Dead Space: Outbreak_Chapter 3

Dead Space: Outbreak

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Dead Space.  This is purely for non-profit, fan fiction based off the Dead Space series.

Jacob was sitting at his desk reading Planet Security News Reports about murders, violent crimes and suicides.  The paper noted the date when all these occurrences started but diplomatically forgot to mention that was also the day of the Marker's discovery.  The article read, "Planet Security reports 13 homicides, some accompanied by robbery, and nearly a dozen suicides in the past two weeks.  Commander James of Planet Security stated 'Rest assured we are doing everything we can to keep things under control.  The key is to stay calm.  There really is no need to panic.'  Commander James denies any connection between said crimes and the alleged 'Marker.'  Doctor Sciarello had this to say on the subject, 'I have run every possible test on the artifact and there is still no evidence to believe it is anything other than a stone.  As far as science is concerned it is just a rock and has no connection to the murders.' "

" 'As far as science is concerned' " Jacob repeated sarcastically.  "Human science anyway..."  He opened up a similar article just as he heard Rachel through his comm. link.

"Umm, Jake?  Are you in?"

"Yeah, it's open."

The door opened up and Rachel walked inside gingerly.  Jacob offered her a seat which she took but when she sat down she stared at her feet.

"Are you alright?" Jacob asked.

Rachel took a deep breath.  "I wanted to say I'm sorry.  I thought you were being selfish, like before.  I didn't know what you were really thinking and I'm sorry for being harsh.  Truth is, I've been having a hard time sleeping and a few times I've had to skip work because I've felt sick.  I just didn't want to tell you because I knew you would get worked up about it and over react.  I'm sorry."

"Rachel, I..."

"It's ok" she interrupted.  "We've both apologized.  There's nothing else that needs to be said about it."

They both fell silent.  Jacob sat staring at Rachel.  It had been a long time since they had been together in his room; he missed it.  Rachel looked up at him and grinned.

"Was there anything else?" Jacob asked quietly.

"Yes, actually, there was."  Rachel straightened up and took a quick breath.  "Deacon Abbott gave another speech yesterday.  I would have asked you to come but I didn't know myself until I stumbled upon it in a maintenance bay.  Deacon Abbott was talking about the Marker's purpose.  He says it's speaking to us.  He thinks it's preparing us mentally for the afterlife by giving us thoughts of death to help us let go of material things."

Jacob opened his mouth to speak but Rachel stopped him.

"I know what you're going to say, 'there's got to be a better way to prepare someone than nausea and nightmares.'  I don't know why things are happening this way but they are.  All we need to do is..."

"I was going to say I wish I could have been there."

They both stopped and looked at each other.  Rachel continued, "I also wanted to invite you to another speech tomorrow.  Deacon Abbott will be speaking in Union Square since we're moving the Marker to the colony."

"Yeah, I'll be there.  When is it?"

"Fourteen hundred hours."

"Alright, I'll meet you there then."

"Thanks, Jake.  It really means a lot.  And I know you'll get something out of it too."  She smiled at him.  "I need to get to work," she added.

"That's fine.  I'll see you tomorrow, Rachel."

Rachel got up and walked out the door.  She tuned and waved as the door closed.

Jacob smiled for a moment but soon his brow wrinkled.  It was true that he wanted to go for her but he also wanted answers.  He felt the best way was to get close to the Marker and hear more from Deacon Abbott.  The dark thought in his mind was trying to tell him something but he was pulling his own questions from it.  Just then Jacob heard Michael’s voice, "Jake, you there?  You'll want to hear this."

"Yeah, I'm here.  What's up?"

"I gotta be quick about this but do you remember Natalia, the P-SEC guard down by the Marker?  Well obviously she went to the brig after her little incident.  The thing is, Doctor Sciarello went to check up on her earlier today and she's been having dreams about killing people.  Now, Natalia has a great record; she's a really relaxed, reliable person.  For her to have dreams like that is totally unexpected.  So she tells him this and that we have to get off the planet and then she jumps him.  We had to bring another guard in to calm everything down.  When we pulled her off she broke down in tears and was begging us to kill her.  Anyway, this is still confidential so I really shouldn't be telling you but I thought you should know since it sounded similar to your dream.  I'll come talk to you about it later."

