Infectious Outbreak, Chapter 3

The young Marine had reached the large room in which the two Marines had last seen each other. Maverick scanned the room for any movement or signs of the older Marine, feeling a sudden chill running down his spine the young Marine began to inch his way into the room. An unseen force tugged at the young Marines interest as he was drawn towards large broken tube towards the middle of the room in the back. Maverick was wise to watch his footing on the slippery ice that covered the floor as he walked toward the cylinder tube. As he got up close enough, the young Marine leaned into the tube looking up into it as he examined it. He didn't know why but he was drawn to this tube, but it enlightened his curiosity. Leaning back out of the tube Maverick noticed a plaque as his eyes shifted down; the young Marine tilted his head curiously as he knelt down to get a better look. The plaque was covered in a thin icy frost that Maverick had to wipe away feeling the sting of a thousand needles of ice pierce through his gloved hand. Maverick could only wipe away some of the frost as the ice started to take over it and stuck to the metal plaque, as the young Marine wiped away the frost of what he could move he read the letters that showed up. I-N-F-E-C. Those five letters was all that he read, the young Marine narrowed his eyes in confusion as he tried to make since of the word, "Infec" he kept repeating to himself trying to piece the puzzle together. Wiping off some frost from the top of the plaque Maverick could read "Project 097". The young Marine was intruded but confused to as what it all meant. "Project 097, Infec…? What does it mean?" he thought to himself, maybe Simmons would know if he could find him.

Maverick pulled out a small camera and took a photo of the plaque then backed up to take a photo of the shattered tube for evidence. The young Marine got a sudden chill as his curiosity for the tube turned into an eerie creepiness. He decided to move on in search of his older companion, walking into one of the dark room he scanned to the room. No sign of Simmons there, he moved onto the next room still no sign of him. The young Marine continued like this until he reached the last room in the very back of the facility, nudging the door open Maverick walked into the room stopping in the center of the room he sighed seeing no trace of the older Marine. A table in the corner of the room caught the attention of the young Marine, Maverick walked over to it with a new found curiosity. Lifting up the lightly frosted white sheet Maverick gagged as he choked back the urge to throw up at the sight under the sheet. In a pool of frozen blood and gore lay one of the Scientists bodies, the body was ripped in half and only the torso, arms, and head remained. From out of the chest and torso trailed a frozen bloody mess of organs, the intestines were almost neatly drug out of place as it lay frozen on the metal slab.

The body's jaw had been ripped off as it lay lolling on the side its tongue frozen in an almost arched 'C'. Maverick couldn't stand the sight any longer as he backed up covering his mouth still trying to hold in the urge throwing up, a sickening feeling lay in gut from the disgusting and gory mess. The young Marine managed to back up out of the room, but stopped as he bumped into something. First feeling the object Maverick narrowed his eyes in confusion as he first felt a soft cotton cloth then moved up to feel something that felt like wet cloth, bringing his hand back for his eyes to examine the young Marines' eyes widened at the wet gooey mess on his hand. The goo smelt like iron and was dark in color; it was crimson a dark crimson. Maverick's pupils narrowed as he put two and two together, blood. Slowly lowering his blood covered hand the young Marine eyes slowly shifted to look behind him as he head followed the gaze, his eyes went wide with fear and shock at the bloody figure behind him.

"S-Simmons….? Maverick asked in a terrified quivering voice.

The body of what was once Simmons groaned eerily in response. The young Marine backed up to get a better view of the figure, it was Simmons alright but something seemed off about him and wasn't for the fact that he was covered in blood from his ripped out throat either. Walking forward in a crippled limp Simmons reached out for the Marine, Maverick avoided the reach seeing the pale skin with black blood veins running through it what scared the young the most was that the older Marines' nails had become powerful black claws. Maverick took a second glance at the older Marine and froze in terror upon seeing the blood thirsty glowing red eyes; the young Marine shifted his gaze toward another figure that appeared behind the older Marines' body. A single glowing red eye pierced through the darkness then familiar features started to rise up, the missing ODST Tanner. Maverick squeaked in fear as the two backed him up into a corner, with nowhere else to go the young Marine hugged to the wall starting to take deep breaths. "What the hell is going on here, why are Simmons and Tanner like this? They would never try and hurt a team member…" Maverick asked himself his eyes shifting back and forth between the approaching bodies of Simmons and Tanner.

