Like his fellow MPs, Greg had been asked to report to the infirmary at 6 a.m. for some urgent, unspecified tests. As they assembled in the empty infirmary waiting area, Greg and the others grumbled about both the mysterious withholding of information and the early hour. However, their grumbles ceased and their interest spiked when the doctor entered the room accompanied by DupliciTy, a member of the Heroic League. If the League was involved and had sent an actual superhero to their base, the odds were suddenly much higher that the situation was serious.

Greg's concerns were only exacerbated when DupliciTy began the briefing by asking all the MPs to turn off their phones and secure their sidearms in lockboxes. After they had all done so, DupliciTy stressed that anything discussed in the briefing would have to be held in the strictest secrecy: if word got out about the situation, there would be widespread panic and disorder.

Accordingly, when the doctor began describing the disease they would be tested for, she had everyone's complete attention. According to the doctor, an unknown organization or supervillain had genetically modified a common type of parasitic liver fluke to make it far more infectious for humans and almost completely resistant to common water purification techniques. Then they had introduced it into the water supply of several cities... and military bases. Even more ominously, the doctor revealed the villain had apparently increased the fluke's ability to alter the behavior of infected hosts... including humans.

"What kind of alterations, Doctor?" Greg's commander asked with concern.

The doctor's face was grim as she answered: "In the cases we have seen so far, the infected manifested violent rage and extreme paranoia."

Greg followed up, asking, "Well, how violent are we talking here?"

The doctor looked at DupliciTy, and his face was equally grim as he answered. "The Vigilante was the first to spot the connection between a series of seemingly unconnected attacks over the past two days. In each case, the attacker became convinced that their friends or community members were controlled by sinister forces conspiring to betray them. In some cases the infected individuals only harmed themselves, but in other cases they have launched attacks against their neighbors, law enforcement, news organizations, or governmental entities."

"Government entities like the military? Or the police? No wonder we got the early morning time slot," Greg said resignedly. Duplicity responded with a curt nod, then continued. "Dealing with this attack has been the League's highest priority since The Vigilante's discovery. We've been working with scientists and officials across the country to try to secure the water supply, but those efforts will probably only have a limited effect given the normal life cycle of the parasite. From what we can tell, extreme behavioral symptoms appear about two weeks after initial exposure."

Greg's friend Rick interrupted, asking "Two weeks after initial exposure? But if this thing is man-made and people have already started getting violent recently, doesn't that mean whoever created this thing has been spreading it for weeks undetected?"

DupliciTy nodded somberly. "Yes, you can see the issue: we might be on the edge of a wave of violence like we've never seen before if we don't act immediately to contain this. The good news is even though we are in the dark about who modified the parasite, we have figured out a way to quickly and accurately detect who is infected before the severe changes in behavior manifest. Doctor? Tell them about the testing we're doing today."

"Thank you, DupliciTy. First off, I want to credit The Vigilante for this test: he was the one who realized the original parasite that had been modified was actually of the genus Leucochloridium. In its original form, Leucochloridium colonizes the eyes of its hosts to make them pulsate and become more visible and attractive to predators, ensuring the continuation of their life cycle when the host organism was consumed."

Greg and the other MPs reacted with disgust, but the doctor sounded more upbeat as she continued, "Fortunately, the Vigilante discovered that the altered version of the parasite still exhibits this trait in a limited manner, allowing us to detect the presence of the parasite early in the infection with a sensitive optical scanner. In a few moments, we will take each of you to a mobile testing station we have set up and scan your eyes for signs of the parasite. Once you've been cleared, you will have your weapon returned to you and can help us as we systematically scan every soldier on this base."

"Ah, you don't want a bunch of paranoid, violent people running around with guns? Or tanks? We better get moving, then!" Greg said enthusiastically. The doctor and DupliciTy nodded and led the squad down the corridor to a trailer that had been temporarily connected to the infirmary.