The signal ended and Jacob fiddled with his comm. link deep in thought.  This new information made him want to see the Marker more but at the same time it made him worry.  He had no idea how long it would be before he snapped too.  He had not been around it for too long but there was no telling how much more he could take.  Jeff had not spent nearly as much time as he had.  However, Natalia had much more exposure than either he or Jeff.  Perhaps it would be enough to go listen to Abbott again.  The Marker would not be there but he could still get answers.

That night Jacob tried to sleep but he was not very successful.  He kept having nightmares similar to the vision he had at the Marker.  It was like he was moving in slow motion but nothing else was.  He was running.  All around him he could see the other colonists brutally killing each other and themselves.  He heard someone running up behind him but as soon as he turned around Rachel was standing there driving a gravity tether spike repeatedly into her stomach.  He ran and tried to stop her but by the time he got to her she was already dead.  As he held her body in his arms he heard someone else run up behind him.  As he turned around a blood covered Rachel thrust a plasma cutter through his waist with a demented smile on her face.  As she raised the energy blade up through his body to his chest she leaned forward and whispered "Make us whole."

Jacob sat bolt upright in his bed.  He was covered in sweat and had a stomach cramp.  "Just a dream" he whispered to himself.  "It was just a dream."  His stomach growled.  He then remembered it had been a while since he had eaten anything.  Jacob got out of bed and slowly made his way to the mess hall.  As he walked through the entrance he stepped in something warm and wet.  When he looked down he could see his reflection in a puddle of blood.  He looked back up and saw piled of disfigured bodies lying all over the floor.  Jacob looked closer and saw some of the bodies were still twitching.  These bodies suddenly leapt out of the pile and started thrashing around violently.  They seemed to become even more deformed and grow extra limbs.  All at once the creatures turned and stared at Jacob with nothing but their blood red eyes visible in the dark.  Jacob took a step back and felt a sharp pain in the middle of his back.  He looked down to see a giant, fleshy spike shoot through his chest as something behind him roared.

Jacob sat bolt upright in his bed.  He was covered in sweat with a dull ache in the back of his head.  He glanced at the time and saw it was thirteen hundred hours.

"Already that late?  I've got about an hour before Abbott's speech."  Jacob got up and ran his fingers through his hair.  "More dreams again" he thought to himself.  "I need to talk to Abbott about this.  He seems to be the only one who knows what's going on."  Jacob quickly rinsed off in the shower before getting dressed to go to Union Square.

By the time Jacob arrived a group of forty to fifty people had already gathered.  He found Rachel at the back of the crowd and joined her.  She smiled and took hold of his hand.  "I'm so glad you made it!  I know this doesn't mean much to you that the Marker is coming to the colony but it means a lot to me that you came."  She squeezed his hand gently and looked forward toward Abbottt.

"Rachel, I need to speak with Deacon Abbottt after his speech.  Can you help?"

"Of course!  He knows me so he'll be willing to talk to you."

At that moment Jacob felt like he did years ago when they had been dating.  For a brief moment he was not worried about the Marker and he did not notice the dark thought.  He was with Rachel and they were going to speak with Abbottt.  Out of anyone he would have the answers.  Everything was going to be ok.  But almost as soon as that moment came, it left.  The dark thought in Jacob's mind suddenly became clear and encompassed everything.  It was a message; kill, die, fear!  At the same time a deafening, high-pitched shriek rang out through the area.  Everyone winced in pain.  Deacon Abbottt straightened himself, grabbed his pistol and said in a loud voice, "Listen to the voice of God and prepare yourselves."  Everyone in the crowd grabbed their pistols and raised them to their heads.  Jacob gripped Rachel's hand tight as she too raised her pistol.

"Rachel?!  What are you doing?" he screamed.

