Verse 1: Metro Nevermore
It's only been 6 months since Artyom didn't destroy the Dark Ones which made him the reject within the Metro for everyone had thought he would destroy them and become a hero. Artyom on top of that tower knew who the Dark Ones were and refused to wipe out a peaceful species.
His kindness was repaid with hatred and disbelief with everyone either hating him or seeing him as a phantom paying him no mind at all.
He went back to his home station of Exhibition after the crisis with the Dark Ones was over. Even though the Dark Ones left in peace after Artyom spare them, people of the Metro were still fearing them and calling Artyom a Dark One puppet.
Despite all the backlash his stepfather Alex still offered him a home and loves him regardless allowing him to become a Stalker to earn a living while staying away from the people.
Artyom is on the surface searching for rare items holding onto his Saiga-12 semi-auto shotgun with a Kobra RDS, foregrip, and a flashlight. He is within his environment suit and gas mask donned onto his face to be within a building looking for something worth a lot of bullets.
He can hear the noises of Watchmen in the distance to feels very nervous. "Better find something, I don't want to become their dinner," he thought as his mind has been troubled since most of the Metro hated his actions as Artyom wanted to have a family in the future but every young woman who he wanted to speak to shun him.
He put those disappointing thoughts to the side to search the area. Artyom sees a bunch of crates that seem to block the entrance as he is pulling away the heavy boxes to reveal a doorway going into the basement. He goes inside to wield his Saiga 12 shotgun to turn on the weapon's flashlight for the light beam pierces into the darkness for he is eyeing anything good within the space.
He surveys the basement to see an old ammo box as he sets down his shotgun to check the contents of the container to see over 200 12.7mm ammo. "Jackpot, this is going to be worth a lot of MGRs," he said as he grabs the box and puts it into his backpack.
Artyom doesn't find anything with him coming out of the basement to be on the main floor. He got tackled suddenly to see a Watcher going to cut him down with him taking his shotgun to blast the mutant's head.
He heard more Watchers rushing into the building on all sides. Artyom is letting out a barrage of buckshots that ring across the rooms seeing the mutants falling onto the dirty floors.
He gets knocked down onto the floor dropping his Saiga-12 with the monster pouncing on Artyom. He grabs it by the throat trying to hold it back with it moving closer to his neck. He pulls out his MP-412 Rex shooting into its chest to hear it moan in agony.
He kicks it off him and shoots it directly in the head with blood gushing out of the bullet wound. The last Watcher leaps at Artyom with him shooting it in the head as it flops onto the wall. Artyom grabbed his shotgun to go to the beast and blast its head-turning it into blood and brain matter.
"Better block this entrance," Artyom sees a nearby set of crates to put them in front of the doorway not letting the monsters inside. "I have time to look around," he looks down at his watch to see it will be several hours until night comes over the city.
He has his Saiga-12 in hand to go into the pathway to see a ton of ruined furniture all over the place. "Time to find some treasures here," he said as he slowly searches the area to see nothing of real value here. "Better go upwards," he thought to go up the stairs with the wood bending under his weight.
He put a foot on one of the steps to hear it break with him briefly losing balance. "Damn it, this place has seen better days," Artyom said to himself with a dry tone.
He resumes going into the third floor to see something on the table to see a rare SMG called a Vityaz-SN. "Ah, the Russian tactical SMG of choice. This is worth a lot," he said to fold the stock and slip it into his backpack to resume looking for more items.
He also found some painkillers in one of the drawers to put in his bag to find a few stick magazines filled with 30 rounds of 9x19mm for the SMG. He takes these to find no more items of worth on the third floor while he goes into the fourth floor to hear something there.
"A mutant," he thought as he pulls out his shotgun to spot something in the corner. The figure leaps onto Artyom to tackle him onto a wall to make him drop his shotgun as the creature stomps onto the weapon to break it in half.
He takes his Rex sidearm as he backs away slowly for he felt the monster stalking him waiting for the right time to pounce. He spots the Watcher roaring at him as he rolls away from its lunge to be by the stairs.
He brings up his Vityaz-SN and sets it on 3 round burst as he fires precise shots into the monster's skull killing it instantly. "Oh man, there must be more of these things here," he thought to go further up the building to the fifth floor.
Artyom looks out the window to see the city as he felt quite empty looking at it. "We can't be the only ones here in this world. I heard those radio signals on top of the tower," Artyom thought to remind himself of voices appearing on the radio broadcast when he refused to use the missiles against the Dark Ones.
