Crawling Terror

Crawling Terror is the eleventh episode of the series, Mutant Drake.

'''This episode is not completed yet. Please wait until the episode is over or read at your own risk.'''

Plot
In the city, this afternoon, the buildings stand tall as the scene lowers down the street view, where an open manhole is seen. The scene continues to lower past the street where darkness is seen until the sewers comes into view. In the sewers, three men, Construction workers, judging by their uniforms, are seen walking through the dirty waters.

Man: Are you sure it's safe down here?

Man 2: Yeah. We have permission from the Mayor to alter the pipelines so get bashing.

The third Man grabs a sledgehammer and starts hammering against the sewer walls.

Man: Isn't there supposed to be an access panel or something?

Man 2: You new or somethin'?

Man: No. I just- never worked in a sewer before. My first time. Heh.

Man 2: Yeah? Well keep asking dumb questions and this'll be your last time.

The third Man continues hammering the walls. A cockroach then appears from the hole creating by the sledgehammer.

Man 3: Uh, Boss? I think there's an infestation down here.

Man 2: Who do I look like? The Exterminator? Just squash it and move on. We don't have all day.

The third Man then slams his sledgehammer into the sewer wall. It then gets stuck in the wall.

Man 3: It's stuck.

5 more cockroaches exit from the opening. Followed by ten more. Momentarily, a whole swarm starts leaking from the opening. The third man backs up as they start crawling onto the sledgehammer. The swarm then continues onto the Man's arms.

Man 3: Roaches!

The third Man lets go of the sledgehammer and starts wiping the Roaches off but they continue crawling over his body, until he falls over. The roaches then cover him completely. A figure then appears from the shadows behind the two men.

Figure: You will not take me!

The two men turn around and see the figure approaching them. His physical appearance is still unseen because of the shadows. He extends his arms out and various insects start crawling from the darkness, approaching them. The two men back away but bump into the other man who is still covered by cockroaches which start to leave his body and come towards the two men. The scene then shows the manhole opening as yelling is heard coming from it.

Title Sequence

The city is seen again as well as its buildings. Among the buildings seen is John's apartment. Inside, John is looking through papers in the living room when Drake exits from the kitchen.

Drake: There's nothing to eat.

John: Yeah there is now shush. I'm studying.

Drake: What are you "studying"?

John: The Nanogene Project files.

Drake: I thought you weren't supposed to look at those.

John: Well you asked.

Drake: I said I think I'm involved with the Nanogene Project. That's it.

John: Well that was good enough of an excuse. Plus, I think I'm mapping it all together now.

Drake: What does that mean?

John: It means I might have figured out what they were working on. Then we can see how you're involved with this.

Drake: Where did you even get those papers from?

John: I snuck it in your hoodie pocket when you left the room. By the way, we need to talk.

Drake: About what?

John: About your waredrobe aka the hoodie.

Drake: What's wrong with the hood?

John: Nothing. It's cool and all but it tears and it doesn't exactly keep your identity a secret. Plus, how does the hood stay on when you're jumping around all the time? Is it your hair or are you using some type of device or something?

Drake: I just put it on.

John: Okay well I should be just about done in about two hours.

Owens, over the communicator: Drake, come in.

Drake, using the communicator: Yeah?

Owens, over the communicator: We need you and John back at the Outpost. There's a Briefing in progress.

Drake, using the communicator: We'll be there.

Drake ends the transmission and looks at John who looks at Drake, exhusted.

John: Not even two seconds.

The scene cuts to the MCA Building. Inside, Drake and John are seen seated at the table with a few other MCA Officers. Owens is seen at the side of the main screen.

Owens: As some of you may know, there has been an attack somewhere downtown. Three Construction Workers were hired by the Mayor to adjust some pipes in the sewers. They never made it out. Police Officers have attempted to investigate the scene but they went missing as well. We are either dealing with a pyschopath or possibly a Mutant. Since there was no present danger to the city, we sent a group of four into the sewers to investigate the possibility of a Mutant threat. They went missing as well. However, their last message was this:

An MCA Officer at the side presses a button. On the screen, footage appears from a first-person viewpoint in which they are walking down the sewers. Cobwebs are seen on the walls.

Female Voice: We are now approaching a mass room located within the sewers. Matthews and Aylsia has scouted ahead. Matthews, report.

Static is heard.

Female Voice: Matthews, report.

MCA Officer, next to her: That doesn't sound good.

Female Voice: Aylsia, come in.

Static is heard again.

Yelling is heard from up ahead.

Female Voice: Come on. Move. Move.

They both run towards the dark room. The footage gets static-y and cuts to when they enter the room. The person looks to the left, upwards, and sees a cobweb with a person wrapped inside of it.

