Shroud
Disclaimer: Same as before....The Biohazard War mentioned lasted from 2139- 2145 and was a worldwide struggle against people infected with a mutagenic virus.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Rusty's POV)
The streets of the town are unbelievably silent. I know from a brochure I found near Diane's car that the place is a peaceful, quiet community, but at 1600 (four o'clock in the afternoon) the place should be teeming with activity. I'm feeling the hair on the back of my neck rising, it's almost like there's something really wrong with this town. I wish someone was out here, anyone, even some crazy old beggar who knows how to find the hospital. I hope to God that what I heard over the line twenty minutes ago wasn't Diane's last stand.
That bad feeling I've been having since this morning is really starting to magnify. It's as if I know something about this place, but that's absurd, I've never been here in my entire life. I see a spot of red on a chain link fence in a nearby alley. It's blood.
'Dear God! It better not be Diane's!' is my first thought as I pull my Smith out and hold it ready to fire. As I proceed down the alley I have a sense of overwhelming dread, but my legs won't slow down. It's as if I know that I won't like what I see, but I have to see the sight that will greet my eyes. The alley gets darker, apparently the sun mustn't be shining through.
The indistinct mutterings I heard in my dream earlier are starting to become more distinct. It is one phrase, actually, and one that I hear over and over again, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis."
I know some Latin, and the meaning of the words is already starting to make my blood turn to ice. They mean, "Save yourself from hell...."
Again the voice sounds, it's a male, aged yet timeless at the same time. One that speaks of untold and great horrors beyond all telling, horrors he has witnessed. My grip on the Smith and Wesson is tighter. I grit my teeth and go. If I have to go and see just what six eyed, fire breathing freak is leaving blood and saying what I'm hearing to find Diane, by all means I'll do it.
I reach the end of the alley and am greeted by the most horrific of sights that I have ever witnessed in my life. Trussed to the chain link fence is an older, bald gentleman, his body tied in the manner of Christ at the Crucifixion, his kneecaps are broken and his eyes are sewn shut. He's still alive, for he is murmuring, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis."
As I get closer it intensifies as if some force from beyond is giving him greater energy than before, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis! LIBERATE TUTEMAE EX INFERIS!!!!!"
Suddenly I see three little creatures, maybe about the height of a toddler, but their wielding little knives and there's no mistaking their hostile intent. I raise my Smith and Wesson and put two rounds in the head of the first creature. Before the body hits the deck I have my weapon on the second and have already shot it dead square between the eyes. The third follows quickly. My pistol shooting skills are still sharp, as I'm proud to discover.
Suddenly the walls of alley start closing in. Just like in Poe's the Pit and the Pendulum and the next thing I know I feel the air leaving my lungs as my bones begin to crunch one by one.....
~ ~ ~ ~
(Diane's POV)
My eyes open slowly; I'm not sure where I am right now. All I know is some little girl was calling to me earlier and...Oh my God! Alessa! I completely forgot! I sit up to find myself sitting in a bed. It's a hospital bed, just like before. But how did I get here? Where was I before? And why does this hospital put chills in me like I've never felt in my life?
"Ma'am." A nurse says, she's an older lady with a matronly bedside manner that seems more than a little forced, "Your clothes and purse are in the next room. Just sign your name on this sheet to check out."
She holds a clipboard and pen in front of me and I sign my discharge papers and walk into the tiny bathroom. Stripping off the hospital gown I check myself for any sort of injury, not a scratch. I distinctly recall being hit from behind by some heavy object after I saw something lumber my way. It was a mannequin with a crowbar and it tried to hit me. I shot it with my .38 but as I check my purse there are still six rounds in the chamber. I get dressed, using the tiny shower that's in the room to freshen up first. If I spend one more second in this hospital I'm gonna go crazy.
I walk out into the street, pick up my cell phone and dial Franks' number. It won't go through for some reason. Rusty's number is next and it only rings twice before I get a battery low message. I forgot to charge my phone this morning, of all the times to do that. I walk down the street, wondering why I get the feeling that I have to leave this town in a hurry together with the feeling I'm being watched.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Nurse's POV)
Yet another victim to this town's credit, she doesn't suspect a thing. Not yet at least. I took the empty shell casing from her weapon and put a fresh one in. Master, her heart is strong, though she appears fragile on the outside.