He wanted to tell the others but everyone even his stepfather thinks he is only making it up due to his connection to the Dark Ones. "I know what I heard," he said as he goes further to the last floor to see nothing of worth.
"Well better search the other buildings," Artyom said as he goes back to the main floor to clear out the entrance to see something quite weird. He noticed a brown and black East European Shepherd approaching him with a worried but friendly expression.
The dog is licking his pant leg as Artyom pats his head. "Hey there boy, you need something?" he asked as the dog barks to go back in the direction he came from. "Where are you going?" Artyom asked the dog to look at Artyom like he is waiting for him.
"He must want me to follow him, okay lead the way," Artyom said as he goes with the dog to go through the streets of Moscow.
Soon enough the dog stops at a ruined building for them to slip inside to see an opened trap door with signs of something was blocking it at some point. "What did you want to show me?" Artyom asked as he noticed the dog had a collar on his neck with the Bom on the tag. "Your owner is down there right?" he asked as the dog lets out a whine.
"Well, let's go," Artyom goes up to see a staircase leading deep underground for the duo to enter to aim his Vityaz SN to look down the sights with Bom on guard.
He can hear someone breathing for the dog is going towards the sound with him following after Bom.
"Boy, is that you. You find help?" the young woman said as Artyom noticed the voice is quite feminine and very pretty.
He comes into the room to see a pleasant sight as he looks upon this woman to be in awe at her appearance to see her leg pinned to a fallen pillar.
She is a Russian/Korean young woman of 19 years with a nice blend of white Russian and Korean features on her nicely shaped face. She has bright blue eyes, pale white skin, and long straight platinum blond hair that reaches just about her rear while standing 5'3 tall.
She is wearing a blue sweater and grey pants which fitted her curvaceous figure like her overly ample chest, curvy hips, slender waist, and shapely legs.
"Damn she is amazing, right out of my dreams," he said as his eyes dwell on her face and onto her bust which hugged the sweater not hiding its sheer volume.
"See something you like big guy?" she asked to snap him out of his daydream as Artyom is blushing from her generous bust.
"Oh nothing, nothing at all," Artyom said trying to act cool while regaining his composure.
"34F," she said bluntly as Artyom look on in sheer confusion. "That is my bust size since you seem so curious about my chest," she said slyly.
"Sorry, it's been a while since I see such a beautiful voluptuous woman," he said as he looks at her curves fitting her outfit for Alisa feels flattered by that.
"It's okay, boys will be boys of course," Alisa said. "My name is Alisa Seung by the way," she said.
"Artyom Sukhoi, please to meet you," he said.
"Say you follow my dog Bom. He is a good boy," Alisa said as the Shepherd is licking her gas mask.
"You needed help?" he asked.
"Yes, I was looking for my sister but this pillar fell on me. I am not hurt but my foot is pinned and I am not strong enough to lift it," Alisa said.
"Okay, let me help you up," Artyom grabs the pillar to lift it as Alisa gets back onto her feet.
"Thanks, you are my knight in shining armor," Alisa said with a bright tone that is quite warm and cute.
"No problem, you said you were looking for your sister?" he asked as Alisa takes her fallen Bulldog which is a post-war-made assault rifle which is in a bullpup setup with a foregrip, PK-AS Holo Sight, and a flash hider.
"Yes, she was taken away by bandits. They are deeper within this underground section," Alisa said.
"I will aid you in your search, you can't leave family behind," Artyom said as Alisa felt warmth in her heart at his kindness.
"So, what I heard is correct," she said as they go down the hallways for they were within a cleared area to head for the bandit hideout deeper underground.
"You know me," Artyom asked
"Oh yes, I have interest in you Artyom. The great hero of the Metro," she said.
"You heard the stories about me not needing to destroy the Dark Ones," he said.
"I did and I think it was a moral and brave thing to do," she said as Artyom looks at her quite funny.
"You don't want to rip my guts out?" he asked as he saw her make a cute expression that lit up his dark world.
"Of course not, do you think so?" she asked.
"Yes, I let them go because they were not a threat," he said.
"I heard rumors about your special connections with the Dark Ones. That all their special talents didn't affect you like the others," Alisa said.
"Well I was their bridge between our races but they didn't turn out well at all," he said.
