"Are you all the only ones down here?" Micheal inquired, skillfully sidestepping the questions and alleviating the uncomfortable tension.
"Pardon me, I apologize. Allow me to reintroduce myself: I am Greg, and this is my wife, Doctor Anna." It was only upon hearing Micheal's question that Greg recalled they had not adequately introduced themselves.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Greg and Anna. I'm Micheal, and these are my teammates: Henry, Racheal, Hei, Yoshi, and Bai." Micheal nodded respectfully as he introduced himself and his team.
"Nice to meet you all," Anna replied with a warm smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet everyone. I take it you are the captain, correct?" Greg also nodded toward the group before turning back to Michael, who nodded in response.
"That's correct, I'm the captain. Although we just met, we need to skip the introductions. We've only been assigned here for five days, and after that, a nuclear option will be necessary to prevent any spread. We've already spent nearly two days here, so you and your wife must evacuate the base. We're heading to the research center, where we'll gather all the information we require." Micheal responded, notifying Greg and his wife of the impending threat in the coming days, ensuring to emphasize the urgency in his message.
"If you're heading to the base, then we'll go with you," Anna replied with determination.
"That is not an option. We are here to save survivors, not endanger them," Henry asserted firmly as he stepped forward.
"How do you plan to navigate this place? We have a better understanding of the terrain than you do. Additionally, Anna was a scientist at the base, so she can guide you there with ease. Consider this: there are Scrapers nearby, and you need our help." Greg smiled and responded, distinctly pointing out the specific issues that the group was encountering.
"Well, Mike, the choice is entirely up to you" Bai turned to Michael and spoke to a deliberating Michael.
Micheal knew that Greg was correct; they had already lost their only known route to the base and were uncertain about navigating the sewers. However, with the assistance of the duo, everything would become more manageable. The only issue now was the risk they were exposing themselves to; it was already perilous enough for the group alone, and adding these two into the mix only heightened the level of difficulty.
"Given that they have chosen to join us, they are aware of the associated risks, they are capable of safeguarding themselves, and he is correct; we require their assistance, so..." Micheal let out a sigh, prompting the duo to brighten with excitement as they eagerly awaited his next words.
"Welcome to the team," Michael said, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Thank you for the invitation! Let's get going; I look forward to sharing my experiences with you along the way." Greg took Micheal's hand with a smile, his face radiating joy, and then signaled for them to proceed, much to the delight of the group.
*********************************************
"Following the events at the control center, what was your next destination?" Micheal inquired as they made their way through the sewers.
"After leaving, I headed straight home. Fortunately, my wife was on her day off and wasn't at the base. We quickly gathered supplies, fully aware that what was approaching was beyond anyone's expectations. We remained concealed in our home, listening to the piercing screams of terror and anguish that echoed vividly around us. This persisted for several hours until the base soldiers surged into the streets, eliminating anyone in their path, whether infected or uninfected, as they ruthlessly swept through, decimating the crowds. We believed it was finished until we witnessed the corpses rise, and that was when the Brain eaters appeared. They resembled a smaller version of an octopus, clamping onto anyone in sight. The soldiers were powerless against the combined forces of these two. From that moment on..." Greg shared his experience, and the emotions in his voice were unmistakable—the pain and sadness of witnessing friends perish before his eyes and the destruction of his home. The team could empathize, as each had faced at least one of these harrowing situations.
"It was a complete bloodbath; no one was spared. The speed at which the infection spread was unprecedented. In just one day, 50% of the base's population had transformed into those creatures. Most of us survivors were instructed to retreat into the sewers, with promises of food, shelter, and protection, but it was all a deception. The unfortunate ones encountered Scrapers, while the fortunate ones faced the Reapers. Nowhere was safe; it was a relentless massacre wherever we turned." Anna continued from where her husband had paused, sharing facts that caused the group to exchange shocked glances. After reaching a certain point, she paused and gestured for her husband to take over.
"The survivors once united in resistance, but it proved futile against the Scrapers, who could dismantle a human in an instant. Those of us with abilities had to come together to hold off just one Scraper long enough for the others to flee. Anna and I were once part of a survivor group, but we chose to leave, recognizing the safety in solitude. The Scrapers always seemed to sense where large groups of survivors gathered; I can't tell if it's a kind of ability they possess, but it certainly makes them more perilous. Additionally, there was the looming threat of escaped inmates who slaughtered most of the survivors, assaulted the women, and then killed them. My sister was one of their victims..." Greg pressed on, but as he reached the end, his voice faltered with anguish, leaving him unable to continue. Observing this, his wife took his hand and gently rubbed his back in an effort to soothe him.
"I'm truly sorry to hear about your sister. These past few days must have been incredibly difficult for you all. I can only imagine the challenges you've faced." Micheal stepped forward and spoke, his eyes shimmering with empathy. He could grasp the emotions that the duo were enduring; it was not simple to have the world you once knew collapse so swiftly. Friends gone, families lost—this was enough to fracture anyone's mind. The team had all experienced this at least once; when it all happened, they had lost people they loved, so
they understood what it felt like to go through that again.
"If we leave this place, there is no life for us anywhere. So if we can help you get to the bottom of this, even if we die trying, we know that our families that we've lost will be avenged," Greg remarked, exchanging a sad smile with his wife, who wore a similar expression. Though he tried to hold back his tears, it was clear that he was deeply pained.
