In all of his missions or deployments, Karl had never lost his confidence. Justified or not, he had always felt that the next bullet did not have his name on it, and that his team would walk away unscathed. Part of that belief stemmed from faith in his team and his training and his mission, but a deeply-rooted part of it had always come from his unshakable conviction that he was just... lucky.

As he lurked discreetly in the bushes outside the base HQ, he wondered for the millionth time how things had gone sideways so rapidly and completely. Events over the past 36 hours had shaken his confidence to his core, sowing doubts about his training and mission... and especially his team. But as he looked at the dignitaries assembled just outside the building, he actually felt lucky again for the first time since all this started. Karl had felt overwhelmed and desperate for powerful allies, but as it turned out, he had lucked into three of them... three identical clones of the superhero DupliciTy.

As the three identical members of the Heroic League laughed and mingled with the top leadership of his base, Karl tried to figure out how he could get close enough to enlist their aid without risking exposure. He still was not entirely clear who his enemies were or what capabilities they possessed, but he assumed they would think twice before tangling with an actual superhero... much less three of them.

But as Karl was developing his plan, the situation in front of him was already evolving. To his consternation, two copies of DupliciTy started to peel off and accompany groups of dignitaries to other parts of the base. Karl considered following one of the groups, but worried that me might be intercepted before he could get the hero's attention. Fortunately, the group that remained with the third copy of DupliciTy seemed much smaller than the departing groups, and consisted mainly of lower-ranking HQ staff. Gambling that this meant that the group would soon enter the building, Karl stealthily slipped inside the entrance.

A few moments later, DupliciTy and a small group of officers entered the lobby, deep in conversation. Seizing the moment, Karl strode forward purposefully and called out, "Sir! I would like to talk with you in private about an urgent matter of national security!" The startled officers began to position themselves between Karl and the hero, and one of them said sternly, "Captain Langston: you have been noncompliant in reporting for your mandatory infection screening. You should not be in contact with base personnel or visitors until..."

DupliciTy interrupted the officer by saying, "It's all right, lieutenant. From what I understand about the infection, its incubation period is such that even if the Captain were infected, I would be in no immediate risk hearing him out."

"But sir!" the lieutenant continued urgently as three of the officers began to position themselves around Karl, "It sounds like he's already manifesting paranoia, which makes him an immediate risk..."

"I'm not being paranoid and I'm not infected!" Karl stated tersely. "I am a trained military intelligence officer who is offering a dispassionate analysis of a major developing threat. Now please do me the courtesy of taking several fucking steps back and let me talk with DupliciTy!"

DupliciTy seemed to be measuring how best to de-escalate the tense situation. "Captain, let's be reasonable here. Why don't we do the following: let's have you accompany these gentlemen over to the infirmary and get you screened for the infection, and then you and I can meet to discuss this threat..."

Karl stepped closer to DupliciTy, causing the postures of the surrounding officers to get even more taut. "I understand the logic of what you are saying. I really do. And in normal circumstances I would happy agree with your proposal." In the corner of his eye, Karl could see the lieutenant pull out his phone and begin typing on it. "Unfortunately," Karl continued, "The underlying problem is that the screenings ARE the threat. And I have proof!"

DupliciTy looked surprised at this, but the officers surrounding Karl moved even closer. Up and down the hallway of the building, curious officers and staff began peering out their office doors at the commotion. The lieutenant looked up sharply from his phone and said plaintively to DupliciTy, "Sir, his paranoia is the textbook symptom of advanced infection, and it seems increasingly likely that he is putting everyone around him at risk. I'm going to ask you to step away from the captain and we will escort him..."

"Wait!" DupliciTy interrupted decisively. "Step away from this man." The officers seemed surprised and uncertain, but DupliciTy continued firmly. "I think the best way for us to move past this impasse peacefully is for me to hear the captain out." The lieutenant began to object, "But sir, the risk..." but DupliciTy plowed over him, saying firmly, "I'm a member of the Heroic League. We face risk every day. And I choose to face that risk by hearing this man out--IN PRIVATE," he said as the officers moved closer to him and Karl, causing them to take hesitant steps back.

The officers looked at each other and then back at the lieutenant, who stared at DupliciTy tensely for several seconds without saying anything. Then he seemed to visibly deflate and looked nervously at the increasingly large crowd that had assembled. "Fine," he said. "You're the super. We'll do it your way. Just keep looking at his eyes...if they start glowing, you'll know you made the wrong call!" he said, and then gathered his team together at the side of the lobby and started stabbing at his phone with urgency.

DupliciTy turned to Karl and said, "You have my undivided attention, Captain. Tell me what you think is going on, and why I should believe you." Karl released the tensed breath he had been holding. His gamble had paid off, but he wasn't sure how long his luck would hold. "Thank you so much for believing me. Please come with me to my office, sir, and I'll answer all of your questions," he said, carefully guiding DupliciTy through the assembled curious throng to a small office down the hall marked "Liaison Office."

