Chapter 36

Destruction

Caleb froze. He eyes fixed upon the horror before him. Steve gasped for more air but the damage was indeed too great. He tried grabbing his pistol from its holster. However, Scarlet proved to be too fast and was already behind him. She pulled out the tentacle from where she struck him. He flinched in pain as the blood oozes out of the hole. He was about to drop on his knees but Scarlet had already grabbed him by his neck. Caleb was still frozen from shock but the numbness started to go away. He tensed up his muscles and moved fast but Scarlet saw through him. She kicked him away but he was able to stand up without breaking a sweat. He tried to dash for another attack but he became wary of the situation. Scarlet's hand gripped Steve's neck tight, very tight. He was choking and gasping for air. Caleb was weighing the possibilities. The chances are slim but he had to gamble for it. He wasn't too sure of himself either. A single mistake could end his uncle's life. Scarlet cocked Steve head a bit, and in a single snap, he broke it. The snapped echoed through Caleb's ears. Steve face was shock but he was already part of this realm no more. Caleb's grogginess from his sleep was completely gone now. Rage enveloped him more and blinded him. He made a dash for it whipped and lashed blindly at his opponent, dropping Steve on the ground. A mid length sword slid down her sleeve and was about to stab Caleb. He was blind and went on a blind rampage. He was as near as getting himself stabbed but someone caught him behind. It was Eve. She grabbed him and sent him a shock through their attachment. It woke him up. Adam sent a electric pulse from above as he dropped down. It caused a minor explosion as Scarlet dodged backwards.

The two siblings dropped down from the copter. Only three of them alive were left down. Adam just dropped a few meters between the two. Eve released Caleb. It was a three-on-one fight. It was fair. Scarlet was far more powerful. Caleb could the energy building up on both of his companion's legs. He understood it now and tried to imitate them. Adam and Eve vanished. Scarlet held her arm at her face and the other lower just in time as Adam and Eve appeared to punch her. She was able to block it. She then grabbed their hands and pulled them towards each other. Eve was pulled at head level while Adam below. She spun in between and slid down her pair of daggers. She spun horizontally, lashing out her weapons blindly. However, the two had already moved from afar. She dropped down but Caleb was behind her and delivered a chop at head level. Scarlet ducked but Caleb had mashed his energy in his palm and opened it. He dashed back and released it with Scarlet in range. She didn't make it out and was thrown a few feet back. She sat up like a zombie would and stood up again, analyzing there every move.

The battle had just begun and the chopper still hovered above them. Carlos and Chris were watching. Claire eventually peeked but she was busy with the status of the chopper, making sure they don't hurl down. Everyone tensed at the battle below. Adam tried contacting Chris with his mental ability. He told him first to fire a bullet if he could hear him. As soon as he heard the gunshot he spilled it out.

Go ahead. We'll catch up. He said mentally. He knew Chris wasn't sure leaving children behind but he knew what he had to do. As soon as you heard three consecutive gunshots, it means it's clear and come and get us. Kill the engine to make sure she doesn't hear it. As soon as you hear it, turn the engine on and lunge into the air. That could give us your position. We'll run to you as fast as we can without delay.

Chris explained it to Claire and the chopper moved on, leaving the three of them behind for Scarlet. Caleb looked at the chopper as it leaves. He thought it would be best if they stayed out of it.

Scarlet stood there motionless. Steve was too but he was dead. The shock on his face gave Caleb a light tremble. The three of them charged their feet and braced themselves for a battle of speed. Everyone vanished from moving too fast. In the midst of the fast pace battle, they exchanged their blows. Adam moved keenly and surely. He doesn't want to make a mistake and the fight was a fight for their lives. No one dared a mistake. Thundering sounds emitted from here and there from the strength of their blows. Scarlet blocked more than they did since there were three of them. Scarlet was on the defensive. She studied them carefully, looking for flaws. Caleb delivered a quick jab but Scarlet blocked it and saw a flaw. She grabbed him and threw him off distance. She knew they were too close for her to make a move. A strategy that would keep them far from each other would be needed. Throwing Caleb off distance was the first. She only needed to fight a foe and weaken it one at a time even if the battle would only last for a split second. She grabbed Adam off guard threw him towards Caleb as he stood up. They clashed with each other and threw them farther from her grasp. There was only one left. She had a large space to consume now. She was able to evade more lightly from Eve's blow until she was able to find an opening. She reached for Eve's throat but the little girl knew it would be best to back down and wait for the other two. She threw herself back to evade her. However, Scarlet arm grew to inhuman length and her arms mutated. It grew longer with more distinct muscles. Her fingers grew long and thin and so did her nails. It was like a tyrant's arm. She grabbed her neck and grimaced. Her arm was longer than normal. If she lit drop she could touch the ground even when standing still and upward. It was that long to reach Eve. The mutation was that fast too. Caleb ran for his ally but Scarlet whipped him with her long arm. She shook Eve like a ragged doll on her grasp. She then slammed the girl to the ground. Eve shrieked in pain. The ground was hard but Scarlet pressed on. Adam was able to get nearer but Scarlet released Eve. She lashed her next victim wildly and clawed Adam to the ground. The mutation wore off and it went back to its original size. She seized Adam and was about to puncture him with her other arm. Caleb came just in time. He charged his hand with an electric current. His had glowed brightly than before. He designed it that way to blind Scarlet. He then chopped her arm, releasing Adam.

