Chapter 2: Truth
The team was soon standing by a huge double door made of pure titanium steel. Though they had reached the entrance, all they could see was blood splattered all over the entrance door.
"What the hell just happened here?" Punk said, completely disgusted by the scene.
Jack looked to his left and right, and saw tiny markings made by sharp objects, with blood smeared across it. His fingers ran across the cold wall and feeling the mark, and started to feel uncomfortable.
Captain noticed the frown that Jack had by looking at his eyebrows.
"Something bothering you, Jack?" Captain asked.
"I would like to know." Jack spoke for the first time. "What kind of armor your men are wearing?" Jack asked.
"Why do you ask?" Tofu asked Jack as he lifted his shotgun higher.
"I have the right to believe that we weren't the first people to be here." Jack exclaimed.
Specs connected the entrance pad to his laptop, quickly decoding the door. While doing so, he turned to Jack.
"You seem experienced." Specs commented with a smile.
Serge walked up to the mark and was pretty amaze with the dept of the mark. "Whoa, whatever cut through this walls must have packed a hell of a blade to go along with his arsenal." Serge said sarcastically.
"I'm about to decode the door, but it's…odd." Specs said.
"What's odd?" Hazel asked as she took a look at the com screen Specs was looking at.
"There has been no sign of anyone coming out, there has only been signs of…intrusion."
Everyone looked at one another.
"I guess Hudson's right." Errol said, as he loaded his Pulse rifle with a fresh new magazine.
A beep sound was heard and the double doors opened quickly. Everyone pointed their weapons right at the door and to their surprise, they were pointing at complete darkness.
"Where's the light man?" Punk asked angrily.
"Lights are down. Specs said. "Hold on a sec. Let me download this area's map system."
"Area? What do you mean area?" Remington asked.
"Well, I tried to download the entire map of the complex, but I can't. Not here." Specs continued. "The map is too large and can only be done in the basic level 1 control room not far off here."
"How big are we talking about?" Adio asked as he pointed his Rifle at the darkness.
"Can't really tell. I'd estimate ten levels deep and each level, the length and size is probably as much as living in a city." Specs answered.
"That big?" Captain said impressively.
"The control room is not far ahead. It's just at the very end of the corridor." Specs replied with a cheeky smile on his face.
"Torch." Captain ordered and everyone clicked their switches on their weapons and helmets, turning on the lights planted on them for night fighting purposes.
They soon walked into the darkness and because of their combine lights; they had a better view of the corridors. Jack and Remington walked in without much light gear on them. Specs plugged his com out and moved in. After they all moved it, the doors behind them slowly closed itself.
"Why close the door?" Adio asked.
"We cannot allow the intruders to get out with the bio weapon information right?" Specs laughed.
Everyone stayed together as they slowly proceeded through the corridor. The ceilings were filled with exhaust pipes. The sides where aligned with lights but all were not functional. The walls were all metal, mechanically made like a space ship corridor.
"You know, at times like this, we usually have at least something that would pop out to scare the shit out of ourselves." Linda remembered.
"Linda." Forest called.
"Yeah?"
"Stay the hell away from movies." Forest replied.
Everyone started giggling, and yet keeping their guard.
While everyone was reaching the end of the corridor, passing many T-Junction, a figure slowly crept across the corridor from the back of everyone from a far distant.
Jack paused and slowly turned behind, but saw nothing.
"What's wrong Jack?" Remington asked.
"I feel like we're being followed." Jack whispered.
"I never doubt your ability to sense it." Remington said, as he held his assault shotgun tightly in his hands.
Soon, they reached a dead end, and to their left, was the entrance to the level 1 control room.
"I'll be able to get the lights activated." Specs said and moved in quickly into the square room. Inside rest a large console with hundreds of flickering lights.
He plugged his laptop into the console and started keying in commands at lighting speed.
Captain, Punk and Hazel were inside, keeping look out.
Others stood outside, watching. Jack however, continued to concentrate his observation at one area, and that is where he felt he sensed a presence.
Remington checked his shotgun while everyone else just kept watch.
As Specs tapped the final key command, the entire facility started to light up. But the corridor only had a few lights working.
