I was too late. By the time I arrived, they were nearly done injecting the ELB serum into the final squadron. However, something had to be done. My pulse pounded in my ears—I had to act before it was truly too late.
I rushed to find General Flick. On my way, I collided with Captain Agatha. One look at her an I knew she had already crossed over. She was transformed—her eyes gleamed with unnatural sharpness, her stance exuding a restless energy.
“Cipher! Where have you been? Where are Dmitry and Yukio? They’re the last ones to receive the injection!”
“Captain, this serum—it’s dangerous. I need to speak to the general...”
“I’ve never felt so powerful!” She interrupted, her voice alight with fervor. “I feel invincible. Now I see why it drove Gwendowson mad. This kind of strength should only be wielded against monsters like the Vodocks.”
She’d already taken the serum. My stomach twisted into knots. Once administered, there was no reversing it. If the serum’s awakening was a ticking bomb, I had to defuse it before it overtook their minds. Pushing past her, I made a beeline for the general, clinging to the hope he’d have answers.
I found him in his office, hunched over his desk looking at papers. I explained my fears about the serum’s effects, but he dismissed them with a wave.
“My scientists have tested it on other subjects. There’s no evidence it alters the mind or emotions.”
Then I told him about the horrors I’d witnessed in the underground bunker—how his own son, Victor, had butchered innocents with terrifying, inhuman strength.
The general’s face hardened, a flicker of disappointment shadowing his eyes. “I thought he’d changed. Always a failure to the end. I’ll handle—”
Cutting his words short, a presence loomed from behind him. For the first time, I saw fear ripple across the general’s steely features. He turned slowly, and there stood Victor, his crimson eyes blazing with monstrous intensity, his presence suffocating the room with dread.
“Boy... when did you get here?” the general stammered.
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“I came to show you how strong I’ve become. You were right—real power silences all arguments.” He began circling the office, his steps slow and deliberate, like a wolf sizing up its prey.
“But there’s one flaw in your logic,” he continued. “The strong are meant to dominate the weak. I won’t waste my time serving a nation under some bloated politician. I’ll become the strongest and force everyone to kneel. These people need to learn—everything has a price, even the air they breathe.”
“You’re wrong.” The general’s tone sharpened. “Power exists to protect the weak. That’s a soldier’s duty.”
Victor’s laugh was icy. “Good thing I’m no soldier.”
Desperation clawed at me as I stepped forward. “Victor, listen! The serum—it’s dangerous. It’s twisting you into something else. We have to fix this before it destroys everything!”
He whirled on me, his gaze piercing. “Why are you even here? You took the serum and you’re still this weak. You can’t save anyone. I could slice you into a thousand pieces before your next thought forms. Don’t bother worrying about what’s coming—those aliens will be dead before they reach the doorstep.”
With that, he vanished, leaving the office in eerie silence. No one knew where he’d gone, but the chill of his words lingered.
I turned to the general, hoping Victor’s transformation had opened his eyes. “General, that’s what I’ve been warning you about! We have to act. If all the Neogens turn into that, we’ll be fighting ourselves before the enemy even arrives!”
“Neogens?” He arched an eyebrow. “Follow me. I need to show you something.”
He led me to a remote site, a few kilometers from Fort Vanguard—a classified weapons testing ground called Neptune Five. Beneath the scorching sun, engineers buzzed around a colossal, sky scrapper-sized structure pulsing with an unearthly energy.
“What is that?” I asked, squinting against the glare.
“A power dampener weapon,” the general replied. “We’re using alien tech to fight the aliens. Number One says these were used against the Vodocks in their war with the Fayers. The Neogens freaks are just a backup if this fails.”
“Freaks,” I muttered, then caught myself. “That’s harsh. But are you sure this will work? We don’t know how many Vodocks are out there.”
“This is our primary weapon, but we’re constructing twenty more worldwide. On top of that it can create localized distortions in space. We call them space land mines. Once they’re ready, we’ll launch them into orbit for a surprise strike. We’ll crush them before they touch Earth.”
It was a bold plan, and I respected their foresight. Yet their reliance on alien technology—and Number One—gnawed at me. He hadn’t warned us about the serum’s side effects: the glowing eyes, the power surges. Why had he concealed that? It was obviously something he should have mentioned to us, if he really came with right intentions
“General, I need to say something,” I said, my voice taut. “I don’t fully trust Number One. If you’re banking on my faith in him for this project, think again. I suspect he’s hiding something.”
The general’s expression remained impassive. “Our best scientists are collaborating with him. This is our only shot at beating those monsters. But we must prepare for the worst—if they land, we’ll need monsters to fight monsters. My son’s one now... but you’ve had this power for months and stayed sane. I’m entrusting you to keep an eyes on the Neogens’ during training. If anyone starts slipping, report it immediately. Keep them focused until we neutralize the threat. I’ll assemble a team to manage the fallout.”
Relief flickered through me knowing there was another defense against the Vodocks, but the responsibility weighed heavily.
To quiet my doubts, I sought out Number One. I pressed him about the serum’s awakenings. He claimed ignorance, insisting this was the first he’d seen of such effects. Unconvinced but lacking proof, I returned to Fort Vanguard.
At the barracks, Yukio and Dmitry were back from the bunker. I shared my fears about the serum, begging them not to take it.
“I need to be stronger.” Yukio was unshaken. “If I become a monster who harms the innocent, stop me—don’t hesitate. But I can’t stop now. I swore to risk everything for my goal.”
Dmitry echoed his resolve. “I have duties I can’t escape.”
I swallowed my objections, praying disaster could be avoided.
Then Yukio paused. “Oh, I forgot to mention something.” He said, “We returned the survivors to their homes, but... many families are fleeing the city, seeking shelter before the war. We couldn’t find Alessandra’s parents. Their house was empty. She had nowhere to go, so we brought her here. She’s in the captain’s quarters.”
“What?” My stomach sank. “The captain won’t stand for this!”
“We couldn’t leave her alone,” Dmitry added. “She’s traumatized. And with Victor out there...”
I didn’t want another burden, but guilt tugged at me. I went to check on her. She lay curled on the bed, trembling, her eyes hollow with exhaustion. At seventeen, she’d endured horrors no one should face.
“Hey, kid,” I said gently, rousing her. “Alessandra, you can’t stay here...”
She turned to me. “You saved me from that madman. Please, help me find my parents. They’re somewhere in the city. I need to go home.”
She was still in shock, and I dreaded the general’s reaction to her presence at Fort Vanguard. But memories of Sasha—my first love—surfaced, stirring regret. Had my pain hardened me, even turned me bitter toward women without my knowing? To make amends, I resolved to help her.
“Calm down,” I said softly. “I’ll find your parents, I promise. But with the city in chaos, it’s not safe for you alone. Trust me—rest here for now.”
After calming her down and assuring her that everything was going to turn out fine, I looked for Captain Agatha and explained the situation. Surprisingly, she softened, repaying me for saving her life by granting Alessandra temporary refuge. She provided food, fresh clothes, and a hot bath for her. Exhausted, Alessandra sank into a deep, peaceful sleep—her first in days.
Later, Dmitry, Yukio, and Sane received their injections. With the two ladies in, I couldn’t sleep in the captain’s quarters anymore. And so that night, I lay in the main sleeping hall with the squad, senses razor-sharp. Sane was now a Neogen, a quiet menace. I stayed awake, eyes wide, braced for anything.