"Indeed, we humans fear the unknown and then we try to control the unknown or if we can't we destroy it. A resuming theme throughout human history," she said.
"True but I want to believe we humans deserved a second chance like the Dark Ones tried to do," he said.
"Interesting," she thought as her interest in Artyom is justified. "You are right, these people just want to repeat the same stupid mistakes we did that got us into that damn nuclear war in the first place," Alisa said.
"Indeed, these people wallow in their denial that they almost cause another genocide," Artyom said feeling disgusted that no one cared about that.
"It's sad, you Artyom are quite special. You showed mercy to the Dark Ones while others did not, do you know of other settlements out in Russia?" she asked as Artyom's eyes widen with surprise.
"Why are you not going to call me crazy?" he asked.
"Of course not, hear any signals out there?" she asked.
"Well, there was one when I was on the tower when I saved the Dark Ones. Its sounds like Russian in a place in St Petersburg," he said.
"Oh, do you believe these are real?" she asked.
"I do but people think I am weird for thinking there are other people besides us," Artyom said.
"Artyom what if I told you can start a new life since you seem to be miserable here," she said.
"What are you suggesting?" he asked.
"Well, let's focus on finding my sister, and then I can give you the pitch," Alisa said pulling the charging handle of her Bulldog to enter the dark tunnels with them turning on their flashlights. "Bom, here is a piece of her goggles and smell it," she said holding them up to let her dog take in her scent.
Bom is going through the space with them hearing voices within the halls. "Bandits, time for this SMG to go to work," Artyom gets behind a crate with Alisa and Bom doing the same.
"Indeed, let's kick some ass," Alisa said as she makes her dog go on attack mode as he leaps over the crate to tackle a bandit. He bites into his neck to rip it open with blood flooding onto the floor.
"Stupid dog," the bandit pulls out his Bastard carbine with Artyom putting a bullet into the head of the bandit for the trio to go on the offensive.
Alisa is pumping bursts of rounds into the chests of the bandits with her wielding a strange dagger to stab into a nearby bandit in the neck slicing off a chunk of flesh.
"Tossing grenade," a bandit tosses a pipe bomb with the trio avoiding the large blast destroying a section of the interior.
Artyom reloads his Vityaz SN to pour bullets downrange with him taking down a few bandits as Bom bites onto the bandit's leg to distract them. Alisa puts a round into the head of the bandit to drop it as they cleared the area.
They enter the next room to see a bunch of cages where there is only one person alive with the rest dead within their cages.
"Little sis," Alisa said as they approach the cage to see a 16-year-old girl with hazel eyes, short blond hair, fair skin tone, and standing 5'0 tall. She is wearing a white sweater and blue jeans fitting her slender frame along with brown boots and black gloves.
"Hey big sis, I see you got that guy you liked," Natalia teased as Alisa pouts at her sister.
"Natalia," Alisa said to shoot the lock to give her sister a big hug. "I was so worried, did those nasty men do anything to you?" she asked to look over her slim profile as she still has her gas mask on her face.
"No, but they were checking me out. Those perverts," Natalia said as she grabs her knife, personal handgun, and backpack. "Hey there boy," Natalia said to pet the dog with him barking happily.
"He manages to get help for me," Alisa said as Natalia cocks her pistol getting ready to go.
"Thanks for coming to our aid," Natalia said.
"No problem, can't let you girls be handled by these thugs," Artyom said.
"Oh, a real knight in armor huh. You know how to pick them, Alisa," Natalia said.
"Yeah," Alisa said looking at Artyom with loving eyes for them to begin getting out of the hideout.
"Hey Artyom, what a sweet surprise," the bandit leader said as a bunch of bandits open fire for them to take cover. "The so-called big hero of the Metro. You doomed us with those fucking Dark Ones you spared," the leader said.
"He can go kiss his Dark Ones in hell," the bandit said as Alisa looks on to see Artyom is quite saddened by this.
"Those fools don't understand just like the others," Artyom said.
"Artyom," Alisa whispered with deep sympathy for him to fend them off with her Bulldog for them to roll away from a grenade blast. Natalia is popping heads with her OTs-33 machine pistol as she takes a precise aim to put down a bandit.
The leader pulls out a Dart Rifle to look through the scope to nail Artyom in the neck with a dart filled with a sleeping agent. Artyom feels tired as he falls onto his feet with Alisa looking worried.
"Artyom," Alisa said as she gets hit in the neck to fall onto the floor.
