by Lee Emerick
"It could be, or could have been possible but it's hard to prove. That is what I am searching for at the moment, proof. Without it my theory doesn't hold much water."
Sydney got into his sports car and looked back over to Stew as he placed a pair of sunglasses on.
"I'll see you next week," he said to the young student as he drove off.
Chapter 3
The mooring lift came to a stand still as the whining of the lift motors faded away. The boat was secure out of the rough ocean. Carlyle and his team disembarked their craft and set foot on the Lazarus. The rig's lights flickered as the electrical storm raged on outside. There was no sign that the storm would ease off any time soon.
The Lazarus shook as waves crashed into the sides, the ocean roared with fury. This was not a good place to be during a storm thought Carlyle. He looked up and down the gangways. There was no sign of anyone around. Something was wrong he thought.
"Right guys, we need to get to the bridge to see if we can find out what is going on!" He shouted above the deafening noise of the ocean crashing below them.
As he grabbed his medical bag from the rescue boat Erik shouted.
“Carlyle, all the support craft are still in position. They must still be here!"
“Right” said Carlyle. “We are going to split up to search the rig. Erik and Kasey, you are with me. We will head to the bridge to get it secure and see what is going on. Donny and Jessey, I want you guys to head over to the sleeping quarters to see if there’s a mothers meeting being held over there."
Kasey tried to open the mooring bay door into the rig but it was locked. Donney retrieved a crowbar from the rescue boat and proceeded to force the door open. With a loud crack, the lock broke and the door swung open. A strong stench blew out from the open door, which reminded Donney of mouldy boxes in a damp dark basement.
"Man it stinks in there," Donney said whilst covering his mouth.
"What is that smell?" said Erik looking down the corridor. "I know the place is old but it has never smelt like this before".
Pinching his nose Donney headed off down the corridor with Jessey towards the sleeping quarters.
Carlyle pressed the call button for the elevator but surprisingly it was out of order.
"Typical" said Carlyle. "What else would you expect in this place?"
With the elevator out of order Carlyle, Erik and Kasey took the staircase instead to the bridge.
Everything was quiet, apart from the racket outside. Reaching the top of the stairs Carlyle walked over to the bridge door. As he reached for the handle, a call came over the radio.
"Carlyle, looks like we have a situation down here" said Jessey. "Most of the crew are in their bunks. They do not look like they are in good shape. Looks like we may have an outbreak of some sorts, I do not know. I think you should get down here and take a look."
Erik and Kasey looked at Carlyle with concern as he answered back. Could it be something contagious they both worried?
"Ok Jessey. We will be down with you shortly, once we have the bridge secure."
Carlyle placed his hand on the door handle to the bridge. He carefully turned it and opened the door being careful in case someone lay slumped on the other side. They were met by a very strong moist rotting smell. The Captain of the Lazarus lay slumped in his chair. His arms were outstretched sideways. The Captain was a big man with a white beard, woolly jumper and thick yellow boots. His eyes and mouth were wide open. His face looked blue. He was clearly dead.
The Engineer and Radio Operator was slumped against his station. His hand was wrapped around the radio handset. He appeared to still be breathing but did not look like he was in good shape at all.
"Erik, check on the Engineer, see what you can do for him" Carlyle said. Erik ran across to the Engineer to assess him.
Kasey took his radio and began to call in the situation.
“Control come in… are you reading… over?" He was met only by static.
Carlyle walked over to the Captain. Although he was clearly dead, he reached down to check for a pulse. As he thought, nothing was there.
"What has happened here?" Carlyle said quietly to no one in particular.
"Cont..l h.re, what is ...ur situ..ion…ov.r". Kasey's received a message over his radio but the signal was too weak for it to make much sense.
"I'm going to see if I can get a better signal," Kasey said as he walked out the room.
"Don't stray too far" said Carlyle. "We don't know what we are dealing with".
Erik placed his bag down next to the Engineer and reached up to his neck. He checked for a pulse, which was faint but was definitely there. He carefully turned the engineer over in his chair to examine him further. As the Engineer rolled onto his back, Erik was shocked by what he saw in front of him.
