1032 Words, this chapter

Chapter Eleven, Just a Costume 2: Redressed

"It turned into a human?"

"Yes."

Becker swore again.

"This gives new meaning to trick or treat," said Connor. "Talk about a costume!"

"That's not funny," said Jess.

"No," said Becker. "It's not."

"Jess, where's the fake postman?"

"I'm following it. It might look human but its acting like a crazed, scared creature. Its running into streets and scaring the heck out of people. It just ran into a liquor store."

"Guide us," said Matt.

Becker led, running at full speed down the street, across another, through an intersection, onto a sidewalk, and into the liquor store.

"It's still in there," said Jess.

"Yeah, we can tell," said Becker, noticing the shocked expressions on the customers.

"Where is it?" asked Matt.

A pale woman pointed to the back. The team moved out.

"Be careful," said Jess. "I've redirected the other team, now that we know the other dog is really a dog. You'll have back up."

"Thanks," said Matt. "We may need them."

Carefully the team checked the aisles, the store room, and the bathrooms.

"There is nothing here," said Emily.

"Jess, are you sure it's still in the store?" asked Becker.

"Yes," said Jess. "Nothing has come out. I'm sure."

Just then a loud crashing sound came from across the back. An employee stumbled out of a cooler door. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. "I..I...just saw..."

"What?" asked Connor.

"Me."

Matt looked at Becker. Becker nodded and they moved into the cooler.

Toward the back, running into crates and boxes was the employee. It turned as they drew closer. It hissed and spat a white goo.

Matt jumped back but Becker pounced, firing. The man fell back, unconscious.

"Well this is weird," said Matt.

Becker scoffed.

"It's not changing," said Connor.

"Well, I'm fairly sure that normal humans don't spit goo," said Becker.

"Maybe it holds the shape even while unconscious," said Abby.

"Maybe it has to be conscious to change."

"While you guys guess," said Becker, "let's get this thing to the anomaly."

"It's closed," said Jess.

"Great."

"Yeah. We get to study this thing longer," said Connor happily.

"Yippee," said Becker.

Jess giggled. "He's just unhappy. We had plans tonight. It's our anniversary, you know."

Abby laughed. "You hadn't mentioned it..."

"But about fifty times," said Connor.

"We still have time, sweetie," said Jess.

"We'll get this thing unloaded fast," said Matt.

Becker didn't say anything. The team loaded the 'man' into an ARC truck. At the ARC, Becker supervised his men unloading it. "Don't be surprised by its appearance," he said.

"It can change," said Matt.

"Like a chameleon?" asked one of the men.

"No, like a changeling or doppelganger," said Connor.

Becker sighed. His men looked confused. "Just be alert and cautious."

They opened the van. The men looked surprised to see a man inside. He looked asleep. They pulled him out, as they did he woke up.

He fought with them.

"He's a tricky little bugger," said one of the men.

"I thought it was a creature!" cried another.

"It is !" yelled Becker, trying to grab the crazed creature man.

It fought with Becker, but he pinned it against the truck. Becker didn't like the way it looked at him.

"We got him, Sir," said the men, taking over for Becker.

"Don't underestimate it," he said as the men took hold of the man.

Then he/it changed.

Into their superior officer. Becker.

Jess watched the confusion from Ops. The men were startled. The creature used it to move at lightning speed, elbowing one of them and dodging the other.

"Grab him! I mean...me!"

The two soldiers quickly got themselves under control and moved on the other Becker.

It was too fast, dodging everyone in the loading bay and running through the exit.

And into the rest of the ARC.

Jess immediately took charge. "Attention," she said calmly over the speakers throughout the ARC, "we have a creature on the loose, exiting from the loading bay. This creature is..."

"Weird," said Connor, over comms.

"In human form," said Jess. "It can change shape. It currently is in the form of..."

She faltered.

"Tell them," said Becker in her ear.

"Of Captain Becker," she said. Personally she wished she didn't have to say it. The idea of anyone gunning for Becker made her nervous. What if they shot the wrong one?

Becker seemed to know what she was thinking. "It's OK," he said in her ear.

"Yeah. If anyone does mistake him," said Connor. "He'll just be stunned."

"He's used to it," said Matt with a laugh.

"Attention. Creature in the form of Becker is now heading..." Jess paused and gulped, "toward Ops."

"Damn!" yelled Becker. "Security to Ops. Now!"

"They're already here," said Jess. "I'm OK."

Becker nodded and ran, as fast as he could. He trusted his soldiers. He did, but this was Jess.

"I have visual," said Jess.

Lt. Vale, Becker's third in command spoke over comms, "Confirmed. The creature is in the form of Captain Becker."

"What's it doing?" asked Matt.

"Just standing in the door," said Vale. "It seems...unsure."

Jess sat still in her chair at the ADD. "I don't like how its looking at me."

Becker immediately thought of the stare it gave him, just before it changed.

"Watch it!" he yelled. "It's getting ready to change again!"

"How do you know that?" asked Abby.

"It is!" cried Jess. "It's changing!"

"Easy," said Vale. "Everyone take it easy. Thompson, cover Jess."

Becker was in love with Vale at that moment.

"We're almost there," said Becker.

Then his heart broke.

Jess screamed.

EMD fire sounded over the comms.

"Jess!"

"Move! Move!" screamed Vale.

"Oh my God!" screamed Jess.

"Holy shit!" cried Private Thompson.

"It's...me!" screamed Jess in disbelief. "It's turned into me!"

End of Chapter Eleven