John and Martin went inside the cave, to John group's temporary camp, walking into the tent Marlow had set for his usage. His friend, Johnson, immediately cut to the case.
- I will share a footage with you, John - he said, opening an encrypted channel - This is going to be much faster to explain with this.
John took a seat and accepted the data transmission. Moment later, he watched a footage of several people behaving crazily towards others, attacking them. Some were held in areas looking similarly to prison cells. In two cases, he noticed recorded people dying, and then - in one case of the two - another person checking on them started behaving the same way.
- Ok, so as you said before, it can be transmitted from one person to another - Marlow commented to his friend - But what's the reason for that if you are saying it's not exactly a parasyte?
- Just watch the next one.
This time, John was presented with a footage showing some kind of energy signature. He quickly noticed that video's light spectrum is overall adjusted, guessing that it was made for this unusual moving shape to be visible to human eye.
- So this tweaked one shows visualization of some phenomenon related to visible light spectrum? Connected to electromagnetism, right? - he asked Johnson.
- Exactly, I knew that would be clear to you - Martin smiled slightly when saying that - Now look at these. Yet again Marlow could watch the previous videos, but this time they were tweaked in the same way as the last one, and what was the common element in this footage...
- This thing moves from body to body? - John's eyes were wide open now - You mean it's some kind of electromagnetic wave transmission? You are saying this is the reason behind that guy's behavior?
Martin nodded.
- That's the explanation we found when investigating the matter - he replied with a serious face this time - We've lost several people before figuring it out. John had chills going down his spine.
- So, this is an invisible energy that can enter your body and take over the control?
- Yeah, something like that, but there is a catch - doctor Warner stormed inside the tent without any notice, followed by miss Evergate - It cannot take the full control of the body as long as host's mind is still there.
- Doesn't it sound like a good thing? - asked Keira, who took a seat immediately after entering John's "quarters" - As long as no one dies, we should be fine, right? Kate sighed, inhaling a cig-pill, a type of modern cigarette, applying effects of nicotine without the usual negative impact on the body.
- I didn't say it cannot enter the body when host's mind is there, but that it cannot take the full control of the body when consciousness is still there - she started explaining - What I'm telling you is still considered a theory, even though I've already confirmed quite a number of things related to behavior affected bodies show. However, the conclusion I reached is that capacity of the host's mind is the key. You see, when any human is at full health, in their peak condition, their brains process a lot of data at all times, and what brains rely on are action potentials you all should know about - others, except for Johnson, nodded - In other words, action potentials are these electric signals neurons fire for communicating with other cells, Martin - she turned to him to clarify - Either way, this thing which I started calling a Ghast, mainly due to its "structure", inhibits the brain and attempts to replace these signals.
- Wait, doesn't it mean it actually tries to kill that person? - Marlow asked, shocked - I mean, those signals, alongside the neurons, are what makes an individual, correct?
Doctor Warner tilted her head.
- In a really simplified way, I believe what you said is quite close to what is happening - she replied to his question - Nevertheless, I need to clarify that main problem here is that this external interference will gradually make the brain deteriorate due to such activity being lethal to active cells. Then again, what I observed is that inactive brain can be easily taken over within a short amount of time after the person dies.
- One moment - miss Evergate raised her hand, as if she was in some kind of a class - So, isn't it going to ultimately make pretty much everyone behave like a zombie?
Kate shook her head.
- That's what I was getting to. It turns out that getting into active body will result in the host's death, but the body will either no longer move or that Ghast will be able to control it for just a limited amount of time. On the other hand, if it goes into a body of a person who died recently, activity will be much longer. I connect that to the status of brain cells. Of course, it is also possible for spinal cord to become affected, and there may be some variations I'm yet to learn about, but...
- The thing is we cannot allow these things to enter our bodies - Martin interrupted her - Sorry, Kate, but I believe they already get the point.
Doctor Warner made an offended face before sighing.
- Ok, whatever you prefer. As a side note, the body is secured now, wanted to let you know. I'm going to get some rest now.
She left the tent, waving them.
- I don't know if it's just me or all of our medics are quite the eccentrics? - Keira commented when the doctor left - So, from what she said, there are some invisible monsters that can invade our bodies? That sounds like some kind of shitty show from early twenty first century - she was putting up a front, but John noticed her slightly trembling.
- Don't worry, Keira - he told her - Based on what I got from Martin and Kate, these Ghasts are a kind of energy bodies. If that's the case, we can easily trap them using energy that interferes with their own - as he was saying that, a sudden realization reached him - I think I know what some of this systems are for... Marlow immediately launched several simulations on his PEC.
