Nightmare: Corruption

Ten years ago, a powerful force of darkness threatened the universe. It tore through the boundaries of fantasy, devoured worlds, consumed civilizations, and left its destructive mark on reality.

Its name was Nightmare.

The Guardians, a race of spiritual powers wielding unlimited potential, were tasked with Nightmare's elimination. They sought the Chosen, a breed of individuals whose souls the Guardians could tap into and utilize. Empowered by their own gifted strength and the added force of the Guardians, these Chosen Ones willingly clashed against Nightmare.

Ten years ago, Nightmare was ultimately defeated by the combined efforts of Alex Taylor, his friends, and their Guardians who threw everything on the line for Earth.

It is 2011. The planet that once teetered on the brink of an apocalypse is full of life, and peace is an everyday occurance. The surviving Chosen Ones of ten years ago are finally free to live their own lives, their Guardians have left them and the race as a whole has seemingly gone dormant. Is this the future humanity hoped for? Is this the reason the Chosen and their Guardians struggled so fiercely?

It is 2012. Normalcy shatters explosively with the onset of a mysterious new disease known only as Anima Mortis. Thought to be the active result of a biological weapon by the Iranians, the UN authorizes destruction of the outed country. Anima Mortis sufferers describe hearing strange voices, the temptation to participate in immoral activities, sensations of mind-blowing pain, and finally hopelessness.

It is 2013. World ending theories are crushed, the UN is feeling after-effects of blowing up a country, and Anima Mortis is on the rise. The UN regretfully authorizes a collection of all Anima Mortis sufferers, and the task force Division 44 is formed. Division 44's mission is to capture AMS', experiment, and find a cure for the disease.

It is now 2019. There is no information recorded...

/

"Welcome to DeCardi, sir!" The uniformed woman gave a swift salute.

The man looked her over once and then passed by quickly, adjusting the luggage bag over his shoulder. The woman stood there with a surprised look on her face until she realized he wasn't coming back, and then she chased after him through the airport. When she caught up, she kept even pace with him. "U-uhm, sir..."

"And who are you supposed to be," he finally asked while still walking, one indigo eye slanting to look down at her by his side.

She tilted her head to look at him, but when she saw the eye regarding her, she quickly turned away. "Oh, uhm... I'm your military correspondent-"

"So in other words, my errand girl. You fetch my coffee and whatnot, right?" He walked out the main door and faced her for the first time.

She gasped and glared at him harshly, ready to give it to him despite his superiority. "Why, you-"

"Relax. You won't get anywhere in this world without a collar on your emotions. What's your name, Private?"

She blinked and looked down with a blush, emerald eyes full of embarassment. "Erika. Erika Darmiento, sir."

"Darmiento," he parroted. "So you're Damien's kid, eh? I've heard a lot about you, Private Darmiento, but I suppose that information was just rumor." She responded by lifting her head slightly, but was met with a defiant look that basically ordered her to keep her mouth shut. She reluctantly complied. "The name's Matthew Heart. I'll be your commanding officer from here on out, and remember this: you're not a part of the military from this day on. You take orders from me, and my orders override those of your regular command. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir," she struck a standard military pose with a classic salute.

"Good, now get the car. We have a lot of business to do and very little time in which to get it done."

“Another round Miss?”

“Yes, that’d be nice thanks.”

“What’s a nice young girl like you taking on so much anyway?” He questioned, raising a curious brow at the feminine creature sitting on his bar stool looking like the sorry folks he would often meet. Women would usually be wearing revealing clothes and decked in make-up. But not this one, she wore a brown coat with a gray sweater and jeans. Her bag was dark brown and unsightly, her hair tangled and loosely tied. She sat hunched with her elbows on the counter, looking miserable.

“It’s a long depressing story you’ve heard a million times, just give me that other round…” Her voice seemed low and defeated something that just wasn’t befitting for a young girl like her. He slowly poured more liquor into her glass, taking another glance at her.

“Unless your wife left you for another man or something like that, not sure you’d be havin’ the same depressin’ story Miss.” He leaned on the counter, towel in hand and having his full attention towards her. She returned the glance, noting his tanned skin, tattoos and silky black hair. He looked fairly young, not too young though but handsome enough. He disinterest was painfully obvious while she spent more time paying attention to the drink in front of her. It seemed he wasn’t worth a response. “Well, if you say so, Miss.” He sighed and went back to work, drying off the stacks of wine glasses.

He wouldn’t understand. She bitterly thought, closing her eyes to relish the silence her mind provided. It was only in these moments that it would stay quiet, too groggy and heavily intoxicated to think straight. But she was a passive drunk, mostly sitting in a corner dozing off. Something she was ultimately thankful for. Her hand slowly dragged itself in her pocket and placed money on the counter as she slowly got on her seat. “My name is Elise. You’ll be seeing me more often.” She graced him with a sheepish smile, something that he didn’t expect.

It had only been a month since she moved to Washington DC, and ultimately that little store was the one that served the cheapest and best kind of liquor. While money was exactly a problem, it was not a habit of hers to squander money. The apartment her parents got her was medium sized, cozy and rather perfect for her. They sent her a generous monthly allowance, mostly due to the fact that they were used to pampering their only child.

As she took a step outside, the wind flew by rather harshly as she began to walk to the station. She blended in the crowd, as the sea of people made the waves of the city and here she was, simply one individual with a full sense of herself and the things around her.

Lisette…

When her mind was intoxicated, it was only her name that he could say. His sweet, soft, masculine voice that whispered in her mind, dipped in temptation.

Only one of the voices that made her heart skip beats, made her body shiver in fear and endure the sleepless nights and daylight nightmares.

"Uhm, sir..." Erika began hesitantly, her hands gripping the steeling wheel unnecessarily. She kept her eyes on the road at all times, but she was very curious about the D44 agent sitting beside her.

"Commander Heart," he said aloud while putting on glasses and taking a paper out of his bag.

"Excuse me...?" She almost glanced in his direction but stopped herself, turning the vehicle swiftly around a corner.

"My rank and last name," sitting back in his seat, he began scanning over the information presented chaotically in the text he had read before.

Mysterious Paper

...girl trustworthy...
...too easy...
...disturbance but quickly quelled...
...nothing seems right...
...assignment running successfully...
...violence is high outside but that's to be expected...
...why is she looking at me like that?...
...suspicions rising...
...I don't like it here...
...is it really because of that?!...
...no, she...
...please...
...Area 83... gone...

