both. The team waited, the weight of the
The team waited, the weight of the moment pressing down on them as the lone
moment pressing down on them as the lone survivor approached.
survivor approached. Face to face with Knox.
Then Knox stepped into the open. He was tall, wiry, wearing patchwork survival
tall, wiry, wearing patchwork survival gear that had been reinforced over time.
gear that had been reinforced over time. His rifle was still in his hands, but it
His rifle was still in his hands, but it wasn't aimed yet. His sharp eyes scanned
wasn't aimed yet. His sharp eyes scanned the group, assessing, calculating. Then
the group, assessing, calculating. Then his gaze landed on Doctor Cole. His
his gaze landed on Doctor Cole. His entire body stiffened. What the hell is
entire body stiffened. What the hell is that? Knox's voice was colder now,
that? Knox's voice was colder now, filled with something that hadn't been
filled with something that hadn't been there before. outright hostility.
there before. outright hostility. Dax moved instinctively, stepping in
Dax moved instinctively, stepping in front of Dr. Cole. She's with us. Nox's
front of Dr. Cole. She's with us. Nox's rifle snapped up instantly. That's not a
rifle snapped up instantly. That's not a she. That's one of them. Elias held up
she. That's one of them. Elias held up his hands, trying to diffuse the
his hands, trying to diffuse the situation.
situation. She's different. She's not part of the
She's different. She's not part of the hive anymore.
hive anymore.
Knox's finger tensed on the trigger. His breathing was steady, his stance
breathing was steady, his stance unwavering.
unwavering. This wasn't fear. This was certainty.
This wasn't fear. This was certainty. I've seen what those things can do.
I've seen what those things can do. You're telling me you got to tame one?
You're telling me you got to tame one? That it's not leading you right into a
That it's not leading you right into a trap?
trap? Dr. Cole took a step forward, her
Dr. Cole took a step forward, her expression unreadable.
expression unreadable. I know what I am. Her voice was calm,
I know what I am. Her voice was calm, deliberate.
deliberate. And I know what the hive is. I can help
And I know what the hive is. I can help you fight it.
you fight it. Knox let out a harsh, bitter laugh.
Knox let out a harsh, bitter laugh. Help? You think I'd trust the word of a
Help? You think I'd trust the word of a damn harvester? I've watched those
damn harvester? I've watched those things tear people apart. Trick them.
things tear people apart. Trick them. Mimic their voices. They don't help.
Mimic their voices. They don't help. They consume.
They consume. Lena spoke up, her voice urgent. She
Lena spoke up, her voice urgent. She saved our lives more than once. We
saved our lives more than once. We wouldn't be here without her.
wouldn't be here without her. Knox's jaw tightened, the weight of his
Knox's jaw tightened, the weight of his past evident in his hardened gaze. Elias
past evident in his hardened gaze. Elias took a cautious step forward.
took a cautious step forward. We're not asking you to trust her. Just
We're not asking you to trust her. Just trust us for now. We need to get to that
trust us for now. We need to get to that facility. We're running out of time.
facility. We're running out of time. Knox didn't lower his rifle, but his
Knox didn't lower his rifle, but his grip eased slightly. His eyes flicked
grip eased slightly. His eyes flicked from Elias to doctor Cole, the gears in
from Elias to doctor Cole, the gears in his head turning.
his head turning. Finally, after a long pause, he lowered
Finally, after a long pause, he lowered his weapon just a little. Fine, but if
his weapon just a little. Fine, but if she so much as twitches wrong, I put her
she so much as twitches wrong, I put her down myself.
down myself. Dax's grip on his rifle tightened. You'd
Dax's grip on his rifle tightened. You'd have to go through us first.
have to go through us first. Knox's lips curled into a humorless
Knox's lips curled into a humorless smirk.
smirk. Then, let's hope it doesn't come to
Then, let's hope it doesn't come to that.
that. The tension remained, thick and
The tension remained, thick and suffocating, but for now, the standoff
suffocating, but for now, the standoff was over.
was over. Knox stepped back toward the ruined
Knox stepped back toward the ruined building's entrance and jerked his head
building's entrance and jerked his head toward the door. "Get inside now."
toward the door. "Get inside now." Elias didn't hesitate. They had spent
Elias didn't hesitate. They had spent too long in the open already.
too long in the open already. Knox shelter and mountain warning.
The group follows Knox inside the crumbling building, their boots
crumbling building, their boots crunching against debris. The air is
crunching against debris. The air is stale, thick with the scent of old paper
stale, thick with the scent of old paper and dust. Knox leads them up a narrow
and dust. Knox leads them up a narrow staircase to a room that's been
staircase to a room that's been converted into a makeshift hideout.
converted into a makeshift hideout. A faded tarp covers a shattered window,
A faded tarp covers a shattered window, softening the morning light. The space
softening the morning light. The space is minimal. a bed roll in the corner, a
is minimal. a bed roll in the corner, a few scavenged supplies stacked neatly in
few scavenged supplies stacked neatly in crates, and a long range rifle resting
crates, and a long range rifle resting against the wall. A small fire pit sits
against the wall. A small fire pit sits in the center, a bundle of charred wood
in the center, a bundle of charred wood hinting at its last use.
hinting at its last use. Knox doesn't sit. Instead, he moves to
Knox doesn't sit. Instead, he moves to the far side of the room, positioning
the far side of the room, positioning himself near a shelf with a direct line
himself near a shelf with a direct line of sight to Dr. Cole. His rifle stays
of sight to Dr. Cole. His rifle stays slung across his chest, his fingers
slung across his chest, his fingers never far from the trigger. Every
never far from the trigger. Every movement he makes is deliberate,
movement he makes is deliberate, calculated.
calculated. He crouches near one of the crates,
He crouches near one of the crates, pulling out several cans of beans.
pulling out several cans of beans. Without a word, he tosses one to each of
Without a word, he tosses one to each of them.
them. Eat.
Eat. Elias hesitates before popping open the
Elias hesitates before popping open the can. The others follow suit, grateful
can. The others follow suit, grateful for something more than ration bars.
for something more than ration bars. Knox leans against the wall, arms
Knox leans against the wall, arms crossed, eyes flicking between them, but
crossed, eyes flicking between them, but never leaving Dr. Cole for long.
never leaving Dr. Cole for long. So, the old facility. You really think
So, the old facility. You really think shutting down that signal will change
shutting down that signal will change anything?
anything? Elias wipes his mouth with the back of
Elias wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. We know the signal is
his hand. We know the signal is affecting the harvesters. It's keeping
affecting the harvesters. It's keeping them coordinated. If we take it out, we
them coordinated. If we take it out, we might be able to throw them into chaos
might be able to throw them into chaos by time.
by time. Knox exhales through his nose, shaking
Knox exhales through his nose, shaking his head. Maybe, but you're not just
his head. Maybe, but you're not just fighting them.
fighting them. Dax looks up. What do you mean? Knox's
Dax looks up. What do you mean? Knox's expression hardens. He grabs a map from
expression hardens. He grabs a map from the crate and spreads it out on the
the crate and spreads it out on the floor. It's old, marked with handwritten
floor. It's old, marked with handwritten notes and scratches.
notes and scratches. I've been watching that place for
I've been watching that place for months. Can't get close, not without
months. Can't get close, not without drawing attention. But the harvesters
drawing attention. But the harvesters aren't the only things out there. He
aren't the only things out there. He taps his finger against a rgeline on the
taps his finger against a rgeline on the map. Something moves in the mountains at
map. Something moves in the mountains at night. Something big. You won't see it
night. Something big. You won't see it coming until it's too late. Harper stops
coming until it's too late. Harper stops midbite.
midbite. Define big.