As they arrived at the trailer's entrance, the Doctor paused and said, "Each of you will be accompanied into your testing chamber by a technician who will connect you to the scanner, calibrate it, run the test, and let you know your results. Please pair up with a tech and follow them."

A young, dark-haired tech walked up to Greg and said, "You're with me, sir!" and led Greg down the narrow hallway and into a narrow room. "Just take off your shirt and then place your chin at the bottom of that circular opening in the scanner," the tech said as he closed the compartment door. "Let me know if I need to raise or lower the opening to make it more comfortable for you," the tech said as he began to enter Greg's information into the scanner.

"Wait, if you're scanning my eyes, why do you need for me to take off my shirt?" Greg asked. The tech seemed distracted as he continued focusing on entering information into his display, but after a pause looked at Greg and explained, "The main test is optical, but we do take some skin conductance measures as a secondary marker for infection. Now if you don't mind, we're on a clock here... we just have an entire base to test when we finish with you," the tech said impatiently.

Greg sighed and removed his shirt, hanging it on a hook above a large crate that was the only other object in the room. "Okay, okay. Fine. Let's just get this over with," Greg continued as he approached the machine and placed his chin into the circular opening. "Could you lower this a half-inch or so?"

The tech grunted a quick affirmative as the machine whined and respositioned itself, and then said, "place your wrists onto this metal bar, which will serve as a ground for the electrical conductance tests. Hold still while I strap your head into the optical scanner." Greg was surprised, and began to ask why that was necessary, but the tech cut him off. "I won't be able to hear you very well when your head is in the scanner, and you shouldn't be moving anyway: That's why we're strapping your head... so you won't move around and throw off the test during the procedure. Now just hold perfectly still as the scanner begins to calibrate and I attach the leads and some conductive gel," the tech continued.

Greg sighed, but tried his best to remain motionless as the scanner began making noises and flashing lights that seemed to come into and out of focus. He felt the tech place a surprisingly cold and clammy object on his back. Despite the tech's admonition not to move, Greg was about to ask whether the clamminess was normal, but was shocked when the object on his back seemed to start moving around. "What the Hell?" Greg barked--his surprised voice muffled by the scanner.

The tech put his hand on Greg's shoulder, and calmly told him, "Quiet, remember you aren't supposed to talk. This is the most important part of the test!"

Mollified--but still confused--Greg focused on the flashing lights while still trying to figure out what was happening on his back...but then gave a sharp, pained grunt as he felt a series of sharp pinpricks up and down his spine. "JESUS! WHAT THE Fu..." Greg began to yell ineffectually, but then stopped abruptly as his thoughts lost all energy and drive and his body sagged into his restraints. As he hung limply, his thoughts felt scattered and confused.

Soon, however, what few thoughts he had remaining were pushed away altogether by a blast of pure energy that reverberated around his brain. When that wave finished echoing, his thoughts began to reform and reorganize. In only a few moments, he felt a wave of energy and happiness roll throughout his body, and smiled as he began to adjust to the powerful, loving presence of his wonderful new master.

The tech again patted his shoulder as he undid the strap holding Greg's head in place. Greg turned away from the machine...a device that he now understood had only served as a distraction. Instead of diagnosing the presence of a fictitious parasite, it had enabled him to be dominated by a superior parasite and achieve his true purpose. As he smiled at the tech, his eyes flashed bright blue. The tech's eyes answered with a similar burst. He smiled broadly and handed Greg his shirt.

"Hey, your eyes just flashed! Looks like you might have a parasitic infection!" Greg joked. The tech laughed, replying "You might just be right, officer. Your observational powers are impeccable! I think the people of this base are in excellent hands as we address this threat!"

Greg laughed, too, and soon rejoined his newly transformed and controlled squad and DupliciTy back in the infirmary. As they intently discussed their assignments and responsibilities, they all knew they would have to move quickly if they were going to control this infection...and its spread.