BURIED IDENTITIES

Marcus leaned back on the chair, deep in thought. Nothing seemed to have changed in the laboratory. It wasn't the first time they fought back against a lethal disease. It wasn't the first time the team worked under pressure. It wasn't the first time they were forced to pack everything up and evacuate the building. Neither the asphyxiating, oppressive countdown nor having a potential enemy within their ranks appeared to disturb the team's discipline too much.

He turned a bit on his seat and took a look at the lab. Immersed in their screens and documents, his teammates had no time to worry about anything unrelated to the task at hand. Especially Elizabeth. She hadn't even looked at him since he came back.

'I guess it was to be expected…'

He sighed and, for the umpteenth time, went over his conversation with Colonel Rowan.

######

 "You know why you're here, don't you, Dr. Marcus?" said Rowan.

Seconds before, the colonel had ordered the armed guards to abandon the room. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes since Marcus had set foot in the research center, and he had already been left alone with the head of the entire operation. What pushed the colonel to be so overconfident? Those keen eyes scrutinized him, reading every inch of his facial expression, every twitching muscle.

"Yes, I know."

"I'm aware of what happened. After escaping Saint Marie, you requested that the convoy take a detour in order to retrieve a certain item, which I assume you had previously hidden to protect it during the incident… A briefcase." the colonel leaned sideways and grabbed a metallic briefcase from the floor, placing it on the table. "This one, to be precise. You know what's inside, correct?"

Obviously, Marcus knew what was inside the briefcase. It was easy to understand the rhetoric in that question. Rowan didn't seek to obtain information, but to raise Marcus' awareness about said information.

"You are perfectly aware of how much we've had to sacrifice in order to obtain these samples. Do you think we'll have another chance to get our hands on a stinger queen's remains? The last time we tried, we triggered a Convergence. This was only possible thanks to that girl's existence. A queen with partial immunity? What are the chances of something like that? Go on, run to your lab. Do the calculations. But keep them to yourself. I don't need to see them."

He set the briefcase aside and crossed his arms on the table. He was still staring at him.

"You're the odd piece, doctor. We know there's a spy among us. We know someone is working behind our backs. We don't know about their goals, but don't you think it would've been smarter to keep a low profile? Why steal the samples? Why cooperate with us now? I want answers, Doctor Marcus."

"I'll be honest with you, colonel: I never intended to come back, or return the samples. But the course of events ended up leading young Lilian here. I'm out of options. We've placed several valuable targets within their reach, and the idea of us forever snatching those prizes away is keeping them on their nerves."

"Them…?"

"ZEUS. That's how they call themselves. I was one of them. There wasn't a spy, colonel; but two."

He said it. He had openly admitted his treason. He hoped the colonel's common sense was strong enough to deter him from executing him right there. At least, Marcus expected him to not do it until hearing what he had to say.

"On which side are you on right now?"

"Do you think I'd be here if I wasn't on your side?"

"I have no reason to believe you, doctor. Any information you can provide will be of interest, but don't forget I'll be the one to judge your credibility."

'Skeptic until the very end, huh? Typical of him.'

After a tense moment of silence, Marcus continued. "ZEUS… An organization using various pharmaceuticals as a façade, with powerful bonds within the Army and other government agencies. Behind the eyes of the public, they had a thriving business in the market of illegal weapons and substances. Organized crime, one step away from terrorism."

"You knew all that, and yet you worked for them?"

"No. I was in a research team of one of the pharmaceuticals that supported them. NeuroSphere Dynamics, ever heard of it?" Rowan nodded. "Our job commonly implied… unethical practices. But everything took a twist for the worst when the Sting showed up. It all started as rumors, but before anyone could notice, ZEUS had openly taken the reins of the business, and nobody could do a single thing about it. They knew our families; and they had the power to extort us however they wanted. At first, we restricted ourselves to animal experimentation, but it wasn't long until we began working with human subjects. We never asked where they came from…"

"What did they want, exactly?"

"To understand the Sting. We figured out its capability to transfer DNA and recombine organisms long before any symptoms appeared. It was innovative, strange, never seen before. However, once the pandemic started, ZEUS' goals changed drastically. They no longer wanted to comprehend it. Now they wanted to use it."

"Biological terrorism…"

"Yes… We've taken great steps towards controlling the Sting. Inhibitor gases, serums that suppress the production of pheromones… But the queen samples would've allowed them to take it all one step further. If they figure out how to utilize queen pheromones, they could direct the stinger swarms. Imagine a Convergence event, directed at will towards any designated target. I couldn't allow it."

