Chapter 17: Echoes in the Dark
Kaito's boots echoed in the long corridor, the only sound within the ghostly silence of the office complex. The lights above flickered, casting staccato shadows that danced against the pale green walls. Something had changed in the air. The lingering scent of bug spray was overpowered by a sharp, metallic tang—almost like blood.
He tightened his grip on the reinforced bug baton strapped to his belt. He had barely recovered from the last night's attack. That thing—a mutated beetle the size of a dog—still haunted his thoughts. He had killed it, yes, but the fact it had evolved into something monstrous shattered all his assumptions about the job.
Kaito approached the breakroom. The door creaked open with a slow groan, revealing tables overturned, vending machines cracked open. Snack wrappers littered the floor like rotting leaves. A trail of slime slithered across the tiles and disappeared beneath the far door. His breath caught in his throat.
"This wasn't like this yesterday," he whispered. His voice barely registered against the eerie stillness.
He stepped inside. His boots squelched against the slimy residue. He crouched, touching the trail with gloved fingers. Still wet.
Suddenly, his comm buzzed.
"Kaito, report," barked his supervisor, Hayama.
He flinched. "Sir, there's evidence of another infestation. But this isn't just bugs. Something's changing them."
Hayama's voice was tense. "Retrieve any specimen you can. You're not authorized to retreat unless your life is in danger."
He cursed under his breath. Of course. Kaito was just a grunt. Disposable.
With a sigh, he moved toward the hallway door. His flashlight flicked to life and bathed the dark corridor in a cone of white. The slime trail continued. He followed it down a stairwell to the basement.
Each step groaned under his weight. The air grew colder. His breath fogged in front of him. The basement door loomed ahead, and behind it, a faint clicking sound echoed—like the tapping of insect legs.
Click. Click-click. Click.
His pulse quickened.
The door creaked open.
A horror waited inside.
Hunched over a pile of shredded office chairs and broken computer parts was a grotesque insectoid. Its carapace gleamed like black obsidian. Long, jagged legs extended from its bloated body. Compound eyes glowed red in the darkness. As it turned, Kaito saw the remnants of what used to be a cockroach—twisted, mutated beyond recognition.
It shrieked.
Kaito reacted on instinct, pulling his baton free and activating the electric surge. Blue arcs snapped to life as he charged.
The monster lunged.
He rolled aside just in time. Its legs cracked the concrete where he'd just stood.
Kaito jabbed the baton at its abdomen. Sparks flew, and the creature reeled back. He pressed the advantage, swinging again. This time, the baton lodged in its side. The electricity surged through it, and the bug screamed, flailing wildly.
One of its claws slashed his side. Pain bloomed instantly, but he gritted his teeth and yanked the baton free. With a final roar, he jammed it into the creature's head.
A burst of light. A flash of heat.
And then silence.
The monster twitched once, then collapsed.
Panting, Kaito stumbled backward, his hand pressed against his bleeding side. His vision blurred slightly. But he was alive.
He keyed his comm. "Target neutralized. Requesting extraction."
There was a pause.
Then Hayama's voice. "You're not done yet. There's more."
Kaito's eyes widened. "What do you mean—more?"
"We've received thermal signatures across the building. Something's waking them up, Kaito. You need to hold your ground. We're sending backup, but it'll take time."
Kaito looked down at the corpse, then back at the stairs.
This isn't an extermination anymore, he thought. This is war.