This woman was incredibly cautious!
Cloudhawk wasn’t able to piece everything together, but there were several words that kept cropping up: transformation, organism, strengthen, gene… Cloudhawk’s thoughts suddenly went back to the bald-headed man and how he could have suddenly changed so much. What method turned him from a normal man into that green-scaled monster?
And Hyena! His abilities certainly didn’t come from any normal mutation. Was he also a result of whatever process was hidden in these notes?
The gall of this woman to actually steal something like this. Was she trying to pilfer his research for herself?
Cloudhawk worked quickly. By the time morning came, he had translated almost all of the Academician’s work. Hellflower took it when he was done and locked it in a safe in the wall of her bedroom.
Then, she collapsed.
Cloudhawk unconsciously reached out and grabbed her. As she rested against him, she felt as soft and full as a cotton doll. Sweat beaded on the bridge of her nose, and her warm breath trickled from plump red lips to wash against his ear. For some inexplicable reason, he felt his heart rate increase.
Hellflower was anxious. She was helpless as the neurotransmitter inhibitor had run its course. Right now, even the slightest of sparks would be enough to set off an explosion. She had only the faintest bit of will left to defend her against the base urges the drugs inspired in her.
Luckily, this kid looked like an idiot. He wasn’t going to take advantage of her in this state.
She kept her breathing even and spoke softly to the young man, “I don’t think I can move. Help me with something.”
When he didn’t respond, she struggled to press the files into Cloudhawk’s hands. “In Academician Roste’s first secret lab, on the bottom of the right wall, there is a safe. Help me return this to it. It’s already getting light so you don’t have much time. Half an hour at the most – you can’t delay.”
Was this necessary? Cloudhawk was not the sort to stir up trouble. Although he wasn’t sure what was in these papers, he could tell by Hellflower’s nervous expression that this was a matter of life and death.
“Here are the keys you’ll need to open the laboratory.” She pressed the keys into his hands. “Chimp should be at the bar, still asleep from the anesthetic I slipped him. If you can, try to sneak the keys back to him without him noticing.”
“What makes you think I can do this?” He looked at the stack of papers and then, at the keys. He was at a loss. “How can you be sure I won’t turn you in?”
She laughed bitterly at him. “Then so be it. But if you help me, I’ll owe you one. I’ll help you when you need it most”
“Alright!” That was enough. What Cloudhawk needed more than anything right now was friends. He nodded resolutely. “You rest.”
She answered with an appreciative smile. She wanted to stand, but she couldn’t move her limbs. Cloudhawk had to carry her to the bed and lay her down. He gathered up his invisibility cloak, donned his mask, and left the apartment.
“He really is a simple guy.”
She was surprised by how pliable the young man was. He was as pure as a sheet of unused paper. If he had wanted to do anything at all to her, she would have been completely at his mercy.
She hoped it would all go smoothly!
In the three years she’d spent in the base, she had desperately wanted to get her hands on this data. She knew she could no longer delay, that it was a gamble to make her move now, but with those formulas solved, there was no longer anything here that interested her. There was nothing to keep her here.
1. Pfft, good luck getting a decent translation without context!
111 The Monster in the Lab
Academician Roste’s laboratories and test rooms were sealed behind an iron door only Roste and his director could open. It was among the more secure areas in the entirety of the wastelands. Having a patrol of soldiers constantly opening and the closing the door would only detract from that security. As such, besides the scientists who remained in the labs full-time, there was no need for internal security.
Cloudhawk slipped past the heavy iron door without any trouble with the help of his invisibility cloak. From there, the rest was easy. He followed Hellflower’s directions to the specified lab, located Chimp’s safe, and slipped the data back inside using his keys.
Hellflower had taken a great risk to steal this information. It had to be valuable. And yet, few precautions seemed to have been taken to keep it safe. Wasn’t that careless?
On the contrary, in all of Blackwater Base, only the Academician could read the ancient script. Besides him, only Hellflower knew where his notes were kept, and the key to those notes was held tightly by the lab’s director under normal circumstances. Both its contents and location were quite safe, for even if others knew where and what these notes were, who could decipher them? Why would Roste risk revealing its importance by posting a guard?
What’s more, Academician Roste was a man rich in self-confidence. As far as he was concerned, there was no one alive who could crack his research!
The scientists in this base could study for half a century and still have no hope of grasping what he knew. Roste was a singular talent, unique throughout the wastelands. He’d spent his life researching these old technologies, so in the unlikely event someone got their hands on his notes and deciphered them, it was still exceedingly unlikely that they could do anything with the information.
Cloudhawk made sure the safe was securely closed.
The safe’s door fit seamlessly against the wall. It was only visible if you knew where to look. He’d also had to push aside two bookcases that further hid its location.
She sure as hell owes me one. What sort of favor can she offer?
Cloudhawk was careful to replace everything precisely as it was before he arrived out of habit. It was unlikely anyone would notice, but he’d become more cautious lately. He didn’t want to leave any opportunity for trouble.
