BACKSTORY PAGE
Previously On. Runs along the left side of the page interspersed with downsized panels from the previous issue where/if space permits.
A disaster unlike any other. A meteor has struck a major American metropolitan area directly. The entire Dallas/Ft. Worth region has been devastated, but even as it slowly recovers, an infection has begun to spread across the city ruins killing some, and changing others.
Allister Dewitt; Son of a Texas minister, college sophomore, student athlete, and infected. Alister’s body is being corrupted by an alien virus brought to earth. He is stronger, and faster than he ever was before. However, his arm has been horribly twisted and mutated. His mind and personality may also be in the process of alteration.
Unfortunately, Alister isn’t the only monster in town. The entire city has been placed under martial law, but that hasn’t stopped a real-life vampire from seducing Alister’s ally Dr. Richards. She claims it isn’t a threat, but that hasn’t stopped Alister from allying himself with a strange cult to destroy it.
Character Bios. Runs along the right side of the page and each section is matched with a close up of the character’s face.
1. ALISTER DEWITT:         Born and raised in a small town outside San Antonio, Alister had a happy childhood and was close to both his parents and his older brother. His father was the reverend of the rural area’s small country church and he a was smart and active youth. He left for Arlington to attend university.
2. GEMINI:                           A strange woman with a mysterious past. She appears to be in her early twenties with a figure most would consider perfect. She’s also displayed great intelligence and knowledge of computer science. Although she tries to hide it, she speaks with a very light English accent.
3. FATHER LEO:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Father Leo is an ordained Catholic minister holding a Ph.D. in Theology from Notre Dame. Although initially considered to be on the fast track for promotion within the catholic hierarchy, Leo has been hesitant to leave his local community where he is an important civil rights activist.
4. DR. ALISON RICHARDS:          Dr. Richards is one of the world’s foremost experts bio-chemistry. Although she’s barely in her thirties, she is science wunderkind of the first order. She could have had a position at any university in the world, but chose Sothern Methodist University to be close to her ailing mother, who passed away before the impact event.
5. ERIKA MOORE:              A classmate of Alister’s. She came from a pampered upper middle-class upbringing, which saw her attend college despite being not particularly gifted academically. She quickly became well known as a party girl around campus. After her infection she began a cult dedicated to worshiping the infection.
6. DR. CASTOR:                   The CEO of Castor Pharmaceuticals. He holds multiple degrees in biology as well as medicine. In addition to his pharma business, he also has investments in several other major industries and is one of the richest men in the world. He is the official face of the government’s relief efforts.
7. THE CONCIERGE:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Concierge follows Dr. Castor wherever he goes. She was a test subject for Castor Pharmaceuticals most cutting-edge research on genetic manipulation and hormonal effects on human growth. This has given her physical abilities at the peak of human potential.
8. KRISTOF VULT: Kristof was a Romanian geneticist working behind the iron curtain. After the collapse of communism, he was hired by a cabal of wealthy technocrats to create clinical immortality. To do so he studied the ancient vampire lore of his homeland, but a horrible accident transformed him into an artificial vampire.
PAGE ONE (one panel)
Panel 1. Intro page. Alistair and a group of armed cultists are subtly searching the city for KRISTOF. Around them civil unrest on the streets seems to be growing as night falls.
1. ALISTER (CAPTION): This isn’t going to end well.
PAGE TWO (six panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER broods on a rooftop while a CULTIST holding binoculars calls to him.
1. ALISTER (CAPTION): The question is, what am I going to do about it?
2. CULTIST: Father, look!
Panel 2. ALISTER approaches the CULTIST who hands him the binoculars and points down to the street.
3. ALISTER: I told you, my name’s Alister.
4. CULTIST: Isn’t that the woman you associate with?
Panel 3. A view of GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS on the street through the binoculars. They are both trying to avoid the protestors who are becoming more unruly.
5. ALISTER (OFF): Gem? What the hell is she doing, bringing the doc out here?
Panel 4. ALISTER hands the binoculars back.
6. CULTIST: Shall we intercept her?
7. ALISTER: No, we’ll follow her quietly and see where she goes. Get on the radio and tell no one to interfere unless someone attacks her.
8. CULTIST: It will be done.
Panel 5. The CULTIST speaks on the radio, while ALISTER is distracted in the background.