Define big. Knox shakes his head. No clue what it
Knox shakes his head. No clue what it is. I've only heard it. And trust me,
is. I've only heard it. And trust me, you don't want to be in its path when it
you don't want to be in its path when it moves. Trees snap like twigs. The ground
moves. Trees snap like twigs. The ground shakes and anything in the area gone by
shakes and anything in the area gone by morning.
morning. A heavy silence settles over the group.
A heavy silence settles over the group. Lena swallows hard. You think it's
Lena swallows hard. You think it's another harvester?
another harvester? Knox hesitates. Don't know. Could be
Knox hesitates. Don't know. Could be something worse.
something worse. Dr. Cole, who has remained quiet,
Dr. Cole, who has remained quiet, finally speaks. Her voice is calm but
finally speaks. Her voice is calm but laced with certainty.
laced with certainty. The signal inside that facility isn't
The signal inside that facility isn't just keeping the harvesters coordinated.
just keeping the harvesters coordinated. It's controlling them, giving them
It's controlling them, giving them orders.
orders. Nox's head snaps toward her, his posture
Nox's head snaps toward her, his posture shifting instantly, his fingers tighten
shifting instantly, his fingers tighten on his rifle. Giving them orders? Are
on his rifle. Giving them orders? Are they giving you orders, too? His voice
they giving you orders, too? His voice is sharp, accusation burning behind
is sharp, accusation burning behind every word. Dr. Cole meets his gaze
every word. Dr. Cole meets his gaze without flinching.
without flinching. number. I severed my connection to the
number. I severed my connection to the hive. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be
hive. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be standing here.
standing here. Nox lets out a harsh breath, taking a
Nox lets out a harsh breath, taking a slow step toward her, keeping just
slow step toward her, keeping just enough distance to react if needed. And
enough distance to react if needed. And I'm just supposed to believe that that
I'm just supposed to believe that that the hive just let you go.
the hive just let you go. Dax tenses, subtly, shifting his weight,
Dax tenses, subtly, shifting his weight, ready to intervene. She's not one of
ready to intervene. She's not one of them anymore.
them anymore. Knox huffs a humorless laugh. That's
Knox huffs a humorless laugh. That's what you tell yourselves because you
what you tell yourselves because you need to believe it.
need to believe it. Dr. Cole's jaw tightens, but she doesn't
Dr. Cole's jaw tightens, but she doesn't break eye contact. Believe whatever you
break eye contact. Believe whatever you want. But that signal is how the hive
want. But that signal is how the hive spreads its influence. If we don't stop
spreads its influence. If we don't stop it, you won't just be hearing things in
it, you won't just be hearing things in the mountains. You'll be hearing them
the mountains. You'll be hearing them everywhere. Knox stares at her for a
everywhere. Knox stares at her for a long, tense moment. his expression
long, tense moment. his expression unreadable.
unreadable. Finally, he exhales sharply, turning
Finally, he exhales sharply, turning back to the map. Then you better hope
back to the map. Then you better hope you're right, because if you're not,
you're right, because if you're not, none of us are making it out of there
none of us are making it out of there alive.
alive. The room remains thick with unease, but
The room remains thick with unease, but Knox doesn't lower his guard. Not yet,
Knox doesn't lower his guard. Not yet, and Dr. Cole knows he won't anytime
and Dr. Cole knows he won't anytime soon.
soon. Knox rolls up the map and shoves it into
Knox rolls up the map and shoves it into his pack. He sigh, rubbing the back of
his pack. He sigh, rubbing the back of his neck before looking at the group.
his neck before looking at the group. Damn it. His voice is low, reluctant. If
Damn it. His voice is low, reluctant. If I let you walk out there alone, you're
I let you walk out there alone, you're dead before sunset. Dax smirks. Nice to
dead before sunset. Dax smirks. Nice to see you care. Knox glares at him. I
see you care. Knox glares at him. I don't, but I've been watching that
don't, but I've been watching that facility long enough to know it's
facility long enough to know it's suicide if you go in blind.
suicide if you go in blind. Elias nods. So, you're coming with us?
Elias nods. So, you're coming with us? Nox huffs. I'll keep my distance. You do
Nox huffs. I'll keep my distance. You do what you need to do, and I'll make sure
what you need to do, and I'll make sure you don't get yourselves killed before
you don't get yourselves killed before you get there.
you get there. Lena tilts her head. Why not just stick
Lena tilts her head. Why not just stick with us?
with us? Knox's jaw tightens. I don't do groups.
Knox's jaw tightens. I don't do groups. Groups are slow, loud. They get you
Groups are slow, loud. They get you killed. His eyes flick to Dax. and some
killed. His eyes flick to Dax. and some of you make easy targets.
of you make easy targets. Dax steps forward, but Elias places a
Dax steps forward, but Elias places a hand on his chest, stopping him. Fine,
hand on his chest, stopping him. Fine, keep your distance, but if things go
keep your distance, but if things go bad, we're going to need you. Knox picks
bad, we're going to need you. Knox picks up his rifle and slings it over his
up his rifle and slings it over his shoulder. They already will. You just
shoulder. They already will. You just don't know it yet. He walks toward the
don't know it yet. He walks toward the door and stops, looking back over his
door and stops, looking back over his shoulder. We leave in 10. I hope you're
shoulder. We leave in 10. I hope you're faster than you look. The group moves
faster than you look. The group moves out as the sun sits high in the sky,
out as the sun sits high in the sky, casting long shadows across the ruined
casting long shadows across the ruined city. Knox leads the way from a
city. Knox leads the way from a distance, his rifle at the ready, his
distance, his rifle at the ready, his movements sharp and practiced.
movements sharp and practiced. As they leave the cracked pavement
As they leave the cracked pavement behind, the wilderness takes over.
behind, the wilderness takes over. Nature has reclaimed the land. Thick
Nature has reclaimed the land. Thick roots coil over broken roads. Vines
roots coil over broken roads. Vines strangle abandoned cars. And the sound
strangle abandoned cars. And the sound of civilization is replaced by the eerie
of civilization is replaced by the eerie hum of the forest.
hum of the forest. Lena pulls her jacket closer. It's too
Lena pulls her jacket closer. It's too quiet.
quiet. Elias nods. No birds, no insects.
Elias nods. No birds, no insects. He exhales, his breath fogging in the
He exhales, his breath fogging in the cool air. That's not normal.
cool air. That's not normal. Knocks a few yards ahead. Raises a hand.
