Chapter 3 "Hard Contact"
"So this is the legendary Metro-2 huh. I think the commander is on something." Mark said.
"I don't buy into folk stories sir." Ivan said.
"I don't know I think this is interesting." Anton said "Think about it, we are the only people to step through this place in twenty years."
"The only people maybe, but mutant." Ivan responded.
"Tunnel trash like Nosalises shouldn't be much of a problem and lurkers won't attack us in a group." Mark reassured.
The tunnel was still dark, and it seemed to get darker with every step. It was a plain side tunnel, concrete walls and floor and small pipes ran along the side of the walls.
"Do you guys see anything?" Ivan said a few moments later.
"Nope, I really wish we brought night vision goggles." Mark told him.
A strange sound from behind whispered into their ears, causing them to raise up there weapons. Beeps and whistles.
"It's that damn door!" Mark said.
The Rangers let their guard down and moved forward.
"You see that?" Mark asked as he crouched down aiming down his scope.
"Looks like a light." Piter said.
"Alright Piter, Anton go check it out, Ivan and I will provide covering fire." Mark said.
Ivan took a position next to Mark as Piter and Anton moved toward the faint reddish light.
"What do you think it is?" Anton asked.
"Not sure yet. An emergency light?" Piter said.
The two Rangers where several feet away from the light and as Piter predicted it was a emergency light. It was for a door that was forced opened, probably from the other Ranger Team.
"Anton check it out I am going to get them over here." Piter said.
"Right." Anton responded and moved toward the door.
Piter turned around to his fellow Rangers. He turned off and on his helmet's light three times, which was a sign to other Rangers that it was ok to move forward. The two Rangers came forward as Piter turned to see Anton missing.
"What?" Piter whispered to himself and quickly walked to the opened door.
To his relief he saw Anton kneeling down checking a dead Nosalis. Piter walked into the room. A red glow from another emergency light inside the room gave it a red color, as a few opened lockers which where forced opened and electricity boxes littered the walls as a lot of dead Nosalises and spent ammunition lied on the floor. A trail of blood lead to an airlock which was seemed to be bashed through by the Nosalises.
"I guess the 6th gave them one hell of a fight." Anton said.
Mark and Ivan entered the room.
"What happened here?" Mark asked.
"I guess the 6th got attacked by them. There are no human bodies so I am assuming they managed to fend them off and go through airlock." Piter said.
"Well if we won't get any answers here lets go through the airlock." Mark commanded.
Anton was the first to squeeze through the bashed opend hole in the airlock.
"Its clear!" He yelled to them.
After a few minutes of walking down a another side passage they found a small campfire in the middle of the passage along with two dead human bodies.
"Is it one of ours?" Mark asked.
"Its not a Ranger, bandit maybe. There are no guns though." Ivan said inspecting the body that sat leaned over to the right. "He was shot in the head from the left side, the direction we were coming from. One of ours must have shot him."
"Look at the other one." Anton said.
The second body was on his chest heading down the tunnel as about three bullet holes stained his back.
"Tried to run from a Ranger?" Ivan declared. "This is what happens as punishment."
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sound of bullet fire cracked through the air.
"It's coming from down the tunnel!" Anton said.
"Move it! The 6th may need our help!" Mark yelled.
The Rangers dashed through the tunnel. Piter saw a pillar blocking the exit so he couldn't see where they were going. A man, who was in a dirty green t shirt and blue shorts was firing behind the pillar at an unkown target. He saw the Rangers and turned his gun toward them but Mark who was quicker, got a clean headshot off of him.
"Slow down!" Mark said.