"Damn it," Natalia said as she gets hit to feel deeply drowsy to fall with Bom going after the leader to get shot by the dart to drop him. All four of the group are slowly submitting to the darkness in their eyes.
"Well since you girls and the dog are linked with the traitors. You all will be taking a trip to a Spiderbug infested missile silo where you will be lunch. Artyom, I will pay your station a good visit and give them my warmest welcome," the bandit leader said with malice as Artyom has concern for his home station and his stepfather but he goes into a deep sleep.
The bandits take the four into a truck outside to bring them to the old abandoned missile silo known as the Spider's Lair to leave them to their fate.
Artyom is hanging upside down from the ceiling of an unknown room as he begins to awaken to see the whole area is covered in cobwebs and Spiderbug eggs. "Oh great," he noticed that he is within a cocoon of silk to see other corpses within cocoons but no sign of Alisa, Natalia, or Bom within the spacious room.
"That bandit leader, he is going after my station and those innocent people I have to stop him," Artyom said as he feels his hand on his body until he found his trench knife to slice himself out of the cocoon to land on the floor.
"All my stuff is gone," Artyom said as his environment suit and gas mask are gone along with his gear and spoils. He only has his trench knife, personal Rex revolver, headlamp and backpack, and the dark-colored clothing on his person.
"Okay," he searches his backpack to see some speed loaders, a few medical kits, and his portable charger. "Strip me dry," Artyom slings his backpack on him to draw out his handgun to see it has 6 rounds of .44 magnum within the chamber with 4 more speed loaders filled with bullets.
"Okay, time to find the others," he thought to go forward to see a corpse by the side of the door to see a Duplet double-barrel shotgun with buttstock and short barrels along with some Dragon's Breath shells. "These will come in handy," Artyom grabbed several shells to slip them into his belt pouch.
He pushes the metal door to see the air is very still and breathable for there is no toxic air within the area. He draws out his Duplet and turns on the lamp to light up the dim empty hallways to have the girls within his mind especially the beautiful half-Korean young woman with the silver blond hair.
"I got to find them and get back to Exhibition," Artyom staying focused on the task at hand to hear the fauna around to turn back to aim his shotgun. "Sounds like Spiderbugs," he said to check the doors to get to the first one to see two Spiderbugs as they are about to jump him.
He aims the beam of light to wade them off as they scream in pain seeing their hides burn from the warm light. They try to move away but the pain was too much as they flip on their backs to expose their soft underbellies. Artyom goes up and stabs them with his knife quickly ending them.
He checks the room to see nothing but extra ammo for his shotgun to go into another room to see a couple of eggs. He fires his pyro shells to set the eggs on fire to cast a warm glow within the room. A few Spiderbugs appear within the room but back off swiftly due to the fire's heat.
He cracks open the shotgun to slip two shells into the barrels for him to continue his search through the silo for the others. He goes into another room to see more dead bandits leaving on the floor half-eaten by the mutant bugs.
"Some of those brutes didn't get away," Artyom having no sympathy for these monsters to check their bodies to grab some ammo and a spare Duplet shotgun to slip it into his backpack.
He goes into another room to see both Natalia and Bom hanging off the ceiling in silk cocoons. "Hey guys wake up," he said to see Natalia waking up to freak out.
"What the hell, I am inside a cocoon," Natalia said.
"Yeah, those bandits dump us within this missile silo and let us be bug food," Artyom said as Natalia feels for her knife to take it and slice open the cocoon to drop into Artyom's hands. "Hey you okay?" he asked.
"I am fine, thanks," the petite girl gets back onto her feet. "Bom, are you okay?" she asked as the dog awakens for he looks distressed as he is whining to get out of those webs.
Artyom uses his trench knife to slice off the cobwebs to free the beast as Bom barks to sound happy for his aid. "You are welcome Bom," he said as Bom rubbed his head against Artyom's pant leg affectionately.
"Well time to go save my goof of a sister," Natalia said as Artyom hands her a Duplet and a headlamp.
"I think your sister is quite nice and friendly," Artyom said.
"With a killer rack," Natalia teased him to make him blush.
"Yeah there's that," Artyom said as he was staring at Alisa's impressive breasts for they left an impression on him along with the rest of her beautiful figure and kind personality.
"Well, you two are more alike than I thought. She got her eyes on you for a while now," Natalia said as this made Artyom smile.
"He was thinking about me?" he asked.
