Before I made it far, the humanoid picked me up with ease. My entire body screamed in protest at the motion, but I ground my teeth and endured. The walk to where the others were was short, but the speed of our mind conversation was astounding. Time felt syrupy while my mind barrier and the humanoid’s melded with no ill intentions at all.

It seems you can capture more words. Good.

I heard the voice of the man carrying me. My body felt useless, pain reaching deeper into me as time passed, so I focused my mind on communicating as much as possible.

An explanation and a name would be helpful.

Patience. I think introductions are in order soon anyway.

The mutant seemed to be smirking as he held me over his shoulder. The Digits noticed the humanoid and held their weapons and stones warily. I spoke over the comms and told them to set down their weapons. When they did so, the mutant also placed me on the floor, taking a step back.

“Hello. My name is Koma. I would like to reiterate that I mean you all no harm.” The unnatural voice sending shivers through me and probably the others since they took an involuntary step back.

“I was once one of you, a Digit. However, they changed me on the way here and well, you can see.”

“How come you aren’t trying to eat us though?” I heard Beta say.

Koma assured them that the other mutants were feral, and that while there is a large portion that lose their minds, a few becoming like the long armed or boney mutants, there is a significantly smaller chance to become transformed to any of the parts of the experiments.

“I have not found out exactly how these... things are coming about. I’m sure it is related to that base on the surface, but those machines they have, like yours, are too strong.”

After several minutes of explanations about how the creatures were being formed, the entire group became accustomed to Koma’s eerie voice. Some even went so far as to ask about the man’s additional limbs. It looked like Koma was trying to take everything in stride, but as the other Digits got more excited and the questions continued Koma’s clawed hands began to fidget nervously.

“Alright everyone, I think we have had enough excitement for the day. I don’t know about you all, but I am starving!”

I attempted to diffuse the situation. I was still barely able to prop myself up on my elbows, but the accelerated healing my mutations were allowing me was already in effect. The others looked disappointed, but when Koma assured them he would join them they were all for it. They were definitely a strange bunch, and I was almost certain that if I wasn't in a similar boat they would have already attacked the mutated human.

Just like when joining the others, Koma easily lifted me to my feet and we all made our way back to B1.

As the adrenaline from the fight began to drain out of the others, Beta in particular looked ready to keel over, we made it to the lit top floor. Koma looked around appreciatively, gently touching the stone walls and staring at the light panels of the ceiling.

It was much easier to see the humanoid in the bright white light. After he set me down in one of the swiveling chairs, I observed him closely. He looked like a bizarre human-lizard hybrid, with an extra set of arms covered in brown-black scales. Those scales extended up his neck, to edge around his jaw and the ridge of his brow before transitioning into smooth light bronze skin, giving his face a distinctly reptilian cast.

He was wearing nothing but a pair of dirty and torn pair of jeans. While it must have been in the low fifties inside the underground city, he seemed to be unaffected by the cold. As the others set down for a quick meal, I noticed Delta also sneaking glances at our guest. I nodded when he looked my way and he resumed his meal.

I know you are staring. We’ll talk when they sleep.

I heard Koma’s single tone voice in my head. The man was not even looking my way and was instead smiling and receiving a pair of ration packs from Zeta as she extracted them from the Marvin. My thoughts were distracted for a moment as I did the math on our provisions. Considering we could not report the presence of another person to Starden, it would cut our supplies short. I also felt fear well up inside me as the thoughts of what had happened on the surface returned. I would also need to eat more. The mutations, healing and enhanced strength were not free. I did not want to become some kind of feral monster and place the Digits in danger.

Peace, brother.

I snapped out of my contemplations when Koma spoke, handing me both of the rations he had collected. I wanted to argue with the man, but before I realized it the wrappers were on the ground and I was licking crumbs off my gloved fingers. I opened my mouth to speak, but he simply waved me off… with his extra arm. It was an odd experience to receive hand gestures from a man that also has his arms crossed.

Koma sat in another swivel chair and looked at the others as they finished their meals and propped themselves on the ground to sleep. Beta instructed Marvin to his spot at the door and the rest of the people settled down. Within minutes, my fellow survivors were out cold.

“I believe we have many things to talk about,” I said, turning my chair to face our multiarmed friend.

Indeed