Pushing his glasses up, Heart glanced at the young girl driving, and noted the minute bead of sweat rolling down the right side of her face. He also saw the way she clenched the steering wheel, but tacked both of those observations on to possible nervousness. The one thing that he seriously questioned was a very slight tremble that seemed to run up the girl's arms and send shivers down her spine. Following the almost unrecognizable shakes in her body, he spotted a very slight discoloration on her side where the shirt she wore exposed a very small amount of skin.

"How long have you been stationed at the base, Private?"

"A-about three months, Commander Heart..." She answered quickly with a stutter, but he let it go. Storing his glasses back in his chest pocket, he shoved the paper in his bag, and caught the millisecond glance that she gave.

He locked eyes with her if only for a brief moment, and tilted his head curiously, "Something you want to tell me, Private?"

"N-no, nothing Commander. It's just... well, I've heard a lot about you. The Heart name is huge in the military..." She laughed nervously, and he nodded, relaxing in his seat once more.

"How long until we reach the base?"

"Just a few more minutes, sir."

“Aahh what have I gotten myself into seriously...” Aiden sat back and swiveled a little in his chair to get a full look of his surroundings. Was this really what he wanted to do when he finally got out of college? Sure he had a nice desk but the drab gray interior of the lab he was given sent him a depressive feel. He let out a sigh as thoughts of his girlfriend swept over him causing him to space a bit. A knock at the door brought him back to reality.

“Doctor Pierce, your samples are here.” A soft timid sounding voice called from the other side. Aiden opened the eye hole to the door a jar to see who it was. A short black haired girl's face showed from the other side. He quickly swung the door open and let out a soft smile.

“Apologies miss, I was in a bit of a daze just before you came. You can just leave the package on the desk next to the lamp.” She nodded with a smile in return and placed his package on his desk. Without saying another word she swiftly let herself out of the room. “Curious girl never really talked has she?” Aiden looked around bemused at the fact that he had begun to talk to himself. He glanced at the package that had just been set hastily on the desk. Fragile it read with a big D44 stamp on the box. Division 44, a curious organization that grabbed Aiden as soon as he had graduated thinking his Ph.D in Molecular Biology would be of use to their research in AMS. He didn't know it would require living in the New York headquarters away from his happy life. It was too good of an offer to pass up however for the newly graduated doctor.

Aiden grabbed a knife and opened up the box top to reveal four vials inside. The blood samples he had requested for the disease. If anything could clear up information this was the source to the problem. He grabbed his latex gloves so as not to contaminate the material and placed the vials into the test tube holder on the right of the desk. Grabbing his forceps he began the lengthy process of actually extracting the DNA from the blood.

Erika opened the door for her new commanding officer, and he stepped out of the vehicle while putting on his glasses. Ignoring the girl almost completely, Heart took to analyzing the colossal base situated in front of them. He tapped the side of his glasses to initiate the first of several modes on his innovative optics that initiated a building scan. The inside of the lenses briefly displayed a detailed blueprint of the structure followed by an intimate graphic readout of the interior.

"Sir, would you like me to carry that for you?" Erika held out her hand as if expecting him to accept the offer.

"No," he dismissed her while clicking another button on his glasses to save the information and dismiss the imagery. "Who is the person in charge, and where can he be found?"

Erika answered him quickly, "That would be Major Espi, sir. He should be meeting us just inside."

Heart nodded and started walking towards the entrance only to be stopped by two soldiers demanding an access card. "He's with me," Erika barked authoritatively while flashing her Level A clearance card, the soldiers offering military formality and swift apologies for the inconvenience.

"Well now," Heart mused, "maybe you are good for something." Erika blushed a furious shade of red as they strode through the extensive security and ultimately made it to the lobby, where a heavyset bald man was waiting for them. Heart glanced at the many medals adorning the man's coat, and extended his hand at once. "Major Epsi, it's an honor to make your acquaintance although the circumstances could be better."

'Major Espi' raised an eyebrow at the man, and looked to either side of him at his subordinates. "What kind of trash dares speak to me first? Who does this little maggot think he is?" Espi stared back at Heart and spat, "Do they not teach proper respect in Division 44, maggot?"

"Oh, they teach it. I just don't see you as deserving of it, Major." Having said that, Heart took out his glasses and nonchalantly activated a scanning mode directed at Major Espi. "Hm," Heart mused aloud as Erika and the two subordinates of Espi just dropped their jaws at his behavior. They knew how their Commander was, but never heard of anyone defying him in such a manner. The Major himself was red-faced much like Erika was moments ago, and seconds away from blowing a fuse. After the analysis was complete, Heart turned his head to the subordinates in tow, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Erika," he suddenly spoke, sliding a hand under his coat. "What I'm about to do may shock you, but react quickly according to what I said earlier. I am your Commander, and became your superior the moment we met. Get ready to run down the East Wing. I'll rely on you for bypass."

Drawing his laser-sighted, customized desert eagle, Heart pressed the barrel against a surprised Espi's forehead and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Turning his sights on the two subordinates, he shot them down as well with a single bullet through the brain. Erika could only watch the scene unfold in paralyzed silence, three of her associates now lying in a pool of their own blood.

"Did you hear me," Heart glanced back at her while holstering his firearm. "What are you standing here for? We need to go."

It was a sad world when you start to realize that you’re becoming sober, more so when your body is naturally built to hold a lot of alcohol and simply manage to drink more than the average drunk-faced loser. Unfortunately, the taste of bitter and the throat-burning beverage was not the best, and most certainly near the worst.

But petty problems with the taste and the burning sensation that it brought upon her throat were the last things she cared to think about, there were more mind numbing things she wish she could try. Medication and sleeping pills generally did not bode well with her alcohol intake.

Lisette… lisssteeeenn…

It was not the enticing masculine voice from earlier. It was the shrieking one, there were several and often she wondered if she should name them. It was a thought she decided against, although getting used to the insane voices in her head was not easy. Paranoia came with the sickness, so was short temperance and a tendency to fidget. These would always be much milder when she was intoxicated, the bittersweet irony of a numb heart and mind and the broken morals she had.

Whyyyy do you not lisssttennnn...?

She wondered why it bothered to ask. As she stepped off the subway, a faint sound from the surface as the crowds of people poured out to go about their days. It put a frown on her face but there was a bright side to this, maybe it would wash the scent of alcohol away from her person. The stairs on the way up was damp and slowly became completely wet; she kept her balance and walked out along with a good other number of people.
Starting on a jog, she attempted to navigate her way from the alien named streets and the rain fogged sky. With little success, the tiny victory of at least finding the right street name was enough for her. Her brown coat had been pulled up to shade herself from the slight drizzle that seemed to gain momentum as she neared her location; which just happened to appear as she took the final turn to the left.