"Yes, after she heard about you. She was very interested in you and what I had seen of her before we got caught. That feeling seems to be stronger than before," Natalia said.
"I hope to get to know her better," he said.
"Oh, you will," Natalia said as Bom senses more of the Spiderbugs as they reach a single door at the end of the hallway. They go through the door to see a lot of Spiderbugs coming from the corners of the big room as they open fire to set the monsters' blazes with Dragon's Breath.
The glow from the dead mutants is making the other bugs rush away back into the darkness. Natalia noticed a few lanterns to turn them on to set up a bright light glow making the area safe from the Spiderbugs.
"Always hated these things," Natalia said.
"I can relate to that," Artyom said as they check the room to see more dead bodies on the floor which were eaten by the bugs.
"Guess some of these bandits didn't make it either," Artyom said not giving a care about their fates to search for ammo and gear.
"Let these bastards become bug food," Natalia said to grab some more shotgun shells along with Artyom. She opens the door for the trio to go into the darkness to shine their lights to see more bugs moving away from them.
Suddenly a Spiderbug leaps from the ceiling to pounce on Artyom as Natalia is in shock. "Artyom," she screamed with Bom tackling the monster to knock it off Artyom. Natalia shoots the beast's belly with her machine pistol with its blood soaking the floor.
"Good work Bom," Natalia rubs his head to check on Artyom. "You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, I am fine," Artyom said.
"Your sidearm looks cool," Natalia said as she spots Artyom's MP 412 Rex revolver in its holster.
"Yeah, got it in one of my Stalker missions in an old bunker. I modified it to suit my needs," he said pulling out the handgun as it was modified with a suppressor, glow sights, and under-mounted laser sight.
"Wow, a Rex is pretty rare. I just got my machine pistol," Natalia said to show him her OTs-33 machine pistol with a 33-round magazine and glow sights.
"Nice," he said.
"Not as cool as your gun," she said as they continue to get into another room to turn on the lamp to block the bugs from coming inside. They notice Alisa hanging from the ceiling wrapped in a cocoon of webbings.
"Hey Alisa, wake up," Artyom said as Alisa's eyes are opening to see her knight, her sister, and her dog under her.
"Oh; thank goodness, you all are okay. Let me cut myself out of here," Alisa said grabbing her dagger to slice the cocoon as she falls with Artyom trying to catch her. Alisa falls on top of him to be in a weird position.
"Oh crap, that smarts," Alisa said as she looks around to not see Artyom nearby. "Hey where are you?" she asked.
"You are sitting on me," Artyom said as Alisa looks down to see her butt is planted on his face.
"Oh; my goodness, I am so sorry," she said feeling embarrassed to get off him for Artyom has a great image of Alisa's big round ass imprinted into his mind.
"No, it's cool but your butt can be my second pillow," Artyom joked as she playfully slapped him across the arm.
"Oh Artyom," she said as they were both red in the face for Natalia makes a fake cough.
"We should get out of here and help Artyom with his station," Natalia said.
"So, it's pretty clear. You guys are not around here, right?" he asked.
"Yes, you are correct. I got a truck with a trailer filled with supplies. I am offering you a chance to go outside the Metro to have a new life since you seem to be worthy of it," Alisa said as Artyom thought this is a great moment to get a fresh start but he shakes his head.
"Sounds nice but I am sorry. It's my stepfather Alex, he still needs me to help him around the station. Despite all the shit I went through, I love my father and I wouldn't leave him behind," Artyom said.
"Very honorable, you are becoming more interesting by the second," Alisa said training on him with her bright blue eyes.
"Why are you trying to know about me?" he asked sounding curious as she lets out her cute giggle.
"Oh Artyom, ever since I heard the story of your journey. I find you very brave, compassionate, strong-willed, and with firm morals. We need more people like you where I come from," Alisa said.
"I see," he said.
"You don't need to give me an answer now. After we save your station, you can give me your answer," Alisa said.
"Okay, I will," Artyom said as Alisa is wielding her pistol which is a custom MP-443 Grach handgun with her having a headlamp as well.
"Oh shit," Natalia spots a Spiderbug leap at them as they duck with Bom knocking the monster on its back. Alisa pulls out the weird knife and stabs its belly killing it instantly.
"Nice," Natalia said.
"Perfect teamwork," Alisa said with a grin.
Artyom noticed Alisa cleaning the strange blade with a cloth rag. "What is that?" he asked.
