*Ding*
The elevator opened, but this time the bustling scene was nowhere to be seen. Only Commander Jackson was present. Everyone else was gone.
The Commander sat at his desk. When he saw Gerald, he motioned him to come over. The man rooted around his desk drawer for a moment before he pulled out a device with two antennas. When he was about to turn on the device, Gerald stopped him.
Gerald tapped on his phone before he set it on the desk.
"You are free to speak." He told the Commander.
"Ha, ha, is my signal jammer not good enough for you?" The Commander joked.
"It looks like a fine jammer, but mine doesn't cut of the signals. It overwrites the data and allows my technicians to show any video or audio that I want. To anyone spying we are just talking about high danger areas that are all available on that map over there. Jammers are good, but they leave blank spots."
"Mmm, very good. You Central boys have all the good stuff."
Gerald sat down across from the Commander and lit up a smoke before passing the pack to Jackson who gladly took a smoke and also pocketed the rest of the pack. Gerald didn't care and only chuckled.
"What can I do for you?" Gerald asked.
"I… I can't trust my people." The Commander said after taking a drag on his smoke. "The ones controlling these creatures. They can make more than just those monsters that roam the street."
"I am aware. Central is calling them acolytes. They are the direct followers of the creatures in charge."
"If you know what they are capable you should know that they have humans working for them, those who hope to be turned into what you call acolytes. With the promise of immortality, super strength, regenerative powers and advance speed, there are those who are tempted. I have no doubt that they have already approached my men."
"What makes you so sure that they have approached your men?"
"Because they have approached me."
"And?"
"I turned them down of course. I am sure you are thinking that you can't trust me now, but I just wanted to make you aware of how dangerous the situation is."
Gerald waved his hand to dismiss the idea. "I am not worried about that. I know you are telling the truth."
"I always heard that the spooks from Central are human lie detectors. If you were from any other agency, I would be worried that you and your team would be swayed by temptation, but I have heard the stories about Central. They put you field agents through the ringer and the ones who come out are already more beast than man. What is immortality to a bunch of people who plan to die to fulfill their mission? The ability to live forever, even though it is untested probably means nothing to a group of people who have already planned the date of their death."
Gerald nodded. "Such things are meaningless in the face of an unyielding will. Besides, with the things I have seen. I would rather not live forever and be able to remember them."
Jackson sighed. "I just don't know which of my men have accepted. A few have come to me and told me that they have been approached, but I am willing to bet that there are even more who haven't said a word to me."
"Don't fret about this too much. Now let me see your reading glasses."
"These?" Jackson said, motioning to the glasses hanging from a chain around his neck.
When Gerald nodded, Jackson passed them over. Gerald removed the chain and dropped the glasses on the floor before stepping on them before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a different pair and attaching them to the chain and passing them back.
Jackson checked them and out they seemed like ordinary reading glasses.
"We call the leaders, elders. The human servant who are promoted to acolytes aren't just let to run wild. Their overlords track them. They do so with scent. Both elders and acolytes are capable of excreting a unique chemical compound. To us, and even animals, this scent is indictable, even by machine. We got lucky and managed to get a subject to spill the truth after an… extensive interrogation."
"You mean these things have appeared before?"
"Unfortunately, but never in these numbers. Central has been preparing for decades for them to show themselves again. This time, we are sure that we have them cornered." Gerald sighed. "You could even say that I have been bread for this mission. Let's not talk about that. These glasses will allow you to see the scent trails left by different servants. Depending on who they serve the trails will be different colors. The scent is different depending on the master, we believe this is so other spawn and acolytes don't cause trouble for servants of others."
Gerald tapped his phone on the Commanders.
*Ding*
You should be able to see a new app on your phone. It is protected by the strongest encryption that Central has. If you see something, don't act. Just send me a text and my people will handle it without compromising your safety. If we are lucky, they may lead us back to the shot callers.
"Once the elders and acolytes are dealt with, these spawns are no more than wild animals. It isn't any different from hunting an unorganized pack of dogs."
"Hmpf, maybe a pack of dogs with superhuman strength and an infectious bite."
"Maybe so, but it will be easier than it is now."
"I will keep them safe." Jackson said while resting the glasses on the brim of his nose.
"If anyone asks about the new glasses, you can say that someone stepped on your old ones." Gerald said while tossing the broken set into the empty trash can next to the Commanders desk.
"Alright. I will let you know if I see anything. But if you can just causally pass me these, I am guess you have already seen a few servants for yourself."
Gerald nodded. "I didn't see anything on this floor when I entered earlier. But… I have noticed a few officers on the front lines."
"Anybody I should be concerned about?"
"One of the officers I brought back. The one with the broken arm. He served the acolyte I killed at the depot. It is important to take note of the traitors to humanity because after their master dies, they will lose their scent trail and appear just like everyone else. That officer, tonight when he heads to bed and infection will flare up. A fever will rise like a rocket and he will pass out. No mater what the medical professionals do, they won't be able to break the fever. In twenty-four hours, he will pass. Don't be concerned about a super virus or anything. It is my doing."
"And the others?"
"They still have the opportunity to lead me to their masters."
"I understand." The Commander lit up another smoke. "Where did these bastards even come from? Are they aliens? Or can you not say?"
"Aliens? I don't know. What I do know is that fifty years ago a scientist found something frozen in the ice caps. He cut it out and took it home and unthawed it to study. Whether that thing is an alien, or one of the planets original inhabitants, I don't know."
The Commander smoked and grabbed a bottle of vodka from under his desk and two glasses.
The pair drank and smoked in silence for several minutes.
"The children?" Gerald asked.
The Commander's face fell, and he poured himself a glass that was twice as full this time.
"I sent people to go into the safe zone and rescue them, but they were gone before my men arrived. That was the first time I suspected traitors in the chain of command. If the military ever sends reinforcements, the first task I assign them will be to go looking for the children. But right now, we barely have enough man power to keep ourselves safe. Even if I can get a clean unit to go search for them, I don't have the ability to stop the bastards from taking more. And it is probable that if I divert manpower to this, I will lose more civilians than I can save. This whole thing is fucked. It's so FUCKED!" The commander roared while smashing his fist on the table. Jackson then put away the bottle and finished his drink. "It will be dawn soon and I didn't get any calls about the line being breeched tonight. At least that is something to be happy about. Soon everyone will return and we will have another days mess to deal with."
Gerald walked to the window on the east side of the building and lit up another smoke.
"Mmm, when the sun rises these things become less active. Although they don't sleep, they do become more cautious during the day. Make sure you have good men on the defense line this afternoon. They might encounter a high number of spawns."
"You think they will try to raid us during the day?"
Gerald put out his smoke. "Ahh, look at that. The sun rises on a new day." He then began to walk to the elevator and clicked the button. "No, I don't think they will organize a raid. Nevertheless, your men should be prepared. I expect the spawns will be fleeing for their lives."
*Ding*
The elevator doors opened.
"I plan to go hunting today." Gerald said before walking in and letting the door close behind him.