Nightfire Valdez

A voice crackles over a radio communications line, amongst a downpour of rain from an evening sky. "Alright gentlemen, I have received words from the higher ups that our project branch will receive funding once we secure a subject."

At the base of a hill leading into a forest, a gaggle of biohazardous material suit-clad scientists look up to their leader, who speaks from on top of the hill. "I don't need to tell you that you are going to be working with a wild animal; so the utmost caution is necessary while we are procuring it."

Strapped over his blue suit, a tranq rifle hangs from his shoulders over his chest, ready to be grabbed and fired in a moment's notice. "We have a tight schedule to keep, boys. I want us in and out with something, anything. I don't care what it is as long as it's larger than a rat."

And with that, the rest of the team marches up the hill and into the forest, ready to begin their evening capture. It has become routine for the scientists to go scouring the forests, looking for more animals to test on.

They know in their hearts that what they are doing would benefit their nation, even despite the horrors they've seen. The virus, and it's unique nature of twisting the genetics of any living being that it touches is so fascinating, that they don't stop to think about what devastating consequences await them upon failing. Necessary sacrifice for the greater good. This biological weapon will prove to be an equalizer on the battlefield. A contagion that specifically targets genetics, specified by an introduced genome sequence.

They have split up into groups of two to maximize the amount of ground that they can cover in a short amount of time, twigs and leaves snapping and crunching underneath their thick black boots.

A rustle in the bushes alarms two of the scientists, who begin swiveling the barrels of their tranq rifles after firmly placing the stock against their shoulders. A pair of glowing yellow eyes peer out at them from the bushes, indicating that they are not alone. Perfect.

Thoonk! A squeeze of the trigger sends a tranq dart into the bushes, stabbing into the creature within. It yelps and flees in a flash of orange and black, before collapsing into a limp heap moments later. As the scientists approach the unconscious creature, they identify it as an adult fox.

"This is team 2, we have secured a subject. Adult red fox, male, appears relatively healthy," one of the two hazmats says into his radio, his companion grunting as he picks up the fox and slings its limp body over his shoulder. The tranquilizer they used is strong enough that he doesn't feel unsafe manhandling the animal as he needs to.

"Perfect," comes the response over the radio. "Bring it back to the mobile research lab, and we can begin indoctrination and then send it off to the Proving Grounds."

The mission is successful, time to head back to the rig. Within five minutes of back tracking, the team is going back down the way they came. The rain pours down over their suited bodies, the ground pooling up into muddy puddles as the heavy downpour continues relentlessly.

"We just had to come out here in the middle of a rainstorm, huh, Charles?" The scientist carrying the fox complains to the other. Behind his respirator mask and visor, the scientist sighs, his dark brown eyes locking onto the one who spoke for a brief moment. "Unfortunately, mother nature will not halt for science, Livingston. I have seen worse conditions researching the wildlife of Brazil: be thankful it is not a monsoon."

Soon they are winding down the hill, careful to not slip and fall into the mud. The mobile lab rig waits not far from the spot, engine rumbling while on board lights flood the area and illuminate the surroundings. The carriage is open, the inside sterilized and white, with various test equipment and operating tables of different shapes and sizes strewn about the interior in a neat and orderly fashion.

The fox is brought inside and strapped down to a smaller table that was specifically designed to restrain an animal of his size. The restrictive bands are applied to his legs and neck, tightly securing him to the table and making sure that there would be no wiggle room even once it has woken up.

Charles speaks into his radio. "Package is secured and we can begin transport."

The leader answers from the cab of their mobile lab. "Alright, everyone, pending project classification VULPIS will begin once we arrive at the Proving Grounds at 01:00 hours. I want everyone prepared for the inoculation event, because I'm sure like all of our other test subjects, things are going to get crazy once we infect it."

The mobile rig approaches a blocked off compound surrounded by similar trucks and armed personnel wearing black suits with glowing blue goggles, bearing heavy weaponry. Their helmets are concealed by a large black hood, buckled into a thick kevlar collar surrounding their necks. Emblazened upon the left side of their chests and their left shoulder is a yellow star outlined in red, encompassed by a set of feathery wings. An insignia depicting the notorious Blackwatch biological containment forces.

The leader of the scientists gulps and turns to the driver. "Remember Maurice, be on your best behavior. These men will not hesitate to shoot us dead the moment we seem off beat." The driver looks at him with wide eyes and nods. "Tell me again why we're working with theses nazis Valdez?"

Dr. Valdez grimaces behind his visor. "Because they're the best option we've got. You've seen what we deal with: do you want that getting out to the public?"

Maurice returns the look, and stops at the checkpoint as directed by one of the Blackwatch troopers. He rolls down the driver side window as an officer depicted by yellow stripes and a hoodless helmet approaches the mobile lab rig. "ID and authorization?" The driver and passenger both hand off lanyards, of which has their jobsite ID behind a laminated card.

Valdez speaks up. "We called in ahead, sir, project VULPIS is ready to enter testing phases."

The armored man grunts through his helmet. "Mhm. Clearance verified, proceed to gate three and dock. Wait for head researcher Brown before you begin the show. He wants to see it in action himself."

The officer gives them their lanyards after an extra moment of verifying their identity and waves to the guy controlling the gate. A buzzer sounds off, and the gate rolls off into its side to allow the mobile rig through.

Maurice guides the wheel to the left, as he turns in, eventually turning the vehicle to line the front of a bay labeled Gate 3 with big black letters upon concrete. The garage door rolls up, and a light at the top of the gate blares red. A voice spills out over some speakers. "Attention personnel: stand clear of gate 3 during the loading process. I repeat, stand clear of gate 3 during the loading process."

