Beauty in The Eyes Beholder

CHAPTER FIVE

Stormtrooper groups have spread out and they slowly sweep the city. Their focus continues to be razor-sharp due the eerie silence that surrounds them: with every step, eyes are peeled, looking back and forth. For some, the black goo has made every inch of the city some sort of abstract art piece; to others, it is a living invasion that poured out of someone's disturbed, twisted mind. The more they progress through the city, the more intense it gets.

Olyone's eyes follow her glowrod's beam of light as she reaches another intersection. She quickly scans the street in both directions, seeing the lights of her comrades doing the same thing on different blocks. Olyone looks back over her group of troops, signaling them to head across. She watches as they do what they're told, while covering the rear. 'One street down, many more left,' Olyone thinks as she darts across to the other side of the street. She quickly checks her motion sensor. It shows no movement, but some interference is hindering its performance. She wants to slap it in frustration. Olyone calls in to Dzukya via commlink. "How ya holding up?"

"Fine, I'm four blocks over from you," Dzukya replies. Olyone can hear the slight tone of concern in Dzukya's voice.

"But?"

"Just can't place it. Nothing is showing on my sensor but I...", Dzukya hesitates, biting his lip, "...I feel that we're being watched—". Another communique comes through, interrupting Dzukya and Olyone.

"Yes?...What?!" Dzukya immediately starts running over to the next street. His long legs seem to cover the distance in no time. There he sees a stormtrooper standing there at the corner, shoulders shrugged. "Tell me what happened and why are you here, where you're not supposed to be, Pvt. Netch." The stormtrooper hesitates for a moment, then answers.

"It's Pvt. Rel, sir. He wandered off from our position. As I looked around, I saw him enter this building. Tried call him a couple times but no response, sir," says Netch.

Dzukya wants to lash out in anger but doesn't have the time. He gets on his commlink. First, he calls over his group to his present location, then informs Verlund of the situation. Dzukya takes a look at the six-story high building, then at its entrance. The hardened black goo has transformed the entrance from the original rectangular shape to some misshapen oval that reminds Dzukya of a circus haunted house that he entered, back before he had hair on his face. The rest of his squad are now at the entrance with their blasters armed, ready to go.

Dzukya gets on his commlink. "Pvt. Rel, come in. Pvt. Rel, can you hear me?!" He hears nothing but static. Looking back at his squad, Dzukya gives a slight nod; they slowly walk in, shining their lights in all directions. The black substance has taken up most of the space on the main floor area, but the stairs seem to be walkable.

'Of course, ...the stairs. What could go wrong?' Dzukya splits his squad: four will search the basement, another four the second floor, the rest will follow him to the third. "Keep your comms open. If you find something that's not Rel...blast it first, then check for a pulse," orders Dzukya.

Everyone separates as Dzukya and what's left of his squad slowly head up to the third floor. While the stairs are technically walkable, trying for find an even surface is not easy. Dzukya does his best in keeping his breathing controlled as they make their way up to the third floor. Dzukya calls for Pvt. Rel once again as he arrives at the floor...nothing but static once again. 'Goddammit...where the hell is he?!' Dzukya looks around the floor.

While the black goo is there, it doesn't appear to be as invasive. They walk away from the stairwell and search the floor. It doesn't take Dzukya long to realize that this won't take long due to the black goo making parts of the floor impassable. They walk down the hallway where it ends at the double doors. Dzukya and Netch slowly approach the doors, with the rest of the third team behind them. Netch looks over, she sees Dzukya's hand showing three fingers. She nods her head. Three...two...one.