"Seems like only 35 of the lights in this entire facility is functional, the rest are ether died, or we'll be seeing them flicker themselves to death." Specs reported. "I also downloaded the entire map of the facility."
Captain dropped the huge bag he was carrying and looked at everyone. "Alright people. Now that the whole place is started up, get your gear fully ready and grab these tracker devices."
Captain unzipped the bag and tossed a square size screen to each and every one of them.
"These tracker devices are programmed to track anyone in within the distant of fifty meters. " Hudson coached. "Green as usual symbolizes us; blue will symbolize any of the staffs within this facility and red will symbolize the intruders that intruded into this base. Yellow symbolizes random, unidentified to be exact."
"Why the heck do we need yellow? Isn't everything already registered in here?" Punk complained.
"The big cheese wants us to have yellow. So don't ask me." Hudson barked.
"Base on my experience, your big cheese I believe is hiding something from us." Jack suddenly spoke coldly, while still looking at the corridor, prepared to draw his sword.
"What makes you say so, mister wannabe cool?" Punk spoke rudely.
"Something just doesn't fit." Remington cut in suddenly. "Large group of marine, heavily armed? Given tracker devices? Doesn't seem like a communication breakdown. I believe your head of department is hiding something."
"The Captain knows the actual mission, that's for sure." Jack said.
"You doubt our leader?" Adio snarled.
"He's right." Remington joined in. "You may trust him to the fullest, but because we have not worked long with him, we know he's hiding something."
Everyone started to look at Captain.
Captain sighed and walked toward the two civilians. "You two are sharp. Now I know why they sent you for this particular mission."
"You mean…its true…what they said? Linda asked weakly.
"No way man, don't tell me they are right man." Punk screamed in rage.
Captain silently nodded. "I don't like to hide the real thing from my own men. Once I tell you this, I'll be breaking federal law. I am ordered by the Admiral himself not to tell you. But it hurts my pride not to be truthful to my own men."
"Captain…" Forest whispered sadly.
"By right, this mission is a Bio-Weapon retrieval mission. Spec's here to gather only the data of the Xenomorphs. Just data… and also to find out what happened to this laboratory and how the Xenomorphs escaped."
"Whoa whoa whoa, what the hell are Xenomorphs?" Adio asked angrily.
Specs cut in the conversation. "Xenomorphs are the Bio-Weapons. They are living creatures retrieved from space from an unknown planet that I don't even know of. The entire facility has been experimenting with Xenomorph mutations and enhancements."
"Just one of these creatures poses a severe threat to a squad of soldiers. Your job here is to protect Specs as he gets to the main control room, get the communication up and retrieve the data." Captain added.
"Just like the movies." Linda mumbled.
Remington looked at Jack concentrating his focus on the corridor and then turned his attention to the captain.
"One of these things poses a threat to a squad, how many are we dealing with here?" Remington asked.
"I don't know." Captain replied restlessly. "I only know that originally, there was not more then ten. I am not too sure if the number is the same."
"Well it should be." Errol cried in panic. "I mean, creatures don't just split to halves."
"Specs, you mentioned something about enhancement." Remington said. "Care to share?
"I only know what I said. I don't know what enhancement they did. But I have received reports of a basic Xenomorph combat analysis. Our mission is supposed to be quick, so we'll make it quick. But just to share with you about what I learnt about these creatures is never to engage close combat and blowing them to bits."
"Why not?" Forest asked.
"Their blood is acid. Their skin is pretty hard to penetrate. But a few good shots will take it down. A direct shot at its head will kill it instantly. However, again I repeat, their blood tends to spray out. Keep your distant. If you do engage them in close combat, beware of their mouths. They have a tongue that can kill their victims instantly. Of course, we'll be doing what we can to stay together. We have better strength in numbers." Specs said as he closed his laptop.
"What about the intruders?" Serge reminded.
"I don't know why they want to sign their death warrants, but if we find them, kill them." Captain said.
Specs walked out of the room and looked at his main tracker device displaying the entire level.
"The Main control room is at the fifth floor. We just need to get the communications up, get the data, and we can call for back p and get out of here."
