Zone 10
Chapter 3
Shadow's POV, Entrance, 11:45pm.
It was pitch black. No lights. No noise. Just darkness.
"Lights on." Ordered the Captain as we all remained close together by the door which was now locked tight behind us.
In a few seconds, all eight flashlights came on and you could make out the halls to our left and right.
The floors and walls were nothing but solid metal and it was cold. Really cold.
The thing that got me was the silence. Even with all of us here, it still felt lifeless and dead.
As we all covered one another, the Captain looked around at all of us to say.
"I want everyone to be careful. We don't know what could be in here. Watch each others' backs, understood?" He asked in force as we all nodded in silence.
Giving a swift turn, the Captain then ordered.
"Move out."
As soon as the order was given, everyone began to break apart. I followed the Captain and Reaper with Rosin by my side covering the rear, and in no time, you could see the rest of the team disappear into the darkness behind us.
The four of us held close as we walked slowly down the pitch dark halls, and as we checked our corners, we came across an access door to our left.
The Captain halted us in place as he gently moved back to me.
"This is our stop. You and Rosin get moving to genetics. Call in if you find anything."
"Yes sir." I replied as I lifted up my gun and began to head towards genetics with Rosin by my side.
As we continued to walk down the still halls, I looked ahead to see a break to the right.
Quickly I raised my hand and moved my fingers forward for Rosin to move up and take point, as I quickly turned around to cover our backs.
"Clear right." Stated Rosin as I gently turned the corner with him.
As Rosin moved up ahead of me, I heard what sounded to be footsteps.
"Hold." I ordered as Rosin quickly looked back at me to see me focusing in on the sound.
The halls made the noise bounce and it was so faint, it barely felt like anything.
As the sound vanished, I looked at Rosin to say.
"Stay close."
Rosin nodded and held back, as I now took the lead.
Quickly I scanned the next corner and whispered.
"Clear."
In speed, Rosin moved ahead, and as we saw the door for genetics ahead of us on our right, I looked down with my light to see something.
"Rosin." I said quietly as he quickly looked down at what I saw.
Gently, I got on my knees, to find what seemed to be blood. It was cold, but thick.
"What is that?" Asked Rosin as I slowly got back on my feet to notice it was leading to genetics.
"I think we're about to find out." I stated as I began to move.
Rosin nodded as I aimed forward at the door, and as we neared, it became clear it was sealed off from our side.
"Cover me." I ordered Rosin as he nodded and began to scan left and right.
Rosin's POV, 11:52pm.
I carefully scanned to my right as Shadow went on his comm.
"Amy. This is Shadow. Come in." He ordered calmly and quietly, as I aimed my light up and down the hall to our right.
As we waited quietly, I saw a quick slash in my light.
Immediately I focused down the hall to see nothing.
"I'm here Shadow. What's up?" Asked Amy as he quickly replied.
"The door to genetics has been sealed shut. Anyway you can open it from your end?" He wondered as I swear we were being watched.
"Let me try."
Shadow gently got back his gun, and as we waited, I saw the break in my light again.
"Lieutenant!" I shouted under my breath as he quickly looked down the hall I was aiming at.
Gently Shadow got up his weapon and replied.
"Check it out."
Nodding at the order, I slowly began to head down the hall as he remained by the door to genetics watching my back.
As I neared the end of the hall, I found it went two ways. Left and right.
In great focus, I held my breath and turned the corner, aiming along the right to find nothing but a dark corridor.
Immediately I turned and aimed down the other side to find the same thing. Just a pure black hall.
Slowly, I began to back my way up to Shadow who got by the door switch.
"What was it?" He asked in a calm tone as I shook my head.
"Ghosts." I replied as he slowly nodded and went for the door.
"It's open Shadow." Stated Amy through his comm, as I calmly turned to aim back down the hall.
Nothing moved that time, and I went still as Shadow opened the door to genetics.
Cruz's POV, Hydroponics, 11:50pm.
Reaper quickly went to clear right, as I went left in force to find nothing but plants.
This room was huge. From what I could see it was like a greenhouse. Rows upon rows of plants, all lined up in their vases just waiting for water to hit their roots.
Slowly, Reaper and I made our way down the rows and as soon as we reached the end I heard.