"It's ok, Jake.  You don't have to worry anymore."  Jacob's eyes opened wide with terror.  "Goodbye, Jake."

"NO!" Jacob shouted as Rachel, Abbottt and everyone else fired.  A single, unified crack echoed through Union Square.  Everyone fell dead covered in blood.

Later on Jacob was sitting in the Lounge Area at the table he and Rachel had been at during their last argument.  He was trying to keep the thoughts of kill, die, and fear out of his mind but at the moment the only other thing he could think of was Rachel's suicide.  He kept seeing Rachel smiling sweetly at him as she fell dead covered in her own blood.

Jacob frustratedly rubbed his eyes cursing under his breath.  When he opened his eyes again Matthew was sitting across the table from him staring into his steaming drink.

"Matt?  Are you alright?"

Matthew jerked his head up and looked at Jacob.  His eyes were foggy and he had dark rings under his eyes.  He massaged his temples and replied, "Oh, you’re Jake, right?  No, I'm not doing so good."  Matthew took a sip of his drink and grimaced.  "I'm nauseous and a little light headed.  And I'm not sure if this 'remedy' is really helping."  Matthew swirled his drink in his cup and took another sip.  He bit his lip in disgust and looked up at Jacob.

"Whoa...it doesn't look like you're doing too good either."

"No, not really," Jacob replied slowly.

"Well what's up?"

"My friend Rachel just killed herself along with about thirty other Unitologists and Deacon Abbott."

Matthew sat still and stared at Jacob in disbelief.  "Are you serious?  When, where did it happen?  How come I didn't hear about it?"

"It was a couple hours ago in Union Square."

"What, like three -- four hours ago?"

Jacob checked his watch.  "Yeah, about that.  Why?"

"Because that's about when I started feeling nauseous.  Earlier this morning they called us out to move the Artifact from the dig site to the cargo station.  As soon as my team got there we all felt a little funny.  I figured it was just in my head but by the time we were well on our way to the station one of my men dropped to his knees and puked in his helmet.  By then most of us were feeling pretty off but we were able to keep working.  I requested that we halt the project but the order came from the colony commander himself.  As soon as we locked the Artifact into the loading bay about three hours ago it let off a super low frequency blast; the kind you don't really hear but you can feel it in your guts.  Anyways, everyone felt significantly worse at that point.  One of my men even went into convulsions.  I'm telling you: there's something very wrong with that thing.  It's done nothing but damage since we found it and it's only gonna get worse."

"I think I have to agree with you.  At first I just wanted to think it was a rock, but after everything that's happened...I just can't help but think it killed Rachel."

"You know what I...hold on."  Matthew pressed on the side of his comm. link and spoke into it.  "Bridges here...yes...but, I...sir, I'm still not...yes, sir..."  Matthew swore strongly and quickly finished his drink.

"What was that?"

Matthew growled as he slammed down his empty cup.  "Now they want me to come in and fill some absurd reports.  They already gave me the rest of the day off but apparently it's of 'extreme importance' so they changed their minds.  Anyway, I’m sorry about your friend and everything.  I'll see you later."

Matthew stood up and tried to walk off clearly light headed.  Jacob sat still for a moment once again trying to clear his head.  Before long he too stood up and walked away.  He did not know where he was walking; he just wanted to be alone.

After walking around aimlessly for a few minutes Jacob found himself in Union Square.  It was all clean as if nothing had ever happened.  He stared at the place where Rachel was standing when she shot herself.  Once again he could see her sweet smile, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth as she fell to the floor.  Her lips opened and he could hear her voice, "Jacob..."

Jacob came to suddenly.  He could have sworn he actually heard someone.  He looked around the square but no one was there.  Jacob chuckled to himself.  "She's not here.  Quit teasing yourself."

