INITIALIZING PROTOCOL AWAKENING…
In this world, what defines humanity?
…
AWAKENING INITIATED…
SUBJECT Z-011 FUNCTION CHECK INITIALIZING…
In this world, what defines a monster.
…
FUNCTION CHECK COMPLETE
VITALS: PULSE; 80p, BP; 95, TEMP; 75…
SUBJECT VITALS GREEN…
In this world, what links the two together so close to the point where they become indistinguishable from one another?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE SUBJECT PROFILE?
Yes. No.
Yes…
SUBJECT NAME: REDACTED
SUBJECT CALLSIGN: ZENOCYTE
SUBJECT AGE: 24
SUBJECT HEIGHT: 5' 11"
SUBJECT WEIGHT: 185 lbs.
…
INITIALIZE REBIRTH…
Suffering.
SUBJECT FUNCTIONS RETURNED
INITIALIZE REBIRTH…
Wake up, big brother!
Who… am I?
AWAKENING
SANCTUARY. This organization is anything but. For years within their underground facility, they have operated in utter secrecy. Pioneering wondrous scientific advancements that have pushed the boundaries of what's ethical in society and propelled humanity into a wondrous golden age. However, this look was all a ruse to hide something sinister, for the operators of SANCTUARY's underground facility had created their most promising invention yet unbeknownst to anyone. A genetically modified virus that would enhance its host subject. These enhanced, later dubbed Technocytes, could manipulate the metal that formed around their infected bodies, crafting weapons out of their limbs, did not age, could regenerate injuries on a whim, and had a telepathic link with anything and everything infected with the virus dubbed the Techno Machina Virus M-Cyte virus. Through the use of the Technocytes, SANCTUARY took a turn for the worst, using their new muscle to seize control of the U.S. government. Now here in the depths of the SANCTUARY facility within Shiko City lies the beginning of the end. And the beginning of a man's tragedy.
"Alert! Alert! Zenocyte containment has been breached..." Sirens and an automated alert message blare throughout the facility as it lights up in a crimson glow throughout the various rooms and hallways. "Alert! Alert! Zenocyte containment has been breached! All nonessential personnel move to sub-level trams and elevators to the surface immediately! Security forces move to intercept subject Zenocyte!"
The automated message continues to repeat as security forces line up in wait on the other side of a sealed blast door. Blood is running from under the door barely being cloaked in the crimson light as banging and screaming can be heard on the other side. "Jesus Christ why did this happen today of all days," a young security officer muttered a bit too loudly, panic as clear as water in his voice.
"Can it, Baughn, and keep your eyes and your weapon pointed at the Goddamn door," his sergeant yelled at him.
"Oh, what's the Goddamn point! Whatever that thing is tore through squads one through three like they were God damn butter and you expect us to fight it! I mean listen to that thing behind the door. It's having a field day with the scientist and other security forces back there." Baughn drops to his knees already resigning to his fate. "We're all are going to fucking die down here. Will be slaughtered like bloody cattle." Baughn sits there on the ground with a lost gaze fixated on the floor in front of him, his rifle to his right.
His sergeant wasn't having any of this. He had already watched too many good men and women die to that beast, that Technocyte on the other side of that door and he'll be damned if he allows himself or anyone else to die because his fellow officers want to throw in the towel. He grabbed Baughn by the straps of his ballistic vest, hoisted him up with the strength of a bear, and gave the rookie a deadly glare. Bushy brows farrowed, sweat beading down his shaved head, mustache twitching and farrowing with his lips. Baughn wasn't sure if he should be more afraid of the beast being held back behind the door or the immediate threat of his superior looking down upon him. He gulped.
"Now you listen to me you little shit," he began in a deadly tone. Baughn was surprised he could hear him over the sirens and automated alarm in the background. "You are going to pick up your fucking rifle. You will point that shit downrange with the others AND you WILL put fire in the ass of that fucker as soon as it sticks so much as a hair out that door or else, I will drag you back there and feed you to it myself. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR ROOKIE!"
Baughn felt the blood drain from his face. He gulped and responded with a shaky yet resounding "YES S-S-SIR!" The sergeant looked towards the other soldiers who were all just as frightened as the rookie. "That goes for everyone, am I clear!" The crimson hallway filled with a resounding "YES SERGEANT!" followed by Baughn quickly grabbing his rifle off the floor and lining up in position with everyone else.
Everything was silent. Even the automated warning message and alarm seemed to fade into the background as the last security team waited for what they all believed to be their end, waiting in hunger and anger behind the blast door. Then there was a loud, reverberating bang from the other side of the door, followed by another, and another, all seeming to grow in intensity and furry after each strike. "This is it you sorry sack of shits! Time to show this mutated metal bastard what squad 4 is bloody well made of," the sergeant yelled from behind their line as he aimed his rifle where he presumed the monster's head would be. Baughn shockingly aimed his rifle, gulped, and turned the safety off.
It fell silent once more for what felt like ages. Only the sound of heavy breathing from the officers could be heard. Then Baughn saw something and held his breath. A small hole within the center of the blast door, a metal hand sticking out of it from the other side. Then another. The blast doors let out a loud screech that practically made the officers' ears bleed as they were torn open by the beast. Then they saw it. And were left staring, mouths a gap, faces painted and sheer horror at the beast that managed to break through their last saving grace. It stood at nearly six feet. Its body, an armor of twisted metal soaked in blood with an almost skeletal-like face. Its face wore all its metallic teeth bare with what seemed like a visor extending down past where its nose would be. And the most unnerving feature, the pale skin of the human underneath showing from behind the helmet. Time seemed to freeze for everyone in the room.
