Life Inside the Dead Zone

Chapter 5: Carnifex

Chapter 5
Carnifex

The moon is still high in the sky as Vincent and I stagger into view of the cathedral. Thankfully, the trip back was pretty uneventful and it gave me a chance to observe him closer. Just like the things that I've decided to call Reapers, no infected seems to be interested in attacking him. Whatever happened to him in that Hive, it changed him. I'll need to get him back to VI for research. God, I hate that word in that context, but I can't think of a better word.

Looking around, I see Ivy crouched on a nearby rooftop. She points to Vincent and then raises her hands helplessly. The message is clear. How are we going to explain that Ivy wasn't with me?

I lay a hand on Vincent's shoulder. "Hey," I say. "I, uh, need a favor."

"Name it," he says, turning to face me. "I mean, you saved my life. Might've done more than that."

"Think nothing of it. As for the favor, I left my friend here to... Uh..."

"Spy on my people?"

"Yeah. You have to understand, this place is our home, however infested it may be. We don't know you and don't know why you're here. We felt that asking straight up might not have been the best way to learn about you. It's not that we don't trust you. It's that..."

"You don't trust us," Vincent says, crossing his arms over his chest. "I hear what you're saying. We're new here. You and your people have lived here for generations. You have a right to know. Unfortunately, I think my friends already know."

I sigh. "So there are tracking devices in the armor. I was afraid of that." I look up to Ivy and beckon for her to come down. "Thank you, anyways." Ivy reaches the ground and runs over to join us. "Ivy, this is Vincent. Vincent, Ivy."

Vincent nods his head to Ivy. "A pleasure."

"Good to see you're not dead, I guess," she says. "Though, if you don't mind me asking, why are you not dead?"

Vincent shrugs. "Those things seemed to want to do something to me. It wasn't pleasant, though they did something that kept me tranquil, not unlike anesthesia."

"What did they do to him, X?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say. "We'll have to get him back to VI for inspection."

"VI?" Vincent asks. "Where do you come up with these... Oh. Wait. X. VI. Ivy. Those aren't names, are they? Those are Roman numerals. There's more of you."

"Please don't tell your friends yet," I say. "It's already going to be awkward enough when Ivy and I have to tell our leader about this."

"I promise. Now, level with me," he says. "What are the odds that the thing those monsters put inside me is some sort of parasite or equally nasty thing?"

I sigh. "I've never known Muties to implant parasites inside things, but I've also never known them to take their prey alive, so I don't know. VI would know better."

"He your doctor?" Vincent asks.

"Healer would be a better word," I say. "Now, we've talked long enough. But first, I have to ask. Is there still a settlement in Provo?"

Vincent looks at me for a second and then nods. "Yes. It's a settlement of almost three thousand people. They can't support a larger population. It's been there for decades. Why?"

"We used to do some trading with them until circumstances changed," I say. "We had to leave, so we came north and haven't had much contact with them." Vincent keeps looking at me, unsatisfied. I sigh. "Look, we left some friends behind there and I just want to know if they're alright. But enough about that. Let's get inside."