Alice's boots crunched on the gravel as she patrolled the mountain area near the base, her eyes scanning the surroundings with unwavering focus. The night was calm. Harbingers have never made it this close to the base. Most of the time, wandering ones were spotted and killed at the periphery, and the rest fell into traps.

As Alice walked, her mind drifted back to the stories she had heard about Marcus, a legendary member of the FBS. Marcus was known for his fearless spirit, tremendous ability to uncover hidden threats, and dedication as a scholar in Harbinger biology. His legend inspired people to continue in the face of horror and despair. Marcus, however, had been missing for three months and was likely dead. Veritas sent a recovery team to Oregon, where Marcus and his team were on a mission for the last time. To everyone's disappointment, neither the team nor their corpses recovered, but the recovery team found the wrecked MK I armor parts, which seemed to be digested. No one knew what had happened precisely; the rumor was that Marcus and his team were eaten.

While Alice was wondering what happened to Marcus, she rounded a corner and spotted an unusual disturbance in the brush. Instinctively, she moved towards it with alertness. Then, she noticed a trail of blood leading deeper into the woods.

She figured she was safe because she was so close to the base. A doe has probably given birth to a fawn, she thought. She decided to check it out herself. Cautiously, Alice pulled out her pistol and followed the trail, her heart pounding. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting an eerie glow on the forest floor. Each step brought her closer to the thing behind the bloodstained path.

After what felt like an eternity, Alice emerged into a small clearing. Marcus was lying motionless on the ground; Alice couldn't believe her eyes. His body was battered and torn, evidence of a fierce battle. Some wounds were healed, but he had fresh ones too. Alice's heart sank at the sight. Did he crawl back to Vernedia from Oregon with such injuries? She wondered. But first, she had to check if he was still alive.

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Kneeling beside Marcus, Alice carefully examined his wounds. They were profound and life-threatening, a testament to the horrors he had faced. Despite the severity of his injuries, however, Marcus was breathing, his breaths shallow but steady.

Alice relayed their coordinates and the urgency of the situation to her communicator.

"Sarah, I need you and other medics at Latitude 41.7823° N, Longitude -123.4647° W, in the woods close to my night routes. No, I am not injured. It is… Marcus… Yeah, I am serious… I cannot bullshit now. Send someone now. I will wait for you there, don't hang up."

Alice's mind raced with questions. What had Marcus encountered? Who or what had caused his injuries? And why was he alone in the woods? She has so much to ask Marcus. Finding answers was crucial for Marcus's sake and the safety of the entire base.

Minutes turned into eternity, but the sound of approaching footsteps finally broke the silence. The medics arrived, rushing to Marcus's side and stabilizing him for transport back to the base.

Alice watched with relief and worry as Marcus was carefully lifted onto a stretcher. She knew that his survival was just the first step. The answers they sought would require a deeper investigation that would take them into the heart of darkness.