"You three should head to the control room; perhaps you'll discover something valuable. Greg, I think there should be some weapons stored in there, correct?" Micheal addressed Bai, and Hei before turning to Greg and posing a question.
"Yes, there should be some remaining. I recall some survivors from the base mentioning that they had scavenged the area on their journey here," Greg responded after a moment of contemplation.
"The bullets available here are largely ineffective against the majority of the monsters present, so we will only take explosives and any other items that are effective against them. Perhaps we can bring along a few handguns as a precaution. You two should check it out with Greg while the rest of us remain on watch here. Henry, a word" Micheal gave instructions, earning a nod from the three who promptly set to work, with Greg taking the lead. Micheal then pulled Henry to the side where they had a brief conversation. After several minutes, the three came back from their search, carrying a bag filled with a few useful items, including explosives, flash bangs, and some handguns.
"I found this too," Bai said, handing a logbook to Michael, who received it with curiosity. He flipped through the pages but found nothing suspicious or useful, so he turned to Bai with a puzzled expression.
"Check out this date; the initial log indicates that several shipments of machine parts for assembling a nuclear reactor arrived at this time. Review the parts. The second log notes that additional shipments of machine parts arrived later that same day, just a few hours afterward. This continued for weeks," Bai clarified, yet this only deepened Micheal's confusion.
"Well, aside from the fact that I must have missed the physics class in high school, I don't really understand your point," Michael replied with a shrug, prompting Hei and Henry to chuckle.
"What I'm trying to say is why is there a necessity for so many components, and specifically, what roles do a propulsion system and an RF transceiver module play in the development of nuclear reactors? They're completely irrelevant. A nuclear reactor requires fuel, control rods, moderator and coolant systems, radiation shielding, and much more. However, items like a frequency synthesizer, crystal oscillator, and microcontroller unit are all unrelated to a nuclear reactor," Bai explained, breaking it down and pointing at the relevant sections in the logs. When he finished, he noticed that everyone was staring at him in shock.
"How on earth do you know so much about building a nuclear reactor?" Micheal inquired with a hint of suspicion, aware that Bai had a history as a hacker, yet this information seemed far beyond what should have been accessible to him.
"I may or may not have been apprehended for unlawfully accessing the U.S. government's server to acquire information on potential locations for pilfering certain items that could or could not have been utilized in the assembly of a nuclear reactor, which I may or may not have been contemplating for purposes related to cyber warfare and espionage." Bai responded with an innocent tone, his words nearly causing some team members to buckle over in shock. The audacity of this guy, breaking into a government server—specifically, the U.S. government server—was truly a next-level heist.
"I'm just going to pretend like I didn't hear that. If I grasp your point correctly, you're suggesting that someone was covertly smuggling machine parts while claiming they intended to use them for building a nuclear reactor. Given that it's a research base, do you genuinely believe they require so many nuclear reactors? Anna, what's your take on this?" Micheal carefully examined the new information, articulating his thoughts aloud. He then turned to Anna, inquiring about her insights, knowing that her personal experience there would provide valuable context.
"Hmm, based on the volume of parts being registered here, it seems sufficient to construct at least 30 nuclear reactors. Over the past month, we haven't had any significant scientific research projects or breakthroughs, which makes it quite suspicious that someone at the base has ordered this quantity of parts. Additionally, these seemingly irrelevant components appear to be related to drone construction: a frequency synthesizer generates stable frequency signals, a power amplifier enhances signal strength, a modulator encodes data onto the carrier wave, and the RF transceiver module transmits and receives radio signals. All these elements suggest that this isn't just an ordinary drone," Anna noted after reviewing the logs and pinpointing several areas of concern.
"Hold on, I need to examine that once more." Micheal's expression suddenly brightened as he reclaimed the log and concentrated on a specific detail. He smiled and began to flip through the log, searching for something. As he did, his smile widened.
"Well, that's interesting," Michael remarked, his smile reflecting the thrill of a fortunate discovery.
