iNfLaMmAtIoN

"Citizens of Shane, this in an emergency alert broadcast. We have just received word that a virus has found its way into the city. Please be on the lookout for this virus and do not attempt to approach him. All Immunity officers are to be on a lookout for a red virus wearing a black coat. Be cautious, he is said to kill cells upon contact. Please be on high alert, all citizens. All the white blood cells from all the Immunity Force precincts have been ordered to scour every organ and layer of tissue within Shane. And again, be alert, be cautious, and most of all…be safe, citizens of Shane. We may not have much time left before this virus is caught."

Thrax's frown deepened as he watched the emergency broadcast on the massive screen that hung from a blimp that floated over the city's roofs. He was on a building roof top cluttered with water tanks and air conditioning generators. He knelt beneath the stilts of the biggest tank and had his back pressed stiffly against one as he listened to the echoing voice of the mayor. When the vice mayor took over the broadcast Thrax wrung the Hypothalamus chain in his hands.

"So," he growled. "Looks like little birdie Jones already sang for the Immunity Force and the mayor. And they actually listened to him…"

He gave the chain a little snap in irritation. "Kid's a lot smarter than her dumbass daddy. Oh well…good thing I love to think ahead of the game."

He climbed to the top of the water tower and cut a hole into its roof, slipping himself in side and evaporating all the water with his talon.

Thrax waited for several hours until night came and the city darkened with Shane's sleep. He got out of the tank and scanned the surrounding area. There were a couple of helicopters zooming from place to place with their blinding search lights going over every single roof top. Thrax quickly ran over to the edge of the building and looked over at the roads. They were lined with red cell and white cell cars alike and he moved along the edge of the roof to look for a better place to land. On the opposite side he found a dim alley and jumped from the ledge and onto the ground. To his right he found an Immunity car parked in the entrance of the alley.

The Immunity officers were just about to get out of the car when he landed and he quickly jumped up into an inflammation escape to avoid them. As the officers scanned the alley he jumped from the inflammation escape to a nearby balcony and crouched, waiting for them to pass by.

Thrax watched them carefully and when they were in just the right location he jumped down onto one of them, slicing off the officer's head with ease and doing the same to the other before the cell could even scream. As their bodies boiled into a hot bubbling puddle, Thrax got into the car and drove off without notice.

+0+

During his first five days in Shane's body, after he had snuck into an empty apartment and dumped Jones's body onto the floor, Thrax had subsequent time to analyze her. She was young and in perfect health. Everything about her seemed in perfect order except for the fact that she hadn't had her first menstrual cycle yet. There were very few bacteria in her body and getting more information about her health deficiencies was difficult.

Until, that is, he found a Rhino virus that had some interesting information about the Ovaries.

Thrax had found the Rhino virus in a bar in what little fat tissue Shane had in her hips. Shane was fast asleep and the rest of the city was in its natural slow activity so he had no problem with walking down the darkened streets.

The bar was second class at best, filled to the brim with large muscled simpleton germs.

When he stepped into the bar all activity stopped to look at him. Thrax kept a stoic face as he made his way past the germs and towards the bartender. As he did so, he heard a small rumble of comments and mocking chuckles.

Thrax signaled to the bartender, a foul looking germ with very broad round shoulders and four eyes lined in a straight row on his forehead.

"Wuddya need pal?" the bartender asked gruffly.

"I need info on a couple of things," Thrax said suavely.

"Yeah, like wut?"

Thrax leaned on the bar counter and tapped his sharp claws against its reflective surface saying, "I'd like to know if there's anything big goin' down in this hum drum lil' city. It's my first time here and I'm needin' to get in on some action."

A ripple of laughter came from behind him from the group of thugs but he ignored it, accidentally allowing one of his claws to carve a deep scratch into the counter.

"Sorry," said the bartender as he wiped at a slimy shot glass. "But I would'n no 'bout some'in like dat."

"Is that so?" Thrax said, looking at him from over his sunglasses. He turned around towards the rest of the germs. "What about the rest of you pathetic amoebas? Any a you got any info on more intelligent beings in this damn city that wanna cause a lil' trouble?"

