Epic: Book 03 - Hero (26 page)

Scott refused to hold ignorance against the captain. Not for something like this. Scott’s first bug-hunt had been nothing remotely like Academy training. In training, you knew you would live. If you flunked out, that was as bad as it got. You wouldn’t be eaten alive.

“
I will take lead.”

Scott raised an eyebrow in surprise. The captain’s courage was unexpected; Scott was impressed.

Clarke readied his E-35. Several of the other operatives—David, Derrick, Nicolai, and Auric—sported combat shotguns instead. Giving his assault rifle a quick check, Clarke said, “We move as follows. Jurgen behind me. Followed by Strakhov and Cole. We will clear the initial chamber, or corridor, or whatever we’re faced with.”

There’d be no map for this one, something that happened more than Scott liked to think about. There was a running joke among civilians that if someone claimed to be lost, they must be from EDEN. It wasn’t EDEN’s fault—it was the result of a war of global dimensions. Consistently accurate mapping was needed, yet impossible when a summons to anywhere on the planet could come at any time. Corporations were always redesigning their buildings. Some buildings were torn down completely. New roads were built; old roads were renamed and redirected. With near-exponential corporate growth, schematics regularly became obsolete. Especially for a heap like Chernobyl. New parts fell apart every year.

“
tcvs on,” the captain continued, engaging his own. “There will be nothing resembling power of any kind.” He looked back at Scott. “Was your first bug-hunt in total darkness, too?”

Scott silently nodded.

Without another word, Clarke stepped through the entranceway with David, Oleg, and Derrick following behind him. Scott waited until Esther was back with them before leading her, Boris, and the other Nightmen inside.

15

Monday, November 14
^th
, 0011 NE

1452 hours

At the same time

Svetlana stepped into the ship, cradling the adolescent pup in her arms. She knelt by the cabin and placed the dog down. “Travis will take good care of little Flopper.”

“
Flopper?”

She gave him a flat look and said, “Just watch the dog.” She turned to leave.

The dog watched as Svetlana walked away, standing up briefly as if to follow. After taking two steps in her wake, it stopped and simply stood still, its eyes following her every move.

Travis got out of his seat. “Hey, Flopper.” Crouching beside the animal, he scratched the top of its head. Without warning, the young dog jumped forward, arched its head, and let out a howl.

“
Whoa, whoa, hey there…” Travis said quietly, rubbing the dog’s back. “It’s all right.” He leaned into the cockpit and closed the bay door. The dog howled until the
Pariah
was sealed.

“
Corridor clear,” Clarke said over the comm.

Scott took a position in front of his team of operatives. Staring into the darkness, he engaged his tcv for the first time. The passage came into view.

It wasn’t a natural corridor. By its appearance, it had once been a room or perhaps even a front lobby. It was impossible to be certain; the walls had all but completely crumbled. Debris, some of it twisted and half melted, stretched across the ceiling and floor. Age had taken over.
If I were a necrilid, I’d choose this place, too
, he thought.
If for no other reason, to make people too afraid to come after me.

Everything reeked of oldness. Ancient, scarred walls framed rotten tiled floors. Disconnected cables and fixtures dangled from the ceiling. With every breath he took, musty dust particles were sucked into his helmet.

“
Radiation level, still zero,” said Boris.

The technician stayed close behind Scott. Esther had crept behind him, too, and he heard her inhale sharply. “Disgusting filth,” she muttered to herself.

Paying special mind to Clarke’s team ahead, Scott examined every corner, even the ceiling. It was almost impossible to walk stealthily. With every step, the floor creaked and snapped. At least the temperature was low. He didn’t know if that would have a sluggish effect on the creatures, but anything remotely advantageous would be welcome.

Behind Scott, the other operatives filed in. Boris fell back to the rear with Svetlana upon her return. Ahead, Clarke, Oleg, and Derrick waited; the three of them had taken positions outside of another doorway directly in front of them. The door had long ago been blasted open, and the large metal frame lay on the floor. Scott continued creeping forward, sensing the walls all around him. He felt almost claustrophobic.

Clarke moved through the door, with his three teammates following. Esther stayed close to Scott, gripping her pistol firmly.

“
Commander Dostoevsky,” said Scott, stopping and turning, “you and Auric take the rear. Nicolai and Viktor, behind me. I want Sveta and Boris in the middle.” Everyone followed orders. Scott passed through the torn metal doorway—the one Clarke had passed through moments before. When the next room came into view, it was more of the same—damaged ceilings, walls, and floors.

Once again, Clarke and company were stationed ahead of Scott’s team, again at both sides of an open metal door—this one intact. When the captain pulled at the door, a piercing screech hit the air.

“
Boris,” Clarke said, “oil this door.”

“
Yes, captain.”

Through all the tension, Scott nearly laughed.
Oil the door, Boris.
Of every operative in the unit, no one was as misunderstood and underappreciated as Boris Evteev. He was as able a technician as Max, minus the cockiness. He worked the
Pariah
‘s cannon, which was actually Travis’s job. In the rare event that a weapon actually broke, he was usually able to repair it. But even in the midst of a task as intimidating and monumental as Chernobyl, he still managed to come across as unassuming. And to receive the singular job of oiling the doors.

Moments later, Boris returned and took his place next to Svetlana again. Ahead, Clarke opened the door without sound.

“
Nice work, Evteev,” Scott said, smirking on the inside.
Way to be useful.

“
Thank you, lieutenant.”

The building was quiet. The door to the outside world was still relatively close, but soon that would change.

“
Next room is identical,” Clarke informed them. “Moving forward.”

That made three rooms, each patterned the same as the one before it, and each reduced to ancient ruin.