Lisssettee…

“Che,” her small scoff was drowned in the now pouring rain as she just took a step out of it, into the dimly lit library. Although her light brown hair had heavy signs of rainfall, the rest of her managed to stay dry, save for the coat of course. A tall thin man turned his head to her direction, his face almost as long as his lanky body at possibly 5’9 which easily gave off a severe look.

Lisette silently stared back as she slipped out of her coat, thanking the sweater for the much needed heat. She hung it on the clothes rack behind the counter and began to settle in her post while taking a rag and wiping the counter.

It was the second time they met and after telling her in great detail what was her work, he had not said much else. It did not bother her; she liked the silence and work kept her mind busy. The library was in a popular and convenient area, although it was not quite so popular itself, there was still a good number of people who dropped by. It consisted most of literature, mostly entertainment and so their customers were often collectors and mature audiences.

This made both their lives easier and since he had not corrected her, she assumed she was doing things alright. He worked swiftly, each shelf he was done with was alphabetical and orderly, while her main job was simply manning the register, much of her time was spent doing the same. His name was Richard Hansiem, in which she addressed him as ‘Mr. Hans’ by his request. He was not old, even if he acted and presented him in a mature fashion, clearly beyond his years. If she had to guess, he had to be around 30.

Lisette!

Ah, there was the more pleasant voice. The rain and humidity made getting sober much easier, much to her displeasure. Although being somewhat intoxicated during work was not exactly an ideal situation.

Lisette, Lisette… be wary, be careful…

What use were those words to her? She wondered, and then promptly changed her mind to the books in front of her. There was this silent routine they got, in which if someone was deeper inside, one would always be close by the entrance. Mr. Hans’ appearance always seemed clean, a crisp white shirt with a brown or some grayed colored vest along with black dress shoes. It was not exactly out dated; it simply made him look like he was from another world.

“Miss Mary, a pleasure to have you back.” His voice was clear but quiet; despite his expressions he never seemed to scare anyone.

“Oh, I did promise! I really loved the last two books I borrowed, maybe more from the same author?”

Lisette, it is not safe…

As Hans catered to the customer, she proceeded to return to the front as she slipped the last book in its rightful place. Safe, she scoffed, what would they know about safety?

Sweat ran down his brow as he carefully extracted the slimy substance from the test tube and placed it gently into the petri dish.

“Well…it’s about time. Strange, I’ve never had so much trouble with this before…” He bent over the newly found substance and stared at it with great interest. “Ah well …no use staring at it like this…” He carefully placed it onto a microscope slide and mounted it into his electron microscope. He fiddled with a dial until he got a clear picture of what exactly he had just extracted. A simple single strand of a double helix DNA, he moved it around and then finally stepped over to the computer and snapped a picture of it.

“…What…exactly is this.” He mumbled to himself. It was something Aiden had never seen before. From the outside it looked like a normal DNA strange however…at the microscopic level things were just…different. Strands and portions of the DNA altered and demented as if a new protein had been introduced into the streamline. “Whatever Virus attacked us definitely knew what it was doing…” He went back to his other three pure vials and took a pipet to one of them. Carefully he placed it inside of a needle and walked over to one of his lab rats. “Sorry little guy.” Slowly he injected the rat with the mutated blood. Quickly, before he could barely blink the rat began to have seizures. It was as if the rat had gone rabid and eventually the rat lay slumped in the corner of the cage…blood everywhere.

Aiden winced and probed the rat to see the cause of death. “Curious…his brain just imploded…” It was at this moment Aiden knew what exactly he was up against. This menace that Science has not been able to counter for years on end, what exactly was it. He sighed and rubbed his temples not knowing what exactly to do next. What hasn’t science done that he could do? He grabbed a stack of papers from his desk and looked at the reports of different medical tests done to patients infected by AMS. It was the same…different medicine, herbs, cures, nothing. Nothing had helped them what so ever and now Division 44 thinks that some kid could help them.

“Well...I’m stuck here can’t give up now can I? Let’s go towards the big ones instead…” He picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers. Momentarily a voiced answered on the other end.

“Hello? Dr. Pierce did you need assistance?”
“Ah, yes could you get someone to escort me to the room where they keep the AMS patients if possible? I would like to have a live specimen in my lab…”

“I’ll see what I can do.” The line clicked silent followed by a knock at the door a few minutes later. Aiden opened it surprised to see the same girl that had delivered the blood vials. Still the timid girl she was she bowed and walked away quickly. It was then he noticed an officer standing in the doorway as well.

“Dr. Pierce you requested to see the monsters?” He spoke with a deep serious tone.

“Well...I wouldn’t call them monsters. They still are humans, just sick.” Aiden let out a smile to see if he could lighten the air of tension.

“Monsters Dr. Now if you would so please follow me.” He kept his serious tone without even so much as a smile. Aiden sighed and shrugged.

“At least I tried…” He followed at the officers fast pace.

"Why did you kill them..." Erika stared at the man her father always talked about, and couldn't help but feel the hatred swell within her chest. He not only betrayed her, but he betrayed her father and everything he ever believed in. She looked down as tears cascaded down her face, her body shaking like a leaf.

"You remind me a lot of Damien," Heart reloaded his desert eagle with practiced ease, and then examined the data stored inside the technology of his special optics. "He was extremely naive," he stood and pointed his gun at Erika's head, the girl eventually glancing up and blinking in surprise. Her gaze went further up to lock eyes with the man she now called a superior. "Ask yourself why I haven't killed you yet," he activated the laser sight on his pistol to shine it directly on her forehead. "Got an answer? If not, consider the fact that I'm not a cold-blooded killer. My every action carries with it a reason. Now get up and wipe your eyes: it's time to go." He lowered the pistol and turned away from her, picking up his bag on the way to the door.

Erika watched him for a moment as thoughts swirled within her mind. This man terrified, but intrigued her. She had only known him for a few hours at most, but it felt as if their meeting was cruelly necessary, as if she was destined to be his subordinate. Letting out a soft cry of frustration, she staggered to her feet and walked up to him. "I... you never answered my question," her eyes suddenly flared and she smacked him hard across the face. "But don't you ever talk bad about Damien Darmiento." He turned his head slowly to face her after a while, and silently handed her his bag.