Knocks a few yards ahead. Raises a hand. A silent signal to stop. The group
A silent signal to stop. The group freezes as he kneels by something on the
freezes as he kneels by something on the ground. Harper inches closer.
ground. Harper inches closer. What is it? Knox doesn't answer at
What is it? Knox doesn't answer at first. He lifts a half-eaten deer
first. He lifts a half-eaten deer carcass, its ribs cracked open, the
carcass, its ribs cracked open, the flesh torn in long, uneven strips.
flesh torn in long, uneven strips. What's left of the meat is blackened and
What's left of the meat is blackened and covered in fungal growth. Dax grips his
covered in fungal growth. Dax grips his gun tighter. Harvesters.
gun tighter. Harvesters. Knox shakes his head. No. He points to
Knox shakes his head. No. He points to the body. See these claw marks? Sharp.
the body. See these claw marks? Sharp. Precise. Harvesters don't hunt like
Precise. Harvesters don't hunt like this. They don't eat like this. Lena
this. They don't eat like this. Lena swallows hard. Then what does? Knox
swallows hard. Then what does? Knox scans the treetops. His eyes narrow.
scans the treetops. His eyes narrow. Something that doesn't like to share its
Something that doesn't like to share its territory. Elias exhales sharply. So
territory. Elias exhales sharply. So we're not alone out here. Knox slings
we're not alone out here. Knox slings his rifle back over his shoulder and
his rifle back over his shoulder and stands. We never were.
stands. We never were. The deeper they go, the thicker the
The deeper they go, the thicker the trees become, their twisted trunks
trees become, their twisted trunks forming a suffocating tunnel. The canopy
forming a suffocating tunnel. The canopy above blocks out much of the daylight,
above blocks out much of the daylight, leaving only streaks of pale light
leaving only streaks of pale light filtering through the leaves. Knox moves
filtering through the leaves. Knox moves ahead, always keeping a bit of distance.
ahead, always keeping a bit of distance. The rest of the group follows intense
The rest of the group follows intense silence, stepping carefully over tangled
silence, stepping carefully over tangled roots and damp mosscovered ground. Then
roots and damp mosscovered ground. Then the first sign. A branch snaps. Not from
the first sign. A branch snaps. Not from one of them. Dax whirls, gun up,
one of them. Dax whirls, gun up, scanning the trees. Nothing.
scanning the trees. Nothing. Could have been an animal, Lena
Could have been an animal, Lena whispers.
whispers. Knox doesn't look convinced. His gaze
Knox doesn't look convinced. His gaze sweeps across the treetops, the dark
sweeps across the treetops, the dark spaces between the branches, watching,
spaces between the branches, watching, listening. A few minutes later, the
listening. A few minutes later, the second sign. Elias stops midstep,
second sign. Elias stops midstep, staring at something ahead. A backpack
staring at something ahead. A backpack half buried in the leaves, dirty, torn,
half buried in the leaves, dirty, torn, like it's been sitting there for months.
like it's been sitting there for months. Harper kneels, brushing away the damp
Harper kneels, brushing away the damp leaves and mud. The zipper is open. The
leaves and mud. The zipper is open. The inside's gutted. Clothes shredded. No
inside's gutted. Clothes shredded. No supplies left. Dax frowns.
supplies left. Dax frowns. Someone else passed through here.
Someone else passed through here. Knox steps forward, studying it. Not
Knox steps forward, studying it. Not just someone. Someone who didn't make
just someone. Someone who didn't make it.
it. No one speaks. They keep moving.
No one speaks. They keep moving. Then the third sign. Knox stops
Then the third sign. Knox stops abruptly, his posture stiffening. He
abruptly, his posture stiffening. He crouches and touches the dirt. When he
crouches and touches the dirt. When he lifts his fingers, they're wet. A dark
lifts his fingers, they're wet. A dark red smear stains his glove. Blood fresh.
red smear stains his glove. Blood fresh. Before anyone can speak, a low clicking
Before anyone can speak, a low clicking sound echoes from somewhere deep in the
sound echoes from somewhere deep in the woods. A chittering like something
woods. A chittering like something scraping its limbs against bark. Lena
scraping its limbs against bark. Lena grips her knife. Please tell me that was
grips her knife. Please tell me that was a bird. Knox's voice is low, firm. That
a bird. Knox's voice is low, firm. That wasn't a bird. Knox's voice is sharp,
wasn't a bird. Knox's voice is sharp, barely above a whisper. Take cover.
barely above a whisper. Take cover. Watch your backs.
Watch your backs. Before anyone can respond, he's already
Before anyone can respond, he's already moving. Silent, controlled, disappearing
moving. Silent, controlled, disappearing into the trees. The others barely have
into the trees. The others barely have time to react before the forest shifts.
time to react before the forest shifts. A low rustling, then absolute silence.
A low rustling, then absolute silence. Elias grips his rifle, eyes darting
Elias grips his rifle, eyes darting around the tangled undergrowth.
around the tangled undergrowth. Dax presses against a fallen log, his
Dax presses against a fallen log, his knife already in hand. Harper swallows
knife already in hand. Harper swallows hard, her fingers twitching over her
hard, her fingers twitching over her pistol. Then movement, something fast, a
pistol. Then movement, something fast, a blur of pale mottled flesh against the
blur of pale mottled flesh against the trees. It moves in a way that isn't
trees. It moves in a way that isn't natural. A sickening insect-like grace
natural. A sickening insect-like grace darting between trunks without making a
darting between trunks without making a sound. Lena's breath catches.
sound. Lena's breath catches. There it's gone. Dax grits his teeth.
There it's gone. Dax grits his teeth. It's circling us.
It's circling us. Then the attack. A figure bursts from
Then the attack. A figure bursts from the trees at an unnatural speed. The
the trees at an unnatural speed. The stalker. Its limbs are long and
stalker. Its limbs are long and emaciated. The fungal growths along its
emaciated. The fungal growths along its spine pulsing faintly. No eyes, no
spine pulsing faintly. No eyes, no mouth, just slits where a nose should
mouth, just slits where a nose should be. Sniffing. It lunges for Harper.
be. Sniffing. It lunges for Harper. She barely twists away as clawed fingers
She barely twists away as clawed fingers slice the air where her throat was
slice the air where her throat was seconds ago until something intercepts.
seconds ago until something intercepts. Dr. Cole. She moves in a blur, slamming
Dr. Cole. She moves in a blur, slamming into the stalker midair. The impact
into the stalker midair. The impact sends them both crashing to the ground
sends them both crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The stalker lashes
in a tangle of limbs. The stalker lashes out, but Dr. Cole is faster. She dodges,
out, but Dr. Cole is faster. She dodges, her movements unnatural, almost too
her movements unnatural, almost too precise, like she already knows what the
precise, like she already knows what the creature will do next. Dax raises his
creature will do next. Dax raises his rifle, but his jaw clenches too close.
rifle, but his jaw clenches too close. He can't fire without hitting her. The
He can't fire without hitting her. The stalker writhes beneath her, its
stalker writhes beneath her, its tendrils whipping around, trying to
tendrils whipping around, trying to snare her arms. Dr. Cole pivots, her
snare her arms. Dr. Cole pivots, her knee pressing into its chest, pinning it
knee pressing into its chest, pinning it down. Then a gunshot.
down. Then a gunshot. The stalker's head jerks back. A single
The stalker's head jerks back. A single precise bullet rips through its skull.
precise bullet rips through its skull. Its body twitches once, then slumps.
