Tenebris' Light (Part 1 in Telestai Timeline)

Chapter 5

I rush from my car. I'm parked just outside the market's main area. I've got my duffel on me, it's got that deer meat, which will be enough to ensure I'm keeping my spot.
The market stretches on for a few miles. Everything you'll ever need is here. Somewhere. Most people work in the Market District. I used to work as a Hunter Killer with the government, ranked Saraph. But they put the wall up, now I don't have to worry about that. Hunter Killers used to just keep Dark Matter away from the civilians before the wall. The profession quickly died, and that's when I left. But you know us power hungry humans, we wanted more land, and more control over our Earth. So the Hunter Killer role came back. Now we just go to the other side of the wall and shoot up the place until it's safe to set up in. I shouldn't say we, I don't want anything to do with that job anymore.
I run between the stands, trying to get to my spot. When I get there, I find it empty. Perfect.
The rods connected to the wood table stretch about three feet up, screwed into the torn blue checkered tent. It's just old booth, rickety, little rusted in some places, but it's my career now.
I swing around the side and chuck my duffel down next to my chair. I sit next to it and rummage through the bag. In there, is the deer in the woods from earlier.
I'm still a bit tired from that little event. I did some research on that DM being, by research I mean I hauled the corpse to my buddy Lars's house. He still is a Hunter Killer. He's been in the field for a long ass time. He's seen every combination of animal in a DM being. According to him, that creature I found in the forest is called Tyanact. Human armadillo shark hybrid. Lars said it's a new mutation, and he's only seen it in the more hostile DM districts. It begged the question, how did it get in? Maybe with the three types that broke in a few days ago.
I pull out the plastic bag of deer meat. I'm not a very good butcher, I don't know exactly what cut it is, it's around the shoulders, that's where the most meat is.
I throw the bags of deer meat onto the table, and it sloshes in response. I spin around in my chair, reaching for a small blue plastic box sitting on the ground. It's where I keep the labels. By label, I mean the little paper labels I stand up next to the meat that says the price and the species. It's not really a label, it's more of a price tag.
I take out a blank one and dig around the box for a pen, writing 'Dear Steak — $35.75'.
Inflation.
I put the pen back the toss the label onto the table next to the Ziplock bag of meat. I close the box and put it back on the ground.
I turn around and open the bag. There's only one piece in there, but there's more in my duffel bag. Stick my nose in there, making sure it still smells fresh. I breathe in and cough. It's horrendous. That's not supposed to happen. Not that raw deer meat is supposed to smell good, but this smells awful, and that's an understatement.
I reach in and pull out the slab in meat. It drips, so I hold it over the bag. My eyes run over it, but I don't really have to think to realize it's turned purple.
Damnit, I swear I checked for this when I skinned it. How the hell did it spread to the pieces after they were separated?
The purple is just the Dark Matter infection in the deers muscles, the whole reason the Tyanact was taking the deer was probably for a new mutation, that's why it's infected at all.
I can't sell this, which means I'll have to discard it and just try hunting again tomorrow. Fortunately, I've been here long enough that no one with try to take my spot for a few weeks.
I put the meat back in the bag and zip it up. I sweep the paper price tag off the table into my lap, and a fist hits the table.
I jump.
I look up. It's a woman, she's dressed in all black with what looks like snow gear, which is especially odd because the middle of summer. She has a grey leather backpack slung over her shoulder, and fingerless black gloves that look almost homemade. She wears her hair in a ponytail, her bangs tucked behind her ear. She has piercing blue eyes and a sly grin.
"Whatcha' got there?" she asks shrewdly, her eyes stuck on my hand about to put the deer back in the duffel. "You think I could buy that off you?"
Honestly, I'd love to, but this is infected. If I even thought of selling this, I'd lose my spot for sure.
"Sorry, this isn't for sale." I look up at her.
She shifts her weight onto her hip. "Well that's too bad." she pretends to act disappointed. "I kinda want it, too bad though."
What is wrong with this woman? Why is she so eager to get her hands on a slab of infected meat?
Her eyes meet mine for a second. She looks so calm, so comforting. It feels like for every beat our eyes are locked, she's pulling me closer in an intimate way. Until her gaze breaks from me and she pushes me away.
"Well, I might just have to take it then." she grins, mischievously.
She wants to rob me? And she expects to rob me blind? With the shit I've seen, we should both know that's not happening.
"So you just wanna," I lean forward, smiling playfully. "Steal it?"
I'm suddenly very aware that we're fighting over rotting meat.
"Well yeah." she leans on the table. "And for your sake, I think you should just look the other way."
Now she's threatening me? This isn't happening.
I drop the meat in the duffel, and she frowns. I feel like I'm kicking at a hornets nest, right now I'm just wondering when the sting is coming.
I stand up. I want to yell at her, cuss her out, but why does she want a piece of rotting meat so bad? Why do I care? But why would any sane human being want a piece of infected flesh. I don't trust her. She might just be a researcher, but I can tell by that look she gives me, she'd start a fight if I look at her funny. Maybe a Hunter Killer, but she seems too smart. Shit, she might be a bandit.
"Forget it sweethear—"
She slams her hand on my right middle finger, and shooting pains fly up my arm. Somehow, no one notices. I gasp, she didn't even blink, and that speed looked inhuman.
"Damnit," I choke. This bitch just broke my finger.
"Come on, don't bother fighting, not in front of a crowd." She whispers, still in the same calm but terrifying tone.
"Why?" I grunt. I smile. "Don't want them to see your ugly rotting brains against the wall?"
Her hand shoots up, locking around my neck, still, no one sees.
"Don't make me go further." She smiles.
I hold still. I'm not scared, actually I'd love to show this girl what I'm capable of, but deep down, I know I'm just being naive.
My heart sits, and the joyful chatter of the crowd dies away. I can see down her sleeve, and her wrist.. is glowing purple. What the hell is that? PDM? She's definitely not a Hunter Killer, she's not a bandit. She's worse. Elite fighter, piercing wit. None of the clues before got to me, until now I see the tech she's packing. I don't really know what that is but I've got a good idea of what it might be.
PDM gauntlet. They're a mod, they make you stronger, if you're good enough with your mind you could gain telekinetic abilities. They're too dangerous for even a Hunter Killer to wield, for their sheer reckless power. I'm now terrified of what sits in that backpack.
Who knows what she needs that meat for, I feel like it's deeper than just to research. If she's willing to steal it, it's probably very important. So I'm just an obstacle, and with her power, what's stopping her from just blowing the obstacle away?
"Last time I'm gonna ask, give it up." She growls. "I'll have no trouble killing you."
"You can't." I pull together a plan in my head. I don't want the meat, I can't sell it, I'd just go home and throw it away.
"Alright, I'll—" I'm cut off by a sudden scream somewhere in the crowd. The woman's hand comes loose from around my neck as she looks back toward the scream.
Another scream, then another, until it's the entire crowd screaming. I listen to the screams stop abruptly, and I suddenly know what's going on.
There's been an outbreak.