"Oh, this is a Japanese dagger called a Tanto. My great grandfather got it in some war with the Japanese. It's been a family heirloom that has been passed down when we become old enough and a good luck charm to boot," she said to show it to him for it has a nice edge despite its age and the handle has a pearl white grip and a black sword guard.
"It's well made," Artyom said.
"Indeed, it served me well coming to get here and it will again to get me back home," Alisa said to see a lift that is out of power.
"This should get us back up to the surface but there is no power," Natalia said to see no lights on top of the lift door. Artyom sees the cables from the lift to another corridor where the power room for the section is located.
"Let's follow the cables and power it up with the charger," Artyom said as they raise their weapons to go deeper into the hallway to see more bandits on the floor but they were half-eaten by the Spiderbugs. They have more thick webbing blocking their path as Artyom pulls out his bullet lighter for the flame to clear the way.
"Nice idea," Alisa said as they maneuver in the tight space to be within a room filled with eggs. "Oh great, better prepare your chargers," she said to turn her light beam onto an egg for it begins to open to reveal a Spiderbug.
"Oh my god, so gross," Natalia cringes at the sight of the mutant as they focus their light onto the creature for its hide is burning from the brightness. The monster flips on its back as Artyom goes up and stabs the creature's soft underbelly to kill it quickly.
"We better find that power room and fry these beasties back to hell," Alisa cringes at the sights of the huge bugs.
"I second that," Artyom pulls up his Duplet shotgun to see more eggs as Natalia noticed a lamp to turn it on. All the surrounding eggs were dying from the bright blue light. Some of the freshly hatched Spiderbugs getting burned by the new light for them to rush into the dark openings nearby.
"Scattering like the vermin they are," Natalia is checking her quarters with her shotgun with their lights piercing the darkness within the silo. Natalia felt something on her waist as she jumps with Alisa laughing at her. "You bitch, don't do that," Natalia pouted at her sister's lame joke.
"Come on, I am just playing around," Alisa said.
"You have a funny way of showing it," Natalia said as they go forward to light up more lamps behind them.
They see more Spiderbug eggs littering the room with them hearing the fauna in the background. More bugs appear trying to rush at them. They are focusing their beams of light to burn their skin making them disappear into the darkness.
"I hate that sound they make, makes my skin crawl," Natalia cringes at the noises around her to find the power room to see a circuit breaker that has no power.
"Hey, let me take your shotgun?" Alisa asked as Natalia hands the double-barrel shotgun to her big sister with Bom guarding her.
"Well, time to charge this thing up, cover me," Natalia pulls out her portable charger for them to hear the Spiderbugs coming their way for the duo are blasting at them trying to hold them off.
"Man, there is a ton of them," Artyom said as they aim their lights and shot dragon's breath shells to light the mutant bugs on fire.
"Hey, little sis. Almost yet," Alisa ducks under a leaping Spiderbug to shoot it with fire shells to burn it alive.
"Okay got it," Natalia said as she got the breaker working and turned on the lights. The hallways and rooms come back to life with the darkness getting swiped aside. All the Spiderbugs moan in pain as the bright lights tear their skins apart until they all lay there dead on the floor.
"Good work," Artyom praises her as Natalia feels pride in her heart.
"Just doing my best," Natalia said as they hear no fauna within the silo.
"Time to check that lift," Alisa said to hand her sister back the shotgun as Alisa noticed an AK-74 on the corner by a dead bandit. "Thanks for that," Alisa said grabbing the gun and ammo for it.
They go back to the lift to see power return to it. Artyom presses the button to see the door slide open. Artyom hands the girls some gas masks that he picked off from the dead bandits along with air filters.
"Thanks," Alisa said as they all put on gas masks for them to get into the lift to go onto the surface.
Soon enough they manage to get out of the bug-infested silo to be outside. "Thank god, no more of those little fuckers," Natalia said as they overhear some bandits nearby to get behind cover. They noticed three of them guarding a truck.
"We can use that to get to Exhibition," Artyom said as the four manage to get the jump on the bandits to easily put them down.
They find AK-74s and Shamblers on the corpses to take them along with the ammo to get into the truck to drive off back to the Metro. "Stepfather, I am coming. I will not let you or the station die," Artyom said as they get onto the road back into Moscow.
Artyom and the others manage to reach the Exhibition gate to see it's already open with them wielding AK-74s and Shamblers for the four are within the tunnels to hear a series of explosions rocking against the walls.