Jacob walked back to the entrance of the square heading back to his room.  Just before leaving Jacob glanced back over his shoulder almost hopefully.  After just a moment he turned around and stared wide eyed at the corridor in front of him.  The massive hallway he had walked down to get to Union Square was now dark and narrow.  He could see a flesh-like plant growing over everything.  The ground was covered in bodies and blood.  Jacob rubbed his eyes hoping the vision would go away but when he opened them it only got worse.  Rachel was standing there in front of him.  She was covered in blood and had a gaping hole in the side of her head.  She reached out to embrace Jacob, blood dripping from her finger tips.  Jacob tried to run but his body would not move.  He stood still as Rachel smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"Jacob..." she whispered softly in his ear.  The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.  "Jacob, you have to destroy it...before it's too late."  Jacob could hear something writhing on the ground behind them but he could not run.  "You can't let it leave, Jacob."  The sound got closer.  "...before it's too late..."  The sound was right behind them.  "The key is..."  there was silence  "...death!"  Jacob heard a blood curdling roar as a spike impaled both he and Rachel through the chest.

Jacob sat bolt upright in his bed clutching his chest.  He was breathing hard and blood was pounding loudly in his ears.  He could hear Matthew calling his name through the door intercom.  Jacob walked over to the door, a little shakily, and opened it.

Matthew raised an eyebrow.  "Are you alright?" he asked Jacob.

"I'm not sure.  I just...I've had some bad dreams lately.  What did you need?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing.  A receptionist at the desk in the psych offices said you stopped by while I was filling out reports and asked to see me.  You left your room number so I stopped by."

Jacob just stared bewildered at Matthew.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"No," Jacob replied.  "I don't remember any of that."  Jacob walked back into his room and Matthew followed.  "The last thing I remember I was at Union Square where Rachel killed herself.  I was about to leave when I had a hallucination about Rachel.  Before I knew it I was already here in bed."  Jacob slumped down in a chair.

"You saw her?  Like Sciarello saw his nurse?"  Matthew took a chair across from Jacob.

"Yeah, I guess.  Something like that."

"Well, do you remember what it was you wanted to tell me?"

"I don't have the slightest clue.  But I know what I want to tell you know: we've gotta get rid of that Marker."

"Whoa...what do you mean 'get rid of'?"

"The things too big to destroy so I guess we would have to transport it back out of the colony."

"Uh huh, right.  And how do you suggest we do that?  We're only two guys and I had a team of eight.  There's no way we can just walk around shouting 'hey, we need volunteers to remove the Artifact against orders'."

"We can do it ourselves, I think."  Jacob cupped his face in his hands to think.

"No way, there's no way we can pull that off.  And if we get caught that would be the end of our careers.  We would most likely get shipped back to earth and don't even think about getting..."

"You said you were in charge of the transport team for the marker right?" Jacob interrupted.

"Yeah...so?"

"Well I'm one of the veteran miners on this colony and know a good bit about transport too.  If we work quickly and accurately I think we can pull this off.  We have to move now though.  A friend of mine in P-SEC said they've got a mining vessel coming soon to retrieve the Marker."

"I don't care how possible it is, I'm not gonna do it."

"Come on, let's go."

Jacob shot out of his chair and walked out the door.  Matthew cursed and followed close behind.  Before too long they arrived at the main cargo hold where Matt's team had moved the Marker.  Jacob and Matthew told the guard at the door that they were a part of the Marker transport team under orders to make sure everything was secured.  They walked to the nearest panel and stood in front of it pretending to check something.

Matt leaned toward Jacob and whispered, "There's way too many P-SEC guards here.  Something weird's going on.  I really don't think we can do this with so many people around."

"Yeah, I agree."

Jacob pointed and walked to another panel; Matt followed.

"Jake, we gotta get out of here before someone figures us out."

"Not yet, I want to figure out what's up with those."  Jacob gestured over his shoulder to a collection of cryo-stasis pods in the corner.

The two guards by the pods eyed Jacob suspiciously.  Jacob flashed his badge at them and they stepped aside.  He waited for Matthew to catch up before walking up to the nearest pod.

"What do you think these are for?" Matthew asked.

"I don't know.  It's unusual to send bodies back to Earth with..."  Jacob stopped and stared at the stasis pod.

Matthew looked down at the pod and back up at Jacob.  "What's going on?"