Its body twitches once, then slumps. Dr. Cole exhales sharply and pushes
Dr. Cole exhales sharply and pushes herself off the corpse. Blood smears her
herself off the corpse. Blood smears her hands, but she doesn't react to it. She
hands, but she doesn't react to it. She just stands, adjusting her coat. The
just stands, adjusting her coat. The others turn toward the source of the
others turn toward the source of the shot. Knox emerges from the trees, rifle
shot. Knox emerges from the trees, rifle still raised, smoke curling from the
still raised, smoke curling from the barrel. He lowers it as he approaches.
barrel. He lowers it as he approaches. For a moment, no one speaks.
For a moment, no one speaks. Then Knox stops in front of Doctor Cole,
Then Knox stops in front of Doctor Cole, his expression unreadable.
his expression unreadable. Slowly, he nods. Didn't think I'd see
Slowly, he nods. Didn't think I'd see one of you fight like that.
one of you fight like that. Dr. Cole meets his gaze unfazed.
Dr. Cole meets his gaze unfazed. You haven't seen much then. A beat of
You haven't seen much then. A beat of silence then.
silence then. Knox actually smirks just slightly.
Knox actually smirks just slightly. Maybe not. He shoulders his rifle and
Maybe not. He shoulders his rifle and walks past the group. Let's keep moving.
walks past the group. Let's keep moving. The shift is there. Knox saw it and for
The shift is there. Knox saw it and for the first time he's starting to see her.
the first time he's starting to see her. We need to move now. Knox's voice is
We need to move now. Knox's voice is sharp and urgent. Stay close. Double
sharp and urgent. Stay close. Double time. The gunfire is going to bring
time. The gunfire is going to bring more. No one argues. They start moving.
more. No one argues. They start moving. The forest blurs as they push into a
The forest blurs as they push into a jog, dodging roots and fallen branches.
jog, dodging roots and fallen branches. Knocks leads, his rifle bouncing against
Knocks leads, his rifle bouncing against his shoulder. His voice is low but firm
his shoulder. His voice is low but firm as he speaks, forcing the information
as he speaks, forcing the information between heavy breaths. Those things, you
between heavy breaths. Those things, you call them harvesters, but are different.
call them harvesters, but are different. Those were stalkers.
Those were stalkers. Lena glances over. They're more
Lena glances over. They're more advanced, aren't they? Knox nods without
advanced, aren't they? Knox nods without looking back. Yeah, you don't hear them
looking back. Yeah, you don't hear them coming. Smarter than the rest hunters.
coming. Smarter than the rest hunters. Dax mutters a curse. Great. Just what we
Dax mutters a curse. Great. Just what we needed.
needed. Knox continues, scanning the trees. They
Knox continues, scanning the trees. They don't hunt in packs like the others, but
don't hunt in packs like the others, but if one howls, the rest come. And if
if one howls, the rest come. And if they're here, means the hives got eyes
they're here, means the hives got eyes on this place.
on this place. Harper glances at the treetops.
Harper glances at the treetops. You think they're watching us? Knock
You think they're watching us? Knock doesn't answer right away, then quietly.
doesn't answer right away, then quietly. Always.
Always. A distant screech cuts through the
A distant screech cuts through the trees. Lena stiffens. That's not distant
trees. Lena stiffens. That's not distant enough. Knox curses. Move faster.
enough. Knox curses. Move faster. They push harder. The incline gets
They push harder. The incline gets steeper. The facility is close now,
steeper. The facility is close now, hidden among the craggy rocks. Then
hidden among the craggy rocks. Then movement behind them. The trees shift.
movement behind them. The trees shift. Shadows dart. The sounds of something
Shadows dart. The sounds of something gaining. Elias's lungs burn, but he
gaining. Elias's lungs burn, but he doesn't stop.
doesn't stop. We're not going to make it before they
We're not going to make it before they reach us.
reach us. Noox's eyes flick toward the ridge
Noox's eyes flick toward the ridge ahead. The entrance is just beyond it.
ahead. The entrance is just beyond it. Dax snarls.
Dax snarls. Then we fight at the door.
Then we fight at the door. The facility looms ahead, dark and
The facility looms ahead, dark and foreoding against the mountain. A metal
foreoding against the mountain. A metal entrance half buried in rock. The
entrance half buried in rock. The stalkers are closing in. They have to
stalkers are closing in. They have to reach it first.
reach it first. Breaking in under pressure.
Knox skids to a stop near the entrance. Eyes scanning the heavy metal door
Eyes scanning the heavy metal door embedded in the mountainside. It's old,
embedded in the mountainside. It's old, rusted around the edges, but solid. No
rusted around the edges, but solid. No handles, no keypads in sight. Just a
handles, no keypads in sight. Just a reinforced panel where an access lock
reinforced panel where an access lock used to be. Harper hisses,
used to be. Harper hisses, dropping to her knees beside the panel.
dropping to her knees beside the panel. This thing is ancient. Give me a sec. A
This thing is ancient. Give me a sec. A howl splits the air. Closer. Too close.
howl splits the air. Closer. Too close. Dax and knocks turn as shadows flicker
Dax and knocks turn as shadows flicker between the trees. No time, Dax growls.
between the trees. No time, Dax growls. We hold the line. Knox doesn't argue. He
We hold the line. Knox doesn't argue. He drops to a knee. Rifle up. Elias and
drops to a knee. Rifle up. Elias and Lena press against the door. Weapons
Lena press against the door. Weapons ready. Harper's hands fly over the
ready. Harper's hands fly over the exposed wiring, yanking out a cluster of
exposed wiring, yanking out a cluster of frayed, dustcoated cables. Click, click,
frayed, dustcoated cables. Click, click, click. A stalker emerges. Pale,
click. A stalker emerges. Pale, elongated limbs, milky, pupilless eyes.
elongated limbs, milky, pupilless eyes. Its fungalridden mouth peels open,
Its fungalridden mouth peels open, revealing jagged remnants of human
revealing jagged remnants of human teeth. It doesn't charge, it studies
teeth. It doesn't charge, it studies them. Then it shrieks. The forest
them. Then it shrieks. The forest erupts. Dax fires first a short
erupts. Dax fires first a short controlled burst. The stalker jerks but
controlled burst. The stalker jerks but doesn't drop. Instead, it lunges
doesn't drop. Instead, it lunges sideways, vanishing into the trees. More
sideways, vanishing into the trees. More shapes move behind it. Knox's rifle
shapes move behind it. Knox's rifle booms. Another stalker crumbles. Harper.
booms. Another stalker crumbles. Harper. Elias shouts.
