It took Brockmann longer than expected to return to the hotel and Simon, who had been nervously waiting by the door was even more surprised he actually knocked instead of using his room key.

Preparing his weapon Simon went to the door, opened it slightly and when he saw Brockmann he put the gun away and opened the door. Brockmann was leaning against the door frame, his face and whole body was covered in sweat and when he tried to enter Simoin saw his body was too weak to bring up the necessary tension and strength and just before he fell uncontrollably to the ground Simon managed to get between Brockmann and the floor and capture him. The older man was impressively build and that was too much weight for Simon. Yet, he managed to slow the fall.

„Got you, got you.“ Simon gasped as he felt the seemingly indestructible man was shaking. How he had managed to get here in this state seemed like a small miracle.

„Put me on the bed.“ Brockmann said. „In my coat are pills.“ He tried to help and Simon managed to push him up and o the bed. Brockmann lay down as Simon quickly went over to the coat. He found the rather large white box that clearly was meant for medical purposes among a lighter and some cash and opened it. Transparent little capsule were inside and Brockmann weaved his hand.

„One?“ Simon asked and handed him one. Brockmann nodded and bit on the capsule, leaning back and falling onto the bed. Simon sighed. The door was still open, so he quickly went over and shut it. Then he returned to Brockmann and began by removing the handgun from his holster, resting it nearby on the bedside table. He knew Brockmann wanted it nearby also he doubted the man could lift it if his life depended on it.

The shaking got better and Brockmann finally closed his eyes. Simon had not seen him that exhausted so far. not since the Monster had almost killed him. So he took the pills and his mobile, sat next to his partner and began to google the name of the prescription.

****

Brockmann woke up by his eyes snapping open and him looking around as if he was not sure where he was. He had always woken up like this, Simon had realized a while ago. The same happened today.

„You got the job done?“ Simon asked Brockmann and it was a very Brockmann thing to do, beginning the conversation on such a neutral and demanding note. Brockmann did not take offense, but nodded only and straightened up in bed.

„So what is wrong with your heart?“ Simon asked and put the box of pills next to the bed.

Brockmann looked at them and then sighed this unsatisafied, grumpy sigh he sometimes gave.

„Since the hospital I have not been fully myself. Doctors say I do not regenerate like I used to. Might take a year or so.“ Brockmann said. Simon nodded.

„Maybe you should take some time off?“ Simon said. „As cops do when they are shot?“

Brockmann looked at him. „Who would replace me, hm?“ Simon nodded. He did not even dare to claim he could do that. The two men sat there in silence. Finally Simon got up and took a cold bottle of water from the small fridge. He returned and gave it to Brockmann.

„No discussions.“ He said and Brockmann took it.

„Thanks.“ He said it and only Brockmann managed to make this sound kinda angry. Simon sat down and watched Brockmann take small sips. „How long was I out?“ He asked.

„Six hours. Dawn is coming pretty soon.“ Simon said.

Brockmann nodded. Simon looked at the window and realized he had not slept a second.

„When I was ten my best friend said he had seen a dragon in the woods.“ Simon suddenly said. „Nobody believed him, but me. Then my parents told me there were no dragons and as I believed them more than him I told him I do not believe him anymore. Our friendship ended soon afterwards.“ He shook his head. „Tell me, do you thin he saw a dragon?“ Simon asked.

Brockmann looked at him. „No, I do not think dragons exist. Not that I have ever heard of them.“ Brockmann said. „No goblins, no faeries, no dragons. The whole medieval myths are bogus.“ He said. Simon nodded. „But he might have seen something he considered a dragon out there. Some creatures might be easily mistaken by a ten year old.“ Brockmann then said.

„You mean something like .... a monster? The Loch Ness monster, something like this?“ Simon asked.

„Not the Loch Ness monster. We killed that one in 82.“ Brockmann finally said. Simon radiated his brows.

„What? I spend the whole summer of 87 looking for it? I sat at the lake and waited to see it! Pretty much the whole damned summer!“ Simon said.

„Did you?“ Brockmann asked.

„I was twelve, of course I did. Like every 15 minutes I saw it.“ Simon said. Brockmann looked at him and then the rarest expression appeared on his face. He laughed a little and Simon could not help but join him.

„See kid, you were born Nocturne material.“ Brockmann said and Simon laughed a little more.

„Oh you got no idea!“ He said. „I also hunted ghosts in our cellar for five long years! I had traps set up down there.“ Simon said. „Those bastards evaded them every time. But some unlucky rats actually got caught in it, so my parents let me continue with it.“ Simon said. Brockmann chuckled.

