Chapter 6 The Death

The general was not just pissed off. He was scared, this place was supposed to be secure. It was bad enough that the sample had been dropped contaminated and lost. But to have some of it escape to the wild was unthinkable. They were not sure just what would happen to other lifeforms once it was introduced to them. He wondered how anything survived the fire that was in the room. The last thing he wanted on his record was that something like this was released under his watch.

General Tomson never had that much respect for scientists anyway. They were always lost in their little experiments not looking at the big pitcher. Of should they be doing things they were always just looking to see if they could do it. But he was a soldier first of all and he always followed orders and did his job to the best of his abilities. His job now was to run this facility which included the lab in fact the lab was now the only reason that the base was still there. That kind of bothered him as well it was a terrific training facility. He knew it was not his decision it always came from the top. But at least the base was safe for now or at least it was until this happened. Now that he was thinking about it, he was pissed that something like this could wind up closing his base. However, if he could contain it and seal the problems it would show that the proper procedures were followed and maybe not give him too bad of a black eye.

Jane came running up to him and said, " General The lab tests are back. It seems that the specimen is still alive and has genetically changed due to the fire. Once it bonds with some DNA it can't bond with anything else it is changed to a mutant of the DNA that it adopts. The last is it can only modify it once it has changed but we have not come up with the total amount that it can change as of yet. But on the plus side once it bonds with a living thing whatever hurts the host hurts the creature as well."

The general was nodding the whole time that she was talking and once she said that it could be hurt the same way that other things are killed, he knew what he had to do. He quickly summoned his staff for a meeting. As soon as the first of them arrived he demanded that they produce the blueprints of all the storm drains and anything else that was connected to where it went. He asked, "Is there any clue to what it has bonded with?"

Jane replied, "Based on the legs that were found in the entranceway of the drain it was a cockroach."

The general let out a little laugh at this what a helpless thing for it to bond with easily stepped on and crushed or poisoned but it was small and could easily hide but they could track it no matter where it would go. As far as the general was concerned this was a simple matter that should be dealt with quickly.

The sewer and storm drain blueprints were laid out in front of the general. Every entrance was clearly marked as well as the outlets at the water treatment plant. The general ordered that a squad was put at every opening. They were to be fitted with every toxic gas that could be used. As well as a scanner to verify that it had not escaped and that it was truly destroyed. "The sample will be retrieved and returned for further study. Now get your men moving and see that it is done!" The General Ordered

A round of "Yes Sir!" was heard as the men scrambled to get their things ready and head out everyone knew the seriousness of the mission even if they didn't know all the details. They were soldiers so none of that mattered, they did as they were told. The teams formed quickly and were supplied with 3 canisters of poison gas and a tracker. Once they were equipped each team headed out. The general was laying out the positioning of each team he wanted to make sure that there were no air pockets that were not filled with gas. So, it was done in stages the ones that were closest to the base started it off first quickly pumping in a dense fog that instantly killed everything in its path.

The white mist was thick and heavy and quickly settled to the ground as it rolled downward. They did their best to make sure as much of it made its way into the drain as possible. Any of the vapor that had escaped seemed to cause any living thing to shrink wither and die instantly. The last of the townspeople were being physically forced from their homes and businesses by the time the gas first hit the drain. The general knew the only way to make sure there were no pockets left behind was to flood every inch with this poison and he didn't care at this point what little town was in the way or what it did to it as long as no deaths happened. Everything else could be covered up or buried, he knew he had enough pull to see that happen.

The rest of the base was commanded into teams of those who were building seals to cover the drains. So that they can be sealed as they go and that would force the new gas into every crevasse. Everyone on the base was busy doing something, they were gathering supplies or making the covers as fast as they could. Then be transported to the places where they were needed.

As the thick poison entered the drain and sunk a small amount came in contact with the nearby plant life and it instantly withered and died as well as any insect that it touched. Jason was so glad that he was in the protective suit and that he had verified that there were no flaws in it the morning before any of this was started. Jason was a first-class soldier in the army there was nothing really special about him but there was one thing that made him special it was that his intelligence was higher than normal. The sad part was that he had never really applied it he always felt that it was never worth the effort. The reason he had wound up in the army was that he particularly didn't want to follow his dad's line of work on the family farm which never seemed to make any money. He was good at shirking his duties as much as he could get away with not really trying to get others to have to cover him, it was just that he was on the lazy side and would rather do nothing than work.