"Let's go," he nodded, and she took the bag quickly, slinging it over her shoulder. "You do the unlocking and I'll cover you, got it? We won't have much time from here on out because they'll be activating the red alert soon, so stick close to me and don't die."

"This is the first of four doors that guard the inner sanctum of the fortress," Erika explained as she began to work on the security panel. Heart quickly verified the information by looking over the building data he had compiled earlier in his optics. "Each door requires the standard measure of security, but-" The door opened suddenly as she finished punching in the first code. The panel flickered off and she blinked in surprise. "Something's wrong here. There's supposed to be additional protocol necessary in clearing these doors..." She narrowed her eyes and looked up at Heart. "It must be a trap."

"That would explain the lack of an alarm and personnel," he pushed up his glasses and analyzed the area ahead, finding no cause for concern. What do they hope to gain by allowing us to proceed uninhibited? I suppose it doesn't matter much. What they do has no bearing on my mission... He stepped past the door and pressed further, leaving a dazed Erika to catch up after she realized he was already gone.

"Hey...why do you keep leaving me," she huffed.

"Maybe you're too slow," he glanced at her and stopped in front of a reinforced door. "Is this the control room?" Drawing his desert eagle, he stood behind her and pressed his back against the wall while she set to work on the necessary verifications.

"Yeah. This is where we house the supercomputer RED. This part of the base is usually teeming with security... and special locks are put in place to prevent entry even by extremely important figures. Even the most high-ranking officers are prevented access." The door started to open as she exhaled in relief. "I was worried my access code wouldn't work..."

"And just what are you doing with an access code?" Heart raised an eyebrow and she blushed furiously.

"Well, his name was Ryan and... wait, I don't have to tell you that!"

Heart smirked, "Would have been interesting nonetheless." He pointed his desert eagle at the darkness of the room and turned on laser sight, shining a light on some electronic equipment in the back. Narrowing his eyes, he carefully advanced. Erika adjusted the bag over her shoulders and took out her gun, staring at it while gripping the handle.

Silence echoed through the iron corridors, the air between the two men walking still tense. They walked in silence for a few moments until the officer came to an abrupt halt. He turned to Aiden and motioned a silence symbol to be sure that no noises were made. Carefully, he turned and unlocked a room and waved Aiden in. The room could have served as a bomb shelter, as it seemed nearly impenetrable.

“Now…what exactly are we dealing with that needs such a dramatic room?” Aiden questioned but remained silent.

He looked around the room and noticed a shielded window that was bolted into the wall. It was nearly a foot thick, almost impossible to break. The only other furniture in the room was a chair in front of what appeared to be a control panel.

“Dr., feel free to talk in here, however out in the corridors please remain as silent as possible. The slightest noise will alert the monsters kept down here. Their sense of hearing is nearly 20x that of a dog.”

Aiden nodded and looked around the room curiously.

“Please, look at the shielded window, I will be raising the cover now and you can see just exactly what you insist on calling a human.”

The officer pressed a few buttons on the control panel, passed through a retinal scan and then a finger printing. Finally a motor could be heard and the blinds shifted up and out from view.
Through the window, nothing could be seen it was entirely pitch black. From the speakers in the corners of the room a soft breathing could be heard along with a soft and gentle beating of the heart.
Aiden could feel his palms beginning to sweat, the anticipation of what exactly needed so much protection began to make him feel uneasy.
A short small noise could be heard from the speakers in between the heartbeats, almost as if it were a warning growl from a dog.

“I…can’t really see anything with it being so dark? Is there a way to get light from down there?”

Aiden asked curiously and cautiously still unsure of what to expect. The Officer just shook his head in response and pulled down a monitor from the control panel.

“This is a heat sensitive monitor to observe the monster’s actions. You can view it from here for the time being. It can only be seen in a dim light during its feeding times, because that is when it turns its senses towards the outside world off.”

From the screen Aiden could see an inhuman shape moving around softly. With each sound of a heartbeat, the area of what should have been the chest cavity made a pumping movement. Only after a while could Aiden make out a head of what was once human. It walked as if its joints had been inverted and forced into a spider position. Its movements were slow yet agile as if it were stalking some sort of pray.

“It’s time Dr., the time you have been waiting for, however I must leave the room. I can’t stand watching it feed…”

The burly officer left Aiden there alone, sweaty palmed with no other noise but the constant heartbeat rapping in his eardrum. A roar was heard over the microphone and a slurping noise could be heard. A dim light shined into the room. Aiden took a step back at the sight he had been waiting anxiously to witness. The monstrosity caught in the room was as pale as moonlight with what seemed to be almost rotting flesh. Its jaw pointed to the ground, with its stomach to the air. Its spine made a protrusion in the stomach as a red substance dripped from the mouth. The only human quality it retained was possibly the most devilish grin that he had ever seen. The eyes were no longer present and black empty sockets stayed in its place. Its torso was contorted in such a way that was impossible to describe.

What look liked a hand grabbed a fleshy red meat and brought it to its mouth. It bit down savoring the juices that flowed. Aiden almost toppled back realizing what exactly it was consuming. What looked like to be a heart was being eaten care free. The monster let out a piercing cackle enjoying its meal. A pool of blood lay on the ground once the heart was consumed. It turned placed its hand into the blood and wiped the red liquid over its face and body as if it were war paint.

Guns raised and barrel lights on, the two cautiously proceeded inside the dark room. When they reached the supercomputer, Commander Heart looked back at Erika and nodded towards the open door. She frowned as if to question his command but he had already turned his back. Grumbling quietly, she moved off into the shadows to watch the door and guard his back. Heart glanced in her direction and then activated RED by effortlessly hacking into the terminal through use of a special cable attached to a box in his bag. He went to work quickly and systematically extracted all of RED's data. As he did, images flashed on the screen that told him everything he needed to know about the current situation.

It was most dire indeed.

The click of a gun. Heart narrowed his eyes.

"I kinda thought D44 could do better than this," Erika leveled her gun to the back of his head with a sadistic grin plastered on her demented looking face. No mere human could produce such a grin without breaking their cheekbones or distorting the very nature of their humanity. "Commander Heart... no no, Matthew Heart. You're one of D44's top agents and here you are, grovelling at our feet..." She snorted and as she spoke, her voice started losing more and more of its human qualities. The demonic sound increased until no shred of the Erika he knew remained. "What's wrong, Heart? Cat got your tongue? Are you scaaared? Oh, is the big bad-" The girl screamed as Heart fell back between her legs and plugged the cable he was using to suck RED's information into her stomach. The electrical currents being provided by the box swam through the very core of her being, but none of the energy lashed into Heart because of the gloves he wore. When her body slumped slightly in paralyzed pain, he stood up behind her and pressed the barrel of his desert eagle against the back of her head.

