Bug Splat
Posted: 2002-12-10 04:24pm
Bug Splat
By Stevie Herron
Chapter 1
Dr. Donia stared intently at his instruments. He was close he could feel it. The nano-probes followed his commands and continued to alter the genetic structure of the insect.
As a boy Alf Donia had always been fascinated by bugs, like most male adolescents, but as he became a recognised scientist in genetics he became more aware of how incredible bugs where. He planned to alter their genetic structure to make them smarter, he planed to give them new abilities. The result would be the perfect undercover agent.
He wiped the sweat of his high fore-head, genetics was hard work. He added a bit more of the enhancing chemicals, and ran a new intelligence test. To his amazement the analyser pinged a positive. Donia had done it, he had achieved what even his government funders had never thought possible – He had given insect life human sentience.
Immediately Donia abandoned his equipment, eager to inform General Farrel, the man the president had sent to breathe down Donia’s neck. The US government, when they decided to back a project, wanted to be kept fully up to date even if that meant holding the project up.
Donia grasped the receiver in his shaking, liver spotted hand. Time had not been kind to Donia. He punched in the number of Farrel’s office.
“Hello General, Donia here, at Bug Central.”
General Farrel frowned just hearing the weedy Scientist’s voice, he though Donia’s work was a waste to time and money, money that could be spent developing soldiers and their weapons. Espionage was a skill Farrel hated, he preferred a straight up fight.
“Get on with it, Alf” he said irritably “I have an army to run you know”
“We have a go, I did it” said Donia with barely contained excitement”
“Good work Doctor, I’ll inform the president immediately”
With that Farrel hung up and sat back in his large chair slightly that hat egghead scientist, Donia, had proved everyone wrong. He mused on his anger for a minuet then picked up the phone and dialled the President’s number.
“Mr. President, Dr. Donia is just of the phone with me, he says all lights are green.”, said the general.
“Excellent, get over to the facility and keep a close watch on it. Tell Donia I want to see his report by the end of the week, and contact White over in intelligence, I want his projections on where we can use them best.” Drawled the president in his famous southern accent.
“Yes-Sir”
The President turned and looked outside his window and smiled, he wasn’t looking at the view, his inner eye was turned towards the future, a future that with the intervention of Donia’s bugs, was very very prosperous for America.
Chapter 2
Donia worked like a man possessed, here it was, his life’s work complete, His medium length white hair was in disarray and his lab coat was stained. He had to write up his report for President Sheridan. He had just proved himself right. Sheridan was a miserable old fart, he never wanted to sink the money into the Bug Project, but it was too much of a risk to take NOT to get involved.
Just at that moment General Farrel invaded the Lab. He stood a fine figure of a man, 6’5 and built like a Sherman tank his graying hair in a military crewcut. His uniform immaculate all the pins and ribbons gleaming, the complete opposite of Donia who hadn’t changed clothes in over a day, his brown trousers and white shirt, under his stained lab coat, were all wrinkled and sweaty. Donia looked like he hadn’t slept or shaved in a few days too. Farrel looked at the wretched man and wrinkled his nose in disgust, in his eyes Donia wasn’t a man, a trainee in his first day at military academy could best him with one hand. Farrel understood the need for other ways of battle but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
“So what have we got?” asked Farrel
“Everything I said I would give you” said Donia suppressing a cocky smile, “we have full sentience and the special abilities work”
“Show me”
Donia led the General over to a triple security door. Two soldiers carrying the latest weapon, the M-99, and wearing spider silk armor guarded each door. The M-99 had been invented in the year previous, it carried 9mm HE rounds and had a tendency to make quite a mess to organics while leaving property and equipment relatively undamaged, the prefect weapon for this kind of job. It was referred to by the soldiers who used it as a “splatter gun”.
Donia lead the General over to a viewing tank. The tank was a clear plastic cage, which looked like a hamster cage. In the hamster cage was an insect that looked like a cross between a hissing cockroach and a scarab beetle.
“This was our first subject we tried our nano-technology on, We achieved a basic intelligence in him but not enough to suit our purposes. But he is more than able to perform the take over function you requested.” Droned Donia.
“Let’s see it in action” said Farrel anxious to see blood.
Donia pressed a switch that opened a hatch and moved a rabbit up into the cage. The rabbit sniffed at the bug and backed off. In the blink of an eye the bug sprang into action. Almost faster than the eye could see the bug had leapt on the rabbit and disappeared into it’s ear canal. The Scientist and the General both watched at the rabbit started to convulse. Then the rabbit stopped moving and became very still
“See, General, my bug has invaded the body of the rabbit and taken over all it’s vital functions. The prefect espionage tool in your hands,”
“Impressive Doctor, but not worth much if it’s a dumb shit” said Farrell not betraying any kind of amazement, in fact he looked bored.
“But this was just the first attempt General,“ protested Donia. “Wait and see what else we have.”
They moved along to the next tank. It too contained a variant bug this time the bug was smaller and the Scarab-like Mandible more pronounced and sharper.
“This was our most promising subject for a time general” droned Donia “But due to an adverse reaction to the insert chemical name it became psychotic.
“Explain” demanded Farrel bluntly
“Ok, you asked for it.” Sighed Donia.
He his a few switches on the control board in front of the cage. This time two lizards were raised through the hatch on the bottom of the cage. Both lizards, Iguanas, began to hiss and back off from the vicious looking creature. Once again, almost faster than the eye could see the bug sprang into action. It leapt at one unfortunate iguana and burrowed deep into its hide. Farrel winced as he saw a large lump move from the iguana’s side up into its neck. With that the lizard started moving it’s eye’s rapidly, seemingly getting to grips with it’s new circumstances, it licked at the air and turned to look at the other iguana. It seemed to be sizing him up. The unconverted iguana took its eyes off the possessed iguana for just one second. In that once second the possessed iguana was on him, clawing, biting, whipping with it’s incredibly strong tail. In a second it was over. The dying iguana in danger of drowning in it’s own blood.
“See what I mean, a complete head case.” Said Donia
“Maybe so, but it has potential for the military. Just drop a few of these bugs behind enemy lines and he’ll wipe himself out.”
The general was beginning to like what he saw.
The third and final cage was much larger than the previous cages, in fact it was a 7foor by 7foot Plexiglas. In the cage there sat an Army private called Adair. Farrell noticed something wrong but couldn’t figure out what. The it hit him, the private had a large lump the size of a golf ball in the back of his neck. Farrell also noticed that the lump was pulsing.