He left and carefully locked the lab door behind him. The whole process was done without leaving a trace.
Cloudhawk was proud of himself. It was his first clandestine mission, and he nailed it. Sneaking around would have earned him a decent living – it was a shame he hadn’t chosen the life of a thief.
At any rate, once he got to the Elysian lands, he would be fine. Between the Bloodsoaked Queen’s recommendation and his trophy from the corpse of the demon, he would undoubtedly live a life of luxury. His pilfering skills would remain unused.
Such were the lofty thoughts that swam through Cloudhawk’s head. He had the key to a good life, but the question was whether he’d survive to enjoy it. Currently, he was locked in Blackwater Base, a heavily fortified modern fortress with one way out, guarded by a heavy minigun and surrounded by a deadly bog. Escape didn’t seem possible. He was also too weak to fight his way out. The problem was intractable enough to give him a headache.
Such horseshit!
Whatever the case, right now, the most important thing was protecting himself.
In the same vein, he realized that his current situation was rare, which presented an opportunity. Since he already had access to the secure laboratories, why not take this chance to have a look around? So little was known about the Seekers. They were more mysterious than anything else. Perhaps there was some intelligence he could uncover that would give him a measure of control over his situation.
He stood within their most secret areas. There were scores of research papers, medicinal concoctions, weapon schematics, and whatever else. None of that interested him, though. He couldn’t understand any of it if it bit him in the ass. Ignoring all of the documents, he wandered on, searching for something he could identify as helpful.
He snuck down the hallways, careful to avoid the areas where work was being done until he ultimately reached a room completely different from the others. When he pulled the door open, Cloudhawk was met with a shocking sight.
Rows upon ro
ws of tanks with metal shells were scattered around, arranged around pipes that continuously dripped some unknown fluid. Although the containers were iron, many were covered with rust. The whole room smelled strange, chemical.
Cloudhawk approached one to get a better look. It was about twice his size and had a viewing port. He pressed his face against the glass and saw that it was filled with a green liquid. Small bubbles rose through it towards the surface. He wiped the glass to try and see more clearly.
“Ah!”
A face suddenly appeared, submerged in the fluid of the tank. It was a man, naked as the day he was born, suspended in the tank. He was completely submerged in the strange fluid, and his long hair floated through it like kelp. His eyes snapped open and looked straight out through the glass at the masked stranger.
Cloudhawk was so frightened that he threw himself back and fell hard on his backside. He scrambled away until his back was pressed against a corner.
What the ever loving fuck was that?! A living specimen? Or something else?
Cloudhawk took a few moments to settle his breathing. The tanks were definitely closed tight, and whatever was inside couldn’t get out. Standing up, he peeked into several more tanks and saw that they were also filled, but not with people. They were filled with mutated monsters, captured in dozens of tanks situated around the room.
He knocked on the glass. No response. Next, he kicked a tank’s metal casing. Still nothing.
Cloudhawk worked up a mouthful of saliva and spit. This fuckin’ crazy old man. What the fuck is going on? Is he growing these freaky things? Cloudhawk continued to curse the Academician but knew he shouldn’t stay. He slipped out of the room as silently as he’d entered.
He wandered past a few more doors before coming across a room full of cages.
Hundreds of mutated creatures were locked up inside. Each one languished in its respective prison. Suffering. He walked past them, but none so much as lifted its head to acknowledge his presence.
They were big and strong, but it was clear that they’d been bred for generations in captivity. These mad scientists were injecting them with drugs to stimulate mental development and increase the rate of their mutations. Survivors of lethal and crippling experimentation, these monsters endured unthinkable torment every day. No wonder they seemed so lifeless.
As he passed the dire rat cages, Cloudhawk suddenly stopped. There were about ten of them in the cage, and they all had the same appearance and bearing. It was one he recognized, identical to the rat king he’d encountered months ago. The one he saw in the experiment room when he first arrived was in the process of transformation, so these had to be the finished product.
Cloudhawk was sure of it. Those rats that nearly put an end to the Tartarus mercenaries had come from here!
Weren’t these the rat king’s brothers and sisters? He remembered the strength of that creature and shuddered in fear. The thought of ten of them fighting together was terrifying.
The royal rats sensed that someone was standing nearby. They opened their eyes and glared at him with cold, beady orbs. Their gazes made him shiver, each filled with calm and loathing. It was a look he was only accustomed to seeing from humans.
Cloudhawk felt his hair standing on end.
Super rats were unsettling enough, but there were cages upon cages stretching through the room, each one with ten or more different types of monsters. Every one of them had been brutally mutated and even given intellect! If these creatures escaped one day, it would be a catastrophe. Hundreds of them, so strong that the thought of them running free was horrifying.
One day, these freaks would be free to terrorize the wastelands, and that nightmare would be realized. Mad experiments had made them impossibly strong while also cruelly giving them intelligence. It was a disaster waiting to happen!
