Intense ringing filled his ears in the aftermath of the explosion. Try as he might he couldn't find the strength to move his body, the only result of his effort to move was agonising pain throughout his abdomen.
He only had enough strength to attempt to fight off the pounding in his mind, He only heard one thing before the heel of a marching boot struck his head.
"Guten morgen!"
The first thing Artyom felt when he once more regained consciousness was pain. In hindsight probably the best outcome from having a barrel explode next to him, along with his cranium being stomped on
"So what do we have here corporal?" A voice asked, the tone filled with disgust and apathy to the point of making Artyom's skin crawl, definitely an Officer.
The room he was restrained was small, and dark, dried blood caked the wall. Behind him was a tunnel smelling of a mass grave. None of this compared to the sight in front of him, what he saw made him lose all hope.
Nazis. The last encounter he had with them he only escaped do to encountering Ulman and his friend the late Pavel. That was another death on his ill found mission, another person dead over his foolishness.
"Two Reds, a suspected mutation, and a ranger with a confirmed mutation of the eyes, along with a small mutant the size of a child. Hër Officer" a less confident voice straight to the point, a conscript probably.. This didn't bode well, with his eyes, and the little one being what he was they would certainly be killed if they couldn't escape.
"Very good, let us get the suspected mutant out of the way." The officer spat, his aging face showing little more than hatred turning to scrutinize one of the other prisoners. A young man with brown hair a little younger then Artyom looked at the officer terrified, and for good reason too, a suspected mutation in Reich territory only meant a painful death, the only reason Artyom could think of as to his survival was the fact they had probably seen Hunters ranger token on him, and taken him for a ranger which he was in a sense, emphasis on was.
"You are on trial for being suspect in the distribution of corrupted genes." The officer stated in a scripted tone that suggested he was more than used to saying this.
The man probably scratch that definitely knowing what was going on began borderline incoherently objecting "You can't do this I'm a Hanza citizen! I have ri-" Slap
"Shut up! You're not in Hanza. Now if your skull measures the correct proportions you are free to go. Corporal?" The officer said coldly, before turning to the conscript next to him.
"152 by…. 273" hër officer
The officer only grinned before speaking "let's look at the chart shall we?" The nazi didn't do more than give the chart a glance before speaking "let's see here. Congratulations! you're a mutant." Was all he said before raising his pistol while turning away.
"Wait! No! Please!"
Bang
"Take this one to the garbage shoot" was the only response the officer gave to his cold blooded execution.
"Hey you hey hey" one of the reds whistled trying to get Artyom's attention, before the officer turned around, unfortunately there wasn't time. Before the interrogation continued
"Now we have you, the ranger, and the mutant, all caught in the same net. To some this might look like simple coincidence. I however do not believe in coincidences. Now what was your mission in the gardens. Tell me and I might let you live." Was the simple demand, not that it was a genuine offer even children know, no one ever leaves a nazi prison camp alive.
"Fuck you nazi bitches" The red soldier being questioned snarled spitting at the nazi's boots , every fiber of his being emanating defiance. Artyom had to give credit to the man, do not go gentle indeed.
The officer didn't show anything before emotionlessly raising his pistol uttering only one word "Classy"
"Glory to the red line! Long live Comrade Moskvin…"
BANG
Artyom tried not to look, but it was impossible not to notice the growing puddles of blood seeping on the floor. How did a person become so callus, so numb, that ending another's life in cold blood became so easy. Whatever it took, he hoped to whatever higher power existed, that he never reached it.
The nazis however took little notice before continuing onto the next prisoner the red who had tried to tell Artyom something mear moments ago "Now are you going to cooperate with me or will you join your lovely Comrades in death?" The officer demanded annoyance finally making it's way unto his hatred mired face.
"Nononono! wait! Wait! I'll talk! I'll talk! Just not here with the others they'll kill me if they know I talked!" The unknown red quickly spoke. What was his plan? He had to have one, there was not a chance in hell that he actually believed the nazis would just let him go?
The officer only had a smug grin "Take him to the other chamber I will interrogate him personally later." was all he said before turning his attention to Artyom. "Normally Reich does not interfere in the orders affairs but we have you, the reds, and the mutant all caught in the same net. I ask of you the same question."Now, ranger freak,"I will count to three, and you will tell me what I want to know, or you will die." Behind him however Artyom noticed something, the remaining red was moving his bindings up and down on the pipe behind him.
"One" a rope came loose as the conscript came closer
"Two" a flash of metal came from a sleeve
"Three" The conscript got a knife in the gut as the officer turned around
"GET THE OFFICER" the red screamed at Artyom, wasting no time in swinging his bound hands, Knocking the officer on the side of the head, Artyom was horrified however when the clubbing meant only to disrupt the mans shot had knocked him out cold. He could only stare at his hands as thoughts raced through his mind. How had he done that, his hands were bound and he hadn't even made a proper fist, yet somehow he had enough strength to knock a grown man out? Such strength was inhuman.
"Hey chuvak you there?" The man's voice broke whatever spell his mind was under bringing his attention back to the moment. "Nice right hook man, your spartan yes? Well I'm a red as you can tell, look I know our superiors are not on the best of terms right? Well I say fuck them, we grunts have to stick together how about it?" Artyom simply nodded before presenting his bindings to the man to cut him loose. "Don't talk much do you eh chuvak?" The man asked with an inquisitive look on his face "You can still speak right? Bastards wouldn't be asking questions if they took your tongue no?" His inquisitive look shifting to one of concern, as he finished slicing through the ropes.
"No they didn't" Artyom replied shortly, still shaken by the turn of events. Once again he had been at the mercy of the nazis, once again he had been saved by a stranger the last time this had happened one of his saviors had died.
"Good to hear it my friend, now here, take the knife, here keep it." The Man responded a grin overtaking his features. Before moving to the door that blocked the exit to their cell. "Let's see here a tak tak tak." he muttered while looking over the door obstructing their escape. "Agh Blyad, electronic magnetic lock! We aren't picking or breaking out this way." He observed grimly before perking up like the proverbial light bulb had lit up in his head."Wait a minute what was that they said about a garbage shoot?" turning around to face the back of the cell "Ah here it is" he declared pulling a leaver that opened the shoot, the rank scent of decay in the cell gaining new vigor from that of the shoot.
The man showing no signs of distaste at the smell, simply flashed what was quickly becoming a trademark grin at Artyom before jumping into the disposal shoot.
Hey Ducks under bullets, gredades, a hellsing bolt, and a baby lurker... Tuff crowd. Ok I'm not gonna lie I don't really put as much effort in this as I should. I've found out having an idea for a scene is easy. Writing it out how ever is not so much. I've kinda been caught between rewriting earlier chapters, and working on newer ones,
BUT good news a friend of mine has agreed to proof read my half baked turds every other friday. I'm not gonna promise a update schedule, but I might be able to get one out every few months now. Gets throwing knife to the shoulder I'm gonna show my self out...