The moment passed and Simon grew serious.

„What are we dealing with here, Brockmann. You seem to know a lot about this thing.“ He finally said.

„Not a lot. I faced it before. Very long ago. It is a parasite, a worm that enters the host and begins to grow. When they reach a certain size, the host becomes aggressive. This is caused by hormones released into his system I think. Something like that. I think Mr. Burzynski was infected with such a host and that is why he killed those kids.“ Brockmann sat up.

„Okay, so how many worms are there then?“ Simon asked.

„Hard to say. The orangish got a weakness. Only one as far as we can tell. The original master worm, we called it the Wromking, can reproduce and his children can reproduce. But their children seem to be sterile.“ Brockmann said. „So as the worm in Burzynski infected others it means it recreates and if my facts are correct that means Burzynski was infected by the Wormking. Directly.“ Brockmann said.

„How many worms can this Wormking produce?“ Simon asked.

„Hundreds.“ Brockmann replied. Simon gasped.

„So out there might be hundreds of infected?“ Simon asked.

„Yes.“ Brockmann said.

„And every of his children can reproduce, by the same rate?“ Simon asked.

„I don‘t think so, but I do not know. What I know I got from my time with the task force that originally contained the outbreak.“ Brockmann said.

„A Nocturne Task Force?“ Simon asked. „Fornby must know something then ...“

„No, this was years before I met the first agent of the society. It was a Government task force in the German Democratic Republic.“ Brockmann said.

„The DDR? In your time as a soldier?“ Simon leaned back.

„Yes. Exactly.“ Brockmann replied.

„So there might be thousands of Burzynskis out there already.“ Simon said.

„I doubt it. There has not happened enough yet. But yes.“ Brockmann said.

Simon nodded. „If those guys go crazy like him this city will drown in violence.“ Simon said.

„Those children do usually not survive the host going crazy. Those hosts are self-destructive when they enter this stage. It is key wer find the Wormking.“ Brockmann said.

Simon nodded.

„How did you last time?“ Simin asked.

„I have no idea, when I got involved they already had it.“ Brockmann said.

„How did you get involved then?“ Simon asked.

„A containment breach.“ Brockmann said.

****

Richard commanded the police to create perimeter and they followed every Order her gave, after her showed them the magic envelope. Brockmann Just watched the young man and marveled at his natural authority he radiated. Finally he came back to Brockmann, who still stood in front of the three story building he had directed him to.

„You got your pistol?“ Richard asked.

„Yes. Of course.“ Brockmann said.

„Okay, I go inside now. Whatever happens, you do not let anybody leave this building, you hear me? Nobody.“ Richard looked at him and took out his own silenced gun. „You are authorized to use deadly force if anyone tries, you hear me?“ Richard said.

„Are you serious?“ Brockmann asked.

„Absolutely.“ Richard said. „Reinforcemenrt Sion their way, but who knows how long they are gonna need.“ He turned and walked over to the front door of the house.

Brockmann followed him slowly. He hastigen up his old post so he would not have to kill people anymore. He felt his stomachs toighten at the prospect of being forced to do so again. Yet a soldier follows orders. If he liked them or not. If Brockmann was anything, he was a good soldier.

Richard kicked in the door with two powerful kicks. Brockmann saw the windows of the house were all having bars in front of them. The door was probably the only exit. He followed Richard as the man entered the house and positioned himself in the door. He loaded a bullet into the chamber of his gun and put the safety to armed, taking the gun into both hands. Then he waited as Richard began to walk from flat to flat inside the building. He saw him enter all of them, none of their doors locked and leave quickly. He looked for something, or someone. Finally he made his way up the stairs. He was so not the relaxed young man suddenly. His movements were precise and his face concentrated.

Maybe Richard would find nothing. Maybe whatever was meant to beh ere was gone. that was probably not good, but at least it would allow them to leave without killing anybody.

Brockmanns hope was destroyed as he heard an angry scream from above. It was not Richard. It was probably not even human, as it sounded strange and primal. Two hissing sounds silenced the scream. Contrary to popular believe silencers did not make guns silent. They just dampened the sound considerably. Brockman realized Richard had just killed someone.