"Hey Mister Jack man." Jackson called out.
Jack paused and looked at the marine.
"How'd you know the Captain was telling a lie anyway?"
Captain and the marines all looked at Jack, waiting for an answer.
"When he said vacation." Jack answered.
"Huh?" they all said, surprised.
"He kept making the mission sound like an easy one, and then leaving as soon as their done. Liars often made things sound like they are ok. A little too ok." Jack continued.
"Don't call him a liar, you bastard." Punk screamed in rage as he was about to point his rifle at Jack.
Linda and Jackson grabbed Punk from raising his weapon.
"He's right." Captain suddenly said. "I'm likely to resign after this mission."
"Don't talk like you are going to get out of here alive." Jack spoke coldly.
"What do you mean by that, you white fuck." Serge snapped eagerly, wanting a piece of the man in black.
Remington stepped in. "He is trying to say that you all shouldn't underestimate the enemy. No matter who or what they are, one lesson I learn is never to underestimate. I had to learn it the hard way."
"Enough, everyone. We get this done, we can leave." Specs said. "The lifts are still down, so we'll have to find another way down. Everyone stick together."
As they walked down another corridor, armed to the teeth, the moved slowly, constantly watching their tracking device.
As Spec lead the group across the corridors, the lights started to flicker. He paused for a moment, looking around the area. Door after door after door he passed by, no a single soul could be found.
But what puzzled him the most was the fork end of five passages.
Jackson walked up to Specs. "Five ways, which way?" he asked.
"I…I don't know." Specs replied confusedly.
"What? What do you mean?" Hazel asked as she walked up to Specs who was now viewing his com.
"I don't know. There is a fork junction here, but the com only states one single route." Spec explained as he got to his knees to get a better balance in keying his controls.
"Fine then, I guess we got no choice but to split up." Captain said.
"What? No way am I splitting up. I'm not going to face whatever is in there man." Errol screamed in fear.
Captain passed Jack and Remington each a torchlight, tracker devices and a communicator.
Remington looked at the communicator the size of his ear hole, black and hardly noticeable from a distant.
"Place it by your ear. You'll be able to hear everyone speaking over the communicator as long as you press the tip of that tiny bug once placed in your ear. Press it once quickly to set it to automatic mode, which we'll be able to hear your conversation all the way. Press and hold to cut in communication and stay private." Captain said.
Jack did the same and placed the tracker devices inside his jacket and slipped the torchlight into his pockets.
"Split up eh?" Punk smirked. "Who goes with whom?"
Captain looked at the group and then gave his order. "Remington and Linda will go through the first corridor. Hudson, Tofu and Hazel will go down the following one after Linda's group. Me, Specs and Forest will head down the middle. Jackson, Adio and Errol will go down the next. Jack and Punk will go to the last one."
"No fucking way man. I'm not walking with this wannabe here." Punk complained. "He's the kind of cold hearted beast who would act cool but run in fear when trouble shows up."
"Punk, that's not how it goes." Remington tried explaining, but Punk refuse to listen.
"Punk, this is a direct order. You want to see tomorrow; you better listen to every instruction given to you." Captain snarled fiercely. "YOU HEAR ME PUNK!"
Punk sulked, but looked at the Captain in the eye. "Yes sir." He mumbled.
Remington smiled at Punk.
"You know, you aren't such a bad person. Don't act like one and trust me, Jack…he'll never leave anyone behind." Remington cheerfully said.
"Yeah right." Punk replied rudely.
Spec closed his laptop and turned to the group.
"Before we separate, I want you people to know that the Control room is a circular area with hundred of control surrounding the middle of the area. The middle is the entire surveillance of this facility. If you come across it, inform us and the rest will head back to this fork and head the direct path where we'll meet again, alright?"
Everyone nodded and separated.
As everyone had their backs turned, Jack stood, looking at Specs.
Specs saw Jack looking at him, and Specs felt uneasy. "Is anything the problem?" Specs asked.
Jack ignored Specs and walked on with Punk.
Specs wondered what Jack was thinking, but just continued on his way. As the group splits up and continued on with their mission, what they didn't know was that they were being followed…by two unseen forces.