Chapter 10

All is not what it seems

Following a what seemed to be a newly rejuvenated Private Wright, John seemed to be a bit confused by his new personality. The rest of the group paid it no mind as they went further into the cave. John however thought differently. "Why is he so content now? Moments ago this guy could have given me a run for his money regarding anxiety!" John thought. He had now entered the darkness, a black void.

As John followed the group thinking about this, he tried to shrug it off and surveyed the cavern around him instead. As did the Man with no Name, who looked at the cave walls which contained what looked to be hardened slime. The cave walls consisted of rather large vein-looking motifs that looked like strange ooze on the walls. He ran his hand over it, pulled it back after studying it, and smelled his fingertips. He frowned at the foul smell and carried on. Eventually they were about to come across the circular room that looked like a lobby with three passages to choose. Private Wright told the team of his findings when he came out.

The troops went on but indeed they treaded softly. They walked slowly and carefully. Each of them walked pointing their weapons at whatever was out of the ordinary. The lights on top of their weapons seemed to serve them at the moment. It eased their worry for now.

The Unnamed Man went to John who was inspecting the odd structure of the place himself. "Do you know what the hell this stuff is?" He asked next to him.

John Robert shook his head. "There's no trace of limestone or dolomite in this material, Sir. I think it is part of something else." He turned to the Unnamed Man. "But it's not part of these caves. These stalactites…" John pointed upward in the ceiling where the small numerous cylindrical speleothems hung down pointing at them. "…aren't stalactites at all." He said realizing.

April and the others heard John's explanation about the weird resin and stopped, listening now. "What is it then?" Lopez, the smart gunner asked with a frown indicating confusion and interest.

John looked at him and said. "Droppings of some kind. I'm not sure. It could be...." he searched for the word in his mind.

"Alien?" Private Jones, the tracker said for him. Everybody looked at him. He looked nervous at all the eyes upon him. "Hey I know I...haven't spoken for awhile." he muttered. He regained his posture. "Look I just heard from what we learned back at the Fire and Ice when we were studying those things."

He continued. "Basically this shit is to make the place more like home for these things right?." he said looking at the walls. Upon hearing this, everyone held on tight to their weapons now.

April did indeed consider the explanation. The team looked terrified but regained their confidence as they lifted their weapons at the top of the walls. April became alert as well and turned to Private Wright now. "Are you sure you didn't see any of the creatures in this cave?" she asked rather suspiciously. The Man with No Name and the Sarge were now aiming their weapons around, cautious.

"No it was very, very quiet actually." he replied casually.

John turned to him and was a bit startled at Wright's calm demeanor.

"Don't you think I'd be dead already Lieutenant?" he asked with a smile and John felt there was a hint of malice in his tone. April looked annoyed by his response and was about to make a rebuttal when the Sarge stepped in.

The sergeant was bothered by Wright's new attitude and asked a question. "Why are you calm all of a sudden Private?"

"I thought you two..." Wright looked at April as well. "didn't like fear?" the volume of his voice seemed like a whisper.

The unnamed Man slowly joined the sergeant and April. Intent on knowing what is up with him as well.

"I guess I lost it." he finished.

April seemed to be almost shaking with either anger or fear.

"April?" the Unnamed Man looked at her with concern.

"My artificial emotions..." she gasped. "They are becoming mixed!" she said trying to make some form of sense in her words. "I don't know whether I'm becoming mad or scared." she seethed.

The privates Lopez and Jones looked at each other as if saying 'What the hell is she saying?' They looked lost as well.

The Sarge then turned to Wright who had a blank stare at April. "What the fuck is up with you Private?" he said now irritated.

"Not sure." He shrugged with his usual smile. The Sergeant looked murderous as well as the Unnamed Man who gripped his weapon tighter.

Panicking now, John had to break the tension. He knew where this might lead to. "Didn't you say you knew the way out?" he asked him.

Private Wright nodded his head slowly. "I did." he grinned and remained silent.

John thought Wright's loss of inhibition was making the team agitated and very afraid. 'What the hell happened to him?" Everyone looked startled at his response. His tone was cool but very emotionless. April right now looked as though she was having an anxiety attack as well as she tried to collect her emotions.

The unnamed Man suddenly grabbed Wright by his collars and quickly brought him to the wall right next to him. They were face to face. Wright still had the same calm expression. The Sarge was at his side encouraging this action by aiming his weapon at Wright. "Why do I get the feeling you are not going to tell us?" The unnamed Man growled.

"Let me ask you a question 'Squad leader.' Wright half mocked.

"What is really an alien?" he asked.

The sergeant looked angry and confused "What?!" The unnamed Man now had his hands around the private's throat. John was behind both men trying to break the whole thing off but never had the chance as he heard what Wright just said. Clearly he became delusional.

"An alien is strange...foreign....a citizen from another planet or world." He gasped grinning. "Just like us!" he said with a hint of irony detected.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?....SHOW US THE WAY OUT!" The unnamed Man shouted.

"I will eventually." He smiled cruelly.

"You want us to blow your head off little man?!" The Sarge yelled equally.

Shocked, John almost seemed to consider the possibility that...."He may have one inside of him!"

Everyone now aimed their weapons at Wright.

"No..." April started. John looked at her as well as the rest. She was holding her head with her left hand and had the facial expressions of someone who was in constant pain. She managed to speak but barely. "He knows the, the way out....force it out of him first!"

With realization, John knew now what the Unnamed Man meant back at the Fire and Ice.

John was in his room when the Man came in and began to talk to him about the mission.

"As you were." He said in his usual deep voice. John relaxed and slouched back to his casual form. He then waited for what this man had to say.

"This is a dangerous mission Private Robert but what I am about to tell you is completely classified. This is top secret and I am choosing you only so listen very carefully."

"Yes sir."

"Something's going to happen and it ain't going to be good."

"I know sir." John nodded.

"I'm not talking about the Aliens themselves Private."

"Sir?"

John went back to reality as he saw Wright single-handedly overpowering the two men.