Godead

LXVI

Claude and the others looked on, wary of the stranger as they held their pistols at their sides.

"Who are you?" Claude asked.

"Forgive my rude manners. I am Doctor Harold Nightingale of Meadowbrook Research Labs in Connecticut. I come in search of my little sister whom works as a police officer in your state," Flood explained. Suddenly, Claude paused, recognizing the last name he'd given, all the while unaware of the scientist's true identity.

"Wait... did you say... Nightingale?" Claude asked.

"Indeed. I'm searching for my sister Blair and a certain friend of hers. You wouldn't happen to know them, would you?" Flood asked.

"Yes!" Claude replied in surprise. "Blair used to travel with us before taking off up north! We haven't seen her in ages, though." Flood raised a brow.

"Splendid! Oh, you don't know how pleased I am to hear you're an acquaintance of hers. I just came from Fort Lauderdale and found it in utter shambles. I feared she was dead," Flood said, hiding a sinister smile.

"So... Blair's your sister?" Claude asked.

"That's right. All of our relatives are dead, and I came in hopes of finding her alive," Flood replied. Reed then stepped forward.

"Meadowbrook Research Labs, you say? I see you wear a lab coat. Are you a man of science, as well?" he asked. Flood curiously looked to the man.

"Yes. And yourself?" he replied.

"Indeed. I've been conducting independent research on the Vector Virus until just recently," Reed replied. Flood smiled.

"'Vector Virus', you say?" he asked, shaking his head before pushing his glasses up. "No, my friend. This madness you see around you is the work of the 'Paleface Virus'."

"I don't think so. At least not anymore," Reed replied. "The virus has mutated, and has now become a totally different strain."

"...Oh?" Flood asked, curiosity in his voice. "Interesting hypothesis. I must admit, I've been lax in my research as of late. I've been too busy trying to locate my sister and her friend. Do any of you know where they currently are?"

"No...," Claude replied. "I wish we did, though. I've been terribly worried about Blair since she went away."

"You said you were looking for a friend of hers, as well?" Caroline asked.

"Indeed. She's a bit of a special case. When last we spoke, my sister was traveling with a good friend of hers she's known since grade school. Amanda is her name. She changed recently, however, and transformed into something... peculiar," Flood explained. Reuben perked up.

"Changed?" he asked.

"That's right," Flood said, eyeing the boy's horn. "And judging by your appearance, so have you."

"Yeah. I still don't know what's happened to me, though," Reuben replied worriedly.

"Fear not, child. These are strange times we're living in, but if my research is anything to go on, I believe your change is a blessing and not a curse," Flood explained.

"...Yes. To be honest, I feel the same way. Since the change, I've felt more invigorated than ever," Reuben said.

"I can imagine. In a way, I'm rather envious of you, um...?" Flood replied.

"Reuben," the boy replied.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry for the late intros. I'm Claude, and this is Caroline and her father, Doctor Reed," Claude said.

"A pleasure to meet you all," Flood said, still hiding the smirk on his face.

Just then, Debra returned to the scene fully healed. She flew onto a nearby roof, landing on it before glaring down at the others.

"Damn you!" she exclaimed, looking to Reuben as the five below turned their attention to her. "First you shoot quills in my arm, and now some weirdo shows up out of nowhere! I'm getting tired of this! This is my town, dammit!" As Debra expressed her rage, Flood raised a brow at the nude girl.

"Ahem. What an interesting entrance. An acquaintance of yours, I presume?" Flood asked, turning to Claude.

"You could say that," he replied. "Long ago, she kidnapped a friend of ours before losing track of her. Then, she attacked Reuben out of nowhere."

"It wasn't out of nowhere!" Debra retorted. "That bastard killed my little pet! I've had enough of this! I'm getting rid of all of you here and now!"

Suddenly, Debra swooped down, the five bracing themselves as the girl arrived, releasing pollen into the air. As the others ducked for cover, Flood smiled in delight.

"I say! What a splendid display of power!" he said.

"Shut up, four eyes!" Debra retorted, rushing in before kicking at his head. Flood smirked, wildly leaping out of the way. He then reached into his coat, taking out a curious looking rifle.

"Such a naughty child. And best of all, you fly! You'll make for lovely target practice!" Flood exclaimed, raising his weapon before firing several rounds. Debra dodged back and forth, Flood firing while also avoiding Debra's attacks. As the scientist landed a shot, Debra laughed.

"Ha! Bullets don't effect me, creep!" she chided. Flood then gave a dark smile, slowly shaking his head moments later.

"No, my dear. I think you'll find these bullets are rather different," he explained. As the scientist spoke, Debra suddenly froze in place.

"...W... What the—?!" she said, going pale as a wave of nausea suddenly overcame her. Seconds later, she bent over, violently vomiting blood onto the street. Debra stood motionless, unable to move as she fearfully looked to Flood. "...Wh... What was in that? What did you do to me?!"

"So glad you asked," Flood replied, pushing his glasses up with one finger. "You see, that bullet was a little something I've been working on back at the lab. It's filled with Gammadetoxin, the active ingredient in an experimental vaccine I've been tinkering with. It's still in its beta stages, however, and has yet to be tested on a living specimen. That is... until now!" As Flood spoke, Debra listened in horror. Suddenly, she began to twitch, body contorting as she started a hideous transformation.

"...Wh... W—What's... happening... to me?!" she asked, voice trembling in fright. Claude and the others watched in shock as Flood casually shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine, dear. Like I said, this vaccine is entirely untested. If I had to guess, though...," Flood said. "...I'd say, at this moment, your DNA is in a state of utter anarchy! The vaccine reverses the effects of the Paleface Virus in adults, but seeing as how you're a child, the virus has mutated your very molecular structure. Your body doesn't know how to respond, and is now crumbling and breaking apart at the seams!" Debra stood terrified, body in agony as it warped and contorted in on itself.

As Claude and the others watched in horror, Debra's skin began to crack and bubble. She tried to fly, but her wings suddenly broke and fell off. The girl screamed in pain, flesh melting as she desperately limped toward the others.

‭"...H... H—H—Help... me...!" she pleaded, voice garbled as the girl's flesh melted off her bones. ‬ The whole of her body shook violently, arm falling off as an eyeball hung from its socket. ‭Moments later, she gave a vile scream, twitching several times as her body broke apart, falling to the ground in a pile of blood and guts. As the others stood in shock, Flood broadly smiled, clapping at what was left of Debra.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" he said, applauding as though he'd just witnessed a Broadway play.