There was little time for conversation as the four mutants raced through the winding corridors of the underground complex. There were more important things to do than talk, but Jack needed clarity.
"You guys met through Special Forces, right?" he asked, his sentence fragmented by the deep breaths he took with every step.
"You got it, kid," Zeno answered.
Matthew chuckled. "This crazy Aussie saved my butt about a dozen times. Remember Afghanistan?"
Zeno grinned. "I'm tryin' to forget it." He led the group around a corner into a much larger corridor. "Our door's just ahead."
The group came to a large closed door with the word 'Transit' labeled across it. Addy touched a button next to the door, only to hear a loud buzzing sound. "Locked."
"No problem," Matt made a fist and started to swing at the door, only to have his arm grabbed by Zeno.
"There's an easier way, mate." Zeno turned to a keypad built into the wall, into which he punched a series of commands. The console beeped, and the metal door slid open.
On the other side of the door was a large bay of transports, which looked like large streamlined vans riding on monorails. Several tunnels lined the walls of the bay, each having their own destination.
Jack was hardly surprised that Altman's complex stretched as far as it did, but he was somewhat awed by the efficiency and sheer magnificence of it all. "He's been busy, hasn't he?"
"That he has," Zeno answered. "Elias has been buildin' this place for decades. He needed somewhere to carry out his schemes, and this place is a reflection of the huge extent of his madness." He ran toward one of the transports. "This one leads to the silos."
A chill ran down Jack's spine as he realized just how sinister Altman's plans were. "Silos?"
The transport moved very quickly, faster than most people drove down the interstate, but the trip was still somewhat lengthy. During the downtime, Zeno explained things to the other three.
"I've been tryin' to crack all this for years," he said. "Elias keeps all his plans pretty much between himself and Avery, but occasionally, I've been able to get my hands on some info.
"Pretty much, Altman's psychotic. He's extremely suspicious of the world, and feels that it owes him. He plans to make it pay its dues to him by shapin' it into his personal Utopia. He literally wants to destroy all those who don't see things from his point of view.
"The missile complex we're goin' to has ten warheads armed with an extremely deadly toxin, which he plans to detonate into the atmosphere. I'm not sure how, but he plans to use this toxin to kill all but those he's chosen to live."
"What kind of toxin is it?" Matt asked.
Zeno sighed. "The toxin's…unique. It's a compound that over stimulates the human immune system. The body quickly deteriorates, eatin' away at itself. Eventually nothin' more than dust and bone is left."
"Not much left," Jack stated. "I can see why he's using this. With so many people out of the way, and only minimal cleanup involved, the world is still his. No bodies to dispose of, no disease spreading across the world." He looked at Zeno, who seemed somewhat distant. "How do you know so much of how this toxin works?"
Zeno was silent for a moment. Finally, he responded, "I'm the source. My immune system is very…efficient. That's my mutation. Matt, remember when I got shot three times in that mission in Malaysia, and when Doc tried to remove the bullets, he couldn't find 'em? My body destroyed 'em.
"Anyway, Altman somehow found out about my mutation, and he approached me, saying he wanted to run tests and experiments on me. Said his people were looking for a cure for cancer. Well, I fell for it, and they poked and prodded me for a year. Eventually, they came up with this serum, and I went to work for Altman, working in his little army. Almost by chance, I found out the truth about his little 'miracle drug' he made from me. He didn't make a cure for cancer, but a horrible weapon."
A low growl escaped from Jack's throat. "And why didn't you do anything about it?"
"There wasn't much I could do. I just decided to keep low, and not tell him I knew about it. So, for the past three years, I've been collecting as much information as I could, hopin' that I would eventually be able to do something."
Jack could feel his claws and teeth growing and sharpening. "This is all your fault. You could have stopped all of it."
"Jack!" Addy yelled.
"No, mate, it's Altman's fault. He tricked me. Now I'm doin' all I can to stop 'im, and with your help I think we can take him down." Zeno extended his arm, holding his hand out to Jack.
Anger and hatred made his blood boil, but soon enough, logic overruled Jack's passions. He grabbed Zeno's hand, and they shook. "I'm sure we can."