9. CULTIST: We found the girl and the professor. The Father has ordered us to follow them. I believe he thinks they may lead us to the monster.
10. RADIO: Excellent. Continue to do as he suggests, but once you find the vampire make sure it’s destroyed then bring him back to me.
11. RADIO: And while you have the opportunity…
Panel 6. Back at the cult compound ERIKA responds on her radio and smiles devilishly.
10. ERIKA: …Get rid of the girl too.
PAGE THREE (five panels)
Panel 1. GEMINI is looking around nervously at the riot conditions developing around them. DR. RICHARDS is only concerned with pressing onwards.
1. GEMINI: This whole city is a powder keg. Maybe we should wait until things have calmed down.
Panel 2. GEMINI approaches DR. RICHARDS who leads them off the street and into an alley.
2. DR. RICHARDS: We can’t. He’s waiting for us.
3. GEMINI: Well, that doesn’t make me feel any better. You sure you’re still up to this?
Panel 3. DR. RICHARDS walks on and avoids looking at GEMINI, she mumbles to herself.
4. DR. RICHARDS: I don’t have a choice. He needs me…
5. GEMINI: What was that?
Panel 4. GEMINI follows DR. RICHARDS and touches her shoulder.
6. GEMINI: You’re still in control, right?
7. GEMINI: …Right…?
Panel 5. DR. RICHARDS turns and smiles reassuringly.
8. DR. RICHARDS: Right. Sorry, I’m just nervous.
9. GEMINI: Well, you’re not the only one.
PAGE FOUR (four panels)
Panel 1. DR. RICHARDS and GEMINI approach an abandoned building on the edge of the Arlington ruins.
1. DR. RICHARDS: There, he’s inside there.
Panel 2. GEMINI approaches DR. RICHARDS who is still staring at the dark building.
2. GEMINI: Are you sure?
3. DR. RICHARDS: I can hear him… Calling to me…
Panel 3. GEMINI clasps DR. RICHARDS’ hand.
4. GEMINI: Listen to me, you are the one in control, not him.
5. DR. RICHARDS: Yes, you’re right, of course.
Panel 4. GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS walk into the building hand in hand.
6. GEMINI: We’re going to handle this together, okay?
7. DR. RICHARDS: Okay.
PAGE FIVE (five panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER and the CULTIST also see the dark building from the rooftop they are on.
1. ALISTER: Have our men surround that whole place. No one goes in or out without us knowing.
2. CULTIST: As you command.
Panel 2. GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS look around the dark building.
3. DR. RICHARDS: I can’t see anything.
4. GEMINI: Give me a second, I have a torch.
Panel 3. GEMINI flips on a flashlight, while DR. RICHARDS begins to wander in a daze.
5. GEMINI: There we go.
Panel 4. GEMINI follows after DR. RICHARDS and illuminates an old hotel lobby. KRISTOF crawls along the ceiling above them, but can barely be seen in the dark.
6. GEMINI: Spooky place. Perfect for Dracula, I guess.
7. DR. RICHARDS: Kristof we’re here! We’d like to talk to you.
Panel 5. KRISTOF swoops down from the ceiling and scares both of the women.
8. KRISTOF: Of course, you would, my dear.
9. GEMINI: Jesus! You scared the hell out of me!
PAGE SIX (five panels)
Panel 1. KRISTOF circles the two women and smiles wolfishly. DR. RICHARDS is frightened, but GEMINI faces him down.
1. KRISTOF: Why are you so nervous, my darling?
2. GEMINI: No witty repartee. You wanted to talk to the professor, so do it, but talk fast.
Panel 2. KRISTOF stops in front of them and becomes more serious.
3. KRISTOF: So impatient, but you’re right. We may not have much time. I believe I had just died when you and your impetuous friend interrupted me, so I’ll resume my narrative there.
Panel 3. A sepia toned flashback of KRISTOF and KATRINA’s bodies with the formula dripping down onto them.
4. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Our assassins had been told as little as possible, so that none of them would be tempted to take the immortality formula for themselves.
5. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Unfortunately, this meant that they were also rather careless. Our bodies were left lying in the ruins of our research.
Panel 4. Flashback. Close up KRISTOF’s dead face.
