The Factory
As the patrol car cruised down the torn-up road in a run-down part of town, headlights illuminating naught but trash and puddles, Officer Devon Hart muttered curses under his breath.
"So what if someone saw people in some run-down factory? Better the homeless and druggies were there instead of in the streets where everyone could see him."
He stopped in front of the old brick building, sign far too faded to read, and began to head inside. This whole neighborhood was an old factory and industrial site until a few years ago, when some company bought it up, but did nothing with it except let the buildings sit and rot away.
As Officer Hart entered the building, he turned on his flashlight so he could see. The building was pitch black, and they began to explore while calling out to the people inside. Scanning the area with his light revealed alot of machinery. None of him had any idea of what they had done, but he still looked too new and nice to have been abandoned by this building.
Officer Hart approached the machinery, wanting a better view of the behemoth in this room, and stood at what he believed was in front of it; no sooner had his feet fallen into place did the machine jump to life. Officer Hart was surprised by the machine kicking on, the silent chill of the night pushed away by the machines roar and hum. He tried to jump back, but before he could react, the plate he had stood on snapped closed around his legs, locking him in place.
Officer Hart cursed to himself, as the plate began to move him closer to the machine, the lights kicked on, and now he could fully see this monster of a device. It took up nearly the whole 2 floors of the warehouse, nearly as long as it was tall, and the conveyor belt he stood on was inching him closer to its now open maw. Officer Hart reached for his radio and tried to reach anyone for help, but heard nothing. He was now within 3 feet of the machine and in a moment reached for his gun and fired forward, with no effect on the behemoth.
Officer Hart passed into the maw of the beast. No sooner had he entered did mechanical hands shoot out of the sides, grabbed his hands and encased them in metal cylinders, preventing their use. Officer Hart screamed a few, as more mechanical hands descended, cutting off his uniform and leaving him completely naked, before having him continue his journey. Soon Officer Hart stopped again and saw another arm descend, this time with a face mask with a thick gag and blacked-out visor. He knew what it wanted and refused to open his mouth in defiance. The machine, unknown to him, had already begun its next step, and, without mercy, inserted a large rounded device directly into his asshole, causing Hart to help in pain and surprise. The machine took its chance and quickly secured the hood on his head.
Hart began to panic more, then he saw the visor on his hood light up with the words "Assimilation in progress: Please Stand By." He didn't know what it meant but knew he wanted to be part of it. Hart began to flail his useless trapped arms in a vain attempt at freedom. Then he felt a jolt. He no longer had control of his body as his arm went limp, the cylinders falling off. Hart was trapped, not just in a machine but also inside his own body, when a new mechanical arm lowered and began to spray a black substance over his body, coating and encasing him. Hart could feel the substance digging in, bonding with him and replacing his flesh. As his flesh was replaced, and the flashes inside his visor intensified, Hart began to enjoy the feelings and his new skin. Hart saw a door open, he was finally free of the machine, but he was scared now of the world beyond it. A mirrored wall showed him his new appearance, his skin had been coated in a black rubbery substance that, as he watched, reconfigured itself, appearing now as his old uniform sitting over a black bodysuit. This new image gave Hart ideas, and as if sensing his thoughts, words appeared on his visor, saying only "Convert and Expand." Hart knew what he needed to do, and as he entered his patrol car he told everyone on shift to come back to the station. He had a surprise gift.