In time she, like all the others before her, shall break. Lost and consumed by the terror that haunts Silent Hill...
~ ~ ~ ~
(Unknown POV)
The man intrigues me again. Much of his life he has spent running away from his problems, yet he possesses a strength of will and courage that is rare among mortal men. He doesn't give up easily, though tormented by many inner demons that ravage him from within. His heart is definitely that of a warrior and he will be hard to destroy. His soul as that of a poet, his feelings are strong for the woman that has left the hospital, ostensibly after an accident. His thoughts have been for her safety. Perhaps I can use that to my advantage in his destruction.
What a riddle a man who runs from his problems yet fought in an elite military unit.
~ ~ ~ ~
Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Compound Nha Trang, Vietnam June 28, 2143
Lieutenant (junior grade) Rusty Puckett crouched into the sandbag bunker as an energy orb projectile exploded beside it. He had his Stingray Mk II Paratrooper Carbine held in one hand and then he raised himself over the parapet, firing on two Gollums that had charged into the hole in the wire.
This was fast turning into a bloody fight that would involve massive shelling from energy orb projectors and crude explosives followed by a massive wave assaults by the ogres, zombies and Gollums. To think they were once human, but now mutated by an unknown virus was the most tragic. So far the men at the JSOC Compound were holding their ground, being some of the most elite fighting men of the United Systems Military.
A short, powerfully built man with the shoulders of a water buffalo jumped into the bunker carrying a Kamov squad automatic weapon. The Kamov was a weapon chambered for the 20mm cartridge and was a short barreled full automatic weapon fed through a 150 drum or box magazine and had one of the highest firing rates of any weapon in the USM arsenal.
"Hell of a fight, isn't it sir?" said the man, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Gary Thomas.
"Sure as hell is, Gary, put some fire on those sappers coming in from the south." Rusty said, peering over the sandbags. Sure enough a team of three Gollums with a portable energy orb projector were putting some fire on a group of Army Special Forces guys on the eastern perimeter.
"Aye sir." Gary replied, "Would you like fries with that?"
Rusty laughed despite himself. The guy was barely twenty-two years old, barely two years younger than Rusty's twenty-four years. He was fresh out of BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demoltion/Scout) school, and a newcomer to Scout Team Two. In the few ops he pulled, Gary was always willing to volunteer for any mission. He was also a platoon favorite, a born comedian.
Everybody loved Gary's sense of humor and zest for life. It was always said by any of the men on the team that Gary knew how to find a good time. He was also a loyal friend, and one hell of a Teammate. Rusty could barely count the number of times that Gary took risks whenever his fellow Scouts were in danger. He could see the kid running along, ducking among whatever cover he could, firing his Kamov all the while.
Rusty saw two Rangers ducked behind a low wall. Forgetting the danger, Rusty ran up behind them, joining them at their position.
A skinny kid with a blonde buzz cut, a private, looked him in the face, "What the hell do we do now, sir!"
Rusty shouted, indicating Gary as he did, "Join the fight and give that man some cover damn it!"
Another orb exploded and Rusty ducked, holding his camouflage bush hat to his head. The two Rangers had started shooting steadily at the enemy teams. Rusty ran into Hospital Corpsman 1st Class "Doc" Quint treating a casualty.
"Doc, who's hit?" Rusty shouted.
"Meynard's down, gut shot, but I stabilized him for travel. I'm working on Choi right now." Quint replied. His electric gun was at his side, but he had his medical pack out in front as he raced among wounded soldiers, sailors and marines.
The sixteen man Scout platoon had been pulled from the Rung Sat Special Zone outside of Saigon to Nha Trang in order to be briefed on the new Area of Operations, the Nung River near Cambodia. They were to spend six weeks of teaching the men of the 178th Cambodian and 11th Vietnamese Divisions small unit tactics and patrolling as well as jungle warfare. They hadn't been there for more than twenty-four hours when the enemy launched a massive assault on the JSOC Compound as well as all over South East Asia from Southern China all the way to Singapore.
"Where's LT?" Puckett asked, referring to Lieutenant Mark Tyler, the platoon officer.
"He's dead sir." Quint replied, "You're in charge."