The Rangers carefully entered the room. It was a Metro station. The station had electricity, as the lights showed the plain navy blue walls of the station. Makeshift two story housing on the rail line was destroyed by bullet holes and some where even on fire. What caught the attention of Piter was a big flag hanging on every pillar. It was the old Russian flag except a strange symbol of a circle and a large W. This was an unusual station as there were no passages that allowed one to go up to the surface. Reality caught up with Piter as he realized he was now in the middle of a firefight. His Ranger comrades took cover behind a fallen pillar. Mark scanned the battlefield. The 6th Ranger was pinned down behind the rail line on his left. They were firing at an unknown enemy on the other side of the station. The enemy looked human, however they where pale and in raggedy old jackets and jeans. They seemed to be using old AK-47.
"Reinforcements!" One of the Rangers in the 6th yelled.
The enemy looked around and then saw Piters team. They fired at them as well. The bullets cracked away at the pillar.
"We are cut off!" Yelled one man from the opposite side.
Mark rose his 2012 and fired at the enemy, his Rangers followed. Blind firing came from both sides.
"Piter use the flamethrower!" Mark yelled.
Piter readied his flamethrower.
"It's ready!" He yelled.
"Suppressive fire men!" Mark yelled.
The enemy hid in cover long enough for Piter to stand up and send an unrelenting wave of fire at them. He didn't stop until the entire tank was empty. When it was over he saw a long line of men burned to crisps. Some of the ones more far away where still alive, screaming for mercy. The Rangers shot them to end the suffering.
"Damn you guys saved our asses!" The leader of the 6th said. "Sgt. Fyodor 6th Ranger."
"Sgt. Kamarov, 4th." Mark said. "What is the situation here?"
"We were sent to investigate this tunnel. We were attacked by mutants and then met up with a scout party from these guys. They attacked us so we fired back. One managed to make it to this station and well we got cut off from the exit. I don't think that this is all of them though. They managed to get one of my men and take him off somewhere further down the rail line. I can't go after him..." Fyodor told them then pointed at his men.
Two Rangers lied dead; one seemed to have been shot in his neck the other had multiple bullet holes in his helmet.
"Ok shit. Let's get those bodies on the stations platform. Piter refill you tank, Anton and Ivan check the houses." Mark said.
After several minutes of securing the area they regrouped on the main platform and talked over their next move.
"It's settled then; Piter, Anton and I will go forward and rescue your man. Ivan and you will take your dead back to D6." Mark told the plan to everyone.
"Sound good!" Fyodor said.
"Good luck to you guys." Piter said.
"You too and keep the Rookie safe." Ivan said picking up the body of one of the Rangers.
"I will." Piter said and gave Anton a friendly push.
"We will send help as soon as we can." Fyodor said grabbing his other fallen comrade.
The rescue team watched Ivan and Fyodor until the darkness swelled them.
"Ok we got to get us a missing man to rescue." Mark said.
"Oh man, a rescue mission and we are down a man." Anton pointed out.
"You're a Ranger, I don't want any doubt that we can't do this." Mark said.
"Don't worry there isn't sir."
"Good. Piter are you refilled?" Mark asked.
"Yes sir." He responded.
"Alright let's move." Mark ordered.
The Rangers stepped off the platform, into the smoked bodies of the enemy.
"Careful, they may still be alive." Mark said.
"Doesn't look like it." Anton said.
"Did anyone notice the flag?" Piter asked.
"Yes I did. It was the old Russian flag." Mark responded.
"Did you see the symbol in the middle of it?"
"No."
"Never mind, its nothing then."
BANG!
A man knocked down the door of a cardboard house and fired a revolver. Anton fell backwards.
"Rookie!" Piter yelled and then fired his Klash at the man.
He fell dancing back and forth to the bullets. Piter turned to see Anton on the floor.
"Anton!" Piter yelled.
"I am alright!" The dazed rookie yelled.
"Jesus." Mark said and helped Anton up.
"He just grazed my helmet." Anton announced.
"Good thing you wore that." Piter said.
"Piter tourch the housing so that no more surprises will happen to us or our reinforcements." Mark ordered.
Piter readied the flamethrower and gave a short burst to the house the man came out of. The fire would spread to the other houses.
"Ok let's go find that missing man." Mark said.
