“Damn, Jeff. This is getting out of control.” Nate stood and asked, “Do I go collect Alex?”

“No need, she’s already grabbing some of her supplies and will meet you at Andrews in two hours. Listen to me, you’re in charge of the forensic analysis. I’m gonna need you to bring to bear every last skill you’ve got. It’s more than just me that’s looking at you to figure out what the hell is going on, and how or if this connects to Ash Springs. You’ll get full cooperation from the authorities down there, just do what has to be done. You got me?”

“Yes, sir.” Nate cleared off his desk and locked everything as he asked, “Is that it?”

“I think that’s plenty. Let me know if you need anything. I don’t care what it is. Get this done.”

###

“My God.”

Nate gazed across the wide expanse of the South American rancher’s field. Undulating streams of flies swarmed over the bloated bodies of cattle scattered as far as the eye could see. He stood nearly one hundred yards away from the nearest dead animals, and even at that distance, he heard the flies buzzing. He made a mental note that the reaction that had killed the cattle wasn’t affecting the swarming insects.

This was way bigger than Ash Springs.

Alex was suited up already, as were several other members of the Special Forces team.

Maintaining a perimeter around the area were nearly one hundred members of the Argentine Federal Police, which Nate had learned were roughly the equivalent of Argentina’s FBI.

The breeze changed direction, and an overwhelmingly putrid stench washed over Nate and the team of soldiers who had been sent in with them. One of the soldiers retched as the nearly overwhelming stench of rotten eggs and something peculiarly sweet wafted over them.

Nate knew that scent all too well.

It was the smell of death. As the taste of it coated his throat, he was reminded of his days in Iraq, when his team discovered one of Saddam’s killing fields.

One of the soldiers standing next to Nate breathed in deeply and said, “Ooh that smell! Can’t you smell that smell…” He began humming the tune to an old Lynyrd Skynyrd song as he snapped a series of pictures, documenting the morbid scene.

Nate swallowed hard against the bile that was rising in his throat.

What monster is responsible for this?

###

After being sprayed down with chemical disinfectant, Alex removed her bio-suit. She immediately started coughing; in addition to protecting her from biohazards, the suit had kept her away from the odor of the decaying cattle.

Nate handed her a small canister of Vicks VapoRub. “Wipe that under your nose. It’ll mask the scent.”

“Thanks.” Alex dabbed the substance under her nose and nodded appreciatively.