hapter 1 "Unexpected Allies"
Five Months Later...
The city looked ruined, no, it was a ruin. A radioactive one to boot. Houses completly destroyed, rubble laying everywhere on the streets, former skyscrapers looked nothing alike their past selves. And the sky... It wasn't blue here anymore, an aftermatch of a nucreal warfare that was waged upon these land. If you could compare this sight to anything, it'd most likley be...
Hell.
Among the ruins, there was a handful of people present. There were wearing attire not what you'd expect to see here on the surface. After all, without proper protection your skin will suffer hideous burns, most likley fatal and the ELID infected still roamed the city. Not to mention an absolute need of gasmask to even breathe. You glared at them through your binoculars, and was able to distinguish their equipment and faces. Now, the facts.
First, they were probably all female. Yes, female. When was the last time I saw a female? Too long ago to even remember. Secondly, they weren't wearing any air filtration systems on their faces, be it gasmask, a respirator or something else. That crosses out any possibility of them being a human... Or they could be, ones with death wishes. Lastly, their clothing was, as a lack of a better word, uttery stupid. No bulletproof vests-
On a longer glance, there was one odd ententiy with them. That person was wearing a rolled-up white shirt under a tan plate carrier with mag pockets. Legs were covered with brownish kneepads on top of black trousers with black ankle-high military boots. Their face was obstructed by a British-made S-10 gasmask. Oh, yes. It seemes that they still haven't learned this. Red color stands out too much on the battlefield. And it informs the hostiles that you're a high ranking officer, a.k.a high-value target. With that in my mind, I searched my memory for any modern military formations that use a red uniform for their officers.
Of course, Army of New USSR wouldn't be dumb enough to wore it, so that's a no. They valued efficiency over looks. Sangvis Ferri couldn't care less about their looks... Something I coud vouch for. And of course, the Cursed Children of the Metro System were a tribalic bunch of savages. With those factions out of my suspects, I reached deeper into my memories. And I found the most probable one.
Griffin and Kryuger, Private Military Contractor.
I had run into them during the Old Days, and they left an everlasting impression on me. If not for my circumstances, I'd have probably joined them. But then again... These red longcoats make an inviting sniper target. And I like my head the way it is.
Okay, enough of that. I have to inform my comrades I've found something. I thought and I grabbed my walkie-talkie from my black chest rig and pressed the button.
"This is Major. I have spotted suspicous individuals, probably a part of Griffin and Kryuger Private Military Contractor. Their current position is about 0,5 of a klick of our second emergency hideout. Do you copy, over." I said it into my radio, and awaited response.
"We copy you loud and clear." They replied after a second of silence."And we acknowledge this information. What are your orders, over." They asked me.
I hummed in thought and said "Send a duo or trio to Second Emergency hideout. We may or may not want to destroy all traces of our presence here, now that SF's biggest enemy is here... And I'd rather not want to be caught in the crossfire. Especially with my offical rank and knowledge. However... If there's a possibility, we could join their ranks. Although the chances of it happening are low to none, over." I ended and peeked around the rubble that I was hiding behind now. Thankfully, the group still hasn't left. They must be regrouping or something. No matter.
"Very well." The radio operator answered."We will do as you say. If you have problems, just contact the surface group headed for our hideout. Over and out."
Well, now that's out of my hair let's go. I think the G&K group has also started moving, I need to have a visual on them as long as I stalk them. Having thought that, I moved my muscles to follow them using destroyed houses and rubble to conceal myself from their sight. I also managed to overhear a conversation between them.
"Say Commander, what are we exactly doing here?" A feminine voice asked someone within the group.
"Pay more attention to briefing." Yet another voice answered her, probably belinging to the masked person. Couldn't you make it less obvious?
"Fine, fine." The owner of the same voice replied, giving up.
"Don't worry." Come on, how many of you are there? "I'm sure we will do well." Fine, I'll just stop listening to your chatter. I have more pressing matter to attend to.
"I have a weird feeling someone is following us." Wait, how did they-
"I have it too. Although my sensors aren't picking anything up." Great, now I have to keep my distance. At least I won't have to listen to their chatter that only wastes my time.
A voice came from my walkie-talkie "Sir?" and it startled me. But even worse the group heard that too.
