The Perfect Specimen

Going back in time a bit to about twenty minutes ago.

There are four people in a vehicle, three men and one woman. The two men up front are dressed in very grimy military style uniforms, while the man in the back is an older gentleman who wore a black coat with a bow-tie and wrinkled black dress pants.

The woman in the back is the most eye-catching, wearing a navy blue sequin dress covered with mud with no shoes on, as if she just ran from a fancy party or a ball.

They are all in a banged up Jeep that has no doors, no roof, and is painted with a mat Black color over-top the areas that clearly have rust. As they are driving around the downtown Washington area, the man in the passenger seat who would look like a normal large sturdy country bumpkin except for a horrible burn scar on his entire mouth and jaw line turns to the woman in the back seat, he smiles and begins speaking.

"Hey Beth, I know that you say you need to find this old world medicine for your brothers wounds, but would it still be even any good? Why didn't you just use the money used for this expedition to buy a nice bodyguard to watch over you? I know that there must be at least some ascended that would be strapped for cash."

The two men in the front of the Jeep laugh out immediately. Leaving Beth and the man sitting next to her with a cold look in their eyes towards them.

The man next to Beth grimaces as he speaks up on her behalf, "Sir, we all know that in the entire Utopia, to get an ascended who is not contracted with the military is like finding a needle in a haystack. So many are frauds and hucksters that would sooner slit your throat the moment that we get out of the front gate, than they would follow through with a mission involving the wilds. Yours' is the most affordable service offered in the entire underground network with a somewhat decent reputation."

The two men up front laugh heartily at the lukewarm praise given to them. Then the one driving who is very skinny, and has two protruding front teeth shooting from his mouth as if a rodents teeth, c.o.c.ks his head back towards Beth while keeping his eyes on the road and shouts,

"Beth, you trained your servant well! You said his name is Rodney? He definitely knows when he is in the presence of greatness! My brother and I are the Crispy Rats! We can handle any danger thrown at us. You are lucky to catch us while we are still starting out, causing us to lower the prices. However, you will be the first stepping stone to our greatness! How lucky are you!?"

Beth and Rodney both roll their eyes and sit in silence. The only trade off to the very cheap price offered by this "Crispy Rats" was that you had to stroke their ego every chance you get, otherwise they wouldn't even be able to muster up the courage to do more than household chores around the Utopia common grounds closest to the gates.

They are not soldiers, only hoodlums who were there as a last minute choice for the man and woman's emergency to go on a fools errand and find a untouched part of a building containing medication in the wilds.

Beth says to Rodney in a hushed whisper, " Were they really the only choice we had? They don't seem that reliable..." Rodney's face flushed in embarrassment as he gives an excuse, "Every other company was out on actual missions. If not for the fact that your brother was attacked while we were at the Crotvich ball, I would have the time to look for a proper-".

The Jeep begins to slow down to a stop as a tall building comes into view, the bucktoothed man turns around to look at Beth and Rodney, interrupting their conversation to say, "Here we are! Geo Wash Hospital! Still not sure what you expect to find though, this area has already been picked clean. Unless you are thinking of trying those locked doors in the bas.e.m.e.nt."

The rodent teethed man chuckles and says in an icy tone as his eyes grows cold," If so then you can leave us out of it! That place is rumored to have poisonous fog so thick that it can even corrode the lungs of ascended! We would need some real motivation to even think of going through the front door of this place."

Beth becomes outraged and says, "That is not what we agreed on! You promised to-". The rodent teethed man interrupts and continues, " '-to protect and escort you to your destination.' I know what was promised. I didn't state however to protect you after you arrived at your destination, only on the way there." He smiles as he looks at Beth and Rodney, "You wouldn't want people to think that you can take advantage of the Crispy Rat now can you?"

Rodney takes out a red bone knife the size of a human fist with silver casing on the sides that was in his pocket. "This is a knife carved from the tooth of a squirrel demon. If you can ensure Lady Beth's safety throughout her excursion here, then this will belong to you Sir Clem."

The rodent faced man known as Clem looks at the knife with such fervor as if he already sees it as his own possession. He immediately agrees knowing the value of such a weapon could set him for life. "I knew you had a good head on your shoulders Rodney!"

Clem gets out of the car and helps down Beth and Rodney out of the Jeep as if he is a valet. He then turns to the scar faced man who has been silent this entire time and says, "Cleetus you moron! Get on down here and help me bring these nice folk to find some medicine!" To which he then whispers to himself softly, "finally we can get the money to start a real company like those celebrities in Utopia!"

Cleetus gets down off of the Jeep and as if a massive weight was released, the body of the Jeep raises nearly a foot from it's previous position. Just as Cleetus is about to open his mouth, he notices something wrong. Where is the sounds of zombies and monsters? Why is it so quiet? He turns to look at Clem and says as calmly as he can "Bro, I think we should leave, like right now."

Clem gets upset at how his over-s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e brother can not be swayed by the riches in front of them and sternly says, "Fine, if you don't want to look inside because your not as committed to the company as I am, then just stand out front and guard our exit route! Just like the pros, someone always has to have a exit strategy!"

He immediately charges inside the building without a second thought knowing that a major area such as a hospital has been scavenged and cleared innumerable times. Beth and Rodney follow soon after.

Five minutes go by as Cleetus stands in front of the broken glass doors, the uncomfortable feeling growing more and more by the second. He would have left by now if not for his love for his older brother Clem. He tries to calm down and lights a cigarette. He inhales the soothing smoke that seems to momentarily relax frayed his nerves.

Just as his nerves relax a creatures claws go straight through the mans neck silently and without any resistance. The cigarette flies in the air barely revealing the silhouette of something that looks like it could be human.

With thin legs, medium waist, an overly bulky c.h.e.s.t, a head with two massive horns on both sides, and two arms reaching all the way down to it's feet with the thickness of tree trunks. In the hand of one of those arms is the head of Cleetus, as it is next to the creatures smiling half opened mouth. The light fades away from the area as a sickening crunch could be heard echoing softly before fading into silence. A moment later the thud of his headless corpse hitting the ground.

The sounds of it's heavy footsteps become lighter as it starts to fade away. It seems to have lost interest in the area, to which the reemergence of the growls and groans begin to deafen to surroundings. It was at this time a very tiny zombie began making it's mad rush over to this body unaware of the horror that took place just minutes before.