The Engineer's skin was red raw, to the point it looked chemically burnt. His skin was covered with large open sores and blisters. Could it be a severe allergic reaction? Or could the Engineer have had direct contact with corrosive chemicals? He thought
Carlyle turned to observe the sight, which clearly disturbed him. "What do you make of him Erik?" he asked the Medic.
"He's alive I know that much. But for how long I have no idea." Erik paused whilst he examined the wounds.
"I have never seen anything like this. These open sores and boils… It would have had to have been something extremely toxic."
"What do you think could have caused it?" asked Carlyle.
Erik turned to face him.
"Perhaps some kind of corrosive chemical leak? Saying that though, surely there would have been damage to the rig its self?"
He turned back to face the Engineer and brought his face close to him too examine the sores.
"What has happened to you?" he said aloud to the Engineer.
The Engineer’s eyelids flicked open. His eyes were milky white. His arms lifted up and wrapped tightly around Erik who let out a shriek. He tried to free himself but could not get the leverage. Carlyle rushed over to Erik to try and force him out of the Engineer’s grip but it was no use. He could not pry them apart.
Erik continued to struggle but it was no use, he could not break free. He closed his eyes in terror as the Engineer pulled his head towards his and rubbed the open sores and boils all over his face. The boils burst spraying a milky white fluid and blood, which covered Erik's face.
Erik screamed in sheer panic. This was not happening he thought. The milky discharge and blood oozed into his mouth, the taste was unbearable.
Carlyle raised his flashlight, brought it down on the Engineers head, and repeatedly whacked him until he let go of Erik. With a large crack and spray of blood, the Engineer went limp and released Erik who fell backwards onto the floor.
In a rush, he crawled backwards. He wiped at his face in a panic trying to remove some of the discharge away. The taste in his mouth was horrendous and as a result, he turned over and began to vomit. Carlyle rushed to his aide.
"What can I do Erik?" he asked. "What do you need?"
Erik rubbed at his eyes. They burnt where the discharge had sprayed into them. He began to scream loudly.
"It's burning, get this stuff off me!"
Carlyle took a water bottle from Erik's bag and emptied it over his face. He then removed sterile wipes from the pack and began to wipe the stuff off the medics face.
"Its ok Erik, I got it!" he reassured him as he cleaned it all away.
After a thorough clean with the sterile wipes, Erik began to settle down.
"Looks like we got it all, you should be ok." said Carlyle as he passed Erik a towel.
"What is that stuff?" panted Erik. "Why did he do that?"
"Whatever has happened here has clearly made him go nuts! We best get you back to base and get you fully cleaned up and checked over."
Kasey walked back into the bridge and looked in shock at the battered corpse of the Engineer currently slumped across his chair, his head resting awkwardly on the floor. A pool of
blood surrounded his head from where he had been whacked several times by a blunt instrument.
"My God, what has happened here?" he asked concerned.
Carlyle looked up at Kasey.
"Get back on the radio. Inform Control the situation here is beyond our ability. There is nothing we can do to assist." He looked to Erik "We are returning to base."
Chapter 4
Sydney Trent lay restless in bed. Rain battered against the window, the wind howled angrily. He looked at his bedside clock. It was 6am. He picked up his pillow and wrapped it around his head to drown out the noise. Finally, he managed to drift off to sleep.
His phone began to ring. He tried to ignore it but it kept on ringing. Who the hell wanted him at this time in the morning? He thought to himself.
He reached out and tried to pick the phone up dropping it several times. Clumsily he eventually managed to place the handset against his head.
"Hullo?" he answered.
"Am I speaking to Professor Trent?" the caller asked.
"Yes speaking. Do you know what time it is?" asked Sydney.
"I do apologise Professor Trent. My name is General Marvin Virgil. I am calling from the Biological Hazard Prevention Department down at the beach side Military Base. I was given your name as a specialist and we require your assistance."
"Surely this could have waited until a little later?" asked Sydney.
"I wish it could Professor Trent but we require your immediate assistance. A car should already be waiting outside for you."
Abruptly the call ended. Car headlights shone through the window as a car pulled up outside his house, followed by a loud beep presumably from the car’s horn.
Sydney placed the phone down and rubbed his eyes. It did not look like he had much choice. He got out of bed placing his bare feet on the cold floor. It was too early for this he thought. Hastily he began to get dressed.