- John, what's this about? - Martin asked - As you said, we can trap them. Major shook his head. I already have an idea about it, but I need to check something else asap. Can you share me the code for that visualization from before?
- You mean the one with Ghasts being shown? Sure, I can. Could you just tell me what is the thing you are checking? - Send me the code, and I'll explain in a moment. Marlow was reviewing the footage they made from the moment they passed the barrier leading to the cave, applying the filters with the code from Johnson to make things faster. His PEC did not need that much time to pinpoint several energy signatures within the barrier's borders.
- Just as I thought - he stopped the analysis and turned to Martin and Keira, who were waiting for him to say something - The barrier around this area might have been errected not only for someone getting in, but even more for the things inside to not get out. I just did a quick review of footage we had from investigation and found total of five similar energy signatures - he stood up - We need to call sarge and have a proper check of these spots. I get the feeling that whatever happened inside the structure before might have affected the barrier.
Other two nodded, and left the tent with him. Sarge Krawczak joined them shortly after and separate parties were made to investigate areas where Marlow found traces.
In a matter of minutes, they already had reports from the teams.
- It turns out there are no more such signatures in the spots we had from the anaysis - Andy Krawczak summed up the results. John was sitting in his tent again with several other people present. - I should probably feel relieved that these Ghasts are not around - he started speaking - The problem is, I cannot help but feel uneasy about not knowing what happened... That underground device, it must have something to do with this...
- So, what are we doing? - Keira asked - Are we going there in the end? Marlow was actually considering this as an option. However, he ultimately only shook his head.
- No, while I feel spending more time on investigation would help us a great deal, it is also highly dangerous. For now, we will focus on precautions - he moved his eyes to sarge Krawczak - Make sure that everyone gets the code for filters giving visuals for these Ghasts, and have them applied at all times. Any sighting of these entities should be immediately reported.
Andy Krawczak saluted and went outside - even though he was told to behave more casual before, his reaction was automatic towards the overall tone of instructions.
- That should be the main thing - John continued - The other will be to set devices for energy interference. Martin, you already have something in place, so can you give us a hand?
- Sure, though I need a moment to contact our camp and inform them about the situation - Martin told his friend - This is going to be one hell of a news for them, will make everyone relieved after all we went through. Major was so focused on the case of Ghasts Johnson brought to his attention that Marlow completely disregarded the fact meeting other group was actually a really important event.
- Yes, I should contact Ryan about this - he said, standing up.
- Wait, you know where colonel McRae is? - Martin looked surprised.
- He is in our main camp - John explained - I guess it's the same thing as for your team here, we also went out scouting, though our goals seem to be quite different. Ours was to secure a safe route and advance towards the original rally point.
- Hey, we had more than one goal. Of course, we were chasing the energy signature, that's right, but we were to gather data about surrounding areas. Speaking of which, let's synchronize our data, that should help in getting more details about the region we ended up in.
Moments later, they had a map of quite a wide area of land stretching for about four hundred kilometers between the farthest points - irregular shape encompassing southern zone of the northern hemisphere around the John group's camp, then a narrow route leading north-west, a location of Martin group's camp and surrounding area.
- I can see our camps are not that far off - Marlow commented after having the visual ready - Haven't you tried scouting this area until now? You had a wasp with you after all. Johnson nodded.
- Yes, that's true, but we needed to be careful with sending them farther away - he started explaining - We don't have many of them surviving to begin with, and there are these scythes, you know these dangerous flying bugs, they seem to have a nest somewhere nearby our current camp. Sending a wasp like that would mean losing it.
- Fair enough, but how did you manage to get it here in one piece then?
- The one you saw got modified so it can be easily carried on MTS like Savage, or on a brawler.
- So it is no longer a typical standalone unit? Martin smiled, and started boasting.
- Well, we did a good job with the guys to make the adjustments, and it works perfectly fine. Oh, actually, I just noticed I didn't tell you yet. There are many guys we know in my group, including our mechanic buddies, and Rashid is also there.
John looked at him, and now Martin started laughing.
- Wait, sorry, you just stay like this, I need to get this - he started taking footage - I sure need to show this to the guys. Who would have thought John Marlow can react like that?
- Oh, just drop it - John wiped his face - I'm just happy hearing they are okay.
- Yeah, given the circumstances we are in, we should be grateful for staying alive, and I hope this will continue to be the case, for the next hundred years at least.
Both of them laughed at this.
- Honestly, I'm not sure if I can stand such a long life, having you and others to look after.
- Well, you can count on us looking after you too - Johnson gave Marlow a pat - For now, let us focus on contacting our guys. Once we get in touch, we can plan what to do further.