"Who's that!? Reveal yourself!" I heard a shout, voice I recognised to be their so-called 'Commander'. Let's test his decision making skills. I stood up from behind my observation point and ran further into destroyed city ignoring more shouts coming from G&K group. After what it seemed 50 meters or so, I stopped and looked around for a hiding point. Before I did so, I pressed button on my walkie-talkie and whispered into it "Not now. Over and out." and quickly hid under the pile of rubble. After what it seemed 20 minutes or so, no one came after me. 'So they chose to carry out their mission instead of pursuing an unknown person. Not bad if I say so myself.'
I got up, changed my gasmask filter and contacted my Comrades. "What is it that you want, over?" I asked, while fastening the belts on the back of my head of my PMK-2. "Sir, a rather large force of SF Dolls was coming on your location. But I take it that you've evacuated from there."
The sentace light a lightbulb inside my head. A chance like that doesn't come often.
"Comrade, rally everyone and gather at the last known position. Boobytrap everything in our main base of operations and lock the radiostation to keep broadcasting signal into the air. Over." I said to him through the radio. He was probably stunned at my sudden order, and carefully asked
"Sir- No, Major. You don't say that we will..." He trailed off, not sure is he understood right.
"Yes, we will." I replied sternly."This is our only chance to get out of this hellhole. That is an order, Over." I cut the last way he could object.
"Fine. I hope you know what you're doing. Over and out." He replied and ended the call. I got up from my hiding spot, and took off AKMS from my back. The very same one I've been issued for almost an enternity. I had no time to dwell on this now, as I pulled the charging handle back and chambered a new 7.62 cartrige. I turned to the way I came here, and walked as quietly as I could to my last contact spot with G&K mercenaries.
As I got closer, the gunshots became louder and louder. It must be them already fighting the SF's force. By the looks of it, they handled themselves pretty well, I noticed as I crouched behind a pile of rubble and arched my back further to hide behind it. But if there's one thing that can be said of SF is that they can quickly overwhelm you in superior numbers. So without further delay, let's see if my communications skills have died while out here.
Thinking that, I brought my gun up and aimed. The rear and front sight blended together as I turned my barrel to aim at one of Jaeger (I at least think so) SF dolls. I swiftly pulled the trigger. The recoil of my weapon kicked my in my hands, but it was a single well-aimed shot, and it did find it's mark.
The face of the doll was momentarily covered in blood and she was immidedly terminated. Wasting no time, I turned my weapon to fire at yet another doll, type unknown to me. I pulled the trigger as soon as I saw her in my sights but it hit her throax, causing less than desired damage. I frowned and pulled my trigger three more times. The rifle breathed fire but the doll was hit, judging from a sudden erution of her blood, and her scream of pain.
'It's time to change my position.' I thought as I hid behind the same pile of rubble and sprinted to a nearby house. And this is why we can't have nice things, Lady Luck. The house had it's side entrance blocked. Acting fast, I let go of my rifle to hang on it's belt and jumped into the window inside. Thankfully, it was one of already searched houses so the glass was absent. The room inside was a fairly small one, paint already went off from it's walls and any furniture was taken and/or scavenged for resources. I made my way through it, not hearing PMC's words from the outside. They must consider me an enemy...
The sudden eruption of gunshots brought me out of my thoughts and back to grim reality. I found myself in a living room of the same apartment. Windows shattered, the surrounding were a mess. I quickly located an entrance door, and proceed to go behind it. I took a deep breath, changing the rifle to fully automatic fire, and kicked the old wooden door open. The Door shot straight from it's hindges and into the street.
My loud and unexpected appearance confused the enemy. I used the element of suprice and hipfired the rest of my magazine straight into the enemy. The hostiles were terminated on the sopt, and that out of my hair, I turned slowly to G&K group, barrel of my AKMS pointed at the street's pavement.
"Who are you?" The uniformed 'Commander' inquired.
"Who I am is not important right now." I waved the question off and continued "This is no place for the unprepared like you. But what is important is that T-Dolls belonging to SF are coming. If I were you, I'd pull out from here..." I ended and added, my voice still muffled by the gasmask "Unless you want to die here, your subordinates destroyed, or worse yet, 'reprogrammed'."
"T-That's impossible!" One of his subordinates, a pink-haired woman with an awfully out-of-date Simonov Semi-automatic Rifle in her hands answered first."We can't-"
"SKS, that's enough." Commander stopped her."You, how do you know that?" She asked me, possibly interrogating me on the field. Good try though. Also your names are very creative... I'm truly amazed.
