RUMBLE!
The sky thundered.
Lightning lit the night.
In the hospital room, green eyes shone.
Vincent slept peacefully in bed.
The green eyes observed him.
Rumble!
Lightning flashed again.
The room lit.
Livia!
Her face cold, emotionless.
She held a syringe, the needle pointing out.
Her steps rang on the cold floor.
Shluck!
The needle tore the skin.
Livia injected the liquid into Vincent's arm.
"Now..."
She smiled.
"Sleep peacefully,"
She backed away, letting the effect sink in.
And while Vincent drifted into deep sleep, she prepared.
A case.
A metal case full of syringes and blood containers.
The sky roared!
The pouring rain muffled the sound of needles tearing flesh.
She extracted blood.
Lightning lit her face occasionally.
Indifferent.
Clack!
The metal case closed.
She cast a glance before leaving the room.
Clang! Clang!
Her steps echoed throughout the dark hallways.
She descended into the basement.
The metal door of the room with the generators opened.
She entered, carrying the case full of Vincent's blood.
His cursed blood.
.
.
.
The rain poured.
It splashed against the vehicles' windshields.
The headlights barely lit the night.
The vehicles stood near the end of the outskirts.
No zombie in sight. Or demon.
The surroundings were dead.
"Sir, are we going?"
A soldier questioned.
Lucian sat in the backseat.
He had rested.
But exhaustion still weighed on him.
Lucian nodded.
"If everything went as planned, they should be within the laboratory."
The soldier tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
Their hearts thumped.
They were about to return.
Return to hell.
"Depart. We must arrive before morning."
"YES!"
But despite the fear, the soldier stepped on the accelerator.
The vehicles behind followed.
They returned to the city for one last operation.
One last risk.
Determined to succeed.
...
But while they drove, something darker brew...
Above the rainy clouds, the tip of the dark tower stood.
Dark, unnatural clouds swirled.
Purple lightning crackled through the dark clouds.
Holes riddled the tower—closed holes.
As if it were an ant nest, with dozens of entrances.
At the foot of the tower.
Dark mist shrouded the tower.
No.
Dark mist shrouded the entire crater the tower had created when it fell.
Dozens. Hundreds of red, blood-hirsty eyes shone within the mist.
Occasionally, blinking.
The massive front gate remained shut.
Imposing. Dark.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Suddenly, a dozen holes in the tower trembled.
They slid open.
"Schhrlik..."
Slippery, slurping sound filled the air.
Eyes emerged from the holes.
Then, the figure.
The tail swayed.
Layer and layers of teeth.
Tentacles grew from the mouth.
A dozen tentacle demons emerged from the tower.
Bloodthirsty.
Demon hounds followed.
A dozen powerful low-grade demon hounds.
The demons kept emerging from the tower.
Hundreds of ordinary demon hounds emerged.
A massive group.
They moved, following the tentacle demons.
.
.
.
'Where is the experiment subject?'
The commander's heart beat rapidly.
His mind raced.
'The scientist is dead? But where is the corpse of the experiment subject? Unless...'
Unless it has escaped.
'But maybe it was never here to begin with?'
But he quickly rejected the thought.
'No.'
He glanced at the shattered glass tube.
'If there was no experimental subject or even if they let it go, the container wouldn't be broken like this.'
Only one conclusion descended on his heart.
'It has escaped!'
Fear assaulted him.
'It has escaped outside.'
The fear of an unknown genetically modified human.
'Best case, it has turned into a mindless zombie. Worst case...It has awakened and wants revenge on humanity.'
The commander slowly walked back.
The cries of the child echoed in his mind once again.
But he was too immersed in his world.
Subject Alpha followed him with his gaze as he approached the first door.
The door leading to the laboratory with the soldiers.
'If the experiment could break the container from inside...'
The strength or extent of genetic modification, the commander didn't want to imagine it.
His hand reached for the handle.
But he froze.
'I need to tell my soldiers,'
A thought crossed his mind.