"Clear."
Nodding I replied.
"Clear."
Reaper quickly approached my side while not letting down his guard, and as the darkness consumed us I ordered.
"Check the back room. I'll watch your back from out here."
Nodding, I watched as Reaper slowly approached the back room with his rifle pressed at the door.
Reaper's POV, 11:52pm.
Gently I opened the door to find more darkness awaiting me.
Slowly I entered, letting the door shut behind me. As I took gentle steps forward, I found there were papers all along the floor.
Slowly I aimed down as I walked, to find one of the papers with red dots splashed across it's surface.
Gently my ears went up, as I began to follow the splashes.
Soon enough, it led to another door, and as I aimed up, I found the nob was covered in a thick red paste.
"What the hell?" I whispered as I went to touch it.
As my fingers came in contact with the gooey surface, I quickly pushed open the door to find it to be a lone office.
The papers became drenched, and slowly I stopped by the door frame to begin to slowly aim up at where it was coming from.
In a slow pace, my light went up to find a chair covered in what was now apparent to be blood.
My eyes gently widened as I saw no body. It was just a chair.
Calmly, I breathed in and began to scan the rest of the room to find it clear.
Cruz's POV, 11:55pm.
Slowly Reaper came out from the office behind me.
"Anything?" I asked calmly as he nodded.
"A lot of blood, but no body."
"Anything else?" I wondered as he shook his head.
"No sir."
Nodding, I slowly went for my comm.
"Cruz to all teams. We found blood here in Hydroponics." I stated as Reaper began to move back to the entrance.
"Shadow to Cruz."
"Roger Shadow, what is it?" I responded as he quickly replied.
"We just entered Genetics."
"Keep me updated Shadow. Reaper and I are going to get moving to the dig site beyond you."
"Roger that sir." Replied Shadow as I ordered Reaper to move out into the hall.
Shadow's POV, Genetics, 11:55pm.
Very carefully, Rosin and I entered genetics to find the place ransacked. Tables were flipped across the room and papers drenched the floor in a sea of white, as I also noticed a few leaks coming from the other end of the room.
Quickly I raised my arm and moved it to the left signaling Rosin to move ahead.
As he quickly moved from my sight, I went towards the leak to find nothing but a small flood.
"What the hell happened here?" I asked myself as I aimed in the water to find a small staircase that went down a few steps.
Papers floated along the water and it made it impossible to see anything below. Very gently, I took a step in to feel the freezing temperature I was about to endure along my legs.
Slowly I took another step and then another, and in no time at all nearly half my body was covered in the freezing water.
Carefully I began to aim around the area I was heading into, and as I began to step off, I heard the footsteps again coming from behind me.
Immediately I turned around to aim at the door to find nothing there.
Slowly the noise went away once again, and cautiously, I turned back around to find the water getting a bit deeper.
As the water now reached my stomach, I heard from my comm.
"We got something in storage."
Hopper's POV, Storage, 11:59pm.
Borne covered me as I checked the pile of thick red blood, to find a small white lab coat. Most likely it belonged to a female.
"What you got Hopper?" Asked the Captain over comm, as I checked the tag on the coat.
"I found Dr. Eva's Lab coat among a pile of blood here in storage, but no body in sight sir."
Calmly, I folded up the coat and placed it in my vest as I heard from comms.
"She has to be around there somewhere. Find her."
"Yes sir." I replied to the Captain as I slowly looked back at Borne.
"I'll get left? You get right?" Wondered Borne as I nodded and headed off in my direction to find more large crates and not enough missing scientists.
Kid's POV, Mess hall, 11:59pm.
Foley went on ahead as I finished checking the mess.
It was impossible to see around here. The room was pitch black.
As I took gentle steps forward, I aimed to the left to find nothing but more tables and chairs.
"Bash!"
In a scared mess, I leaped backwards from kicking a chair in front of me on accident, and backed off in a gasping need of air.
As I caught my breath, I heard what sounded like footsteps coming from behind me.
Immediately, I aimed my flashlight back to find no one there.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Instantly I began to sweat as I felt it getting closer.
Roughly I gripped my gun's trigger and began to panic as it sounded like it was right in front of me.