6. KRISTOF (CAPTION): I don’t truly remember what it was like… being dead…
7. KRISTOF (CAPTION): …It felt like- like a deep sleep…
Panel 5. Flashback. Another close up of KRISTOF’s face, but his eyes open.
8. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Then I woke up.
PAGE SEVEN (six panels)
Panel 1. Flashback. KRISTOF looks around the ruined lab in confusion.
1. KRISTOF (CAPTION): My first impression of this new un-life were confusion… anger…
Panel 2. Flashback. KRISTOF holds KATRINA’s body. He howls in sorrow and cries tears of blood.
2. KRISTOF (CAPTION): …and fear.
Panel 3. Flashback. A close up of KRISTOF’s face. KATRINA’s hand wipes away his tears.
3. KRISTOF (CAPTION): But my fears were misplaced.
Panel 4. Flashback. KRISTOF and KATRINA embrace each other.
4. KRISTOF (CAPTION): I wasn’t alone… not yet…
Panel 5. Flashback. The mercenaries regroup and report in on their radio.
5. KRISTOF (CAPTION): We followed our would-be murderers.
Panel 6. Flashback. KRISTOF and KATRINA crawl along the ceiling and prepare to attack the mercs.
6. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Neither of us spoke. We were operating only on instincts.
PAGE EIGHT (five panels)
Panel 1. Flashback. The mercenaries notice the vampires who hiss back at them.
1. KRISTOF (CAPTION): And our instincts told us we were hungry.
Panel 2. Flashback. The vampires swoop down on the mercenaries who fire wildly in panic.
Panel 3. Flashback. The vampires have killed the mercenaries and drink their blood.
2. KRISTOF (CAPTION): With our blood lust sated we realized what had happened.
Panel 4. Flashback. KRISTOF and KATRINA come to their senses and look around at the dead bodies of all the mercs.
3. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Our experiments had ended not in failure, but in disaster.
Panel 5. Flashback. KRISTOF and KATRINA take all their notes and equipment and throw it onto a huge bonfire.
4. KRISTOF (CAPTION): For the sake of the world, it could never be replicated. We collected everything we had created and burned it.
PAGE NINE (five panels)
Panel 1. Flashback. KATRINA calmly walks into the bonfire.
1. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Every note, every sample… we burned them all…
2. KRISTOF (CAPTION): …We burned everything until all that remained was our own corrupted blood.
Panel 2. Flashback. KATRINA begins to burn and holds out her hand to KRISTOF, beckoning him to join her.
3. KRISTOF (CAPTION): Katrina didn’t hesitate to cast herself into the fire. She called for me to join her…
Panel 3. Flashback. KRISTOF recoils in terror as KATRINA is engulfed in flames.
4. KRISTOF (CAPTION): …But I was afraid.
Panel 4. Flashback. KRISTOF flees from the lab which goes up in flames.
5. KRISTOF (CAPTION): My mind was engulfed in white terror. I didn’t regain my senses until sundown the next evening, and by then it was all too late.
Panel 5. Back in the present KRISTOF, GEMINI, and DR. RICHARDS look around in surprise.
6. ALISTER (OFF): Heck of a sob story…
7. KRISTOF: Who dares!?
PAGE TEN (six panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER enters the lobby, flanked by armed cultists.
1. ALISTER: …But I don’t buy any of it.
Panel 2. ALISTER motions for DR. RICHARDS and GEMINI to join him, they look surprised by his arrival.
2. GEMINI: Alister? What are you doing here?
3. ALISTER: Saving your bacon it looks like.
Panel 3. KRISTOF appraises ALISTER and the cultists.
4. KRISTOF: I have no desire to fight you again, boy. Whether you believe my story or not, it is the truth.
5. KRISTOF: These women have nothing to fear from me, and so are in no need of rescue. I have come to Dr. Richards for help finding a cure for my condition. I would never harm any innocent.
Panel 4. Close up of ALISTER preparing for a fight.
6. ALISTER: And those two dead bodies in the penthouse? I suppose they were dead when you got there.
Panel 5. Close up of KRISTOF also getting ready to fight.
7. KRISTOF: I don’t deny that I killed them, my unholy thirst gave me no choice, but they were hardly innocent. I have harnessed my curse to punish the conspirators who first hired me to create this damned immortality formula.
