16. Flux: Recovery

An orchestra of the damned. They sung so magnificently. The dead fed to the mortal coil after they were parted from the flesh. Deep into the core. Channeled by the pillar. The sounds of sentience flowing freely. It grew in size today. Not much but it grew. The next scream would be louder if only barely. The orchestra began to fade as the world crumbled away. The sweet bliss of another plane of existence shattered as senses returned. A dark building with no one immediately around evident even through blurred vision. Hearing footsteps outside and listening for awhile I counted at least seven men. Trying to move was met with resistance to find my hands bound behind my back around a metal beam.

My memory was an absolute haze. Remembering my own name and my friends first I followed the memories of yesterday as to how I ended up here. Leaving the camp to find the mercenaries then help them in the engagement and then that singing again. What happened during that singing. Suddenly memories flashed through my mind. A red haze and one of the mercenaries, hacking towards him with the knife ruthlessly. The songs were replaced by his screams for help as the knife came down for a final time interrupted by Hazard tackling and restrained me as I tried to murder him as well.

My god I would’ve killed them all just to let that voice continue. Eyes closed tight and biting into my lip not to cry out in panic as the reality of the situation hit me. Something took over to kill not only the mercenaries but also my friends. I was compromised by this place but I didn’t have the slightest clue as to how. They didn’t have the heart to dispose of me either and if that came over me again they might not get another chance. I was a threat plagued with madness that made me comparable any other corrupted human in the area. All I knew was that I had to remove myself from the others here it wasn’t safe.

Crippled with anxiety I still managed to run the rope binding me to the beam against a rusted edge slowly making work to escape captivity. Ten minutes of carefully listening for anyone approaching while hastily grinding the rope against the beam it finally broke free. Crouching low without wasting a moment I moved on instinct to escape the compound.

Silently vaulting over a window to the back of the compound clambering onto the roof I saw a single wounded sentry armed with a UMP, perfect. Silently advancing pouncing forward locking the man into a headlock he quietly passed out after a slight struggle. Taking his weapon and magazines I still had the combat drugs to get me through an engagement should I be wounded.

Letting myself off the side of the building landing without a noise I crawled through the long grass to the bridge avoiding any other sentries spotting my movements. Moving along the beams under the bridge and reaching the other side of the river I broke into a sprint. I wasn’t sure where I’d go or what I’d do but being as far away from my friends was the best decision to make in my mind. This way I couldn’t hurt anyone else even if it just meant I was running to my death.

After twenty minutes of running emotion became overwhelming. Frustrated with the inability to control myself and blacking out letting out a stammering cry as the voices returned. They spoke in such hushed tones trying to sooth the soul but it just led to further grievance while I struck the ground to find myself speaking to it.

“God damn it… what the fuck do you want from me?”

The cold dead earth offered no reply as the indecipherable voices faded out once more. Head bowed on all fours I struggled to think of a reason to fight. A beast could be hunted, a person defeated and idea destroyed but with the enemy being my mind the only apparent solution would be to leave myself to die. To give up. If I died the voices would die with me

I sat there for seconds, then minutes, then an hour. Staring into the abyss waiting for something claim me but nothing came. I couldn’t fight alongside the people I cared about, protect them or even die for them and now I was trying to murder them. Curling up shivering in a ball memories came flashing back. I remembered waking up in the hospital after being supposably shot but anything before that just felt as if to be static like there was nothing. Why such memories came back in such a moment was a mystery but it raised questions that I decided to ask the cold unforgiving ground anyway.

“Who… what am I?”

The voices returned this time and their soothing voices seeped in once more. Though rather than being completely indecipherable the songs registered some sense in my mind. Suddenly those melodies spoke irrefutable facts that threw away the veil of mystery in my life. Sitting there stunned as the voices filled in the blanks I wasn’t able to solve I was breathless in what it left me to ponder over.

I wasn’t who I thought I was and even though it didn’t matter it felt to be a revolutionary fact. Looking back to my weapon listening to the voices in my mind they urged me to return and feed the abyss more lives. It didn’t matter anymore now my identity had been shattered they coerced. I was just an appendage of a larger being destined for greatness.

Slowly helping myself up I composed myself once more. Picking up the UMP I readied the weapon but instead of returning I marched in the opposite direction while ignoring the orchestra in my mind. The person this body belonged to might be dead but who ever I was now still drove it and the years after the shooting I spent with those people, my friends, was still genuine. With newly instilled vigor ignoring the orchestras attempts to drive me against them I marched on. I owed it to them to at least fight on and try to beat this madness no matter who or what I was.

Walking through the darkness in the direction of the cemetery ships island where another pioneer camp was established I figured that would be distance enough to not ever have to worry about hunting my friends while I figured out what to do. The darkness became thicker as the cloud cover strangled the moon's light until it became pitch black. Winds began to kick up and rain began to fall gently until it became an absolute downpour. The very zone seemed to be against my objective though I pressed on undeterred. I wanted to be given a chance even if I lost my life trying.

Walking through the night surviving numerous run ins with the abhorrent mutants that the voices aspired me to work beside my determination was rewarded with the sight of a blood red sunrise. Taking a moment to appreciate it’s glow under the clouds which was quickly choked out once more I walked on through the dense forest leading to the center. Movements became more frequent as the density of wildlife increased further in. Carefully proceeding forward an abomination could be seen tearing apart a cancerous growth from a tree trying to engulf it.

The vines and tendrils that grasped it were ripped off with violent motions allowed by the massive muscular structure of the once human creature. Overwhelming the cancerous collective the abomination began to bring both fists down repeatedly upon it.