"You may be one of the Chosen, but you are still just an amateur," he pulled the trigger that sent a special shell composed of pure fantasm through her head. Her head disintegrated instantly as did the rest of her body. Holstering his gun, the good Commander activated RED's self-destruct sequence while sealing his bag with the crucial data D44 needed. The place was ready to blow and nothing in Area 83 would be left.

The innocent civilians who lived in Area 83 would have questioned his decision to blow up the entire city. However, D44 had a strict policy on contamination zones that overrode civilian concerns.

With Nightmare, the world was at stake.

~

Once the infested soldiers realized that Erika failed in assassinating the D44 agent, the red alert was enabled and resistance was tight. Commander Heart slowly made his way through reinforced metal doors, makeshift barricades, and groups of infested men who luckily hadn't completely turned. He was thankful bullets still worked but loaded his fantasm shells just in case. Only fantasm could obliterate the Chosen. Clearing a packed corridor with a smoke grenade and some accurate headshots, he dashed through the fortified building until arriving in the lobby where Major Epsi was still laying dead on the floor. It looked as if the front entrance was swarming with bodies. He suddenly remembered that there should be a parking garage underground that avoided the front entrance entirely and so he headed there.

The good Commander hot-wired a navy sedan in the garage and drove off undetected. The parking garage spat him out onto the main highway where he sped off towards the evacuation point for area 83.

A few minutes later, Heart was parking the sedan in a relatively empty lot as the rain poured. Putting up the hood on his coat, he checked how much time he had left on his optics, and then walked inside the library ahead. The inside was dim and intimate as if one could get lost in a world of their own choosing. The man at the counter, Richard Hansiem, greeted Heart with a smile. "Matthew," Hansiem nodded in recognition, "it's good to see you again."

"You too, Mr. Hans," Heart smiled. "You wouldn't happen to have that book yet, would you? Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury?" Mr. Hans froze briefly and the two shared a long hard look at eachother. The man suddenly broke a smile and started typing on the old computer by his side, "Actually, I think we just received that one. If you could just wait a moment..." Heart nodded and scanned the library with his glasses until... he picked up a weird signature radiating from a young girl towards the back. He let his lens settle on the girl and suddenly the signature fluctuated wildly. He was picking up two different readings, but one... one was surely impossible! Heart's eyes grew wide as the power scaled higher and higher until the technology inside his optics blew.

"It can't be... one of them?" His voice was low and barely audible, but full of shock and shock was certainly a first for the veteran agent.

It was late and it was almost time to go when a customer came in, signaled by the subtle bell of the shop. She had just finished fixing the young adults section due to a group of teenagers messing up the order and as her boss ordered, it had to be perfect. The day went by terribly well; the strange voices in her head were only peeking in once in a while, much less than normal. It put her in an unusually good mood, smiling a lot more than normal.

The customer did not go through the shelves of books; instead he stayed at the counter and conversed with Mr. Hans. Perhaps a friend? Lisette wondered, not knowing a whole lot about Mr. Hans and began to be curious. They were too far off to hear, but she could make out that the other voice was male. After one last glance at the shelf, she finally made her way towards the front.

Lisette… listen to me.

It was only a matter of time, but she did not mind. For some reason they only came sporadically today, perhaps they were also getting the message. Also it was him indeed, and his voice was sweet and tempting.

Lisette, do not trust him.

That was strange. It was an order, a complete sentence. No muttering, whispering or hesitation. Maybe heading straight home was no longer an option. The bar was cheap and averagely priced.

It is becoming dangerous!

Emerging from the array of shelves, Lisette nodded at her boss. She also acknowledged the stranger, tipping a smile at him and then making her way towards the counter. The looks on their faces were questionable, so serious, so severe. The air felt tense and she had no idea why, but soon enough it would have nothing to do with her. Perhaps Mr. Hans friends were very much like him.

The rain did not cease today, it was constant even if it drizzled or poured, but now it was somewhere in the middle. It was strange, considering it was still in the middle of summer. Grabbing her coat, she wore it and reached for her bag. The silence was becoming uncomfortable; needless to say Lisette would have preferred to leave as soon as possible.

My, my, aren’t you a pretty girl?

Somehow she froze midway of grabbing her bag and suddenly the sinking feeling in her stomach was becoming sickening. It was a brief moment and Lisette worked on getting ready to leave as soon as possible.

“Mr. Hans, the shelves have been fixed. Also there was a stack of books on the floor, so I returned those too.” Who was it? It was a different voice. It wasn’t familiar. It was female. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Who was that?

Matthew nodded at the girl but otherwise remained silent until she turned her back on the two. Grabbing Hans by the arm, he pulled him close and whispered in his ear, "Stop her. Say or do whatever is necessary to get her in the back, understand?"

Hans narrowed his eyes at the physical contact and questioned the objective, "For what reason? Lisette is harmless and quite the kind young woman."

"I don't care what she seems to be, Hans," Matthew hissed but lowered his voice quickly. "Look, the scanner in my glasses picked up multiple readings from inside that girl and one of them is a signature that hasn't been possible since-" The door opened as Lisette prepared to leave, but Hans spoke up as Matt released his hold.

"Please wait a moment, Miss Lisette," Hans called out and smiled gently. "I'm terribly sorry to ask after all you've done today, but could you find a certain book in the back that this young man is looking for? I would do it myself but something just came up that requires my full attention here."

Matt stepped forward with a smile, "You see, my little boy's been looking forward to this book for quite some time and it's his birthday tomorrow." He rubbed the back of his neck as Hans typed away on the computer, "So if you could help me, I'd greatly appreciate it... Miss Lisette, was it?" He extended his hand and introduced himself, "I'm Matthew Heart, one of Mr. Hans' old associates."

No, no, my dear girl! You cannot leave, not while everything is beginning. I will have to… borrow you for a little bit! It will be fun, I promise.

That was the last thing she heard when a surge of pain began throbbing in her spine. It was unlike she had ever felt before, sharp, aching, like something unnatural was happening. Unable to react to the pain, Lisette stood still. In her mind she was panicking, crying and screaming. But her body moved on its own, standing taller, confident and mischievous.