“Where is the bug?” asked the General fearing that he knew the answer. He may have been a cold-blooded son of a bitch when it came to fighting the enemy, but he did care for the welfare of his men.
“I am ‘the bug’” came a sarcastic reply from Adair/Bug
“What can you tell me about this version of the bug Doctor, Donia” asked Farrel not taking his eyes of the Adair/Bug for one minute.
“Well for a start the first stage bug is a lot smaller than the previous incarnations. Chemical infusions using Nano-Tech has made it smarter than human normal. In it’s host stage, which you see before you, it not only has all its intelligence, but it has access to all of the hosts memories and it enhances the hosts physical abilities. Impressed?”
“Have you finished your report Doctor?”
“Yes it’s on my desk, waiting for you to take it to the government committee overseeing Project Bug”.
“I want to talk to Adair for a moment before go to your office”
“Be my guest” replied Donia stepping aside so what Farrel could speak to Adair/Bug through the grill.
“How do you feel soldier?” asked Farrell
“Strange sir,” replied the Adair/Bug “I feel so much stronger and my senses are more attuned”
“Do you feel any side-effects from the hosting?”
“My neck is a bit sensitive but that’s all”
Donia spoke up at that point, “The bug burrowed in through his neck and attached itself to his spinal cord. Sensitive is an understatement”
“Can you leave Adair’s body uh” stammered Farrel realising that the bug didn’t even have a name yet.
“Call me Zee” replied the Bug, “And yes I can leave Adair when ever I wish”
“Do you do any damage to the host as you leave him?”
“He might feel slightly disorientated and a bit weak, I stimulate his adrenal glad making him stronger as well as secreting a chemical that increase his stamina and natural physical abilities.”
“Excellent work Zee, and you to Adair if you can hear me. Now lets retire to you office Doctor Donia.”
Farrell followed Donia to the scientist’s office. The office was the very definition of its owner, smelly and messy. Papers and models of bugs cluttered the workspaces.
“Want a drink?” asked Donia “I think we have much to celebrate”
Under normal circumstances Farrell would never chose to drink with a man like Donia, but he was a bit shaken by what he had been shown and he needed to keep on Donia’s good side
“Sure” he said sitting back in the comfortable couch that Donia probably slept on. Donia poured the general and himself a large glass of Irish whiskey.
“To success” grinned Donia clinking glasses with Farrel, “you have to admit what you saw was impressive, was it not general”
“Call me Jim” said Farrel downing a large swallow of the burning liquid, “yes it was terrible and impressive. You have done well Alf, President Sheridan will be very pleased. You just guaranteed America her safety for years to come.”
Chapter 3
President Tom Sheridan sat at the head of the table in the brightly-lit conference room. Cigarette smoke drifted up to the lights and the bitter smell of stale coffee filled the air.
“Well there you have it gentlemen Alf Donia’s mad scheme has paid off.” Said Sheridan to the seven men at the table, Sheridan was a well renowned sexist and refused to appoint any woman to his Security Council “Now what can we do with it. Jim,” he said addressing General Farrell, “You’ve been baby sitting this project for us what do you think?”
“Well to he honest I don’t like the idea of bugs doing recon for my boys”
“Well would you rather more of your boys got chewed up and spat out by the enemy?” asked an agitated Keith White, the current head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Sheridan suppressed a smile, it was well know that White and Farrell hated each other, as it was known Farrell hated the project mainly because Keith White backed the project.
“Let Jim finish, Keith, you’ll get your turn to comment” said Sheridan acting as mediator as he had so often in that past. “Go on Jim”
“Well as I was saying I’m not sure I trust these bugs enough to let them do active recon for the Army. And on a personal note, you saw my report on the Adair/Zee hosting. Using one of my boys like that gets up my craw.”
“Oh so you’re the only one who’s allowed to use ‘your boys’ like meat?” asked White sarcastically.
“Ok Keith your turn,” said Sheridan gesturing a hand towards White.
“Well, sir, what you have here is the perfect secret agent. You drop bugs near an enemy after telling it who to possess you will get the ultimate double agent. The bug will have complete access to the hosts memories, as such we can cultivate double agents with minimal expense”
“Only if you minus the $500,000,000 this project cost in the first place” Interrupted General Farrell
“ENOUGH!!!” bellowed Sheridan as he slammed his hand on the table. “I will not have petty bickering in my presence. If you wanted to bicker pointlessly you should have joined the Democrats”
“As I was saying, “ continued White, “These bugs are going to give me agents in all the hardest to reach places. We can drop a bug anywhere and we will have ready agents. Never again will we be caught off guard the way we were during the Middle East Crisis of five years ago” he said referring to when Islamic extremists had infiltrated the US Nuclear Weapons program and stolen the plans of how to build a class 5 Nuclear bomb, a new kind of atomic bomb, more powerful yet without the fallout. It was only thwarted when they trouble truing to purchase weapons grade plutonium. But the still managed to get copies of the plans to every other terrorist group in the world, or so it seemed. To this day CIA operation devoted a large portion of its resources to the capture of these terrorist cells. “If we had have been able to use the bugs as part of the vetting procedure then we would have caught these bastards before they got the job in the program.”
“But how do we make sure these bugs stay loyal to us?” Asked Sheridan.
“Well according to my conversations with Dr. Donia, he has introduced chemical brainwashing to the bugs. They will be fanatically loyal to us and in the event the bug does slip the programming then its brain will release a neuro-toxin with will kill it and the host it inhabits.
“Ok we will go with it provisionally for now, General Farrel begin moving more of you troops and government scientists into the operation. Within a week I want this project to b in sole US Government hands. They last thing we need is the nappy heads to get wind of what we are up to.” Said Sheridan drawing the meeting to a close.
Outside the conference room Farrell spoke quietly to Sheridan,
“Donia won’t like being forced out of this program, I anticipate trouble from him if we go on without him.”
“Fuck him,” replied Sheridan bluntly “If he gives you any trouble shoot him, in the interests of national security of course.” He added with a grin.
“What will I tell Donia when he asks how the meeting went?” asked Farrell
“Just tell him all is peachy and that he has a green light to begin production of the final specimen. Tell him we are assigning him a special assistant from the White House, who is to be he new shadow, while this is happening re-assign the other staff and replace them with Military Scientists. “
“What do you want done with the civilian scientists, sir”
Sheridan gave him that look Farrell knew so well. “Accidents happen all the time, See that no-one ever finds out”
Chapter 4
“What do you mean an ‘observer’?” asked Donia slightly distraught
“Well Alf, it’s just that this is a big project and the President wants his top people on it. This project means a lot to our national security. We thought you would be grateful for some extra hands around the lab.” Protested Farrell.