A bottle cam whizzing past Thrax's head, barely skimming the top of his scalp. He lowered his glasses at the germ who threw it and glared at him.

"Was that a 'no' or do you wanna start somethin'?" Thrax said coolly.

The germ who threw it seemed to be the biggest outta the bunch with massive bulky arms and bare torso. He had a dark brown body with bright yellow spots on his skin. He had a giant glowing blue eye in the middle of his face and a mouth filled with sharp teeth in his chest. He stomped forward, his steps shaking the entire bar. By the way the other germs obediently let him through, he was the big leader around there.

He lumbered over to Thrax and picked him up by the front of his jacket.

"I'm top gun 'round 'ere," the giant germ grumbled. "You want some work that'll get you some green you come to me and beg for it."

"Oh, I'm not really up for begging," Thrax said pleasantly. "But I highly doubt that you are one of the top guns in this city. You're more like one of those lil' pop guns that a kid picks up from the dime store at the corner. Not exactly the kind of gun I'd like to follow."

The germ growled in a rage and slammed Thrax down against the counter. His massive hand moved from the front of Thrax's coat to around the neck. In the process Thrax's glasses fell of his face and broke apart on the floor. The germ stuck his ugly face up closer and yelled, "LOOK YOU LITTLE BITCH—I'M THE TOP DOG IN THIS CITY! I RUN THINGS AROUND HERE! I CALL ALL THE SHOTS! YOU DON'T COME IN HERE SWAGGEIRNG LIKE A HO AND DISS ME IN FRONT OF MY GUYS! AND JUST FOR THAT I'M GONNA FUCKING CUT UP YOUR GAY LIL' ASS WITH A BROKEN BOTTLE!!!!"

As the germ went on with his little rant Thrax's eyes hardened and his face stiffened. At the end of the germ's yelling Thrax shoved his talon deep into the bulky hand that held him down and ripped it up from the middle. The virus let out a head splitting scream as lumpy yellow pus came pouring out of his hand. Thrax knocked him back with a kick to the chest and dodged the many bullets of hot plasma that began to fire at him.

He jumped from table to table, slicing up each germ that held a gun at him. He continued doing this until the entire bar was filled with bubbling puddles that began to set the place into an inflammation. The giant Thrax took out earlier was howling in pain and he went up to it and slammed the heel of his boot into its single glowing eye.

The germ let out another scream of pain and Thrax silenced him by shoving his talon down his throat. The germ gagged and gurgled in pain

"Now I'm gonna ask again," Thrax said in a low dangerous tone. "Do you know anyone who's planning on causing big trouble in this city?"

The germ let out a chocked gag and shook his head. Thrax cut a small part on the inside his throat and yelled, "Give me an answer!"

The germ let out a frantic choked voice of agreement and Thrax pulled out his talon to allow him to speak.

After a bit of coughing he said in a hoarse voice. "Ca…cancer cells…"

Thrax's eyes brightened with interest, "Where?"

"I-i-in the ovaries. I h…heard that they were pla…planning on making a tumor in the…in the ovaries. A...and that's all I know."

"Thank you," Thrax said kindly. He bent closer to him and asked, "By the way, exactly what are you?"

The guy paused before answering. "…Rh...Rhino…virus…"

Thrax's face froze for a moment and he burst into a jeering laugh.

"That's the most pitiful thing I've ever heard!" he shouted between his laughs. "A Rhino virus that thinks he's all that! A cold virus thinks he's the baddest boy around! A virus that causes a runny nose and a lil' fever thinks he's got the entire city in his back pocket!"

Thrax laughed as the building became engulfed in flames and began to scorch the Rhino virus that lay at his feet. He turned to leave but felt a tug at his coat.

"P…please! Don't…don't leave me in here!" the Rhino virus begged.

Thrax sneered at him, yanking his coat outa his grubby hands. He leaned down towards him and whispered with a toothy grin, "Lemme hear you beg for it."

The Rhino virus wheezed and coughed, and he even began to let out choked sobs, "I don't wanna die! Please…please! You gotta get me outta here! Please! PLEASE!"

Thrax smiled, "Good. But not good enough."

In a swift motion, he sliced off the virus's head and cut up the rest of the body, leaving it behind in a flurry of flames.