SUB-ZERO, page 11
House’s shoulders dropped, and his head swam at the mention of the scientist’s name. Abbott was the first to die, which meant that Donovan started it all. Unfortunately, House couldn’t reflect on what it truly meant. He needed to disable Grigson long enough to call for help, or at least warn the rest of the crew. If he tried to operate his WiMP now, he’d be leaving himself open to an attack.
“And your eyes?” House asked, wanting more information.
She smiled and pointed at the floor. “He found something amazing down there.”
Grigson’s legs bent and flexed. She left her feet, hands out in front of her, reaching for him, ready to try and join with him—whatever the hell that meant. It’s what she had called it when he questioned her about Dansby’s death.
We?
The way she said it was odd, as was the way she was seemingly talking to someone else whilst having no communicator on. House wasn’t a fool not to see that he was dealing with something radically different here. He didn’t know if the cause of her…mutation…was genetically engineered or alien, or both, nor did he honestly care.
Regardless of the ailment’s origin, he needed to stop it.
Instead of meeting the airborne agent head-on, House did the smarter thing and ducked beneath her. Feeling her boot graze the side of his head, he spun on one knee and readied his axe, bringing it down on her left wrist as she landed. The never-before-used, factory-sharpened blade cut through the joint with ease.
At first, she shrieked at the sight of her missing hand, but House wasn’t so sure if she felt any pain at all. Maybe whatever was left of the real Jennifer Grigson’s mind saw the severed hand laying on the floor and couldn’t process what had happened. Then, she calmed and inspected the stump, intrigued. Her lack of additional concern made House’s stomach churn.
So did the lack of blood.
She really is dead, isn’t she?
But it seemed like Jennifer was still in there somewhere, watching her body get mutilated at the hands of the ship’s captain?
Completely out of his element, House wasn’t sure what to think. So, he didn’t, advancing on her instead. She surprised him again when she leaped at his face. Luckily, House got his hands up this time, but had the axe ripped from his grasp in the meantime. And, like she’d done several times now, she struck his much-larger body with an incredibly forceful blow.
Intertwined, both combatants exchanged fisticuffs, tumbling over one of the desks at the rear of the room. As they fought, House recognized that she was brawling with him more than using any specific technique. Whatever had happened to Grigson, it didn’t give her a new, untapped fighting ability. She was more than capable, but House was better.
They landed hard on the floor and separated.
How do you kill something that’s already dead?
He studied her and realized that she wasn’t breathing. Choking her out wouldn’t be an option. It would’ve been the easiest way to put her down. All he’d have to do was get his arms around her neck and use his height and weight advantages against her.
He still needed a way to finish her off, and it came to him moments later. “Cutting the cord” was always a winning move. The snake didn’t survive without its head. But could he really remove another human being’s head?
The thought made him sick to his stomach.
No choice, Sebastian. She isn’t human anymore.
Breathing in deep, House let it out and went on the offensive this time, crashing into the zombified ESD agent. He needed to stay away from the thing in her mouth and figured that being behind her was the best way to do that. She swung wildly at his face. House ducked beneath it and used her momentum against her, grabbing her shirt and spinning her.
Now facing away from him, House bearhugged her from behind and wrapped his thick arms around her neck. He almost let go when he heard the sickening pop of her jaw opening again, shuddering at the awful sound.
Then, the tentacle emerged.
It slapped against his arms, pumping God-knows-what onto them. The smell was as horrible as you’d think, and he quickly struggled to find a hold. The mucus-like ooze was acting as a lubricant against his grip, slick and disgusting.
Resetting his position, House slipped his right elbow underneath her chin and pulled back as hard as he could.
The maneuver didn’t seem to do much, though. Needing to try anything that actually counted for something, he recalled that Grigson was armed with a gun, a knife, and a Taser. The third option was out since he was in contact with her. Zapping himself into unconsciousness didn’t sound like a groovy idea.
With no other ideas, House released his right hand and groped her waist for a weapon, finding one after a few gut-wrenching seconds. Feeling the knife’s hilt, he gripped it and pulled it free of its sheath, immediately plunging it into her neck, and hopefully, the creature within. Growling, he pushed harder, burying the blade up to the hilt.
Almost immediately, Grigson thrashed beneath his weight, trying desperately to get up and fight back. But even with her increased strength, she couldn’t pry him off of her back. She too was slathered in the viscous liquid. Grigson attempted to shove off the floor but couldn’t, and repeatedly slipped and crashed back down. Plus, she was missing her left hand.
The plasma was boiling hot, but oddly, stung House’s skin like something that was unbelievably cold. It was strange…and horrifying. He still couldn’t get over the fact that this stuff was the same as what was inside the octopus—the one Donovan was dissecting at the time of his injury.
Grigson’s continuous flashing lessened in intensity with each passing moment. For good measure, House gripped the knife handle and twisted it back and forth until her light show was all but gone.
He leaned into her and whispered, “I’m sorry, Jennifer.”
With one final gurgle, Grigson vomited a sea of blue, and the organism was forcibly ejected from her throat with a series of disgusting heaves.