“Extra hands yeah, but not hands to take this project away from me. I’ve worked too heard on this to let some asshole from Washington take away my life’s work.” Raged Donia, barely keeping the anger out of his voice. Farrel considered drawing his sidearm and shooting him then and there, but he couldn’t there was still too much that only Donia knew.
“I understand your concerns, and I sympathise, Doctor. But I think you fail to see the position you are in. This project is a US Government Black Ops Project. This observer is coming here to keep a close watch on the project.”
“I thought that was YOUR job General” sneered Donia, “What’s wrong Jim, are you getting replaced?”
The General was prepared to concede this battle, in the end he would win the war.
“What can I say Dr. Donia. Maybe that’s exactly it” said the general with mock resignation, “I am being moved aside to looking after your staff. President Sheridan wants you to concentrate solely on the matters of science and for you to leave the administration up to me.
“Fine,” replied Donia brining the conversation to an end. “If you’ll excuse me I have experiments to conduct”
Farrell nodded and left the office-come-lab, ‘His arrogance will be his ending’ mused Farrell as he moved to his own office. He himself had plans, he had to make the thirty scientists of this facility disappear. The President had said himself that accidents happen. In the next seven paces he had his plan set.
***
“Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it, we are moving you all to a more secure better equipped facility.” Said General Farrell addressing the gathered scientists in the lunch hall. Please gather in the parking lot in 15 minutes, we will have movers gather your notes and things and when you get to your new facility you can continue your vital work. Ok people lets haul ass.”
The scientists jumped up from the gathered chairs and moved off muttering to each other in excited voices.
“New even more advanced equipment? I though this place had the best there is” muttered a few of them.
“Scientists can be like children at times” mused Farrell “especially when you offer them a new toy”. These people were meant to be bright but the can be lied to so easily.
The thirty scientists sat in the US Army buses and excitedly chattered among each other. This was unexpected. The bus was soon underway. Some scientists questioned soldiers about their cars and other belongings. But were always answered with the rhetoric that they would be able to deal with that when they got settled in at the new facility.
The new lab was only 50 miles from the one but it seemed smaller. Farrel explained the size by saying that most of the facility was underground. This seemed to satisfy the group. Farrell led them into a small dome shaped room, which seemed to be all there was of the facility, He exited through the other door and both doors bolted shut after he was out.
“What is the meaning of this!” cried Atkens, Donia’s former Lab assistant, “We have important work to do”
“Yeah you do, you can die” replied Farrell from behind the clear glass door.
The scientists began to panic and banged on the cold metal walls and the clear-steel of the door’s. At that moment ten holes evenly spaced in the walls opened with barrels of Splatter Guns Protruding. The scientists barely had time to scream as the weapons viciously opened fire on the terrified scientists. Blood and bone flew everywhere as the 9mm HE rounds exploded into the thirty amassed scientists. In a few moments it was all over as the guns ran out of ammunition. As the smoke cleared Farrell looked inside the room. Nobody remained alive. He opened the door of the killing room and made a closer inspection. One man whimpered, it was Atkens.
He looked up at Farrell and whispered
“Why?”
Farrell regarded him coldly and replied
“Because you egg head fuckers are what is wrong with America. All brains and no balls. That’s why!” He shouted at Atkens. With that he drew his side arm, an old classic Berretta 9mm, placed it against Atkens forehead and pulled the trigger.
Farrell walked out of the killing room and pressed the switch. He watched impassively as the floor split apart and the bodies fell into the incinerator.
He stalked over to his Captain, Hobbs,
“Ok now get rid of their belongings in the lab. I want those labs and offices pristine by the time the new science team arrives tomorrow at 06:30.
“Yes Sir!” said Captain Hobbs with a precision salute.
“Carry on then Captain” replied Farrell with something that looked like a halfhearted swipe at a fly. Farrell about-faced and walked off to his Humvee. He had to visit White in CIA HQ, there was a matter of the thirty scientists that had to have never existed.
Chapter 5
For Donia the following months passed in a blur. He had vital work to do. His plan was to become so vital that Farrell couldn’t find grounds to replace him. He worked with his new ‘shadow’. A pretty young scientist named Julie Cox. Donia began to fall for Julie. Little did he know Julie only tolerated him to gain access to his knowledge.
“His vanity will be his undoing” observed Julie in her daily meeting with Farrell. “For a man of intelligence he is so easily manipulated. Soon I will have seen everything I needed to see.”
“Good work Doctor. Cox” replied Farrell. “Keep observing him. You are doing well. Keep his hopes alive by showing vague interest. Drain him dry of knowledge.”
Just at that moment Donia burst through the door of Farrell’s office
“What is the meaning of this? What happened to my scientists?” he screamed.
“Calm yourself, Doctor. President Sheridan wanted me to get you the best people for the job. Like Julie here. She is the best at what she does.” Replied Farrell looking knowingly at Cox.
“Yeah Alf,” she purred “Don’t you want the best people on your team”
Donia flushed embarrassed.
“Well. Un. I mean I wish you had consulted with me before you took away the majority of my staff.” Stammered Donia, angry with himself that he had looked a fool in front of the delightful Julie Cox.
“I can assure you that the people I have brought in to replace the original scientists are more than capable of the job in hand.” soothed Farrell.
“You are too important to be dealing with silly administration Alf” said Julie, flashing him a look with her bright blue eyes. “Now lets go back to our lab and continue our work, I want you to show me what glands the nano-probes stimulate to increase the bugs strength.” With that she took Donia by the arm and led him back to their, now shared, lab.
As they walked down the corridor they talked about the various methods for modifying the bugs. Julie let Donia do most of the talking content to become even more knowledgeable about the procedure.
***
Donia whistled happily as he walked down the corridor to his office, today he had a plan. He would ask Julie out to dinner. As he neared the office he heard laughing, a male and a female, then he heard talking. It was lovely Julie and Farrell
“He actually thinks he has a chance with me” he heard Julie laugh. “As if I’d ever screw a geek like him.”
Farrell replied with a scornful snort. “That egg head is so wrapped up in himself to even see that we’ve been stringing him along. How soon till you know as much about the operation as he does?”
“I already know all we need Jim. In his desire to win me over told me every thing, including a few things that aren’t in his records.” Replied Julie still with a measure of scorn in her voice.
