A/N: I just want to say a few things first. This fic will begin a few months before the event of 2033, so no Artyom for however many chapters it takes before I get to that part, but he will be in it and quite a bit. Since the story is centered around my OC Riley, I just want to point out that she is American and not Russian 'cause I am not a Russian and I didn't want to mess/get things wrong. I should also mention that the first quarter of the fic will be about Riley and her family, but you will get some of the other Metro characters as well before Ulman shows up. This is also my first Metro fic so I would love to hear any and all feedback on this. I hope you enjoy!
The darkness of the metro was never the worst part about scouting, it was the silence, the silence that made one feel uneasy. Knowing there's something in the darkness following, stalking you, waiting for the right moment to strike. And when they do, it's quick, too quick, you turn around and they've already disappeared back into their hole. Fucking lurkers.
Lurkers were small and fast, if alone they do no harm, but a pack of them could be your worst nightmare...or your end if not careful.
Riley sighed through her nose as she watched the single lurker run off with a screech. Her father tasked her, Charlie, Echo and Delta with a small reconnaissance mission, to see if she can figure out where the hordes of Nosalises were coming from.
This was the fifth time in three days that Volokolamskaya, her home station was attacked. They were losing soldiers faster than they could train and if the soldier's die, then the station would be left defenseless and they couldn't, no they wouldn't allow that.
She sighed again, fiddling with the shambler in her hands. So far she's found nothing, just the same old run down metro she's come to know. She looked around her, spotting Charlie, Echo and Delta sitting, watching not far from her, on alert like they always are. Riley walked over to Delta, running her fingers through her gray fur.
Delta whipped her head towards her, giving her a few blinks before going back to watching.
"Well I can't find a damn thing, whatcha say we head home now?"
Almost simultaneously they all went on their hind legs and began baying, the howls echoing off the walls of the metro. They all turned around, Charlie and Echo running ahead to take the lead while Delta stayed close to Riley.
She felt bad going back with bad news, telling her father and the other leaders of her station that she found nothing. If they can't find any reason why the Nosalises were flocking their way towards their metro, they would need to flea and where would they go? It was far too dangerous to pack up and leave, especially with kids in their care. The metro didn't just house Nosalises, but Reds, Nazis, Communists and Bandits as well, if caught by one of them, you're either dead or worse.
Her brainstorming was interrupted when she heard the sound of glass breaking. She raised her gun, slowly walking towards where the sound came from. Neither Delta, Charlie or Echo were baying so it couldn't be anything truly dangerous.
"Hello Charlie and Echo."
Riley scoffed and lowered her weapon. "Dammit Hunter you startled me." She walked over to him while he pet Charlie's gray-ish, black fur. "I didn't even know you were going to be here."
He stopped petting Charlie, moving his attention over to her. "I stopped by to talk with your father, he told me about the Nosalises attacks you've been having. When he told me you were out here, I decided to come and help."
"I appreciate that." She sighed, looking around her surroundings. "Nothing makes sense. Why are they attacking so damn often? It's like…..they're running away from something."
"Do you really believe that Riley?" He took a seat on a piece of debris that was close by, resting his VSV on his lap. "Or is your brain making you think this?"
She took a seat on the debris next to him, resting her shambler against the wall of the metro. Charlie, Delta and Echo took point, sitting in front of them both in a half circle, eyes on each part of the metro, making sure no enemies harm them.
"They never attacked this much, this frequently. There has to be some explanation on why?" She sighed, scrubbing a hand down her face. "I just hope we find out before it's too late."
Hunter looked to her, glancing down to the chain that held the custom made bullet. A small sigh left his lips, then he was left with the sadness he's been trying so hard to push aside.
"I see you're wearing it."
Riley took the bullet into her hand, putting it up to her lips and gently kissed it. "I always wear it. It makes it feel like she's here."
She watched him move the collar of his shirt, pulling one of the chains to reveal the bullet, identical to hers. She gave him a small smile, knowing he wouldn't return it.
"I do as well." He put it back under his shirt and sighed once again. "I know we've been civil Riley, ever since that day. But there's a lot you don't know and should've known."
"What is it?"
Hunter took a deep breath, she's never seen him so nervous before. She's always seen him as the consummate Ranger, the best the Order had to offer.