Puckett felt the blood drain from his face. Mark wasn't just his platoon officer, he was also one of his best friends from high school. Three years older, Mark had been a role model for the young Rusty and now he was dead.
Chief Corleone, or the Don as the men on the team liked to call Kilo Platoon's chief, ran up to Puckett, "Sir, we've got three from our team down."
"Well aware of that Chief." Puckett said, nervously.
"Who's in charge right now?" Chief asked.
"I guess I am, Chief." Rusty said. He looked into the eyes of the man, a lean, powerfully built and seasoned warrior. His steel gray eyes radiated a confidence that Rusty did not feel.
"No guess Mr. Puckett, you're in command." Chief said.
"Right!" Puckett said, "Get Two Feathers, Banks and Sico to the south perimeter, I located several sappers approaching us from there. They keep trying to take that radio shed at the southeast corner, it's giving them good fire on the main compound."
"Yes sir, already taken care of." Chief replied.
"Chief, take Parhouz and Gomez to the eastern perimeter and try to rally those Rangers over there. They're a bunch of newbies fresh out of Ranger school, not even in country for three days." Rusty replied.
"Aye sir." Chief replied.
"Doc, when you've finished with Choi, go link up with as many of the medics as you can. Start getting them to move the wounded to the shelter and pool your supplies." Puckett replied, "I'm taking Artie and Osborne to the south perimeter to help Gary out."
"Got it sir." Doc replied.
"Sir? I'm sorry I screwed up. It's my first trip and I get hit." Choi said. He was a newly badged Quartermaster from San Francisco who had reported to the platoon with Gary just as they deployed.
"Don't worry kid, you'll be fine." Rusty said, the kid wasn't even nineteen and he had taken a shrapnel round through the side of his rib.
"Doc, how bad?" Rusty said.
"I can get him stabilized but I can't guarantee...." Doc said.
Puckett cut him off, "Never mind Doc, tell me after this is done. Keep working. Choi, hang in there, that's an order."
"Yes sir." Choi replied.
Rusty ran to the south perimeter where he found Bosun's Mate 3rd Class Artie Chambers and Aviation Electrician 2nd Class "Oz" Osborne with his MG- 70 light machinegun shooting steadily towards the crest of the hill. Gary was right next to them.
"How bad?" Rusty asked.
"Pretty fucking bad sir." Gary said, "They've taken the hill and they've got some energy orb projection tubes as well as a couple heavy machineguns up there."
"They ain't fully consolidated yet. If I can get to that shell crater it should give me enough cover to put some fire on them." Gary replied.
"Right. Artie, Oz, cover Gary on my signal, I'm gonna see if I can't get some help from those Marines over to our left." Puckett replied, indicating a platoon of Recon Marines that were duking it out with some zombie wave attacks that came after the energy orb barrages.
"Go!" Rusty shouted, flicking the selector switch on his carbine to full auto. The three men started firing, covering their team mate. Oz was shooting his machinegun steadily at any movement atop the hill. Artie had his shotgun firing at any creature that came too close.
Suddenly a burst of gunfire sounded from the hill and Gary toppled backward. "Gary!" Rusty shouted and leaped over the sandbags, running all the way to his downed teammate.
Without being told Artie and Oz intensified their fire. "Artie, in about two seconds run over to Puckett."
"I'm already there Oz!" Artie shouted, running, keeping low. A Gollum popped up from a shell crater and Artie blasted him at point blank, tearing the creature's head from its body.
"How's Gary?" Artie shouted.
"He's dead!" Rusty began, "Help me get him to that crater."
Artie complied. As they got in, Oz jumped into the hole as well. "I got the Marines' blood up. They're ready to make a rush on that hill when we are."
"Ok." Rusty replied, blinking his eyes once. He handed a letter to Oz from the pocket of his tiger stripe camouflage fatigues, "Oz, send this if I don't make it back."
"Yes sir." Oz replied.
Rusty picked up Gary's weapon, looking into the brown eyes of the man. They were eyes once full of life and mirth, but now empty of both. He closed the eyes of the man, crossed himself, slung his carbine and ran up the hill firing the Kamov as he went.