„Doctor?“ He heard Riochardss voice from above. The another scream, this time more surpassed and again it died down as Richard fired two shots. Brockmann felt his body Trense and he slowly raised his gun and pointed it at the stairs. from above he heard steps now. At least three more people were up there. Richard yelled and he was farther away now. Sounds were heard, as if there was a fight upstairs and then Brockmann heard steps. Steps on the stairs. He wiped sweat of his eyebrows and took the gun into both hands. A man appeared in a suit. The typical suit of an agent off the intelligence. He did not look like one though as his hands were dripping with blood. Blood was smeared everywhere on his clothes. The man, he war probably Brockmann‘s age opened his mouth. He opened it wide and for a moment he stood there on the stairs as if he was sending a silent scream. Then he screamed a high pitched scream that seemed impossible to escape a human throat and jumped forward. Brockmann did not think, his survival instincts had taken over, his flight or fight instinct had locked in on fighting as fleeing was not an option. So he pulled the trigger four times. The man was hit mid air and his screams died down as he collapsed right in front of Brockmann. He stared at the dead body. The second human being he had ever killed. This time not a running man half a mile away, but a man who attacked him with something in his eyes that told Brockmann if he had not killed him he would be dead now.

A scream from above ripped him from his frozen state. This was not a crazy scream, but a scream of pain and he was pretty sure it was Ricahrd screaming.

Brockman gasped and looked up. „Richard?“ He asked.

„Heeeelp!“ Richard screamed and Brockmann did not think, he began moving up the stairs. Sweat broke form every pore of his body as he charged up his gun first. He saw a blood track smeared on the floor going into a living room to his right and followed it. Richard lay in a pool of blood, his gun out of reach on the floor. Above him cowered a man in a suite and seemed to ... bite him into the face. Brockmann did not hesitate again and fired two shots into the man who collapsed to the side. Richard, clearly inured coughed and rolled aside as he pulled the body off himself. In his left side was a large kitchen knife that had entered thebody between two of his ribs. It might have punctured the lungs.

„Ambulance!“ Brockmann screamed as loud as he could. The police was probably to far away now to hear him. Then he saw the man he had shot slowly raising again. Pushing his body up on his fists as if he was working out. A bizarre image.

„Kill him!“ Richard gasped. Brockmann looked at him and then stepped forward, held three gun to the manÄs head. He hesitated for a moment and that was all the man needed. He grabbed his leg and pushed it away. Brockmann’s body crashed into the wooden floor. He felt his head hit it and felt ther dizziness immediately. Nevertheless the adrenaline gave him enough clarity to try and push himself up. The floor was covered in blood though and his hand slided away. The man with the two shots was over him immediately and his hands grabbed his weapon hind like iron. Brockmann hammered the other hand into his side and he was sure he broke a rip, but the man was not even flinching as he leaned over Brockmann and grabbed his jaw. The grip was so strong it opened the mouth with little effort. Brockmann tired to close it, tried to ripp his gun free. He had no chance against the sheer force of the injured man. The face of the attacked was a grimace of pain and hatred as he opened his mouth and slowly lowered on Brockmann, as if he wanted to give him a kiss. Brockmann screamed and his scream was deafened as the man pressed his mouth on Brockmanns. Brockmann felt something slide into his mouth. Something alive, somemthing moving inside his mouth. He screamed into this bizarre kiss and felt how this thing in his mouth slowly forced itself down his throat, making him feel the need to throw up. Then the man above him lost all tension and five hissing shots hit him. The final hit his head and send the blood and pieces of the brain all over Brockmann‘s face. Brockmann pushed him away and quickly turned, trying to throw up whatever had entered his mouth there. He could not.

„He, he did something to me!“ Brockman yelled and looked ast Richard who had crawled to his gun and had killed the man. He saw the regret on the pale face of his comrade.

„I am sorry Alois.“ He said and aimed at Brockmann‘s head.

„No, no, wait!“ Brockmann yelled, but Richard pulled the trigger.

The gun gave a clock and the magazine ejected. It was empty. Richard rolled his eyes and then collapsed backwards. He lost his consciousness. Brockmann stared ast him and felt a plain suddenly spread in his chest. He crawled away from the body and Richard and tried to get up, but an intense wave of pain send him back to hi knees. Then he felt it fade. Breathing heavily he remained on all four as he heard steps coming up the stairs. A dozen men at least. The police maybe? He raised himself up and two men entered the room, they were wearing gas masks and ABC armor. Their submachine guns were pointed at Brockmann and Brpckmann wanted to raise his own gun, but one of the man send it out off his hand with one quick kick.

„Subject on second floor!“ The other screamed and Brockmann he was ripped to the ground so fast he barely managed to register it.

The other soldier leaned over Richard and he saw he was waking up again. Brockmann turned his head left so he could see what was going on as herfielt handcuffs snap around his hands.

„He is infected.“ Richard said, pale and barely alive. Then he looked at the man in the gas mask. „We both are.“

****

Brockmann forced himself up and looked at Simon.