The mobile rig backs up, pressing its cargo hatch flush with the entrance to gate 3. The interior resembles the mobile lab attachment, with larger measuring instruments. Soon, Charles and Livingston transfer the fox to the tables inside the building, simply detaching their existing restraint platform and carrying it over to the next within gate 3's enclosure.

By this point in time, the fox is awake and emitting noises of distress, wriggling against its restraints, large yellow eyes looking around in a panic. A viewing room is set off to the side of the lab, one window looking out to the lab, and another leading to a dark room, empty for the time being.

Valdez exits the truck along with the driver, looking at his team of scientists. "Thanks for your help Maurice. How about you stick around and see for yourself our little experiment?"

Maurice grunts. "Like I want to see what you ghouls get up to in here? I'm still reeling from last week's test subject, I'm not sticking around to watch some infected... thing get torched again." He says, eyes filled with disdain. "If my work is done here, I need to get back home. Whatever this is going to be, I don't care, just pay me and let me leave."

Valdez regards him with a careful gaze. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you have intentions of leaking information," his words causing Maurice to bite down on his lower lip as if he had something to say.

"Come now, stay, for the betterment of mankind. We're ushering in a new dawn of genetic experimentation."

Maurice eventually concedes; these weren't the kind of people to say no to. "Fine, but after this I'm going home."

The doors open to the adjacent room, and inside steps the head researcher, dressed in a long white lab coat. He approaches the terminal and speaks into the intercom. "Good evening gentlemen, I'm doctor Malcolm Brown. Today we will begin our experiment by innoculating subject VULPIS with Blacklight DX-1119-E to observe its effects on a member of the canis family. If everyone is prepared, inoculate the subject and get ready to send it out to the Proving Grounds."

The test is about to begin.

"Dr. Charles, would you please load a syringe with 300cc's of DX-1119-E? I would like to take this time to remind you all of safety protocols, as well." Malcolm's voice comes over the intercom while Charles sets to work. The scientist moves over to one of the larger machines and opens the door, revealing various racks that contain vials of black liquid and a cool spew of refrigerated mist that spills onto the floor. He reaches inside and promptly acquires a vial before closing the door.

"Everyone present within the room must exercise extreme caution during injection. Despite how strong the restraints are, they have been known to snap under cases of extreme muscle growth." Maurice sighs and stares soberly at the struggling fox. The poor creature was freaking out and yapping some horrible fox sound, pulling at its restraints to no avail. There's no room for it to even move its head, thanks to how tight the neck strap was. In the background, researcher Charles can be seen loading the vial into a syringe gun.

"As soon as you finish off the contents, step away from the creature and I will send it outside so that we can observe its reactions to the pathogen." Malcolm's voice comes again over the intercom. Charles readies the syringe gun, and takes a deep breath. "Today's date is August 3rd, 2037. Doctor Rodrick Charles to administer DX-1119-E "Blacklight" to subject VULPIS in three... two... one."

The doctor's hand moves towards the flank of the creature, quickly stabbing and holding firmly the syringe gun with careful attention. He pulls the trigger and the medical implement lets out a hiss of CO2 as it fills the vulpine with the dark, ominous contents of the vial. Thanks to the pneumatic action of the syringe gun, this task was relatively short, allowing him to sidestep the table containing the growling fox. "The solution is administered, doctor Brown. Standing by for specimen release."

In the other room, the head researcher pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, the lights in the observation deck reflecting in the lenses. He presses a large yellow button on his console, and the table begins to mechanically slide towards the door, which is now rolling upwards. The previously dark room appears to be a steel hexagonal enclosure with several large garage doors containing... something. Or several somethings. The men stare outside, hearing whatever those things were growl as the fox thrashes about within its restraints. The head researcher motions for Valdez's team to step through the sanitizing airlock before coming onto the observation deck.

"And now, we wait for the show to begin." Malcolm says with an unsettling grin that makes Maurice adjust his suit. The way Brown is looking outside, eager to collect data, makes him think that there is an ulterior motive to his sadistic methods. Maurice thinks that Brown takes pleasure in the violence. It's like a sport to him.

Outside, the fox is spasming on the table, which has finally come to a stopping point in the center of the room. The door leading to the room rolls shut a moment later, offering protection for the scientists. The creature has begun to bellow pained yelps of panic and terror as virulent tendrils have begun to swirl and weave around its body. Its natural orange hue is changing before the researcher's very eyes into a deep, bloody red, the white tufts becoming black as the vulpine is corrupted. Maurice clenches his teeth together, wondering why he even agreed to drive. This was cruel and inhumane.

"Just look at that gentlemen. The virus is altering the pigmentation of this creature's fur. How very unusual..." Malcolm states, looking briefly away from the vulpine to type in his observations into the terminal. Outside, the tendrils weave through the entirety of the vulpine's body for a few moments more before submerging underneath its fur. After the initial wave of tendrils subsided, the fox sits there, panting with its eyes clenched shut.

When the creature opens its eyes again, it snarls, and the men are shocked to see its once white sclera has turned black, while its pupils are glowing a bright angry red. In the next few moments, the vulpine creature rips through the restraints and turns to face the group through their observation deck.

Brown is smiling widely. "Excellent. The inoculation process is complete. Let us begin phase 2." He says, his fingers hovering over a bright blue button. His index depresses the button with a satisfying, yet horrifying click, and two garage doors open to reveal their contents: a pair of large, infected hounds that are trying to scramble out from underneath as the doors rise, which draws the attention of the fox.