Denny was dry heaving in a corner by that point, still completely overwhelmed by the smell from the computer. Karen took over on Denny's computer, content to keep working despite the relative proximity to the slagged tower. Allan nodded to the hazmat team, and they rapidly cleaned the tower up, taking plastic and all from the desk. Under the plastic, the desk was unmarred.
“That leaves only the final load on Denny's computer. There must be some special property to the images that is only expressed when they are modeled accurately. Perhaps it is a case of the sum of the parts truly being more than the whole. There is still one facet we are missing.”
Magic.
I surreptitiously looked around the room. Nobody else reacted. I hadn't heard the voice in weeks. It seemed... weaker, somehow. Like it was more tenuous. Less present than before. I sent out a mental probe.
'Who are you? Why don't you answer me?'
Nothing. The fans on the computer slowed, then went back to idle. Karen set the final load in action on the computer. She stepped away, careful to note everything down. She even checked the time against her watch. Denny's computer took half of the time to go to slag. It began to crumble, and Allan approached to give it a look. He sacrificed another pencil to the cause, opening the case. The same effects were witness. The metal and plastics were fine, but the silicon had mostly transformed to ooze.
He dropped his pencil and stepped back. The pencil flared, disappearing into the ooze.
“Very well. Take it away. Please do return any results you get from the ooze.” Allan turned and gathered the rest of us with him.
“We have learned so much, and yet so little. Where can we go from here?”
I was stumped. So, it seemed, was the rest of our little mad scientist group.
We all looked at each other, not sure what to say.
“Very well. Let's take the rest of the day to think on it. Perhaps something will occur to us in our sleep. I will see you all bright and early. That includes you, Mr. Bazua. I do believe you have earned a place on our team after the previous few days.”
Bazua's only reaction was a crisp nod. We all filed out, leaving hazmat to finish cleaning and sanitizing the room. That smell would likely linger for days.
When I walked through the door, Linda stood from the couch and started to walk over to greet me.
“Hey babe, you're late, and⸺” she faltered as she closed to within ten feet. “Oh god, what did you do? Roll in week old dead skunk?”
“If only. This is going to be my third shower today. Can you find a bag? I have to throw these clothes out too. I'll explain in a little bit, but I need to get clean first.”
She nodded, pinching her nose shut. I made a bee line over toward our room.
“Hey Dante, you seriously reek!”
“Yeah, I sure do bud. How about you choose a good movie for us to watch before you go to bed?”
He grunted in acknowledgment, and took the remote in hand. I wound into the bathroom, and shed my clothes as fast as I could. Twenty minutes later, with the shower as hot as it would go, I started to feel clean again. I had no idea how the smell permeated my skin so thoroughly, especially since I had never come in contact with it. However, it had managed to get through the hazmat suit earlier in the day.
I stepped out, dried off, and dressed before returning to the living room. Linda and Eddie were waiting for me, chatting amiably while a black screen showed on the TV. Eddie saw me enter and immediately pointed the remote at the TV. A moment later, music started, and the screen faded in, showing Jackie Chan in one of his earlier movies.
I sat on one end of the couch, arm over the back. Linda nestled in to my side and Eddie stretched out. Of course, he was out before halfway through the movie. We finished it out before I carried him to bed. Then I followed Linda into our room, and we lay down. I started talking, even though she hadn't asked me anything yet.
“Today was so weird. Just.... fucking weird.”
“Why's that babe?”
“Well, you remember Tracy?”
“Hard to forget her. Why? What's up?”
“Well, did you know she took over as the chaplain for the base?” I started slowly.
“Yeah, you mentioned that,” she reminded me.
“Okay. Well there's been some batshit insane things going on. She died yesterday, right?” Linda nodded, waving her hand to tell me to get to the point.
“Well we checked out her room this morning. It was beyond filthy. That smell you caught from me? That was her room.”
“What the fuck? How does someone live like that?”
“More importantly, how did nobody else notice? How did she not stink up the entire base? And for that matter, why didn't anybody think too hard about her disappearance and sudden reappearance?”
“Yeah...” Linda replied quietly. She was obviously lost in thought. I continued on. I had to let the thoughts out.
“So she's gone for over a week and nobody pays any mind. She reappears, and we forget almost instantly. Hell, that's not the only weird thing that happened that day, but what about basic shit? Nobody caught hypothermia. Nobody had frost bite, even our first group that was badly exposed for hours. “
Linda looked straight at me.
“You want to talk about weird physical shit? Okay. Why are you seven feet tall?”
“Well, we talked about that, right? It's some weird effect from the virus. Found compatibility in my DNA somewhere. Basically magic, though. We can't figure out what it does or how.”
She shook her head. “You just said it. Think about it, babe. You're massive now, yet your clothes still fit. We never got new sizes for you. I bet the tag still says 'large' in your uniform.”
I stopped doing anything for a moment, then locked eyes with her. She nodded at me, and I stood from the bed. Two steps carried me to the dresser and I pulled a fresh uniform out. Sure enough, it had an 'L' displayed on the tag above the washing instructions. I showed her, and she waved at me to put it on.