As Karl closed and locked the office door, DupliciTy said, "I don't, you know. Just so we're clear." Karl looked at him quizzically and the hero continued, "You thanked me for believing you. I actually don't... yet. But I do believe in giving the truth the best possible opportunity to reveal itself, so I'm willing to listen--and more importantly, see your evidence. So I repeat my questions: What do you think is happening here, and what's your evidence?"

Karl looked nervously out the windows and drew the blinds, and then began speaking intently. "It all began when my team returned from a mission about a day and a half ago. Everything had been normal when we left, but when we came back the base people seemed... different." DupliciTy looked at him skeptically and seemed to be about to object, but Karl plowed on. "I know that's vague, and it was a vague feeling at first, but there turned out to be a lot behind it. Beyond weird interactions with people I thought I knew well, there was a huge increase of aerial and surface traffic all over the base... sort of like they were gearing up for a big exercise or deployment, but nothing like that was coming up."

"Well," DupliciTy said reasonably, "Couldn't all of this be explained by the biological attack to which everyone--myself included!--is responding right now? Even if the people who you perceived as being 'off' weren't infected by the modified parasite, stress about the attack and assembling the resources to diagnose and treat it can plausibly explain everything you observed, couldn't it?"

"When my team and I got together to discuss our concerns, I made the same argument," Karl said. "But Billy--he's the team's spotter--insisted that something was definitely off. He didn't have many specifics to back up his gut, but believe me when I say that over hundreds of missions he has demonstrated an almost spooky ability to perceive threats. He insisted that it felt like many of the airman on the base were watching us and behaving like we were... targets. Like they were preparing to strike or ambush us. At first I was inclined to dismiss this, but once he pointed it out, I started noticing the same thing." Karl paused anxiously as he heard several people walking down the hallway past his office door, but sighed in relief as they passed by.

DupliciTy interjected with some impatience, "But again, everything you have discussed so far is explained by the biological attack. For some reason I have been delayed in receiving my briefing today so I don't yet know the number of base personnel that were diagnosed as being infected," he said pointedly, "but the behavioral changes the parasite produces explain everything you've mentioned so far. I assume you also considered that as a hypothesis before dismissing it?"

"We did," Karl confirmed. "And frankly, when they informed everyone about the bio attack and the screening, I confess that I thought the same thing. But Billy didn't agree and wanted to get more intel. That's our business--we're a specialist scout/recon team--so he ended up setting up a position overlooking the testing facility." DupliciTy seemed surprised by this, asking, "Aren't they doing the testing inside trailers? What proof could he have gotten watching from a distance like that?"

Karl nodded impatiently, continuing, "I'm getting to the proof...but you're right, Billy couldn't see inside the trailers at all. Despite that, he ended up being more suspicious than ever after spending a few hours watching the people going into and out of the testing trailer. He said, and I quote, 'the ones in line read as normies, but the ones coming out of that fucking trailer are the ones that read as tangos.' We'd been avoiding the MPs that were rounding up people for their mandatory testing, but Billy convinced us that the only way to figure out what was going on was to get tested."

DupliciTy seemed surprised, and asked, "So who got tested, and what did they say they saw inside the trailer?"

Karl smiled grimly, and shook his head. "We're a recon team, so we're less about listening to what people say and more about observing what they do. So Billy volunteered to get tested. But when he did, we sent him in with a wireless button cam, and the rest of our team were watching the whole thing live from a nearby spot." Karl said as he moved his office chair to the side and rolled back a mat under his desk.

"Well, what did you see? Wait, what are you doing?" DupliciTy asked. Karl smiled as he pulled at a recessed metal ring in the floor, pulling up a panel. As he hopped down into the crawlspace, he reached under a joist. After feeling around and pulling firmly, DupliciTy heard the sound of ripping Velcro, and then Karl pulled out a rugged green box with a large LCD panel mounted on it. "Like I said, you don't need to listen to me. You can observe the whole thing, yourself."

DupliciTy crouched down on the floor and peered into the crawlspace before again facing Karl with rapt attention. Karl booted the device and began fast-forwarding through the footage. As the sped-up audio squealed, DupliciTy watched as the recording showed the line of airman growing shorter and shorter until a young technician wearing a white lab coat approached and led Billy into the trailer, taking him down a hallway into a small room where they appeared to talk briefly. As he paused the video, Karl noted, "Everything seems pretty normal until they went into the testing room. She just asked him to give her his shirt, which he tried to avoid for obvious reasons. She insisted, and then as you can see, hung it on the wall before performing the test on Billy." Karl continued, noting with irritation, "Unfortunately, part of the shirt blocks our view of the actual testing, but pay careful attention to the footage and let me know what you think."