"I find it difficult to believe they wouldn't take good care of the research teams on which the entire operation relied so much. Weren't they ensuring your safety? Why reject them? Why are you telling me all this, doctor?"

"Because I have principles, colonel. And those principles have limits. Fighting the Sting, even if I have to leave morality aside? I get it. But… this? What these people intend to do? I can't."

"I see…" Rowan's eyes continued analyzing him. His facial expression was illegible. "The armed forces my men have encountered… Are they from ZEUS?"

"No. They are most likely mercenaries. ZEUS would never get their hands dirty like that. They might have armed them to the teeth, and left the success of the operation up to them; but in the end, they are just pawns, expendable tools."

Rowan got comfortable in his seat and closed his eyes for several seconds, after which he looked at Marcus again.

"How do I know I can trust you, doctor?"

"I can't prove anything with words, but I can do it with actions. We have everything we need to put an end to this crisis." Marcus placed a hand on the briefcase. "These samples, and that girl, Lilian. The puzzle is complete. But any of these pieces on their own would be catastrophic in ZEUS' hands. We need to keep them busy, and I think I know how to do it. I know what I need to do."

"…alright. You may leave."

"Isn't there anything else you want to know…?"

"We'll talk again soon. It's imperative that, for now, we get in contact with HQ on the outside and put them up to date." said the colonel as Marcus got up from his seat and shook off a bit of dirt from his coat. "Anyway, keep in mind we'll keep you under surveillance. Nobody trusts you here."

"I understand, of course." he dragged his eyes towards the briefcase on the table. "Would it be outrageous to request permission to take the samples back to the laboratory? There's still much to study…"

Rowan nodded. Marcus grabbed the briefcase, saluted the colonel, and headed for the door. Before he could twist the doorknob, Rowan's voice stopped him. "Doctor… Since you didn't even mention it, should I assume you don't know the other spy's identity?"

"Indeed."

"Do you take me for a fool?"

"You wouldn't believe me, no matter what I say, am I wrong?"

After pondering for a while, the colonel gave him a gesture, prompting him to leave.

######

Marcus sighed again. He wasn't absolutely certain about the spy's identity, but it was plain as day he had plenty of suspicions. And he'd be damned surprised if those suspicions turned out to be wrong. The more he thought about it, the more reasons he found to act with caution.

Considering what ZEUS was capable of, they had eyes and ears everywhere, the opposite was unthinkable. The room where he met the colonel had no cameras, but they had probably eavesdropped on their conversation somehow.

During the meeting, Marcus had delivered a certain piece of written information to the colonel, something they both made absolutely sure to avoid mentioning in the slightest. A risky move, but there were no available safe moves. Not with ZEUS involved.

It was all one big Russian roulette, with too big of a drum, with more than one lurking bullet.

'Well…? What are you going to do now?'

******

{UPLOADING FILE}

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{FILE UPLOAD COMPLETED}

{INITIATING COMMS}

The fingers flew over the keyboard. With every soft sequence of taps, a conversation took shape on the screen.

[Dr. Marcus has spilled the beans. They'll be onto us soon.]

[WE KNEW IT WOULD COME TO THIS. THE DOCTOR BECAME AN OBSTACLE LONG AGO. THE OPERATION MUST CONCLUDE. IMMEDIATELY.]

[The operation should have concluded at Saint Marie.]

[TOO MANY FACTORS AT PLAY.]

[Factors you caused yourselves.]

Too many factors at play? Was that a joke? The queen shouldn't have even gotten to Saint Marie. They should have intercepted them as soon as they received Hephaestus' final transmission. They could have pulled it off. Prometheus was ready to jump into action.

But no, they believed Marcus to be involved. They believed Marcus to be after her. And, of course, they wanted both. Their avarice and arrogance were baffling, on the verge of stupidity.

[FOCUS ON PREPARING THE FINAL INTERVENTION. SECURE THE SAMPLES AND THE QUEEN BEFORE TOMORROW'S EVACUATION.]

[What's the plan afterwards?]

[HADES WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST. ADDITIONALLY, PT-01 IS STILL OPERATIONAL. THEY WILL BE YOUR REINFORCEMENTS. WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU. DO NOT DISSAPPOINT US.]

{CLOSING COMMS}

******

A large map was spread out on the table, covering it almost completely. Forming a small crowd around it, the soldiers listened to Colonel Rowan's briefing. Isaac had a glance at the personnel.