"What is it? What makes you so happy?" Racheal inquired, noticing that Micheal had uncovered something
intriguing.
"I believe I might have uncovered a clue. Anna just mentioned that there haven't been any significant new scientific projects or achievements. However, what was the information we received?" Micheal asked with an enigmatic smile.
"Dr. Grey sent a satellite transmission indicating that he had made a significant discovery regarding the V-Cell that could alter our world. Shockingly, the name of the one who signed for the delivery of this shipment is Dr. Grey. That's indeed interesting." Hei connected the dots and ultimately arrived at the conclusion that Michael had also uncovered.
"Jackpot! It appears Dr. Grey might be concealing something; he certainly comes across as a suspicious character," Michael said, exchanging a fist bump with Hei. They had finally uncovered another clue regarding who could be behind all this.
"That can't be right" Anna frowned, staring at the name on the log with confusion. "My eyes must have skipped over it when I was checking through."
"Why can't it be right?" Henry inquired with interest.
"That's because Dr. Grey has passed away; he died a few days ago from a stroke. This information wasn't made public to avoid inciting chaos. He was our head scientist, and if the people found out, the base could be plunged into chaos," Greg explained, his words eliciting a look of confusion across the team's faces.
"Hold on, this is crazy. If he's dead, then who sent the message to headquarters, and who signed these documents?" Bai exclaimed, clutching his head in disbelief and bewilderment; the situation had just taken an unexpected turn.
"You noted that the news of Dr. Grey's death would lead to chaos; could you elaborate on the reasons for this?" Micheal inquired, picking up on an observation from Greg's previous remarks.
"Well, that's um... sigh. I suppose, given our current situation, it's pointless to keep it under wraps. A few days before Dr. Grey's death, he called an emergency meeting with the board of directors, claiming he had something extraordinary to share and wanted everyone present. When the members gathered, Dr. Grey revealed something astonishing: a new virus that thrived within a parasitic host, a worm. This worm required only one host and could infect half the population on this base within a day. The revelation was undeniably shocking, and somehow, this information leaked to the public, causing chaos throughout the base. To quell the unrest, an announcement was made stating that Dr. Grey had also developed a cure and vaccine, and was in the process of mass-producing it, so if news of his death..." With a sigh, Anna replied, exchanging glances with her husband. She then proceeded to clarify the reason behind her earlier comment, which only added to the suspicion surrounding the entire situation.
"So, did he actually have a cure?" Racheal asked with curiosity, her brows furrowing into a frown.
"No, that was clearly untrue. Dr. Grey himself stated that there was no way to stop this. If this worm got into a host and wasn't properly contained, the entire base would be at risk of infection within days," Greg replied, shaking his head, his expression reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
"I suppose he was right about that," Hei said with a sigh, feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of it all and growing weary of the situation.
"The primary inquiry we ought to consider is the origin of the worm. Where did Dr. Grey obtain it initially?" Micheal inquired with a look of curiosity; this was, in fact, the most significant question. It must have originated from somewhere; it couldn't have simply materialized without a cause.
"Dr. Grey claimed....that he found it in the body of a corpse brought back by the scout team from the Badlands," Anna replied, pausing briefly before finishing her thought. Upon hearing the final word, the team's expressions shifted noticeably.
"The Badlands? I thought you weren't allowed to go into the Badlands," Michael said, as his eyebrows furrowed. The area was aptly named the Badlands, a place devoid of goodness, filled only with evil and terror. All the creatures that haunted your nightmares roamed freely within its borders. Following the apocalypse, as humanity began to reclaim its ground, many of these beings were driven into this perilous zone, which earned its ominous title. Due to the extreme danger it posed, entry into the Badlands was strictly prohibited.
"Yes, we understand, but as scientists, it is essential for us to have a continuous supply of resources to conduct experiments aimed at discovering methods to prevent potential apocalyptic scenarios," Anna responded, adjusting her glasses.
