Cyberspace; The Ultimus Collection

Chapter 17, Barn Brawl

Thunder boomed overhead. The pitter-patter of rain drizzled against the clothes and armor of heroes near and far, seen and hidden. The moss and mud cushioned every footstep. The canopy of oak trees created a shaded blanket against the already shaded sky. The farm was quiet and dark, still a couple more hours before the crack of dawn. Derick took the lead in the search, with Daniel and Catelin trailing not far behind. The farm was small like the mystery man had said, but it also looked to be abandoned. Walls and fences rotted and unkempt. It was if no one had lived there in years. The perfect hideout for one disgraced by society. Why not live somewhere where no one would dare venture? 

"We should probably split up to cover more ground. That way we'll have a better chance of finding him if he's still here." Derick remarked. 

"Oh yeah, just explore a creepy old, abandoned farm with a loose serial killer. Sounds like a great idea." Catelin scoffed. 

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with Catelin on this one. Don't you think we'd be putting ourselves in greater danger that way, Derick?" 

"I'm sure we'll all be fine, no matter what happens. We're all capable enough to hold our own a fight it seems. And with it being so quiet out here, if there's trouble, we'll rush to the aid of whoever's in peril." 

"I guess you're right." Daniel reluctantly agreed. The three quickly devised a plan and separated off into different directions. Catelin to the main barn, Derick to the old farmhouse, and Daniel to the surrounding woods. Derick walked around the bottom floor of the house, not that he could explore the upstairs if he wanted to, as the stairwell had collapsed in on itself. Everything in the house was rotted to the core. Every step made the poor floorboards creek and groan. Derick could barely place his weight anywhere without the feeling of everything caving in. The whole place stank, and flies permeated the air as a thick black pestilent fog. He passed through the living room and the kitchen, before stopping in the dining room. There, sprawled out against the dining table, was a peculiar set of items. A large, soggy, damp piece of paper with different notes and drawings scribbled on it and some broken vials, needles, and syringes. Derick peeled the paper from the wood and inspected it up and down. Schematics, research, some strange scientific experimentation and discovery. Derick sat down in one of the old, busted chairs to further analyze. Measurements of what could only be described as ingredients. Different procedures, some circled, some crossed out, and some left blank or questioned. Drawings of human and nonhuman beings. A muddied section labeled as 'Results'. Derick could only think of two possibilities, power augmentation and life cultivation. And with that, he could only speak one word. 

"Shit." Catelin ducked carefully into the decrepit barn. She tip-toed around very cautiously and quietly. Due to her lack of firepower, stealth was her closest ally. She crept and lurked, desperate to find something, anything worth value, all the while dreading what she could find. Each footstep created an audible creek. Every floorboard, an instrument to her own demise. Catelin tried to search as quietly as she could, that is until she stopped dead in her tracks. A different set of footsteps, much heavier, much louder. She knew Derick and Daniel wouldn't dare change the plan without telling her, especially in a situation as dire as this. That meant the footsteps could belong to only one person. 

"There's no point in hiding." Catelin gasped and braced herself. Large spikes of corrupted data shot towards her, shattering any wood standing in the way. Dust billowed and filled Catelin's lungs. Planks from the upper floors rained down below. Catelin's legs trembled as she opened her eyes. Several large cuts and gashes lined her arms, legs, and hip. She stumbled back, fearful of the corrosive power of the corruption. It stung and seared. Suddenly the data disappeared, and Catelin stood face to face with Anonymous, whose wielded the corrupted blade.