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James and Allen were waiting for us when the train pulled into the station. Mike killed the engine as Alcatraz and I stepped out. I could tell just from the looks on their faces that they were pretty badly stressed out.

"So we've been fighting the wrong enemy huh?", Allen asked.

"It would seem that way", I sighed, "those two Synthetics in Jourmungand's pen said that they were infected with Redstar and that they didn't think they had long left."

James' head dropped, "if it can infect synthetics then none of us are safe", he looked at me, "you might not be safe."

I sighed as we started back for the lounge, "yeah don't remind me."

"Did you get any pictures of the mutants you fought in the nexus bay?", James asked.

"We were busy killing them so I don't know", I answered, "Mike or Alcatraz might have while I was talking to Tyler though, so ask them."

"If they did I'll have Sarah look at them", James said, "but without an actual body to open up it would probably just be a waist of time."

"It occurred to me in the Nexus Bay stairwell that those guys Allen and Jacob found my have been infected with Redstar", I said as I pulled open the door to the lounge, "Mike suggested that the parasite stops the heart to render the host dead so doctors will leave it alone while it works. My theory was that if the main parasite gets cut off from the brain stem, detects purging chemicals or maybe has it's oxygen supply shut off by a saline solution, the results are rather explosive, when those two men shot themselves in the head, the parasite was cut off from the brain and it triggered a sort of self destruct mechanism."

"First time I've heard of something like that", James said, "I'll have Sarah look at those bodies right away. Allen, you get back on that console, as for you boys", he looked at me, Mike and Alcatraz, "get some rest, you earned it."

James walked down the hallway and entered Jacob's lab, while, Allen, Mike, Alcatraz and I walked back to the lounge. Tyler was sitting just inside, doing some work on his PDA. He looked up when we entered.

"What did you find in Deadscape?", he asked.

"A whole lot of wake up calls", I said unstrapping my vest, "we found out that there's a parasite on the loose called Redstar, and it doesn't cut anyone any favors. From where I'm standing, unless your body can dissolve it on contact, it's a death sentence. If you try to flush it out it will turn you into meaty tomato paste, about the only thing you can do to keep it from killing you is to shoot yourself in the head. Even Synthetics can be infected and James is worried it might get me too."

Tyler sighed, "that brightened my night."

I sighed, "sorry, is what it is I guess."

"We've got to get off this damn planet", Mike said placing his vest beside the bean bag he'd been using as a bed.

"You think we don't know that?", Tyler said, "what has Skyline been sticking his neck out for the past five weeks? Cotton candy?"

"Point taken smart ass", Mike replied, "and it's not just skyline sticking his neck out. What about me? What about Alcatraz? What about Jacob or Sarah who are stepping in front of Biological Agents that could bring down some of the biggest, baddest creatures known to man just so we can stay ahead of it?"

"Oh I get it", Tyler said, "because James, Allen, Matt and I don't have guns in our hands that means were not part of it huh? Because it sounds a lot like your saying that the self aware hypercomputer known as the Cluster 300 which only a few people in existence have the mental capacity to operate on their own has absolutely nothing to do with the fact were still alive."

"I didn't say that", Mike said shaking his head.

"Then what did you say?", Tyler asked, "you only mentioned the people that are putting their lives in danger to further our situation. Last I checked, Skyline's calling me when computer shit comes up and James is running the show so Allen can keep you, Skyline and Alcatraz in the field."

Mike opened his mouth to reply, but I jumped in first.

"Not another word from either of you", I growled, "we're all in this together. Mike, just because the others aren't involved in gun battles with the mutants doesn't mean they aren't helping. Tyler, stop being a smart ass."

They both looked at me.

"Your both stressed out", I said, "I get it, but that ain't a reason to rip each others throats out."

Mike and Tyler looked at each other. They shrugged and then Tyler went back to his PDA and Mike went into the bathroom as Alcatraz sat down on the floor next to Matt and I sat down on the couch.

"I overheard you saying that Synthetics can get infected with Redstar", Matt said, "are you sure about it?"

"If those two in Jourmungand's cage were to be believed", I said taking off my boots, "then yes."

Matt sighed and leaned back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, "is there some higher force at work here? I mean are we asking too much of life?"

"Apparently", Alcatraz said taking his gloves off, "right now all I'm wishing for is a slice of pizza. I've had it at my birthdays for the past two years and my Mom liked for holidays", he sighed, "damn do I miss her."

Matt looked at him.

"What?", Alcatraz asked.

"Your a Synthetic", Matt stated, "so am I, how the heck did you have a Mother?"