As the video resumed playing, DupliciTy stared with fascination and concern. He could hear the technician and Billy discussing the setup and making minor adjustments to the equipment. Once Billy was apparently strapped in, it became much harder to hear his side of the conversation, but the tech continued to give him instructions as she came back into view of the camera and blocked it momentarily before walking back toward Billy holding something blue. "Wait, pause it a second. What's going on there?" DupliciTy asked. "What blocked the camera, and what was she carrying?"

"Good questions," Karl answered." I pulled stills and enhanced them, and it looks like she blocked the camera with some sort of metal trunk lid, and then pulled out this," Karl continued, pulling up a zoomed-in and enhanced image of the object the technician carried. "I don't know what this thing is, but this was the best image I could get of it. It seems to be some sort of coiled tube with a lot of small extensions or connectors in between each coil. But when I flip back and forth between these two frames, tell me what you notice," he quizzed DupliciTy.

DupliciTy stared at the images as Karl flipped back and forth between them, then slowly said, "Well, I'm not certain, but it looks it... started to glow? And also, started moving?" he continued incredulously. Karl nodded grimly. "Yeah, we thought the same thing. But if you can believe it, that's not the creepiest part." Karl switched back to the video playback and resumed playback. As the video continued, the technician instructed Billy to remain perfectly still. Moments later, there was a burst of unintelligibly muffled yelling that was suddenly cut off a few seconds later, coinciding with a bright blue flash of light. In the silence, the technician could be heard saying, "Welcome brother" before a muffled responses from Billy apparently cut her off, followed by several seconds of silence. Then the tiny camera lurched wildly to the floor, followed by a crunching sound and then loss of signal.

DupliciTy looked stunned. "What happened there? Did the technician attack your guy and somehow damage the camera in the scuffle?"

Karl sighed wearily, and said, "I wish that's what happened. Here, let me cue it up to right before the camera gets smashed." As Karl slowly advanced frame by frame, he continued with a strain in his voice. "Unfortunately, when I slow it down you can see..."

DupliciTy gasped and exclaimed, "Wait, that's not the tech: That's Billy crushing the camera! And what's going on with his eyes?"

"Yeah... they're glowing," Karl said wearily. "I have no idea what was causing it, but when we saw the op--and apparently Billy--had been compromised, we bugged out. Gary moved to an overwatch position afterward and saw a full tac team roll up on our improvised post a couple minutes later. There was no way for them to have traced the video signal back to us--we were receiver-only, so no transmission from our end. The only explanation was that Billy had told them where to find us. Billy--one of the finest soldiers I've ever had the privilege to serve with, who was loyal and honest to the core--ratted us out almost instantly to whoever is behind this. They did something to him that changed his thinking, changed his loyalties... changed him at his core, and they did it in seconds. And they did it to literally hundreds of other airmen that have gone into those trailers just in the time we've been watching."

DupliciTy gave a low whistle. "Okay.... You have my full and undivided attention. It sounds crazy, but I agree your evidence is worrisome and convincing. But why haven't you gone to the authorities with this? Why wait until a random superhero happened to be passing by to warn people?"

Karl winced, and said, "Believe me when I say we tried, but we've been in hiding almost from the moment Billy turned on us. I don't think everyone on this base has been turned like Billy, but it seems clear they have control of the MPs and the other tactical teams, presumably the infirmary if they're helping turn people there, and you have to assume most or all of the base leadership. It's clear that my team is being hunted, and the people doing it are everywhere and know everything about my team." Karl sighed, and continued, "We saw them tearing apart a warehouse where Gary had holed up. I'm not 100% sure they turned him, but Frank and I had to assume it and redo our planning to exclude anything he or Billy knew about. That's not easy when these guys basically know everything we've thought or said or done for the past decade or so."

DupliciTy nodded sympathetically. "That's awful. It must be terrible not knowing what you can do or who you can trust on the base. But why didn't you try alerting the authorities outside the base? Why didn't you contact the League?"

Karl looked pained, and said, "We tried almost everything. I'm guessing you haven't tried to contact anyone outside the base since you arrived, but if you do, you'll find that we're on a tight communications lockdown. Radio and cell signals have been jammed, and wifi only works within the base right now... at least if you're not one of Them. I had satphone tech stored in my comm equipment locker, but when we broke in there overnight someone had cleaned it all out. We looked at sneaking off the base, but there are increased patrols and surveillance tech around the entire base fenceline. We considered trying to sneak out the gate, but all vehicles and personnel leaving the base are being thoroughly inspected--and I suspect 'screened' in the same way Billy was."

DupliciTy rubbed his chin, noting, "Yes, I had noticed the massive security presence at the gatehouse as we were coming in, but figured it was just related to their attempts to prevent the infection from spreading off-base. But wait, if the infection screenings are how they are spreading this thing, that means..."