8. KRISTOF: Those two provided subjects for the research, human subjects. They controlled a trafficking ring which abducted derelicts, winos, runaway children…
Panel 6. ALISTER and KRISTOF each try and read the other’s expression.
9. ALISTER: You have evidence of this?
10. KRISTOF: I do, back at the penthouse. But it may turn your stomach.
PAGE ELEVEN (five panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER and KRISTOF relax their posture. GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS look relieved.
1. ALISTER: Fine. We’ll see this evidence, but I’m not letting you out of my sight.
Panel 2. The cultists move to stop everyone from leaving.
2. CULTIST: Our orders were to destroy him.
3. ALISTER: Well, I’m putting those orders on hold for the moment.
Panel 3. The cultists turn their weapons on ALISTER and the others.
4. CULTIST: That’s not your choice to make. I don’t wish to harm you, but Mother has given me a permission to disable you and bring you back to her if you become difficult.
5. ALISTER: You have got to be kidding me.
6. KRISTOF: Your friends do not seem very cooperative.
Panel 4. ALISTER approaches the firing line of cultist with his hands up.
7. ALISTER: Listen, we’re not going to ‘destroy’ anyone if there’s even the slightest possibility of a misunderstanding.
8. ALISTER: We’re going to do our best to handle this peacefully, understand?
9. CULTIST: Perfectly-
Panel 5. ALISTER is riddled with bullets. GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS dive for cover. KRISTOF leaps towards the ceiling.
10. CULTIST: -FIRE!
PAGE TWELVE (five panels)
Panel 1. The CULTIST approaches ALISTER’s body on the ground. He continues to fire at it. The others go after GEMINI and DR. RICHARDS, led by a TOUGH cultist.
1. CULTIST: This should put him out long enough to transport him.
2. TOUGH: Find the women and kill them!
Panel 2. The CULTIST leans down over ALISTER with a pair of handcuffs.
3. CULTIST: I’m sorry to have to do this to you, my lord.
4. ALISTER: Sssooorrrryyyy…?
Panel 3. ALISTER slices the CULTIST’s arm off at the elbow with his claw.
5. ALISTER: SORRY! SORRY!
6. CULTIST: AUGH!
Panel 4. A SCARDY cultist panics. The TOUGH cultist tries to rally the others. The CULTIST without an arm passes out in shock. GEMINI takes the opportunity to knock out a cult member from behind with her bat while they are distracted by ALISTER.
7. SCARDY: Holy fucking shit!
8. TOUGH: He’s going into a berserker state! Everyone pull out!
Panel 5. KRISTOF swoops down and grabs the SCARDY cultist, then pulls him into the shadows.
9. SCARDY: HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!
PAGE THIRTEEN (six panels)
Panel 1. The TOUGH cultist fires into the shadows where KRISTOF vanished while the rest of the cult retreats.
1. TOUGH: Can’t help him now! Everybody out!
Panel 2. ALISTER is about to plunge his claw into the unconscious CULTIST’s chest. GEMINI jumps between them to stop him.
2. GEMINI: Alister stop! You’ll kill him!
Panel 3. The SCARDY’s body which his throat ripped out is dropped from the ceiling right in front of the remaining cultists.
3. TOUGH: Jesus Christ!
Panel 4. A close up of ALISTER and GEMINI. ALISTER is still in a berserker state, but GEMINI is slowly brining him out of it.
4. GEMINI: Alister, it’s me! Hey, snap out of it!
Panel 5. The cultists retreat into the night, but KRISTOF swoops down and grabs a cultist VICTIM who is running right next to the TOUGH.
5. VICTIM: AIIIEEEEE!
Panel 6. ALISTER returns to his senses covered in blood and GEMINI embraces him.
6. ALISTER: Gem…? What…?
7. GEMINI: It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.
PAGE FOURTEEN (five panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER is still traumatized by what happened. GEMINI holds him and they look over at the CULTIST with his arm off. DR. RICHARDS pulls off her belt and begins applying it as a tourniquet to the wound.
1. ALISTER: Is he…?
2. DR. RICHARD: Well, he’s never going to play the violin again, but I think he’ll live.
3. GEMINI: A kinder fate then he intended for us.
Panel 2. GEMINI helps ALISTER to his feet.