"I was born a human Matt", Alcatraz stated, "at least until that big Land Quake happened. A gas line in the labs burst, all that's left from my original body is my brain, one eye, my spine and two ribs, everything else is all new. In fact", he pulled his shirt down, showing a scar that traced completely around his neck, it was small, but it was dark and stood out against his skin, "you can still see the scar."

"So...", I began, "in a nutshell they performed a brain transplant?"

Alcatraz shrugged, "I guess, my Mom's friend was the one who performed the operation, so you could ask her, if she hadn't caught a 20mm through her skull a couple of weeks ago."

Matt and I exchanged glances.

"The funny thing is", Alcatraz said curling up, "Alcatraz Island was an inescapable prison on Earth, off the coast of California I believe. At first, I was getting all kinds of infections, glitching out and all around having a miserable time with the new body. One time during an exam, I called the Synthetic parts a prison. My friend started calling me Alcatraz...the name stuck."

"So if Alcatraz is just a nickname", I said, "what's your real name?"

"If I knew", Alcatraz answered, "I'd tell you."

I could tell he had started to cry. Matt put his hand on Al's shoulder and gave him a light rock as I leaned forward on the couch.

"Alcatraz", I said, "who was your Dad?"

He looked up at me.

"You don't remember do you?", Matt asked.

He shook his head.

"That's rough little buddy", I said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be", Alcatraz said, "I'm sure you've had your ups and downs."

"Not nearly as bad as having to replace my whole body", I sighed, "I've approached that point, but never quite went over the edge. I was just stepping on the line if you will."

Alcatraz wiped the tears off his face and smiled a little, "huh...I didn't even know I could still do that. While I'm in a crappy mood, what about you Matt? What haunts the darkest corners of your nightmares."

Matt shrugged, "other than the fear of losing the only people I've ever known, not shit. I don't really remember anything up until a couple of weeks ago."

Alcatraz sighed, "I wish I could remember my Dad, more than anything, that is what I want."

"What happened to your Dad?", Mike asked stepping out of the bathroom. He was dressed in a white T-Shirt that fit him rather tightly and black flannel pants. His dogtags were hanging around his neck and his hair was standing on end.

"I don't know", Alcatraz said, "the only memory I really have is this picture I found of the three of us on a cruise ship I caught a glance of after I had my Exo implanted. I asked Mom about him and she didn't tell me shit."

Mike sighed, "why not?"

"Hell if I know", Alcatraz answered.

"People just suck", I said standing up. I grabbed my last white shirt and clean pair of underwear from my pack and then walked into the bathroom. I quickly showered off, dressed and then went to the security room where I found Allen reclined in the chair starring at the monitors.

"Any interesting happen while I was out?", I asked.

"Nothing worth reporting no", Allen yawned, "sitting at these computers in this dark ass room all day is starting to get to me. I can't take this shit for much longer."

"Neither can I", I said leaning against the wall, "we need to get back on the war path and find another way up the tower. I figure a direct assault is suicide, and seeing as how I already tried the subtle approach, what does that leave us with?"

"There are only three ways into the Tower that I can think of", Allen said, "the front door, The Kojak and the Maintenance access. Only a few people who worked here knew about the maintenance access, and I can guarantee that Martin isn't one of them. Especially if he moved up there after the outbreak started to pursue whatever it is swimming around inside his head."

Allen sighed, "Genetic Superiority, whatever the fuck that means."

"Let's just hope he stays vulnerable to .950 Tyrannosaurs Magnum", I sighed as I turned and left the room. When I walked back to the lounge entrance, I found a tired looking Sarah and Jacob crashed on the couch next to mine.

"You guys look beat", I said sitting down.

"Redstar's kicking my ass so far", Sarah said, "I haven't been able to do much since I'm tired, but what I have been able to do is telling me that there's no way to reverse the effects on Redstar on a host. Once your infected, game over. It looks though as if it can infect anything with any kind of central system. As long as it has something it can use to send commands to it's host, it can be infected."

"That explains why those two guys put bullets in their heads", Jacob said, "I figured that was why they did it."

"Make it three", I said, "Dr. Hargreave put a 50 Magnum in his head."

"Hargreave was still kicking?", Jacob asked.

"Up until about 25-27 hours ago", I said, "the beacon we found was set up by him and had been in operation for 24 hours and I figure with what it looked like it took at least an hour to set up. Maybe more."

"Serious question", Matt said, "does anyone have anything positive to add to this equation."