"What the hell is going on, it is coming from Exhibition," he said as he rushes over to take his new AK-74 in hand with the others following him to finally make it to see the gate has been opened and two guards are on the side with bloody holes in their foreheads.
"Shit, it's too late," Artyom said as he goes inside to see the whole station is under attack by masked bandits wielding AK-74s and Shamblers.
"Oh; look boys, looks like he manages to escape the Spider Lair along with his Korean sluts and their mug," the leader said.
"You fucking bastard, where is my stepfather?" Artyom sounds saddened by the station getting ripped to pieces with the screams of children in the background.
"He is somewhere here. Always you are our guest of honor. Kill the traitor," the leader said as they open fire on him with Artyom and the others taking cover.
"This is awful," Alisa said having sympathy for the people of the Exhibition as well as Artyom looking very stressed out.
"Shit, shit, shit. The whole place is covered with bandits but they were after me. We got to find my father and get him out of here," Artyom said as he burst fires to line up several kills with a bandit rushing at his position with Alisa stabbing him in the head with her tanto.
"Yeah, seems like the station is loss," Natalia said as Bom whines at hearing all the suffering around them.
The four of them are moving through the station cutting down anyone in their path with Artyom determined to find his stepfather.
Natalia aims her Shambler to blast nearby enemies with buckshots turning the bandits into piles of red gore.
A bandit dog leaps over a piece of debris to leap onto Artyom as he kicks the beast off and blows its head off. Natalia rolls out of the lunge of a bandit dog with Bom going in and tears out the dog's throat with his sharp fangs.
"Father, where are you?" he screamed with the fire burning the shops and dead bodies littering the floor. "All this because of me, these fucking animals," he thought feeling angry towards these fiends killing innocent people just to get to him.
"Artyom," Alisa's heartaches from seeing him like this as she places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We will find your father," she said.
"Thank you," Artyom taking her hand holding it tightly as they hear the rapid-fire of a machine gun to see the bandit leader clad in heavy armor from head to toe wielding a PKP machine gun.
"You are dumb boy, you should have been bug food," the leader is peppering the area with heavy fire with several dogs coming in to seek them out.
"Great," Artyom said as they noticed two other bandit snipers wielding Valve bolt action sniper rifles
"Time to improvise," Natalia said as she loads Dragon's Breath into her Shambler to line up her shot and shoot a blast of fire to reach the first sniper to watch yelling in pain.
"Damn those pyro shells have range," Alisa said.
"Indeed," Natalia said with them maneuvering through the cover. A dog is about to rush at Artyom to punch it with the duster knuckles to knock it back and stab it in the head.
Alisa aims her AK-74 rifle to try to hit the last sniper with the bandit taking cover behind a metal crate.
Bom pounced on a nearby attack dog to tear off its neck with blood flowing out of the gaping wound.
Artyom is firing his rifle but the bullets bounce off the armor of the bandit leader. "That cheap ammo isn't going to punch through my armored shell boy," the leader said with boastful gusto.
"Great, we need heavier power to punch through that armor suit of his," Artyom said as Alisa takes out the last sniper to drop his rifle at his position.
"The Valve will be useful. Distract him," Natalia said as she slips through cover to head for the sniper's position.
"Artyom, you are a curse on the Metro. A spawn who can hear the Dark Ones speak, you are a freak that must be purged," the bandit leader said to let his PKP rain bullets onto the environment tearing sections of debris and structures apart.
Natalia gets on top to stab her knife into the sniper's neck to grab his Valve sniper rifle and start blasting the machine-gunning bandit leader to destroy his helmet and then his head leaving a bloody hole in the center of his forehead.
"Good work," Alisa said as Natalia gives them a thumbs up for Artyom is looking for his stepfather.
"My boy, I am over here," Alex said as the young man approaches his father to see he has a bullet wound in his stomach and he is losing blood fast.
"Father, this isn't happening," Artyom said holding onto the dying older man.
"Artyom, they are here because of you. I was shielding you from all the bounties on your head since we are a neutral station it offered some protection against the other factions who want you dead. They got around it and destroying the station would allow them to get to you much easier," Alex said.
"What?" he asked not believing this for the girls looked on with sympathy along with Bom knelling his head for Artyom's sadness.
"My boy, you must go and escape. Don't let those bastards get you, live for me," Alex said as he finally dies from blood loss.