Cloudhawk hadn’t recovered from the shock when he heard a sound coming from down the aisle.
Splat!
It sounded like a slab of meat striking the wall. Based on the blood-curdling wails, it sounded like one of the mutated beasts. Strange. Did any of these creatures have the will to fight?
Cloudhawk slowly picked his way down the lane to have a look. When he reached the dim area near the far wall, he saw the outline of a burly figure kicking a hundred-pound panther against the wall. The strength of the kick was hard to believe as it tore the massive predator apart.
Such terrifying strength!
Cloudhawk didn’t know what these panthers were capable of, but surely they far surpassed the likes of any dire rat. Despite that, whatever monster this was shattered its bones with its powerful kicks.
The panther lay on the ground like a pile of refuse.
The lumbering figure, seemingly incapable of holding itself back, lunged and clamped its mouth on the panther’s throat. As the skin tore, the mysterious beast drank deeply of the hot, fresh blood. Its victim struggled feebly to no avail. In half a minute, the panther was drained dry.
Still, the dark figure was unsatisfied. It ripped open the panther’s flesh and tore at the organs within, stuffing the bloody meat into its mouth with relish. It ate quickly, as hungry as a dozen starving refugees.
Whoever it was, it ate these creatures alive. Who the hell could it be?
After sizing it up, Cloudhawk figured the silhouette was roughly the same size as Hyena. Could this be him? He’d spent some time with the Seeker, and though the man had the strength of a wild animal, he was usually calm and collected. He didn’t think Hyena could have such a vicious, bloodthirsty streak.
Beasts were beasts. It didn’t matter how they hid or pretended. A monster couldn’t change its nature! Even if you cloaked it in a human’s skin.
The man-shaped beast stopped its gruesome meal suddenly. It seemed to have caught a scent, and a dangerous growl issued from its throat. Its powerful legs shot out, and the beast bound like an arrow toward its target.
The snooper was nowhere to be found.
Looking left and right, the monster searched with a puzzled expression. Blood dripped from its maw onto its bare chest. Half its body was unclothed and drenched in fresh blood. Razor sharp teeth peeked from behind its lips as it gave a wolf-like snarl, and glowing jasper eyes hungrily glared all around.
Cloudhawk slipped out of the lab, shuddering and gasping for breath. His stealthy excursion was draining, especially considering the danger he’d just desperately escaped.
It was dangerous, but illuminating!
That blood-drinking horror was almost certainly Hyena. He was the only one who could kick the life out of such a powerful wastelands beast in one blow.
It was perfectly normal to find beasts in the wastes that ate its prey alive. Cloudhawk had witnessed it plenty of times before. However, the expression he saw on the monster’s face was different. Down here in Blackwater Base, it wasn’t starving so it had to want to eat raw flesh. It was like he’d lost control and had momentarily given in to the beast.
Odd did not begin to describe it.
Cloudhawk wasn’t eager to become Hyena’s next meal. There was still much for him to do.
Although the Academician hadn’t spelled it out, and although Hellflower hadn’t revealed anything to him, Cloudhawk was beginning to guess what they were planning to do to him. He had to find the key, something that would make it all clear.
Eventually, a smile crept onto Cloudhawk’s face. He plucked the string of keys from his pocket and chuckled dryly. They belonged to the Academician’s right-hand man. The lab’s director had to know plenty. He was faced with an opportunity, and that creepy bastard deserved a little bad luck.
112 Dead Men Tell No Tales
Blackwater Base was constructed underground. Day or night, the time crept by with everyone living their same routines. The only real indication of the solar cycle was the lights, with two-thirds inactive during night hours and lit during daylight hours.
In about ten minutes, the rest of the base’s lights were scheduled to turn back on.
The object of his desperate desire was not easily obtained, he found. He thought the time to finally unwrap that devil woman had come, where he could have his way with her without a struggle. To ensure success, he’d even spiked her drink.
Any normal woman, no matter how chaste, would have been begging for it after just a sip. The effects should have lasted a full day and night. However, on the contrary, the more she drank, the more willful that damn woman became! He was the one who ended up overdoing it.
She was a difficult one to deal with! It was no wonder why the Academician once said her talents were comparable to his!
Of course, Hellflower was young, and her knowledge came nowhere near that of the Academician. What’s more, he was specialized in a single field while Hellflower’s thirst for knowledge wasn’t focused. Her interests were wide, so although she had come to be one of Roste’s most outstanding assistants, she would never rise to his level.
Chimp’s throat was dry. His tongue was swollen, and his eyes were muddled. He winced against the urgent fullness of his bladder and looked hurriedly around for a vacant corner. Upon finding one, the director opened his trousers and prepared to relieve himself.
Huh!?
As Chimp brought his hands around his belt, he finally noticed that something was missing. The sudden realization cleared some of the mist from his mind and painted his face with pale understanding.
He fished around for the keys when suddenly, his desperate search was interrupted. A mighty gust of wind whistled from behind!
The Wastelander Page 77