Possible outcomes and reactions replayed in his mind.
He was uncertain.
But he had to inform them.
The technology within the special laboratories was the key.
And he also needed to bring the two experiments back.
To see if there is a way to bring them to their side.
He bent and picekd his sabre.
Clack!
He opened the door and walked out.
"Commander,'
A soldier ran to him immediately.
"Where were you?"
"A secret laboratory,"
The commander replied.
But the soldier frowned.
"Don't overthink,"
The commander patted his shoulder.
"Gather the brothers. I have something to say,"
The air grew heavy.
The soldiers gathered around him.
Their expressions grim.
As if they could feel the crushing news.
"Brothers,"
Everyone gather.
The commander started.
"What I'm about to say, I hope you can hold it in."
A complicated expression flickered on his face.
The words wouldn't come out.
"Commander, just say it."
A soldier urged.
"Brothers, it's better if you see it with your own eyes..."
The commander turned back.
He truly didn't know how to say it.
And besides, who would believe him?
If he didn't see it with his eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.
Genetic experiments.
He didn't hesitate and unlocked the door.
Click!
The door opened, and he moved aside.
The soldiers rushed in.
Curious but also fearful.
But they froze.
Silence. Dreadful silence.
The experimental subject stared at the soldiers.
His eyes devoid of hope. Filled with hatred.
Hatred for the world. For humanity.
And a strong thirst for revenge.
Tears streamed down the faces of the soldiers.
They realized it.
Their bodies trembled.
"Bleeeughh..."
Many vomited.
Their knees unable to support them.
They collapsed.
"Brothers, this is the reality of our city."
The commander spoke, his voice grief-filled.
He walked to the front.
"This is a genetic experiment. Subject Alpha."
He continued, taking the document in hand.
"And he is still alive."
His voice rang throughout the silent laboratory.
Click!
A soldier raised his gun.
He pointed at the glass tube.
"STOP!"
The commander roared.
The soldier turned the gun on the commander.
"Commander,"
Tears streamed down his face.
"Why are you stopping me?"
The soldiers glared at the commander.
Doubt flashed in their eyes.
"WE MUST FREE HIM NOW!"
The soldier roared.
"No,"
The commander refused.
The soldiers pushed forward.
Sling!
The commander raised his sabre.
The red in his eyes intensified.
His lips turned black.
"Today, no one will pass me."
His voice carried authority.
"Did you know about this?"
Another soldier jumped in.
"Are you allowing this!"
"Commander, how could you!"
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
The soldiers turned into ungry monsters.
They no longer trusted even their commander.
The commander they gave their lives to.
"Don't blame us for being rude!"
"CUT IT OFF!"
The commander roared.
His expression grew dark.
"Don't let your emotions control you,"
Tears rolled down the commander's face.
"I grieve with you."
Determination flashed in him.
"But we must think of the future."
"WHAT FUTURE!!"
A soldier roared.
"So what if we free him?"
The commander questioned coldly.
"Can you guarantee he won't turn into a zombie?"
The question rang.
The soldiers slowly quieted down.
"What if he awakens? Can you guarantee he won't want revenge on us? After everything he suffered down here?"
Silence.
The soldiers didn't speak anymore.
They realized the danger.
After all, they were human.
Selfish creatures.
Creatures that only practice righteousness when it's convenient.
But right now, when they realized the hidden danger, they no longer strived for the freedom of Subject Alpha.
Their selfishness and fear suppressed their morality.
"We must transport them back to the base."
The commander said.
"Then, we'll decide what to do with them."
The soldier agreed.
The commander walked the soldiers to the other two rooms.
When they heard the child's telepathic cries, they became even more certain of the dangers.
With those hidden dangers, they didn't rush to make decisions.
They were angry and sad, but didn't free them.
The commander sent several soldiers outside.
They had to keep an eye outside, in case Lucian arrived.
And now, all that remained was to pray.
Pray, Lucian was alive.
Pray he will arrive.
The longer they waited.
The danger outside grew.