Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 21: The Preparation

[???'s pov]

I hurriedly sprinted back to the church as the smoke from the distance fades and clears. By the gates I stood before the ruins of the sacred halls I once call home and comfort. Ashes and debris welcome me as the wind wooshes by. Brushing against my shoulders is it's cold and ominous breeze. What I call home is no longer, and the sight weighs my heart down. What's left of faith in this world is of no more. I wish to have at least retrieved a few of my personal belongings, but if fate has it this way then so be it. A prayer is a must at this moment.

At least I have my steel crucifix.

[Scott's pov]

I looked over my right shoulder to look at Ghost. Ghost appears to be handling the situation calmly, and he has his sniper held low in his arms. "Ghost, I need you to go to this radio tower you're talking about now and initiate the plan. I have to deal with this monstrosity myself. The ties must be broken and I must finish what that damn doctor started. Let's meet at the Heli pad by the hangar after we've done both of our part." I stated and Ghost gave me a nod before turning around and running through the double doors of the room.

"So, you wish to fight me for once more? Don't you get tired of needing to banish me for God knows how many? Do you feel deja vu? Fighting your brother or whoever they are while they are possessed? I suppose I should start disposing you before I summon this Cosmic Worm once again. Prepare to die, Scott." The Protogen stated before slowly levitating back to the ground and standing still. The Protogen then melted itself into a black Latex mass of goo, before emerging into a bigger figure. The black Latex takes form and cleans itself, revealing the Protogen I severely despise of. The visor of the Protogen is projecting a neutral expression, but soon gives me a smirk. The visor is showing a face with three eyes, and the third eye being in between the two normal eyes. The Protogen has two red horns of a demon protruding just above the visor.

The Protogen form of the Malware, alive once more and breathing. "I must say, this is a new feeling for me to experience. Having the ability to shape shift is indeed fascinating. To grow smaller and even--" Not wasting the opening, I immediately sprinted towards the Malware and unleashed a punch to their visor. The impact is enough for the Malware to flinch, taking a step back. I took the opportunity to try and take the artifact away from the left paw of the Malware, but his left paw closed, hiding away the artifact within his fist. The Protogen then held me on my neck and lifted me up, choking me. "Do you think it's that easy? Think again. This is the Malware you're up against. Someone who has studied your body, Prima's, and now this little fella's. I know your weaknesses."

[Ghost's pov]

Arriving at the military radio tower, I rode the elevator up to reach the very top. The elevator doors then opened, and I was welcomed by someone I used to know. "Well, well, if it isn't the Ghost I respected more than the Lieutenant. I assume you're the reason as to why this facility fell into shambles. Good news, I don't hold grudges on you so you won't be expecting a fight from me. As long as you don't interfere with my work on this tower, there won't be any chaos. Now, what brings you here?"

Sergeant Frost, the Protogen assigned to the radio communications tower and is still assigned to the same post to this day. "Sergeant, are the radio communications functional?" I asked and Frost took a glance at the radio terminal on the desk before looking back at me and shaking his head. "Unfortunately the radio communications are down. Either the blast you made on the facility wall, or the damage that's been done by the failed experiments of super soldiers within the facility has killed the radio comms. I would love to request for immediate backup right now from the other side of the globe, but the status of the situation prevents me. Asking the reason behind your need to use the radios is also pointless at this point. I guess your plan on taking down the New Order Alliance is effective and slowly working its way to accomplishment."

I then heard the elevator move to life behind me, and Sergeant Frost approached the elevator doors with an assault rifle carried on his arms. The radio I am holding then beeps, and a voice spoke out from the walkie-talkie. "Scott! Lui! This is Doctor K, do you read me?" The voice spoke and I held the button of the walkie-talkie before replying.

"This is Ghost, an ally of Scott and Lui. I hear you loud and clear, Doctor K. Over."

"Can you pass the radio over to either of the two, Ghost?"

"Negative, sir. Scott is currently in attempts to neutralize Lui. Lui turned aggressive upon in possession of an artifact of the Cosmic Worm. May I report status, sir?"

"Go ahead."

"Objective of gaining control over the military radio communications is impossible. The radio communications tower is dead. However, the shutdown of all devices within the vicinity of this specific radio frequency is no longer required, as the military defenses and personnel are severely weakened to the point of no proper functionality. We can easily escape this planet by hopping in a ship we can find by the hangar, if only Lui is finally neutralized and calmed."

"I must task you to find a Protogen in that planet. Find someone by the name of John who mourns over ruins of sacred halls, or whatever that could be. Someone in my planet requires this John. Find John and escape the planet with him. I will provide further information once the radio has been passed over to Scott and Lui, and that John is in your possession."

"Roger that." I replied and the elevator doors finally opened. Inside the elevator is a malformed figure of a Protogen. An even worse case of amalgamation I have seen yet in this facility. It's an abomination. The creature has the visor of the Lieutenant with the skull mask still attached to it's visor. The creature is on fours, and it has a tail lined with razor sharp teeth. The creature appears to have two heads, and the visor is almost close to falling off. One of the heads is just a mouth with a set of razor sharp teeth.

The amalgam swiped it's tail against Sergeant Frost, knocking him to the side. The amalgam then charged at me, crashing onto my body and to the glass window of the radio tower. The glass shattered, and we both fell down to our demise.