It fit like it always had. Yet it was far too small to fit my frame.
“I bet you if Larry put that uniform on, it would tear.” She said.
“Wait- I have another idea.”
“What?”
I rummaged through the drawers and found my old clothes from the office. I quickly shucked the uniform and pulled the slacks and shirt on. They fit perfectly.
“What the fuck. These should have torn to pieces just trying to put them on.” I stuck my hands in my pockets, an old habit from when I would hang out in the office. I felt something brush against my hand. I fished around for a moment, then snagged it between my fingers, and gingerly pulled the object out.
“What is it? Did you find something?”
“Yeah... I completely forgot about this. This is a flash drive I took from the bunker under the office tower.”
“What's on it?” she asked.
“I don't know. I guess with all the insanity of that day, I forgot it was in my pocket.” Something niggled at the back of my mind, but I let it be. I was starting to trust my intuition, and didn't want to scare the nascent idea away.
“Well you'll have to figure that out.”
“Yeah, in the morning. But there's more that's bothering me.”
“Like what? There's not enough weirdness going on?”
“Sure, but there's all this other stuff too. Even if we put aside my changes, what about Castillo? Why was he so different from Geno? Why did he have swirling black marks on his skin? Actually, now that I think about it, the marks looked weirdly like the ones in Tracy's room...”
“What marks in her room?” Linda asked. I realized I had forgotten to tell her about them.
“The walls were covered in goo and black writing. There was no light either. Oh, and her bed was a fucking nest.”
“Okay, seriously, slow down and explain, because what the fuck.” She said with exhasperation.
I caught her up with the day's events, including the experiment with the
computers.
“So you load this writing into the computers and they crash and turn to that nasty ooze. Anybody but you gets bitten, they go berserk and possibly change. You are stronger than any human ever had the right to be, and as a bonus, your clothes aren't just invulnerable, they heal.”
“Wait, what?” It was my turn to be mystified.
“I remember in the LAV, and again in the Admin wing. Your shirt was torn. Hell, I think it was torn when you pulled it out of the dresser, but now I can't be sure. Look at it.”
I turned and looked in the mirror on the back of the dresser. My shirt was whole, and completely clean. It had been covered in gunpowder, grease, and blood the last I saw it.
I mouthed the words 'what the fuck', then quickly took the shirt off. It looked like a normal shirt, dwarfed by my hands. I tossed it on top of the dresser and backed over to the bed.
“Relax, it's not going to bite you. Actually, I guess I can't be totally sure about that.” Linda said with some amusement.
“So what you've been saying is...” I trailed off, finally meeting her eyes again.
“Magic⸺”
“Magic⸺” we said at the same time.
“No. Magic isn't real.” I shook my head for emphasis.
“Then explain even half of the shit we just talked about.”
“So I'm infected with magic.” I said it in a tone that was heavy with loss.
“I don't think you're infected, babe. You're still you, just as big and oafish as ever. Just bigger, and oafishier.”
I goggled at her. “Oafishier? That's not a word.”
“If it isn't, I've just created it. Fits you as perfectly as that shirt.” She busted out laughing. I joined her, but it was halfhearted. She caught my mood and immediately stopped. “Relax. You are you. Just because you're magically enhanced doesn't make you less of a man. Maybe more of one, if we judge based on weight.”
“Rude.”
She laughed and playfully slapped my arm. I barely felt it, but I saw her wince.
“Holy crap, did you gain weight again? Your arm actually feels like rock.”
“Focus, Lin. If magic is responsible, it could explain everything. Why the computers died the way they did, why I have been changing. Why nobody was seriously injured in the office. What it doesn't explain is why I'm not insane like Geno and Castillo were. Besides, where the fuck did it come from? Where am I getting 'my magic' from?” I used my hands to air quote 'my magic' for emphasis.
“I don't know. What I do know is that it's late and I still have to work tomorrow.”
“Okay. Get some sleep. I love you, Lin.”
“You too, you big oaf.”
She snuggled in as I lay down. Soon, she was breathing slowly and softly. I closed my eyes and let the lights begin their nightly show.
Chapter 19
Darkness +35, 2033
Greater Seattle Area, Washington, USA
Location Undisclosed, Base 13, Project Osiris
-65°F
0500 Hours
I showed up to work just barely on time. I hadn't slept at all⸺ not even with the lights. My mind had raced all night with the implications of what I had discussed with Linda. I kept my thoughts to myself, even though it would explain the virus. What I couldn't do was explain how to use the magic, or how to fix anybody infected by it.
“Hey Doc, did we ever get the autopsy photos of Castillo?”
“Allan, my boy. Call me Allan. I do believe we've discussed that a number of times.”
“Okay, Allan. Did we get autopsy photos?”
“Yes, I believe I did. Did I not share them?”
I took a deep breath in, making a conscious decision to not become frustrated with the crazy old mad scientist.
“No, you did not. Can I see them please? I wonder if those markings on Castillo had anything to do with his condition.”
“No, that cannot be. The autopsy said they were simply tattoos. Crude ones at that.”
“I'd still like to take a look, if possible.”
