Fanfiction: Prototype. 7: Lairs

As time passed by, both sides seemed to increase in power, although Gentek and Blackwatch didn’t realize just how powerful their opposition already was. Mercer controlled the virus in the red zone and, thanks to Taryn hopping around in the yellow and green zones and contacting him when having found a new candidate for the evolved. They already had quite the amount of evolved on their sides, taking over Gentek and Blackwatch from the inside.

than, through consuming some minor scientists and Markus consuming some soldiers, they found that the buildings weren’t the only places where Blackwatch had their labs. It seemed that under the cities, in the sewers the virus had spread, making large holes, where the infected roamed around freely, unless controlled by Blackwatch. And it seemed, in these “lairs” as they were being called, the virus was very concentrated. So Gentek was very interested in researching the virus down in those lairs.

as they knew this, Taryn was quite sure they could get some good DNA down there. And perhaps, if they could take some scientists as well, they might even be able to improve that DNA. She selected two different Lairs. She would infiltrate one, Markus would infiltrate the second. They would find out what they could, experiment if possible, than take the DNA they acquired. After that, they would take the viral DNA to a Gentek lab she had selected. Markus, respecting her and her leading skills, did as she had said.

as Taryn infiltrated a lair in the disguise of a Blackwatch soldier, she looked around in the tunnels, before finding a room where there were twenty cages, each holding five infected. A stage with computers in the middle, as well as machines. At the end of the room there was a line of defense, stopping infected coming through. She nodded, having made her plan. Before beginning scientific stuff, she would see where those infected were coming from.

she camouflaged herself, snuck past the soldiers, avoided their bullets and ran past the infected, following the tunnels until she found herself in another large room. but this room was filled with infected pillars and,… things that looked like infected wombs. The walls were covered in red and black biomass. As infected went into those wombs, those things grew, pulsated for a while, before finally bursting, releasing a brawler. So those womb like things could naturally evolve the infected. Now that was interesting.

she wondered; what would happen if an evolved were to go into that womb thing? She took out some needles she kept in her biomass jacket, snuck to those wombs and quickly took samples of three of them, as well as from three infected and three brawlers, before retreating back to the science room. here she peaked over the shoulders of the scientists to see what they were researching. It wasn’t bad, but her ideas were more advanced. Unlike those scientists, she could think on her feet.

Taryn located the scientists in charge, snuck up on her, consumed her, learned more about their research and, as she continued the scientist’s work, bit by bit she changed the subject so she could research what she was interested in. as she finally started her research on the infected wombs, comparing it with infected and brawler DNA, it seemed these wombs held an infection of their own. infecting the infected further, increasing size, strength and speed, as well as brain capability.

as she finished, having made an instant womb injection, having upgraded the womb with a brawler’s DNA and the DNA of a juggernaut she still had on her, she was interested in seeing what this would do to an infected. Finishing up some business, she camouflaged herself and snuck to the infected room again. here she took half her serum and injected it into a brawler. The beast first seemed shocked, than screamed in pain as it started rolling over the ground. Taryn took her distance and saw to her surprise that the brawler started to grow to an immense size. It gained a long hook like arm, while the other arm became enormous and armored. It had one thick leg and one thin leg. Its body was enormous and bulky and the head was about her size. As it rose up, it unleashed a menacing roar.

as the other infected saw this monstrosity, they all took their distance. Taryn, unconsciously, did the same. the giant than headed down the tunnel that lead to the scientists. She followed it, before hearing the soldiers scream in panic. As the giant saw the soldiers, it attacked them instantly. For something so big, it was rather fast. As she reached the science room, almost all the soldiers were dead. Its enormous reach and enormous strength allowed it to do massive amounts of damage. It seemed this creature didn’t care what it attacked. But if it got to the streets, it would attack innocent civilians as well. she opened her infected link and reached out to it. but as much as she tried to stop it, it didn’t listen to her. and if she couldn’t control it, she would have to take it out!

she released her blade arms, before rushing it, slashing its legs, causing it to stumble. As it did, she jumped its chest and slashed at its throat, causing it to fall on its back. As it landed, Taryn took out a needle and draw out some of its DNA. But just as she put it back in the safety of her jacket, the giant grabbed her and tossed her across the room. she crashed into a wall, landed on the floor and saw the giant jump her. she was surprised it could jump like that. she camouflaged herself again and jumped out of the giant’s way, before jumping its face, stabbing her blades into its eyes, blinding it.

as the beast stumbled around blindly, she slashed of its long arm and its thin leg, causing it to drop. She stabbed her blades deep into its neck, before drawing its DNA into herself. Its DNA was unlike that of any other infected she had ever taken in. it improved all she had so far. She felt she could stay camouflaged much longer now. She could even hide her presence in her own infected link. This could allow her to spy in on talks of the evolved. Her blades grew longer and her shields now not only covered her hand, upper and lower arms, her shields grew, combined and when using both shields at the same time, she could create a dome like shield to hide herself in.

as she finished cleaning up the lair, she turned into a soldier again and exited the lair. She contacted Markus, who also had some useful DNA and they met each other at the Gentek lab she had mentioned. Here, using high ranking Gentek officials as a disguise, they got a private room and inspected the work they had brought along. Taryn had the power womb and the giants DNA, where Markus had the combined DNA of runners and the combined DNA of two brawlers and one juggernaut.

the runners were usually the spreaders of the virus, were known for being females and for running fast. Markus had combined the speed of several runners, for an extreme boost in speed. as for the combined brawler juggernaut DNA, it made a brawler with hammer fists instead of claws. through her infected link, they researched all the DNA they had gathered, improved what they had found and took it with them.

the yellow and the green zones were too risky to use these infections. So Taryn came with the idea to use it in the red zone. At least innocent people wouldn’t get hurt there. Taryn infected two brawlers, one with the improved super womb and the other with the giant DNA. Both turned into giant infected monsters. Markus infected two normal infected. One turned into a brawler with armored arms and legs. And the other, a female infected, turned into a runner, becoming tall and slender and her legs were covered in biomass.

their creations went wild right away and they both went after one of them. but as Taryn had just caught up to one of the giants, she found it had stopped in front of a man; Alex. As she landed next to him, he smiled, ‘nice work Taryn. Creating a creature like this, very impressive. I’m sure it can cause a lot of chaos to Gentek and Blackwatch. When we finally take out those two disturbing groups, right behind the evolved, these creatures will form the second assault line.’ Taryn nodded, ‘with everything I had already learned and what I learned through research, I keep finding new possibilities.’ Alex nodded, ‘good. No need to worry about this creature. Just let it run wild here. Shouldn’t you try to find that underling of yours?’

Taryn nodded, went back to where she had last seen Markus, before he had gone after that incredibly fast runner. She opened her infected link and reached out for him. but as her link opened fully and she sensed the whole red zone, she couldn’t find Markus. Had he already gone back to the yellow zone? As she went back there and looked, he wasn’t there either. Quickly moving to the green zone, she looked here for him as well. but Marcus was nowhere to be found.

as she returned to her apartment in the yellow zone, she could only conclude that, the reason she couldn’t find Markus as that he was dead. She didn’t know how it had happened or where. She didn’t try to think about the possibilities and focused on what she was doing. He had been a good friend, a good help. And thanks to him, she had learned a lot. Now she would continue their work on her own.