Page 42 of Shadow

“That makes no sense.” I took a cautious step closer, staring into the creature’s cold, unblinking eyes.

“Genetically modified formaldehyde,” King said from behind me.

I blinked, trying to connect the dots. “Your point?”

“A company within the U.S. combined genetically modified proteins with formaldehyde and got it approved by the FDA,” he said. “Paraformaldehyde, used in embalming fluid, was cheap to produce, about $10 for 500ml, and sold for $50. But genetic modification turned 500ml into 50 times that volume.”

I turned slowly to face him, my mind spinning. His gaze locked onto mine, burning with intensity, and this time, I didn't look away.

“You’re saying this,” I said, gesturing over my shoulder at the monstrosity, “is a man-made creation.”

“It’s not just man-made,” he said, his voice quieter now but no less chilling. “It started ashuman.”

My stomach churned. My mind refused to grasp the full weight of his words.

No. It couldn’t be true.

This was impossible.

Or at least, itshouldhave been.

“What we were facing isn’t a hound at all, though we still called them that,” King continued. “It’s a reanimated human quadruped with dead flesh mutated into a killing machine with four-inch razor claws, jaws ten times stronger than a Rottweiler’s, and a toxic secretion from its teeth and claws that kills everything it connects with.”

King’s words hit me like a brick wall, jumbling in my brain as I tried to process the enormity of what he was saying. But one thought rose above the chaos and wouldn’t let go.

“Did my father know?”

“He died before we confirmed what they were,” King said, his gaze shifting to the monstrosity behind me. “But there were things he told Greystone that made us believe he might have been aware of what had happened.”

My heart sank. My father couldn’t have known. Despite his military background, he was a peaceful man. He would have blasted the truth from the tallest building.

Then another thought slammed into me. “If there’s any chance my father knew, that means the Federation knows too?”

King’s sharp blue eyes snapped back to mine. “We believe they’ve known since the first wave.”

The air left my lungs in a painful rush. I tried to breathe, but my chest refused to expand. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the thing behind me felt closer than ever.

No. It couldn’t be true. There was no way my government could have been responsible for something like this.

Except… my dizziness increased.

This made perfect sense.

Pharmaceutical companies and food manufacturers had always tried finding cheaper ways to poison us. The government was complicit. Farmers were accused of being in on it too. I remembered the protests at UC Berkeley. And then there was President Barnes. He wasn’t just a politician; he was a synthetic biologist and agricultural scientist.

The monstrous pieces of the puzzle began sliding into place, and the picture they formed was horrifying.

“Did your people, the farmers, know what was happening?” I asked King, forcing the words out while desperately trying to hide my growing panic.

“I don’t believe so,” King replied. “Commercial farming wasn’t our thing. Most of our people shifted to organic farms when GMOs, pesticides, and chemicals became the norm.”

He stepped closer, resting a firm hand on my upper arm. “Are you okay?”

Spots danced in front of my eyes, and the room began to spin faster. I swayed, my knees buckling, and King caught me before I hit the floor.

“I need to get out of here,” I managed to choke out, my voice strangled as I fought for air.

Without hesitation, King swept me into his arms. My eyes went wide as one of his men moved quickly to press the intercom. A metallic clank sounded as the door was unbarred.

---