A/N: Short chapter today (didn't realize it was so short...) but enjoy either way! Questions, comments encouraged and all that jazz. You know how it goes by now. :P

The squad quickly arrived at the hive they were tasked to destroy. The other two squads had moved towards other areas but were actually relatively close by in comparison to most times. The mission was simple: destroy the hives while the Lotus finds Alad V's location. It was not really a question of if they were going to destroy it, but when. With this in mind, the four Tenno started moving the instant they dropped into the ship.

They arrived at the first hive mass with no issues and surprisingly didn't meet many infested along the way. Almost as if they had been waiting, the infested presence didn't actually seem large until the squad had found the first hive mass.

As they fought their way through the hordes of infested now clawing at them constantly towards the smaller masses, now dubbed tumor nodes, each of them easily cut through the infested. It almost seemed as though the infested were weaker than before. They all tried to determine if that meant Alad V's force was now weaker or if it meant that the tougher ones were yet to come.

They were able to located the tumor nodes fairly easily and returned to the hive mass to destroy it. As they destroyed it, they notice a slight change in gravity and started moving towards the next hive mass.

Before they were able to get too far, a transmission came through to their HUDs. Once again they saw the sickly face of Alad V. The infestation was clearly spreading throughout his body quickly as the masses were now larger and covered more of his body than before.

"Soon," he started, "you will see like me. You will see the- beauty and perfection of this new species," he continued, stopping occasionally as if in pain. "Come Tenno, evolve wi- with me."

As the transmission ended, the Lotus appeared on their HUDs.

"It's worked its way into his mind," she said both curious and concerned. "It's changing how he thinks. Alad V isn't using the Infestation as a weapon, he is the infestation," she finished as if deep in thought.

As the transmission had been going on, the squad had already fought their way towards another large group of infested defending the hive mass. As they seeked out the tumor nodes while fighting through the infested, they all started to think about Alad V's plan. Was it really him making these decisions? Had he played with the infestation too much and now couldn't control it? Was Alad V still himself? It was all very confusing but they didn't need to worry about it. There mission was to destroy the hives and that was what they were doing.

Once again, the tumor nodes were found swiftly and the hive mass was destroyed shortly after. This time the laser grids turned on again but only slowed down the squad slightly. As if by clockwork, they received another transmission from the now corrupted Corpus executive.

"Oh Tenno, are you worried you'll be left out?" Alad V asked. "Look, I've been working on something, special. You can too can be- one with us," he ended gasping in pain.

"I'd much rather be left out than end up looking like you…" Spud mumbled slightly, receiving short chuckles from the rest of his squadmates as another transmission from the Lotus came through.

"I've almost completed my signal analysis," she reported. "Keep moving, I'll have his lab's coordinates shortly," she continued before ending the transmission.

In no time, the squad had reached the next well guarded hive mass. Still confused about the relatively low toughness of the infested, the hunt for the tumor nodes was fast and easy. As the hive mass was destroyed creating energy stealing, magnetic pockets throughout the ship, the group moved swiftly towards extraction to get away from the infested creatures which seemed to show up constantly near the hive masses. About halfway to the extraction, Alad V sent another transmission.

"You see Tenno, my new flesh comes with new desire," he started as the squad collectively shivered at the thought. "This Infestation and I, we are one. I want what it wants. And it wants- what I want. Together, we will crawl across the bountiful flesh of this system. Join us."

"This guy has serious issues if he think we will join him," Lonewolf said. "I mean, he is Corpus and infested so he is literally two things we would never join."

"Well," Hayden said slowly, "not without pay at least," she finished with an obvious smirk.

"I'll work for anybody who gives me enough credits or a good enough weapon," Falken added, also with an obvious smile in his voice.

Shortly after, the four of them were in their lisets but still in communication. The Lotus once again popped up on their HUDs with an update.

"Good work Tenno," the Lotus said. "I have just triangulated the location of Alad V's lab."

"Good," Lonewolf said plainly. "I'm ready to pay him another visit."

"By this point he will have moved on," the Lotus responded to Lonewolf who growled slightly. "but we can still destroy his work and stop him from creating anymore Mutatlist infested."

"That is at least a good start," Spud mused.

"This mission is still of the highest priority though," the Lotus continued. "Due to that fact, I am sending you there right now. Destroy his lab."

Shortly the lisets had changed course towards Candiru and Alad V's mutalist lab.