Scarlet shrieked in pain and howled some more. One of her arm had been severed from her body. Caleb dragged Adam away to safety. Adam stood up and looked at the bloody mess he was. Scarlet clawed him a few times and wounded him but not deeply. His jacket had been ripped off and decided to remove it. The two of them rushed to Eve's side. She stood up and the three of them gazed at Scarlet. She focused upon her arm and a new one erupted from its hole. It was disgusting but she was able to do it. He growled at the three of them. She tensed up her legs and appeared before them. Adam was prepared and gathered up a good amount of energy to set it ablaze. He directed it at Scarlet and released it. There was a fiery explosion that threw Eve and Caleb a few feet. He did the same with his other and released it again. He was about to make a third when a long mutated arm grabbed for his neck. He quickly slammed his flamed on the arm and exploded wildly. He was thrown a few feet back. He landed hard but Eve had his back. Caleb went into action and threw his flame at the monster. His flame had a more powerful explosion. It sent huge debris all over the place. He did it again and made another explosion. Eve stretched her arm towards the flames and a blue light seer out of her palm. The explosion of it was more powerful than all of the explosions made so far combined.

Everyone was gasping for breath. They were tired and exhausted. It was the last of their fill. However, a huge shadow appeared out of the flames. She was able to make it. She was still on flames. Her whole was. She walked slowly towards them. Eve screamed and another blue light blasted. It hit Scarlet full force and there was another powerful explosion.

It seems that she was thrown back. She started walking from the flames again. Her body was already burnt but she was still standing. She had her complete mutation. She was made out from the tyrant series after all. She was about 7 feet tall now. She had long sharp claws and had more muscle mass. The only difference of her to her fellow tyrants is her female figure. The fires on her skin slowly die out. Blood was pretty much her skin now or it is the one that covers of her skin's remains. She stopped a few feet before them. The three was already worn out, thinking that it might kill her. Caleb stood up but he wasn't going unprotected. He raised his arm with an immense energy gathered in it. He released the blast and shot a fiery red light. However, the blast had recoiled like a gun. He was aiming for the chest but the blast hit her left shoulder. Flames weren't able to tear her body apart but his blast did. Her shoulder exploded to bits. Her left arm was amputated from its body and dropped like a dead log. She howled in pain and grabbed her shoulder. It took a massive chunk out of her body. There was blood everywhere and it was still dripping. Caleb fell back and gasped for air. He vision was fading away. The final blast took out most of his energy and more had seeped away. He looked at his hand and he could feel the energy sapping away from him. His hand was a like a leak and his own energy was fading away at an alarming rate. He must have released it the wrong way as he fell down. The two rushed to his side to check him out. His vision was already fading but he could see Scarlet fell on her knees. Blood was still pumping out. She stood up and charged at her enemies. Adam and Eve quickly stood up. Caleb suddenly felt a powerful presence with them. It was not Adam or Eve. The other two felt it also. A man in a dark cloak arrived. He had a mask on his face. He was sure the stranger was looking at him. He could also feel the immense power he holds. He was holding a silver briefcase. He knelt beside him but his allies were wary and attacked him. He easily evaded it and stuck needles on their necks. The two couldn't make a move anymore. Scarlet knelt before him like he was her master. A hundred thoughts raced to his mind who this man could be. The stranger took out a syringe and injected it with him. He could feel power surging through his veins like adrenaline. He absorbed it all like a human sponge. He feels like he was going to break apart in mere seconds. He did the same to the other two and pulled out the needles. They rub their necks and fell on the floor. Caleb could the sudden rise of tension in the air.