MCA Officer, unseen: Page, look out!

Page, the person who's perspective is seen, looks behind her as a big figure drops down on her, ceasing the footage. Some of the MCA Officers look unsettled including John.

Owens: As of now, this has become an MCA issue but it is still not a wide scale threat to the city. The plan is to contain the threat without alarm to the public. We'll send a five man team, Drake included.

Drake: I don't need a team.

Owens: That isn't a request. It's an order from the Director herself.

Drake: John's coming with me.

John: I am?

Owens: I already prepicked a team.

Drake: Your team isn't an order.

Owens: You're taking Ralter, Walker and Henson.

Drake: Who?

The scene cuts to the Jumpjet flying over the city. Inside, Drake and John are seated with three MCA Officers. They sit there in silence.

John, attempting to break the silence: So um- what exactly are we dealing with?

MCA Officer: A possibly Class-2.

John: Yeah but is there anything we already know based on the footage?

MCA Officer 2: Not really.

John: Oh well thanks, uh- Henson, right?

MCA Officer 3: I'm Henson.

John: So who's Walker?

MCA Officer 2: Me.

John, to the first Officer: So you're Ralter?

Ralter: No I'm Owens in disguise. Of course I'm Ralter.

John: It would probably be easier if you lost the helmets.

Walker: Makes sense.

Walker then takes off their helmet revealing a female face. She has black hair and brown eyes. Her hair is styled as a ponytail.

Walker: Better?

John: Uh yeah. Sorry I didn't know you were a girl.

Ralter: What's the matter? Never got a high school sweetheart, kid?

Walker: Leave him alone, Jack.

Henson then removes his helmet. He's male. His hair is blonde and his eyes are brown.

Henson: You know I never liked these helmets. They make my face all sweaty.

Jack: Real rich coming from the beast.

Walker: It's a stupid nickname.

Henson, to Ralter: You know that just because we're on a squad with him doesn't mean he's your friend, right?

Jack: Yeah I know.

Henson: So he can still rip your arms off.

Drake: Why would I rip his arms off?

Henson: Because you're the beast. I mean- MCA's Secret Weapon. You rip the arms off of everyone, right?

John: Wait. Wait. Wait. Are you telling me that you've been working together with Drake for years and you both know nothing about each other?

Henson: Nope.

Walker: Not really.

Jack: Nah.

Drake: I just don't care.

Jack: Lot of people don't. They think that just because we all dress the same. That we work for the people. That we aren't people. They should be able to see who we really are. Our faces and stuff.

Drake: You're still wearing your helmet.

Jack: You want me to take my armor off too?

All except Jack: NO!

Jack: It was a retorical question. Fine. I'll take my helmet off.

Ralter then takes his helmet off. His face is male, his hair is black, sharp and short, and his eyes are brown.

Jack: See? My face. It's real. Look at it. I'm ready for bonding now.

The Jumpjet then lands.

Drake: We landed.

Walker: Guess your bonding time is over.

Henson: I'm Paul.

Jack: She said bonding time was over, sunshine.

Ralter grabs his helmet, gets up and exits the Jumpjet.

John: I think we found you a friend, Drake.

Drake: I don't like him.

John: He'll grow on you.

Drake: Like a plant?

John slowly turns his head and faces Drake.

John: No. It's a metaphor... Y'know what. Forget it. (gets up) Let's just get this over with so I can go back to my lab.

John exits the Jumpjet. Walker is about to exit the Jumpjet but stops at the doorway and turns to look at Drake, still sitting there.

Walker: You're not really a beast, are you?

Drake: What?

Walker: You're misunderstood. You just want someone to talk to.

Drake: (exhales) Right now- (gets up) (approaches Walker) I just want to punch something.

Drake then puts his hood up as he exits the Jumpjet, followed by Walker. Outside of the Jumpjet, is the manhole. The whole street is blocked with signs and MCA Officers as some citizens are attempting to get a better view. Ralter, with his helmet back on, is already going down the manhole.

Walker: Are you insane? It could have been right there at the bottom.

Jack: Yeah? Well at least you'll know when you heard my manly yells.

Henson: More like baby screams.

Jack: What was that?

Henson: Nothing.

Ralter then makes it to the bottom. He sees a skeleton at his feet.

Jack: I got something.

John, unseen: Is it- Is it safe down there?

Jack: Yeah.

Walker then makes her way down, with her helmet back on.

Walker: Oh boy.

Jack: Yep.

Walker: It's a body. Sort of.

Paul, unseen: Ah man. I hate it when there are bodies.

Drake then jumps down the manhole, without using the ladder.

Jack: You startled me!

Walker: Wuss.

Drake: Who was he?