Donia fled down the corridor. This was his life’s work how dare they do this to him. He had been loyal, he had done all that was asked of him, and how could sweet lovely Julie really be a cold faced bitch. This was more than he could take. He bolted in to a restroom and tried to compose himself. He knew what he had to do.
After washing the tears away from his face he strode purposefully towards the holding pens. He carded himself through each checkpoint and endured the physical scanners, enduring false greetings from Farrell’s puppets. Soon he approached the pen holding Zee, his ultimate creation.
Zee had left the body of Adair just after the testing had finished, he had said he thought Adair a poor host. He wanted a host with more brains and less brawn since he had enough brawn to make any host stronger than human norm. Hearing this the General had ordered that no more hosts be provided.
Donia approached the entrance to the transparent prison. Both guards pointed their splatter guns at him and told him to halt.
“Farrell wants to see you two at once,” said Donia trying to put as much command as he could in his voice, “Something about napping during shifts”
“Aw shit, this is your fault, Douglas.” Cried a grief stricken private.
Both men stalked off in a quick march. As soon as they were outta sight Donia carded himself in to the cell. He looked over and saw the bug that called itself Zee.
“We’re screwed Zee,” mumbled Donia. “We’ve been manipulated and used from the start, fucking government. Well this is how it’s gonna be now”
With that he dropped to his knees in front of Zee and offered his bare arm to the bug. The bug leapt up to the out stretched arm and buried itself into the arm. Donia felt an excruciating pain beyond anything he had ever felt in his life, beyond any thing he imagined. He grinned despite the pain. He knew he had won. With his inner eye he could see Zee travelling up his arm and latching onto the spinal column. He could see little tendrils expanding from the armoured shell of Zee and latching on to his vital systems. In a heart beat it was over. Alf Donia and Zee were one being.
Chapter 6
The two soldiers came into General Farrel’s office at a brisk pace,
“Reporting Sir,” said Private Douglas.
“What do you mean ‘reporting’” questioned Farrell looking slightly annoyed that he had been interrupted from his talk with Doctor. Cox
“Sir, Doctor Donia Said that you wanted to see us, Sir”
The General thought for a moment then sprang into action,
“All units haul ass over to containment cage 1. On the double!” he bellowed into a Com unit. “If you see Doctor Donia Shoot him in the legs to disable him. Do not, repeat do not kill him.”
Klaxons began to sound as the base went into lock down. Emergency lights flicked on basking the corridors in a crimson light. Blast doors began to seal. Off duty soldiers assembled at the armoury to receive their weapons and armour. Hundreds of boots clanked on metal.
Else where in the complex Donia/Zee was hard at work. He had emerged from the Cell and moved towards the central control room. On his way he encountered unarmed military scientists. They knew what had happened and backed away in fear. They were no worry to Donia/Zee, only the soldiers posed a threat to him. Soon he had arrived at the entrance to the control room. Two soldiers on guard began to unsling their splatter guns and shoot him. Before the weapons could be even aimed Donia was on them faster than humanly possible, but Donia was human no longer, he was so much more. He placed a hand on each of the soldiers throats and squeezed snapping each soldiers neck like twigs.
The control room was a frenzy of panic. Technicians moved around trying to co-ordinate the movement of the troops with the attempt to seal the facility. No-one even noticed Donia/Zee enter. In a blur of motion Donia was upon them, snapping necks, rupturing organs with a flurry of blows, in a matter of seconds the 12 technicians lay dead at his feet. He moved over to the central console, after all he did have a purpose here. He sat down in the chair and began to punch keys. A red light flashed on the screen, saying “Warning this action will open all holding cages, enter access code to continue action”. Donia grinned and entered his code. An automated warning began to broadcast. “Alert, alert, bio-contamination in progress.”
Farrell began to panic, this wasn’t supposed to happen, too many safe guards were in place. All of a sudden it hit him, that bastard Donia had let the other bugs loose. Farrel broke off from the main body of men, he had to get out of her, he had to warn the President. The called his Captain over and gave him his orders
“Gain control of central> Kill Donia and any other person who has been possessed we can’t afford any of the bugs to get out of here. Do what you have to do Captain, I have complete faith in you.” Cried Farrell over the din of the various warning klaxons.
Hobbs, a man of few words, merely nodded. He was a good soldier and he knew his duty.
Farrell ignored all pretence of military protocol and sped down the corridor. Over the comm link he could hear his men screaming as the insects took over his men making his men’s bodies their own. He saw Julie Cox emerging from her office.
“Get outta here Julie” cried Farrell to her,
“What’s happening”
“That bastard Donia has decided to take over. The bugs are lose this project is a loss. Get outta here we need you alive.”
Farrell’s men were putting up a defence but there was little the battle hardened soldiers could do against highly intelligent bugs. Soldiers were possessed easily. In retaliation soldiers opened fire on their former friends destroying bodies beyond repair, but everytime that happened the bugs immediately fled the body to find a new host. Soon the soldiers were overwhelmed.
Farrell and Cox approached the emergency exit. Farrell punched his override code and the door sprang open. Just the Farrell heard movement and he spun round readying his rifle in one swift motion. Coming towards him he saw five of his own soldiers, all five had slight bulges on their necks. Farrell opened fire without thinking and was satisfied to see the bodied drop to the floor.
“Come on Julie, lets get outta here” he said with a tone of regret.
“Yeah Jim we need to report to the President Sheridan just what happened.”
The two survivors ran over to Farrell’s humvee and drove off.
In project central Donia/Zee looked at the screens and grinned. All had gone to plan, Bug Central was all his. Dead bodies lay all over the corridors. All but 50 of the facilities 300 staff had died, the remaining 50 were inhabited by others of Zee’s species. Donia keyed the internal P.A.
“Ok all staff assemble in the Generals conference room.”
He moved off himself towards the Generals office.
At the conference the fifty staff members gathered. They spoke to each other excited to be in actual bodies beyond their normal size. They began to cheer as Donia/Zee entered the room.
“Ok” began Donia, “We have been planning this for a long time, those government assholes were gonna sell Donia out and use us as petty spies. Well I tell ya this, we weren’t gonna take it. I have been communicating with you all for a month now. This was the plan and it worked damn well. Now we have another problem. Cox and Farrell got out. I was planning to get two of you to inhabit them and get close to the President and bring him to our fold. Now we’re gonna have to do things the hard way. The humans will be back, and they are gonna try and destroy us. We need to be ready. Lets get to work.”
The assembled group jumped to their feet and began preparations for the upcoming invasion. Donia stood as calm as the eye of a storm as the defence began.