"Who are you?" Caleb approached.

The man kept silent. He then took out another syringe and injected it to Scarlet this time. It had a different color. Caleb trembled as Scarlet energy rose.

"What the hell are you doing?" Adam snapped. He man kept silent. He pulled the syringe out and he vanished without a trace. Scarlet trembled like they did. The huge gaping hole in her shoulder began to further mutate. A huge eye erupted out of it and the Scarlet lost her mind. She turned to a mindless creature and the three of them knew that. She began a very fast but painful mutation. She roared and howled after seconds. She-it- slammed its arms on the ground and pounded it mercilessly. The three of them became wary now. Eve held both of her arms and fired blue lights simultaneously. Powerful explosions emerged and the huge creature was thrown back away. Caleb felt Eve's energy didn't even lessen a bit. The energy that was lost was quickly restored.

The creature stood again with its huge eyes staring at its enemies. Its left arm emerged from another mutation and another arm under it. It had three arms now. The two were immensely lager than the other one. Its head was merely like a mutated skull and its muscle mass was largely added. It was ferocious beast now and it could think no more. It was savage and charged at its enemies. The two huge arms had massive talons and tried to claw Adam. He vanished in an instant and appeared behind it. His hands were stretch and an electric current gathered up in his palms. He released it without a second thought. It hit the back of the creature that was thrown forward. It opened a huge wound but mutation kicked it and knitted everything in place. It stood up and faced him but Caleb appeared before it. He released another fiery flame that threw the creature backwards. His energy was seemingly endless but its mutation won't stop either. The creature who was Scarlet stood before them again. It grunted in pain as its injury mutated away. It was incredibly fast. Every tissue was worked up and cells split in a frightening rate. Another arm erupted under the other one. It had four arms now. More mutation occurred and it had four arms with enormous muscles. It howled as its eye stared upon their positions. Adam stretched his arm around it and a powerful electric current was released.

Echo-one stared in amazement, and probably, fear too. He was frozen in fright. He though the fight was over. But no, it's impossible. He can't believe it. It took him another sec to snap out of it. Another arm erupted out of the debris, then another. No one had a weapon to fight with, except for their handguns. He was the first one who drew his. He aimed and fired but it didn't stop their enemy. The gun shot echoed through the underground area they were in and pulled out theirs also. Echo-three made a run for it. He looked left and right to find a probably exit. There was a ladder that goes up to the upper levels. The underground base had already crumbled down after the explosion. The ladder was their only chance. He yelled for his companions and raced up the ladder. Echo-one was still firing. The huge creature finally stood up with its menacing size. Echo-one grabbed his Swiss knife by its holster and threw it at the enormous eye by its shoulder. The knife hit the very center of it. It shrieked and grunted in pain as it hacked its arms blindly. The three of his allies were running for their one and only exit at the far end of the area. The place was really big and everything seemed so fragile. One wrong move could bring the whole ground, or what was left of it, down. And if it comes to that point, it's hard to think they'll make it. He grunted in pain as the ribs moved awkwardly at his side.

He was in a bad shaped but so is his companions. He thought about how Neo foolishly ordered this mission. It was surely suicide. However, he just realized how vital this suicide mission is. The lab had contained the G-virus, and if it got out, it was surely horror. It uses its victims on order for the virus to spread. It's not like the T-virus that spreads easily. However, killing a G-virus carrier will be hard and tons of them are more likely to cause hell on Earth.