When she turned to face the two gentlemen, Lisette could only stop and stare as her body moved on its own. She made the eeriest smile she had ever seen, which brought Matthew Heart to point his weapon at her.

“Heart, you won’t mind will you? Just borrowing a host for a moment, you know he’s really not pleased with me, but neither am I. After all, I would much prefer my original little child.”

Her voice had betrayed her it was not her words, like the voices in her head were finally starting to take over. But she knew them and they knew her, and the sadistic female voice was one who did not belong.

“Oh, but you might not remember me.” She pouted, somehow standing in a way that made her look attractive with what Lisette was wearing. “I was very upset with what happened last time,” dramatically her arms fell from her hips. “The saddest part is you don’t remember anything.” She frowned, moving closer, the gun now poking at her chest. “Or do you? Enlighten me won’t you? You know there is something going on and… familiar things are going to happen.”

Her lips curved dangerously wide, her eyes narrowing in glee.

Lisette was no longer present.

Heart narrowed his eyes and brought his gun to bear as soon as "Lisette" opened her mouth, and kept his finger on the trigger until she finished. He was taken aback by her words. "You don't sound like one of Nightmare's minions," he lowered the gun slowly and glanced down as if in contemplation. "No... the energy signature was completely different than Nightmare. The alternative is that you are... a Guardian, but that should be impossible. Your power faded when Nightmare was supposedly defeated years ago." He looked up again and stared at her, "If you truly are a Guardian, which one are you? And what of the Guardian Council? You must tell me all that you know before the girl regains control!"

Mr. Hans stayed quiet for the time being, but he had a clear view of the timer on his computer screen. The whole area was set to blow in 9 hours due to Heart rigging RED. Everyone in the region would die in a massive explosion and the purging, as it were, would eliminate the infected.

“Heart, let’s not be rude now.” She murmured, her fingers moving in a particular fashion as she conversed. A hand popped out from nowhere and swiped the weapon out of his hands, crushing it with mere force and letting the metal clack on the floor. “The girl isn’t someone I’d worry about, though he’s a little bit angry of my presence, I don’t blame him. You know, taboo and all with our chosen ones.”

Mr. Hans was fascinated and curious but he wasn’t sure now was the time to create more enemies. Lisette was a quiet girl, immersed in thoughts and nightmares; although the guardian within her was greatly suppressed somehow another one forced its way inside.

“Do you know why the minions are rising? Do you know why, normally when you sleep, the memories of your tragedies’ come alive on an endless replay?” As she spoke, the hand disappeared, instead the glimpses of a girl kept appearing around her. “Tell me, Heart, do you know why nightmares exist?” The eeriness of her voice wasn’t lost on Matthew, however the words were not empty as well.

“Oh my, he’s really angry now, you know. I suppose I would know how this feels. Also, Heart? You’ve no business with the council. You are not a chosen.” A small laugh as her voice began to face, “or are you?”

Lisette found her eyes again and the tingling senses of her body. It seemed as if her nightmare had finally come to life and they were becoming reality.

Matthew took a few steps back as even he could feel the power surging from Lisette. He was no match for the Guardian that possessed her body, and he could not gain any information this way. A bead of sweat rolled from his brow as Mr. Hans cleared his throat, "Hate to break up whatever this is, but did you forget about your little transgression at the base, Heart?"

Matthew glanced back at his old friend before staring at Lisette. The images materializing around her bore striking resemblance to a case file he reviewed a while back. If only he could remember the details. "Nightmares. We never know which dreams are normal and which are driven by... him. Are you telling me that he is really back, and that your presence is enough to justify the complete return of Guardians? What of humanity's sacrifices until now?!"

"Heart!" Mr. Hans shouted as the timer persisted. There was a passageway in the back of the store leading to an abandoned rooftop with a waiting helicopter that would take them out of the region, but that would be pointless if they all blew up in the ensuing explosion.

It was with much self restraint that Matthew Heart ceased his questions and followed his old friend to the back.

Follow them.

It was him again; his sweet, gentle voice. Something made her move towards the back, up the staircase while Mr. Hans waited until she was in front of him. Every time her eyes found Matthew, she saw a second shadow fading in and out of his exterior. It was the damnedest thing and Lisette was beginning to detest strange occurrences’. Her eyes were playing tricks on her, something it had never done. The voices were one thing, but seeing her audio nightmares come to life would just about destroy the resolve on herself.

I will not let her touch you again.

The helicopter sound was echoing on the roof as they neared the exit. The propeller created heavy gusts as it began to lift itself off the cement. A man stood by the door, an arm stretched out to them and one by one they entered in haste. Buckled up and secured, it drifted off.

“Why are we leaving? Where are we going? Could I have a glass of scotch?” Lisette mumbled these questions, staring intently at Matthew, the shadow flickering like a broken bulb.

Matthew simply ignored the girl and crossed his arms in deep contemplation. He had many questions, but he knew ultimately she did not know the answers to any of them as she appeared to be just an unwilling host: a vessel of dangerous entities who did not intend to show their hand through her actions. He knew one of the entities that was detected had a signature similar to that of the extinct Guardians, but to his knowledge their kind had gone dormant after Nightmare's annihilation. Their awakening meant that either Nightmare was back or they discovered a new threat that warranted their acquisition of new Chosen Ones. Was this girl really a Chosen? The reading he received was far too malignant to be a Guardian whose very nature is just. While it is possible for a Guardian to be dark and mischievous, they never radiate energy that is truly sinister. That could only mean the girl housed multiple entities and to D44's knowledge, the last time that happened had severe consequences.

Mr. Hans saw that Matt was in his own world and sighed before drawing the girl's attention with a gentle smile, "We're going someplace safe, Lisette. There's no scotch here, but I'm sure we can get you something when we arrive at our destination." And hope it's not a padded cell... He thought bitterly. While Hans was a D44 agent, he was completely unlike the heartless Heart and the field operatives who knew only the extermination of Anima Mortis.

“You were not who you appeared to be.”Lisette mumbled soft enough to be barely heard. She followed him quietly, amused by his attempt to comfort her. There was comfort in it though as much as she hated to admit it. The trip was short and the air was comforting. The rest of the trip consisted of Matthew giving her suspicious glances and Mr. Hans not saying very much. It was understandable to suspect her, something very wrong had overcome her body and it was most unnatural. However, why did he know what was going on? What was going on in the first place? Such times would be nice when the many voices would actually answer a question.