This was their target, right here in front of them. A wolf with its fangs and claws bare ready to attack at a moment's notice. A twisted chimera of a human and the M-Cyte that their employers carelessly toyed around with. Leading to their current predicament.
The sergeant was the first to break the silence as he stared with frightened awe at the Technocyte in front of them. "Zenocyte," he uttered. The creature, as if responding to its prey's acknowledgment, let out a loud and powerful screech that sounded as if a thousand banshees and a man being burned alive, or perhaps trapped in a vertigo of rage, shouted at once.
The sergeant was quick to regain his composure after hearing their foe's roaring challenge. Letting out the former special forces in him quickly started barking out orders. "This is it asswipes! Time to make this mutated fucker choke on some hot lead and gunpowder!" Everyone simultaneously aimed their rifles as Zenocyte prepared to charge at them.
"Hold," the sergeant commanded. Zenocyte took a menacing step forward. "Hold!" Another step followed by its metallic jaw opening. His human mouth flashing a sickening, wide grin. "Now Saber," the sergeant yelled into a comm device on his wrist. From the main security room, a female officer, Saber, managed to get some security systems back online. She quickly types in a command on one of the computers that activates a laser grid preventing Zenocyte from proceeding without being sliced to shreds by plasma.
"Got him, boss. He should be an easy target now," the woman responded, giving a thumbs up to the monitor.
"Got it! Light the bastard up," the sergeant commanded. A hailstorm of M-Cyte disruptor rounds came flying through, shredding through Zenocytes' metallic skin. The beast overwhelmed by the gunfire was forced back into a wall next to the torn open blast door and fell into a sitting position, its body slouched over limp. "Got the fucker," the sergeant shouted as his men all cheered. Reveling in their victory and survival.
"Alright," he began, "Saber drop the grid and contact higher. Let them know the threat has been neutralized. Moseley, Preston, Recker make sure the fucker's down for the count then burn it. Forget SOP regarding this freak. I don't want a single atom of him in my air. Baughn, Joseph, Caz, you are with me. We're going to do a full sweep for survivors and-," the Sarge was cut short by the sounds of someone screaming. His head turned back to see Moseley's head come flying off soon after being impaled through the stomach by a long metallic blade. "Fuck," Recker shouted as he turned to fire, but he was promptly sliced in half, the upper half of his body slowly sliding off and hitting the floor as his blood and entrails poured out onto the floor.
The sergeant and the other officers stepped back in horror and shock. "H-How? How the hell is he still alive? We hit him with anti-M-Cyte for Christ's sake," yelled the other female member of fourth squad, Caz. Preston attempted to run but was promptly grabbed by the skull by Zenocyte and lifted off the ground. They all watched as Preston let out an ear-shattering scream due to the immense pain of having his skull crushed.
"Sarge, help me," Preston yelled as an eye popped out of its socket, then the other, blood gushed out everywhere as his head became nothing but torn meat, flesh, and shattered bone with some brain matter spilling over Zenocytes hands. Zenocyte dropped Prestons' body and stared menacingly at the remaining four. "Fuck this! Run!" shouted Joseph as he ran followed by Baughn.
"Right with ya!" He stopped once he realized Sarge and Caz were not moving. "Hey what the hell are you guys doing! We need to get the hell out of here!' he shouted at them.
" Caz is in shock! Fuck! Fuck! This is not going according to plan at all! Fuck," the Sarge began going into a swearing bit in response to their misfortune. Perhaps it was foolish of him to think they stood a chance against a Technocyte. Because of his oh-so-great leadership. Half of his squad met gruesome ends and one is now mentally checked out at the worst possible time he thought to himself. "Shit there's no time" he muttered to himself as Zenocyte was right upon them. "Baughn, take Caz and go," Sarge shouted at the young man.
"What! What about you?!" he questioned with concern painted on his tone as he hoisted a blank staring Caz to her feet. "One way or another. This fucker is going back to hell. Now go," he commanded. The sergeant grabbed a rifle off the ground and loaded his last mag and ran off towards a corridor to the left while firing at Zenocyte to get its attention. Baughn watched with bated breath as Zenocyte became enraged by the pain inflicted due to the anti-M- Cyte rounds and charged after Sarge in a fury. Baughn took one last look at the corridor Sarge went down. Then at the mutilated bodies of his comrades before fleeing towards the underground tram loading area with Caz where Joseph was waiting.
The Sarge was running low on ammo and options. Zenocyte was closing in and closing in fast. Sarge knew how this would end but he'd be damned if he didn't take a chunk of that bastard with him. He moved up a flight of stairs with all the speed he could muster till he reached a door that led to the surface, right into a drained culvert under an old, decommissioned bridge. He placed his hand on the doorknob just as a metallic blade pierced his back and ran through his abdomen. He yelled as it was yanked out and he fell forward onto the door. He looked up at Zenocyte as the beast towered over him and flashed him a defiant smile before a light engulfed them both.