As he closely watched the gas and the way it seemed to suck the life out of everything it touched. A cold chill went down his spine and he took a half step back to avoid the vapors. He was not normally so nervous, but he had never seen anything that worked so fast. He was told that the suit would protect him, but he didn't want to take any chances.

The poison mist settled quickly as it added and stacked with each wave as it rolled in. All the insects fled in terror but any that were even touched were killed on the spot. The spider that had survived the ordeal with the cockroach and hid away in its web didn't stand a chance. As the mist flooded in and the waves of vapors reached it the spider tried to curl in tighter, but it was too late and when it was touched it instantly died.

As the first canister was emptied the next group was signaled so that they could start injecting there's as well they were sure that would make the poison fill every corner and push the vapors along. Jason quickly changed canisters he wanted to make sure he kept the flow of the poison going away from him and he was glad that he had started it off. As he watched the swirls of poison wash into the haze of white it all mixed and pushed its way deeper and deeper into the storm drain.

Scurvy was on the run, and he was changing as he moved all his senses were screaming that he needed to be out of there. Scurvy was running as fast as he could easily jumping over any obstacle that got in his way. His fevered brain was working overtime now he was able to see things that he could not before in fact all his senses were enhanced. His speed had been tripled and he was traveling at the max.

It did not take long for him to make it to his nest, he took a look at it and for an instant, there was a longing to go there and hide, but in its heart, it knew that no place down here would be safe. He looked at it and saw that there were a few pups in the nest. He had taken years to build this nest he had robbed three cushions of their padding in order to get the nest just right. He had found the perfect place to build his nest, it was in the pipeline of an abandoned factory. It was the perfect spot, there was something that was generating heat nearby and during the winters it was warmer than the surrounding areas. He had fought all the others to claim it. The spot it had a great lookout point as well so he kind of towered over the others that managed to make it to even get close to his nest. He used the tunnel that ran to the factory to bring back the nesting material as well as food.

There had been an old storage room that they had not bothered to empty completely when they had abandoned the factory after the roof had collapsed during a blizzard. There were a lot of things that were just left that were not worth the time or energy to dig out. The business was already on its last leg when the blizzard hit. The inventory had already been sold off and they were waiting for the new contracts that never came to restart production. In a way, it was lucky for them as it was already deserted when the snow started to fly. From there once the roof collapsed the owner just walked away letting the banks fight over the scraps that were left.

There had been a special way that he used to get into the locked room that only a rat could manage a series of holes and some good leaps make it impossible for anything other than the bugs to get to. He had thought about building his nest in the building where all the food was, but he had followed another rat into it. That is how he learned how to get into it just after he got in there a large snake grabbed the other rat right in front of him quickly making a snack out of it. He had seen signs of the snake and always was ready for it to spring out of a corner at any time.

Scurvy called out to the others as he kept running. They recognized his call even though he did not sound the same and when the first of them saw him they were terrified and when fleeing off to save their life they couldn't think of anything else except escape. As they looked at him, they no longer saw Scurvy they saw a humongous thing that looked more like it had glowing scales, not fur. As it let out a terrified scream all the other rats scurried off running as fast as they could.

It didn't matter to Scurvy that they were terrified of him he was used to it. The fact that he just wanted them moving was going to be their only hope to survive if they could do it. He was not sure that any of them would escape but it was better than letting them stay and die for sure.

The rats scattered off in different directions and the fear spread like fire throughout the sewer system. Scurvy thought that this would at least distract them from him or at least slow things down.

At this point, the general was informed that the first group was starting his second canister, and the second team and the third had started deploying their gas. General Stone asked, "Has everyone been evacuated, and has every drain and sewer outlet and inlet been secured and ready for their turn?"

The major replied, "The last of the men is getting close to being in position. But there is a slight problem with the evacuation, there is an old couple that is not wanting to leave their home."

"Tell them that there is a gas leak in the area and get them out of there." the general said as he shook his head. He found himself thinking why was he the only one that was using his head?