By Stevie Herron
Chapter 1
Dr. Donia stared intently at his instruments. He was close he could feel it. The nano-probes followed his commands and continued to alter the genetic structure of the insect.
As a boy Alf Donia had always been fascinated by bugs, like most male adolescents, but as he became a recognised scientist in genetics he became more aware of how incredible bugs where. He planned to alter their genetic structure to make them smarter, he planed to give them new abilities. The result would be the perfect undercover agent.
He wiped the sweat of his high fore-head, genetics was hard work. He added a bit more of the enhancing chemicals, and ran a new intelligence test. To his amazement the analyser pinged a positive. Donia had done it, he had achieved what even his government funders had never thought possible – He had given insect life human sentience.
Immediately Donia abandoned his equipment, eager to inform General Farrel, the man the president had sent to breathe down Donia’s neck. The US government, when they decided to back a project, wanted to be kept fully up to date even if that meant holding the project up.
Donia grasped the receiver in his shaking, liver spotted hand. Time had not been kind to Donia. He punched in the number of Farrel’s office.
“Hello General, Donia here, at Bug Central.”
General Farrel frowned just hearing the weedy Scientist’s voice, he though Donia’s work was a waste to time and money, money that could be spent developing soldiers and their weapons. Espionage was a skill Farrel hated, he preferred a straight up fight.
“Get on with it, Alf” he said irritably “I have an army to run you know”
“We have a go, I did it” said Donia with barely contained excitement”
“Good work Doctor, I’ll inform the president immediately”
With that Farrel hung up and sat back in his large chair slightly that hat egghead scientist, Donia, had proved everyone wrong. He mused on his anger for a minuet then picked up the phone and dialled the President’s number.
“Mr. President, Dr. Donia is just of the phone with me, he says all lights are green.”, said the general.
“Excellent, get over to the facility and keep a close watch on it. Tell Donia I want to see his report by the end of the week, and contact White over in intelligence, I want his projections on where we can use them best.” Drawled the president in his famous southern accent.
“Yes-Sir”
The President turned and looked outside his window and smiled, he wasn’t looking at the view, his inner eye was turned towards the future, a future that with the intervention of Donia’s bugs, was very very prosperous for America.
Chapter 2
Donia worked like a man possessed, here it was, his life’s work complete, His medium length white hair was in disarray and his lab coat was stained. He had to write up his report for President Sheridan. He had just proved himself right. Sheridan was a miserable old fart, he never wanted to sink the money into the Bug Project, but it was too much of a risk to take NOT to get involved.
Just at that moment General Farrel invaded the Lab. He stood a fine figure of a man, 6’5 and built like a Sherman tank his graying hair in a military crewcut. His uniform immaculate all the pins and ribbons gleaming, the complete opposite of Donia who hadn’t changed clothes in over a day, his brown trousers and white shirt, under his stained lab coat, were all wrinkled and sweaty. Donia looked like he hadn’t slept or shaved in a few days too. Farrel looked at the wretched man and wrinkled his nose in disgust, in his eyes Donia wasn’t a man, a trainee in his first day at military academy could best him with one hand. Farrel understood the need for other ways of battle but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
“So what have we got?” asked Farrel
“Everything I said I would give you” said Donia suppressing a cocky smile, “we have full sentience and the special abilities work”
“Show me”
Donia led the General over to a triple security door. Two soldiers carrying the latest weapon, the M-99, and wearing spider silk armor guarded each door. The M-99 had been invented in the year previous, it carried 9mm HE rounds and had a tendency to make quite a mess to organics while leaving property and equipment relatively undamaged, the prefect weapon for this kind of job. It was referred to by the soldiers who used it as a “splatter gun”.
Donia lead the General over to a viewing tank. The tank was a clear plastic cage, which looked like a hamster cage. In the hamster cage was an insect that looked like a cross between a hissing cockroach and a scarab beetle.
“This was our first subject we tried our nano-technology on, We achieved a basic intelligence in him but not enough to suit our purposes. But he is more than able to perform the take over function you requested.” Droned Donia.
“Let’s see it in action” said Farrel anxious to see blood.
Donia pressed a switch that opened a hatch and moved a rabbit up into the cage. The rabbit sniffed at the bug and backed off. In the blink of an eye the bug sprang into action. Almost faster than the eye could see the bug had leapt on the rabbit and disappeared into it’s ear canal. The Scientist and the General both watched at the rabbit started to convulse. Then the rabbit stopped moving and became very still
“See, General, my bug has invaded the body of the rabbit and taken over all it’s vital functions. The prefect espionage tool in your hands,”
“Impressive Doctor, but not worth much if it’s a dumb shit” said Farrell not betraying any kind of amazement, in fact he looked bored.
“But this was just the first attempt General,“ protested Donia. “Wait and see what else we have.”
They moved along to the next tank. It too contained a variant bug this time the bug was smaller and the Scarab-like Mandible more pronounced and sharper.
“This was our most promising subject for a time general” droned Donia “But due to an adverse reaction to the insert chemical name it became psychotic.
“Explain” demanded Farrel bluntly
“Ok, you asked for it.” Sighed Donia.
He his a few switches on the control board in front of the cage. This time two lizards were raised through the hatch on the bottom of the cage. Both lizards, Iguanas, began to hiss and back off from the vicious looking creature. Once again, almost faster than the eye could see the bug sprang into action. It leapt at one unfortunate iguana and burrowed deep into its hide. Farrel winced as he saw a large lump move from the iguana’s side up into its neck. With that the lizard started moving it’s eye’s rapidly, seemingly getting to grips with it’s new circumstances, it licked at the air and turned to look at the other iguana. It seemed to be sizing him up. The unconverted iguana took its eyes off the possessed iguana for just one second. In that once second the possessed iguana was on him, clawing, biting, whipping with it’s incredibly strong tail. In a second it was over. The dying iguana in danger of drowning in it’s own blood.
“See what I mean, a complete head case.” Said Donia
“Maybe so, but it has potential for the military. Just drop a few of these bugs behind enemy lines and he’ll wipe himself out.”
The general was beginning to like what he saw.
The third and final cage was much larger than the previous cages, in fact it was a 7foor by 7foot Plexiglas. In the cage there sat an Army private called Adair. Farrell noticed something wrong but couldn’t figure out what. The it hit him, the private had a large lump the size of a golf ball in the back of his neck. Farrell also noticed that the lump was pulsing.