Then the young Marine froze all together as the two ceased approaching as a hideous hissing noise rose up then lowered its tone. Mavericks' gazed focused in the space between Simmons and Tanner's bodies, as a dark shape took form with the same piercing glowing red eyes, part of the dark figure reached out to try and touch the young Marine. Maverick screamed as he swatted the dark hand then pulled out his magnum from its holster and pointed it at the dark mass. The dark mass hissed and narrowed its eyes at the young Marine, and then with a low growl it commanded the ODST and older Marine. With low moans the two bodies of Tanner and Simmons lurched forward, Maverick stood firm as he dodged the stronger ODST's attack then kicked the older Marine in abdomen sending him falling to the ground in a low groan. Maverick narrowed his eyes at the black mass, he was scared but he was willing to fight whatever this thing was.

Calming his heavy breathing the young Marine opened fire on the dark mass, the dark mass screeched as it took the bullets head on then growled swiping at the Marine. Maverick ducked under the being's swipe as he dove for the opening hoping for a chance to escape, scrambling to his feet the young Marine ran toward the exit at the front door. Thinking he outran them Maverick ran a little slower as he could see the looming figure of the broken opened door, he sighed and smiled at the sight of the door but the happy feeling was soon drowned as he felt a heavy grip embrace him tackling the young Marine to the icy biting ground as he skidded across the ground with the heavy object on his back. Ignoring the biting sting of the ice Maverick looked up over his shoulder with a surprised glare; the ODST had caught up with him and was the one who tackled him to the floor.

The ODST seemed to hiss with pleasure at able to catching the young Marine. Maverick whimpered as he struggled to break free, the ODST seemed to laugh as it hissed standing up with the Marine in his grip. Maverick struggled violently in the ODST's arms finally managing to break free one of his arms, wasting no time the young Marine jabbed his elbow backwards hitting the ODST through the hole in the helmet causing his neck to snap backwards. Releasing the young Marine the ODST caught his head and growled, Maverick upon pulling back his elbow through the hole had cut his arm on the sharp shattered glass of the helmet wincing a little he dropped to the ground then ran for the door as fast his legs could carry him. Reaching the door Maverick heard the angry growls and hisses behind him, the young Marine stopped and turned around quickly reaching into his pocket of his bloody olive pants he pulled out the small camera taking a few snapshots of the quickly approaching angry beings. Maverick then slipped the camera back into the pocket as he slammed the door shut then started to look around desperately for something to block or hold the door. Spotting a thick metal beam the young Marine reached for it grabbing a hold on the metal beam as he jammed it into the door handles hoping the metal beam would hold them for now. Maverick sighed as he let his mind wonder without a single worry, he felt calm as if nothing had ever happened. He quickly snapped out of the quant feeling as he felt the bodies of his friends violently slam up against the doors, Maverick panicked as he heard them scratching and hissing angrily at that closed doors. The young Marine bolted away from the door, heading down the corridor back the safety of the other Marines and his Sergeant.

Sergeant Conner paced back and forth in the ammunition room with an angry scowl on his etched into his face. The three Marines watched their Sergeant pace nervously as they knew he was about to snap at any given moment. The young female Marine Sofia sat atop stacked creates as she became bored, her light blue-grey eyes followed the Sergeant as he pace. Her head rested on top of her balled up fist as she yawned out of boredom. One of the male Marines named Skyler pulled out an Assault Rifle and started to clean it. Everything was quiet except for the Sergeant's pacing footsteps on the metal gridded floor. A soft thumping could be heard in the corridor's hallway, it seemed to be moving and getting closer. None of the Marines or the Sergeant paid any attention to it thinking it was one of the generators kicking on or air moving through the air ducks. The thumping got louder with each pound, the Marine named Skyler looked up from cleaning his gun and gazed at the open steel door he was joined by one of the other two male Marines which narrowed his eyes in suspicion. The thumping was loud enough now that the other male Marine looked over to the door, just as he did a young Marine burst into the room stumbling as he fell to his knees. Sergeant Conner stopped his pacing and turned as he heard the Marine hit the floor, he narrowed his suspiciously then walked over to the fallen Marine.

