There wasn’?t anything wrong with him, other than the crystals growing out of his scalp, and the ropes binding him. The skin had puckered, and seemed to retract instinctively from the alien objects. His expression was feral in nature, and he was clearly hoping to get at least one hand free so he could kill everyone on board. Then he saw Sergei climb aboard, and looked at him as if Sergei had done something that was unbelievable. He had heard of mutants, but never seen one live.

The Meteor strike had been widely televised, as had its concurrent destruction. The impact had hit the Tiber river dead center, and the resulting steam, vaporized rock, and earthquakes from the impact had decimated the area. What was left of the city was on fire, and most of Italy had been suffering quake aftershocks for months. And then there was the toxicity of the stuff itself. The initial response teams had been heavily contaminated, and hospitalized with strange symptoms. The city was a total loss. With the spreading contamination, and ensuing chaos, the whole country seemed to be falling apart until NATO removed the meteor itself.

By that time it was really too late though. Somehow the stuff was traveling, and popping up all over southern Europe. Even in Belgrade and Sarajevo, there were reported instances. Widespread contamination was reported by those unwise or too poor to leave their homes. Then had came the stories about strange animals, and humans with deformities. After capturing the former Yugoslav territories, GDI had announced help for those who wanted it in regards to the contamination, but few had stepped forward, and those who did, weren’?t usually heard from again.

Sergei snapped back to reality as the chopper veered sharply to starboard and almost dumped him out. Two of the troopers caught him, and warned him to hold on to the cargo netting. They flew south for 15 minutes, and then Sergei saw something he would grow accustomed to in the time had left on what was left of this planet.

The amassed armies of the Brotherhood of Nod.

For the second time that day he felt real fear of the unknown. He had never seen such a magnificent, and yet horrible display of firepower. Armor ringed a large base surrounded by antiaircraft batteries. In the rear was an artillery brigade with anti-armor escorts in buggies, and on bikes. He saw flame tanks burning the surrounding brush on the plain. Apparently in an effort to deny snipers, and any other units the opportunity to sneak up on the base, or it?s protective units. The smoke from the defoliation was choking, and smelled vaguely like Petrol.

But what impressed him the most was what appeared to be robots of sorts. They were in perfect formation, and there must have been 5,000 of them all glinting in the sun, apparently awaiting the order to march. He couldn’?t make out details, but he was puzzled by one thing. They were located as much as possible around the Tiberium that was consuming this world. ?Why would anyone purposely station them there?” he thought.

Before he could ponder much more, the helo made a rough landing and the medical teams arrived. At least that?s what he thought they would be, but he thought better of it when one them said:

?Get these three and the mutant to the cyborg center, stat. I want them worked on before the tissue is irreversibly damaged beyond use”.

The troopers moved him from the helo pad, towards a building in the shape of a hand holding a globe, as the helo lifted off once again, destination unknown.