Chapter 10: Nearrum – The Escape
Magnus Coldstone hid behind the nearby boulder as the searchlights swept by. Sweat dripped down his uncovered face as he stared at the passing patrols. He had already made it past the outer gates to the compound.
"Just a little further," he thought to himself.
Magnus had escaped his block a while ago. He had been careful not to make too much noise, but one guard happened to glance his way, forcing him to use his biotic charge to take him out. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough. The guard began shooting before he hit him, triggering an alert phase throughout the base. He had escaped the base, getting out of the outer gate. All that was left was to get pass the gateway checkpoint, which was the only way to the spaceport on the far side of the planet. In the past few days, the Illusive Man had really beefed up the security here. It might have been because of the recent breakout of another Cerberus agent. He didn't make it past the outer gates, but he had taken out a couple of guards along the way. They eventually got him when they sent the FROGS after him. No one's ever escaped the FROGS. They knew how to hunt down traitors very well it seems. Magnus had been lucky, as they still hadn't caught up to him yet. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have much time to get to the armory after he escaped. He had wanted to grab his favourite M-27 Scimitar shotgun, but getting out was his priority. For now, he had to settle with a StA-18 pistol he took off a Helghast soldier. With the patrol moving out of range, Magnus got up and ran as silently as he could across the rocky path, sticking to a rocky wall along it. If anymore patrols came, he would have to hide among the big rocks on the wall, hoping they won't see him. He had once respected the Illusive Man, but after he joined forces with the others, he's become a little crazier. It began with the creation of more monsters that the one called Wesker had brought in. Then, the human experimentations to create stronger troops with certain viruses. Then with the indoctrination of most of the Cerberus soldiers. That was when Magnus had enough, and decided it was time to get out. He continued his light sprint across the path towards the checkpoint. He had to get out, or he might never get the chance to do so ever again. Suddenly, a sound drew his attention to his left. He scanned the area, but it was too dark to see anything. He stopped. Something was out there.
Doctor Mike Tonser was done with the day's experiments. Some of the operatives took the virus in well, others, not so good. Those that received it became stronger, able to run faster and jump higher. Those that didn't continued to mutate into grotesque monsters.
"At least they still had a use," the doctor told his associate. "We can send these 'tyrants' to the front lines. They fear nothing, and feel nothing."
"Yes, doctor!" he said.
The doctor took a look at his watch. "It's late. That's it for today. Pack up the data and send them to my office."
"Yes, doctor!" he saluted and walked out, taping away on his omni-tool.
Mike rubbed his eyebrows. It was a long day today. He had programmed many of the tyrants to rampage around, destroying anything they saw. He was ready to send them where the Illusive Man needed them. Chairman Wesker had also been to the lab today. Whenever he was around, Mike felt an uneasy atmosphere around him. That feeling had always given him the goosebumps, but there might be something far sinister to it. And Wesker wasn't even left-handed. Thankfully, the Chairman had left early, to take care of some business, along with his 'death aura'. Only then could Mike feel relieved. He had decided to head back to his room to get some rest, but as he opened the door, the alarms started blaring around him.
"Great," he said aloud, although he could barely hear himself. "What now?"
A Helghast engineer ran past him. Mike took this opportunity to find out what was going on.
"What's happening?" he questioned.
"We've had another break out," the engineer responded. "A Magnus Coldstone or something. Guards checked in, and he was missing."
"Great," the doctor sighed.
Another break out. This was getting more frequent in the last few months. It was most likely due to the indoctrination that the Illusive Man was using on his soldiers. Mike was happy he didn't have to put up with all that, as he was under the Chairman instead. For him, he'd rather feel death than to be mind-controlled himself. Mike thought to himself. He would have tried to escape too, if it wasn't so hard. Being a scientist and all, he wouldn't even stand a chance to reach the inner gates. His omni-tool began buzzing. He had received a signal. Opening the link, he took a look at the caller. It was his associate.
"Doctor, the commander's ordered the release of hunters. He's already sent out a pod."
Mike's face paled. Never had he released the hunters on his own people. Hunters were a batch of vicious mutant Bio Organic Weapons that he had worked on recently. They weren't as aggressive as the tyrants, but they were still rather deadly, with their huge, long claws, and armored shells.
He steadied himself and responded. "Alright. I'll be at the labs shortly."
Ending the call, he took a look out the nearby window. That fugitive was in for a longer night than his.