Elias shouts. Almost there. She barks, fingers moving
Almost there. She barks, fingers moving frantically.
frantically. The wires spark. Lena fires at another
The wires spark. Lena fires at another shadow. They're trying to flank us. A
shadow. They're trying to flank us. A stalker bursts from the left, racing
stalker bursts from the left, racing toward Harper. Elias spins, fires,
toward Harper. Elias spins, fires, headshot. The creature collapses inches
headshot. The creature collapses inches away. Beep. The lock flashes green. Got
away. Beep. The lock flashes green. Got it. Harper yells. The door groans,
it. Harper yells. The door groans, hissing as it slides open just enough
hissing as it slides open just enough for them to squeeze through.
for them to squeeze through. Inside now, Dax orders. Then a stalker
Inside now, Dax orders. Then a stalker drops from above. It moves faster than
drops from above. It moves faster than the others, landing in a crouch between
the others, landing in a crouch between the team and the door. Before anyone can
the team and the door. Before anyone can react, Dr. Cole steps forward. The
react, Dr. Cole steps forward. The stalker lunges. Cole doesn't flinch. Her
stalker lunges. Cole doesn't flinch. Her body moves unnaturally fast. One moment
body moves unnaturally fast. One moment still. The next a blur. Her clawed
still. The next a blur. Her clawed fingers slice upward, raking across the
fingers slice upward, raking across the creature's throat. The fungal flesh
creature's throat. The fungal flesh peels back in wet layers. The stalker
peels back in wet layers. The stalker gurgles, stumbling. Cole grabs its skull
gurgles, stumbling. Cole grabs its skull with both hands and twists. A sickening
with both hands and twists. A sickening crack. The body slumps at her feet. The
crack. The body slumps at her feet. The team stares. Then another shriek. More
team stares. Then another shriek. More coming.
coming. Inside. Move. Dax barks, snapping them
Inside. Move. Dax barks, snapping them out of it. They backpedal, firing as
out of it. They backpedal, firing as they move. Stalkers explode from the
they move. Stalkers explode from the treeine, rushing forward. Knox is the
treeine, rushing forward. Knox is the last one through. He fires one final
last one through. He fires one final shot, then yanks the door shut. Thud.
shot, then yanks the door shut. Thud. Something slams against it. Claws scrape
Something slams against it. Claws scrape metal. Then silence.
metal. Then silence. The only sound is their ragged
The only sound is their ragged breathing. Elias glances at Doctor Cole.
breathing. Elias glances at Doctor Cole. Her fingers are still curled, blood
Her fingers are still curled, blood dripping from her claws. Her eyes, dark,
dripping from her claws. Her eyes, dark, unreadable, linger on the corpse at her
unreadable, linger on the corpse at her feet. Knox exhales, shaking his head.
feet. Knox exhales, shaking his head. You really are something else.
You really are something else. They've made it inside, but now they
They've made it inside, but now they have no idea what waits for them in the
have no idea what waits for them in the dark. The heavy metal doors groaned as
dark. The heavy metal doors groaned as they locked into place, sealing the team
they locked into place, sealing the team inside the abandoned facility. Outside,
inside the abandoned facility. Outside, the last echoes of screeching stalkers
the last echoes of screeching stalkers faded into the wind. But inside,
faded into the wind. But inside, nothing. Just the hum of stale air
nothing. Just the hum of stale air trapped in dead silence.
trapped in dead silence. Flashlights flicked on, beams cutting
Flashlights flicked on, beams cutting through the dust choked darkness.
through the dust choked darkness. The entry hall stretched ahead, flanked
The entry hall stretched ahead, flanked by shattered security glass and
by shattered security glass and overturned furniture. A front desk sat
overturned furniture. A front desk sat abandoned, its monitors dark, its chair
abandoned, its monitors dark, its chair toppled over as if someone had left in a
toppled over as if someone had left in a hurry. But it was the far wall that made
hurry. But it was the far wall that made them stop. Dripping streaks of long
them stop. Dripping streaks of long dried blood smeared across the metal
dried blood smeared across the metal surface, forming jagged, uneven letters.
surface, forming jagged, uneven letters. Some strokes were too thick, others too
Some strokes were too thick, others too thin, as if the message had been
thin, as if the message had been scrolled in desperation or madness.
scrolled in desperation or madness. Your time ends and we begin.
Your time ends and we begin. Harper exhaled sharply.
Harper exhaled sharply. That's comforting.
That's comforting. Knox stepped closer, tilting his head.
Knox stepped closer, tilting his head. That's not a warning. His voice was low,
That's not a warning. His voice was low, unreadable.
unreadable. That's a declaration.
That's a declaration. Lena traced the air just above the
Lena traced the air just above the letters, frowning. The phrasing, it's
letters, frowning. The phrasing, it's like a transition, as if whoever wrote
like a transition, as if whoever wrote this knew something was coming, that
this knew something was coming, that they weren't just going to die, they
they weren't just going to die, they were going to become something else.
were going to become something else. Elias suggested his grip on his rifle,
Elias suggested his grip on his rifle, or they already had.
or they already had. No one spoke. The facility around them
No one spoke. The facility around them felt heavier now, the air thick with an
felt heavier now, the air thick with an unseen weight. It wasn't just abandoned.
unseen weight. It wasn't just abandoned. It had been claimed.
It had been claimed. Dax tore his gaze from the message,
Dax tore his gaze from the message, scanning the hall. Let's move. We're
scanning the hall. Let's move. We're burning time.
burning time. They pushed forward deeper into the
They pushed forward deeper into the facility, but the words lingered,
facility, but the words lingered, echoing in their minds. The hive had
echoing in their minds. The hive had left its mark here, and it was waiting.
left its mark here, and it was waiting. Echoes of the past.
Echoes of the past. The facility's main floor was eerily
The facility's main floor was eerily silent. Dust coated the tile floors, and
silent. Dust coated the tile floors, and the air was thick with the scent of rot
the air was thick with the scent of rot and mildew. Elias led the group
and mildew. Elias led the group cautiously down the hallway, their boots
cautiously down the hallway, their boots crunching over scattered debris. The
crunching over scattered debris. The walls were lined with old bulletin
walls were lined with old bulletin boards, faded documents still pinned in
boards, faded documents still pinned in place, some with red terminated stamps
place, some with red terminated stamps across them.
across them. Lena pushed open the door to one of the
Lena pushed open the door to one of the conference rooms. Inside a long metal
conference rooms. Inside a long metal table sat covered in old files, cracked
table sat covered in old files, cracked tablets, and empty coffee cups
tablets, and empty coffee cups fossilized with time. A large whiteboard
fossilized with time. A large whiteboard stood against the wall, covered in
stood against the wall, covered in smeared writing. She traced a finger
smeared writing. She traced a finger over the words. Some were scientific
over the words. Some were scientific notes, theories about the hive's neural
notes, theories about the hive's neural structure. But one phrase stood out,
structure. But one phrase stood out, hastily scrolled in red marker. It
hastily scrolled in red marker. It watches even when we sleep.
watches even when we sleep. Lena exhaled, turning to the others.
Lena exhaled, turning to the others. They knew something was wrong before
They knew something was wrong before this place fell.
this place fell. Dax sifted through the scattered papers,
Dax sifted through the scattered papers, pulling out a printed memo. All
pulling out a printed memo. All personnel must submit to cognitive
personnel must submit to cognitive testing before leaving the lower levels.
testing before leaving the lower levels. Any signs of abnormal brain activity
Any signs of abnormal brain activity must be reported immediately.
must be reported immediately. Knox raised an eyebrow. They were
Knox raised an eyebrow. They were checking their own people.
checking their own people. Dr. Cole nodded. Because the hive
Dr. Cole nodded. Because the hive doesn't just infect bodies. It learns.
doesn't just infect bodies. It learns. It changes how you think.