4. GEMINI: We’ll take him to a hospital.
5. ALISTER: Right, then I’m going after Erika.
Panel 3. GEMINI and ALISTER embrace.
6. GEMINI: I’m coming with you.
7. ALISTER: It’s going to be dangerous.
8. GEMINI: I don’t care, whatever she’s got waiting for us we’ll deal with it together.
Panel 4. ALISTER looks over at the dead body of SCARDY.
9. ALISTER: Where the heck did that vampire run off to?
10. GEMINI: I don’t know…
Panel 5. The trio leaves the building. ALISTER is carrying the CULTIST. KRISTOF watches them from a roof top as he drains blood from his VICTIM.
11. GEMINI: …But I’m sure he’ll turn up again.
PAGE FIFTEEN (five panels)
Panel 1. Establishing shot of the exterior of a hospital. It is extremely busy due to the civil disorder in the city.
Panel 2. ALISTER and GEMINI carry the CULTIST into a crowded hospital lobby. DR. RICHARDS goes to find a doctor.
1. DR. RICHARDS: We have an emergency here!
Panel 3. Doctors take the CULTIST and put him on a stretcher.
2. DOCTOR: What happened?
3. GEMINI: No idea, we found him like this.
Panel 4. The doctors take the CULTIST away. ALISTER, GEMINI, and DR. RICHARDS stay behind to talk to one another.
4. DR. RICHARDS: I’m going to stay here. This place looks stretched to the limit, I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do to help.
5. ALISTER: Are you sure?
6. DR. RICHARDS: I’ll be fine.
7. GEMINI: We’ll check in with you once we’re finished with the cult.
Panel 5. DR. RICHARDS silently watches ALISTER and GEMINI leave the hospital together.
PAGE SIXTEEN (six panels)
Panel 1. DR. RICHARDS is helping provide first aid in the hospital lobby which is completely overwhelmed by patients.
Panel 2. KRISTOF watches DR. RICHARDS from afar as she bandages an injured Hispanic woman in a state of delerium.
Panel 3. KRISTOF looms up behind DR. RICHARDS who can sense his presence. The patient is barely conscious, but prays with a rosary in her hand.
1. KRISTOF: Where are they?
2. DR. RICHARDS: They’ve gone after the cult.
Panel 4. DR. RICHARDS continues to care for the woman who mumbles incoherently in Spanish.
3. KRISTOF (OFF): You stayed behind?
4. DR. RICHARDS: They need me here.
Panel 5. KRISTOF puts a hand on DR. RICHARDS’ shoulder.
5. KRISTOF: I need you.
Panel 6. KRISTOF and DR. RICHARDS kiss.
6. DR. RICHARDS: I know.
PAGE SEVENTEEN (seven panels)
Panel 1. ERIKA is waiting in her room with her handmaidens when the TOUGH cultist comes in.
1. TOUGH: Mother, I-
Panel 2. ERIKA goes into a rage which causes all the cultist to cringe in fear.
2. ERIKA: What the fuck happened out there!?
Panel 3. The TOUGH cultist bows before ERIKA.
3. TOUGH: I’m sorry, Mother. The Father turned against us. We tried to disable him, but our weapons were insufficient to render him unconscious. He’s become too powerful.
4. TOUGH: The vampire began to attack us as well and the men panicked.
Panel 4. A close up of ERIKA with narrowed eyes.
5. ERIKA: You’re blaming this failure on the others?
6. TOUGH (OFF): No, my lady. It was my choice to retreat, I take full responsibility.
Panel 5. ERIKA approaches the TOUGH and lifts up his chin to look at her.
7. ERIKA: And if I give you the opportunity to redeem yourself?
8. TOUGH: I would die before I disgrace you again, my lady. I swear it.
Panel 6. ERIKA pulls the TOUGH to his feet and kisses him gently on the lips.
9. ERIKA: Then you shall have your chance.
10. TOUGH: Mother…?
Panel 7. ERIKA pulls the TOUGH into a tighter embrace. His eyes go wide in surprise as she begins to regurgitate infected goo into his mouth.