House jumped to his feet and yanked the blade free. Still straddling Grigson’s corpse, he lifted it high over his head, ready to strike again. He didn’t need to finish it off, however. The serpent-like creature died on its own, ejecting azure liquid from the puncture wound in its side. Its tiny, toothless mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and then it flopped to the floor of the ESD office where it instantly shriveled up like a raisin and morphed into a dull, grey color in no time flat.
“Dad?”
House stumbled to his feet, blue gunk dripping from his elbows to his fingertips. Gianna was at the entrance to the room and had a terrified look on her face. Then, her horrified gaze turned away from him and found Grigson’s feet.
Gianna’s complexion paled some more before pitching over and puking.
“I didn’t kill her,” House said, rushing toward his daughter, trying to explain what happened. “Well, not exactly. I, uh…” Honestly, he was still trying to process what happened. So, instead of trying to bullshit his way through an explanation, he told her the truth.
“I think we’re in trouble.”
15
Donovan silently moved his people into position just outside of the bridge. Along the way, they joined with another six sailors, two he’d previously met, four he didn’t know. Now, he knew all of them. Intimately. It’s what made the experience of converging minds so intoxicating for him and the others.
Everyone felt like they belonged to something greater than themselves because they genuinely were. They’d never feel alone again—depressed, unwanted and unbelieved in. It was sad how so many had carried those feelings with them.
And with every new mind he added, Donovan yearned for another.
Assimilation, he whispered into their thoughts, I must have more…
Donovan and the others were spread across all three levels of the bridge, waiting quietly just outside of the three central entrances. Donovan and a handful of his joined would attack Command, while ESD Agent Fields and Medical Assistant Nathan’s groups were arranged to bull rush Navigation and Engineering, respectively. It would be synchronized flawlessly, all direction and reaction communicated cerebrally, and with no delay or lag.
Imagine what I could do with a large-scale army?
The possibility of directing hordes of joined all around the globe made Donovan giddy which, in turn, made those attached to him experience the same level of eagerness. They wanted it as much as he did, and that made Donovan mad with anticipation. He reached for the door handle and internally counted down.
3… 2… 1… Now!
As one perfectly coordinated force, they burst through the doors to all three levels of the bridge, leaping atop the closest of the crew. Some were even members of Donovan’s science division. It didn’t bother him who was attacked. Everyone that wasn’t already assimilated was fair game.
The first to go down was one of Chief Lucas’ men in Navigation. Next to be attacked were a sailor in Command and a massive man in Engineering.
Nova, Donovan thought, knowing that particular individual wouldn’t go down easy. Double him—triple him!
While his people took care of the rest, uniting or killing everyone they encountered, Donovan focused his own attack on House’s loyal second-in-command, Samuel Ferguson. The XO spun and watched in terror as Donovan’s entity finished expelling its life-altering plasma into his quarry. Either the woman beneath him would become one of them, or the searing ooze would melt her insides and kill her.
He had learned to not push so hard anymore. He hadn’t broken the back of a person’s skull in a while.
A while… How long has it been?
Time was different to him now. Donovan couldn’t recall exactly when he changed into who he was. His memories were chaotic, with the addition of everyone else’s. He could feel his control slip away on occasion, when he was caught in the moment. When that happened, he went on autopilot and reacted instinctually. Like now, for example, he didn't remember leaping onto the female sailor.
The strength of the parasite residing within him was impressive, even having the ability to take over a being as powerful as him. Donovan believed he was capable of handling them, however. He refused to be another mind-controlled drone like the people he controlled.
Hmmm, parasite… Is that what you are?
He hoped he’d get an answer in return. The realization of what was inside of him—inside of all of them—had just come to him, like it was common knowledge. What was strange was it didn’t bother him. If anything, the creatures freed Donovan, opening his eyes.
As it retracted back into his throat, he looked up and eyed Sam. The redhead was about to slam his fist down on what Donovan knew was an alarm.
“Hello, Sam.”
“Donovan?” Sam asked, eyes wide with stunned realization.
Stop him.
Two of Donovan’s joined bolted for the XO, chasing him away. Showing an agility and speed Donovan didn’t know the man possessed, Sam leaped over the sailor that went low and spun away from the scientist that went high. Both of Donovan’s people fell to the floor, quickly recovering and taking off in pursuit. But not before Sam pushed through the exit and disappeared from sight.
No!
The only person aboard the Endeavor that knew the ship better than Sam was House. If he made it to the lower levels, Donovan would never find him, with help from all the minds he now possessed.
The sound of crashing glass pulled Donovan back into the fight. Down in Engineering, Nathan was struggling to subdue George Novacek. One of Nathan’s partners on the medical team, a man named Goodrum, was already dead. His connection to Donovan had been severed after being thrown headfirst into a monitor. The electric jolt was strong enough to kill the entity within him.
Donovan now understood how delicate they were. It didn’t take much to extinguish their existence. If he was to succeed, Donovan needed to continue to add more joined with the knowledge that he’d lose many in his conquest. This conquest would require sacrifices.
We are better together.