I was on the verge of shooting when suddenly they stopped.
My ears went still, and very gently I backed up to hit my back against something.
"Aghhh!" I shouted as I turned to find Foley in my face.
"Relax Kid!" He ordered as I nearly shot him.
Immediately I went for air as he took hold of my shoulder.
"You ok?" He asked as I nodded.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Did you find anything?" I wondered still feeling like I shit myself.
"Nothing but warm beer and some shit food. How about you?"
Shaking my head, I replied.
"Nothing."
Nodding at my response, Foley quickly lifted up his weapon to say.
"How about we go check the living quarters now? What you say?"
Nodding, I replied.
"Sounds good."
Nodding with me, I watched as Foley took lead and guided me towards the door on the other side of the mess hall.
Shadow's POV, Genetics, June 24th, 12:03am.
The water was now at my chest, and as I was nearing the end of this flood, I heard from my comm.
"You ok Shadow?" It was Amy.
"Not really. It's fucking cold in here." I stated as she quickly asked.
"Where's Rosin?"
The second she asked that question I heard the footsteps again.
Immediately I aimed behind me.
"Rosin!?" I shouted as Amy went silent.
"Amy. Where's Rosin?" I asked in concern as she quickly replied.
"I don't know. His gun is down. All I see is floor."
Immediately I began to head back to the stairs.
"Rosin!?" I shouted as I pushed through the water and papers.
"ROSIN COME...!"
As I went to finish my sentence I felt my feet give way under me.
Amy's POV, Access door, 12:04am.
I watched in fear as Shadow began to run back, and as I went to look back at Rosin's camera I saw Shadow's disappear.
"Shadow come in!" I ordered through my comm link as his camera went dark.
"Shadow!" I shouted as I saw Rosin's camera move.
Rosin's POV, 12:04am.
Quickly taking my gun from back off the ground, I ran towards the lieutenant who I heard go silent.
"Lieutenant!?" I shouted as I approached an area filled with nothing but water.
Quickly I entered to shout.
"Lieutenant!? Where are you!?"
As I began to panic, I saw bubbles coming from a steep part in the water.
Immediately I ran for it and reached in to feel a hand grab my arm.
"I got you lieutenant! Hold on!" I shouted as I felt him take my chest in all his force.
After a few strong tugs, I began to feel the lieutenant's feet come out from the hole he was in.
"Hold on!" I ordered him as I pulled as hard as I could up.
Slowly, Shadow's head came up through the water and I panicked as he didn't move.
Immediately, I dragged us back to the stairs, and the second we touched solid ground I watched as he he gagged for air.
"You ok!?" I asked as he looked up at me.
Quickly he nodded as water hit the floor and replied.
"I'm fine!"
"What happened?" I asked getting calmer as he managed to stand.
"I was heading back to find you when I guess I fell in a hole or some shit!"
Gently I began to laugh.
"Don't do that shit to me man. You had me worried."
Immediately Shadow grabbed his gun and replied.
"I'll try not to. Where the hell were you when I called?" He asked next as I got back up myself.
"I found something."
Shadow's POV, 12:08am.
It was official. I was fucking freezing now and as I began to follow Rosin to where he was, I heard over comms.
"Are you ok Shadow?"
Amy seemed a bit worried.
"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it."
"What happened?" She asked next as I shivered.
"Must have been a hole or something in the floor. I got stuck and couldn't move. Don't worry, it was an accident." I stated as she went silent.
As the line went quiet, I finally managed to get to where Rosin had been the whole time.
Widening my eyes, I looked up to see a vent torn wide open with blood splashed along the walls around it.
"I think we now know that whatever caused this breach isn't planing on taking the scenic route." Stated Rosin as I nodded and went to my comm.
"Shadow to all teams. Be aware that whatever caused the breach is using the ventilation system to move around the facility. Still no confirmation on the threat, but keep your guard up. It could be anywhere." I stated as Rosin looked at me.
"Now what?"
Giving him a slight frown, I replied.
"We should get back to the entrance and wait for the others."
Rosin quickly nodded and began to follow as I went for the exit to genetics.
As we reached the door, I looked back to see nothing but the pitch dark and only to hear the footsteps that have been following me since I got here.