11. TOUGH: MMMNN! MMNNN!
12. ERIKA: Mmmmmmm.
PAGE EIGHTEEN (seven panels)
Panel 1. Establishing shot of the cult compound. ALISTER and GEMINI observe the area from a vantage point.
Panel 2. The CHURCH CULTIST leaves the building and passes by armed guards on patrol.
1. CHURCH CULTIST: Meteor’s blessings on you brothers.
Panel 3. The CHURCH CULTIST walks into an alley beside the compound.
Panel 4. The CHURCH CULTIST unzips his pants to take a piss.
Panel 5. ALISTER sneaks up behind the CHURCH CULTIST.
2. CHURCH CULTIST: Ahhh.
Panel 6. The CHURCH CULTIST realizes that someone is behind him and goes wide eyed.
3. ALISTER: Feeling relieved?
4. CHURCH CULTIST: Wha…?
Panel 7. ALISTER chokes out the CHURCH CULTIST who goes unconscious.
PAGE NINETEEN (five panels)
Panel 1. GEMINI begins pulling on the cultist robe.
1. GEMINI: I appreciate you waiting until he was finished.
2. ALISTER: I didn’t think you’d want to wear a damp robe.
Panel 2. GEMINI approaches the guards on duty in disguise.
3. GEMINI: I think there’s someone spying on us. Will one of you come with me?
Panel 3. One of the guards leaves with GEMINI, while ALISTER stalks the one who remains behind.
Panel 4. GEMINI acts surprised to see the CHURCH CULTIST and points the guard towards his body.
4. GEMINI: Oh my God! Is he hurt?
Panel 5. The guard leans over the CHURCH CULTIST, while GEMINI approaches him from behind with her bat ready.
PAGE TWENTY (five panels)
Panel 1. GEMINI returns to ALISTER who is taking the clothes from the guard who was left behind. He has knocked the guard out already.
1. GEMINI: Ready?
2. ALISTER: Ready.
Panel 2. GEMINI and ALISTER enter the compound together in disguise. The hospital area still has sleeping patients in beds, but no one else seems to be around and it’s dark.
3. GEMINI: So quiet, it’s spooky
Panel 3. ALISTER and GEMINI approach the patients.
4. ALISTER: This place was busy both times I was here before. Something is going on.
5. GEMINI: You think it’s a trap?
Panel 4. ALISTER pulls back a blanket off one of the patients. The patient is off panel, but ALISTER and GEMINI react with shock.
6. ALISTER: Good lord.
7. GEMINI: Holy shit.
Panel 5. An infected patient lies in a feverish sleep. He has had multiple limbs amputated and infected flesh cut off him all over his body.
8. GEMINI: What the hell is going on here?
PAGE TWENTY-ONE (six panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER turns away and struggles not to throw up. GEMINI steadies him with a hand on his shoulder.
1. ALISTER: This is sick!
2. GEMINI: C’mon, we need to find the one responsible for this.
Panel 2. ALISTER and GEMINI move further into the building.
3. ALISTER: You’re right. Erika’s room is this way.
Panel 3. ALISTER and GEMINI stand outside the door to ERIKA’s room.
4. ALISTER: One… two…
Panel 4. ALISTER and GEMINI burst into the empty room.
5. ALISTER: Three!
Panel 5. ALISTER and GEMINI look around the empty room. ALISTER is sniffing the air.
6. GEMINI: Well, this was anti-climactic.
7. ALISTER: No… she’s near…
Panel 6. ALISTER pushes the bed aside and reveals an opening leading underground.
8. ALISTER: This way.
9. GEMINI: Nice work.
10. ALISTER: Be careful. She’s calling us to her.
PAGE TWENTY-TWO (three panels)
Panel 1. ALISTER helps GEMINI down into a carved-out tunnel beneath the building.
Panel 2. ALISTER and GEMINI advance through the tunnel which seems to connect to the sewers.
1. GEMINI: I think I hear something.
2. ALISTER: They’re just ahead.
Panel 3. ALISTER and GEMINI reach a large ritual chamber where ERIKA is revealed to be an infected monster with an insectoid lower half which was hidden under her dress. She is consuming the sacrificed flesh of the infected, while her cult surrounds her and watches.
3. ERIKA: Welcome back, Alister.
4. ERIKA: I’ve been waiting for you.
5. GEMINI: Oh, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.