"Is that a question or an order?" I asked indiffrent, while taking out my magazine out of my vest and starting packing ammo into it. I'm slowly running dry on extra cartridges... The pains of insurgency warfare.
"It depends..."He started "Depends on the urgency of the sitiation. And it is urgent." She ended, and gestured something to one of his subordinates. They immidedly complied and raised their weapons up, to the position that would allow them to quickly take aim.
I noticed it out of the corner of my eye, and chuckled at the sight. It seems they underestimate me and my comrades... Fools. I stopped repacking my ammo, and turned my head to them.
"I take it that was a threat instead." I stated matter-of-factly. I quickly pressed the button on my walkie-talkie and said into it "Permission to engage, but not to kill."
"Who did you contact!?" Their Commander demanded to know, voice full of authority. I guess I really was an enemy to them.
I opened my mouth to answer, but a timely warning in my headset made me cover my eyes. They looked at me, confused at my action. It cost them dearly, as they hadn't noticed a black stun grenade landing at their feet. It went off a mere second later, blinding and confusing them.
In a blink of an eye, my subordinates in 20 of men in strength appeared behind me. They looked same as they did five months ago, while we were fighting an onslaught of the enemies. Faces covered with gasmasks, chests with bulletproof vests. Each one of them wielded some variant of AK platform. I sighed and called out "It seems you made your way here. Lower your guns, we're not here to fight."
My men complied and did so without question. We stared at the G&K PMC Team, who now were free of the Flshbang's effects, and stood in front of their CO as to shield his from a possible attack. I could just see the pained eye expression from their Commander and it must mean the Zarya-3 still has it's effects.I guess they don't give field promotions to those that execel in field, or worse, they conscript civilians.
"It seems we got off from the wrong foot." I started "If you really need to know who am I, I'm the Commanding Officer of the 1st Penal Battalion. Or what's left of it." I added the last part with barely noticable sadness in my voice.
"And I'm here not to kill you but to warn you. Once again, a rather large force is headed here as we speak." I started, trying to reason with them."You can pull out, we will cover your escape... But we're coming with you afterwards."
"Impossible." He immidedly replied."I know what Penal Battalions are made from. Criminals, degenerates and murderers. You are scum of the country, and I'll be doing country a favor by eliminating you." His words were coated in disgust, like they despised what we are. I can't blame him, since what he said is true... Partially.
"I can't disagree with you on that." I added adjusting my garrison cap."But know this: They were also deserters, and officers who showed reluctance to fight. It's no coincidence that I was asked to 'Use those cowards well.' But those that deserted know they weight of their dishonor. And I, who was once a known and respected officer, see that. I can assure you, there are no criminals here..." I went silent and added "And if they are, I made sure to reform them."
I glanced at my watch, and sighed under my mask and added "Look, we really have no time to quarrel over this. Radio your command or something. If they disagree, I'll make sure to leave you alone... But we will meet again. As comrades, I hope." I turned my back to him and his mercenaries and added "Be quick." and walked away.
"Oi, Ivan!" I callled out to one of my troops."I want this place secured. We will move out as soon as they contact their HQ."
"Sir, you sure about this?" He asked me in voice full of concern."There's no guarantee we will be taken in."
"This is why, if it comes to that,we will try to fight our way back to USSR borders. It'll be a long march, very costly, but there's no other way." I replied his question, looking around the perimiter. It looked safe for the time being... But it'll change shortly.
"Penal Commander!" The officer called out to me."I had to report this my command anyway, and they allowed you to join our ranks." He said, turning to face me and my men gathered around me."I don't approve of this, but I have no choice but to follow them." He then went back to his Dolls not before stopping and telling me "If one of your soldiers dares to lay a hand on my people, I'll consider you all traitors!" He warned, his words coated in venom.
"Don't worry." I replied him."If they even try to do this... I'll personally execute them on the spot. No trail, no right to defend." I assured him and turned to my men "I hope that's crystal clear to you."
"But of course sir!" They answered in unison, saluting. I grinnned under my mask. With the time that I had, I were able to reform cowards into actual soldiers... And deadly ones at that."With that out of the hair, tell me our destiantion and we will go there. We will inform you of possible dangers along the route."
He nodded and gestured something to his subordinates, and they quickly got into their marching formation. Seeing that, I nodded to mine, who also did the same. And with that, we were on our way.