That was what the Marines had been waiting for. Suddenly a platoon of forty very angry Marines charged up the hill with Artie and Oz joining in. Rusty threw the Kamov down when it ran out of ammunition and started shooting his carbine at anything that appeared on the hill. He felt the impact to his left shoulder, describing it as being struck by a baseball at 90 mph and a bee sting simultaneously.
"LT!" Artie shouted, running over to his side, firing his shotgun into the enemy forces atop the hill as he went.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Rusty's POV)
I feel myself coming too somewhere. It isn't the alley and there's no body crucified on a fence. An old bald guy is standing over me. It's the same old bald guy that I had seen bleeding and dying not more than five minutes ago. I find myself in a dress shop of all places. I can't help but smile.
"Well, finally awake sleepy head?" The old man asks.
"Where am I? Who the hell are you?" I ask.
"So many questions, so much time." The old man replies.
God damn him, Diane's life could be in danger and that mumbo jumbo is all he can give me. "Look pal, what is going on here? Have you seen a woman, brown hair, about 5'7", wearing a red fleece jacket over a red turtleneck sweater and jeans?" I ask.
"Silent Hill. A peaceful community with a dark secret." The old man continues, "Rest son, you've had an accident."
No shit I got crushed by a wall, and by all accounts I should be dead. I don't even have a scratch on me. How could that be true? Unless I got knocked out somewhere and started dreaming of the JSOC Compound after I dreamt of seeing this guy bleeding on a fence.
"Listen, I've got to find my friend. She could be in trouble right now." I reply and leave the old man's shop.
"Beware the Unspoken." He says as I leave the shop, taking a complimentary street map from the counter as I do so.
As I walk outside I hear what sounds like wings flapping and instinctively I duck. What I see fly by is something straight out of those cheesy paperback horror novels I read as a kid. But this isn't a dream, it can't possibly be. I can do one of two things. I can deny its real, curl up into a little ball and hide, or I can accept the situation and go from there. I raise my Smith and Wesson and fire two rounds into the thing when it dives down towards me and it skids across the pavement, with two holes in its head.
I shoot it twice more when it twitches to make sure the thing is dead. I kick the body and it doesn't move. If there are more of these things loose in the town...I don't wanna even think about Diane because its making me worry again. I've got to get indoors, fast, before I can do anything.
I manage to break into a small convenience store. Looking around I take stock of my ammo. I've got ten rounds left in my current clip plus four extras. I'm gonna have to go look for some additional weaponry if I'm hoping to find Diane before something else does.
I look behind the counter and lying on the floor are some papers. I look at them and one has the words 22 Bradbury Street written on it. Some sixth sense is telling me that in order to find Diane and then get the hell out of here, in that order, that I've gotta head over there. Why is it, then that I know I'm not gonna like what I find?
~ ~ ~ ~
(Diane's POV)
I haven't gotten more than two blocks from the hospital when I find the body of a man bleeding on the pavement. I instantly turn him on his back to check for a pulse and when I do, I pull back, running smack into a chain link fence. I recoil in horror when I see that his throat has been torn out of his neck. It looks like a dog did this but why didn't anyone stop it? Come to think of it, where the hell is everyone?
Less than two blocks down Koontz Street is the Alchemella Hospital and they couldn't save this man? What is going on here? First the creepy nurse, then the fact I ended up over here, and now this. Has this town gone insane?
At any rate Rusty's probably worried himself sick by now and has come after me. Just what I need, an ex-Navy Scout and Raider man turned criminal investigator with a huge hero complex. Granted its sweet sometimes but he does this come to my rescue thing a bit too much for my liking. I wish he'd have more faith in my abilities and stop with the big brother act he has a tendency to pull on cases. Like earlier today when offered to help me find my way to Brahms. It was sweet, but I wish he had more faith in me than that. While I appreciate a good, caring guy, I think Rusty overdoes the chivalry thing sometimes.
What's going on here? First the dead body in the street unattended and now it's getting dark again. Almost as soon it goes back to normal. Walking down the street I run into this old lady which I quickly recognize as Dahlia Gillispie, our witness to who killed Petty Officer Tonya Davies.
"You are too late child. It is too late to turn back." She begins cryptically.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ha ha. Evil cliffhanger I know. What will become of Diane? Will Rusty find her in time?