From the near distance, Lisette saw a heavily guarded facility that tried to look inconspicuous. The pilot requested permission to land before they were permitted closer. After it was granted  with Heart’s authority they shortly landed. To greet them was five men and a burley looking man that shot menacing expressions. Lisette was behind the two of them and the same shadowy flicker appeared once again on Matthew’s figure. “Shadow.”She murmured, shortly followed with,“does anyone have any scotch?”

Be on guard. This is not a safe place to be.

His beautiful lulling voice comforted her even if meant otherwise. So many strange things were happening that it was nice to have some familiarity. There was a disgusting feeling in her stomach from being turned into that… demon. She felt thoroughly violated.

Matthew stepped forward and gave the welcoming committee a swift salute before he was suddenly lifted up into the air by the burly man whose sheer presence was almost as impressive as his raw strength. His black eyes were like deep pools of oil that would drown an opponent before they reached any revealing depth, and his chiseled features spoke of experience that far exceeded the veteran level. His gray hair stood much like a buzz cut, and his muscular body was barely concealed by a tight black uniform with a dark green overcoat. "What the hell were you thinking, Heart?"

"Lieutenant Magnus..." Matt coughed in acknowledgment as the giant hand wrapped around his throat held him effortlessly.

"You need clearance for a purging of that scale. You may be one of the higher-ups in this department, but you are still a lousy grunt as far as I'm concerned," Magnus threw him aside like a ragdoll and turned his gaze to the girl. Mr. Hans stepped forward instinctively, and Magnus crossed his arms behind himself. "She's one of them? Men," he barked and the five men at his command pushed Hans aside and shoved Lisette to the ground. One of them cuffed her hands, another cuffed her ankles, and yet another secured the thick metallic collar around her neck that, if activated, would send fatal volts of electricity through her being. When this was done, all without a word from them, she was picked up off the ground and a chain connected her wrist bindings with the collar just to add another layer of discomfort. Mr. Hans watched in horror, but Heart merely looked back before walking into the building.

Lt. Magnus took a brief look at her and nodded in satisfaction. "Take her down, then. I have other matters to attend to," he looked at Hans whose stare back was more menacing than any look Lisette had ever seen from him before. The men marched her into the elevator and down they went.

When the door slid open with a resonant ding, Lisette was faced with a sprawling corridor and cells on either side. This hall, classified as A-1, housed only the most mild cases of Anima Mortis. The five emotionless men marched her through the corridor as the individuals inside each cell screamed for attention. This went on until they reached a reinforced circular frame that slid open upon receiving several codes and identification requirements. They entered into a pure white chamber with tubes lining either side, extensive lab equipment, and a few scientists that regarded them with a brief look. However, one of the doctors broke away from the pack and walked over to them. She was a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair in a ponytail, and bright emerald eyes. Instead of the lab coat everyone else in the room was wearing, she donned a tight-fitting white overcoat with one red armband. She also had a lens over one eye that presumably gave her real-time readings of the environment and any living organisms within. She smiled an empty smile at the guards who seemed to shake in their boots. "And just what is the meaning of this? Oh, let me guess..." She poked a finger in one of the guard's faces who nearly fell back in surprise. "Your pig-headed superior saw fit to take out his perverse fantasies on this poor girl, am I right?"

"Uhm, ma'am... we..." They looked at each other as she pushed them aside and leaned in close to Lisette's face. "Ma'am, that isn't..." "Safe? Of course it is. We treat human beings, do we not? That arrogant brother of mine may have forgotten that important fact, but does his simple-minded ignorance have to mean your avoidance to the situation as well?" She spoke in a cheery voice and always smiled, but her words possessed an edge to them that could smite any man. She flipped a portable device out of her sleeve and a small laser blade emerged. She cut off the girl's shackles and led her deeper into the chamber. However, she paused to look back at the confused unit. "What, still here? You're not needed. Shoo." She waved dismissively before continuing.

"What's your name?"

Pain. The first real feeling she felt ever since they took her. The metallic collar was heavy, bruising her fragile body as the coldness of the metal seeped in her skin. She did not resist, it would have been futile. These men were military and it seemed she was a threat. Amusement entered her head again, how could she be threatening? They began to take her away and the last thing she listened to was Mr. Hans’ voice yelling something.

The corridor they led her in was chaotic, screaming, yelling and crying could be heard in the walls. Somehow it felt… comfortable. She raised her head when they led her further in, taking sight of the completely bare doors that had their hatches closed. At one point there was a scratching sound on the frame and it made all their ears hurt. She shuddered for a moment, a familiar feeling overcoming her.

Lisssseeeeetteeee..
 
Deaathhh, do you wissssh itt?
 
Weee wiissshhhh....!!
 
They will killll youuuu!
 
Screeching minions in her head, “no, they won’t…”

The scenery changed into a painful whiteness, Lisette didn’t look around this time. Completely lost in her thoughts the next thing she realized is that the shackles had been removed. In front of her was a beautiful woman showing her a gentle expression. At one point she heard her voice, it sounded like a question. Lisette simply looked at her for a moment and promptly asked, “Do you have any scotch?”

The woman giggled, "Scotch, eh? I would love some too, but sadly we're not allowed to drink down here!" She smiled at Lisette while holding her hand gently and leading her through a series of doors. More doors. More empty halls. More winding corridors. The labyrinth finally ceased when they entered into a large circular chamber with multiple tables, chairs, instruments, and small glass rooms that seemed to hold water sources and various cleaning agents. "Elizabeth," she said suddenly while turning to face the girl with a genuine smile. "You don't have to tell me your name, but that's mine. Since I'm sure none of those brutes explained anything to you, I'll tell you why you are most likely here." As she spoke, she began pulling down the zipper of her coat as if stripping in front of a stranger was natural.

"You're aware of the epidemic that's been sweeping the world, correct? Anima Mortis? We are Division 44, an organization responsible for finding a cure to the disease. Our methods are... extreme, as you may have noticed, but warranted in some cases because sufferers... well," she fiddled with the zipper to her coat as a lacy black bra poked out of the whiteness of the suit, and pretty soon the bra was in full view as it struggled to contain criminally large breasts. "They... turn," she continued while leaning over and pulling the zipper lower to expose her toned stomach. "Turn into monsters... monsters that even your greatest nightmare could never imagine. Anyway, a few months back the organization decided it was not wise to allow these infected to roam the streets and so we started... apprehending them."