“Where is the bug?” asked the General fearing that he knew the answer. He may have been a cold-blooded son of a bitch when it came to fighting the enemy, but he did care for the welfare of his men.
“I am ‘the bug’” came a sarcastic reply from Adair/Bug
“What can you tell me about this version of the bug Doctor, Donia” asked Farrel not taking his eyes of the Adair/Bug for one minute.
“Well for a start the first stage bug is a lot smaller than the previous incarnations. Chemical infusions using Nano-Tech has made it smarter than human normal. In it’s host stage, which you see before you, it not only has all its intelligence, but it has access to all of the hosts memories and it enhances the hosts physical abilities. Impressed?”
“Have you finished your report Doctor?”
“Yes it’s on my desk, waiting for you to take it to the government committee overseeing Project Bug”.
“I want to talk to Adair for a moment before go to your office”
“Be my guest” replied Donia stepping aside so what Farrel could speak to Adair/Bug through the grill.
“How do you feel soldier?” asked Farrell
“Strange sir,” replied the Adair/Bug “I feel so much stronger and my senses are more attuned”
“Do you feel any side-effects from the hosting?”
“My neck is a bit sensitive but that’s all”
Donia spoke up at that point, “The bug burrowed in through his neck and attached itself to his spinal cord. Sensitive is an understatement”
“Can you leave Adair’s body uh” stammered Farrel realising that the bug didn’t even have a name yet.
“Call me Zee” replied the Bug, “And yes I can leave Adair when ever I wish”
“Do you do any damage to the host as you leave him?”
“He might feel slightly disorientated and a bit weak, I stimulate his adrenal glad making him stronger as well as secreting a chemical that increase his stamina and natural physical abilities.”
“Excellent work Zee, and you to Adair if you can hear me. Now lets retire to you office Doctor Donia.”
Farrell followed Donia to the scientist’s office. The office was the very definition of its owner, smelly and messy. Papers and models of bugs cluttered the workspaces.
“Want a drink?” asked Donia “I think we have much to celebrate”
Under normal circumstances Farrell would never chose to drink with a man like Donia, but he was a bit shaken by what he had been shown and he needed to keep on Donia’s good side
“Sure” he said sitting back in the comfortable couch that Donia probably slept on. Donia poured the general and himself a large glass of Irish whiskey.
“To success” grinned Donia clinking glasses with Farrel, “you have to admit what you saw was impressive, was it not general”
“Call me Jim” said Farrel downing a large swallow of the burning liquid, “yes it was terrible and impressive. You have done well Alf, President Sheridan will be very pleased. You just guaranteed America her safety for years to come.”
Chapter 3
President Tom Sheridan sat at the head of the table in the brightly-lit conference room. Cigarette smoke drifted up to the lights and the bitter smell of stale coffee filled the air.
“Well there you have it gentlemen Alf Donia’s mad scheme has paid off.” Said Sheridan to the seven men at the table, Sheridan was a well renowned sexist and refused to appoint any woman to his Security Council “Now what can we do with it. Jim,” he said addressing General Farrell, “You’ve been baby sitting this project for us what do you think?”
“Well to he honest I don’t like the idea of bugs doing recon for my boys”
“Well would you rather more of your boys got chewed up and spat out by the enemy?” asked an agitated Keith White, the current head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Sheridan suppressed a smile, it was well know that White and Farrell hated each other, as it was known Farrell hated the project mainly because Keith White backed the project.
“Let Jim finish, Keith, you’ll get your turn to comment” said Sheridan acting as mediator as he had so often in that past. “Go on Jim”
“Well as I was saying I’m not sure I trust these bugs enough to let them do active recon for the Army. And on a personal note, you saw my report on the Adair/Zee hosting. Using one of my boys like that gets up my craw.”
“Oh so you’re the only one who’s allowed to use ‘your boys’ like meat?” asked White sarcastically.
“Ok Keith your turn,” said Sheridan gesturing a hand towards White.
“Well, sir, what you have here is the perfect secret agent. You drop bugs near an enemy after telling it who to possess you will get the ultimate double agent. The bug will have complete access to the hosts memories, as such we can cultivate double agents with minimal expense”
“Only if you minus the $500,000,000 this project cost in the first place” Interrupted General Farrell
“ENOUGH!!!” bellowed Sheridan as he slammed his hand on the table. “I will not have petty bickering in my presence. If you wanted to bicker pointlessly you should have joined the Democrats”
“As I was saying, “ continued White, “These bugs are going to give me agents in all the hardest to reach places. We can drop a bug anywhere and we will have ready agents. Never again will we be caught off guard the way we were during the Middle East Crisis of five years ago” he said referring to when Islamic extremists had infiltrated the US Nuclear Weapons program and stolen the plans of how to build a class 5 Nuclear bomb, a new kind of atomic bomb, more powerful yet without the fallout. It was only thwarted when they trouble truing to purchase weapons grade plutonium. But the still managed to get copies of the plans to every other terrorist group in the world, or so it seemed. To this day CIA operation devoted a large portion of its resources to the capture of these terrorist cells. “If we had have been able to use the bugs as part of the vetting procedure then we would have caught these bastards before they got the job in the program.”
“But how do we make sure these bugs stay loyal to us?” Asked Sheridan.
“Well according to my conversations with Dr. Donia, he has introduced chemical brainwashing to the bugs. They will be fanatically loyal to us and in the event the bug does slip the programming then its brain will release a neuro-toxin with will kill it and the host it inhabits.
“Ok we will go with it provisionally for now, General Farrel begin moving more of you troops and government scientists into the operation. Within a week I want this project to b in sole US Government hands. They last thing we need is the nappy heads to get wind of what we are up to.” Said Sheridan drawing the meeting to a close.
Outside the conference room Farrell spoke quietly to Sheridan,
“Donia won’t like being forced out of this program, I anticipate trouble from him if we go on without him.”
“Fuck him,” replied Sheridan bluntly “If he gives you any trouble shoot him, in the interests of national security of course.” He added with a grin.
“What will I tell Donia when he asks how the meeting went?” asked Farrell
“Just tell him all is peachy and that he has a green light to begin production of the final specimen. Tell him we are assigning him a special assistant from the White House, who is to be he new shadow, while this is happening re-assign the other staff and replace them with Military Scientists. “
“What do you want done with the civilian scientists, sir”
Sheridan gave him that look Farrell knew so well. “Accidents happen all the time, See that no-one ever finds out”
Chapter 4
“What do you mean an ‘observer’?” asked Donia slightly distraught
“Well Alf, it’s just that this is a big project and the President wants his top people on it. This project means a lot to our national security. We thought you would be grateful for some extra hands around the lab.” Protested Farrell.
