Chapter 17: Shock And Ice
"There are camera's... Everywhere." Leon uttered with a hint of disgust through the walkie-talkie, both Sherry and Jake looked to one another and grimaced. He'd told them all of the security room and of the snippet they'd seen of Piers in the glass chamber, and was now affirming they were being watched, and wanted the go ahead from Captain Chris to infiltrate further.
"Go ahead," Chris replied shakily as heavy gunfire could be heard loudly in the background; the two BSAA were under attack from J'avo. "Just be careful."
And the line went dead again, Jake sighed and smirked.
"Looks like Kennedy caught our show."
"Jake! How can you be so smug! A random man is fair enough! B-b-but Leon!" Sherry screamed hysterically pacing around the room. "Oh god!"
"Stop worrying Supergirl, he's a man right? He can handle it."
Sherry stopped dead in her tracks and glowered at him, she knew it had been a bad idea but, didn't he realize Leon wouldn't just want to shout at her, and he'd want to kill him.
"Stop worrying?" She repeated angrily.
"He can handle it."
Sooner than Jake could blink Sherry had stormed out the room muttering under her breath, he had to jog to catch up with her to continue their conversation.
"Why are you running away?" He asked almost innocently.
"I am not! Running away! I just know if we continue this discussion it won't end well."
Thankfully her words had an effect on him, and he remained silent on the matter.
Some time later they came to an extremely dark corridor that their flashlights could barely light up, shuffling could be heard in the distance but nothing could be seen.
"Shall we?" Jake enquired courteously holding his hand out before him, Sherry nodded smiling taking the lead.
"Why's it so dark?" Sherry whispered seconds later when her heart began pounding in her chest due to the complete pitch black, which started making her feel somewhat claustrophobic.
"No doors, no windows, no light Supergirl."
Both their eyes rove about the place, searching for any source of natural light or any foes, not that they needed to as it was a tight corridor with zero access, except the path ahead of them and the one that lay behind.
More shuffling resounded the further they progressed down the corridor, and small voices followed, whatever was ahead was making its way towards them.
Crackling from the walkie-talkie startled the two immensely, especially when Jake's flashlight decided to die at the same time.
"We've come across another security room," Claire's voice whispered, "It's been used not too long ago..." She breathed heavily, "Fresh bullet holes in everything, as well as arrows."
"Ada?" Jill answered with a question.
"Seems so," Leon spoke hushed through the radio. "The screens were shot out, so we can't pin your locations but it seems there are some laser grids in position."
"Alright Hero, you got a map near you?" Jake asked concocting a small idea.
"Yeah..."
"Is there a long- Shit!" Jake roared as bullets whizzed past the side of his head, swiftly he jumped onto Sherry's back, making them both hit the floor with a thud, they were safe from the bullets for a few seconds at least. Looking up briefly, he took in the dark skinned woman with a veil over her face standing 10-15 feet away.
"Not again..." He sighed when the flashlight shone on the creature completely, showing it to be yet another Widow this time holding a machine gun.
"Sherry! Jake! Report!" Chris was heard on the radio, his voice full with worry.
Sherry swiftly yanked her gun from beneath her and aimed for the woman's head, taking three constant perfect headshots, and it stumbled and dropped the gun.
Nevertheless, they weren't out of the woods yet, as one weapon was discarded another become visible; the mosquito's were hatching from the BOWs back.
Sherry recoiled at the horrid memory of the last encounter with those things; the enclosed feeling, and fear that she was going to be bitten to death had returned to her, as well as the later nausea from their bites.
Could her body handle those bites so soon after her death experience?
"SHERRY!... JAKE!?" Someone had yelled through the radio, but neither paid any attention.
Jake felt her recoil into his arms slightly at the sound of the chrysalid's cracking and opening, 'she scared of those things?'
"Don't worry." He reassured into her ear when he pulled a hand from under her, and fumbled with his belt trying to get a grenade free. He wouldn't let those things get to her this time, he'd promised himself to keep her safe at any cost, and now he knew she was terrified of the C-bugs it made him even more adamant to protect her.
"Jake!" Sherry called out frantically after she'd used an entire mag of ammo on the Widow; its pupa of the disease gorged insects fell to the floor, and now a low hum had erupted behind The Widow.
The crunching of the discarded pupa beneath the Widows feet caused a chill to run through Sherry, and black blood could be seen dimly through the small torch light flowing from the creatures feet; the pupa were like glass shards digging into the flesh, tearing it apart as it stumbled in reverse like a loitering drunkard.
This thing was terrifying, and Sherry would have done anything to not be there.
A piercing scream filled the air, deafening the two once all the cocoons finished hatching, and the hum from the small wings became louder and louder as they rose into the open to greet the fresh blood they smelt from the pair lying on the floor; resembling meat on a dirty dish ready to be eaten.
"Holy shit!" Jake cried taking a quick glance at the bugs, finding them almost 3 times the size than they were from last time; they were now like small birds, with menacingly long spiky proboscis.
Jake thought they looked like evil hummingbirds, however this new information didn't help with his building frustration; the grenades he'd been tugging at for a long time were seemingly glued to his belt, but he kept trying to wrench one free.
Another cry came from the Widow, and the Mosquito's flight pattern changed; they aligned into a small ball formation.