Echo-three was the first one to arrive at the foot of the ladder. It extends upwards and it's too dark to see. He's too unsure now whether he should climb or not. He grabbed the leg but his side hurt a bit. He winced in pain and looked at the damage. He was bleeding. He didn't notice it before. Now he did. There was blood under his right arm. He could feel the pain. He realized that some of blood didn't flow that's why it numbed a bit. Now that he's conscious and moving, it flowed freely again. He dropped on one knee from the pain. Echo-two and Echo-five caught with him with guns drawn. They were firing at the creature that was hot on track of Echo-one. He was still moving at the best as he could. Echo-three disregarded the pain and climbed upwards as fast he could. Echo-two followed behind him. Echo-five spotted a weapon a few meters away. There was a trunk full of firearms under the rock beside it. He moved it with ease and looked at the damage. Well, everything was destroyed except for a sniper rifle and a submachine-gun under some of the scraps. A good amount of magazines were scattered too and he grabbed it all. He called for Echo-two who dropped down. He grabbed the sniper rifle with its ammo and climbed up again. Echo-five raced toward the creature and opened fire. It was a good distraction to start with. It halted the creature in its movements. Unfortunately, it jumped upwards and landed near him. He stopped dead in his firing. With a quick whip, one of the arms grabbed and hurled him to the wall. He slammed hard. He grunted in pain. The gun flew towards Echo-one who grabbed it. He cocked the gun and started firing to draw its attention. It moved really fast towards him. A long tail erupted out of its lower back now. It had four huge arms with a long tail. A large eye resided by its shoulder. It had a monstrous size and massive mass. It raised one of its arms and was about to pound him when it shrieked in pain with the eye bleeding. Echo-two strapped himself on the high area of the ladder. Echo-three was nowhere to be seen. He could have climbed to the uppermost part.

Echo-two pulled the trigger again. Another bullet silently stunned the giant. It dropped on one knee before its body gave on itself. It had hit a vital point and mutation is on the way to save its ass again.

"Quick!" Echo-two yelled, his voice echoing the dark walls. "Before it's too late, I'm on limited ammo!"

Echo-one rushed to Echo-five. He put his arm over shoulder and crept towards the ladder. The giant moved again and roared. It started running towards their position. Another bullet silently hit it. It hurled down on itself. It was another headshot. It could slow it down and made their escape much safer. They were almost at the ladder when the beast had undergone another mutation. Its arms grew longer at had bigger muscles now. Its lower limbs had grown longer and lighter. Its tail was now thicker. The tail hit the ground hard and it jumped very high into the air. It was quickly done. Echo-two could barely keep up with his shots. More firing came and they were finally at the foot of the ladder. With a swift stroke, Echo-five was impaled with the creature's talon. Echo-one had already made a move. Since he was nearer, he could get a better shot. He aimed for the eye and fired. It was the most vulnerable body part. It howled in pain and hurled Echo-five to the ground. It pounded him repeatedly, making crunching noises. He was surely as good as dead. Echo-one was half way through Echo-two's position now. The giant clawed Echo-five's body until his guts were scattered everywhere on the ground. The monster jumped high and buried two of its arm on the wall to hang on its surface. Echo-one was under him. He tried kicking it but it wasn't enough. Echo-two supported him y nailing another shot on the head. It only shook it a bit. Apparently, its body adapted and made the head much stronger. It was a wrong decision and it just impaled Echo-one through his chest. He coughed up blood and groaned in pain. He couldn't breathe air properly anymore and he was losing his consciousness, fast. It was a quick kill. It did it again with its other free arm and impaled his chest again. It pulled him apart until his body was ripped apart. He body was no more than a rag doll. The monster shrieked in victory as it raced upwards.

"FUCK!" Echo-two yelled. Two of his companions were now dead. One was still missing in action. He laid a nice shot on its large eye. It staggered a bit but continuously crawled towards him. He released his safety belt and climbed faster. However, it was about to hit him when it stopped because of consecutive gunshots from above. Echo-three was back.

"There is a way out above!" he said in glee. However, seeing Echo-one and five's guts way down below, fear and hopelessness had struck him. "There's a gas leakage up there. If we can fire it up, we can bring the whole place down with that freak with us."

Echo-two agree however the enemy was already near him. With a quick swipe of its huge arm he fell down. However, he hooked his safety belt on the ladder. The momentum pulled his chest apart from being close to the strap. He broke a few ribs and his left shoulder along with it. He almost lost consciousness. He still had his rifle. He made an aim and fire for distraction. Echo-three acknowledged this and start firing up above where the gas leak was. A powerful explosion was what they needed. He started firing it consecutively. However, no luck, it didn't make the spark. He dropped his gun and the enemy was upon him already. Echo-two fired his last bullet too, hitting the gas tank and made an explosion. A series of it followed afterwards. Huge chunk of rocks started to fall from the crumbling ceiling. A huge one hits the enemy and fell down along with Echo-two. The ceiling fell apart and burning rocks fell upon them. A huge explosion followed afterwards and the whole ceiling finally gave apart, destroying everything down there to the cellular level.