Disclaimer: Same as before....The Biohazard War mentioned lasted from 2139- 2145 and was a worldwide struggle against people infected with a mutagenic virus.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Rusty's POV)
The streets of the town are unbelievably silent. I know from a brochure I found near Diane's car that the place is a peaceful, quiet community, but at 1600 (four o'clock in the afternoon) the place should be teeming with activity. I'm feeling the hair on the back of my neck rising, it's almost like there's something really wrong with this town. I wish someone was out here, anyone, even some crazy old beggar who knows how to find the hospital. I hope to God that what I heard over the line twenty minutes ago wasn't Diane's last stand.
That bad feeling I've been having since this morning is really starting to magnify. It's as if I know something about this place, but that's absurd, I've never been here in my entire life. I see a spot of red on a chain link fence in a nearby alley. It's blood.
'Dear God! It better not be Diane's!' is my first thought as I pull my Smith out and hold it ready to fire. As I proceed down the alley I have a sense of overwhelming dread, but my legs won't slow down. It's as if I know that I won't like what I see, but I have to see the sight that will greet my eyes. The alley gets darker, apparently the sun mustn't be shining through.
The indistinct mutterings I heard in my dream earlier are starting to become more distinct. It is one phrase, actually, and one that I hear over and over again, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis."
I know some Latin, and the meaning of the words is already starting to make my blood turn to ice. They mean, "Save yourself from hell...."
Again the voice sounds, it's a male, aged yet timeless at the same time. One that speaks of untold and great horrors beyond all telling, horrors he has witnessed. My grip on the Smith and Wesson is tighter. I grit my teeth and go. If I have to go and see just what six eyed, fire breathing freak is leaving blood and saying what I'm hearing to find Diane, by all means I'll do it.
I reach the end of the alley and am greeted by the most horrific of sights that I have ever witnessed in my life. Trussed to the chain link fence is an older, bald gentleman, his body tied in the manner of Christ at the Crucifixion, his kneecaps are broken and his eyes are sewn shut. He's still alive, for he is murmuring, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis."
As I get closer it intensifies as if some force from beyond is giving him greater energy than before, "Liberate tutemae ex inferis! LIBERATE TUTEMAE EX INFERIS!!!!!"
Suddenly I see three little creatures, maybe about the height of a toddler, but their wielding little knives and there's no mistaking their hostile intent. I raise my Smith and Wesson and put two rounds in the head of the first creature. Before the body hits the deck I have my weapon on the second and have already shot it dead square between the eyes. The third follows quickly. My pistol shooting skills are still sharp, as I'm proud to discover.
Suddenly the walls of alley start closing in. Just like in Poe's the Pit and the Pendulum and the next thing I know I feel the air leaving my lungs as my bones begin to crunch one by one.....
~ ~ ~ ~
(Diane's POV)
My eyes open slowly; I'm not sure where I am right now. All I know is some little girl was calling to me earlier and...Oh my God! Alessa! I completely forgot! I sit up to find myself sitting in a bed. It's a hospital bed, just like before. But how did I get here? Where was I before? And why does this hospital put chills in me like I've never felt in my life?
"Ma'am." A nurse says, she's an older lady with a matronly bedside manner that seems more than a little forced, "Your clothes and purse are in the next room. Just sign your name on this sheet to check out."
She holds a clipboard and pen in front of me and I sign my discharge papers and walk into the tiny bathroom. Stripping off the hospital gown I check myself for any sort of injury, not a scratch. I distinctly recall being hit from behind by some heavy object after I saw something lumber my way. It was a mannequin with a crowbar and it tried to hit me. I shot it with my .38 but as I check my purse there are still six rounds in the chamber. I get dressed, using the tiny shower that's in the room to freshen up first. If I spend one more second in this hospital I'm gonna go crazy.
I walk out into the street, pick up my cell phone and dial Franks' number. It won't go through for some reason. Rusty's number is next and it only rings twice before I get a battery low message. I forgot to charge my phone this morning, of all the times to do that. I walk down the street, wondering why I get the feeling that I have to leave this town in a hurry together with the feeling I'm being watched.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Nurse's POV)
Yet another victim to this town's credit, she doesn't suspect a thing. Not yet at least. I took the empty shell casing from her weapon and put a fresh one in. Master, her heart is strong, though she appears fragile on the outside.
