Vess Arias’ Cell

A yellow warning light flashes on the door to prisoner section two. You place your hand on the pad and the door slides open. In the cell to your left there is a small hull breach. A **** field is in place and nanobots are already covering the breach with thin metal threads. An exceptionally thin pale man watches the ship repair itself.

He turns toward you and you can help but feel fear. He holds a glowing orb and his eyes pulsate with the same eerie glow. He grins, showing long fangs. He extends a thin hand, with sharp black fingernails toward you.

“Come my dear, you aren’t like the others. You are already infected. You just haven’t figured it out yet.”

He’s mad if he thinks you are going to him. Of course he wouldn’t be here if he were entirely sane. Still, his eyes are so curious.

You wonder what you should do. “Markus?”

“The orb interferes with the coms, my dear, but that’s ok. This moment is between us.”

You didn’t see him move, but somehow he got much closer to you. You wonder if you could grab the orb and end this madness.

“YOU, have nothing to fear, my sweet. Let me help you. Enter my embrace.”

He is on top of you. You startle as he lays a cold clawed hand on your shoulder. You reach for the orb. Vess squeezes your shoulder hard enough to hurt.

“Not yet, sweet one.”

He grabs you like you weigh nothing. He sinks his fangs into your neck. You scream. Then everything goes black.