Magnus crouched behind a tall boulder. Movement had caught his eye earlier. Something big was moving around, probably trying to flush him out. He dreaded at the thought of what it might be. It seemed beastly in nature, but he couldn't tell what it was, although it might be one of the B.O.W's that he's seen around the science wing of the facility. He had always feared those creatures, and it seemed that one was after him right now. He'd rather go up against a squad of FROGs than one of those creatures anytime. Right now, he still only had his pistol, which seemed rather puny against any kind of dangerous creature that might be lurking out there. He had already waited for thirty minutes. The creature was clearly waiting for him to make a move. Magnus shook his head. He had to move, whether the creature attacked or not. He had to get to the checkpoint. He picked up one of the small pebbles that were littered among his feet, and with a quick throw, it flew back down the path he had come. With a quick burst of energy, he flew out of his hiding spot and down the road. The creature would eventually learn his ruse, but he had to get out of there. As he ran, something big flew out from the darkness, landing on top of him. He did a roll, and with a shockwave, he knocked the creature away. He turned to look at the creature as it fell. It was a hunter. The doctor in the labs had been monitoring all kinds of B.O.W's, and Magnus had seen one of these before. Armed with only a pistol, he had to rely on his biotic abilities, but those could only last for so long, and they tired him out quickly without a proper supply of energy. He began his run as the hunter began to regain its balance. Magnus heard the roar as he ran. Even if the base didn't know of his escape, they would learn of it now. He opened fire on the hunter as he ran. The bullets were strong enough to pierce the hunter's armor, but it didn't slow the hunter at all. Emptying his whole clip, Magnus threw his pistol to the hunter, turning his attention forward. He could see the checkpoint. Two Cerberus guards were there, their mattocks aimed towards him. Magnus made a quick biotic charge as they started shooting. He arrived at the checkpoint, smashing one of them square in the chest, sending him flying out into the darkness. He performed a roundhouse kick to the head of the second guard, knocking him out. Picking up the mattock the second guard dropped, he continued his sprint forward. He looked back. His biotic charge had gotten him further away from the hunter, which was a good thing. His only objective left was to get to the spaceport. If he could just get there…
Doctor Tonser had viewed the camera feed of the checkpoint. Magnus Coldstone had gotten through, but the hunter was still after him.
"That's good progress," the doctor thought to himself.
The previous hunter batch didn't work too well, as Helghan blood didn't go with the virus. They had to change their plans and use normal humans. They had gone to a few colonies and grabbed a few for their experiments, and these ones seem to accept the virus without problems. Now, one of the subjects was after the traitor, not even slowing down for anything. It would eventually catch him, and it would destroy him. Plus, the base had also sent out the FROGs to find him, so there was a really low chance that he would get away.
A voice appeared behind the doctor. "So, will your B.O.W's succeed or not? My soldiers are looking for blood."
Mike turned and came face to face with the base military chief, General Armin Metrac. Metrac was a legend in the Helghast armies. He had almost conquered the ISA planet of Vekta once, and was thought killed in the battle, but he escaped back to Helghan. The leader in Helghan had posted him here afterwards, to oversee the projects of B.O.W's for the Cerberus army. Metrac opposed the idea of monsters in the front lines, but the Illusive Man was a man with his mind made up. Nothing would convince him to change his plans.
"It would certainly finish him," Mike told the general. "Once it's done playing with him."
Magnus had to squeeze through a narrow secondary path when the hunter blocked off the main path. That meant that he had to take the longer way to get to the spaceport, going around, with not much light around as well. The hunter tried to follow, but it was a little too big to get through. With one final attempt, the hunter gave up, running off in a different direction.
Magnus sighed with relief. "That was a close one…"
Taking some time to rest a bit, Magnus stopped and checked his new weapon. He had about four thermal clips for his mattock. With this, he might be able to take down a few guards on his way. He knew the FROGs were coming at some point, so he had to continue moving. Straightening himself, he continued his run in the darkness. The hunter was still out there somewhere, so he had to be careful. Following the path, Magnus had reached the one of the runways for the spaceport.
"Alright," he told himself. "Now we're getting somewhere!"
Walking towards the area, gunfire pelted on the gravel around his feet. He dodged and looked up. Four female soldiers jumped down towards him, their guns blazing. The FROGs had found him. Magnus turned, and ran, shooting his mattock behind him. He heard one of them scream as he kept going. It seems he got one of them. The others landed behind him, running after him. He might have made it to a shuttle, but more FROGs rained down in front of him, blocking him off. He stopped. They had surrounded him. He grimaced. He had no way out of this. He had to risk it. Running, he used a biotic charge, plowing through the FROGs in front, and then using a nova, he sent them flying up. Their bodies never reached the bottom, as they turned to dust before they landed. He ran backwards, aiming his mattock and shooting away at the rest of the FROGs. He got two in the head, but the last one managed to get few shots in, damaging his left leg. Falling in his backwards run, Magnus lay there, dazed for a while. Returning to himself, he raised his rifle and shot the last FROG soldier. It dodged, jumping behind a well-placed container. He tried to get up, but the pain in his leg prevented him from doing so.
"Agh!" he shouted. "No!"
He began a crawl towards a shuttle he saw on the runway. If he could just make it there. More FROGs showed up on the main path, pointing at him.
"Over there!" the leader shouted.
