Andrew’s whole platoon entered the premises. They came perplexed at the sight before their eyes. Small quarters stood untouched, still-standing up to this day.

“The barrier must have kept them safe,” Red 2 said, assuming as she carefully inspected.

Andrew nodded.

“There’s something else... “ She continued. She then reached out her hand to him.

Andrew was puzzled but waited for her.

A serious expression was on her face. “My powers don’t work here.”

His eyes constricted for a moment as he heard what she said. He then let go from her touch and turned his back on her. As he did so, he summoned his powers. A ball of electric current condensed momentarily but vanished within seconds. It surprised him.

He then looked at one of his students from the lot.

Merlin shook his head.

‘It isn’t him,’ he thought.

Andrew looked back at Red 2 and all the other tutors. His eyes scanned them as the strange feeling in his guts was still there. He could only ignore it.

He then contemplated before making a decision to proceed. He gestured for each squad leader to advance with their teams.

Merlin led the way for his squad. They cleared every house on the street assigned to them. But a mystified expression was on their faces. No one lives in those empty houses. Not a single person was seen.

Quinn looked around in a dining area and couldn't help but comment. “This is strange…”

“What is?” One of her teammates approached her side.

She gestured her head at a cup of hot coffee on a table. They both looked at each other.

‘Someone must be in the house’, they both thought.

They proceeded cautiously and walked towards the kitchen. A kettle was on a stove. What most perplexed the both of them was the water floating in the air.

Meanwhile…

Merlin was upstairs clearing the bedrooms when he heard a teammate from another room.

“Ma’am... put your hands in the air and slowly turn around.”

‘Ma’am?’ It puzzled him but he immediately went to where his colleague was.

His teammate was pointing a gun at a woman standing and staring outside a window with her back facing them. She was in her pajamas despite the sun being high at noon.

His colleague repeated. “Ma’am, I said, put your hands in the air and slowly turn around.”

But she remained unmoving. It was as if she didn’t hear them or ignoring their presence.

Merlin looked at his teammate and gestured for him to put the gun down. His colleague complied.

He then walked slowly towards her. His eyes, observing. “Ma’am…” He called out but still no reply.

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As he came to her side, a terrified look on her face made him take a step back. Her skin, pale with black veins bulging. Her eyes were fully white. Her lips, purplish-black.

The horrific sight of her made him raise his gun at her head.

It was at that moment, footsteps came running up the stairs.

“Merlin, don’t shoot!” Quinn caught him as if he was about to pull the trigger. “Don’t shoot and lower your gun.”

He looked at her but his guts didn't trust her words.

“She isn’t infected…” she said “They all aren’t.”

‘All?’ He gave her a questioning look. His other colleague didn’t trust her words as well but lowered his gun. Merlin followed suit.

“What do you mean?”

————

The two of them followed Quin downstairs to the kitchen. She pointed at a kitchenware. Water was floating above it. A shock came to their faces.

“How is this possible?”

Quin could only shake her head. She didn’t know. “There’s more...” she added.

They followed her outside the house. More floating water came before their eyes. It was almost a stream.

She led them to where it leads to. They came to a town square. Their other colleague was waiting on a house roof.

“What in the hell is this!?” Merlin couldn’t help but exclaim and be mesmerized at the sight before him.

“Now we know where they all are.” They all looked down at the unmoving massive crowd. Their faces pale with black veins bulging all over their body. Their eyes white, and lips of purplish-black.

“Why are they all here?” Merlin couldn’t help but ask.

“You see that fountain over there…” Their colleague pointed at an ornamental structure of three women carrying a large bowl on top of their heads, placed at the center of the square. An accumulated bubble water had gathered in the air above it, as if gravity was absent. “These people.... They’re all facing that thing.”

They had wondered why the houses were empty. Only to find the townsfolk gathered in one place, facing a structure.

“Whatever that thing is, had probably done this to them.” he could only guess.

“We need to report this to Sir Andrew.” their other colleague said. “I’ll go.” He volunteered.

Meanwhile…

Red 2 was examining a little girl. She pulled her jaw down and looked inside the child’s mouth. The tongue was also purplish-black like the lips.

She took a cotton swab for a saliva sample, bagged and gave it to her subordinate. “Preserve this for a later examination.”

Andrew stood watch the whole process. “What do you think?”

“It’s all the same like the others.” she said. “It isn’t contagious. That I could tell. Whatever did this to them is out of my understanding. What puzzled me the most is how they are still alive.” She then looked at him. “We need reinforcement.”

Andrew contemplated for a moment before telling her. “The communications are down. We’re all on our own.”

“What!” She was caught off guard. “You could've told me from the start! What the fuck Andrew!” She grabbed him by the neck “Abort the mission! Now!”

“Negative. We are to proceed whatever the cost is.”

Slap! She hit him on the face. “There are students on this mission. Their lives will be on your hands.”

Andrew looked at her with a dead-pan expression. “As long as they’re still within our sight, I’ll take full responsibility.” Despite his guts turning against him, he was asked to proceed at all cost.

It was then a cadet interrupted them “Sir!” he saluted. “There’s something you should see…”

Before Red 2 could let go of him, the ground shook tremendously.

Andrew knew what it was “Take Cover!” he shouted. He ducked to cover Red 2 with his body, protecting her for any debris that may fall on them.

The earthquake only lasted for a moment.

Andrew stood up and helped his colleague “Are you okay?” he asked. “Is everyone alright?” he shouted to the others.

Red 2 nodded but her eyes widened the next moment.

Andrew looked behind him. Chills ran through his spine as the temperature dropped for the both of them.

The little girl moved. Her eyes went back to normal. The black veins on her face and on other visible areas were gone. Her color came back, giving her life.

“Mommy…” A word came out from her mouth.

As they heard her speak, it gave Red 2 and Andrew shivers, petrified by the sudden event.

“Help me…” The little girl said as she looked at them, wanting to approach. Before she could take a step, she looked down on her arms. Her fingers, disappearing before her eyes.

“Help me…” She cried one last time before she vanished into dust.