In time she, like all the others before her, shall break. Lost and consumed by the terror that haunts Silent Hill...
~ ~ ~ ~
(Unknown POV)
The man intrigues me again. Much of his life he has spent running away from his problems, yet he possesses a strength of will and courage that is rare among mortal men. He doesn't give up easily, though tormented by many inner demons that ravage him from within. His heart is definitely that of a warrior and he will be hard to destroy. His soul as that of a poet, his feelings are strong for the woman that has left the hospital, ostensibly after an accident. His thoughts have been for her safety. Perhaps I can use that to my advantage in his destruction.
What a riddle a man who runs from his problems yet fought in an elite military unit.
~ ~ ~ ~
Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Compound Nha Trang, Vietnam June 28, 2143
Lieutenant (junior grade) Rusty Puckett crouched into the sandbag bunker as an energy orb projectile exploded beside it. He had his Stingray Mk II Paratrooper Carbine held in one hand and then he raised himself over the parapet, firing on two Gollums that had charged into the hole in the wire.
This was fast turning into a bloody fight that would involve massive shelling from energy orb projectors and crude explosives followed by a massive wave assaults by the ogres, zombies and Gollums. To think they were once human, but now mutated by an unknown virus was the most tragic. So far the men at the JSOC Compound were holding their ground, being some of the most elite fighting men of the United Systems Military.
A short, powerfully built man with the shoulders of a water buffalo jumped into the bunker carrying a Kamov squad automatic weapon. The Kamov was a weapon chambered for the 20mm cartridge and was a short barreled full automatic weapon fed through a 150 drum or box magazine and had one of the highest firing rates of any weapon in the USM arsenal.
"Hell of a fight, isn't it sir?" said the man, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Gary Thomas.
"Sure as hell is, Gary, put some fire on those sappers coming in from the south." Rusty said, peering over the sandbags. Sure enough a team of three Gollums with a portable energy orb projector were putting some fire on a group of Army Special Forces guys on the eastern perimeter.
"Aye sir." Gary replied, "Would you like fries with that?"
Rusty laughed despite himself. The guy was barely twenty-two years old, barely two years younger than Rusty's twenty-four years. He was fresh out of BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demoltion/Scout) school, and a newcomer to Scout Team Two. In the few ops he pulled, Gary was always willing to volunteer for any mission. He was also a platoon favorite, a born comedian.
Everybody loved Gary's sense of humor and zest for life. It was always said by any of the men on the team that Gary knew how to find a good time. He was also a loyal friend, and one hell of a Teammate. Rusty could barely count the number of times that Gary took risks whenever his fellow Scouts were in danger. He could see the kid running along, ducking among whatever cover he could, firing his Kamov all the while.
Rusty saw two Rangers ducked behind a low wall. Forgetting the danger, Rusty ran up behind them, joining them at their position.
A skinny kid with a blonde buzz cut, a private, looked him in the face, "What the hell do we do now, sir!"
Rusty shouted, indicating Gary as he did, "Join the fight and give that man some cover damn it!"
Another orb exploded and Rusty ducked, holding his camouflage bush hat to his head. The two Rangers had started shooting steadily at the enemy teams. Rusty ran into Hospital Corpsman 1st Class "Doc" Quint treating a casualty.
"Doc, who's hit?" Rusty shouted.
"Meynard's down, gut shot, but I stabilized him for travel. I'm working on Choi right now." Quint replied. His electric gun was at his side, but he had his medical pack out in front as he raced among wounded soldiers, sailors and marines.
The sixteen man Scout platoon had been pulled from the Rung Sat Special Zone outside of Saigon to Nha Trang in order to be briefed on the new Area of Operations, the Nung River near Cambodia. They were to spend six weeks of teaching the men of the 178th Cambodian and 11th Vietnamese Divisions small unit tactics and patrolling as well as jungle warfare. They hadn't been there for more than twenty-four hours when the enemy launched a massive assault on the JSOC Compound as well as all over South East Asia from Southern China all the way to Singapore.
"Where's LT?" Puckett asked, referring to Lieutenant Mark Tyler, the platoon officer.
"He's dead sir." Quint replied, "You're in charge."