„We need to find out who was in contact with Burzynski‘s body- Who found him. Who transported him. After you killed him, the worm will have tried to spread.“ Brockmann said.

„How shall we do that?“ Simon asked. „The police won’t disrespect that info file ask nicely.“ He sighed.

„We need to figure way out. Fast.“ Brockmann said. Simon stared at him. Then he had an idea.

„Helena Bergmann.“ He said.

„Who is that?“ Brockmann asked.

„The police officer who was on the scene first The one I took the weapon from. She might know and she might be willing to talk to me.“ Simon said. „I will need to cońnvinced her, but she is our best shot I‘d say. The police painting me as a hero, that must have been her. Telling them what I did.“

Brockmann nodded. „Then find her.“ He said.

Simon took out his mobile and smiled. „Good thing we got the internet.“ He said and sat on the only seat in the room.

Brockmann gave him one of those disapproving grunts and Simon smiled. The grunting was back. He considered that to be a sign he was better, actually.

He found her rather quickly. She was in the phonebook and had even and address there.

„Got her.“ Simon said and smiled. Looking at Brockmann he shrugged. „Cämon, you can be at least slightly impressed.“ He laughed at Brockmann who gave him another grunt.

„You talk to her, I need to lay low for a day.“ Brockmann said. Simon just looked at him, his raised brows demanding an explanation. „I had a run in with some police men when I fled the coroners building.“ Brockmann said. „They might be looking for me. They did not see my face, but we need to be careful.“

„What kind of run in?“ Simon asked.

„The violent kind.“ Brockmann said.

„You did not ...“ Simon felt he was actually getting angry at the thought Brockmann might have harmed police,

„Bruised but otherwise okay I‘d say.“ Brockmann said. Simon nodded. At least something today had not gone wrong.

Simon took his half long coat and wished he had time to shower or get new clothes. There was probably no time for that now. !I take the car and will go shopping afterwards. I‘ll be quick“ Simon said and turned to Brockmann. „So we need to know who was in contact with Burzynski, right? Anything else?“

Brockmann shook his head.

„Well, where is this Wormking coming from actually?“ Simon asked as he checked he had everything with him. He decided against the gun and put it back into the bag. Brockmann watched, but did not object. Showing upo at the door of a police woman with an illegal gun was too foolish.

„What do you mean?“ Brockmann finally asked, as he admitted he did not understand the question.

„The Wormking? What is his origin story? You know the monster that we killed last time? It was some sort of ritualistic cannibalism turning a human into one. So what is the Wormkings story?“ Simon looked at Brockmann. The older man did not say anything. „C‘mon, do not tell me I got no security clearances, we are a damned three man organisation.“ Simon laughed again. „So what is it? Is it a genetic experiment by the Russians gone wrong? Radioactive mutations of the worms in Tschernobyl? A visitor from another dimension? A bio-weapon by Laien Clifford to clean earth for colonization?“ Simon smirked. „You say stop when I hit the right one, do you?“

„I do not know.“ Brockmann finally said. Simon raised his brows.

„Did nobody back then tell you?“ Simon asked. Brockmann shook his head. „Did you not ask?“

„I was a good soldier.“ Brockmann said. Simon was silent. He did not know what to say.

„So we do not know, great. So what keeps another one from showing up, if we do not know where they come from?“ Simon asked. „Brockmann, sewrioeusly if we have no chance to stop it, it is time to evacuate. At least we make it out before Berlin goes to hell.“ Brockmann kept on staring at him. He saw the old man was angry. He also saw he was ashamed. The second was a new look. Simon shook chis head and walked to the door.

„See you later.“ He said.

„I was a good soldier and good soldiers keep secret, they do not try to find them out.“ Brockmann said before he reached the door.

„Do they?“ Simon asked and turned around.

„What do you know about being a soldier?“ Brockmann said.

„Nothing. But when I think of a good soldier I always hope he has all the information he needs. He knows his enemy. Can make informed decisions.“ Simon turned. „I do not know, Brockmann. We might not be winning this one.“

Brockmann stared at him. Then he nodded. „I am gonna find out. Where it came from.“ He finally said. Simon nodded.

„Good.“ He answered and left. Down the corridor he called the elevator and then angrily kicked against the ashtray standing next to it. He knew he was angry because he knew Brockmann was ill. Because he knew the old man should not be here and he had no intel. They were in the dark. They were completely in the dark, As he got into the elevator he realized he was truly angry, because it was not Brockmann who should have the intel. It was him. He had found the Monster back then. He was good at it, to his own surprise. But he had been so occupied with his own problems, with his guilt over killing someone he had not even considered this.