Jacob's hands were shaking and sweat was building on his brow.  He recognized the frozen face in the pod.

"Come on, talk to me.  You don't look so good."

Jacob was not listening.  "Why...what are they doing with these bodies?"

"Come on, Jake.  We really should go.  You've gone totally white."

"Rachel...what do they want with Rachel's body?!"

Jacob and Matthew made their way back toward the housing complex in silence.  Halfway there Jacob got on his comm. link and started muttering into the mic.

"What was that?" Matthew asked.

"A friend of mine from P-SEC.  He's on his way over to my place so we can talk about the Marker."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?!  I mean, if he figures out where we just were and..."

"With all the information he's given me he's not really in a position to do anything."  Matthew raised an eyebrow in suspicion.  "I know what you're thinking but don't worry.  We've been talking and sharing information like this for a while now.  He works for P-SEC but he's on our side.  You should come and meet him."

"Thanks, but I need to be getting back to my place.  I'm doing a late shift tonight and I should get some rest first.  Let me know how it goes with your friend though."

Matthew waved as he walked off toward his apartment.  Jacob reached his apartment to find Michael was already waiting outside.

"You got here fast," Jacob exclaimed a little surprised.

"Yeah, I was already nearby when you called.  I'm still technically on duty though so let's me this quick."

Jacob tapped the control pad and the door hissed open.  The two walked inside and took chairs.  "So what's this about?" Michael asked as he sat down.

"Well, I know you're going to say this was a bad idea, but this engineer I know went with me to check out the Marker in the hanger.  The thing is, I was walking around and found myself in the square where the Unitologists all killed themselves and I had a hallucination.  I saw Rachel and she warned me about the Marker.  She told me we have to get rid of it and that there wasn't much time; now why would someone who worships the Marker give warnings about it."

"You do have to remember that she is dead, and that this was a hallucination."

"No, no, no it was more than that.  I mean, how strange is it that I had such a strong vision about the Marker in the room where a bunch of Marker worshipers killed themselves in its name."

"All I'm saying is that we shouldn't jump to any conclusions with something like..."

"There was something else that's been bugging me," Jacob interrupted.  "She said something really cryptic: 'The key is death.'  Now what does that mean?"

"Hold on...she said that exactly?"

"Yeah."

"You're sure?"

"Definitely, why?"

Michael reached up and rubbed his chin.  "There was a case recently with one of the members of your dig team that brought up a similar phrase."

"From my...who was it?!"

"Do you remember Fencher?"

"Yeah, I do.  What happened?"

"Well, P-SEC got a call from Dr Sciarello that he paid a visit to the Fencher's place.  He had received a call from Mrs. Fencher that Mr. Fencher was acting strangely.  When Sciarello arrived there was writing all over the wall and Fencher was over in the corner mumbling something about 'Death is the key.'  He attacked and started choking Sciarello and Mrs. Fencher had to inject him with a sedative."

" 'Death is the key.'  So they said the same thing?"

"Yeah...there's something not right about that. "

"We have to get rid of the Marker.  It's the only common ground between all this."

"Even if it is, how do you suggest we go about moving a multi-story, several ton rock out of a docking bay without anyone noticing."

"We have to go to Carthusia.  He's the colony manager right?  He can do something."

"Neumann has already spoken with him on multiple occasions.  Carthusia doesn't even admit there's anything strange going on.  There's no way he's gonna do anything."

"Well if Neumann is already worried about it then what if you talked to him and..."

"Sorry, but this sounds a little too much like mutiny.  Listen I'm starting to agree with you that something is up but I really don't think...hold on..."

Michael tapped his comm. link and was listening intently.  His eyes widened slowly and he pressed the earpiece in further.

"What is it?  What's going on?"

Michael replied slowly, "You said Rachel mentioned something about not having a lot of time?  I...I think she was right.  We've run out of time to act."

"What are you talking about?  What happened?"

"The Marker project is no longer under Carthusia's control; it's been given to Captain Matthias.  Jake, the Ishimura...it's here!"