She looked up into Lisette's eyes with a frown as the zipper finally slid the entire length of the coat. She was wearing lacy black panties to match the expensive lingerie up top, and her legs seemed to stretch for miles as she stood back upright. She walked over to a compartment that she tucked her coat inside, and she also untied her hair and put the band inside as well. She exhaled in comfort while walking back over to Lisette and touched her shoulder, "There's no easy way to say this, but you'll be staying with us for a while as an AMS. It will be hard and you may hate us for it, but trust me when I say we want this to be as comfortable for you as humanly possible."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before she spoke once more, "We are currently on the entry level floor. Every new sufferer such as yourself is brought to me, where I examine them here in this Detox Chamber. You've gotten a physical before, right? It's basically exactly like that, but with a free bath thrown into the mix." She gestured to her undressed state and nodded to one of the glass rooms. "We can take as long as you want here and actually... I recommend it, because I have very little jurisdiction in the area beyond this." She shook her head and walked over to one of the tables which looked like it was meant for personal use instead of any examination.

"To be honest, this room is more my getaway if anything. I know I told you we're not allowed to drink down here, but..." She smiled mischievously while typing away at a hidden panel on the wall. It beeped a few times before sliding open to reveal snacks, alcoholic beverages, utensils, and glasses. She took out a decorated bottle and two glasses with a smile, "How 'bout that scotch? We can have some after you undress and put your clothes in that compartment over there," she pointed where she deposited her coat and then turned her attention to pouring the scotch.

Elizabeth was oddly tender and comforting. At least that was how she appeared to her, although none of the tenderness nor comfort could reach where it mattered. Singing softly and constantly in the back of her were whispers of morbidity. At the mention of scotch, Lisette began to undress. Her coat had never made it back on her shoulders and she easily discarded her grey sweater. Following it up with a simple white bra, her jeans and folding them all neatly to place onto the compartment. Her body was slim and uneventful; she had no special curves or any interesting attributes. The light brown hair that had been entangled was now loose, knotted and frazzled but now freely hanging down her back. 

The lack of shame surprised even her, although she was not quite… on her medication. Very little mattered when they would talk and all she could concentrate on was to remove them and offer a piece of mind. This time she focused on the woman. Seemingly friendly; harmless, intelligent, beautiful and too trustworthy. Lisette’s icy blue eyes squinted; there was no catch to her courtesy. Regardless if she agreed to do so or not, the things they wanted done would be done. That’s what it meant to be on the bottom of the list.

“Why am I here?" Her tone was weak, not really expecting an answer. No one had to tell her.

Because they suspect you.

Lisette’s lips slightly opened as if to say something, half shocked he would actually reply to a question. “Of what?” She whispered.

The disease.

Lisette gave Elizabeth another look, almost emotionless yet afraid. Now was the time to be brave, there was nothing else to do. She had nothing to lose but her life and like Elizabeth's courtesy it was not something she hand control of. If she had the disease, surely she would have died long before. Also the disease had been announce mere months ago and her schizophrenia started at young age of four. “I have chronic schizophrenia, insomnia and social anxiety. I am sick in many ways, but Anima Mortis is not one of them.” Her gaze shifted.

Tssskk… sha.. ssshh.. sshhk..
Death death!
Lissseeeeeetttteee….

“I would like the scotch now, please.”

Elizabeth blinked a few times before pouring the young woman a generous amount of scotch. "Well... if you made it this far, there must have been suspicion at some level... but," she sat the bottle back down on the table and looked at Lisette with a warm smile. "If you don't have Anima Mortis, the next phase will verify that and then you're free to go... with a little memory altercation of course. We can't have everyone remembering this place since D44 is one of the most secretive organizations within international law." She poured herself some scotch and crossed her legs, thinking on what Lisette had to say and if schizophrenia was really the answer. Usually the people dragged down here were in much worse shape and she literally could not carry a conversation with them. They were already turning and she had never seen a person capable of managing Anima Mortis in such a calm fashion. Still, there had to be a reason she was sitting in front of her, didn't there?

"Excuse me for a moment," Elizabeth polished off her drink and stood, her breasts bouncing slightly as she did so. She walked over to the other side of the room and tapped the lens she wore to activate it. Primarily an analyzing tool, it also served as a communication device. However, she was surprised by the static that exploded in her ear and her inability to contact anyone. It wasn't until she turned that she understood the disturbance. Her eyes fell on Lisette and the holographic overlay that showed a tower of dark energy wrapping the girl in a cloak of living shadows. There were also two different colors in a spiral around the pillar, as if intertwining and vying for control of their host. She took a step back in surprise and accidentally bumped against the wall. She closed her eyes reactively and when she opened them again, the energy readings were gone and what remained was the image of a normal girl.

"What's going on here..." She removed the device and stared at it for a moment while considering the possibilities of an energy signature that high. It didn't come from a single source either. She shook her head and grabbed a few instruments from that side of the room before returning to Lisette. She knelt down in front of her and smiled, "Do you mind if I start the examination now? I promise it won't hurt."

Lisette held the alcholic beverage in her hand, smelling it and letting her body prepare for the intoxication. Thinking back on "suspicion" level she couldn't help but smile, only delusional nightmares taking over her body and borrowing it for a while. Of course that would look suspicious. But it wouldn't make sense for her to be alive this long if she had the virus.

The first sip was always the strongest; it was cold raw scotch burning her throat in a terrible way. It hit hard at home, her brain connecting the appropriate signals for what was to come. She drank fast, definitely faster than one should ever consume scotch but to have her head clear for a few hours would be worth the ache and turmoil that would follow. She didn't really get drunk, rather docile unless provoked in which prone to violent outbursts. Lisette would prefer not to remember those instances. 

Tss....kk...
 
Li...ss..
 

Dimmer, dimmer her mind went. The doctor got up and obtained a device. It seemed everyone in this area had those odd eye pieces. What were they for? These questions would never have popped in her head had she not consumed alcohol, the voices were drifting. 

Your throat will burn when you sleep. 

"Mmmm.." She hummed, listening to his voice. He would never go away though but that's alright... it was always pleasant. 

Words were spoken to her but it seemed she didn't hear it. There was sense of curiosity and alarm in her face, yet it was all hidden behind her sweet smile. Perhaps I do have the virus?

"Yes..?" She said something would not hurt. Well, there wasn't anything they could take from her, especially not her mind. 

And when you wake up, your head will burn in its place. 

"Nagger."