“Extra hands yeah, but not hands to take this project away from me. I’ve worked too heard on this to let some asshole from Washington take away my life’s work.” Raged Donia, barely keeping the anger out of his voice. Farrel considered drawing his sidearm and shooting him then and there, but he couldn’t there was still too much that only Donia knew.
“I understand your concerns, and I sympathise, Doctor. But I think you fail to see the position you are in. This project is a US Government Black Ops Project. This observer is coming here to keep a close watch on the project.”
“I thought that was YOUR job General” sneered Donia, “What’s wrong Jim, are you getting replaced?”
The General was prepared to concede this battle, in the end he would win the war.
“What can I say Dr. Donia. Maybe that’s exactly it” said the general with mock resignation, “I am being moved aside to looking after your staff. President Sheridan wants you to concentrate solely on the matters of science and for you to leave the administration up to me.
“Fine,” replied Donia brining the conversation to an end. “If you’ll excuse me I have experiments to conduct”
Farrell nodded and left the office-come-lab, ‘His arrogance will be his ending’ mused Farrell as he moved to his own office. He himself had plans, he had to make the thirty scientists of this facility disappear. The President had said himself that accidents happen. In the next seven paces he had his plan set.
***
“Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it, we are moving you all to a more secure better equipped facility.” Said General Farrell addressing the gathered scientists in the lunch hall. Please gather in the parking lot in 15 minutes, we will have movers gather your notes and things and when you get to your new facility you can continue your vital work. Ok people lets haul ass.”
The scientists jumped up from the gathered chairs and moved off muttering to each other in excited voices.
“New even more advanced equipment? I though this place had the best there is” muttered a few of them.
“Scientists can be like children at times” mused Farrell “especially when you offer them a new toy”. These people were meant to be bright but the can be lied to so easily.
The thirty scientists sat in the US Army buses and excitedly chattered among each other. This was unexpected. The bus was soon underway. Some scientists questioned soldiers about their cars and other belongings. But were always answered with the rhetoric that they would be able to deal with that when they got settled in at the new facility.
The new lab was only 50 miles from the one but it seemed smaller. Farrel explained the size by saying that most of the facility was underground. This seemed to satisfy the group. Farrell led them into a small dome shaped room, which seemed to be all there was of the facility, He exited through the other door and both doors bolted shut after he was out.
“What is the meaning of this!” cried Atkens, Donia’s former Lab assistant, “We have important work to do”
“Yeah you do, you can die” replied Farrell from behind the clear glass door.
The scientists began to panic and banged on the cold metal walls and the clear-steel of the door’s. At that moment ten holes evenly spaced in the walls opened with barrels of Splatter Guns Protruding. The scientists barely had time to scream as the weapons viciously opened fire on the terrified scientists. Blood and bone flew everywhere as the 9mm HE rounds exploded into the thirty amassed scientists. In a few moments it was all over as the guns ran out of ammunition. As the smoke cleared Farrell looked inside the room. Nobody remained alive. He opened the door of the killing room and made a closer inspection. One man whimpered, it was Atkens.
He looked up at Farrell and whispered
“Why?”
Farrell regarded him coldly and replied
“Because you egg head fuckers are what is wrong with America. All brains and no balls. That’s why!” He shouted at Atkens. With that he drew his side arm, an old classic Berretta 9mm, placed it against Atkens forehead and pulled the trigger.
Farrell walked out of the killing room and pressed the switch. He watched impassively as the floor split apart and the bodies fell into the incinerator.
He stalked over to his Captain, Hobbs,
“Ok now get rid of their belongings in the lab. I want those labs and offices pristine by the time the new science team arrives tomorrow at 06:30.
“Yes Sir!” said Captain Hobbs with a precision salute.
“Carry on then Captain” replied Farrell with something that looked like a halfhearted swipe at a fly. Farrell about-faced and walked off to his Humvee. He had to visit White in CIA HQ, there was a matter of the thirty scientists that had to have never existed.
Chapter 5
For Donia the following months passed in a blur. He had vital work to do. His plan was to become so vital that Farrell couldn’t find grounds to replace him. He worked with his new ‘shadow’. A pretty young scientist named Julie Cox. Donia began to fall for Julie. Little did he know Julie only tolerated him to gain access to his knowledge.
“His vanity will be his undoing” observed Julie in her daily meeting with Farrell. “For a man of intelligence he is so easily manipulated. Soon I will have seen everything I needed to see.”
“Good work Doctor. Cox” replied Farrell. “Keep observing him. You are doing well. Keep his hopes alive by showing vague interest. Drain him dry of knowledge.”
Just at that moment Donia burst through the door of Farrell’s office
“What is the meaning of this? What happened to my scientists?” he screamed.
“Calm yourself, Doctor. President Sheridan wanted me to get you the best people for the job. Like Julie here. She is the best at what she does.” Replied Farrell looking knowingly at Cox.
“Yeah Alf,” she purred “Don’t you want the best people on your team”
Donia flushed embarrassed.
“Well. Un. I mean I wish you had consulted with me before you took away the majority of my staff.” Stammered Donia, angry with himself that he had looked a fool in front of the delightful Julie Cox.
“I can assure you that the people I have brought in to replace the original scientists are more than capable of the job in hand.” soothed Farrell.
“You are too important to be dealing with silly administration Alf” said Julie, flashing him a look with her bright blue eyes. “Now lets go back to our lab and continue our work, I want you to show me what glands the nano-probes stimulate to increase the bugs strength.” With that she took Donia by the arm and led him back to their, now shared, lab.
As they walked down the corridor they talked about the various methods for modifying the bugs. Julie let Donia do most of the talking content to become even more knowledgeable about the procedure.
***
Donia whistled happily as he walked down the corridor to his office, today he had a plan. He would ask Julie out to dinner. As he neared the office he heard laughing, a male and a female, then he heard talking. It was lovely Julie and Farrell
“He actually thinks he has a chance with me” he heard Julie laugh. “As if I’d ever screw a geek like him.”
Farrell replied with a scornful snort. “That egg head is so wrapped up in himself to even see that we’ve been stringing him along. How soon till you know as much about the operation as he does?”
“I already know all we need Jim. In his desire to win me over told me every thing, including a few things that aren’t in his records.” Replied Julie still with a measure of scorn in her voice.