"You mean you need it to create weapons to fight against other nations. Don't give me that nonsense about research; we all know that the government prioritizes warfare over the lives of its own people," Bai replied with a snort.
"Be mindful of your words when addressing my wife; she is not involved in this," Greg asserted as he approached Bai, prompting Bai to erupt in laughter.
"Don't tell me you truly believe that. Haha, let me take a shot at figuring out how this outbreak occurred. When good ol' Dr. Grey informed them about the worm, rather than eliminating it or containing it, the so-called leaders asked him to attempt to recreate it or even mass-produce it. Am I mistaken?" Bai advanced and spoke, prodding Greg's chest with his finger.
"First of all, you're mistaken, and secondly, if you lay a hand on me again, I will break your finger and force it down your throat." Greg shot a fierce glare at Bai, who responded with a chuckle.
"That's enough, break it up, we do not have time for this," Michael said with a sigh, stepping in between both parties. However, Bai simply shoved his hand away
and positioned himself directly in front of Greg.
"Hahaha, there he is, the lion! You remind me of Yoshi. Oh, where is he? Oh yes, I just remembered, he's gone because of you all, you know I'm right and she knows that I'm right, if I'm not then call my bluff, call my bluff." Bai spoke, his emotions clear in his words, and he had to be restrained by his brother until he settled down a bit. Micheal stood quietly to the side, aware that Bai was correct.
"Tell him that he is mistaken, Anna..." Greg turned to his wife and spoke, but when she didn't respond, his expression shifted.
"The government doesn't care about you or us. You said it yourself; when the outbreak occurred, what was the contingency plan huh? Eliminate everyone in sight. If they genuinely cared, they would have attempted to contain those infected. Instead, they prioritized their own safety. Imagine the world's reaction upon learning that you not only ventured into the Badlands but also triggered an outbreak that decimated the entire base. I wouldn't be surprised if they eliminated every scientist aware of this. It's ironic to claim they sent us here to conduct research and save survivors when their true intention seemed to be our demise. They could have dispatched an entire squadron or army to handle the situation, yet they sent just seven of us. Why? In order to maintain silence regarding the situation, they dispatched us with the intention of eliminating everyone present." Bai added, delivering one shocking revelation after another, while the team remained silent, letting his words resonate; they understood that no matter how hard they attempted to refute it, the truth remained unchanged.
"No matter the government's intentions, we arrived here with a clear purpose: to put an end to this. One soldier has already lost his life because of it, and I refuse to let that sacrifice be meaningless. Regardless of the challenges ahead, we are committed to seeing this through to the end, so it's essential that we understand the complete story. Anna, I strongly urge you to share everything with us. The lives of millions, perhaps billions, depend on our ability to halt this from spreading. To achieve that, it's crucial that you provide us with all the details, starting from the very beginning." Micheal stepped forward after a brief silence, using his compelling words to shatter the dull atmosphere that had settled in.
"Alright, I will tell you everything, it all st—"
SWOOSH
"ANNAAA!" Greg screamed out as he saw something shoot through his wife's head like a bullet. At that moment, the watches worn by the team began to blink intensely, with numerous red dots emerging from the distance.
"How on earth did they find our location? Scrapers! Bai and Hei, Cobra formation, open fire! Racheal, use your flames to slow them down. The rest of you, get up the ladder now!" Micheal shouted, his weapon rising swiftly toward the advancing Scrapers. He barked rapid commands, his gaze flickering to the motionless Anna cradled in Greg's embrace. A Scraper's tongue had brought about her demise, leaving a significant hole visible through her head.
"Greg, ascend the ladder now!" Micheal shouted toward the grieving Greg, who was on his knees with Anna in his arms, his eyes devoid of expression.
"Finish this, Michael," Greg suddenly muttered, grabbing the gun at his waist. He quickly raised it to his head and curled his finger around the trigger.
"Wait, no!" Mike shouted, turning quickly to rush toward him in an attempt to intervene, but it was too late.
"BANG!" Greg pulled the trigger, taking his own life with a single shot to the head.