"Fuck you!" Sherry cried wrenching her other arm free, turning, grabbing Jake's shotgun from his back and taking aim at the deadly bugs that seemed to be awaiting orders to attack, and began to fire one powerful shell after another.
A deafening shrill scream came from ahead of the two BSAA members as they hurried down the long black corridor, hoping to find an exit of some sort.
Gunfire sounded from before them, as well as hearing a woman's voice shout out, noticing straight away it was Sherry's.
Chris picked up the pace with Jill right behind him.
A large elevator door was seen as they passed, the couple halted briefly, exchanging looks at the means of escape and nodded, they would help their friends first.
"Why won't you die!" Sherry shouted again from down the hallway, followed by Jake mumbling and extensive shots were heard.
As Jill and Chris neared, they could see green-brown glassy shards on the floor and the back of a tall naked woman; white veins, sweat and slime covered her body, except for a taffeta headpiece covering her head.
Jake and Sherry were lying flat on the ground staring up at something Chris couldn't see. The look of panic on Sherry's face was disturbing, and Jake's expressed a deep resentment and full panic.
"Get the fuck away from her!" Jake shouted, firing his gun at the unseen enemy, small squeaks were heard, following thuds to the floor, whatever he was shooting at was dropping down dead.
Chris thought to the papers he'd picked up and read through briefly earlier, the creature called the Widow, and it's description, and of new enhancements to its offspring.
'The "Mosqoths" are offspring of The Widow; small insect-like creatures, based on the common mosquito; [Aedes albopictus] Their DNA was extracted and bonded with the T-virus and then with the C-Virus, over a 3 week period. Our research team has found that the potency of the C will increase over time within the mother host "Widow". However, Doctor Patujum is currently working on making the virus stronger before bonding it with a G-virus host. We have used samples of the G-Virus Sherry Birkin carries to make some subjects able to reproduce, it is not yet stable enough, but with constant around the clock work it will be."
"25th July 2013, Doctor Patujum has successfully bonded the Mosqoths eggs with the new G Host. The Widows have had several offspring already, each brood becoming bigger in size and better in virus. It will be tough to reach the ultimate B.O.W, but for Master A...' And that's where the paper had been burned off.
These things Jill and himself couldn't see must be the Mosqoths mentioned, and larger than the ones Sherry had previously dealt with before.
Sherry broke Chris out of his thoughts, beginning to scream, he saw Jake was grimacing like the end or a painful attack was about to land.
Chris reached for the liquid nitrogen explosive rounds in his utility belt, and pressed them quickly one by one into his launcher, readying it straight for the Widows back.
The short click of the safety coming off disturbed the Widow from whatever it was about to do, causing the creature to turn on heel towards the two scowling soldiers. Jake and Sherry were still preoccupied by whatever was behind the thing and didn't know of the other two's presence.
Jill raised her gun defiantly, ready to fire if the creature attacked Chris before he could shoot.
"You ready?" He whispered through gritted teeth, Jill nodded in the darkness and didn't waste any time pulling the trigger.
Sherry and Jake recoiled into their arms, shielding their faces as the loud boom sounded. A deathly cold blew over them making them shiver in turn, a thin layer of ice covered them as they lay there.
The insects dropped from the air smashing into pieces as they hit the ground, they hadn't a clue what just happened.
Jake raised his head after the air had cleared seeing two shadowy military figures standing behind the frozen Widow, he was about to reach for his gun when the more muscled character punched the creatures face making it completely shatter.
"Chris?" Sherry asked slowly removing her arms from her face, sounding very confused.
"Are you two alright?" He asked rushing to her as Jill went to Jake.
"Yeah... Just about." Jake muttered beating the ice from the back of his head, turning to Sherry to see her pale frame shaking. "Supergirl?" He questioned in worry.
"I'm fine." She spoke in a low voice, nearly inaudible.
He couldn't help but frown, this felt like a repeat of last time; she had looked and sounded like this, but this time she hadn't been hurt at all, he'd made damn sure about it.
"Let's rest for awhile." Jill recommend seeing the concern on his face, "Phew!" She started with a confused glance from Chris, "It's nice and cool in here now." She put a hand to her own head before sitting right next to Sherry who hadn't moved much since the other two saved them. "Are you still warm?" Jill asked with a kind smile.
Sherry nodded with a small gulp.
"Here." Jill offered her hand putting it to Sherry's forehead, "My hands are cool."
Jake frowned not understanding what she was doing, but soon after followed the method in the madness: she was checking Sherry's temperature, but when Sherry didn't really react to Jill's touch, concern played on her features too.
"She's burning up."
Jake heard Sherry's breath becoming shallower the more time went on and her lips started to lose colour.
"Jill..." Chris spoke with a frown looking at Sherry swaying on the spot, "What's her pulse?"
Jill shook her head once she put two fingers on her neck, and gave a weak smile.
"Too fast."
"Shit." Jake muttered putting his own hand on her head to feel her burning through his glove, he'd had seen this a number of times before when comrades had been bitten by Zombies before turning, or when people had received terrible news. Sherry was in shock and about to pass out.
Luckily with Jake's new senses and speed he managed to move behind Sherry just prior to her falling backwards, landing into his arms, dead asleep.
UPDATED: 15/01/2015 - Spelling, Grammar & Minor story details.