"The biological attack was faked, and is being used as cover for their nefarious purposes," Karl continued glumly. "They're going to use this supposed disease to round up more victims, and they're going to say people warning others about the plot are actually infected."

"Ah," DupliciTy said wryly. "I guess I've seen that part firsthand! Sorry I didn't believe you sooner. But you have to admit how crazy this all seems."

"If I weren't living it myself, I wouldn't believe it, either." Karl said ruefully. "We have to warn people before they fall for it, too! Before I saw you and your clones arrive, our hope was to commandeer a helicopter and try to make it to League headquarters and hand-deliver our evidence. With so much of the military apparently compromised, I think the League is the only group powerful enough to turn this thing around."

DupliciTy laughed, shocking Karl. "As it turns out, you're in luck, my new friend." Karl looked at Duplicity in confusion as he continued merrily, "Of all the superheroes to approach, I might actually have been your best possible choice. What do you know about my powers?"

Karl looked at DupliciTy with uncertainty, but slowly answered, "From what I understand, you have superhuman strength and endurance and pretty good fighting skills..." he looked at DupliciTy who nodded approvingly, then continued, "But your main power is to make a large number of perfect duplicates of yourself. Can you do that now?" Karl asked hopefully.

"Technically, only the original can copy himself, and he's back at headquarters, so no," DupliciTy answered, momentarily dashing Karl's hopes before continuing, "But the truly excellent news for us is that he and the rest of his duplicates all share a common consciousness. So while you've been telling me all this, you've actually been telling all of us all of this! The warning has been sent! The torch has been lit! The League now knows what you know! And help is on the way!" DupliciTy continued happily.

Karl looked shocked, and then his fate lit up with joy. "Wow! I had been hoping that the three of you could help me and my team fight our way out of here so we could get the word out. I had no idea..." Karl was cut off as the door to his office suddenly exploded into the room and splintered into DupliciTy.

DupliciTy sprang toward the door just in time to deliver a crunching blow to the head of a tac team member storming into the room. "TAKE THEM ALIVE!" yelled a voice from the hallway as DupliciTy dispatched another gunman with a sharp blow to the back of his head. DupliciTy yelled, "Karl, take the evidence out of here and get with your team! I'll hold them off here for as long as I can!"

Karl started to protest, but then ducked into the crawlspace as a flashbang narrowly missed hitting him and then exploded under his desk. "Better not press my luck," Karl thought resignedly as he clutched the evidence to his chest and scrambled down the narrow crawlspace. Despite the chaos in his office and his fear for the safety of DupliciTy, Karl took comfort in knowing that regardless of what happened next, he had finally been victorious. Despite all of the setbacks and betrayals, he had completed his mission.

But as he punched through a thick wooden panel and crawled into the sunlight, Karl was surprised to hear a familiar voice from his right. "Hi Karl! Long time no see!" said DupliciTy cheerfully. "Wait, what..." Karl started before DupliciTy interrupted, "Oh, and let me introduce you to my good friend, DupliciTy!" DupliciTy said, gesturing across Karl to another copy standing on his left side. "How did you guys get here so..." Karl asked confusedly as he began to pull his legs out of the crawlspace exit, but was interrupted by the DupliciTy to his right who continued, "No worries: We've been waiting for you for quite a while! But, we're not done with introductions yet!"

Karl tried to process what they were saying as he got up on his knees and started to stand up, but was stopped by a hand pressing down hard on his shoulder as DupliciTy continued merrily, "It's time to finally introduce you to your master!" DupliciTy continued, suddenly pulling up Karl's shirt as his clone pressed a glowing parasite against his spine in a swift motion. Karl cried out in pain as the parasite dug into his back and he spasmed wildly... but almost immediately grew quiet and calm. As his arched posture smoothly reset to a more relaxed pose, his eyes flashed bright blue. The DupliciTys' eyes answered with flashes of their own and they smiled and helped Karl to his feet.

"Wow, you guys really sold it with the tac team," Karl said approvingly. "Why did you go through all that fuss when DupliciTy could just have subdued and converted me in the office, himself?" "Ah," DupliciTy continued, "You surprised us by moving so quickly after our arrival, so that DupliciTy didn't have a spare master for you. Making matters worse, the rest of the headquarters staff hadn't been fully converted yet, so the theatrics were for their benefit. Regardless, they will be joining us soon. Speaking of which, we should head over to the helipad now so you can assist your comrades with their 'escape.'"

Karl laughed, saying, "Yes, they're supposed to take off without me if I'm not at the rendezvous point in the next 30 minutes. Good thing I was lucky enough to run into you first!" And then Karl and his two heroic comrades set out to reunite his team and accomplish his newest--and most important--mission.