There was a knock at the door.
"Just a minute!" he said, but there followed another knock, more loudly this time.
"Just give me a second will you!" he shouted. Who the hell did they think they were? He thought to himself.
He walked across to the front door and opened it. He was greeted by a young woman in full military uniform, from the rank insignia; she appeared to be an officer.
"Professor Trent?" she asked.
"Yes that's me. And you are?" asked Sydney groggily.
"My name is Lieutenant Laraine. I have been instructed to escort you directly to General Virgil".
"Have I got time to get something to eat first?"
Sydney asked whilst looking the Lieutenant up and down. She was only in her twenties and was quite good looking too.
"Sir, time is of the essence. I'm under strict instructions to take you directly to General Virgil".
"Ok, fine" said Sydney. He grabbed his coat and bag then shut and locked the door behind him.
"Take me to your leader." Sydney said sarcastically as he entered the car.
Lieutenant Laraine responded with no emotion.
"That is my intention Sir".
The car raced to the Military Facility. Rain hammered down all around them, the roads were slippery and treacherous.
"Don't you think you should slow down a bit?”
Sydney said to the Jeep driver but there was no response. Worriedly he looked over to Lieutenant Laraine.
“Aren’t we going a little quick considering the weather conditions outside?” he asked.
"We are under strict orders to bring you to General Virgil as quick as we can Sir."
Sydney looked out of the front window. There was a lot of debris in the road. It was one thing getting there quickly but he may be more use if he arrived in one piece, he thought.
The car pulled up at the security gates to the base where Military Guards met them. On seeing the young Lieutenant, the guards waved the car straight through. The car drove directly to a large hangar where it pulled up directly outside.
The driver opened the car door for Sydney. He was then marched directly into a briefing room where General Virgil eagerly awaited him.
"Ah, Professor Trent I presume?" asked a large bald man. His chest was covered in numerous medals and ribbons. He was clearly well decorated.
"I take it you’re General Virgil?" asked Sydney.
"I appreciate the early wake up call"
He looked over at Lieutenant Laraine but there was no response. She simply stood to attention at the side of the room.
"That will be all for now Lieutenant" the General said. The Lieutenant departed the briefing room closing the doors behind her.
The General turned to Sydney to address him directly now they were alone.
"I wish we had time to leave this until later in the morning. I have been briefed on your current work and have been advised you would be the best man to help us with a problem we face. Unfortunately, it may be time to put some of your theories quite literally to the test."
Sydney's heart sank in his chest. What did the General mean? Was this some kind of sick joke somebody was playing on him? Perhaps somebody wanted to make a joke out of him and his work?
"Is this all some kind of joke General?" he asked.
"Who has put you up to this?"
"I assure you that it is no joke Professor," replied the General.
"Well then, how can I help General?" Sydney asked.
"What you’re about to see is strictly classified. As such I must ask you to read and sign a confidentiality contract."
The General pointed to a form on the briefing table with a smart looking pen next to it. Sydney looked him in the eye and saw the General was deadly serious.
He flicked through the form checking the details. Finally, he picked up the pen and signed it.
"Now General, Perhaps you can explain why I am here?" he asked.
"I think it will be easier to show you" the General replied.
Together they left the briefing room escorted by the young Lieutenant and entered the main hangar.
The hangar was a massive space with a very high ceiling. It was brightly lit by large lights suspended in the air. In the centre, several cubicles had been hastily erected. Plastic sheeting covered everything. Sydney was ushered towards what looked like a viewing gallery.
Military Police stood at attention by the entrance, their rifles held to one side. They entered a narrow but long room with a large Plexiglas viewing window. Lined up behind the window there were several cubicles. Each room contained a stretcher with a body lying on top. From what he could see, they looked quite dead. Medical screens showed the vitals of the occupants, which showed no activity. They were flat lined.
Sydney walked up to the window to take a close look. The corpses looked in quite a state. They appeared to be severely burnt. Had there been a chemical spillage thought Sydney? Why would they call him?
One of the bodies began to twitch. The leg spasmed but abruptly stopped. The medical screen began to show activity within the corpse. Electrical activity had resumed in the corpses brain. Sydney brought his head closer to the window. What was going on? To his surprise, the corpse began to sit up.
