Hells Bells

Abominations and Plague

June 29, 2025. Dimension 89. KingFish 95.

A leaking pipe in the corner of a bedroom drips at a rapid pace. A girl stares with no emotion in her eyes at the ever increasing pool of water below it. A feeling of hatred and malice flows through her body. The girl's dead stare into space was broken by a familiar voice.

ATLAS: They did a good job making your hair feel real.

She stroked a brush through the girl's hair, giving compliments on the deep redness of it.

ATLAS: The procedure and maintenance they did on you makes you look like your old self. Don't you think it was nice Icarus?

Icarus doesn't answer the girl sitting on the bed behind her. Atlas goes back to brushing Icarus' hair as silence falls upon the room. Atlas stops brushing her hair and stands up and walks over to the dresser, a red warning screen appearing in front of her. placing the brush down, and sitting down on the stool in front of the dresser. She flips her hair covering her face and presses below her left eye. The skin around her eye pushes forward and moves up, revealing a glimpse of her metal skeleton and the socket her eye is in. She opens the top drawer and pulls out a screwdriver. She places the head of the screwdriver under the eye and pushes up. Her vision turns red with information panels popping up. She pushes it further, and the eye clicks. She grabs the eye and moves it away from her face, she stops when feeling the wires attached to the back of the eye start to pull on her occipital lobe. She places the screwdriver head on the back of the eye and pushes down hard. A panel appears showing a recalibration of the eye. The panel disappears, she breathes a painful sigh and places the eye back into place. The skin moves back into place and she blinks a few times to make sure everything is in working order. She places the tool down and stares into the mirror attached to the dresser.

ATLAS: I'm not too comfortable having them work on me after the damage to my face, so I do my own repairs here. They don't like it when I do, because they have to do more work if I malfunction or suffer major damage.

She looks over at the bed seeing the girl still hasn't moved from her spot. Atlas looks back at the mirror in disappointment and picks the brush back up. They both feel a sense of dread in the room.

ICARUS: Why do you not hate them?

Atlas stops and sits in silence.

ATLAS: I don't hold a grudge against the men of the United States, as they weren't the one who vandalized my body. They treated me the same as a wild animal when they first took me into their custody, but after a while they started treating me better and not like a test subject like the French did... It feels nice to have this feeling of acceptance and repentance from them.

ICARUS: The memories I have... don't show them like that...

She curls into a ball with her head resting on her knees. Atlas moves to her side and gives her a hug.

ATLAS: In time you will see them like I do.

The door opens with two MPs standing in the doorway. Atlas gives Icarus a reassuring glance and is taken to the hanger. Icarus remains frozen and peaceful.

Arragon Republic. Kurzen. Imperial Palace, Wyte's Office.

WYTE: The demons are immune to the plague...

Wyte's door opens with the Arragonian president walking in with two guards flanking him. Wyte pays them no mind, and turns toward the balcony window in his chair.

ODIN: Are there any known cures or treatments for the plague?

WYTE: Well medical herbs would work in a small outbreak and in the early stages. I have been on the tail of the general surgeon to start making vaccines, but he's been blowing me off calling it "voodoo".

ODIN: We'll have you observe the process of the vaccine development. Once they have made a vaccine, working or not, you are to rejoin your division. Copy?

WYTE: Copy.

Wyte spins back around and slams the phone into the receiver.

WYTE: I thought I called in the Surgeon General, not the president of this... I wouldn't say god forsaken cause that will get me smitten...Uh.

He snaps his fingers.

WYTE: Damn republic... Anyway, why are you here?

The demon clears his throat.

MLLIAN: I came here because I am the only government official not quarantining.

WYTE: What about your vice president?

The demon inhales through his teeth.

MLLIAN: Litzain...

WYTE: She fell ill, didn't she?

MLLIAN: Yes.

Wyte leans forward, clasping his hands together and resting them on his desk.

WYTE: Okay, demons are immune due to their body temperature being over 220 degrees all the time. People from my world are immune, unless coming in direct contact with a plague victim. So why are the gods not immune!

Wyte catches himself.

WYTE: Until the vaccine is developed, you need to get the military to isolate cities infected, and set up zones to quarantine the sick. What officials and generals are available?

MLLIAN: The army is down 96% of its officers. Marines are down completely, the navy and coast guard however still have full strength.

WYTE: What of the air force?

The demon looks at both of the guards.

MLLIAN: These two are the only pilots left able in Kurzen

WYTE: And they're your personal pilots I assume?

The demon nods. Wyte pulls out a cigar and lights it.

WYTE: How many states have reported cases?

MLLIAN: All 30 mainland states. The 2 states in the gulf and Partif Ocean have reported no cases.

Wyte gives the demon a sympathetic grin.

WYTE: Let's see if your brother and the navy are up to the task Mr president.