Walker: Probably one of the Construction Workers. There's no way he became a skeleton already, it's only been a few hours.

Jack: Unless this Mutant takes people's skins.

Walker: Gross.

Jack: I'm thinking outside the box. These freaks can do whatever they want and we gotta put them down. (notices Drake) No offense.

John then makes his way down using the ladder followed by Henson.

Paul: Harrison just left.

Jack: Who the heck is Harrison?

Paul: The-The Pilot. Of the Jumpjet.

Walker: I thought it was Owens.

John: You guys need to get some office parties for mingling.

John then sees the skeleton.

John: Oh...

Jack: Yep. He's dead, John.

John: There are some specs of flesh on his bones. You can barely see it.

John reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his Nanogene Analyzer.

Drake: Doesn't that scan only Nanogenes?

John: Yeah but it can also magnify.

John places the analyzer in his ear and presses its side. A holographic screen comes up and covers his eye. Through the Analyzer's perspective, the screen zooms in on the skeleton's skull in which pieces of flesh are still see. The zoom now shows an enhanced piece of the flesh which shows tiny bite marks. The scene now shows John again.

John: Bite marks.

Walker: What?

John: There are bite marks on the flesh pieces. So something small must have ate the- um- the skin... off.

Jack: We both saw the footage. Unless that thing can shrink-

John: I'm not saying it was the Mutant. It was probably an insect.

Paul: Insects eat flesh?

John: Some of them. Dermestidae eat flesh.

Jack: Sounds like something I'd get from China Town.

John: It's a beetle, I think. I didn't really study much with insects. I only bought a book about them because there was this girl in my Biology class, she was trying to be class president or something, who had a thing for bees. I think her name was Karen or maybe it was Sasha.

Jack: Anyways, we should get going. It's probably way ahead of us right now.

Drake: Let's go then.

Jack: I'm leading the team.

Walker: I'd sit this one out, Ralter. He wants to punch someone.

Jack: Alright you win this time but-

Drake is already walking down the sewers.

Jack: Hmph.

The scene cuts to another shot of the sewers. A spider is seen crawling on a pipe above as the squad walk by.

John: How much further until we get to where the footage stopped?

Henson: Not far, I think.

Walker: It's getting darker.

John: Cobwebs are covering the lights.

Jack: My light is busted.

Drake then forms his swimming form and his headlight activates, lighting the area up ahead brightly.

Jack: Show off.

They then enter the room in which the transmission ended. In the room, there are some cobwebs in the corners of the room which contain cocoons.

Henson, moving his flashlight around: Creepy...

Drake: Is it here?

Jack: Pretty sure we would have been ambushed already.

Walker, pointing flashlight at the cocoon: Is there something in there? Anyone got a knife?

Drake: I do. Cover me.

Jack: What are you talking about?

Drake deactivates his swimming form and holds out his hands.

Characters

 * Drake
 * John
 * Agent Owens
 * MCA Officers
 * Page (First Appearance)
 * Kurth (First Appearance)
 * Matthews (First Appearance) (Deceased)
 * Alysia (First Appearance) (Deceased)
 * Jack Ralter (First Appearance)
 * Skye Walker (First Appearance)
 * Paul Henson (First Appearance) (Deceased)
 * Construction Workers (Deceased)
 * Citizens

Villains

 * Clarence Larvan (First Appearance)

Forms Used

 * Fire Fists (x
 * Crystal Claws
 * Smart Swim (x1

Allusions

 * Ralter is the surname of Star Wars character, Dak Ralter.
 * In fact, his name was originally going to be John if there wasn't a character already named John there.
 * Skye Walker is a reference to the character Luke Skywalker.
 * When Ralter says "He's dead, John", it's a reference to Star Trek when Dr. McCoy or Bones would often say "He's Dead, Jim."

Trivia

 * This is the first episode of the series to dive into the perspective of a MCA Officer.
 * This is the first episode, in any series, in which the writer used a style similar to found footage despite the fact that the episode wasn't written in the form of found footage.
 * The title of the episode was taken from the title of a Doctor Who Book with the same title.
 * Originally, the plot of the episode was that Drake and John would investigate the strange appearance of insects in a construction site and discover a hidden underground area which was populated by Larvan, who was unnamed at that time of production. The two would attempt to convince the Mutant to come to the MCA for help but Larvan refuses beliving that all Humans are evil. He then plans on destroying the city by accessing the reactor.
 * The line that Ralter was going to say to John in the Jumpjet was "No I'm Jack from Farmland." it being a reference to Jake from Statefarm.
 * The name Jack was, however, used as his first name.
 * Larvan's first name was originally going to be Nick.
 * According to John, he took a former interest in insects because of a girl in his Biology Class named either Karen or Sasha.