Anthony DeCosmo - Disintegration

"Son of man, give the people this message from the LORD: A sword is being sharpened and polished. It is being prepared for terrible slaughter; it will FLASH LIKE LIGHTNING!"

The creature stopped as the flames licked at its front. A rich chemical smell of burning fuel spewed across the impromptu battlefield.

Nothing halted the creature on the northern flank as it aimed for Tucker, who spurred his mount and whipped the reigns

The monster’s inner jaws extended, pinching together the rider and much of the horse. The jaws retracted to the wolf’s mouth where the outer layer of teeth folded over the ensnared man and what remained of his steed. Tucker-alive for a few more moments-cried out from behind the curtain of ivory as the satisfied hunter spirited away its prize.

Johnny’s flamethrower held the remaining jaw-wolf at bay. Woody Ross produced one of the ping-pong ball grenades taken from the platypus aliens. He activated it with a squeeze and rolled the device beneath the monster's belly.

The explosion ripped the creature from below where its armor provided no protection. Gore poured to the ground and it collapsed.

Jon wasted no time. "Quick, saddle up. Hurry. Let's move!"

Horses spurred to action and whips sent the wagons rolling as fast as they could move to the south, counting one less in their number.

– Two robed disciples of The Order carried Trevor into a new chamber, this one smaller but no less vile than the lair of the torture-spider. They dropped him, naked and unconscious. Two tendrils slithered over, clasped his wrists, and dragged him against the wall.

"We will hold him here for a spell," the Bishop said as he brought a companion to view the captive. "Until modifications to the Purification Center are complete."

The Bishop's companion was an older man but not elderly, dressed in black with a thin body. He and a flock of converts had battled Trevor Stone a few weeks before.

"That is the one," the Missionary Man said. "I nearly converted him some time ago."

The Bishop answered, "He will better serve us once the processing is complete."

"Glory to Voggoth!"

"Yes, indeed. Nonetheless, this situation amplifies your failure during the initial phase of the invasion. Had you found your target on that first day, this process would not be necessary and our resources could be invested elsewhere."

The Missionary Man ran one crooked hand across his neck where wounded tentacles hid. "Your Excellency, I searched the location but found no trace of any humans, let alone those of Stone's bloodline or acquaintance. Is there any suggestion as to what forces were at work?"

The Bishop hovered over Trevor, studying the sleeping man like a researcher watching a lab rat for symptoms.

"The disappearances remain a mystery."

"We now know the location of their sanctuary. Allow me to lead a force to overrun their position. No doubt the one we seek is among them."

"No," the Bishop pulled his emerald eyes from Trevor and glared at the Missionary Man. "Our activities on the Asian continent have already drawn attention; we can not risk such overt action here."

Again, the Bishop stared at Trevor. He said, "We will continue his ordeal. The pain is already driving him mad. The point will come when his mind is open. Then we will ease his suffering with each concession, one after another, until he eagerly accepts the dominion of Voggoth and delivers his people to The Order."

"Praise be to Voggoth, your Excellency. Allow me to suggest the immediate termination of the woman. She is dangerous. We suffered many losses in her capture."

"Fear not, she is under control. Surprisingly simple, in fact. Once activated, the cache gland projected false memories implicating whomever she viewed as leader and then the implant amplified her emotions. One can appreciate the irony."

"Irony, your Excellency?"

"Forgive me. Much like your ambition-do not think I have not taken note of it-a sense of what they call 'irony' remains with me since my glorious transformation. As distasteful as I find any remnants of that existence, I do see this 'irony' here: the woman only betrayed him when she finally accepted him as her leader, consciously or not."

"Is it possible, your Excellency, that she is the second half? The mother?"

"No, we tested for that. However, she does harbor strong feelings for Mr. Stone, which is why the emotional amplification exceeded expectations. We will observe the effects a while longer. When I am satisfied, we shall terminate her and remove the cache gland. This will allow us direct access to her memories since implantation."

"You are most wise, Excellency."

"Glory to Voggoth, brother."

– The convoy followed the turnpike, traveling over the grasslands, forests, and hills to either side of the highway to remain at least somewhat concealed.

As night fell, they arrived at Hickory Run State Park and camped in a field. Dinner meant salty beef jerky or freeze-dried meals. They rested in shifts but the lingering image of Tucker dragged off by a jaw-wolf kept most awake.

Jon Brewer shared a slowly dying fire with Shep and Reverend Johnny; the latter finished a rather long and dramatic tale concerning one of his many battles with The Order.

"After Voggoth's children burned, those National Guard fellows marched toward Boston despite my warnings. That city was in total chaos. I, as you can see, continued my pursuit south."

"Seems to me you’ve been fighting these things for a while now," Shepherd said. "But you’re a medical man?"

"Yes," Johnny held his hands out and stared at his palms. "Before Hell descended upon our world these were the hands of a surgeon. Neurology, my specialty. I returned feeling to limbs where feeling was lost. I knew and understood every working of the human body."

"Forgive me for asking, Doc, but-"

" Reverend. I am no longer a Doctor, Captain Shepherd."

"I see. Well that’s my question, Reverend. How did you go from being ‘Doc’ to being a holy man? What denomination are you?"

"I am a slave to no denomination. I know all the workings of the body. That is where my faith lay. I see the Lord in the beating of the heart, in the churning of the bowels."

Jon mumbled, "Oh, now there’s a pretty thought."

"Scoff not. The body is the manifestation of the Lord for we are created in His image."

Shep said, "And nothing burns you more than seeing these Order fellas slipping implants in the human body. Is that it?"

"You are a wise man, Captain Shepherd. Now I preach the purity of the human body: the holiness of it. The followers of Voggoth defile God’s creation. I shall smite them."

Brewer pushed, "So the healer turns into a soldier. I have to admit, Rev, I'm not exactly buying that one. What really made you put down scalpels and pick up a machine gun?"

Shepherd leaned forward and rubbed his hands over the embers.

In an unusually sedate voice, Johnny explained, "I was the head surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. On the day of reckoning, the hospital suffered invasion by all manner of monsters. I escaped the carnage of the city and made my way home. I found that one of The Order’s missionaries had converted my gated community, including my wife and my eight year old daughter."

Shepherd mumbled, "Damn."

"When I… refused…to be one with Voggoth, he sent my wife and my child with knives to kill me. Well…it seems my fear and my desire to live allowed me to…allowed me…"

Johnny could not say the words so Brewer did: "It wasn’t your fault. They weren’t your family any more. They died when the implants were put in their bodies."

"Oh, my dear Mr. Brewer, you word it so elegantly. I fear you have not perceived the deeper truth; the truth revealed only after I examined the bodies."