"Skyler, Mendez, pick up this garage." The gruff Sergeant barked.

Skyler put down his gun and got up he was joined by one of the other male Marines named Mendez. Both Marines picked up the younger Marine, Mendez gasped at the sight as the rose up the young Marine. It was Maverick, and he was covered in blood oozing cuts and purple bruises. Sofia gasped as she covered her mouth at the sight of her childhood friend being in the condition he was in, she leapt off the crate she was sitting on and began running to Maverick. However she was stopped by the Sergeant's out stretched arm in a signal of halt.

"Son…what in the hell, happened to you? And where is Simmons? Well Private?" The Sergeant's tone was stern but had concern in it as he narrowed his dull gray eyes making his brow come together.

Maverick looked up at the Sergeant with terror and sadness glossed in his eyes. His lips quivered as he tried to find words to put together in a sentence. Maverick narrowed his eyes in sadness as he bit softly down on his lower lip, the young Marine started to cry from how terrified he was. He looked away from Sergeant Conner's gaze as he could bear to look at him when he finally found words to speak.
"G-Gone…their all g-gone Sir…" Maverick whined from emotional and physical pain and sadness as he bit down a little harder on his lip.

"Gone? What do mean 'gone' son?" Sergeant Conner asked gruffly as he arched an eyebrow confused and questionably.

"I-I don't know, I don't know how to explain it. T-There's something down there, i-it's evil. It got Tanner, and Simmons!" Maverick's voice quivered with fear as he rose his voiced slipping through Skyler and Mendez's hold on him falling to the floor again. As the young Marine hit the floor the camera in his pocket slipped out clanging to the floor. Skyler narrowed his eyes curiously as he leaned down to pick up the camera. He twirled the camera in his hands examining it. Skyler walked over the Sergeant presenting the camera to him.

"Damn it son that is not-" Sergeant Conner began to yell at the young Marine on the floor then was distracted by Skyler presenting the camera to him. "-What is this?"

"It's a camera Sir…?" Skyler replied confused to why the Sergeant asked that when he knew what it was.

"That's not what I meant, ah never mind lemme see that thing." Sergeant Conner was annoyed at the stupid comment Skyler had said then ignored it as he snatched the camera from Skyler.

Sofia had been watching and standing by this entire time, seeing the Sergeant being districted by the camera she slipped over to Maverick. Kneeling down to his level she sighed as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Sofia could feel Maverick's body quivering with fear coursing through his shaken up nerves. She sighed with worry for her friend as she wrapped her arms with caring love around him to try and calm and ease his pain. Sergeant Conner went through the photos that the young Marine took while down in the Research Lab, narrowed his eyes in confusion at the first picture showing the plaque with the numbers and words "Project 097, Infec". Disregarding it he clicked the button to move onto the next picture. What the Sergeant saw struck him in a frozen shock; three pairs of red glowing eyes were staring at him from the still picture. For the first real time in his life a quiver of fear ran down the Sergeant's spine.

"Skyler…go to Barracks Bridge and find Lieutenant Lance. You find him you'll most likely run into Spartan 118, Ghost Chief. We have an emergency." Conner tried to toughen up from his sudden shock of fear from a just a photo. His voice quivered just a little as he shot a concerned look at Skyler.

"Sir? You want me to find maybe the most dangerous war monster ever? I don't think-"

"NOW MARINE!" The Sergeant yelled at the top of his lungs making his voice echo around the small ammunition room.

Frightened by the Sergeant's booming command Skyler scrambled to get out to room and run down the poorly lit corridor to the bases control room were all the big officers and V.I.Ps stayed in.