Crushing it into nothing satisfied it’s adversary was finished it began to feed on the remnants scooping the pulp into it’s mouth vigorously. Confident the abomination was occupied I turned away from the display of violence to continue on without gaining its attention. Not long after more gunshots could be heard from within the forest.

Usually just noting and avoiding them these gunshots were too close to run. Setting up next to a tree trunk branches could be heard being thrown to the side and the dead debris of the ground crunched, shifted and snapped at an impressive rate. Another few seconds and the figure emerged in front completely out of breath and shocked motionless on the other side of my gun.

Unable to see the pioneers face under the tinted visor of the combat environment suit they kept their weapon at their side accepting their fate. Giving a hand signal for them to keep running however they stepped away cautiously before taking off again. Waiting for another few seconds the assailants revealed themselves. Three mercenaries giving chase, all with M4A1 carbines in heavy combat armor.

The first mercenary fell immediately with his jaw shot out followed by a lethal tap to the head. The forty five calibre rounds crushed through bone and flesh as the other two mercenaries quickly spun around shocked by the sudden ambush. Turning into cover and running by the overgrown bushes the volley of fire fell well of my position. Popping up from another set of bushes saw two more shots delivered into the back of another mercenaries neck killing him instantly.

The last man immediately started firing wildly at the origin of my shooting, reloading rapidly, firing with unwanted abandon again hoping to catch me with a lucky bullet. Rushing him once out of ammo the man fell backwards shocked with the ferocity of the assault. Going for his pistol a bullet worked it’s way through his arm earning a cry of pain. Pushing himself back with his legs I walked towards him with knife drawn as he spat out what words he could muster.

“Who the fuck are you? This wasn’t your problem fuckhead.”

As he stopped crawling he looked up to me grunting in pain while trying to stem the bleeding from his arm. Twirling the knife in hand I thought out a method of interrogation. Moving towards him once more earned a new rush of panic that was terminated as quickly as it began. Shots from the side tore through the mercenary leaving him in a critical state stammering for breath. The pioneer with a smoking MP5 raised signalled for me to follow them.

Ignoring the dying man I immediately complied now I had no reason to stick around. Charging through the trees avoiding the numerous tears that threatened to crush, burn, dissolve, asphyxiate or eat us alive we arrived at a small glade filled with large concrete debris. Taking a moment to recover the pioneer began to unseal their helmet as I took mouthfuls of water to sooth my fatigue from hiking through the night and now fighting during the morning. With the canteen empty I looked to the pioneer I protected and found myself surprised by her long flowing black hair. She returned a look of gratitude now she made proper eye contact while using the back of her hand to wipe watery eyes.

“(No idea why you helped out there but you saved my life. If you’re wounded I can help I’ve got medical supplies to spare. Hell you can have some as a reward.)” Shaking my head that no assistance was required I proceeded to make a request.

“(I’m fine but I’d appreciate some help making my way to the cemetery ships if you know a safe path.)”

“(I’m heading there now, sure. You sure you don’t want the supplies? It’s the least I can do.)”

“(Don’t worry about it, you’ll need it more than-)”

Sudden searing pain shot through my shoulder as I landed face first into cover. A round tore through the flesh as the women dove down to assist me. Throwing her arm away I went for the metal case of syringes I kept from the tunnels flipping it open, taking the disposable syringe and driving it into my healthy shoulder the artificial rush immediately took effect. Returning the metal case we ran from the concrete debris back into the forest for hundreds of meters as the mercenaries fell behind moving at a more cautious rate to avoid ambush or tears.

Convinced the mercenaries were well behind us I began to stumble forward as the drug wore off while going for another syringe. Staring at the syringes wondering what the point was I tripped over a root on our path. The women went ahead to retrieve the case and removed one of the syringes to apply another dose. My blood soaked overcoat displayed the severity of the wound as my body began to go weak from blood loss. As she brought her hand down to administer the drug I palmed her arm away. Confused she tried again meeting the same result.

“(Don’t be a stingy dickhead you’ll die without it.)” The third time I clasped my hand around her wrist as breathing became more difficult.

“(Leave. I’m dangerous… besides I’ll only slow you down.)” Breaking free of my grip she finally administered the drug.

“(You're slowing me down by not letting me help so stop being a dramatic bitch. Put your arm around me.)”

“(You don’t understand you could kill everyone by keeping me alive.)” Undeterred she pushed forward supporting me underneath my good arm towards the clearing ahead.

“(Sounds interesting. You can tell me all about it on the ships.)”

“(Why are you helping me.)”

“(Because you helped me? If anyone should be asking that it’s me.)” Silence followed except for my pained grunts and wincing before I continued asking questions.

“(Why were they after you?)”

“(Someone either didn’t like our research or mistook who we were. Whole team was killed in the attack.)” Another moment of silence followed as she kept forcing me forward regardless of me tripping up on my feet, voice getting weaker.

“(Sorry to hear.)” She took a deep breath dragging me forward.

“(Now isn’t the time to grieve. I’ve lost enough friends today and I don’t want to lose another.)” Taking the metal case out once more she gave one last injection to give me a final burst of strength. Still requiring her aid I kept my footing as we pressed on.

“(That being said I still don’t know your name. What do they call you?)”

“(Flux… friends call me Flux.)”

“(Well Flux it’s delightful to meet you. Don’t be so rude as to die on me. Sparrow.)”

Noting her name as best as I could the world began to go dark as my strength failed again. Still bleeding she refused to let me die regardless of my wound. Though inspiring the mercenaries were sure to catch up. If anyone was going to die it deserved to be me at least. Letting her assist me in moving forward I checked the UMP making sure it was ready in case I would have to buy her some time. Worst case scenario she should make it at least, I could take comfort in that before finally succumbing to my wounds.