Puckett felt the blood drain from his face. Mark wasn't just his platoon officer, he was also one of his best friends from high school. Three years older, Mark had been a role model for the young Rusty and now he was dead.
Chief Corleone, or the Don as the men on the team liked to call Kilo Platoon's chief, ran up to Puckett, "Sir, we've got three from our team down."
"Well aware of that Chief." Puckett said, nervously.
"Who's in charge right now?" Chief asked.
"I guess I am, Chief." Rusty said. He looked into the eyes of the man, a lean, powerfully built and seasoned warrior. His steel gray eyes radiated a confidence that Rusty did not feel.
"No guess Mr. Puckett, you're in command." Chief said.
"Right!" Puckett said, "Get Two Feathers, Banks and Sico to the south perimeter, I located several sappers approaching us from there. They keep trying to take that radio shed at the southeast corner, it's giving them good fire on the main compound."
"Yes sir, already taken care of." Chief replied.
"Chief, take Parhouz and Gomez to the eastern perimeter and try to rally those Rangers over there. They're a bunch of newbies fresh out of Ranger school, not even in country for three days." Rusty replied.
"Aye sir." Chief replied.
"Doc, when you've finished with Choi, go link up with as many of the medics as you can. Start getting them to move the wounded to the shelter and pool your supplies." Puckett replied, "I'm taking Artie and Osborne to the south perimeter to help Gary out."
"Got it sir." Doc replied.
"Sir? I'm sorry I screwed up. It's my first trip and I get hit." Choi said. He was a newly badged Quartermaster from San Francisco who had reported to the platoon with Gary just as they deployed.
"Don't worry kid, you'll be fine." Rusty said, the kid wasn't even nineteen and he had taken a shrapnel round through the side of his rib.
"Doc, how bad?" Rusty said.
"I can get him stabilized but I can't guarantee...." Doc said.
Puckett cut him off, "Never mind Doc, tell me after this is done. Keep working. Choi, hang in there, that's an order."
"Yes sir." Choi replied.
Rusty ran to the south perimeter where he found Bosun's Mate 3rd Class Artie Chambers and Aviation Electrician 2nd Class "Oz" Osborne with his MG- 70 light machinegun shooting steadily towards the crest of the hill. Gary was right next to them.
"How bad?" Rusty asked.
"Pretty fucking bad sir." Gary said, "They've taken the hill and they've got some energy orb projection tubes as well as a couple heavy machineguns up there."
"They ain't fully consolidated yet. If I can get to that shell crater it should give me enough cover to put some fire on them." Gary replied.
"Right. Artie, Oz, cover Gary on my signal, I'm gonna see if I can't get some help from those Marines over to our left." Puckett replied, indicating a platoon of Recon Marines that were duking it out with some zombie wave attacks that came after the energy orb barrages.
"Go!" Rusty shouted, flicking the selector switch on his carbine to full auto. The three men started firing, covering their team mate. Oz was shooting his machinegun steadily at any movement atop the hill. Artie had his shotgun firing at any creature that came too close.
Suddenly a burst of gunfire sounded from the hill and Gary toppled backward. "Gary!" Rusty shouted and leaped over the sandbags, running all the way to his downed teammate.
Without being told Artie and Oz intensified their fire. "Artie, in about two seconds run over to Puckett."
"I'm already there Oz!" Artie shouted, running, keeping low. A Gollum popped up from a shell crater and Artie blasted him at point blank, tearing the creature's head from its body.
"How's Gary?" Artie shouted.
"He's dead!" Rusty began, "Help me get him to that crater."
Artie complied. As they got in, Oz jumped into the hole as well. "I got the Marines' blood up. They're ready to make a rush on that hill when we are."
"Ok." Rusty replied, blinking his eyes once. He handed a letter to Oz from the pocket of his tiger stripe camouflage fatigues, "Oz, send this if I don't make it back."
"Yes sir." Oz replied.
Rusty picked up Gary's weapon, looking into the brown eyes of the man. They were eyes once full of life and mirth, but now empty of both. He closed the eyes of the man, crossed himself, slung his carbine and ran up the hill firing the Kamov as he went.
