Promotion

"I want my own team, sir," you respond.

"That's easy," Marlowe responds as he walks with you into a private office.

"I want to work outside the usual structure of the DSD. We'll be quick to respond, decisive in our actions, and accountable only to you."

Marlowe considers your proposal. You know his background. He blamed getting bogged down by bureaucracy as one of the reasons the Lilith Strain was able to spread as quickly as it did. He's been quoted as saying that by the time they got the approval to engage the infected while they were still human, there weren't any humans to engage.

"Who's your team?" he asks.

"We seemed to work pretty well together on this one," you respond. "I'd like Agents Adams, Galetti, and Lawrence for now. I'll take Ms. Strickland as my tech."

"A fine team, all of them under 35, but I'll catch a lot of flack from the Congressional oversight committee if I hand the keys to the store to a bunch of young guns."

Marlowe looks off in the distance as he gathers his thoughts.

"Take Andrea Simmons too, but I'll make sure she knows you're running the unit."

You nod.

"I'll issue the reassignment orders and set you up with a command post as soon as I get to HQ. Thank you agent."

Marlowe leaves and you head out to fill in the rest of YOUR team.

Then you grab Kyle and head off to Woodford. On the way, Kyle is scrolling through his phone with a puzzled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

"My mother contacted me early this morning about a strange email she got from a some drug company executive she knew. "

"What company," you ask.

"Medivy," he answers.

You shrug. Medivy is a small player. They were never cleared to work on any dangerous projects. Still, you file that information away.

You arrive at the Woodford facility and storm though the security check point. Ignoring DSD protocols, particularly those that could spot your demonic nature, is just one of the perks of your new found autonomy within the organization.

You note a news report on one of the monitors in the control room and pause to watch. A reporter is standing in front of the gates an old building. "Live from San Marcos" flashes across the screen.

"... it's mostly quiet at the Presidential Palace this evening," the reporter says, "and at this point, it seems that Generalissimo Franco Francisco Calderon it still alive and has been able to put down the attempted coup organized by his senior staff. High ranking military officers staged the attempted revolt in response to rumors that San Marcos' dictator known to the citizens of this small South American country as 'el Jefe' has taken to demon worship."

The image cuts Calderon standing at a podium in full uniform addressing a crowd of reporters. A striking woman is at his side, and you recognize Louisa at once.

"Calderon has sworn that the rumors are untrue, " the reporter continues, "but he has indicated that he will not allow international inspectors into San Marcos to confirm his claims. Given that there several species of plants native only to this region that are used in the production of the Lilith vaccine, stability in this region continues to be an international priority."

You head into the holding chamber as the report drones on.

Marcus voices some alarm as you enter. It's clear he's spotted you for what you are.

"Let me out of here, slut!" he shouts.

"Sorry," you reply, "You're just another arrogant demon who failed Lilith," you say as you make your way to the controls. "She's waiting to punish you personally," Jamming your palm onto a red button, the chamber is flooded with molten gold. Marcus screams as his flesh and bones melt into it, and you know he is now in Hell.

Returning to the control room, Kyle is on the phone.

"Yes, sir," he says. We're on it right away.