It changes how you think. The cafeteria was a graveyard of
The cafeteria was a graveyard of unfinished meals and overturned chairs.
unfinished meals and overturned chairs. Mold-covered trays sat where they had
Mold-covered trays sat where they had been abandoned. Near the far wall, a
been abandoned. Near the far wall, a pile of skeletons lay slumped against an
pile of skeletons lay slumped against an overturned table. Dax knelt, brushing
overturned table. Dax knelt, brushing dust from one of the skulls. A bullet
dust from one of the skulls. A bullet hole was punched clean through.
hole was punched clean through. Suicide.
Suicide. Knox's jaw tightened.
Knox's jaw tightened. Guess they knew what was coming.
Guess they knew what was coming. Harper moved to a bulletin screen on the
Harper moved to a bulletin screen on the wall, tapping at the controls. The
wall, tapping at the controls. The screen flickered to life, displaying the
screen flickered to life, displaying the last recorded announcement.
last recorded announcement. Attention all personnel. Facility
Attention all personnel. Facility lockdown protocol is now in effect. Do
lockdown protocol is now in effect. Do not attempt to access the lower levels
not attempt to access the lower levels without highle clearance. All security
without highle clearance. All security teams, report to sector B immediately.
teams, report to sector B immediately. Elias glanced at the others. Sector B?
Elias glanced at the others. Sector B? That must be where things went to hell.
That must be where things went to hell. On the second floor, they found a
On the second floor, they found a hallway lined with frosted glass office
hallway lined with frosted glass office doors. One stood out, larger, reinforced
doors. One stood out, larger, reinforced with a name plate that read, "Doctor
with a name plate that read, "Doctor Victor Harrington, Director of
Victor Harrington, Director of Research."
Research." Harper smirked. Bet this guy knew all
Harper smirked. Bet this guy knew all the good secrets.
the good secrets. The door was locked, but Knox kicked it
The door was locked, but Knox kicked it open with a sharp crack.
open with a sharp crack. Inside, the office was strangely
Inside, the office was strangely untouched, papers still neatly stacked,
untouched, papers still neatly stacked, a dusty coffee mug resting on the desk.
a dusty coffee mug resting on the desk. Harper went straight to the desktop
Harper went straight to the desktop terminal, fingers flying over the
terminal, fingers flying over the keyboard.
keyboard. Let's see what you were hiding, Doc.
Let's see what you were hiding, Doc. The screen flickered, revealing old
The screen flickered, revealing old messages. To all senior staff, the
messages. To all senior staff, the latest signal tests have yielded
latest signal tests have yielded unexpected results. The Hives response
unexpected results. The Hives response patterns suggest a form of cognitive
patterns suggest a form of cognitive processing beyond initial projections.
processing beyond initial projections. We may not be dealing with a mindless
We may not be dealing with a mindless pathogen. Another message.
pathogen. Another message. Specimen X06 has begun mimicking speech.
Specimen X06 has begun mimicking speech. It's unclear whether this is an
It's unclear whether this is an independent response or a direct hive
independent response or a direct hive relay. Further study required.
relay. Further study required. Lena's stomach churned, mimicking
Lena's stomach churned, mimicking speech. Elias exchanged a glance with
speech. Elias exchanged a glance with Dax. We've seen that before. Harper
Dax. We've seen that before. Harper scrolled further, then froze. Uh, guys,
scrolled further, then froze. Uh, guys, we might have a problem. She turned the
we might have a problem. She turned the monitor toward them. A security alert.
monitor toward them. A security alert. Status. Containment breach detected.
Harper swallowed hard, eyes darting between the controls and the creature.
between the controls and the creature. We shut it down right now. The captain
We shut it down right now. The captain twitched violently, its body jerking in
twitched violently, its body jerking in response. The ceiling above trembled.
response. The ceiling above trembled. Something was moving. Many things. It
Something was moving. Many things. It turned its hollow gaze to them, its
turned its hollow gaze to them, its mouth curling into something that might
mouth curling into something that might have once been a grin.
have once been a grin. Too late. The lights flickered, the
Too late. The lights flickered, the walls groaned, and the screaming of the
walls groaned, and the screaming of the swarm began.
swarm began. The swarm wrath.
The swarm wrath. The lights flickered, casting erratic
The lights flickered, casting erratic shadows across the ruined lab. The
shadows across the ruined lab. The captain lunged first, its six limbs
captain lunged first, its six limbs propelling it across the ceiling like a
propelling it across the ceiling like a grotesque spider. The low-level
grotesque spider. The low-level harvesters surged forward in unison,
harvesters surged forward in unison, their howls reverberating through the
their howls reverberating through the underground corridors. Dax fired first,
underground corridors. Dax fired first, short, controlled bursts. One harvester
short, controlled bursts. One harvester crumpled, another staggered, twitching,
crumpled, another staggered, twitching, but still moving. Then chaos. The swarm
but still moving. Then chaos. The swarm slammed into them. Knox's rifle cracked.
slammed into them. Knox's rifle cracked. A harvester's skull split open, but
A harvester's skull split open, but another tackled him, driving him against
another tackled him, driving him against a console. Sparks rained as equipment
a console. Sparks rained as equipment shattered. Dr. Cole moved like a
shattered. Dr. Cole moved like a phantom, weaving between the chaos. A
phantom, weaving between the chaos. A harvester swiped at her. She ducked low,
harvester swiped at her. She ducked low, blades extending from her fingertips.
blades extending from her fingertips. With a twisting motion, she sliced
With a twisting motion, she sliced through its throat. Black Iicor sprayed
through its throat. Black Iicor sprayed the walls. Elias fired wildly, his back
the walls. Elias fired wildly, his back hitting a terminal. His pulse thundered
hitting a terminal. His pulse thundered in his ears. The captain's voice
in his ears. The captain's voice slithered through the room. A chorus of
slithered through the room. A chorus of stolen voices layered and broken. You
stolen voices layered and broken. You break, but we
break, but we become.
become. It dropped from the ceiling. The weight
It dropped from the ceiling. The weight of its limbs smashed into Dax, sending
of its limbs smashed into Dax, sending him sprawling. The ex-soldier rolled
him sprawling. The ex-soldier rolled instinctively, narrowly avoiding a
instinctively, narrowly avoiding a spear-like limb that embedded into the
spear-like limb that embedded into the floor where his chest had been.
floor where his chest had been. Harper ducked behind a terminal,
Harper ducked behind a terminal, panting.
panting. "Tell me someone has a plan."
"Tell me someone has a plan." Lena's answer was a gunshot. She fired
Lena's answer was a gunshot. She fired into a harvester's skull, point blank,
into a harvester's skull, point blank, its body convulsing before collapsing.
its body convulsing before collapsing. The captain's head snapped toward her.