They began running towards him. He looked around. There was no way out of this one. Dropping his rifle, he raised his hands. Defeated. He cringed his face in anguish. He was so close, but they got him. The FROGs surrounded him. The leader stepped forward, and with the butt of her gun, she knocked him out.
"Sir," she communicated. "We got him."
"Excellent work," General Metrac said. "Bring him back. I have plans for him."
Doctor Tonser looked up from his console. "They got him?"
"Yes," Metrac told him. "Your hunter didn't really do much. The FROGs did their job once again."
The doctor looked disappointed. Apparently, he had wanted to see his work in action, but it didn't prove to be good enough.
Metrac spoke again. "It seems your Chairman is going to have a little something to say to you. He's on his way back after hearing the news. He doesn't like losing to someone like Liquid."
"I suppose you're right," the doctor admitted.
Metrac smiled to himself, turning back to the window. He had many plans indeed.
Magnus woke up. He gasped a bit for air, and then looked at his surroundings. He was in a room. Wires spanned from the ceiling to the machine he was tied to. He tried to get out, but metal cuffs kept him down. Suddenly, the door opened. The man who stood there was the darkest person he ever saw. Evil radiated out of the man. He was dressed in black all over, and even wore black sunglasses, that prevented Magnus from seeing his eyes. He walked in and stepped towards Magnus.
"You've caused this facility quite some trouble, haven't you," he asked Magnus.
"Who are you?" Magnus spat.
The man was shocked. "You've worked at my facility all the while, and you don't know who I am? Even your general knows me."
Magnus thought for a bit. General Armin Metrac was the one running the military operations at the base. It never occurred to him that there was a leader behind the experimentations that happened at the base.
"I am Albert Wesker," the man said. "Chairman to the B.O.W operations."
The energy radiated from Wesker scared Magnus a little, but he couldn't show it. Not now.
"What do you want?" Magnus asked.
"Why, you tried to escape," Wesker responded. "I'm here to make sure you never do it again. I've got a little something for you."
Wesker held out a vial. Inside it, a little parasite squirmed and writhed as it tried to move around. Wesker casually walked over to a console to the left of Magnus. Magnus turned to watch the chairman put his vial into a tube feeder. Magnus realized the plan. Wesker was going to turn him into a B.O.W. That way, he would never escape again. He would be under control forever.
Wesker added something in. "And just to be sure, you will be controlled only by me. You've caused me enough trouble as it is. I don't like being lesser than anyone else. Especially someone like Liquid, who's a complete maniac."
Magnus was going to say something, but the thought of losing his freedom shocked him to silence. He had to get out. He struggled. If only he could break the cuffs, he could get out. Wesker typed away at the console. The parasite in the vial disappeared. Magnus's eyes widened. He struggled more, not wanting to turn into one of them. Wesker added in a second vial. It was filled with red liquid, and fed it into the machine. There was no way out. Magnus felt the parasite enter his body through one of the tubes. His struggling just got worse. His consciousness was going in and out.
"No," he thought in his mind. "It cannot end this way."
Reading his thoughts, Wesker answered. "It has to be this way. Can't have anyone else at this base trying to escape, would we? I'll show them what happens to those who betray me."
Magnus took one last look at the world he was in, before losing consciousness. Forever.
The Illusive Man stared at the star as he blew out a puff of smoke. This was his favourite task besides plotting against Shepard. Blowing out one more puff, he turned his chair around and looked at the three holograms waiting for him.
"Gentlemen," he spoke, stubbing his cigarette on the chair. "It has come to my attention that someone at the Nearrum facility tried to escape. Again."
He looked to Wesker. "Care to explain?"
Wesker smiled. "The situation has been taken care of. The one known as Magnus Coldstone had tried to escape, but I've used the ultimate countermeasure against him."
The Illusive Man stared at him. "And what has become of this… Coldstone?"
Wesker's eyes glowed with excitement. "Take a look yourself."
He moved out of the way, revealing a grotesque creature to the others.
One voiced his opinion. "That sure is ugly. Couldn't you have created something nicer?"
Wesker turned to him. "Quiet, Liquid. The looks don't matter. What matters is the strength."
The other hologram spoke. "Enough, you two. As long as it gets the job done, it doesn't matter how it looks."
"Yes. Exactly my point, Visari," Wesker said. "This creature can get the job done. He will exact my revenge upon the Alliance. No one will ever be betraying me again. The Alliance will fear me, and my people will no longer flee to them for help."
"Yes," Visari said. "And what do you call this one?"
Liquid spoke up. "You've got lickers, hunters, tyrants. What's this one? The grosser?"
He laughed at his own joke, but kept quiet once he realized that no one else was laughing.
The Illusive Man's robot eyes gleamed with cunning excitement. He knew what Wesker was going to call it. He didn't like it, because it would confuse his soldiers with that name, but it was a good one.
Wesker spoke after a minute of silence. "This one will be called… the Nemesis."
Project Eel – Nearrum
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