PREFACE

First it was Ebola that ravaged the world. It spread swiftly through every nation. They said not to panic, but that was before the disease mutated and became harder to cure, taking the lives of more than 15% of the entire human race before it was contained. And then came Lepto.

Lepto (short for Leptospirosis) was the new threat. In its robust form, it affected cattle and other livestock used in the production of meat - our food. Fearing another disaster, scientists worked to develop preventative measures, and in their desperation, they discovered alternatives that required some tampering with God's efforts. The end result was a less appetizing solution - bacteria eating worms that would be injected into all livestock.

Of course, this so-called "cure" would need to be harvested - a hybrid of various parasitic worms with specialized adaptations and talents. The derivative, as they called it, would be a worm that would exhibit a certain portion of its progenitors. Instinct would handle the rest; at least that was the plan.