Decoded: Origins

“Breached Contentment! Activating Full-Scale Lockdown!” said a Robotic Voice. Tyler ran towards the exit as he does though, he was stopped by Natalie. “I’m not letting you fix my mistakes!” She said with tears. “I’m going to my Mother, If evil insect hybrid children are coming, I’ve got to spend the last moments I can with my family,” He said. Natalie could see he was serious, but she couldn’t let him go.

She knew if he saw Entomolia, he would deal with it. “I’m going with you,” ” What!? No, you can’t,” “If we encounter her, we’ll deal with it together,” Tyler knew she needed to redeem herself. “Fine, but be warned. I’ve never invited a girl into my house before,” As they walked over to Tyler’s house, his mother opened the door.

“Tyler, you’re back early. Oh, who is this?” She asked. “Yeah, this is Natalie, I invited her,” As they entered the house, Tyler’s mother pulled him aside. “Do you have what you need?” “MOM! That’s not what’s happening! I mean we aren’t even dating,” She looked at him with pride. “My little boy’s all grown up,” Tyler shoves his face into his hands.

“Look, I just wanted to see how you were doing, she wanted to tag along,” Tyler’s mother asked about Natalie’s family, her heritage, morals; they talked about where she got her nails done, and her grades, all of which Natalie was hesitant to answer at first. They talked on and on, for hours on end.

After a while, the subject of dating came up. ” Who is someone you would end up going out with? Do you have a boyfriend?” Tyler sneezed out the water he was drinking. “MOM!?” he wheezed in between coughing. “What? I just asked a question,” She said with a smile. As they moved on, Tyler’s mother showed Natalie around the house. Tyler constantly ushered them away from his room, he didn’t want a girl snooping in there. “Sorry, I just don’t want you in there, nothing personal,” He said. “Why not, got something to hide?” Natalie teased. “No!” Tyler said blushing. ” I just don’t want anyone in there,” He said. “Alrighty then,” Natalie said.

They later went outside to their porch. It was always peaceful, but something was off. Almost immediately, Tyler could sense someone, someone he didn’t recognize. He could hear buzzing, coming from above “Guess there are helicopters out here,” His mother said. Tyler and Natalie looked over at each other.

Natalie and Tyler had to go, if they didn’t it could put Tyler’s mother in danger. “It’s been wonderful chatting with you Mrs. Crone, but we have to go,” Natalie said. “Aw, well alright. Do me a favor, Natalie,” She said. “Yes ma’am,” Natalie responded. “Make sure Tyler stays out of trouble, he is always doing something dangerous,” She stated.

As they walked down the street alongside the setting of the sun, Tyler heard a scream. His instincts immediately kicked in as he vibrated, he seemed to phase in and out of sight before completely disappearing. “Tyler!” Natalie yelled. She called on the rest of the team and said “Guys, we’re gonna need backup. We are currently east of Bucky Crest Street, House Number 0407,” Transforming into her suit, she ran back to the house.

She saw Glitch, and a winged figure 100 feet up, and above a pickup truck-sized hole that was thrown sideways in the southern wall of the house. He’s fighting a buffed-up version of the insects they’ve fought before, tussling in mid-air. Not long after, Glitch gets the edge over the ‘Frankenstein’s Monster’, ripping and gauging its blackened wings out of its back, squirting greenish blood all over his hands and chest.

They fall to the ground with great speed. They hit Tyler’s house’s roof, leaving a huge dent in the slats. The creature holding on to dear life is dragged down the house by Glitch. He then brutally beats the insect’s body into a gushing mess. Natalie had never seen such violence, it was complete overkill. It was like something you’d see in a horror movie, or on a cold case documentary. “Woah dude, come down. He’s already dead,” said The Encrypted Flame, landing next to Glitch.

Incognito shadowed over and asked, “Where’s the fire?” Natalie wearily points over to the mangled puddle of insect intestines on the pavement. “Pounded to a pulp,” she said with fearful eyes. Then another insect scooped up Tyler’s mother. His mother screams for help.

Tyler saw the fear in her eyes, and began chasing after it, but is held in place by Janet’s purple hue of a force field. As the beast flies away, Tyler loses what little composure he had left. “BRING ME, MY MOTHER, BACK RIGHT NOW!”