Extraction

Hour Twenty Three

Slight flurries of snow caressed my face as I sat in the snow. Jeremiah sat in the fetal position blowing air into his cupped hands. I stared at my hands, they were a ghostly pale color to contrast the black protruding veins. It had been roughly thirty minutes, I felt lightheaded from the sight of my transformation and seeing the loss of my fingers. The nausea I felt made me want to puke, but the urge to gag was repressed. "What have I become", I asked myself as I heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. I turned towards the sound and stood up, Jeremiah did the same. "You ready to get out of here?", Jeremiah asked looking towards me as he held the briefcase. "Yeah", I said nodding my head and clenching my fists to stretch my fingers. As the large helicopter approached it turned around and carefully descended onto the platform. I stepped towards the helicopter as it touched down and the rotors slowed.

    The cargo platform of the helicopter opened and out stepped Wolfgang with two of his honor guards. "Oh, General, your honor", Jeremiah said as we both knelt to him. My eyes widened as I saw the idea of escape, flee from my list of possibilities. Wolfgang scanned the platform fixing his eyes upon the large deceased creature laying at the shipment center doorway. "As I predicted, there was a breech of containment", Wolfgang said as he fixed his gaze towards Jeremiah. "Sir, we have the research. It wasn't all in vain", Jeremiah said kneeling forward laying the armored case at the feet of one of the honor guards as they picked it up and handed it to Wolfgang. Silently, Wolfgang opened the briefcase and spoke of the contents aloud. "Stachybotrys chartarum VII, Naegleria fowleri IX and Voriconazole cyanide. You have delivered the bare minimum I've asked for. I do not appreciate the lack of communication though Jeremiah. I believe informing me towards the neglect of containment sooner would have put more gratitude towards future decisions", Wolfgang said with a stern scowl prominent on his aged face. "Sir, we lost communication, we lost power", Jeremiah pleaded as he became increasingly nervous. "How would you have lost power? Within your research team, whom would have cut the power and for what reason? Everyone I assigned to you have been mentally sculpted to study and serve, they would have no alternative desires. The only one there with an ounce of free will was you Jeremiah", Wolfgang sternly accused, pointing his finger with conviction.

"Sir, I don't know how, but it happened", Jeremiah stuttered trying to think, "It could have been an escaping test subject." Wolfgang sighed, "So it was the neglect of your team that caused it? The team you were leading?" Jeremiah knelt silently shivering as I looked at him. "Millions of dollars that could have gone to war efforts have been wasted upon your blatant neglect and stupidity", Wolfgang said drifting his gaze towards me, "and what the hell happened to you Stephan?" "Sir, let me explain, we had to terminate the original subject zero. Dalero had the amoeba, but didn't become altered by the mold. He, being the last influence of the amoeba is now the primary mind and controller of the mold", Jeremiah explained knowing that explaining what has happened is only digging deeper graves for the both of us. "You should be taking notes on the efficiency of Mr. Dalero, Jeremiah, he managed to do everything he was asked and then some. He is a loyal soul to the Germanian cause, can you say the same?", Wolfgang asked stepping off of the helicopter's ramp and approaching Jeremiah. "Yes sir, I've done everything to serve you. Never once have I thought to cross your brilliant plans your honor", Jeremiah complimented trying to diffuse Wolfgang's anger.

"Why thank you Jeremiah. I do consider all actions I take to be of the upmost forethought and strategic precision. Yet the most vicious lies hide behind the kindest words and I've found that dead men tell less lies than ones left alive and to their own devices", Wolfgang said stroking his chin as his guards raised shotguns and aiming towards Jeremiah's shaking body. "Any last words?", Wolfgang asked with a emotionless face. "You will burn in hell Hans, long live the core and down with Germania. Your days are numbered", Jeremiah condemned with seething anger through viciously gritting teeth. "Understood, my days may be numbered, but so are your seconds", Wolfgang retorted nodding to the guards as one shot Jeremiah. I turned away hearing the gunshot echo off of the mountain. Looking back I saw Jeremiah, now dead, head torn to shreds as the red-soaked snow became darker and darker. Squinting my eyes I knew my time to explain myself arose, but before I said anything Wolfgang began. "Stephan, I want to thank you for dealing with the incompetence of the head researcher. I'm sure it was quite inconvenient having to deal with these new, innovative lifeforms. I assume the rest of your teammates died painfully, so I will not be discussing them. I want to know why you injected yourself with the amoeba?", Wolfgang asked walking through the snow towards me. "I didn't sir, I was thrown down a body disposal shaft and landed in a room full of garbage, medical supplies and discarded experimental fluids. It wasn't voluntary. I appreciate I was able to serve you, but the truth is, I don't want any form of payment for this job", I pursed my lips trying to continue my sentence.

"Why is that?", Wolfgang asked kneeling down next to me. "I'm proud to serve my country, but after this traumatic event sir, I want to go back home to my wife and live the rest of my life with her, peacefully", I asked praying and hoping he would allow me to just go home and retire from Germanian military service. "Well, you've done such an exceptional job with this mission you were given...", Wolfgang paused nodding his head with a sense of understanding sympathy, "but I'm going to have to say, no. Dalero, I'm going to be honest with you, because you deserve the truth. You were a pawn on the chessboard, that is this war, a disposable pawn that could be discarded and retired without care. Now that this little alteration has been add to your status, you've now become the queen. The most valuable piece on the board. Even though you are valuable, you're still under my hand and can only move when I desire to." My heart stopped and I fell into the snow, closing my eyes and feeling the cold embrace of reality. I knew my life was over, but I didn't know what to expect. "What does it all mean?", I asked opening my eyes and shifting them onto Wolfgang who still knelt over me.

"Well, you will be admitted into a government run psychological alteration facility and the rest of your days, no matter how numerous will be spent controlling those infected with the amoeba and mold. That is, after you are taken through years of mind and spirit crushing tests that will break you. Any free time that you have will be spent either in a perfectly sized human containment device or a white room with no contact from anyone. I know all of this sounds rather horrendous and torturous, but I assure you, I am only speaking the truth", Wolfgang smirked, rising off of the ground and ordering his guards to seize me. I felt their strong hand grab ahold of my arms and begin to drag me through the snow. "Your wife will be informed of your 'death' Stephan, no need to worry about her waiting. I'm sure she'll find another handsome Germanian man, probably one not as loyal as you", Wolfgang mocked as I was loaded aboard the helicopter and restrained with a plethora of cuffs and shackles.

"Just another faceless human casualty Stephan, don't get your ego inflated from the whole 'patient zero' thing. No one will remember your past, history, or accomplishments. You're going to be known as a vile corruption against humanity", Wolfgang commented walking to the cockpit and sitting next to the pilot.

My identity, my mark on society, my family... all futile. I am no one and no one is going to know my story. I am just a tragic background character in the play, or checkerboard of life controlled by those who are willing to commit the most sins. I have no name, I have no personality, I am just a conduit for the will of the elite. Goodbye... It seems can't remember my wife's name, and come to think of it... I can't remember mine either.