The captain's head snapped toward her. voice strong mind open. Join us. Lena's
voice strong mind open. Join us. Lena's blood ran cold. Then Knox tackled the
blood ran cold. Then Knox tackled the creature from behind, a knife driving
creature from behind, a knife driving into the senue muscle near its shoulder.
into the senue muscle near its shoulder. The captain shrieked with terrifying
The captain shrieked with terrifying speed. It kicked backward. Knox flew,
speed. It kicked backward. Knox flew, hit the wall, a sickening crunch. He
hit the wall, a sickening crunch. He crumpled, unmoving.
crumpled, unmoving. Knox.
Knox. Elias barely had time to react before a
Elias barely had time to react before a harvester slammed into him, knocking his
harvester slammed into him, knocking his rifle away. Teeth snapped inches from
rifle away. Teeth snapped inches from his throat. Dr. Cole was there. Her
his throat. Dr. Cole was there. Her fingers pierced the harvester's skull.
fingers pierced the harvester's skull. The creature spasmed, then went still.
The creature spasmed, then went still. She ripped her hand free, breathing
She ripped her hand free, breathing heavy, black eyeore dripping from her
heavy, black eyeore dripping from her claws. The swarm was relentless.
claws. The swarm was relentless. Harper's cover exploded as a harvester
Harper's cover exploded as a harvester yanked the terminal apart. She scrambled
yanked the terminal apart. She scrambled backward, kicking wildly as it lunged.
backward, kicking wildly as it lunged. Dax's fist crashed into the creature's
Dax's fist crashed into the creature's jaw. Then he grabbed Harper and hauled
jaw. Then he grabbed Harper and hauled her up. We need to end this now.
her up. We need to end this now. The captain's body twisted unnaturally.
The captain's body twisted unnaturally. It knew. It felt the tide shifting.
It knew. It felt the tide shifting. No, not done. Swarm
No, not done. Swarm rises.
rises. It turned.
It turned. Fled. Hell no. Dax raised his rifle,
Fled. Hell no. Dax raised his rifle, ready to finish it. A harvester
ready to finish it. A harvester blindsided him. He hit the floor hard.
blindsided him. He hit the floor hard. Something in his shoulder popped. Elias
Something in his shoulder popped. Elias grabbed him, dragging him back. We have
grabbed him, dragging him back. We have to go now.
to go now. The swarm was regrouping. They needed to
The swarm was regrouping. They needed to end this or escape. Lena's fingers
end this or escape. Lena's fingers tightened around her weapon. Harper's
tightened around her weapon. Harper's mind raced. Knox groaned, blood dripping
mind raced. Knox groaned, blood dripping from his temple. Dax gritted his teeth,
from his temple. Dax gritted his teeth, shoulder hanging limp. Dr. Cole stood,
shoulder hanging limp. Dr. Cole stood, bloodied but standing. And in the
bloodied but standing. And in the distance, the captain's shrill laughter
distance, the captain's shrill laughter echoed. They were not done yet.
echoed. They were not done yet. The hives gambit.
The hives gambit. The emergency lights pulsed red,
The emergency lights pulsed red, flickering like a dying heartbeat. The
flickering like a dying heartbeat. The facility trembled with distant
facility trembled with distant movements. The swarm was regrouping.
movements. The swarm was regrouping. Dax's breathing was ragged. His shoulder
Dax's breathing was ragged. His shoulder was dislocated. His right arm nearly
was dislocated. His right arm nearly useless. Knox was dazed, blood seeping
useless. Knox was dazed, blood seeping from a gash on his forehead.
from a gash on his forehead. Elias felt his own ribs screaming in
Elias felt his own ribs screaming in protest as he hauled Knox up. We keep
protest as he hauled Knox up. We keep moving. Dax grunted, forcing himself
moving. Dax grunted, forcing himself upright. Harper checked the nearest
upright. Harper checked the nearest terminal, her fingers shaking. If we go
terminal, her fingers shaking. If we go deeper, we'll be cut off from the exit.
deeper, we'll be cut off from the exit. Lena swallowed hard. We have to shut
Lena swallowed hard. We have to shut that signal down. Elias nodded. If we
that signal down. Elias nodded. If we don't, the swarm will grow. We can't let
don't, the swarm will grow. We can't let that happen.
that happen. From the hallway behind them, a
From the hallway behind them, a chittering sound. The harvesters were
chittering sound. The harvesters were coming. Dr. Cole's head tilted slightly,
coming. Dr. Cole's head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing. She turned toward the
eyes narrowing. She turned toward the dark hallway, listening. Then she
dark hallway, listening. Then she stiffened. A voice slithered through the
stiffened. A voice slithered through the corridor. A warped, inhuman mockery of
corridor. A warped, inhuman mockery of speech.
speech. You break like all before.
You break like all before. Lena shuddered.
Lena shuddered. That's the captain.
That's the captain. Knox swayed on his feet, but pulled his
Knox swayed on his feet, but pulled his rifle up, teeth gritted. Then let's
rifle up, teeth gritted. Then let's finish this bastard.
finish this bastard. Dax grabbed his own weapon with his good
Dax grabbed his own weapon with his good arm, adjusting his stance. Harper
arm, adjusting his stance. Harper exhaled, checked her ammo. No turning
exhaled, checked her ammo. No turning back now. They pressed forward. The
back now. They pressed forward. The lower level rire of decay. The walls
lower level rire of decay. The walls were covered in black fungal growth,
were covered in black fungal growth, pulsing slightly, alive. Skeletons lay
pulsing slightly, alive. Skeletons lay scattered, their bones picked clean.
scattered, their bones picked clean. Some still wore shredded hazmat suits,
Some still wore shredded hazmat suits, their last moments frozen in time. Then
their last moments frozen in time. Then they saw it. A massive terminal still
they saw it. A massive terminal still active. Its screens displayed a
active. Its screens displayed a pulsating wave, the signal controlling
pulsating wave, the signal controlling the harvesters.
the harvesters. Lena stepped closer, her breath shallow.
Lena stepped closer, her breath shallow. This This is how they communicate.
This This is how they communicate. Elias's stomach turned.
Elias's stomach turned. They're evolving faster than we thought.
They're evolving faster than we thought. Harper's fingers flew across the
Harper's fingers flew across the controls. I can shut this down, but I'll
controls. I can shut this down, but I'll need beep.
need beep. The monitors flickered. A new video feed
The monitors flickered. A new video feed activated. And on the screen, a human
activated. And on the screen, a human face,
face, but not human anymore.
but not human anymore. The captain,
The captain, it stared at them through the monitor,
it stared at them through the monitor, head twitching, then in its grotesque
head twitching, then in its grotesque broken voice. We grow. We rise. You end.
broken voice. We grow. We rise. You end. The speakers screeched. The walls
The speakers screeched. The walls shuddered. The swarm had arrived.
shuddered. The swarm had arrived. And this time, there was no escape.
And this time, there was no escape. The signal falls.
