Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 16: Weep on cache

[Scott's pov]

"Have you ever heard of the tale of the Cosmic Worm?"

I was awoken by a voice speaking to me, and I opened my eyes to reveal that I was sitting in... A car? Since when did I get here? I looked around and I noticed that Ghost is sitting next to me on the driver's seat. He has his hand on the steering wheel, and he took a glance at me before looking back at the road. "Hey, Scott, you're finally awake. You were trying to infiltrate the weapons dealer trading site, but a chemical spilled and knocked everyone out unconscious. I was able to take you out safely by driving the weapons dealer's truck through the thick smoke of the gas."

I looked at Ghost in disbelief, unable to accept that what happened is true. "So let me get this straight. You went through the thick smoke of this sleep chemical to fetch me and the weapons dealer's truck, then fled the scene. You rushed through the thick smoke. How?" I asked and Ghost took a glance at me as he occasionally turns the steering wheel.

"I am modified with a pair of synthetic kidneys developed to withstand and filter even the strongest and potent toxins present within my body. I won't suffer any of the effects of the toxins. Unfortunately it doesn't protect me from corrosion from the potent toxins. I degrade overtime, quicker than of the normal Protogen." Ghost explained before pulling off the truck by the side of the road. Ghost then opens the door of the car before hopping off. "Why did we stop?" I asked and Ghost gestured me to leave the truck. I stepped out of the truck and stood beside him. "I have to check up on the weapons at the back to make sure they didn't roll off while we were driving. The church is close by too, so this won't take long." Ghost stated before walking to the back of the truck.

I followed him from behind and he stood by the back of the truck. "So as I was saying, have you ever heard of the tale of the Cosmic Worm?" Ghost asked and I slightly gave him a nod.

"You're familiar with it? Interesting. I have heard about rumors of this Cosmic Worm from the locals. Various documents scattered throughout the land of this planet have been gathered, and it tells about a Godlike being that can transcend space. The documents were of the recorded translated wall drawings found in a cavern. The documents have also mentioned of a long forgotten religion centered around worshipping the Cosmic Worm. Later documents have revealed that the long forgotten religion used a monolith cube to call upon their God through ritual and offerings, but then the religion fell apart with the monolith cube shattered into numerous fragments. The wall carvings told about the fragments being scattered throughout numerous planets. Attempts of retrieval of the monolith cube fragments have been unsuccessful as the number of the fragments are unknown, and that only a few were ever found..."

"... It was also rumored that because of the scale of the technological advancements, a synthetic monolith cube might've been made. Don't you find it interesting that something like this exists for others to use it for wrongdoings? If I recall correctly, the New Order Alliance is hiding away one of the fragments of the monolith cube scattered throughout the Space. The fragment deserves to be buried deep into the soil, never to be dug up again." Ghost stated before opening the doors of the back of the truck, and inside of the compartment reveals pile of boxes containing weaponry.

Ghost appears to know too much of the Cosmic Worm. I buried it deep into the back of my head, claiming that everything is false and just a hoax from the mind of the malware, but I was wrong. The Cosmic Worm does exist, but how does Ghost know a lot about it. "Ghost, how do you know all of this? It's a bit strange for someone like you to know this amount of information about this Cosmic Worm, especially with you knowing that the New Order Alliance hiding away a fragment of this monolith cube."

I asked and Ghost turned around to look at me slowly, glaring at me with his red LED eyes visible through his skull painted visor. "I used to be one, until I found the fragment in one of the rooms of their base and got into an argument of why they have it."

[Lui's pov]

"Do you feel anything particularly different now that your body is melting?" The Protogen wearing a doctor's coat asked me as he holds my left arm, observing it as it melts. I shook my head in response and the doctor let go of my arm. "This is fascinating. You are melting, and at the same time not. You do not feel any danger. This is like a symbiosis! Tell me, can you do anything with this new profound ability of yours?" The doctor asked again, and I shrugged my shoulders in response. "I have yet to know what my new body can do, but I would rather not." I stated and the doctor nodded his head twice before standing up from his seat. "I must go now. I have to call someone important. We will test your capabilities soon."

The doctor left me alone on the pew, and I turned around to look at the podium at the front. The doctor appears to be heading for the stage. The doctor stood in front of the lectern, and he pulled out a phone from his lab coat before holding it close to his ear. I wonder why the doctor took note of my abilities. He leaves a bad impression, a bad doctor. Then out of nowhere, sounds of glass shattering is heard throughout the church. The shattering is followed by numerous noises of metal clanging onto the floor, and hissing as smoke appears throughout the interior of the church.

Everyone is alerted, but the voices calmed as bodies of Protogen fell on the floor unconscious, but I am not. I stood up and I heard the doors of the church bust open. "Sweep the area. Take anyone you find interesting. The rest, eradicate. We won't be leaving anyone alive here. Let's split the team into two. The other half will plant the incendiary explosives. Let's go." I heard the group of Protogen talk as they enter through the opened doors, then I felt a sharp burning pain through my chest.

I fell on the floor, and the pain stings. A Protogen approached me with a rifle aimed at me, but they soon moved their weapon from me. "Sir, I found one of the targets, and they're immune to the gas and is melting. Should we bring him in?" The Protogen asked.

"Incapacitate."

I also heard a faint voice from the distance. "Wait, you can't do this to me! I worked for you as a whistleblower. Take me with you!" Followed by a gunshot and a thud on the floor. The Protogen standing in front of me bashed me on the head with the stock of his rifle. I blacked out.

[Scott's pov]

Arriving at the scene, I noticed that the church is engulfed in large flames. Ghost stepped out of the driver's seat to run towards the burning church. He stood by the scenery as the church falls apart from the fire, and I stepped out of the truck before approaching Ghost. I stood next to Ghost as we both watch the church unfold in front of us. "The New Order Alliance must've taken the opportunity of us leaving to infiltrate the church. They took Lui with them for sure. Scott, suit up. We're infiltrating their base."