'That's why they insisted on tagging along; they intend to meet their end here.' Micheal reflected with a heavy heart, aware that their decision was final and that his words would hold no sway. Nevertheless, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to ensure they departed this base safely.
"Aha, we're finally here, the service tunnel," Anna suddenly exclaimed, pulling the team from their thoughts. They had reached a point where, to the left, an elevated platform awaited them. This was the service tunnel they had been hoping to find; they had finally arrived.
"Ahh, at last, I can escape this foul goo," Bai exclaimed as he swiftly ascended onto the platform, feeling a wave of relief wash over him now that they were free from the unpleasant sewage.
"Hmmm, there must be some vehicles somewhere around here; we just need to find them," Greg remarked, examining the surroundings with curiosity. The platform opened up to a vast area that mirrored the grim scene they had encountered repeatedly: a floor and walls stained with blood, and organs scattered across the gruesome ground.
"Is this a tongue?" Bai asked as he stepped on something and leaned closer to discover that it was a piece of someone's tongue. He quickly backed off in disgust; he could never get used to this sight.
"Stay quiet, Bai. We don't know what threats might be lurking around these corners. We need to spread out to cover more ground. Hei and Racheal, you take the west wing. Anna and Greg, head to the east wing. Henry and I will cover the north wing, while Bai and Yoshi take the south wing. Remember to stay quiet and keep your eyes peeled. If you see an enemy, report immediately and do not engage. If engagement is necessary, switch to silenced weapons. We can't risk getting ambushed again from both sides. Search for clues that could lead us to something. Our main objective is to locate the vehicles, that's all. Spread out." Micheal provided clear instructions to the entire team, who acknowledged their understanding before dispersing to their designated positions.
"Come on, Robocop, let's go" Bai said to Yoshi, who sighed in disbelief before heading to the south wing. As they progressed, the sound of liquid dripping caught their attention, emanating from a specific room adjacent to them, prompting a series of serious glances between them.
"Let's check it out, cover my six" Yoshi whispered
to Bai, who nodded and trailed behind, cautiously scanning his left and right to avoid an ambush. They slowly inched closer to the door to see what was making that sound.
"Switch to silenced, on my count: 3, 2...1.." Yoshi whispered to Bai as they reached the door, gripping the handle tightly while Bai held his gun at the ready, prepared to fire if necessary. As Yoshi completed the countdown, he opened the door, and Bai swiftly stepped inside.
"Urrrg, dammit." He quickly stepped out in disgust, clutching his stomach as if he was about to vomit. Yoshi stepped in to see what was wrong, and even he had to squeeze his face in disgust. Strapped to the ceiling was the disfigured body of a man, his guts spread out in front of him. Blood continuously dripped from his intestines onto the ground, forming a small puddle. The man's face was devoid of all skin, revealing only the pale skull, and his arms had been removed. It was truly a sorry sight.
Yoshi whispered, "Rest in peace," before shutting the door.
"Are you alright?" Yoshi inquired upon witnessing Bai's dishevelled condition; it appeared that this situation had profoundly unsettled him.
"Do I appear alright?" Bai shot a glare before swiftly covering his mouth, fighting against the urge to vomit that threatened to escape.
"Tsk. I'm going to check out that end. When your
sorry ass is done doing whatever you're doing, check out that corner," Yoshi said to Bai, who had reached his tipping point and bent over to pour out the contents of his stomach. Yoshi shook his head with a sigh before walking away.
"No... wait up, we shouldn't separate," Bai said weakly after a few seconds, but Yoshi had already vanished.
"Freaking buckethead, leaving me by myself, this is how characters die in horror movies," Bai remarked with a snort. He wiped his mouth and picked up his gun to go observe the place Yoshi had mentioned. As he walked, absent-mindedly thinking of new insults to use against Yoshi, his ears failed to catch the distinct growling sound originating from where he was heading. It was only after he arrived that he realized what was happening.
"Yes, I will call him metal face...." After rounding the corner, Bai froze, the smile on his face dissolving faster than sugar in water.
The excitement he felt faded away as he stared, immobilized, at the sight before him. There were hundreds of Reapers with their backs to him, walking aimlessly and occasionally bumping into each other. He wanted to move, but his legs refused to obey. That was when he caught sight of the mangled body hanging from the ceiling. Immediately, his stomach acted up once again, and he felt a new wave of vomit rise through his oesophagus, threatening to erupt like a volcano from his
mouth. Yet, he couldn't find the strength to move.
Just as it appeared the vomit was on the verge of escaping, a hand clamped over his mouth, forcing it back down his throat, while another strong hand seized his arm and yanked him away from the sight of the Reapers. They turned as if sensing something, but all they encountered was emptiness.
Behind the wall, Bai looked up to find Micheal gazing at him, accompanied by the others. This left him pondering their sudden appearance. He then saw Michael raise a finger to his lips, signaling him to remain silent. He cautiously peeked over to where the Reapers were wandering about. With a sigh, he pulled himself back and turned to face the squad.
"Would you like to hear the good news or the bad news first?" Micheal whispered to the team, who groaned, knowing that bad news was always worse than the good.
"Good and then bad, we have heard enough bad for a change, let's hear the good first," Hei said, giving his brother a reassuring pat on the back as he released a round of vomit onto the ground.
"The good news is that I located the vehicles; however, the bad news is that we must navigate through a swarm of Reapers to retrieve them." Micheal delivered the news with a heavy sigh; things never seemed to unfold as they had hoped.