He knew every single face there, but not every face he knew was there.

Saint Marie had taken too high of a toll. Bravo team had fallen in combat. Charlie team had lost half of its members. On their way to the research center, he found out that Delta team was gone in its entirety, having fallen to the stinger wave caused by the young queen. Even half his own team had died. He clenched his fists. The gloves were the only thing stopping his nails from sinking into the skin.

He took a deep breath and focused again on the colonel's voice.

"—that each team's duties are clear, we'll talk about the evacuation plan. I'll be clear and concise." Rowan pointed at a certain spot on the map. "Right now, we're here. Since we're way too close to the cell's border, this location is unsuitable for the evacuation."

Around the city, a hexagonal shape had been drawn with a marker. There were other hexagons adjacent to it, extending in all directions, forming a grid reminiscent of a honeycomb. The point the colonel was pointing at was close to the hexagon's border.

"As you might know, each individual cell houses a stinger colony. Even though these colonies don't tend to interact too much with each other, tens of thousands of stingers patrol the frontiers and exchange information. Both the queen's influence and the commotion caused by the helicopter will draw the attention of these frontier swarms. They'll come to investigate. I think I don't need to remind you that the stingers of adjoining cells have completed their evolutionary cycle long ago, and are nothing like the ones we've seen in the current cell. We don't have the resources to survive an encounter with these creatures." he took a second to clear his throat. "Besides, we can't carry out the evacuation at street level. The helicopter will attract entire districts. We'll need an elevated, secure position beforehand."

He slid his finger over the map, to a point in the central area of the hexagon.

"We'll do it here. We've located a suitable building downtown. It's tall, there's a helipad on the rooftop, and our air recon has indicated the presence of a community at the location, although they have been inactive for weeks. The building might have some kind of fortification already in place. We'll make use of it." Rowan made visual contact with the soldiers, one by one. "Any questions?"

Isaac could tell what was going through his comrades' minds. They had questions, but not the kind of questions the colonel could answer. Perhaps the word "questions" wasn't the best fit. "Doubts" sounded more appropriate.

That mission felt destined to be the one where everything would be settled. They knew what was at stake. They knew how much humanity could lose the following day. They knew how much it could win. And they knew how fleeting their own existence would be within the incoming whirlwind.

Nobody said anything.

"Good. Next, we'll discuss how—"

'Will I have to add more names to the list…?'

Isaac's heart felt like jumping out of his chest.

******

Claire curled up against the wall on the bunk bed, with her arms around her knees, and with a knot in her stomach. She watched her hands, covered in bandages. They still burned.

As soon as they arrived, she was immediately taken to an area set up for medical assistance, along with the other wounded. She was told the burns she suffered were severe, but they'd heal without further issues, although her hands would be crippled for days, if not weeks. At least, her life wasn't in danger. Many others had suffered harsher consequences, especially Stella. She seemed to be recovering at a good pace, but she was very lucky to have survived.

However, her thoughts weren't with the ones who survived, but with the ones who were left behind. With the ones who gave their lives to open up a path for them. With the bodies she had to step on to make it that far.

She felt lonely.

'I don't think I deserve to be here… It's not fair. But, who do I want to fool? What am I doing, consuming myself from within, because others have died and I haven't?'

She huffed. She would've been very thankful if she had anyone to share her worries with, but such wasn't the case. They were keeping Nora in a different part of the building, William seemed to be sulking and didn't feel like talking, and everyone else was pretty much a bunch of strangers.

She squirmed over the bed sheets, uncomfortable, when a soldier entered the room. From the other bunk beds, the survivors stopped murmuring among themselves and looked at him.

"Attention, everyone! We'll head for the evacuation point tomorrow! When the time comes, do as you're told and everything will be okay. Our destination will be Kurtis Tower, downtown. It's a long way there, make sure you rest properly!"

Those words made Claire's blood run cold. By the time she realized, the soldier was already gone. Her body began trembling. Of all the news she could have received, that one was among the least expected to hear.

'Kurtis… Tower…? You're kidding, right…? We have to… go back there…!?'

Almost all the places she had been during the previous months had left her with a bitter aftertaste. They all harbored death, all inhabited by old ghosts, memories of those left aside for someone else's sake. Out of all of them, the old shelter where she met Nora was the one she condemned the most.

Not even in her wildest predictions did she expect to have to visit it again.