INFESTATION: Agent of S.P.E.A.R. #1

VII. THE END

EPILOGUE

St. Clair, with the use of the excavator, dropped one huge boulder to cover the tunnel hole, trapping the cryptids in their nest and entombing the entire swarm in their stone palace. Maybe they'll eat each other up in a weird Darwinian cannibal twist. I hope they do.

I approached Agent Doyle. "How's the leg?"

"Our friend already patched it up." Doyle leaned on a crutch that St. Clair hastily made from discarded wood and some thick twines. "It'll be fine, but I think I broke some ribs. And how bout ya?"

"I'm little bit banged up too. But not as bad as it looks. I'll sure be in shape in a few days."

He pointed at the mining equipment. "The mining activity probably disturbed their nest. Opened a path for them to the surface."

I nodded. "That's the most logical explanation I could think of, right now. But these mines were empty. Nothing of worth to dig up here. It's been empty for a few decades. You know... that means–"

He nodded. "Someone opened a way for them. Intentionally."

"My god. I think that checks out. Earlier, I checked for any tectonic disturbance for the last few months within the vicinity. No earth quake or the such. Someone really dug a way for those things?"

Doyle nodded again. "We'll know more if we follow the crumbs. But it looks like the more we uncover the more things get complicated."

"How do you think they survive below ground?" I said. "Those things..."

"I think they were blind. More like moles than rats." He shook his head. "Maybe this isn't the only way out. Maybe there are other passageways. What I can't wrap my head around was the imp." He scratched his forehead, both eyebrows furrowed. "What d'ya think?"

"Well, I think we'll only find out if we follow that." I pointed at the logo at the side of the excavator. The fist with rays of light coming away from it.

"The crumbs."

"That's our only lead and I think that's just the entrance to the rabbit hole."

"Yeah, we'll pro'lly even meet the master," His tone became serious all of a sudden, "and his 'wretched' cane. Sounds like the imp works for a very interesting figure. A very cruel master."

"Sounds like it," I answered. "But I really hoped that it won't come to that. That we don't find him right away. I'm sure that man is not someone to make an enemy of if he can hurt something like an imp."

The agent only nodded again. "St. Clair and me decided that we'll recommend ya' to Full agent status." He paused. "Ya' could've turn back and waited for Theo but ya' didn't and for me that's bravery right there."

"You would've done the same thing."

"Pro'lly... but one thing is for sure, I owe ya one. And I mean that."

I smiled at him. "If you give me this then were even."

He nodded and smiled back. "Then, it's settled... we're even."

I tucked the magnum on my back. Its cold steel barrel touching the old scars of the past. I smiled again. Then, it's settled. As simple as that, my journey on becaming a full-fledge agent of S. P. E. A. R. began. Back then, I didn't know how much trouble I got myself into. Back then, I only fought monsters that look like monsters.

***

The computer screen turned blue as the man in the shadows clicked the Archivist Auxiliary file. Words appeared on the screen as soon as he did so...