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Chapter 6

"Unfortunately, I can only modify the bombs' technical components," Oberon told them. "I can do nothing about the contagion plaguing your world. My hands are tied." He held out his hands crossed at the wrists.

"Crazy bastard," Micah heard Ulises utter under his breath.

Micah had received a distress signal from his base. His beacon device lay on the table, red light blinking. They had begun packing to return.

"How about if I tag along?" Oberon asked. "I have plenty of foodstuffs and water, extra for your base too." He grabbed a full frayed-leather backpack.

"Yes. Oberon, you're with us."

"Sir, not a good idea," Ulises said. "Besides... supplies for everyone? Look at how small that pack is."

"Your objection is noted," Micah responded. "I'll take point. You'll take rear, behind the Doctor. Finish packing and move out, soldier."

* * *

Seven hours later, they grew close to their base. It was dusk; they saw the base lights shining over the various buildings and bunks amidst the desert in the distance.

There was another light. Multiple lights. Fires. He now noticed the many plumes of black smoke rising up against the dark horizon.

"Micah?" Oberon said. "I suggest you test it. Now would be a good time, I reckon."

"I can't help but agree, sir," Ulises said gravely, staring at his fiery base.

Micah held up his left wrist. He tapped at the plate.

All sound ceased. The cool wind had stopped. Micah looked up.

He saw the multitude of fires in his base. But they were all... still, as was the smoke in thin cones above them. The smoke did not flow. It looked like crumpled gray velvet.

Ulises and Oberon were still looking at the base, stuck in place. Micah tapped at the device's pad and resumed time.

Fwoop!

He could once again hear the fires crackling in the distance. The wind caressed his face.

"Okay, it still works," Micah said. He then lifted his right arm and pointed forward. "Let's go."

Twenty minutes later, they saw the aftermath. Many different colors of blood painted the ground and walls. No one could be seen.

No one alive, at least.

Micah stopped time. He stepped away from Oberon and his comrade and began to explore the massacre.

He saw grotesque evilry. He wanted to wretch.

He saw the enemy. Dead. They were wearing the uniforms of his own soldiers. They held the soldiers' rifles.

"Impossible," he thought. Despite himself, he continued searching.

No one else stood.

He moved deeper into the center of his doomed based - and then he found himself looking upon the most repulsive sight he had ever seen.

Micah vomited.

* * *

"Huh," Oberon said, hand at his chin. "Yikes."

Micah had resumed time. All three of them now stared at the hulking monstrosity that lay before them, also dead, by visual examination. None of them would dare go within a yard of it.

It was the body of the enemy. But its upper torso was emerging from the lower half of a human soldier. Micah couldn't begin to identify... it. The corpse's military boots were the closest things laying to them, and were the only part of it that looked remotely human.

One of the legs moved.

"Oh my goodness," Oberon uttered, jumping.

Micah and Ulises already had their rifles drawn.

The terrifying corpse lay still.

"Just a twitch," Oberon said, his voice a higher pitch than usual.

"Dammit all to hell," Ulises muttered, lowering his gun.

"Damn it there? It looks like it came from Hell," Micah said.

"No..." Oberon started. He stepped right next to the creature's torso and peered over.

"No, it was your, ah, Biogen," Oberon continued.

"It has mutated."