The major nodded his head and said, "YES SIR." and hurried off to get it done. He didn't want this to end his career. He relayed the instructions to the men that were at the couple's home. It didn't take that much convincing for them to gather just a few things and were taken to the shelter out of town.

By this time Jason was emptying his second canister into the drain. He looked around and wondered if all this was overkill. He had seen how deadly the gas was and as he listened to the other orders given that every drain or opening to it was going to be filled. That included every house or building. He found himself wondering just what were they trying to kill and just how bad was it. Then he found himself wishing that he was anywhere but here.

Scurvy was running at top speed past his nest now, but he knew better than to go out in the open. Moving along he was dodging everything that was in his path. There was one thing that he did that was without thinking for a rat was leaving a trail behind. Since it was the rat's nature the organism didn't stop it and didn't even realize that it was going on. For the moment they were ahead of the poison. Scurvy knew that the danger was gaining on him. He was leaping and jumping over objects as well as scurrying across pipes and moving at top speed. That is when Scurvy lost his footing and for a few seconds, he tried regaining his footing and then clinging onto the pipe. He dug his claws and spikes into it, but it was too late as he fell with a splash.

This took Scurvy by surprise because his mass had changed so much that he no longer stayed on the surface he started sinking. He had to put great effort to regain the surface. He quickly regained composure and was moving quickly. But it was not as fast for him to travel in the water, and the unknown gas was starting to close in from every direction now.

The military had done its job well and now the gas was coming in from everywhere. The thick heavy vapor was working its way down filling every corner, nothing that was there would ever make it out of this trap alive.

Scurvy sprang out of the nasty water, and he looked back for a moment there was a pale green glow in a circle at the spot where he fell. The ring grew and lightened in color and glow till it was not even seen. Scurvy desperately started running again but as it sensed the direction to go it noticed that the way to go was changing and seemed to be getting farther and farther away. Scurvy aimed for the center on what appeared to be his only chance to get out.

Just as Jason was finishing his third tank the crew arrived with plates and sealant to plug the drain. As he looked, he noticed that they had gathered everything from the base and from the towns from metal plates to auto windows anything that could be cut to fit and used to plug the holes. He knew they were taking no chances, he just hoped whatever it was that they were trying to kill he hoped that they had gotten it in time. So as soon as the tank went empty Jason stepped back and let the others do what they had come to do, and they quickly sealed it tight.

The general knew that the only way to verify that everything was dead was to seal it and give it time in fact he had planned to make it airtight and pressurize it. Even if it was not high pressure, it would force it into every inch covering everything. He was just hoping that they had made it in time. The distance that it all ran was a positive and a negative on the one side that it was so long that he didn't know if there were any openings that were not marked leading to places that could be hidden. He was already planning for that next step just in case it happened. The positive thing was if they were after a bug there was no way even if it flew that it would make it out in time before some of the gas at some point would get it.

The general knew that at his base they didn't have everything that was needed so he placed a call and ordered the supplies to be airlifted in immediately. Thinking there would be enough time to get everything delivered here once the gas was trapped in the sewer.

As Scurvy was running, he heard the other rats cry out in their last painful death screams one by one as the poison overtook them. He panicked seeing no way out knowing that whatever it was it was moving faster than he was. He put every bit of his energy into running but he was maxed out. Then he saw the cloud of white mist on his right side he veered to the left seeing the water he started for it hoping to dive under and find a pocket of air. Just then a huge puff of mist came out of nowhere and enveloped him. He held his breath and tried to keep moving but the mist blinded him it was like his body had been set on fire. All he wanted to do was scream in pain, but he knew that if he did it was all over. He ran headfirst into something almost knocking himself out. This slowed him to a slow walk not to mention that every movement was agony. His last attempt was to dive under the water hoping that he could regain some of his senses. Then the realization set in, knowing at this point it was completely hopeless. He was beyond running and blinded, his body just kept hurting more and more till he finally gave up and took his last deep breath letting the nothingness take him away.

Once the last canister of poison had been emptied and the cover was secured the word was sent to the general. This eased the general's mind at least a little as far as anyone knew there was no way out and nothing would survive it. But he was going to keep everything sealed till they could verify that they had killed it.