Donovan smiled.
They weren’t only limited by their numbers, but also by their physical design. There was strength in numbers, however…if you had enough of them, that was. I understand now! The “we” wasn’t him and the entity, it was all of them combined into one larger, more exceptional being.
We—more than one. That’s what they are too!
The more time he spent bonded to the parasite—no, parasites—the better he comprehended their intentions. Information flooded in faster than he could process it.
Before they found him, they were trapped in the octopus deep beneath the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean, unable to reproduce because of the surrounding temperatures. They survived for years, keeping the octopus alive despite a shortage in food, waiting for something else to come along that they could infect.
The Endeavor’s presence in Antarctica, and Triplett’s dive helmet gave them that opportunity to rise from the depths and finally resume their task. They’d tried to increase their numbers inside of their prey but couldn’t find anything large enough to sustain it. Its goal was simple—singular.
Multiply.
They were, in every way, a living, conscious virus. Unlike your typical disease, they were aware of their existence. They didn’t have a name either. They didn’t require one. Also, people gave things names, not nature.
The rest of the Command crew fell, including one death and two joinings. The same thing happened with the Navigation team, and Donovan was pleased to see that Chief Lucas survived the connection process and was already linked to the rest of them. Engineering was like the wheelhouse, in that, they missed an opportunity to add Buddy Malone into the fold.
Donovan grinned when he felt an immense presence force its way into their shared consciousness. It literally shoved Donovan’s physical body aside, nearly knocking him off his feet.
Hello, Nova, Donovan thought, unable to hide his excitement.
The feeling quickly faded, though. Without Sam or Buddy, Donovan wouldn’t get too far. The other members of the wheelhouse and those of Buddy’s crew did their jobs to the best of their abilities, but it was the two missing men that knew the ins and outs of the Endeavor’s critical systems.
At least Donovan could take solace in the fact that he now held a third of the ship’s crew under his influence, and if he couldn’t get the Executive Officer and Chief Engineer, he’d get someone even better.
“Argh!”
Just then, he felt a searing hot poker jab itself in his chest. He looked down at his nude upper body but saw nothing out of the ordinary. His skin had further paled, showing off his pulsating veins even more, but besides that… Confused, Donovan reached out to his joined and panicked when he noticed there was one missing—his favorite—his first.
“Jennifer?” he asked, not being able to feel her.
She was dead…again.
Grigson had barely been able to show him her true potential before being snuffed out by Captain House. He wasn’t sure how he knew that, but he did. Then again, Grigson would’ve known, so it was only natural that he would too, even if he didn’t see it happen. What she saw, he saw—as a memory in this case.
Donovan tightened his fists in anger, projecting his disdain for House into every single one of the crewmen connected to him. He’d been so laser-focused on his own mission here that he’d neglected Grigson’s solo assignment below decks.
He’d also underestimated the captain’s abilities.
Grinding his teeth, Donovan confirmed his next target to everyone. Sebastian House was next on his list.
16
Sam Ferguson ran for his life, ducking down the first stairwell he could find. Then, he changed directions five times and floors four times before finding a place to hide and collect himself. Admittedly, Sam wasn’t a fighter. He was an All-American collegiate athlete, a long-distance runner. It’s what he did best, even better than his job as Captain House’s XO.
Locking the door to the janitor’s closet, Sam tapped the call icon on his WiMP with a shaking finger, activating his comms unit.
“Captain House,” he said, telling the system who to dial. The command was followed by a soft bing, confirming that the call had been successfully placed. Sam took a deep breath and said, “Sir?” He desperately needed to contact House.
No answer.
“Cap—”
Voices picked up somewhere down the hall, tensing Sam’s already rigid spine. He waited to try another call, stopping and listening carefully. However, the corridor on the other side was silent, once more. He breathed easier and called the one person that might know where the captain was.
“Gianna House,” he said after initiating another call.
“Oh, my God, Sam!” She was panting, drawing deep gulps of air. She’d been running like him. “What the hell is going on?”
Sam slunk back against the wall, knocking a mop and bucket over as he did. The coiled tendrils of the mop head slapped the back of his neck, and he shot to his feet, rattled. Hand on his chest, Sam’s thoughts went to the men and women inside the bridge, specifically Chief Lucas.
Dominik…
“Sam?” Gianna asked. “You okay?”
Not knowing the state of the bridge’s crew, Sam said the only thing he could, something he thought he’d never have to say. “We’ve lost the Endeavor.”
* * *
Before exiting the ESD office, House toweled off with a spare uniform shirt belonging to Agent Dansby. He attached the combat knife and sheath to his belt on his left side, also snagging Grigson’s sidearm and a spare magazine. The gun stayed tucked in the back of his pants for emergencies only. He’d go with the fire axe, or knife, for now, unless he was provoked to draw the pistol and open fire.
After Gianna wiped the spittle off her face, she gladly accepted the Taser and tucked it into her bag.
The goo stunk worse than anything House had ever smelled, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. Gianna, on the other hand, was forced to keep her distance, putting a couple of feet between him and herself as they headed back to the bridge.