“Of course, lad. I'll have Denny send them to you from my electronic mail.”
“Thanks.”
I sat at the computer that had been brought in to replace my destroyed tower. I fished the tiny thumb drive out of my pocket and surreptitiously inserted it into an access port on the front of the tower. It didn't have any lights or any method to tell if it was active. A moment passed, then a window popped up on the desktop of the computer.
I started to navigate through the files. Several folders existed, mostly with gibberish names. Sometimes the window would freeze up and close, other times it led nowhere. I found a folder hidden deep that had my name attached. I opened it and found images of me. Some were from my military file, others clearly taken and cropped from the office tower. There was even an image of me having lunch with Linda. There was also a basic text file. It held a basic history of himself, as well as several concerning details.
---------------------------------------------------
Dossier: DeWisr, Dante. No middle initial.
5’10”, 220 pounds
[Redacted]
DeWisr was born to Harry and Regina DeWisr in 2000. Harry DeWisr retired two years later due to health effects from 9/11. Harry was a first responder to the Twin Towers attack. HD saved President [Redacted] from the rubble. He served with distinction. HD’s father served as well, and was in active in several campaigns, including [Redacted]. HD’s grandfather was present on Enola Gay during bombing run on August 6, 1945. The family has often been in the middle of pivotal moments of world history, without recognition.
Never married, no children. Has a cat and a dog. Appears to dote on them.
DeWisr served with distinction, if not high marks. He was better than average in anything he put his hand to but never excelled. He never showed initiative. An adequate Staff Sergeant. Terminal at E5. Entered intelligence from boot camp, however he did pursue additional firearms training. Did multiple tours in [Redacted] before permanent assignment to [Redacted] in [Redacted] Program.
After the military, DeWisr joined fellow Air Force veteran Reven, Jessamyn. Highly accomplished when properly motivated. Shows signs of growing close with fellow employee, Williams, Linda. On ‘Must Watch’ list. Potential candidate for [Redacted] Program.
---------------------------------------------------
I found myself wondering what the last program referenced was, and why certain details were redacted at all. I knew the earlier redacted program was Osiris, the very same program that had created the bunker I was living in. I did have a nice chuckle over the height and weight. The stats weren't accurate even before I had begun to change. I pondered over the short file and what it meant for me, even as I continued to explore the thumb drive.
I closed the text file and moved on. I found folders dedicated to several other personnel, including Larry and Jessie. There was even a file for Tracy. Interestingly, even her last name had been redacted from that file. I could see there were other folders and files, but most were so corrupted that the names were no longer readable.
I found several files that appeared to describe the inner workings of the reactor that had exploded in the bunker below the office tower. Many of the concepts seemed easy enough to grasp, but as soon as I felt I had learned one, it was gone. I found what appeared to be a diary, however large portions of it had been corrupted. The lack of useful information was an ongoing frustration in my life.
Some time after I had finished exploring the thumb drive, a ding sounded from the speakers connected to my computer. A notification popped up, informing me that I had mail. When I pulled it up, I found more than a dozen images attached to an email forwarded by Denny. There was a short message as well.
'Sorry these took so long. Computer doesn't like them much, but they don't crash like Tracy's room.'
I spent the rest of the morning looking at the autopsy photos of Castillo. Most of the time was spent looking at the tattoos that had covere
d his chest and upper arms. They had warped and distorted when he grew, having no chance to heal correctly as his skin stretched and tore during his transformation. Denny stopped by once to make sure I got the pictures, but otherwise left me alone. Even Allan left me to my research. When I broke for lunch, I grabbed my usual tray and sat in the hall, not paying attention to anything around me. Nobody approached or sat at the table I used.
After lunch, I returned to the lab for only a moment.
“Hey Allan, would you mind if I took the rest of the day? I'm working on a tough problem, and I think exercise will help me figure it out.”
“Of course! Do let me know if you make a breakthrough.” He said with a sly wink. I almost ignored it, then looked a second time. He was making very deliberate eye contact with me. I nodded, and he nodded back, before returning to the huddle with Denny and Karen.
I filed his strange behavior away, and made my way back to the storage cavern where my exercise equipment still hid. The light was off, but the door was cracked slightly. Something in the back of my mind screamed 'DANGER'. I nudged the door open with a foot, then leaned in just far enough to flick the light switch on the wall. The lights all turned on, banks glowing to life as the bulbs warmed.
“Nothing,” I started to say. Then a semi truck plowed into me.
“OOPH,” I gasped as I flew forward. I put my hands out to keep from smashing my face into the rapidly approaching shelves. The shelves screeched as the metal crumpled around my body. I extracted myself from the shattered shelf, shaking the dust and debris off. Then I turned to find what had hit me.
“You?”
“Me.”
“Velasquez, what the fuck are you doing? What the hell did you hit me with?”
He watched me for a moment before replying.
“Just me. You're not the only 'enhanced' person around here.” He flexed his arm lazily, making the muscle stand out against the uniform.
“What are you talking about?”
“I know you were there when Castillo died. I heard about the firefight, about your involvement.”
Darkness Trilogy (Book 2): Death In Darkness Page 12