The signal falls. The alarm wailed. The hives captain had
The alarm wailed. The hives captain had spoken its final command. The swarm was
spoken its final command. The swarm was here. The walls shuddered. Metal
here. The walls shuddered. Metal groaning as low-level harvesters
groaning as low-level harvesters skittered through the vents, spilling
skittered through the vents, spilling from the darkness like spiders.
from the darkness like spiders. Dax fired first, his rifle flashing in
Dax fired first, his rifle flashing in the dim light, but his injured shoulder
the dim light, but his injured shoulder made his aims sloppy. Knox was on his
made his aims sloppy. Knox was on his knee, still groggy, but he managed to
knee, still groggy, but he managed to take down two with well-placed shots.
take down two with well-placed shots. Then the captain descended. It crawled
Then the captain descended. It crawled from the ceiling, its six legs piercing
from the ceiling, its six legs piercing the metal with each deliberate movement.
the metal with each deliberate movement. Its human face twitched, jaw unhinging
Its human face twitched, jaw unhinging as it spoke through bloodied, ruined
as it spoke through bloodied, ruined teeth. signal stands. You kneel.
teeth. signal stands. You kneel. Then it lunged.
Then it lunged. Dr. Cole met it headon. She slashed
Dr. Cole met it headon. She slashed upward with her claws, her movements
upward with her claws, her movements blurring. The captain twisted, dodging
blurring. The captain twisted, dodging with an unnatural grace, then lashed
with an unnatural grace, then lashed out, its leg struck Cole's ribs with a
out, its leg struck Cole's ribs with a sickening crack. She hit the floor hard.
sickening crack. She hit the floor hard. Harper screamed, "The terminal! I can
Harper screamed, "The terminal! I can shut it down!" Elias covered her, firing
shut it down!" Elias covered her, firing at the advancing swarm. Stalkers climbed
at the advancing swarm. Stalkers climbed down the walls, shrieking. Dax switched
down the walls, shrieking. Dax switched to his knife as a harvester tackled him,
to his knife as a harvester tackled him, nashing its fungalridden teeth. He
nashing its fungalridden teeth. He rammed the blade under its jaw,
rammed the blade under its jaw, twisting.
twisting. Lena tried to flank, but the captain
Lena tried to flank, but the captain moved too fast. It snatched her leg
moved too fast. It snatched her leg mid-sprint, throwing her into knocks.
mid-sprint, throwing her into knocks. The captain's neck snapped toward
The captain's neck snapped toward Harper. It knew what she was doing.
Harper. It knew what she was doing. It charged. Dr. Cole moved. Despite her
It charged. Dr. Cole moved. Despite her wounds, she gripped the captain's leg,
wounds, she gripped the captain's leg, claws digging deep. It screeched, losing
claws digging deep. It screeched, losing momentum. Harper's fingers flew over the
momentum. Harper's fingers flew over the keyboard. Almost there. Elias saw the
keyboard. Almost there. Elias saw the captain rear back, preparing to crush
captain rear back, preparing to crush Cole. He grabbed a fallen harvesters's
Cole. He grabbed a fallen harvesters's bladelike limb and drove it into the
bladelike limb and drove it into the captain's back. The captain shrieked,
captain's back. The captain shrieked, convulsing.
convulsing. Harper smashed the final key. The signal
Harper smashed the final key. The signal cut. The swarm froze. The captain
cut. The swarm froze. The captain twitched. Harper grabbed the detonator.
twitched. Harper grabbed the detonator. Move.
Move. Dax and Noox hauled Dr. Cole up, blood
Dax and Noox hauled Dr. Cole up, blood trailing behind them. Elias dragged Lena
trailing behind them. Elias dragged Lena to her feet. They sprinted up the
to her feet. They sprinted up the stairwell, ignoring the tremors around
stairwell, ignoring the tremors around them. The explosives detonated. The
them. The explosives detonated. The lower levels erupted in flame. The
lower levels erupted in flame. The captain screamed. its final warped cry
captain screamed. its final warped cry lost in the collapse. The team staggered
lost in the collapse. The team staggered out of the ruined facility, battered,
out of the ruined facility, battered, bloody, and barely standing. But they
bloody, and barely standing. But they had won. Or so they thought, because as
had won. Or so they thought, because as the smoke cleared, the lieutenant was
the smoke cleared, the lieutenant was waiting.
waiting. It stood on the ridge, 10 ft of armored
It stood on the ridge, 10 ft of armored monstrosity, surrounded by a silent
monstrosity, surrounded by a silent army, watching, waiting. The war was far
army, watching, waiting. The war was far from over. The mountain air was thinner
from over. The mountain air was thinner now, colder, sharper. It bit at their
now, colder, sharper. It bit at their skin as they limped out of the ruined
skin as they limped out of the ruined facility, bruised, bloodied, and broken.
facility, bruised, bloodied, and broken. Ash clung to their clothes. The smoke
Ash clung to their clothes. The smoke from the destroyed signal tower still
from the destroyed signal tower still curled faintly behind them, rising like
curled faintly behind them, rising like a dying breath into the pale morning
a dying breath into the pale morning sky.
sky. No one spoke. Not Lena, whose hands
No one spoke. Not Lena, whose hands trembled from adrenaline and trauma. Not
trembled from adrenaline and trauma. Not Dax, whose dislocated shoulder hung
Dax, whose dislocated shoulder hung useless at his side.
useless at his side. Not Elias, who stared at the horizon
Not Elias, who stared at the horizon with eyes that had seen too much. Not
with eyes that had seen too much. Not Harper, silent for once, her mind
Harper, silent for once, her mind spinning with what she'd learned.
spinning with what she'd learned. Not Dr. Cole, whose quiet muttering held
Not Dr. Cole, whose quiet muttering held more grief than pride. And not Knox,
more grief than pride. And not Knox, whose rifle was down, but gaze still
whose rifle was down, but gaze still scanned the treeine like it wasn't over.
scanned the treeine like it wasn't over. because it wasn't. The path ahead had
because it wasn't. The path ahead had never been more uncertain.
never been more uncertain. They had taken the fight to the hive and
They had taken the fight to the hive and survived, but just barely. They had seen
survived, but just barely. They had seen what the enemy was becoming, what it was
what the enemy was becoming, what it was building. Spore towers, swarms,
building. Spore towers, swarms, captains, signals, a future where
captains, signals, a future where humanity had no place.
humanity had no place. And then the wind died. The birds went
And then the wind died. The birds went silent, and the earth seemed to hold its
silent, and the earth seemed to hold its breath.
breath. One by one, they turned.
One by one, they turned. At the edge of the clearing, the trees
At the edge of the clearing, the trees stood unnaturally still until something
stood unnaturally still until something massive stepped between them. The
massive stepped between them. The harvester lieutenant, 10 ft tall, a
harvester lieutenant, 10 ft tall, a shell of bone and fungal armor, eyes
shell of bone and fungal armor, eyes like molten amber. Behind it, an army of
like molten amber. Behind it, an army of infected, unmoving, as if frozen in
infected, unmoving, as if frozen in place by its silent command.
place by its silent command. The group raised their weapons, though
The group raised their weapons, though they knew they were spent, wounded,
they knew they were spent, wounded, exhausted, outmatched.
exhausted, outmatched. But they stood, because even as the hive
But they stood, because even as the hive evolved, so would they. This wasn't the
evolved, so would they. This wasn't the end. It was only the beginning.
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