Myna, Myco, and Mac sat nervously in the conference room, awaiting the arrival of Eliza, their administrator. They had requested an urgent and private meeting with her, but they had no idea what her reaction would be.

The screen in the conference room flickered to life and displayed a series of polygons before resolving into the face of Eliza. She began with pleasantries, but the trio could see the impatience in her eyes.

"So, what's the trouble?" Eliza asked, cutting to the chase.

Myna started, "I had started to mention it in the last meeting, but you didn't have time ..."

Eliza ignored her and turned to Myco. "What's the problem?"

Myco took a deep breath and started to explain what had happened in the test room with the PB-78 specimen. He described how the power outage had caused a breach in the room, and how the three spent the last week investigating the organism.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Eliza interrupted, "You're using the new Mycelerator, right?". She stopped, nodded and said "Never mind. Continue."

Myco summarized their research:

(1) PB-78 exhibited extremely rapid growth in all test growing mediums;

(2) PB-78 was somehow prevented from expanding more than a dozen meters from the center of the mystery mushroom collection point;

(3) PB-78 had an anomalous effect on a lizard that had intruded on one of Mac's tests.

Eliza impatiently asked, "What do you mean by 'anomalous' in this context?"

Mac answered, "The lizard is physically fine, but it behaves totally differently. It's not like the modified behavior of a wasp infected by cordyceps. There are no physical changes, but the lizard explores its environment more like a bot than an animal."

Eliza considered. "Hold on."

She appeared to be having conversations with others outside of the conference. After a minute, she returned to the call.

"OK. This is great! You three have been infected by a new organism that, if not somehow prevented from growing outside the collection area, could cover the earth in a matter of weeks, right?"

"I've talked to your mentors. We need to put together a team to deal with this."

She thought. "How about the Pine Barren Mycology Advance Team? Or maybe the ei2o Mycology Task Force?".

She looked at the trio. "I'll sort out the name later. There are things I need you three to do now."

Myna, Myco and Mac waited with resignation.