Donia fled down the corridor. This was his life’s work how dare they do this to him. He had been loyal, he had done all that was asked of him, and how could sweet lovely Julie really be a cold faced bitch. This was more than he could take. He bolted in to a restroom and tried to compose himself. He knew what he had to do.
After washing the tears away from his face he strode purposefully towards the holding pens. He carded himself through each checkpoint and endured the physical scanners, enduring false greetings from Farrell’s puppets. Soon he approached the pen holding Zee, his ultimate creation.
Zee had left the body of Adair just after the testing had finished, he had said he thought Adair a poor host. He wanted a host with more brains and less brawn since he had enough brawn to make any host stronger than human norm. Hearing this the General had ordered that no more hosts be provided.
Donia approached the entrance to the transparent prison. Both guards pointed their splatter guns at him and told him to halt.
“Farrell wants to see you two at once,” said Donia trying to put as much command as he could in his voice, “Something about napping during shifts”
“Aw shit, this is your fault, Douglas.” Cried a grief stricken private.
Both men stalked off in a quick march. As soon as they were outta sight Donia carded himself in to the cell. He looked over and saw the bug that called itself Zee.
“We’re screwed Zee,” mumbled Donia. “We’ve been manipulated and used from the start, fucking government. Well this is how it’s gonna be now”
With that he dropped to his knees in front of Zee and offered his bare arm to the bug. The bug leapt up to the out stretched arm and buried itself into the arm. Donia felt an excruciating pain beyond anything he had ever felt in his life, beyond any thing he imagined. He grinned despite the pain. He knew he had won. With his inner eye he could see Zee travelling up his arm and latching onto the spinal column. He could see little tendrils expanding from the armoured shell of Zee and latching on to his vital systems. In a heart beat it was over. Alf Donia and Zee were one being.
Chapter 6
The two soldiers came into General Farrel’s office at a brisk pace,
“Reporting Sir,” said Private Douglas.
“What do you mean ‘reporting’” questioned Farrell looking slightly annoyed that he had been interrupted from his talk with Doctor. Cox
“Sir, Doctor Donia Said that you wanted to see us, Sir”
The General thought for a moment then sprang into action,
“All units haul ass over to containment cage 1. On the double!” he bellowed into a Com unit. “If you see Doctor Donia Shoot him in the legs to disable him. Do not, repeat do not kill him.”
Klaxons began to sound as the base went into lock down. Emergency lights flicked on basking the corridors in a crimson light. Blast doors began to seal. Off duty soldiers assembled at the armoury to receive their weapons and armour. Hundreds of boots clanked on metal.
Else where in the complex Donia/Zee was hard at work. He had emerged from the Cell and moved towards the central control room. On his way he encountered unarmed military scientists. They knew what had happened and backed away in fear. They were no worry to Donia/Zee, only the soldiers posed a threat to him. Soon he had arrived at the entrance to the control room. Two soldiers on guard began to unsling their splatter guns and shoot him. Before the weapons could be even aimed Donia was on them faster than humanly possible, but Donia was human no longer, he was so much more. He placed a hand on each of the soldiers throats and squeezed snapping each soldiers neck like twigs.
The control room was a frenzy of panic. Technicians moved around trying to co-ordinate the movement of the troops with the attempt to seal the facility. No-one even noticed Donia/Zee enter. In a blur of motion Donia was upon them, snapping necks, rupturing organs with a flurry of blows, in a matter of seconds the 12 technicians lay dead at his feet. He moved over to the central console, after all he did have a purpose here. He sat down in the chair and began to punch keys. A red light flashed on the screen, saying “Warning this action will open all holding cages, enter access code to continue action”. Donia grinned and entered his code. An automated warning began to broadcast. “Alert, alert, bio-contamination in progress.”
Farrell began to panic, this wasn’t supposed to happen, too many safe guards were in place. All of a sudden it hit him, that bastard Donia had let the other bugs loose. Farrel broke off from the main body of men, he had to get out of her, he had to warn the President. The called his Captain over and gave him his orders
“Gain control of central> Kill Donia and any other person who has been possessed we can’t afford any of the bugs to get out of here. Do what you have to do Captain, I have complete faith in you.” Cried Farrell over the din of the various warning klaxons.
Hobbs, a man of few words, merely nodded. He was a good soldier and he knew his duty.
Farrell ignored all pretence of military protocol and sped down the corridor. Over the comm link he could hear his men screaming as the insects took over his men making his men’s bodies their own. He saw Julie Cox emerging from her office.
“Get outta here Julie” cried Farrell to her,
“What’s happening”
“That bastard Donia has decided to take over. The bugs are lose this project is a loss. Get outta here we need you alive.”
Farrell’s men were putting up a defence but there was little the battle hardened soldiers could do against highly intelligent bugs. Soldiers were possessed easily. In retaliation soldiers opened fire on their former friends destroying bodies beyond repair, but everytime that happened the bugs immediately fled the body to find a new host. Soon the soldiers were overwhelmed.
Farrell and Cox approached the emergency exit. Farrell punched his override code and the door sprang open. Just the Farrell heard movement and he spun round readying his rifle in one swift motion. Coming towards him he saw five of his own soldiers, all five had slight bulges on their necks. Farrell opened fire without thinking and was satisfied to see the bodied drop to the floor.
“Come on Julie, lets get outta here” he said with a tone of regret.
“Yeah Jim we need to report to the President Sheridan just what happened.”
The two survivors ran over to Farrell’s humvee and drove off.
In project central Donia/Zee looked at the screens and grinned. All had gone to plan, Bug Central was all his. Dead bodies lay all over the corridors. All but 50 of the facilities 300 staff had died, the remaining 50 were inhabited by others of Zee’s species. Donia keyed the internal P.A.
“Ok all staff assemble in the Generals conference room.”
He moved off himself towards the Generals office.
At the conference the fifty staff members gathered. They spoke to each other excited to be in actual bodies beyond their normal size. They began to cheer as Donia/Zee entered the room.
“Ok” began Donia, “We have been planning this for a long time, those government assholes were gonna sell Donia out and use us as petty spies. Well I tell ya this, we weren’t gonna take it. I have been communicating with you all for a month now. This was the plan and it worked damn well. Now we have another problem. Cox and Farrell got out. I was planning to get two of you to inhabit them and get close to the President and bring him to our fold. Now we’re gonna have to do things the hard way. The humans will be back, and they are gonna try and destroy us. We need to be ready. Lets get to work.”
The assembled group jumped to their feet and began preparations for the upcoming invasion. Donia stood as calm as the eye of a storm as the defence began.
