The Abomination: Alpha Zero Project

Chapter 8: The Ghost in the Machine

A thin grey smoke billowing from the pipe vent began to fill the prison box, restricting the visibility of Zeven, who was trapped on the lowest level of the facility. Before the toxic gas could completely paralyze his nerves, he focused energy into his palms to feel for the weakest seam in the corner of the retaining steel wall. With one violent heave, Zeven managed to force open the hydraulic seal holding him back until it gave way, throwing him out into a long, unfamiliar hallway. The situation outside turned out to be no better, as the room opened out into a narrow corridor on the lowest level of the laboratory that was dark and damp. Drops of sulphur-scented water fell rhythmically from leaking ceiling pipes, soaking the cold, rough concrete floor that was covered in a thin layer of moss.

"Subject detected escaping from the emergency isolation room, lock down the delta sector corridor immediately!" a voice shouted from the end of the line.

"Do not let him take another step forward, use the specialized weaponry!" replied the squad commander leading the front line.

Zeven straightened his posture in the darkness, listening to the heavy combat boots moving quickly to surround his position from two opposite directions. A second later, the glare of a highly bright tactical torch broke the silence of the narrow corridor, aiming straight at Zeven's cold eyes. The security forces arriving this time had equipment far different from the standard guards he had slaughtered upstairs earlier. They wore thick, layered anti-radiation protective cloaks and carried long rifles that had been specially modified to deal with high-level experimental subjects. The smell of gunpowder mingled with the pungent aroma of silver metal quickly filled the stifling air along the narrow lower-level corridor.

"Load the silver bullets into the magazines, shoot on sight without warning!" the commander called out with absolute firmness.

"We have locked onto the target, firing commences on a count of three!" the sniper from the back line replied.

A barrage of gunfire instantly roared, deafening the ears as it spat hundreds of specialized projectiles that sped through the darkness of the corridor towards Zeven's body before he could avoid them. An incredibly sharp, immense pain immediately struck his chest and arms as the bullets made of pure silver managed to pierce his hardened skin. The silver substance contained within the bullet casings reacted negatively against the super energy filters inside his body, creating a torturous burning effect. Zeven was forced to his knees on the wet floor, holding back a groan of agony while thick, deep red blood began to flow, wetting the concrete. The constant onslaught from the armed forces kept pressing him without pause, making Zeven's room for maneuver increasingly limited amidst the surrounding iron barricades.

"The pure silver bullets are working brilliantly, the subject is weakening!" a soldier shouted in a triumphant tone.

"Keep firing until he cannot move a single finger!" the commander ordered, taking a step forward.

Zeven felt his consciousness begin to spin from the effects of the silver poison, which was starting to spread through his bloodstream towards the vital organs in his chest. On the brink of despair, the fury over his father's betrayal burned through Zeven's memories once more, triggering the remnants of spiritual energy buried within his soul. He closed his eyes, letting his instincts connect with the thick aura of death that completely enveloped the entire lower level of this accursed laboratory. Gripping the concrete floor, Zeven felt the presence of thousands of souls belonging to failed experimental victims who had died horribly inside the subterranean waste tanks. The air around the corridor suddenly turned freezing cold, causing the breath of the hunting soldiers to mist heavily behind their protective masks.

"What is happening to our lighting system, why has the temperature dropped so drastically?" a guard asked, his voice tinged with panic.

"Ignore the temperature change, stay focused on shooting the target in front of you!" the deputy commander answered hesitantly.

Zeven opened his eyes, which had now turned pitch black without a trace of white left, radiating an incredibly terrifying magical aura. Cornered by the silver bullets, Zeven awakened his Necro-Shifting ability for the first time to summon the spirits of failed experiments, who immediately tore the guards apart without mercy. Black silhouettes shaped like formless monsters began to crawl out from the cracks in the concrete floor and the fractured corridor walls. The piercing shriek of those astral creatures echoed through the narrow hallway, cutting off the entire tactical power supply of the security forces in the blink of an eye. The armed forces, who had previously felt they had the upper hand, now turned into prey, surrounded by the manifestation of the past victims' wrath.

"What on earth are those things, they are tearing straight through our armor!" a soldier screamed as a dark shadow wrapped around his neck.

"Fall back to the lift area right now, our defense has been breached!" the commander shouted before his body was dragged into the darkness.

The sound of automatic rifle fire now gave way to hysterical screams and the horrific sound of tearing flesh along the corridor. The failed spirits summoned by Zeven's Necro-Shifting power moved like a storm of darkness, destroying the line of security forces without leaving a single one behind. Weapons made of silver clattered onto the concrete floor, which was now flooded with the fresh blood of the facility guards. Zeven stood up slowly in the midst of that mystical slaughter, feeling the remnants of the silver poison in his body slowly dissolve as his enemies were destroyed. The pain in his chest began to be replaced by a grim inner satisfaction at seeing his tormentors receive a fitting retribution for their deeds.

"Return to where you belong, your task in this place is finished," Zeven whispered in a hoarse, echoing voice.

The cluster of dark shadows slowly faded away, seeping back into the cracks of the concrete after ensuring the entire corridor was completely clear of threats. Zeven took a deep breath to restore the stability of his energy before stepping past the heaps of masterless armor and weapons. His main focus now was to find the mechanical evacuation route that could take him out of this lowest level and up to the surface of the outer earth. His heavy footsteps echoed on the wet floor, leaving a silent trail in the corridor that now resembled a mass grave. At the end of the hallway, he spotted a thick iron door bearing a giant gear symbol, indicating the presence of the main transport system.

"Is this the only way to the iron district up there?" Zeven asked the silence of the corridor.

He placed his palm on the surface of the iron door, feeling a very powerful machine vibration from behind the retaining wall. However, the vibration he felt this time was nothing like the normal operational vibration usually produced by the facility's generator engines. The pattern of the vibration pulsed incredibly fast, followed by a constant thudding sound from the steam exhaust pipes around the corridor ceiling. Zeven realized that the total destruction he had caused upstairs had triggered a final defense system that could not be aborted. This subterranean research facility was counting down the time to its own destruction to erase all evidence of the experiments.

"They would rather destroy this entire place than let me escape outside," Zeven muttered with a cynical smile.

Zeven gripped the emergency manual lever next to the iron gate, attempting to open access to the main lift shaft. With the remnants of his superhuman strength, he pulled the lever down until it threw sparks and severed the backup power supply. The giant iron door slowly slid open, revealing a massive lift shaft with steel cables hanging down. Zeven stepped closer to the edge of the lift shaft, looking upwards where the dim light of the earth's surface seemed exceptionally far away. Behind the pile of guards' corpses, the rumble of the surface lift could be heard as it began to activate the automatic self-destruction system.