“
Halt.” They all froze. “We’ve got something,” Clarke said through his comm. “Stairwell in the third room, along the left-hand wall. The west wall. Leading down.”

Scott knew what the captain’s next words would be.

“
Brooking, scout the sub level.”

Esther breathed steadily as she made her way slowly through the second metal door, into the third corridor with Clarke. Scott wondered if she’d ever trained for something like this. Surely she must have, but he could see she was afraid.

Clarke wasn’t being a coward, he was using what he had. It made no sense to send half the team down if the sub room was just that—a single room. That would be a waste of both energy and time.

Scott looked back at the outer door. It looked a lot farther away.

“
We’re continuing forwards,” Clarke said over the comm. “Remington, assume our previous position by the stairwell. Wait for Brooking’s report, then use your judgment.”

“
Yes sir.” Scott couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in Stockholm and Copenhagen. He wondered if the cities were being defended. He wondered if EDEN was winning and wished he could see for himself.

He realized he’d allowed his mind to wander. The battles in Europe might have been important, but here, they were nothing but distractions. Distractions on bug-hunts could kill.

He turned on his ExTracker, but no dots appeared on the grid. It hadn’t worked perfectly in Krasnoyarsk, but he was willing to give it another chance.
Esther isn’t an officer, but she could use one of these. She’d know how to handle it responsibly.
It was a crime that it wasn’t already standard scout equipment. But most rules were written by people who’d never fought.

Scott and Nicolai arrived at the top of the stairwell, where Scott looked down for the first time. It descended only one floor, where it leveled off and continued straight west. Esther was nowhere to be seen.

As if on cue, the scout’s voice emerged. It quivered slightly. “There’s serious damage to the corridor, from the walls and ceiling. There are a lot of openings. It continues about thirty meters, branching off in numerous directions. No signs of life.” Her breathing grew heavy.

She was going too far. She needed to stop. “Esther, hold,” Scott said, turning to the others. “Commander, take Auric and Svetlana to Brooking’s position. Start a methodical sweep of the lower level.” Dostoevsky and Auric were competent warriors; Svetlana and Esther would be safe with them.

He watched until all three of them had arrived at the bottom of the stairwell. Then they were gone. Nicolai, Viktor, and Boris remained behind Scott. “Romanov take rear. Ryvkin, you’re behind me. Boris, stay in the middle.”

They affirmed and the foursome moved on.

Clarke was not far ahead of them. The captain had apparently waited for Scott and his group before moving ahead any farther. As soon as Scott reached him, he realized why—the pathway was about to divide once again. One route was ahead of them, to climb a single rusty ladder through a hole in the ceiling. Beside them now was an open corridor leading west.

“
Lieutenant,” Clarke said, “please lead your team up the ladder to the next floor and investigate. We’ll remain on this floor, following this corridor west.”

Scott was surprised. As perilous as scaling the ladder would be, this level seemed more dangerous. The ladder and the porthole above it were clean, and no holes had been torn in the ceiling. A greater chance of necrilid presence existed where Clarke was going. Scott wondered if that was intentional on the captain’s part or if it was an oversight.

David, Oleg, and Derrick would be with the captain. David and Oleg were capable, but it was time to find out where Derrick stood. He was sure the southerner had never done this before. Demolitionist units didn’t get bug-hunts.

Placing his hands on the ladder, Scott tested its strength. It seemed secure, though it moved slightly as he put weight on it.
Just don’t fall apart.
Placing his hand on the rim above, he began to hoist himself up.

He wondered for a moment if this was how Becan had felt, slowly crawling through a hole in the ceiling in the Arkansas high school. There was a certain rush about it, but Scott wasn’t afraid.

With only his head sticking through the hole, he looked around. The next level was a large, open room containing dozens of ancient computer consoles, each covered in dust. He looked in every direction. The north, south, and east walls were solid, but the west wall had two branching corridors.
Everything leads west, on every level.
Each corridor appeared to lead into the complex.
Two teams of two. One of them has to have Boris. I’ll take him with me.
He didn’t trust the slayers with Boris’s life. He gripped the ladder tighter and prepared to climb all the way through.

Movement! Still propped on the ladder, Scott thought he saw a sudden motion in the room.
What was that?
From the corner of his eye, he perceived something dark, blurry, flitting across his peripherals. But when he turned, nothing was there.

The atmosphere turned thick. His mind rationalized what he saw.
If that were real, I’d have heard something. Claws on the floor. Breathing. Something. This is just paranoia.
Necrilids had retractable claws—they could move in almost total silence. Nonetheless, bounding across a room would surely make noise. Now he understood the Irishman’s fear. It was so real he could taste it.
Lilan had Becan doing this on just his second mission. That colonel had ice water for blood.
Scott slowly flexed his forearms and pulled up the rest of the way. Nothing else moved.

Dostoevsky, Auric, and Svetlana finally reached Esther. She was standing motionless meters before an intersecting corridor that ran north and south. With rigid compliance, she’d followed Scott’s order to stop.

“
Brooking, get behind me,” said Dostoevsky. “Sveta, behind me as well. Broll, take the rear.” The commander warily eyed the intersection. “Everyone, hold.” Assault rifle at the ready, he crept cautiously first to the corners, then to the middle of the intersection. He looked around and said, “Intersection clear.”

Esther and Svetlana approached. Auric stepped backward, watching the rear.

Dostoevsky crouched in the intersection. “Four directions,” he said. “Broll, remain here. Make sure nothing comes back this way. I will take Voronova and Brooking with me down the south corridor. We will see where it goes.”

Auric joined him in the intersection, knelt down, and readied his shotgun.

Dostoevsky didn’t wait. He was already stalking down the south corridor, as Svetlana and Esther followed behind.

“
Commander,” Esther whispered, “I can go another route. I can go north, the other way.”