James set two, small brown paper bags on the table, "how about Crown Brand Scotch?"

I smiled, "that's a positive if I ever saw one. Haven't had a glass of that in a long time."

"You drink?", Tyler asked.

"Surprised?", I asked.

"A little", Tyler said, "I guess you never struck me as the type."

"I started drinking when I was nine", I said, "the alcohol deadens my nerve endings and increases my pain tolerance. Part of the reason I've lived this long." They looked at me as James started pouring out small glasses.

"Whenever Tony wanted to throw one back with me I knew something bad was gonna happen the next day", I said picking up one of the glasses and sitting back in the couch.

"Tony?", Sarah asked.

"One of the four guys who bought me", I said throwing back the glass of Scotch in one gulp. It's sharp taste brought back all those cold winter nights sitting around that aged oak table playing cards with Tony, "unlike the rest of them, Tony was determined to keep the promise of "we'll take good care of you." He was the one who made sure that the other three couldn't starve or dehydrate me and was the one who stopped a lot of torture from happening. To this day I don't know if it was because he really cared, or was just playing for himself."

"What makes you unsure?", Alcatraz asked.

"He was just as hooked on drugs as the rest of them", I said putting the glass on the table, James started refilling it, "his meth addiction ruined his marriage and nearly bankrupted his daughter. It sucks because Tony was not a bad man, he was a good man and the way he acted certainly reflected it, at least in public. Every time I saw him though, he had new cuts on his arm, by now, he probably looks worse than I do. He wasn't shamed of the scars and didn't try to hide them, and people ridiculed him for it, which is what I think got to him, or maybe it was the Meth playing with his brain."

"Drug addict", Sarah began, "self harmer, sounds like a good man to me."

"You didn't know him Sarah", I said lowly, "I am still alive because of that man. He was a good person who hung around the wrong people and ended up paying for it."

"Maybe him trying to keep you alive was a way of setting things right", James said, "have you ever heard the saying an eye for an eye?"

I nodded.

"When I was a police officer on Earth", James said, "I shot and killed a man by mistake. I was trying to arrest someone, this guy starts walking towards me. I tell him to stop at least six times, he reaches his hands into his pocket, keeps coming. Two rounds from my SigSauer P226 at ten yards, neck and chest. Man turned out to be going for his Badge."

"You shot another cop?", Sarah asked.

James nodded, "got accused of murder for it. I ended up not being charged, but after that I finished my degree in Biology and then came here to found Blaze Bio Science to research cures for lethal diseases. Sounds to me like Skyline's friend tony was trying to save his life, to replace the one he took, his own. Same thing I was trying to do. Save a life to replace the one I took."

"Wow", I said taking the glass and sitting back, "I have never...considered looking at it like that before."

"That's some deep shit", Tyler said throwing back his glass.

"So what about you then?", James asked, "what's your story Tyler."

"Grew up, wanted to become a Computer Engineer", Tyler said, "became one. I could sit here telling you about how average my life was, but it would bore everyone to sleep."

Jacob laughed, "yep, same thing for me."

I took a sip of my Scotch, "so Sarah, do you think you'll be able to come up with any way we can keep Redstar out of our bodies? The last thing I want is to bring it back here and get everyone sick."

She sighed and downed the rest of her glass, "there's not much I can do with what I have. To have any chance of coming up with a viable cure, or even a vaccine, I'll need better equipment. You could probably find what I need in the way back of the Biome Labs in Lab 2245. They researched cures for a lot of nasty shit back there."

"Guess I'm headed there tomorrow", I said, "what should I be looking for?"

"I'll let you know when you get there", Sarah said, "I'll have to talk you through it."

"While were on the subject of tools", James said, "Skyline, I found this when Matt and I went out to the weapons lab, I figure you could use it."

James reached down and picked up a Compound Bow and handed it to me. It un folded itself in my hand and was sporting carbon fiber arms and titanium tension brackets. The draw string was made of steel fiber and it had a sight and an auto loader, even so it felt like a toy.

"A bow?", I asked looking it over.

"Yep", James said, "serious piece of kit this, you like it?"

I shook my head, "no."

"That's cause you haven't heard the best part", James said, "that bow has enough kinetic energy to shatter an engine block and crack concrete walls. It will stop just about anything dead and the best parts are that there are five or six different types of arrows that were produced in the lab and they come in detachable magazines. And you also stay hidden when you fire it. Like it now?"

I smiled, "I'm coming around."

"We should get some sleep", James said finishing his glass, "I have a feeling tomorrow is gonna be a long day."