"Damn it, father. You didn't deserve this," he said balling up his fists for they leave the station to slip away from the bandits to head into the tunnels towards Riga. Alisa goes up to him to hug Artyom so gently.
"Oh, this is terrible Artyom. I am sorry we didn't make it," she said.
"It's okay and I decide I want to go with you on your trip," he said.
"Really?" she asked sounding excited to hear this.
"Yes, without my father there is nothing for me here but pain and ghosts. Besides I want to see what the world can offer me," he said
"Oh great, good to hear. Sadly, we have to go out at a depressing time like this," she said.
"It's okay, I will get over it. Like life in the Metro, always going forward," he said.
"Well sorry about your father," Natalia said.
"Thanks," he said as their East European Shephard happily barks as he lets Artyom pet his furry head. "You too Bom," he said for the dog barks to rub his furry head against his hand.
"Well, time for us to leave. We will show you our wheels, we collected gas and other supplies for the trip beforehand," Alisa said as they go out of the station and go to the exit. They put on their gas mask and check their fillers for the gate unlocks allowing them outside.
"Where is your ride?" Artyom asked as she points at a blue pickup truck with four seats along with a large caravan attached in the back. "You have a mobile home?" Artyom asked in disbelief.
"Yep, our home away from home. It's a model made for people who were scared about the coming of World War 3 so it's built to last," Alisa said.
"Where did you find it?" he asked.
"Well within an old garage and lucky when we found it. It was in good condition," Natalia said. "There are two beds, a shower, a toilet, a workbench, a heater, a stove, containers, and a gun locker. We modified it to suit our needs and it has off-road systems which allow it to traverse rough terrain," she finished her explanation.
"Great, it is like a real mobile home," Artyom said sounding impressed.
"We girls have an eye for long-lasting quality," Alisa said giving him a cute wink and a thumbs up.
"Right, let's get going," he said as they get into the truck for them to drive off. Artyom looks out of the window to see the Metro and Moscow passing before his eyes. "Father, I will live a great life. Now I need to survive to get that new life," he thought as he looks at Alisa with his heart soaring to new heights. "I swear on it," he thought.
Soon enough they are out of the outskirts of Moscow as Alisa takes her gas mask off by her pressing a button beside the driver's seat to open the window. "Oh boy, thank goodness. Artyom, you can take off your mask. It's all clean air out here," she said as Artyom hesitates for a bit.
"Seriously?" he asked.
"Yes; big guy, take the mask off and give into the air," she said as he takes off the mask for he can't believe he is feeling clean air flooding his lungs.
"This is wonderful," he said in total bliss taking into the moist air for the first time.
"Guess you are part mole huh?" Alisa asked in a playful tone.
"Shut up, this is new for me," he said.
"Good because you will never go back to that stuffy air in the Metro," she said.
"If the air is clean here but why is Moscow still polluted?" he asked.
"There is a lot of nuclear material from the fallen missiles that got hit by the city's missile shield with most of the missiles getting hit in the air and their payloads getting stuck in the air for a long time. It will take decades for Moscow to be clean like the rest of Russia," Natalia said.
"So where is your settlement?" he asked.
"Oh, it's called Winterfell it's to the far east," Alisa said as Artyom has a look of confusion.
"The far east, that is where Siberia is," he said.
"Yep, the town is on the edge of Siberia. It will take about 8 months to get there," Alisa said.
"So, are you based in the snow?" he asked.
"No, Winterfell used to be boomtown built around a nuclear plant that was brand new at the time deep within a valley in the Siberian mountains. After World War 3 broke off about 15,000 people manage to escape the deadly fallout and live in comfort there," she said.
"A valley?" he asked.
"Yep, it's quite beautiful, warm, and safe. It's rich with forests and grasslands allowing for farms like apples and tomatoes. It's filled with different animals for meat and rivers filled with clean water and fish," Alisa said.
"There is enough power in the nuclear reactor to last over 150 years for the whole town giving us power for modern conveniences long lost in the past," Natalia said.
"Sounds too good to be true," Artyom said.
"It is and that is where we lived all our lives. Our parents are waiting for us to come back with a promising new citizen for our little community," Alisa said.
"Right," he said as they go off with Moscow being a mere memory with Artyom taking in the fresh air. "Never thought I would be breathing air like this on the surface," he thought as his new journey is beginning with the Metro being left behind.