"I had a lot of mix emotions when you told me you were pregnant, most of it anger. Not at you but myself. How could I, a Ranger of the Order raise a child with a woman who doesn't even live in the same station as I do? I should've just asked you to live in Polis with me, you would've had everything you needed for our daughter and yourself. I didn't and looked what happened."
"Hunter that wasn't your fault, none of it was your fault. She got sick and we all knew the chances once that happened, especially for infants." Riley took the bullet in her hands again. "There's not a day that goes by where I don't wish she had survived, but at the same time maybe it's better that she's gone, so she won't have to live in the cruel world."
Riley let go of the bullet, she tried clearing her mind of those long strenuous days, not wanting to think back on holding her seven month old daughter, Alyona dying in her arms. Instead she wanted to keep the happier times, the times where she saw her smiling or giggling when her father would play with her when he came to visit.
Once Alyona started coughing, Riley kept a close eyes on her. Then the fever struck and she had difficulty breathing. The doctors did everything they could, in the end Alyona took her last breath in the arms of her mama and papa.
A lot changed after that, her and Hunter relationship turned distant, only saying a few words to each other before they went on their merry way. Riley can still remember those days where she was ecstatic to see Hunter at the gates, wanting to hear all the stories he had to tell of his missions before he came to Volokolamskaya to stay while he did reconnaissance on the surface. Occasionally she would accompany him, bringing Charlie, Echo and Delta with them.
Being on the surface with someone like Hunter was exhilarating, seeing him in action, how effortlessly he could take out the mutants of the surface. He taught her a lot as well, how to set traps, to keep your eyes and ears opened at all times and his motto, 'if it's hostile, you kill it'.
All it took was one near death experience with a Demon for them to wind up in Riley's bed together.
"I wish she was here." He glanced over at her, eyes locking together. "I couldn't wait until she was old enough to fight, to become just like her mama and papa."
Riley chuckled. "Hunter I miss her too, but don't make her grow up too fast, I was looking forward to the childhood years. The years before we stick a gun in her hand."
"Yeah. Ready to head back?"
She grabbed her shambler and stood up. "Yeah."
Hunter grabbed his VSV and stood up as well. Delta, Charlie and Echo ran ahead, not too far so Riley and Hunter had them in their sights still. The walk back was quiet, the only thing to be heard was the pitter patter of their feet on the metro floor. She hated the awkwardness between them now, the small talk when they use to be able to talk about anything and everything.
"What was the real reason you came out here Hunter? We hardly talk since the death of our daughter and all of a sudden you want things to change?"
He sighed, stopping in his tracks and turned to her. "I'm not a man to give apologies, most of the time I don't even know how, but you deserve one. I never meant to treat you that way, to push you away during my mourning. How I disappeared after your father gave me the bullet that had some of Alyona's ashes in it. I'm sorry Riley."
"Thank you." She wiped the few tears from her eyes and smiled. "I always felt it was my fault I pushed you away, maybe if I never got pregnant things would be different."
Before Hunter could speak they heard Charlie, Echo and Delta baying in the distance. They automatically raised their weapons, just in time to hear the all to familiar screech of a Nosaslis reverberating on the metro walls.
"I've got your back, go."
Riley nodded and ran over to where Delta and the rest were. They were already in mid fight with a small horde. She spotted one crawling on the wall, bring her gun up she fired two shots, directly into the Nosaslises head, watching it fall to the ground with a thunk.
She saw more coming in the distance, she sighed, putting her shambler aside and going for her Kalash. She began firing, hoping to get the four winged ones before they got too close and used their sonic blasts. Charlie, Delta and Echo were easily taking care of the other Nosalises on the ground.
The sound of VSV gunfire was heard coming up behind her while she reloaded her gun, then saw Hunter right beside her. She couldn't help but smirk as she raised her gun to help get the last two winged ones who were closing in on their position. With one last shot from her Kalash she watched the winged one fall from wall. Then silence.
She turned to Hunter who was putting in a new clip to his VSV. "You haven't lost your touch a bit Riley."
"Neither have you."
"Let's get going."
The walk back to the station was less awkward than before, like a weight had been shifted off both their shoulders. This was the first step on rekindling their friendship, to make it like it was before, hopefully. In all honesty Riley didn't want to be intimate, she just wanted the man she looked up to, who taught her so much, back in her life.