That was what the Marines had been waiting for. Suddenly a platoon of forty very angry Marines charged up the hill with Artie and Oz joining in. Rusty threw the Kamov down when it ran out of ammunition and started shooting his carbine at anything that appeared on the hill. He felt the impact to his left shoulder, describing it as being struck by a baseball at 90 mph and a bee sting simultaneously.
"LT!" Artie shouted, running over to his side, firing his shotgun into the enemy forces atop the hill as he went.
~ ~ ~ ~
(Rusty's POV)
I feel myself coming too somewhere. It isn't the alley and there's no body crucified on a fence. An old bald guy is standing over me. It's the same old bald guy that I had seen bleeding and dying not more than five minutes ago. I find myself in a dress shop of all places. I can't help but smile.
"Well, finally awake sleepy head?" The old man asks.
"Where am I? Who the hell are you?" I ask.
"So many questions, so much time." The old man replies.
God damn him, Diane's life could be in danger and that mumbo jumbo is all he can give me. "Look pal, what is going on here? Have you seen a woman, brown hair, about 5'7", wearing a red fleece jacket over a red turtleneck sweater and jeans?" I ask.
"Silent Hill. A peaceful community with a dark secret." The old man continues, "Rest son, you've had an accident."
No shit I got crushed by a wall, and by all accounts I should be dead. I don't even have a scratch on me. How could that be true? Unless I got knocked out somewhere and started dreaming of the JSOC Compound after I dreamt of seeing this guy bleeding on a fence.
"Listen, I've got to find my friend. She could be in trouble right now." I reply and leave the old man's shop.
"Beware the Unspoken." He says as I leave the shop, taking a complimentary street map from the counter as I do so.
As I walk outside I hear what sounds like wings flapping and instinctively I duck. What I see fly by is something straight out of those cheesy paperback horror novels I read as a kid. But this isn't a dream, it can't possibly be. I can do one of two things. I can deny its real, curl up into a little ball and hide, or I can accept the situation and go from there. I raise my Smith and Wesson and fire two rounds into the thing when it dives down towards me and it skids across the pavement, with two holes in its head.
I shoot it twice more when it twitches to make sure the thing is dead. I kick the body and it doesn't move. If there are more of these things loose in the town...I don't wanna even think about Diane because its making me worry again. I've got to get indoors, fast, before I can do anything.
I manage to break into a small convenience store. Looking around I take stock of my ammo. I've got ten rounds left in my current clip plus four extras. I'm gonna have to go look for some additional weaponry if I'm hoping to find Diane before something else does.
I look behind the counter and lying on the floor are some papers. I look at them and one has the words 22 Bradbury Street written on it. Some sixth sense is telling me that in order to find Diane and then get the hell out of here, in that order, that I've gotta head over there. Why is it, then that I know I'm not gonna like what I find?
~ ~ ~ ~
(Diane's POV)
I haven't gotten more than two blocks from the hospital when I find the body of a man bleeding on the pavement. I instantly turn him on his back to check for a pulse and when I do, I pull back, running smack into a chain link fence. I recoil in horror when I see that his throat has been torn out of his neck. It looks like a dog did this but why didn't anyone stop it? Come to think of it, where the hell is everyone?
Less than two blocks down Koontz Street is the Alchemella Hospital and they couldn't save this man? What is going on here? First the creepy nurse, then the fact I ended up over here, and now this. Has this town gone insane?
At any rate Rusty's probably worried himself sick by now and has come after me. Just what I need, an ex-Navy Scout and Raider man turned criminal investigator with a huge hero complex. Granted its sweet sometimes but he does this come to my rescue thing a bit too much for my liking. I wish he'd have more faith in my abilities and stop with the big brother act he has a tendency to pull on cases. Like earlier today when offered to help me find my way to Brahms. It was sweet, but I wish he had more faith in me than that. While I appreciate a good, caring guy, I think Rusty overdoes the chivalry thing sometimes.
What's going on here? First the dead body in the street unattended and now it's getting dark again. Almost as soon it goes back to normal. Walking down the street I run into this old lady which I quickly recognize as Dahlia Gillispie, our witness to who killed Petty Officer Tonya Davies.
"You are too late child. It is too late to turn back." She begins cryptically.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ha ha. Evil cliffhanger I know. What will become of Diane? Will Rusty find her in time?